Healthy, Delicious Summer Fare

Colorful, Too! Tori Ritchie Serves Up Recipes

(CBS)  Summer is the perfect time for light and healthy eating.

And, in The Early Show's "Five-Minute Cooking School" Thursday, cookbook author and cooking teacher Tori Ritchie suggests several dishes that are easy, delicious and colorful, to boot. They take advantage of the best summer has to offer.

In the flagship store in Manhattan of specialty home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma, Ritchie points out that these dishes are good for you, loaded with anti-oxidants and other nutritious aspects, and aren't designed to be diet food.

The recipes include a mix of fruits, vegetables and grains, all of which add nutritional value to meals naturally.

RECIPES

Tabbouleh with Lemony Scallops

The color may not be as vivid and alluring, but the foods in the brown group are stalwarts of the healthy diet and worthy of equal respect. Grains, legumes, seed and nuts, regardless of their color, earn high marks for nutrient value when eaten in their unrefined, "brown" state, and high praise for their rich taste and hearty texture. Here, scallops dress up a classic tabbouleh made with bulgur.

1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups boiling water
1 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup minced fresh dill
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 red tomatoes, finely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 lb. bay scallops
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, or as needed
1/4 cup water

Put the bulgur in a bowl and pour in the boiling water. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain, pressing the bulgur gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer to another bowl and add the parsley, dill, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, 1/3 cup of the lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 1/2 tsp. of the pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Spread the flour on a plate, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper, and lightly dust the scallops.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Working in batches, sear the scallops in one layer without crowding until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Add the remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice to the pan and stir to scrape up the browned bits. Add the water and simmer until thickened.

Serve the tabbouleh accompanied with the scallops and sauce.

Serves 4 or 5.

Adapted from New Healthy Kitchen Series, Main Dishes, by Georgeanne Brennan (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

For more recipes, go to Page 2.