Beyond PB&J

Coconut Curry Mussels with Tofu

2012-01-22T10:24:00.013-06:00

I can now say that I've cooked mussels! They are always so delicious when I've gotten them at restaurants, served in a flavorful broth that complements their meatiness. I can't help but to soak up the last drops with thick bread. Once I saw this recipe for mussels cooked in a thai-flavored sauce, I simply had to try it regardless of my intimidation. I had two recipes to cook from, one was Cooking Light and one was Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I ended up with my own concoction that was absolutely delicious. I have to warn that the measurements for some of the broth ingredients are not exact since they were added by taste. I added in sauteed tofu as an extra serving of lean protein and to add texture. Tofu is great in soupy dishes because it soaks up the flavor of whatever liquid it is simmered in. The mussels were served hot over sweet jasmine rice and with crusty homemade bread and a side salad.

REVIEW: Time to complete this dish was about 45 minutes. Cutting out the tofu step would probably shorten it by 15 minutes. Cooking time was very fast! It is definitely a weeknight meal possibility. For the broth, I started with the base of shallot, garlic, ginger, green curry paste and coconut milk, but then added the following to taste: fish sauce (I like the salty flavor), chicken stock (thinned out the coconut milk a bit), and white wine (why not?). A tip about mussels: My chef friend, Erica, warned me not to eat the mussels that do not open all the way. I tried a couple to see what would happen (I know, terrible experiment) and I didn't get sick but the ones that were just cracked open did not have the right flavor. So it's probably a good rule to follow! I purchased a 2lb bag and that was plenty for two even subtracting the ones we had to discard.

RECIPE:
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, sliced into rings
1.5inch piece of ginger, minced
1 can light coconut milk
1 pkg extra firm tofu, cubed
2-3 tbsp curry paste (can be green or red)
3 lbs mussels, rinsed & scrubbed
1/2 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
extra-virgin olive oil
Added to taste:
fish sauce
chicken stock
dry white wine

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add tofu cubes and cook until tofu is browned on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large dutch oven or pot, melt butter over medium-high. Add shallot, garlic, and ginger and cook 3 minutes. Whisk in coconut milk and curry paste, then add fish sauce, chicken stock, and white wine to taste. Once the desired flavor is achieved, turn up heat to high and bring sauce to a simmer.

Add mussels and stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring once. Discard unopened mussels. Remove pot from heat and stir in lime juice and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve over jasmine rice with a side of crusty bread. Makes 4 servings.

Butternut Squash & Kale Lasagna

2012-01-21T17:04:00.006-06:00

This is probably the fourth different vegetarian lasagna recipe I have tried, and I cannot get enough of them! I really don't miss the meat, and it is a great way to stuff lots of vegetables into one dish. The recipe is from Cooking Light's November 2011 issue. In the past year Cooking Light has added an "everyday vegetarian" section to each magazine and it usually contains interesting meatless recipes.

REVIEW: The lasagna was very hearty and bursting with flavor. Roasted squash and caramelized onions really brought out the sweetness of the vegetables. I made a few changes, but for the most part stuck to the recipe. I didn't buy a large enough butternut squash, so I supplemented with some yellow summer squash to get 6 cups. I also used whole-wheat lasagna noodles. I had a huge bunch of fresh kale from the farmer's market, so I used that instead of spinach, which contributed to the heartiness I'm sure! There were several steps and the prep took me a good hour and a half before I even put the lasagna in the oven, so I wouldn't say this recipe is easy, but it was worth the effort!

RECIPE:

6 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 large onion, vertically sliced thin

2 9oz packages of fresh spinach or kale (if using kale, remove ribs)

5 cups 1% low-fat milk

9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles, cooked almost to al dente (don't overcook!)

1 bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (I used ground sage)

5 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, shredded

3/8 tsp red pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

salt

pepper

extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F. Combine squash, 1 tbsp EVOO, sage, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spray cooking spray on a large baking sheet and spread squash mixture on it. Bake for 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool and peel garlic. Mash garlic and potato in a bowl with a fork.in a bowl with a fork.

While squash is baking, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Place onion in a bowl.

Add 2 tbsp water to the Dutch oven, add kale, cover and increase heat to high. Cook until kale is soft and wilty. Drain in a colander and squeeze out excess liquid. Add kale to onion bowl.

Heat 4.5 cups milk, bay leaf, and thyme in a medium saucepan over medium- high heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Return pan to medium heat. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl. Add to pan, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in dash salt, 1 1/4 cups cheese, red pepper, and nutmeg

Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer 3 noodles over milk; top with half of squash mixture, half of kale & onion mixture, and 3/4 cup milk mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining milk mixture over noodles. Bake at 425F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with the last of the fontina cheese, and put back into oven until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings. (per serving: 360 cals, 12g fat, 50g carb, 17g protein)

Veggies-to-the-Max Tart

2012-01-08T13:19:00.010-06:00

I'm back! Santa brought me a new camera so now my food photos should look even more irresistible! After the holiday season of eating and drinking to my stomach's content, I like to get back on track with a extremely healthy menu. On this week's menu was this veggie tart, couscous-stuffed chicken breast, and vegetable lasagna.

A very generous friend (and perhaps a fan of my cooking) bought me a book called Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi which contains nothing but vegetable recipes. Many of them are very creative and caught me off guard, such as roasted eggplant topped with buttermilk sauce and pomegranate seeds, or pumpkin souffle. This book will definitely come in handy when our CSA delivery provides more eggplant than I know what to do with!

The first recipe I chose from this book is called "Very Full Tart" which is not an understatement because the veggies were overflowing so much that I barely had room in which to stuff the cream sauce and cheeses. The recipe called for a 9 inch loose-bottomed tart pan which I do not have, so I purchased a pre-made frozen crust and used that. I'm sure it tasted the same but my version took much longer to cook probably due to being thicker than a tart. It took about double the time! However, my oven always seems to take much longer for these types of dishes. I would say start with 45 minutes as the recipe states, then check it every 10 minutes until the sauce in the middle is set. To make the recipe even healthier, I substituted 2% milk for heavy cream and light instead of full-fat ricotta.

REVIEW: This tart was delicious and hearty enough for a main dish. I think roasted vegetables have the best flavor. The feta added saltiness and interest to what might otherwise have been a bland sauce.

RECIPE:

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 medium eggplant, diced 1" pieces

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced 1" pieces

1 small zucchini, diced 1" pieces

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

pie crust dough or pre-made crust

8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

1/3 cup light ricotta

4 1/4 oz feta

7 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 eggs

1 cup 2% milk

olive oil

salt & pepper

Thaw pie crust and pre-bake according to the package directions. Don't overcook or it will be crumbly! If you choose to use pie dough, for this part you're on your own. I assume it would need to be pre-baked as well but I know nothing about that process!

Preheat oven to 450F. Remove stem and seeds from bell peppers, place into glass dish, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Put peppers on the top shelf of the oven to roast for 12 minutes. Mix eggplant pieces in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread eggplant plus diced sweet potato onto a large baking pan and put into oven below the peppers to roast for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, spread the zucchini onto another baking sheet and put on a third shelf in the oven. This all sounds complicated, but basically the bell peppers roast the longest - those should be browned and crackly on the skin when done, then the eggplant and sweet potato the second-longest, then finally the zucchini needs the shortest roasting time. Keep an eye on all the veggies while cooking to make sure they can be easily pierced with a fork without being blackened.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Saute onions with bay leaves and a dash of salt for 25 minutes until they are brown and caramelized. Remove from heat.

When all vegetables are roasted, reduce oven temp to 325F. Cover the bell peppers and allow them to steam and cool, then peel them. I prefer the Bobby Flay method of flattening out the pepper and using a small knife to scrape off the crispy skin leaving the soft flesh. Slice peppers into thin strips.

Spread caramelized onion on the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Spread all other vegetables over onion until the crust is full. Sprinkle half of the thyme leaves over the vegetables. Place chunks of feta and ricotta anywhere that can be filled in between the veggies. Scatter the tomato halves cut side up.

Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl with a bit of salt and pepper. Pour mixture into the crust without overflowing or covering the top layer of vegetables. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme leaves on top.

Place pan in the oven (recommend to put it on a baking sheet to prevent spills) and bake for a minimum of 45 minutes. The filling needs to set and should be a golden brown when done. Allow tart to cool at least 10 minutes prior to cutting. Enjoy!

Grilled Eggplant Appetizer

2011-08-15T14:34:00.007-05:00

This is one of Giada's recipes on the Food Network, and it is delicious way to use up some of the eggplant from our CSA. Grilled eggplant has a great flavor and hearty texture. Combine that with the flavors of goat cheese, pine nuts , balsamic vinegar and this appetizer will really satisfy! There seems to be a pine nut shortage in my area so I've been substituting toasted almonds which are just as good. The eggplant can also be broiled in the oven for the same texture, but the grilling adds better flavor. I listed the ingredients below, but portion appropriately to how many being served, or how hungry you are!

RECIPE:
2-3 eggplants, sliced 1/4" thin
goat cheese, crumbled
pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted
basil, coarsely chopped
mint, coaresly chopped
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Heat grill to medium heat. Slice eggplant into 1/4" slices, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grill eggplant a few minutes on each side until golden brown and soft. Lay slices flat on a serving tray. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese, nuts, basil, and mint. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Baked Crab Rangoons

2011-08-07T10:18:00.007-05:00

Another recipe from Steamy Kitchen's blog... she has some really great ones! I really like the restaurant style rangoons that are deep fried but as a healthier version I think these were just as good. Won ton skins can be found at most grocery stores and at asian groceries of course. I spent a looong time staring at the different types of crab debating whether to spend the money on the jumbo lump crab ($15/8oz!) and finally I heeded the advice from the sympathetic butcher and went on the cheap and got the claw meet ($8/8oz). I also saw imitation crab meat for $2 and decided to give that a trial run just in case (BAD BAD MISTAKE). The claw meat tends to be sweeter so I think it worked for this dish, but obviously the meaty texture and quality just isn't the same as the jumbo.

Watch the won ton skins baking because theyi go from raw to crispy and dark fairly quickly! I topped with thinly sliced green onion.

Overall, this was an easy recipe that would be tasty with an impressive presentation at a party. I served it with the thai tomato soup which paired perfectly.

Udon Vegetable Miso Soup

2011-08-06T17:22:00.005-05:00

I can take no credit for "doctoring" this recipe in any way, it was straight up from Steam Kitchen's blog - see link here. And it was delicious! It was everything I want in a lunch - tasty, hearty, light. Make sure to watch the video for the tip on how to add the miso paste. My ingredients of choice were: dried udon noodles, corn, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, scallions, bean sprouts, and boiled egg. Pretty much any leftover veggies would be good in this. I'll definitely try tofu cubes too for some extra protein. Enjoy!

Crispy Stuffed Squash Blossoms

2011-08-06T16:49:00.011-05:00

Another summer of the farm CSA deliveries where I get creative every week trying to cook all the different varieties of produce that we receive! This week's box contained a bag of squash blossoms. Last year per the farm's recommendation, I chopped some up into a green salad with a very underwhelming result. These really do not have much flavor, so drastic measures must be taken, such as stuffing the thing full of cheese and herbs, dredging in a beer batter, and deep frying in vegetable oil. Transformation!

REVIEW:
This is the first time I have deep-fried anything, but it was so easy and fast! I did three iterations of this recipe. At first I tried not stuffing the blossoms, but they are WAY better with stuffing. Then I added cajun seasoning to the batter to give it more kick. I would recommend doing it this way to get the exact taste desired. I thought these were a unique appetizer; tasty and light despite being fried. This will probably be the only way I eat squash blossoms. I'm hooked!

RECIPE:
vegetable oil for frying

Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 can/bottle beer
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
hot sauce/cayenne/cajun seasoning

Stuffing:
8 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
1 tbsp mint, chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
salt & pepper

Heat 2" of oil in a sauce pan or deep fryer to 350F. Prep the squash blossoms by giving them a quick rinse, removing any stamens, and pat dry. Mix flour with salt, pepper, and seasoning. Add beer, whisking until just combined (lumps are ok). Mix ricotta with mint, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Use a small spoon to scoop some of the ricotta mixture and pack into each squash blossom. Fold the petals together around the cheese to make a pod of sorts. Dredge each stuffed blossom into the batter and gently drop into the hot oil. Cook blossoms until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and lay on paper towel to cool. Serve as soon as they are cool enough to eat!

Cherry Tomato Feta Pasta Salad

2011-07-10T20:14:00.004-05:00

Summer is here - time for fresh veggies and fruit! We received our first CSA delivery this week, which included the local Evenstar farm's first summer harvest of organic goodies. For those who don't know about CSAs, it stands for Community-Supported Agriculture. Basically, people pay a chunk of money up front to the farm and in turn the farm shares a portion of its weekly harvest. It's great to get freshly-picked produce every week and contribute to a local business.

This week's loot came on Wednesday with a pleasant surprise of lots of cherry tomatoes, which usually come later in the season. As of Sunday, everything in the picture above was eaten! I found this pasta salad on SimplyRecipes.com that was simple to make and let the tomatoes star with lots of supporting flavors. It would be great to bring to an outdoor cookout or party.

RECIPE:

8oz orzo pasta

1-2 pints cherry tomatos, sliced in half

8oz feta cheese, crumbled

1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tbsp fresh oregano, minced

juice of one lemon

black pepper (freshly ground if available)

olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta in a fine mesh sieve so the tiny pasta don't slip through the colander holes. Rinse pasta with cold water. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil onto pasta. Start with a small amount, and add more later if needed. Add cherry tomatoes, feta, cucumber, green onions, oregano, lemon juice and toss. Add black pepper to taste. Serve chilled. Makes 8-10 side servings.

Beef & Spinach Noodle Stir-Fry

2011-04-30T18:08:00.008-05:00

Delicious, easy, light, weeknight meal that will definitely be made again in my house! Another one from Cooking Light magazine, and I made a couple small changes to add more beef and more ginger.

RECIPE:
6oz uncooked wide rice noodles
1lb top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 cup green onions, sliced
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 6oz bag baby spinach
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp Sriracha
canola oil
salt
sesame seeds

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Combine rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl and whisk together. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add green onions and steak; stir fry until steak is mostly browned all over, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add spinach; stir-fry 1 minute or until wilted. Add vinegar mixture to wok and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in noodles, sesame oil, and salt; cook for 1 minute or until noodles are thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings. (per serving: 408 cals, 13g fat, 56g carb, 17g protein)

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

2011-04-04T17:19:00.012-05:00

Meat-lovers, this is for you! While visiting Brazil, I never got a chance to try this stew that is supposedly the country's national dish, but I had heard good things. I was looking for a stew recipe because perhaps (hopefully!) these chilly days are coming to an end and soon I'll have tons of fresh produce to cook. I started with a recipe from Simply Recipes and tweaked it a bit. I reduced the amount of meat in the stew because the recipe had, no joke, 5 1/2 pounds of meat and I simply couldn't find all the different kinds in my local store. But I looooove black beans, so I subbed in more of those. Be prepared to take either a walk or a nap after devouring a bowl of this hearty stew!

RECIPE:

1 1/2 pounds dry black beans, rinsed and soaked in water overnight

1 lb beef shoulder, cut into bite-size chunks

1 lb smoked Keilbasa sausage, sliced into bite-sized chunks

1/2 lb fresh sausage (I used Italian-style chicken)

1 lb cured ham, cubed

2 large onions

1 head garlic, peeled and minced

3 bay leaves

14oz of crushed tomatos

1 bunch green onion, sliced

2 oranges, sliced

olive oil

salt

crushed red pepper flakes

hot sauce

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown beef shoulder and chicken sausage. When browned, remove the meat and set aside. Add ham cubes, onions, and garlic to the pot and sautee until onions are translucent. Cut chicken sausage into chunks. Add the beef shoulder and chicken sausage back in, along with the other meats, beans, dash salt, bay leaves and a few shakes of red pepper flakes. Add just enough water to cover everything, then bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface, then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for about 2 hours, until beans are tender. Stir in crushed tomatoes and add hot sauce and salt to taste. Simmer uncovered for at least another half hour. Serve over your favorite rice (I used jasmine from the Asian market, because it is heavenly with everything) and top with sliced green onion and orange slices.

Mexican Casserole

2011-03-06T20:54:00.004-06:00

This is a healthy way to satisfy a craving for Mexican enchiladas. I liked all the added vegetables, it made the dish hearty and added more texture than just tortillas and meat like in most restaurant enchilada dishes. Jarred chunky-style salsa could be used in this recipe to save time, but I had enough time to make my previously posted salsa which tasted even better. I couldn't find green enchilada sauce, so I used the red sauce instead. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch!

RECIPE:

2 cups salsa

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

1 zucchini, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

10 oz can green chile enchilada sauce

4 oz can chopped green chiles

12 6" corn tortillas

1-2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, corn, zucchini, garlic, bell pepper and saute for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, enchilada sauce, green chiles and saute 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Spread 1/2 cup salsa in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange 6 tortillas over salsa. Spoon 1/2 chicken mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with 3/4 cup salsa. Sprinkle with cheese. Repeat layers, starting with remaining 6tortillas and ending with cheese. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 8 servings (per serving: 331 cals, 12g fat, 31 g carbs, 26g protein).

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Figs & Blue Cheese

2011-02-20T12:54:00.002-06:00

This recipe is from Cooking Light's "Best Of" collection, and it did not disappoint! I was looking to try something I hadn't cooked before, and also a dish that might be good for a large group. Once I read the recipe and saw that the meat was stuffed with blue cheese and dried figs, I couldn't think of a better combination.

REVIEW: The dish was so tender and the figs and blue cheese filling really complimented the meat without seeming too overwhelming. Overall, it was really easy too! I didn't change much, except for the recipe called for a one pound tenderloin, but the smallest I could find was 2.5lbs. The package contained two pieces of meat, so I just made two and cooked them for a little longer. Total cooking time was about 40 minutes. I doubled the stuffing to accommodate the two as well. Lots of welcome leftovers! A food processor worked great for chopping the figs. I served the meat with a side of asparagus and always tasty wild rice pilaf.

How good does that look right out of the oven?!

RECIPE:

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/2 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp apple jelly
cooking spray
twine

Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Slice pork in half lengthwise, cutting to but not through the other side (like Subway cuts their bread). Open halves and lay meat flat. Place pork between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2" thickness with a meat mallet. Sprinkle dried figs and blue cheese over pork, leaving a 1/4" border around outside edges. Roll up the pork while tucking in the filling. Secure at 2" intervals with twine. Sprinkle roll with salt and pepper and set into baking dish. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes. Brush jelly over pork. Bake an additional 5 minutes until meat is slightly pink or thermometer reads 160F. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard twine; cut pork into 1" thick slices. Makes 4 servings. (per serving: 274 cals, 9g fat, 20g carbs, 28g protein)

Simple Holiday Meal

2011-01-02T13:14:00.007-06:00

Even though I was out of town for Christmas Day, I still wanted to make a holiday meal for the fun of it. The meal ended up being simple, healthy, and not over the top which is exactly what I needed after all those Christmas cookies fell into my mouth over the weekend. I did a bunch of searching online and came up with three dishes: roast turkey with gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts. Each one was delicious, and I followed each recipe exactly, so I'll just provide a link to where I got them.

For the roast turkey, I used Martha Stewart's butter/white wine/ cheesecloth method.
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/how-to-roast-a-turkey
Since this was only the 2nd time I've attempted a whole turkey, I loved the step-by-step instructions complete with pictures. Turkey for Dummies! :) I didn't feel like putting in the work to brine the turkey, and it turned out that I didn't need to, the turkey was super moist and flavorful without it. It looked pretty too. I also used her gravy recipe made from giblet stock, absolutely fantastic. No stuffing though, it's not my thing!

The garlic mashed potatoes were from Steamy Kitchen's blog...so easy and delish.
http://steamykitchen.com/12025-roasted-garlic-mashed-potatoes.html

By far the most interesting dish on the table was the roasted brussel sprouts with a pistachio-cranberry pesto, also from Steamy Kitchen.

http://steamykitchen.com/9035-roasted-brussels-sprouts-cranberry-pistachio-pesto.html

I prepped everything while the turkey was cooking, then when the turkey was done and out of the oven, I stuck 'em in to roast while the turkey rested. Great timing. I hadn't had brussel sprouts since my mother made them in '88 and my husband has never had them, so it was a gamble (and I think I won!). These had a yummy sweet/salty contrast from the pesto, and the texture of the sprouts was crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Just perfect.

I hope you try some of these and like them as much as I did!

Baked Salmon with Tomato-Caper Sauce

2011-01-02T12:55:00.003-06:00

I got this recipe from my awesome chef friend, Erica, a long time ago and finally decided to try it for a girls' dinner that I was hosting. It was the first time a few of my friends had sampled my cooking, so I really wanted to impress. :) It definitely didn't disappoint in both presentation and taste. Sides of roasted asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes rounded out the meal. One thing needed for this recipe is a good oven-proof skillet. Luckily, a few weeks before the dinner I received a fantastic All-Clad stainless saute pan from Crate & Barrel as a very generous gift.

RECIPE:

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil

Preheat oven to 425F. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the shallot, capers, vinegar and 1/2 tsp of salt. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. (Depending on how big the skillet, you may be able to fit more than one fillet in the pan, but don't crowd!) Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and pour off any fat in the skillet. Cover with foil to keep warm. Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin, canola oil and remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with fresh parsley and basil, and serve immediately.

Turkey Bean Chili

2011-01-02T12:05:00.003-06:00

This chili was quick, easy, and delicious. I got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine's "Favorite 20 minute recipes" section. Usually I think of chili simmering for hours, so I was a bit skeptical that good chili could only take 20 minutes. To be honest, it took a bit longer to prep everything, and I let it simmer for about 30 minutes since I had the time. I'll be making it again for sure!

RECIPE:
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1+ lb ground turkey
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
14.5oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
14oz can low sodium chicken broth
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges
avocado, chopped
sour cream
shredded cheese

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add first 4 ingredients; cook for 6 minutes or until turkey is done, stirring frequently to crumble. Stir in chili powder, and next 8 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer at least 10 minutes. Top with your choice...avocado chunks, sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, squeeze of lime. Enjoy! Makes 6 servings. (per serving: 211 cals, 6.5g fat, 16g carbs, 22.5g protein)

Salmon Burger

2010-08-07T12:52:00.005-05:00

These burgers were sooo good on the grill! I eat baked salmon all the time but this was a nice change for summer and just as healthy. The recipe came from Cooking Light magazine. The writers did a great job of figuring out how to keep the burgers from flaking apart on the grill without adding egg or fillers. Turns out this can be done by making a salmon puree then mixing in the chunks of salmon to get the texture just right. Impressive! I also like the suggested combo of Dijon mustard and honey to slather onto the bun instead of the usual ketchup and mustard.

RECIPE:
1 lb skinless center-cut salmon fillets, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp Dijon mustard, divided
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 tbsp honey
1 cup arugula or other tangy lettuce
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
splash extra-virgin olive oil
pinch kosher salt
pinch freshly ground pepper

Place ¼ lb salmon, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and lemon rind in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon puree into a large bowl. Place remaining ¾ lb salmon in food processor; pulse 6 times or until coarsely chopped. Fold chopped salmon, tarragon, shallots, salt, and pepper into puree. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a ½ inch thick patty. Cover and chill until ready to grill.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Combine the remaining 1 tbsp Dijon and honey into small bowl, and set aside. Combine arugula, onion, lemon juice, and oil in a medium bowl to make the burger topping.

Lightly coat both sides of burgers with cooking spray. Place patties on grill rack; grill 2 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly toast buns on grill. Carefully turn patties and grill for another 1-2 minutes until done.
Spread Dijon honey mixture onto bun, top burger with arugula-onion mixture. Serve with grilled fresh summer vegetables such as potatoes, cob corn, or summer squash.

Maryland Crab Cakes

2010-06-24T19:55:00.013-05:00

After a failed first attempt at making crab cakes, I found a winning crab cake recipe. Both were from Cooking Light, but for some reason this one worked MUCH better. I liked the texture of the crab and the flavors from all the spices and herbs mixed in.

One thing I didn't skimp on too much while making these is the oil. Now I didn't go overboard, but a nice slick in the bottom of the pan worked great. If you don't have enough oil, you won't get the crispy outer coating from the panko and you'll probably burn them (which is what happened last time, and it was a real bummer). Crab is fairly expensive so you don't want to mess it up!

The recipe called for lump crabmeat, but it turns out that lump meat is really, really pricey. I was ready to give up until a local Marylander who worked at the store told me that special crab would work just as well and was half the price. It consists of the leftover bits of crab meat once the big chunks are removed. See this website for an explanation of types of crab meat: http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/understanding-crabmeat.aspx. I also added some Old Bay seasoning to the crab cake mixture and sprinkled some on top while cooking. I thought it gave a more authentic Maryland taste.

RECIPE:
1 lb lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 ½ tbsp mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
½ tsp grated lemon rind
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
Old Bay seasoning to taste
Olive oil

Combine chives, parsley, mayo, egg, lemon rind, lemon juice, pepper, and Old Bay in a large bowl. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Form crab cakes by filling a 1/3 cup measuring cup with mixture, turn over onto work surface, and press gently into a patty of uniform thickness. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cakes 4 minutes on each side, or until golden on outside.

The recipe also included a creamy Remoulade sauce as a topping, which I really liked so I’ll add it here.

¼ cup light mayo
1 tbsp shallots, chopped
1 ½ tbsp capers, drained and chopped
2 tsp spicy mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and cayenne to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir with whisk. Serve crab cakes with a bit of sauce on top and a fresh veggie or salad on the side. Makes 4 servings of 2 crab cakes each.(per serving: 292cals, 22g fat, 5g carbs, 19g protein)

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

2010-06-24T19:11:00.007-05:00

This lasagna takes some extra time and many pans, but it is so delicious that it's worth it. I like the wide variety of veggies that get layered up between the noodles, it keeps every bite interesting! It is a great dish to make on a Sunday and eat all week for lunch.

RECIPE:
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
3 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices
2 red bell peppers, cut length wise into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz container low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 26oz jar meatless spaghetti sauce (I like Newman's Own Tomato & Basil)
whole wheat lasagna noodles
3 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spray 3 baking sheets with cooking spray. Spread eggplant slices on one baking sheet. Sweat eggplant by sprinkling salt on both sides of each slice and letting sit for 20 minutes. While eggplant sweats, prep other vegetables. Eventually beads of liquid will form on the eggplant. Rinse salt off eggplant and place back on baking sheet. Heat oven to 400F. Place zucchini and red pepper on another baking sheet. Place mushrooms on the third baking sheet. Combine a small amount of olive oil with minced garlic and lightly brush onto vegetables. Vegetables will take 30-45 minutes to roast in the oven, so turn halfway through and check often to make sure they don't burn.

While vegetables are roasting, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Coat 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray. After taking veggies out, lower oven temperature to 350F.

Layer 1: Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom baking dish.
Layer 2: Noodles
Layer 3: Ricotta cheese mixture.
Layer 4: Roasted vegetables - make sure there's a good variation in each layer.
Layer 5: Pasta sauce
Layer 6: Sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and fresh basil

Repeat layers 2-6 2x and top with noodles and pasta sauce. Cover and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

2010-04-25T20:17:00.004-05:00

This is my first risotto! It turned out amazingly well, and I'm so proud! I kept hearing how tedious and difficult it is to make risotto, and maybe it is for the fancy restaurant versions, but this one was surprisingly easy as long as you have enough time to be patient in preparing it. This recipe was in Cooking Light, and I didn't change much at all. Since I was serving this risotto as a main dish, I added about 1/4 cup more fresh chopped baby 'bella mushrooms to make it a little heartier. The mascarpone cheese was a nice topping, but the dish is creamy enough without it.

First of all, here are my vital tips for making risotto:

1) Find yourself a good stool on which to perch,

2) Find yourself a good magazine to keep you from complete boredom while stirring,

3) Make yourself a cocktail because you're going to be there awhile.

Your risotto preparation should look something like this:

RECIPE:

2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
Cooking spray
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3/4 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used leftover Chardonnay)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

2. Bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm.

3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

4. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, grated cheese, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently until cheese melts. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon mascarpone and thyme leaves, if desired. Makes 4 servings. (per serving: 369cals, 15g fat, 48g carbs, 12g protein)

Pulled Chicken Sandwich

2010-04-04T17:18:00.002-05:00

Delicious and almost as good as pulled pork, but hopefully healthier. One thing nice about cooking with chicken thighs is that they are usually on sale for really cheap. This recipe was adapted from a 30 minute “Dinner Tonight” recipe from Cooking Light. I decided to make it in the crock pot since I had the time and I wanted to make sure the chicken got extra tender and flavorful. I made it with about 3lbs of chicken and it lasted all week as excellent leftovers.

RECIPE:
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp spicy mustard
1 tbsp molasses
½ tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp chili powder, or to taste
Hot sauce to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb chicken thighs, fat trimmed
½ onion, sliced into rings
Hamburger buns
Dill pickle chips

Combine first 9 ingredients into a sauce. Layer onion rings on bottom of crock pot. Place chicken thighs on top of onion, then coat chicken with barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours. Take out chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Stir shredded chicken back into sauce until heated through. Serve pulled chicken on a toasted hamburger bun (or deli flat for low-carb) with dill pickle chips. (per serving: 294 cals, 7g fat, 36g carbs, 22g protein)

Fontina & Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2010-04-04T16:23:00.006-05:00

Yet another delicious Cooking Light recipe! I slightly modified the cooking method from the skillet to the oven after trying it the first time for a girls' dinner and it took forever to cook. The oven was much easier since I didn't have to stand over the stove for an hour, and I think it tasted better too. I love the combination of crispy coating on the outside with the creamy filling inside. Yum!

RECIPE:
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into halves
2 oz prosciutto, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fontina cheese, shredded
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Canola oil
freshly ground black pepper
plain breadcrumbs
all-purpose flour

Prep stuffing: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add prosciutto to pan; sauté until browned and crispy. Add rosemary and garlic to pan, sauté a couple minutes. Place prosciutto mixture into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Mix in fontina cheese.

Take each chicken breast half and slice a small pocket in it that is big enough to stuff. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Heat oven to 350F.

Make an assembly line: Set up 3 shallow dishes or plates – 1. Flour, 2. Egg whites mixed with Dijon mustard, 3. Breadcrumbs. Spoon prosciutto mixture into each chicken pocket; press lightly to flatten. Dredge chicken half in flour, dip into egg, then cover fully with breadcrumbs. Place into baking dish coated in cooking spray. Bake for 25 mins or until chicken is no longer pink.

Quick Lunch - Shredded Chicken Quesadillas

2010-02-02T14:08:00.011-06:00

For a quick lunch or a late night snack, I turn to quesadillas. They're easy, fast and satisfying. They can be made with a variety of leftover ingredients pulled from the fridge. This time I used leftover rotisserie chicken and these turned out exceptionally tasty, and took all of 10 minutes to cook. Yum!

RECIPE:

2 whole wheat tortillas

3/4 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded

1/4 avocado, sliced thin

1/2 tomato, sliced thin

1/4 cup low-fat cheese, shredded and divided

spray butter

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Spritz skillet and tortilla with spray butter or cooking spray. Place tortilla on skillet butter side down, then add layers in this order: cheese, chicken tomatoes, avocado, cheese, tortilla. Spritz the top of the second tortilla with butter. Flip after 3-5 minutes or when tortilla is crispy and golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve. (per quesadilla: 588 cals, 19g fat, 50g carbs, 48g protein)

Winter Chili!

2010-02-02T13:10:00.015-06:00

Another Cooking Light recipe! It has been freezing the last couple of weeks and hearty chili is the perfect way to combat winter. This was my first attempt at chili and it turned out really great. I made a double batch of this recipe and froze the extra. I only used two jalapenos, so it turned out pretty mild - next time I would use more. A sprinkle of cayenne pepper added some heat.

I couldn't find canned pinto beans in the store, so I bought dried which took some extra prep. First I soaked the beans in water overnight, then had to simmer them for about an hour to cook them prior to adding to the chili.

The recipe said to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, but I had mine on the stove for 4-5, letting the flavors mingle together and making the house smell wonderful. I kept it on low and stirred every once in a while. I would also try this in the slow-cooker to cook while I'm at work all day!

RECIPE:

1 lb boneless chuck roast (I used shoulder roast), trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp canola oil

2 medium onion, chopped

2 large jalapenos, minced

10 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz beer

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 cups fat-free, less sodium beef broth

1 (28oz can) whole peeled tomatos, drained and chopped

1 (15oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Toppings:

avocado

shredded sharp cheddar cheese

nonfat sour cream or plain yogurt

lime wedges

chopped cilantro

Heat a skillet over high heat and coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle beef with salt. Brown beef chunks in pan for 5 minutes. Heat a soup pan over medium-high heat and add canola oil. Sautee onion and jalapeno for 8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and sautee for a few minutes. Pour in beer, bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Stir in paprika, cumin and tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes and beans, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer with the lid halfway on 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and beef is very tender, stirring occasionally. Serve in a bowl with toppings of choice. Makes 6 servings. (per serving: 421cals, 23g fat, 30g carbs, 21g protein)

Salmon Piccata with Brown Rice & Asparagus

2010-01-30T19:44:00.004-06:00

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and fast tonight's dinner was, considering how delicious it turned out. Salmon was on sale at the store this week, so thought I'd try a salmon piccata like the kind you'd get in a restaurant. I finished making this dinner in about 35 minutes, and that included setting the table and some cleanup!

RECIPE:

Four 4oz salmon fillets
1tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
juice from one lemon (3 tbsp)
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
salt & pepper
splash of white wine

Preheat oven to 400F. Sprinkle salmon with salt & pepper and place on Pyrex coated in cooking spray. Bake salmon for 15-20 minutes, until samon flakes easily with fork. While salmon bakes, melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Whisk chicken broth, lemon juice, and flour in a bowl. Sautee minced garlic for 1 minute in saucepan, then add broth mixture. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often, until it thickens slightly. Stir in capers, parsley and wine, keep on low until ready to serve. Serve salmon fillet over brown rice or pasta and drizzle sauce over it all. Sautee asparagus with a little olive oil and serve as a side dish. (per serving of salmon and sauce, no sides: 300 cals, 17g fat, 5g carbs, 27g protein)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-11-22T13:05:00.006-06:00

I am a regular watcher of Food Network's show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, where pro chef Bobby Flay goes up against chefs from around the country and challenges them to beat their dish of expertise. It's a great show. The only drawback to watching is that I start craving whatever the challenging dish is! Recently, I saw one where Bobby went up against Levain Bakery located in New York City. This bakery specializes in gigantic, chewy, chocolate chip walnut cookies. I personally have not tried these cookies, but I will definitely try to the next time I visit NYC. After watching the show, I could not stop thinking about these cookies, and I had to make them. The bakery would not divulge their recipe on the show. Luckily, there are several food bloggers out there who have painstakingly re-created it by trial and error. Bless them!

Now, I am not a baker by any means. I'll throw together a boxed brownie mix any day, but rarely do I take the time to put all those ingredients together from scratch. Why would I do that when the mix is just as good? However, in the case of cookies, I can always tell the difference between the mixes and scratch. When I compare the work to make these cookies and the work to make other meals in this blog, baking these cookies from scratch was not that bad. My only real problem was when my dinky handheld mixer started making noises like a dying cat and emitting a funky burning smell, then I knew I was in trouble. Fortunately, the old mixer persevered and I was able to combine all the ingredients. The hard work by me and my mixer was totally worth it. These cookies were fantastic.

Instead of recreating the recipe steps, I'll just point to the link where I found this wonderful blog and recipe and post a picture of mine. This gives me more time in which to eat the cookies I made. :) A few notes: I used 1/2 Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 Nestle milk chocolate chips. I used shelled walnuts, toasted them in a skillet, and broke them up a bit for big chunks in my big cookies. I used 2 3/4 cup flour (the recipe gives a range). Finally, I baked mine for 17 minutes (range is 16-20).

Enjoy!

Levain Bakery Knockoff Cookies

Cleanse Diet Day 3 (Eating Out)

2009-11-05T09:25:00.006-06:00

Cleanse Diet is going well! I am following the rules fairly well without feeling like I'm starving. I started exercising this week, and I'm feeling good. I feel more awake during the day, even with the lack of sugar or caffeine to perk me up. Despite my best efforts I'll give myself a "C" grade for the "no gluten" rule. I thought I was safe with couscous and oatmeal, but according to internet resources, those contain gluten. Apparently I have to buy the "gluten-free" versions of both, which are not available in a regular grocery store. I could see how this kind of diet can get expensive. There are many money-saving tips out there such as homemade sauces and breads, but this diet definitely takes a lot of planning and time. From what I've read, the healthy benefits are worth the extra work!

I thought eating at a restaurant was out of the question with this diet, but it turns out I was able to get a vegan gluten-free meal at the local Thai restaurant, and it was delicious too! I did some research on restaurants, first starting with gluten-free. I was surprised to find that local chains Cheeseburger in Paradise and Outback Steakhouse both had gluten-free menus on their website. But guess what-- ALL of the entrees contained meat. One forum suggested Thai food, so I gave it a try. My dish was Pad Pak ordered off the Vegetarian menu - stir-fried veggies with fried tofu in a brown sauce with jasmine rice. I asked the server about gluten-free, she knew exactly what I was talking about, and said they would remove the "flour powder" that they put in the sauce. So easy. I wish everything in my life was that easy. Anyway, if I keep this going, I'll definitely be going back there. Also, Thai Kitchen sells gluten free pre-packaged meals and soups, so that's one option for a quick meal finally!

Today I had a fruit smoothie for breakfast and I'm having quinoa salad for lunch. Dinner is TBD, I'm out of groceries already. I have a few more recipes to try, so I think after my Friday Free Day, I'll try this crazy diet for another week. Wheeee!

Grilled Portobello Pita

2009-11-03T10:45:00.004-06:00

On Day 1 of my Cleanse Diet, I made portobello pitas for dinner. At my local grocery store, I could not find any buns or bread without "wheat gluten" listed in the ingredients. I found whole-wheat pita bread that did not have it listed, but I think wheat flour contains gluten so perhaps I disobeyed that rule already. I don't get what I'm supposed to eat in the breads category! The only info I could find online were recipes on how to bake your own gluten-free bread, and sure, like THAT'S going to happen. So anyway, back to the recipe. It turned out very yummy!

Have I mentioned how much I love the grill that my coworker donated to me?? Good karma should start for him any day now. I marinated those meaty portobello mushroom caps and grilled 'em up perfectly, along with bell peppers and onions. C. had his with a toasted whole wheat deli flat (gluten in these) while I sliced up my mushroom and stuffed it in a pita.

Marinade:
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil (go easy on this! try limiting to 2 tbsp)
dried basil
dried oregano
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
salt
pepper

Toppings:
1 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
guacamole

Remove stems from mushroom caps and rinse. Place caps in a shallow dish and pour marinade over them. Let sit for 15 minutes. Heat grill to med-high. Grill peppers and onions for about 10 minutes. Grill mushroom caps 5-8 mins on each side, occasionally brushing them with the marinade. Slice mushroom cap and place into pita. Top with peppers, onions, a dollop of guac and serve with a side of couscous. (per serving: 335cals, 16g fat, 44g carbs, 9g protein)

Eggplant Rollatini

2009-11-03T06:32:00.006-06:00

I purchased some great looking eggplant at the local farmers market and found this recipe on allrecipes.com in which to use it! This is a good vegetarian dish without the prosciutto, although I really liked the salty bacon-y flavor that it added to the rolls. This receipe was really easy and delicious!

1 eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4" slices

1 egg

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1/2 lb prosciutto, sliced paper thin

14 oz jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup low-fat mozarella cheese, shredded

8 oz spaghetti

olive oil

Sweat eggplant slices by spreading out on a baking tin and salting both sides, then wait 20+ minutes. Eventually the slices will have small beads of liquid on them. Rinse salt off egg plant slices and dry with towel. Sweating the eggplant is supposed to improve the flavor of the eggplant, but I also liked how it made the texture tougher or more meat-like. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Beat egg and dip egg slices in egg then coat with breadcrumbs. Place coated eggplant slices in skillet until golden brown.

Start boiling water for noodles. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread thin layer of ricotta cheese onto each slice of eggplant. Sprinkle a bit of the fresh basil on top of ricotta. Place a slice of prosciutto onto each one. Roll up tightly, and place seam side down in a 9x13" baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over eggplant rolls and sprinkle mozarella cheese on top. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. While eggplant is baking, finish cooking noodles.

Cleanse Diet

2009-11-02T13:32:00.008-06:00

This week I am doing a trial run of the Cleanse Diet presented in Kathy Freston's book, "Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness". Over the past few months I have not felt like my former energetic self. I used to tackle all kinds of tasks and hobbies after work, but now I often feel lethargic, especially after I sit at a desk all day. My funk could be due to my crazy work travel schedule which makes it difficult to follow a healthy diet. Or perhaps it's because I'm soon turning 30? I'm sure the pound of Halloween candy I finished over the weekend isn't helping either! So I'm looking for ways to add energy and clarity to my daily life. I found Freston's book interesting, and the Cleanse Diet intriguing. It is not as extreme as some, like the "Master Cleanse" (yikes!) but it does cut out foods I eat every day, like cheese (the second love of my life, haha). The purpose is to kick start your body into a more healthy lifestyle. I'm starting out small...my plan is to follow it for 5 days, take a day off (Friday girls' night!), then start back up for another week if I want. Since I eat a lot of vegetarian dishes already, I'm hoping it won't be a huge adjustment. Oprah did it for 21 days but she has a personal chef so it was considerably easier on her!

The basics of the diet:
No meat
No animal products - includes eggs and dairy
No caffeine
Natural sweeteners only - no syrup, honey, fake sugar
No gluten - didn't really know what this was until I tried to find bread without it. It's in everything!

Here's my sample menu so far.

Day 1
Breakfast: instant oatmeal with soy milk, chopped apples, ground flaxseed, and cinnamon
Lunch: Quinoa salad
Dinner: Portobello mushroom pita with grilled peppers, onions, and avocado. I couldn't find gluten free buns or bread, but I think I found whole wheat pitas that make the cut.

Day 2
Breakfast: fruit smoothie with soymilk
Lunch: veggie salad with avocado, chickpeas, and walnuts
Dinner: Tofu stir-fry with bell peppers, onions, snap peas, and baby corn.

Day 3
Breakfast: Gluten-free toast with natural peanut butter
Lunch: quinoa salad
Dinner: Thai Green Curry Tofu

Snacks
fruit
baby carrots
almonds
homemade protein bars (these contain whey protein powder, maybe I should switch to soy powder instead)

I'll report back after a couple days - wish me luck!

Caprese Salad

2009-09-02T20:28:00.008-05:00

As most of my friends know, one of my favorite restaurants in Fort Worth is Taverna. They make this incredible caprese salad with red and yellow grape tomatoes, and since I've moved I was having a serious craving for it. I had grand plans to use my cherry tomatoes grown in my very own herb garden, until I woke up the next morning and discovered that all my beautiful ripe tomatoes had split skins. According to the internet, it was caused by the monsoon rainstorm that hit us the day before. This made me sad, but I had a backup plan of going to a local farmers market and picking up fresh tomatoes there. When THAT market was closed after work, I gave up and settled for the prettiest tomatoes I could find at the local grocery store. I had to have my caprese salad! Steamy Kitchen had a delicious-looking recipe so I went with big tomatoes rather than the cherry ones.

Steamy Kitchen's gorgeous photo of her salad:

What mine ended up looking like:

Ok, so my presentation skills need some work. But it tasted delicious! Steamy Kitchen has fantastic step-by-step instructions here, so I won't attempt to reproduce them. This recipe only works with FRESH tomatoes and basil so do it while they're still around!

Fajitas!

2009-09-02T19:08:00.008-05:00

Continuing our Tex-Mex on the East Coast theme, we attempted fajitas on our new grill. My very nice co-worker donated his old grill to us and we are thrilled and have started grilling up a storm! It's the gift that keeps on giving! I'm convinced that this person will have good karma for at least a year.

Anyway, we couldn't decide between chicken or steak so decided to make both, which of course ended up to be waaayyy too much for 2 people, but the leftovers were welcome. The entire Tex-Mex spread consisted of: chicken and steak fajitas with all the fixin's, grilled corn-on-the-cob, tortilla chips, homemade tomato salsa, and of course Jose Cuervo margaritas.

Here's the grilled meat in all its glory...mmm

I bought flank steak and marinated it in a sauce I used previously on sirloin kabobs. We ended up marinating the chicken in it too so I doubled this batch.

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp light brown sugar
3 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder or mince 2 cloves fresh if you have it
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup lemon juice

Heat grill to 400F. Grill chicken about 5 minutes on each side and steak for 7-10 on each side, until cooked to preferred doneness.

Fajita toppings of your choice:
Grilled sliced bell peppers Grilled onion strips
Grilled sliced for some heat!
salsa - I made the same roasted tomato salsa as my previous post
chopped cilantro
diced tomato
Mexican flavor shredded cheese
guacamole - the avocados weren't ripe enough in the store to use in our feast :(
sour cream

I prefer the whole wheat tortillas, but any kind will work. Place meat, then cheese, then toppings in the tortilla, wrap and enjoy! Here is a picture of our entire feast!

Dos Salsas

2009-07-26T13:30:00.005-05:00

We made two types of salsa to go with the previously posted Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce. Both were very basic, but both turned out delicious!

Craig was in charge of the pico, and he rocked it. I was very proud. :)

RECIPE - pico de gallo
2 tomatoes, finely chopped 2 jalapeno chile peppers, seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and chill prior to serving.

RECIPE – ranch-style tomato salsa
4 tomatoes
1 -3 jalapeno chile peppers ( I used 1 for a mild+ heat), cut in half with seeds and ribs removed
1 large onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3-4 tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper

Preheat broiler on high. Place tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, and garlic on broiler pan and broil vegetables 4” from heat, 3-4 minutes on each side.

In a food processor, combine jalapenos, onions, and garlic; puree to a coarse paste. Add tomatoes, cilantro, 3 tbsp lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Process briefly to combine. Transfer to medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Chill prior to serving.

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

2009-07-26T12:51:00.005-05:00

I made it to the East Coast! With all the travelling I've been doing for work I haven't had time for cooking, but this past weekend I made a point to try something new. Since there aren't many Mexican restaurants to satisfy my regular cravings like in Texas, I realized I'll have to learn how to make it myself. A new challenge! I started off with something easy, a basic Mexican dish of enchiladas, pice de gallo, and tomato-based salsa.

I bought most of the fresh ingredient at a local produce stand, which was great. There are tons of them around here. The tomatoes were sweet and juicy, and the jalapenos were very fresh. As a bonus, I also got a basil plant for $2! The hardest ingredient to find was the dried red chile peppers. After going to a (way overpriced) specialty store with no luck, I was shocked to find them at the local Food Lion in the Mexican food section. Score!

RECIPE - Enchiladas

Chicken:

1 lb bonless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 onion

1/2 tomato

1 sprig fresh cilantro

4 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Sauce:

15 dried New Mexico red chile peppers

1/2 tomato, seeded and cut into 1" pieces

1/4 medium onion, cut into 1" pieces

1 clove garlic

2 sprigs fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp dried oregano

12 corn tortillas (6" diameter)

1/4 white onion, minced

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine chicken, tomato, onion, cilantro, and 4 cups of chicken broth. Simmer for 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and cool to room temperature. Shred chicken into thin slivers. Strain the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and reserve for the sauce (need about 3 1/2 cups).

Stem dried chile peppers, tear open, and discard ribs and seeds. Put chile peppers back into large saucepan and cover with 3 cups of the reserved chicken liquid. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened.

Transfer chile peppers and 2 cups chicken liquid into blender or food processor. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro and oregano; puree until smooth, sauce should be thick but pourable. Season with salt and pepper. Coat 13x9 baking dish wiht nonstick spray. Pour 1/3 of blended sauce into bottom of baking dish.

Place 2 to 3 tbsp of chicken on each tortilla, sprinkle with several minced onions, and roll into a tube. Arrange enchiladas seam side down in the baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake enchiladas for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Recipes for the pico de gallo and salsa coming next!

Monika's Cinnamon Toast Cupcakes

2009-04-20T20:50:00.003-05:00

Even though I am the 3rd blogger to post these cupcakes originally posted by my friend Monika, I must do it. They are unbelievably delicious and I do not bake and found these incredibly easy to make. Use them at your discretion, because once your friends know you can make these little bites of heaven, they will continually harass you to bring them to every event you attend. On the other hand, if you find yourself in the proverbial doghouse for whatever reason, a dozen of these babies will get you out of it. Guaranteed. Not that I've ever been there or had to use a bribe to get out of it.

Without further ado, I present the link to the Cinnamon Toast Cupcakes:

http://adamandmonika.com/Site/Sushi_%26_Chocolate/Entries/2007/9/5_Cinnamon_Toast_Cupcakes!.html

Enjoy.

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp & Tofu

2009-04-20T20:04:00.006-05:00

My team at work goes to this nearby Thai place on a weekly basis, and since they never seem to get sick of it, I decided to try it out. They highly recommended the green curry, which I ordered with fried tofu. It was creamy, sweet, salty, with just the right amount of heat to bring out all the flavors. I loved it! This past weekend I decided to try to recreate it at home and was absolutely successful and surprised at how easy it was. I found this great recipe on epicurious.com as a start and made some modifications to it to match the restaurant version. I'll definitely be making it again!

Here are some tips I have learned about stir frying. Stir frying is so fast and easy, but the tricky part is the order in which to stir fry the ingredients. You don't want anything over- or under-cooked. Since it goes so fast, make sure to have all the ingredients prepped, opened, and ready to throw in the hot pan. You don't want to be fumbling around in the fridge searching for something while your shrimp is turning into rubber. Also, make sure to add the ingredients starting with what takes the longest to cook to the shortest. This may seem obvious but when you're dealing with a lot of ingredients at once it's easy to forget.

Update August 2010: Recently I discovered an Asian market nearby that sold green curry paste, so I bought it to replace the Thai Kitchen one that I usually use. Wow, what a difference! Previously when I made this dish, it came out somewhat bland and I had to kick the flavor up by adding garlic chili paste or more green curry. But using this authentic curry paste it was not bland at all, much spicier, and I didn't have to add any chili paste. Much improved!

RECIPE:

1 tbsp canola (or other type) oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup green onions, sliced (about 8 small)
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package extra firm tofu, pressed for 15-30 minutes, then cubed
1/2 can bamboo shoots, sliced into strips
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste (add more to taste if desired
1 tbsp Thai red garlic chili paste
2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced into strips
1 14oz can light coconut milk
1 cup low-salt vegetable or chicken broth
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tsp sugar
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook onion and tofu about 5-7 minutes until onion is translucent and tofu is crispy brown on edges. Reduce heat to medium. Add green onions, bell pepper, mushrooms and green curry paste, stir for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, chili paste, basil and sugar. Bring to boil, then add shrimp. Cook shrimp until tails curl up to the heads and they have just turned pink. At this point turn the heat down low and taste your curry. If it's bland in flavor, add more green curry paste. If it's not hot enough, add red chili paste a tsp at a time. Garnish curry with cilantro and serve in a wide shallow bowl, by itself if you're going low-carb, or with sticky rice.

Black Bean & Corn Dip

2009-01-04T07:20:00.003-06:00

My former roommate and I aptly named this "crack" because it was so addicting! I made it for a New Years' Eve pre-party and decided to post. Great dip to bring to parties with tortilla chips. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days, and actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld. I also like to wrap a scoop in a tortilla for a quick snack.

RECIPE:
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1½ cups corn, thawed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid and shake until ingredients are well mixed. In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomoatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing and pour it over the salad. Toss salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing and serve, or cover and chill. Makes 8 servings. (per serving: About 450 calories, 12g fat, 21g protein, 67g carbohydrates)

Wild Rice Pilaf

2008-12-26T15:14:00.004-06:00

Recently I hosted a girls' dinner at my place with a menu of chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto and asiago cheese, roasted asparagus, and this rice pilaf that stole the show. I think everyone at the table went back for seconds! See the website link for a picture, I forgot to take one!

REVIEW: This recipe got rave reviews on allrecipes.com which is usually a good sign, and it didn't disappoint. It was sweet, salty, crunchy, and starchy all in one scoop. Definitely use fresh parsley in this recipe, I made it again for Christmas dinner with dried and it was missing something for sure. I liked that this recipe was easy to make and can be made the morning of the party then reheated in the oven.

RECIPE:
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups wild rice
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup almonds, slivered
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 tbsp butter
canola oil
salt & pepper

Bring 1/2 cup vegetable broth to a boil. Add golden raisins, remove from heat, cover and set aside. Prepare wild rice according to package directions, adding a tbsp butter to the water. You made need more or less broth than the recipe calls for depending on the type of rice you get. While rice is cooking, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet on medium heat. Toast almonds in oil until they are a light brown color. When rice is done, combine it with fresh parsley, almonds, and golden raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 10 servings. (per serving: 230 cals, 6g fat, 38g carbs, 10g protein)

Warm-You-Up Meal in TX...Not Quite Right

2008-11-14T08:53:00.011-06:00

Terrible photo, yummy mac & cheese with tomato-basil soup! This time of year I usually make fun of the southern folk who, as soon as November hits, don their sweaters, furry boots, and scarfs NO MATTER WHAT temperature it is outside. Well, now I did basically the same shameful thing but with food. I decided to make a cozy comfort dish sure to warm me up, but seeing it was a 75 deg day, it was totally inappropriate. But no less delicious! For the soup I had an interesting time trying to get the soup to stay in the blender and not splatter hot liquid all over the place. This is the first time I've made anything but smoothies in my new blender, so there must be a trick to it. One thing that helped was pureeing only 1/2 the mixture at a time.

REVIEW: Mac & cheese to me is kinda boring. It's noodles & cheese made for picky kids who refuse to eat normal food, so what? Haha. This gourmet version from Cooking Light totally changed my mind. I paired it with a creamy tomato basil soup (also Cooking Light) that my bf and I could not get enough of. Would've been perfect on a cold night.

RECIPE (3-cheese mac & cheese):

1 medium onion, chopped fine

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups 1% milk

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded

2/3 cup low-fat mozarella cheese, shredded

2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs

2 cups whole-wheat pasta (I used mini shells)

salt & pepper

olive oil

Sautee onion and garlic in skillet with olive oil med-high heat for 8-10minutes. Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk and bay leaf, bring to boil. Cook 2 minutes until thick, stirring constantly with whisk. Stire gorgonzola and parmesan until completely melted. Discard bay leaf. Preheat oven to 375F. Cook pasta in boiling water until almost tender, drain, then add to cheese mixture. Coat baking dish with cooking spray, spread mac & cheese in pan. Sprinkle breadcrumbs, pepper, and parmesan on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 6 servings. (per serving: 321 cals, 10g fat, 41g carbs, 17g protein)

RECIPE (tomato-basil soup):

4 large tomatos, peeled and seeded

4 cups tomato juice (low sodium if you can find it)

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped fine

1 cup 1% milk

4 oz low-fat cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Bring tomatos and tomato juice to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 mins. Puree tomato mixture and basil in blender or food processor. Return puree to pan, stir in milk, salt and pepper, cream cheese. Whisk and simmer med-high heat until cheese is melted and soup is thick. Serve with crusty bread. Makes 8 servings, 1 cup soup 1 slice bread for each. (per serving: 133 cals, 4.4g fat, 19g carbs, 5g protein)

The Healthiest Meal Ever (that actually tastes great!)

2008-10-10T16:26:00.005-05:00

Haha, I love how I'm posting this right after my "meat 'n' potatoes" meal. But nevertheless, lately I've been trying to do my body right by eating more natural and vegetarian. Not sure how long I'll last before I crave a juicy burger, but it's 3 weeks in and I'm doing ok! The most fun part has been finding creative ways to get the same amount of protein I used to consume on my low carb diet. With so many resources out there, and several stores close by that carry a variety of natural ingredients, it hasn't been as hard as I expected. While searching allrecipes.com this week, I ran across this quinoa salad that got rave reviews AND packed almost 30g protein! I read about all the benefits of quinoa but had never tried it so this was my first time cooking it. Tastes pretty much like rice but less starchy, it might be bland on its own but mixed in with yummy flavors here, it was perfect.

REVIEW: I will be making this recipe again for sure, but I may try different veggies next time to change it up. It seems to be very versatile. Start to finish took me about 30mins, 1 pan, and it was easy! In Cooking Light I read that if you're stir frying tofu, you should press it between two towels (paper or cloth) with a weight on top for about 20-30 mins to squeeze out all the extra moisture. I've only made tofu twice and I did that both times, so I can't say what would happen if you didn't, but I bet the tofu would crumble during all the stirring.

RECIPE:
1 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
3/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup corn, fresh or canned or frozen all work
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 can black beans
1 tsp cumin
dash cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Heat canola oil in skillet on med-high heat. Sautee tofu cubes, onion, garlic, bell pepper for 8-10mins until onions are transluscent and tofu is slightly brown on edges. Add vegetable broth and quinoa, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Mix together and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20mins. Add corn, black beans, and cilantro and mix until heated through. Serve! Makes 6 large servings. (per serving: 400 cals, 6g fat, 30g carbs, 26g protein)

Nothin' Like Some Meat & Potatoes...

2008-09-15T20:16:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you just have a craving for a meat and potatoes dinner. With Hurricane Ike looming upon us this past Saturday night, I decided to cook a meal that "sticks to your ribs"....you know, in case we got flattened by 85 mph winds and flooded by 8ft waves (none of which happened, although the weather people made sure you thought it would!).

This was my first attempt at cooking steak. I don't eat it much, so when I do I'll simply go to the numerous steakhouses on hand and satisfy my craving. Not knowing what I was picking out at the store didn't help. Luckily for me, Target had a sign posted that told me which cut was best for what. It was like "Steak for Dummies"! I ended up choosing a top sirloin 8oz steak to share.

REVIEW:

The best part of the meal was the mushroom-onion sauce that was drizzled over the top. With rich flavors of balsamic vinegar, garlic, and red wine, it complemented the meat soooo well. A side of baked sweet potato and sauteed broccoli completed the meal and (maybe) made up for the not-so-healthy side effects of beef.

RECIPE:8 oz top sirloin steak

garlic salt

pepper

Mushroom Glaze: (also from Cooking Light mag, slightly modified)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced (any kind works)

1 tsp thyme

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp red wine (basically just splashed it in the pan until it tasted good)

salt & pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350F. Sprinkle steaks with garlic salt and pepper on both sides. I also added meat tenderizer just in case my handy Target sign steered me wrong. Cover baking pan with aluminum foil (to catch the drippings), put rack on top of foil, and set steak on rack. Bake for 15mins, check on how it's cooking, then 10-15mins more until it reaches desired doneness. I really don't like overdone steak so I think checking it in the middle helps. While steak is cooking, heat 1 tsp EVOO in skillet on med-high heat. Sautee garlic 30 sec, then add mushrooms, thyme, salt & pepper. Saute until mushrooms are tender. Stir in balsamic vinegar, red wine and simmer until liquid is almost completely reduced. Serve over steaks with side dishes. Makes 2 servings. (per serving: 326cals, 11g fat, 23g carbs, 35g protein)

Spicy Thai Shrimp

2008-09-15T11:41:00.006-05:00

Cooking Light magazine had a special section on "Dinners for Two" this past month. (Side note: When I was single, I probably would have called this discrimination and pouted for a few days before trying one of the recipes. Funny how attitudes change... :) My boyfriend was the lucky 2nd for my dinner experiments two nights in a row!

One recipe in the magazine that jumped out at me was a simple sauteed shrimp dish with some thai flavor. Yes, another Asian-themed meal! I'm still having fun trying out all the different ingredients and flavors . The recipes are neverending!

REVIEW:

Super easy and not very much prep time. Go easy on the red curry paste as a little goes a long way. The coconut milk balanced out the hotness and made the sauce so creamy. I served over my favorite sushi rice and with a side of broccoli. Bok choy or snap peas might have been a more appropriate side dish, but whatever works! Not sure what two people can eat this much food, because after he and I were stuffed I still had a sizable lunch to bring today. Reheated it tasted delicious.

RECIPE:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red curry paste
1 teaspoon sugar (I used one packet Splenda)
16 ounces large raw shrimp (frozen or fresh)
1/3 cup light coconut milk
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (dried works fine too)

If you are using frozen shrimp, defrost in a bowl of icewater for 10 mins, then drain off all excess water and ice. Heat canola oil in large skillet on med-high heat. Add onion and curry paste, mix and sautee together for 4-5 mins. Add shrimp and sautee 3-4 mins (cook until the tails touch the body, then you know they're done). Pour in coconut milk and fish sauce, add sugar, basil and green onion. Mix until hot, only a minute or so, you don't want the shrimp to get rubbery! Makes 2 servings plus a lunch. (per serving: 255cals, 8g fat, 36g protein, 10g carbs...with rice add 386 cals per cup)

Asian Flair Chicken Pasta Salad

2008-07-02T17:03:00.010-05:00

I wasn't sure how this salad would come out so I wasn't planning on posting it, but it turned out great! I'm packing it along with the mini cheesecakes for the fireworks show tomorow night. Everyone around us with their fancy Whole Foods takeout will be jealous. ;)

REVIEW: Healthy, tasty, and simple. If you haven't noticed by now, that's the theme of my blog and this dish fits it perfectly. The Asian flavors created by the sesame seeds, soy sauce, and ginger really wake up the otherwise basic pasta salad ingredients. And of course it has cilantro - my favorite!

RECIPE:

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
16oz whole wheat pasta
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar (don't use regular!)
3 tbsp white sugar
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp ginger, minced fresh or ground
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted optional
salt and pepper to taste

Marinate chicken with a coating of cooking spray, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and cook whichever way you prefer. I usually broil at 500F 8-10 minutes on each side until breast is cooked through, this seems to add a little crisp to the outside while keeping the chicken juicy on the inside. While chicken is cooling off, prep broccoli, green onion, cilantro, and carrot. Saute broccoli with cooking spray in a skillet over med-high heat for 5-7 minutes. In an airtight container mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, sugar, ginger, sesame seeds, and pepper and shake well. Toss soy sauce mixture with pasta until lightly coated. Dice chicken and add to pasta along with broccoli, carrot, green onion and cilantro. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Makes 10 servings. (per serving: 350cals, 15g fat, 16g protein, 38g carbs)

4th of July Mini Cheesecakes

2008-07-01T23:22:00.011-05:00

In celebration of 4th of July coming up, I made these mini cheesecakes topped with fresh raspberries and blueberries (I so love summer berry season!) for a picnic under the fireworks I'm going to tomorrow.

REVIEW: Great for cheesecake freaks like me who can't control themselves when faced with an entire pie. :) These took me about an hour and a half to make start to finish. If I had more than one mini muffin tin it would've taken me less than an hour. There were a lot of recipes out there that said to use vanilla wafers as a crust, but I can be a cheesecake snob here (it's my blog, so there) and assert that nothing substitutes for graham cracker crust! The trickiest part was getting the crust onto the bottom of the liner, but I seem to remember having that problem when making a big pie too, so I guess that's the drawback to a deliciously wonderful graham cracker crust. Oh and make sure not to fill the liners too much or you can't fit the fruit on top (see pic above).

RECIPE:

2 8oz packages Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

fresh fruit topping

Heat oven to 325F. Line mini muffin tin with liners. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until it sticks together. Flatten 1/4" layer of graham cracker mixture in bottom of each muffin tin liner. Mix cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well-blended. Add eggs and blend well. Spoon in cheesecake filling on top of graham cracker layer almost to the top of the liner. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, top with fruit and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 40 mini cheesecakes. (per serving: 95cals, 5gfat, 1g protein, 12g carbs)

Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Creation

2008-06-21T12:49:00.008-05:00

Getting dressed and leaving my place to grocery shop was the last thing I wanted to do on this lazy Saturday morning. Being that my fridge was completely empty besides one lonely tomato I had to get creative when making lunch. I am a big believer of having certain staples always available in the freezer, two of these being cooked shrimp and chopped spinach. I made this in about 30 minutes and I'm rather proud of how it turned out.

RECIPE:

10 oz whole wheat penne rigate pasta

2 cups frozen shrimp, thawed in a bowl of cold water

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 cup sundried tomatos, jarred in oil and coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 vegetable bullion cube

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 cup water

dash salt and pepper

parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, mince garlic and chop tomato. Heat skillet at med-high heat and coat with cooking spray. sautee garlic and red pepper flakes for a few minutes, then add 1 cup of water and 1/2 bullion cube, spinach, tomato, salt and pepper. Mix well and simmer on low until pasta finishes cooking. Mix shrimp, pasta and skillet mixture together, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, parmesan cheese and serve.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

2008-06-17T21:53:00.003-05:00

Simple and delicious side dish you can make any night of the week in 15 mins. I had some leftover prosciutto from making my friend's awesome goat cheese bombs for a girls night, so I was looking for ways to use the rest of it. I've never used prosciutto before but I've had it in restaurants. After wandering around the grocery store searching for this mystery meat, I finally realized that they sell it at the deli like ham - duh! The asparagus comes out perfectly cooked and prosciutto is crispy like bacon. Yum!

RECIPE:

-Heat oven to 450F

-Wrap one-inch wide slices of prosciutto around the asparagus spears, leaving the heads exposed

-Spray baking sheet with cooking spray

-Place wrappd spears on baking sheet, sprinkle with pepper (no salt needed, the prosciutto is salty enough) and coat with olive oil or more cooking spray

-Bake 10 minutes, flip spears over after 5

Each prosciutto slice is about 50 cals and 2g fat, and asparagus is pretty much calorie-free!

Gazpacho Soup

2008-06-10T22:43:00.006-05:00

Ahhh Gazpacho - the perfect summer soup! Gazpacho is widely popular in Spain and Portugal, and is served chilled as a refreshing meal. I do like tomato-based soups, as seen from previous posts, and when I saw this recipe in my Fitness magazine for only 215 cals per serving, I had to try it.

REVIEW: I made this soup pretty much per the recipe exactly, which is rare (the more cooking I do the more I like to tweak recipes!) and it turned out really well. Okay I did make one change, I ran out of tomato juice at 6 cups (even though i thought i had way too much by buying the enormous can) and added water to make it the right consistency. This soup works well to make at the beginning of the week, as it can be chilled in the fridge for several days and nothing will go mushy or stale, actually the flavors will blend together deliciously over a few days. I had it chilled in the fridge for an entire night and day before eating, and I noticed that the flavor changed, I ended up adding more salt and hot sauce to spice it up. I also defrosted some cooked salad shrimp to up the protein (although it's not reflected in the nutrition stats).

RECIPE:

1/2 cup EVOO

4 tablespoons lemon juice

8 cups organic tomato juice

4 large ripe tomatos, cubed

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

4 stalks celery, diced

1 large yellow or green bell pepper, diced

1 medium cucumber, diced

1 cup corn (frozen or canned or fresh)

small bunch cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

hot sauce to taste

sliced avocado (optional topping)

In a large (and I mean BIG) serving bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Pour in tomato juice and stir to mix. Add vegetables and cilantro. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce before serving. Garnish with sliced avocado and serve. (per serving: 215 cals, 14g fat, 4g protein, 22g carbs, 3g fiber)

Grilled Tilapia, Avocado-Orange Salad, Lime Vinaigrette

2008-06-09T21:58:00.014-05:00

My condo HOA has finally used our money for something besides the lame "exercise" pool and repaving the parking lot...they bought us two huge fancy grills for us to use! I've never owned a grill besides the tiny propane one I take camping, but I love the flavor of grilled foods, so I'm eager to learn this skill. I made my first attempt last night with tilapia!

REVIEW: This was super easy, which worked for me since I wanted to start simple. The only problem I had was the tilapia sticking to the aluminum foil, which my helpful co-worker said can be solved by buying one of these. I thought the lime vinaigrette had good flavor, but it called for a whole cup of EVOO...isn't vinaigrette supposed to be light? I didn't use that much and used more lime juice but it still seemed heavy to me. The salad was a good side for the fish, and I added couscous to round out the meal.

RECIPE:

fish:

3-4 tilapia fillets

olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt & pepper

avocado-orange salad:

1 14oz can mandarin oranges, drained

4 cups baby spinach

2 ripe avocados, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese

lime vinaigrette:

1 tsp lime zest

1 1/2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp orange juice

1 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Combine lime vinaigrette ingredients into leak-proof container and shake well, then refrigerate. Season the tilapia filets with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil. Heat grill to medium-high heat and cook filets 4-5 minutes on each side. Really watch it (i.e. don't go play a round of flip cup after you throw them on) so you don't over cook this delicate fish! Combine the salad ingredients and toss with lime vinaigrette. Serve each filet with a generous side of salad and drizzle with more vinaigrette.

10 Step Chicken Parmesan

2008-05-09T20:22:00.004-05:00

Easy & quick favorite! Most of the ingredients people would have around the house already and it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Make it healthy by using reduced-fat cheese, whole wheat pasta, and heart-healthy pasta sauce. Serve with a big salad or side of green vegetables instead of the usual garlic bread or potatoes.

Ingredients:

1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

italian herb flavored bread crumbs

parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

olive oil

shredded mozarella cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce, such as Ragu

pasta of choice

Pound 1lb boneless chicken breasts to 1/4" thickness.
Mix parmesan cheese with breadcrumbs (25/75 ratio)
Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium-high.
Dip chicken in raw egg.
Coat chicken in breadcrumbs mixture - you can do this by spreading crumbs on a plate and laying chicken down on it one side at a time, or you can put both the crumbs and chicken in a ziploc and shake it until fully coated. (I prefer option #1)
Carefully place chicken breasts in skillet and cook 3-4 minutes on each side.
Spread a layer of pasta sauce on bottom of glass baking dish.
Place chicken breasts on top of sauce, and add another layer of sauce on top, then top with shredded cheese and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Bake chicken at 350F for 35 minutes, until cheese and sauce are bubbly.
Cook pasta per package directions.

Serve chicken over pasta with a couple of side dishes and it's a great meal!

Tomato Vodka Pasta

2008-04-14T21:26:00.012-05:00

This is an easy, delicious pasta dish that I've made several times and everyone likes it, despite the fact that it's a meatless dish. It seems to work with all kinds of pasta, but this was the first time I tried the whole wheat kind. I have to admit grudgingly that using whole wheat wasn't QUITE as good as the processed, bleached, gloriously starchy kind. :) Serve with a side of vegetables or a spinach salad, and if you so choose, crusty bread and butter!

REVIEW: As in most pasta sauces, the fresher the ingredients, the better the taste. You MUST use fresh basil and garlic in this recipe or you'll lose a lot of flavor. Given more time to prep, I'd like to try pureeing fresh tomatoes rather than using the canned kind. This is one of those dishes that impresses your friends without a lot of stove-slaving. Love it.

RECIPE:

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

1 cup vodka

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 32oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

20 leaves fresh basil, shredded coarsely

16 oz whole-wheat pasta

salt and pepper

olive oil

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and shallots in olive oil 3-5 minutes. Add vodka to pan and simmer until vodka is reduced by half, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring sauce to bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. While sauce simmers, cook pasta in boiling water according to directions on package. While pasta cooks, prepare side dishes. Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to bubble, remove from heat. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves and serve.

Mango Salsa

2008-03-25T11:34:00.004-05:00

I made the previously posted seared sesame tuna again, but this time added a mango salsa as a topping and sauteed bok choy instead of mustard greens as a side dish. The mango salsa turned out so great that I had to post it! It was very fresh and citrusy, with a little kick from poblano pepper. It can be made up to 4 hours ahead of time (keep refrigerated and tightly covered) to let the flavors mingle together. I think it'd work with any kind of white fish, I especially want to try it in fish tacos!

1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup poblano pepper, diced fine

1/4 cup red onion, diced fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

dash salt

Combine the mango, poblano, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the vinegar, cilantro, and salt, and stir well.

UPDATE: I made fish tacos with this mango salsa for a light lunch. Season tilapia fillets with salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne and broil them in the oven for 5 minutes on each side. Wrap shredded tilapia, 3 slices avocado, and a splash of lime juice in a whole wheat tortilla. Fresh and tasty!

Where to buy cheap Asian ingredients...

2008-03-02T00:16:00.002-06:00

I forgot to mention....after spending a lot of cash at the local fancy market (similar to Whole Foods) for specific Asian ingredients, I discovered that you can buy this stuff online for much cheaper! I recently ordered from www.pacificmercantile.com and got all the non-produce ingredients I needed to host my soon-to-come sushi making party along with some really cool serving platters and dishes.

Shrimp & Tofu Pad Thai

2008-03-01T22:53:00.009-06:00

Continuing my Asian theme, which I am getting into more and more lately, I was craving my favorite dish at Pei Wei today, Tofu & Shrimp Pad Thai, so I decided to attempt it myself! It turned out really really good! It was more flavorful than Pei Wei's version for sure and had the same kick. I am proud of it. :)

REVIEW: Once I had collected all the right ingredients, I think the recipe was pretty easy. By far the hardest ingredient to find was the talamarind sauce. My curiosity dictated that I had to research it on Wikipedia; apparently it's a tree and the fruit makes the sauce, in case you were wondering. Getting the proportions right was tricky, I think I had way too much noodles in proportion to the other ingredients but I'm a carb-o-phobe, and I would use more tofu next time, but overall it turned out awesome...even my (slightly inebriated) neighbor came over to taste and agreed with me! To quote him, "Youss rocked thish, arlishhhhaaa." :-D

RECIPE:
4 oz vermicelli, Japanese "rice sticks" noodles
10 oz firm tofu, cut into bite-sized slices
8 oz frozen shrimp
2 shallots (I used leftover pearl onions), chopped
1/2 cup scallions, sliced small
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups bean sprouts
1 egg
2 tsp grated ginger

Sauce:
1 cup tamarind sauce
1 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup sugar
chili sauce to taste

Soak the noodles in a bowl of warm water. Make sauce by combining tamarind sauce, fish sauce and sugar over medium heat. Add chili sauce to taste (I used about 4 tsp but as mentioned previously, I am a wimp) and simmer until fully mixed, then turn off and let sauce rest.

Heat olive oil in skillet or wok. Sautee tofu, garlic, and onion until onions are translucent and tofu is crispy brown at the edges. Add noodles to skillet and pour enough sauce to coat skillet contents. Cook until noodles are soft, then push to side and add egg to skillet to cook until hard. Chop cooked egg and mix into rest of ingredients. Add bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions, shrimp, peanuts, and ginger to mixture. Add more sauce if necessary. Simmer for a few minutes until all are well coated by the sauce. Serve in bowl with fresh lime squeezed on top.

Homemade Protein Bars

2008-03-01T22:18:00.006-06:00

Have you ever tried one of those store bought protein bars that costs $3 and leaves that nasty metallic taste in your mouth? Here's an alternative: homemade protein bars! Each one has 11g of protein and they taste sooo much better without all that processing.

REVIEW: These are really easy to make, and are filling and tasty. Perfect for when you're starving leaving work but don't want to eat too much before you work out. There is a distinct flavor of protein powder in these, so if you don't like the taste of your protein powder, you'll hate these. I have discovered Dymatize Elite brand which tastes delicious, even in bar form. I recommend the cafe mocha and rich chocolate flavors! Also, I could not find nonfat dry milk like the original recipe said, so I used buttermilk powder which is low in fat and worked fine.

RECIPE:
1 1/2 dry oatmeal
2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
2 tbsp flaxseeds
1 cup cultured buttermilk powder
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup water
raisins or dried fruit

Spray 8x11 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine oatmeal, whey powder, flaxseeds, and powdered milk in a large bowl. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and water to create a sticky dough mixture. Knead in dried fruit. Spread mixture in pan evenly, using wet hands or spatula. Freeze for 1 hours or refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares and wrap individually to grab on the go. Makes 12 servings. (per serving: 200 cals, 5g fat, 11g protein, 25g carbs)

Onigri (Japanese Rice Balls)

2008-02-22T21:12:00.006-06:00

Today I finally got around to making the delicious snack I had while on vacation in Tokyo! They sold these cute little rice balls in 7-11 all wrapped up in cellophane and ready to go. It took a little research but I found the official name and a recipe to make my attempt.

REVIEW: Using the right amount of rice and shaping them into triangles was tricky, but the rest of the process was easy.These are very portable, healthy snacks that are simple to make.

RECIPE: I followed the instructions on this website http://www.justhungry.com/2007/01/onigiri_omusubi_revisited_an_e.html and used canned tuna seasoned with salt, pepper, dill, and soy sauce. along with my now perfected (ha) sushi rice.

Spicy Chicken Tomato Bean Soup

2008-01-11T20:38:00.000-06:00

A soup like this is PERFECT for a chilly night when I'm in my PJ's watching a movie! I'm nursing a bit of a cold, so I wanted to make something that would warm me up and treat my body right. This recipe is so flexible, once you have the base, you can add any veggies or spices you want to it. The chicken and beans in it made it a filling meal rather than just a first course.

REVIEW: The soup came out very flavorful, and I added just enough kick for me with cayenne pepper and a few drops of Louisiana hot sauce. I love love love cilantro so I chopped up about half the big bunch I bought at the store and threw it in there. Topping choices are endless...avocado, fat free sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt (i swear they taste the same to me), tortilla chips, shredded cheese.

RECIPE:

2 cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

1lb chicken breasts

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

14oz can diced tomatos

1 can condensed "healthy request" tomato soup

1/2 bag frozen corn

14oz can black beans

14oz can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

ground black pepper

dried parsley

chili powder

cayenne pepper

tobasco sauce

nonfat plain yogurt

avocado slices
shredded cheddar cheese

In a large soup pot over medium heat, combine chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, garlic, onion, parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and shred (use two forks to pull chicken apart), then add back to soup pot along with the diced tomatos, tomato soup, black beans, garbanzo beans, corn. Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce according to taste. Simmer on low for 30 mins. Top with a dollop of yogurt, shredded cheese, and sliced avocado before serving. Serves 8.

Spinach, Artichoke & Feta Lasagna

2008-01-06T19:32:00.000-06:00

Ok, if I were to have a "Best of Beyond PB&J" category ('cause I'm cool like that), this would DEFINITELY be in it. This turned out soooo delicious, for how easy and healthy it is. I just ate the huge piece pictured here, and I'm seriously considering having another one before the night is over. Don't judge, you would too! :)

REVIEW: It's been a long time since I've had veggie lasagna, and I was afraid this one would turn out bland, but it didn't. It rocked. I really have nothing else to say...oh except I forgot to get "marinated" artichokes, but I really don't think it made a bit of difference.

RECIPE:

9 oz whole wheat oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5oz) can vegetable broth
3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 (14oz) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 (10oz) package frozen spinach, thawed
1 (28oz) "heart healthy" pasta sauce w/ mushrooms
4 oz fat-free feta
8 oz reduced-fat mozarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9x13 pan and a large skillet with cooking spray. Saute onion and garlic in skillet for 3 minutes until tender. Stir in vegetable broth and oregano; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce. Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 lasagna noodles. Make sure the noodles are completely coated with the sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 8. (per serving: 427 cals, 5g fat, 24g protein, 40g carbs)

Breakfast Casserole

2007-12-25T10:16:00.000-06:00

While navigating around two other cooks in the kitchen and after a small fire-in-the-oven incident, I managed to produce this casserole for Christmas morning breakfast.

REVIEW: This dish wasn't spectacular, but it was easy to put together, and I like that you can prepare it the night before then stick it in the oven in the morning. It needed a little more kick to it, maybe more pepper or spices, and definitely more cheese on top and mixed in! To make this dish healthier, I would use turkey bacon, egg beaters, and reduced fat cheese. But it's Christmas, so calories don't count today. :)

RECIPE:
1 lb bacon
2 small onions, chopped
1 lb frozen shredded hash browns
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
8 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
2 tsp dried parsley
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's mostly crispy. Drain grease from skillet and set bacon aside. Put onions, garlic, and mushrooms in same skillet and cook until tender. In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk and parsley. Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray. Layer hash browns in bottom of pan and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Tear bacon into bite size pieces and layer on top of hash browns, then add onion, garlic, and mushrooms evenly distributed across the pan. Pour eggs over casserole, and top with shredded cheese. (Optional: Cover and refrigerate overnight) Bake in oven for 1 hour, or if baking immediately, bake for 45 mins. Serves 6.

Spinach and Potato Frittata

2007-12-24T12:27:00.000-06:00

I must admit that the pic was taken from allrecipes.com where I got the recipe because I was too busy eating to take one of my own! While I was home for Christmas, my friend and I decided to host a brunch for our high school girlfriends. We served coffee cake, hash browns, fruit salad, mimosas, and this tasty and easy veggie frittata.

REVIEW: It was a little tricky gettng everything mixed in and done at the same time without overdoing any one thing. The potatoes went in first, followed by garlic, green onions, spinach, and tomatoes in that order. The eggs took longer to firm up than I anticipated, probably because we used a deep skillet, and i had to turn up the heat took cook it through which caused it to burn a tiny bit on the bottom. Next time I would use a flat skillet with high sides for easier and faster cooking. Besides that, it was so easy! I might try using mostly egg whites with a couple of yolks next time to make it healthier. Everyone liked it!

RECIPE:
olive oil
4 small red potatoes, sliced 1/4" thin
1-2 tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium-high heat, saute sliced potatoes until they are semi-soft (not mushy). Add garlic, green onion, spinach, and tomatoes, cook for 5 mins. Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl, then pour over veggies in skillet making sure it covers all the veggies. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Reduce heat to med-low and cover until eggs are firm and cheese is melted. Serves 6. (per serving: 284 cals, 13g fat, 12g protein, 29g carbs)

Mango Salsa Chicken

2007-12-15T09:28:00.000-06:00

This is my friend Kim's recipe. I've made it several times before and I love it...it's easy, healthy, and it always turns out delicious!

REVIEW: Mango is just an awesome fruit, and it's fun to use something that I don't eat all the time. I don't know what exactly causes the chicken to be so tender, if it's the pounding or simmering it it in the sauce. I hate dry, chewy chicken but this was perfect. Using medium salsa gave it a little kick, you can try hot salsa if you can handle more than me, which is likely. :)Simmering the salsa with the mango and veggies takes some of the hotness out of it. I would recommend for dinner parties too b/c you can leave it simmering for a while on the stove smelling delicious while you serve a salad or appetizer.

RECIPE:

1lb chicken breasts

1-2 tomatoes, diced

1 mango, diced

1 orange

red or yellow bell pepper (I used 1/2 of each for color), diced

1cup medium salsa

garlic salt

cumin

salt

pepper

olive oil

Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Rub in garlic salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken on medium-high heat to brown on each side. Squeeze half of orange on chicken while cooking. Remove chicken breasts, throw in diced peppers, tomatos, and mango. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and other half of orange juice. Saute for 5 minutes, then put chicken back in. Add salsa to skillet and cover chicken in the mixture. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. (per serving: 423 cals, 11g fat, 50g protein, 32 carbs)

Pesto Chicken Florentine

2007-12-03T21:50:00.000-06:00

I was craving pasta, but it turns out that it is really hard to find a low-calorie pasta dish! I found this one that wasn't too bad, but I adjusted it to make it even more healthy, by adding more veggies and using whole-wheat pasta.

REVIEW: I usually steer clear of alfredo since it's really bad for you and sooo rich and heavy, but I only used the minimum needed to coat the pasta, so it had just enough creaminess. The added carrots, tomatoes, and broccoli definitely made the dish more interesting. It would be great without the chicken too. And I made the full batch so I have lots of lunch leftovers!

RECIPE:

olive oil

3 cloves garlic

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced

3 cups fresh spinach leaves

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup baby carrots, sliced

1 stalk broccoli, chopped

4 oz alfredo sauce

1 pkg dry pesto mix, prepared

8 oz whole-wheat penne pasta

grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and vegetables except for tomatoes, saute until softened to your likeness and spinach is cooked. Remove all from skillet and set aside. Cook chicken in skillet until done, then add veggies back in, cover and put on low heat. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Add pesto and alfredo to pasta until coated, then add in vegetables and mix all together. Serve with grated cheese sprinkled on top. Makes 4 servings. (original recipe stats per serving, but I think I did better: 571 cals, 19g fat, 42g protein, 57g carbs)

Seared Sesame Tuna with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette and Sauteed Mustard Greens

2007-11-14T21:06:00.000-06:00

I love the title of this recipe...it just sounds fancy and delicious. I also love recipes that require wine because that means I have to open a bottle and enjoy! :) Tonight's recipe was definitely a challenge, but it came out well. I got this recipe from a free Cuisine Home magazine that came in the mail, and I've had it FOREVER and never tried it. I made my 2nd attempt at sticky rice, and it came out perfectly this time. It's really not hard, even without a rice cooker, so there!

REVIEW: I liked the combo of the mustard greens, tuna, and rice...I kept scooping up all three with every bite. I didn't do the vinaigrette quite right, I reduced it too low so it was goopy at the end. I tried to add soy sauce and rice vinegar to make it more of a liquid, but I think that ruined the mix of flavors. Overall, quite tasty!

RECIPE:

vinaigrette:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 1/2 lemon (i used a splash of the bottled stuff)

tuna:

2 fresh tuna steaks
sesame seeds, enough to cover one side

greens:
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

mustard greens, stemmed and chopped

1/4 cup scallions, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer vinaigrette ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, 5-8 minutes. Keep warm over low heat. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Coat one side only of each tuna steak in sesame seeds. Sear, seed side down, for 3-4 minutes, then turn them over and cook 2-3 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Wipe the skillet with paper towels; return it to the stove over med-high heat. Saute garlic for the greens in olive oil just until soft, 1 minute. Add the greens and toss until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Before serving, add scallion to the warm vinaigrette. Arrange tuna steaks on the rice, add greens, and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Kung Pao Chicken

2007-10-28T22:20:00.000-05:00

I bought quite a few new ingredients to make this dish, so I definitely tried something different! This was my first attempt at making official sticky (a.k.a. sushi) rice like I had during my trip in Tokyo. Usually I think of rice as filler food, but the sticky rice in Japan was so good I could eat it as a meal. I am so proud of my first attempt, it turned out great! Luckily, last year I took a sushi making class at a local grocery store and learned some good tips that I could apply. I'm not sure if it would be sticky enough for sushi because I didn't try to roll it up or anything, but it seemed pretty close to me! I bought a huge bag of it because I am planning to use it on sushi rolls and some other dishes I loved in Tokyo and want to try making here!

I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website so it was healthy but I was very impressed with the flavor. The sauce made with sweet hoisen sauce was balanced nicely with soy sauce and lots of garlic, and given a kick from red pepper. I cooked the broccoli perfectly, with a little crunch and it didn't get too mushy in the sauce because I added it back in at the very end. Genius :) I also added sliced baby carrots, and cooked them with the broccoli.

RECIPE:

4 cups broccoli florets

1 tbsp ground fresh ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm. Heat more oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently. Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts. Makes 4 servings. (per serving: 240 cals, 8g fat, 31g protein, 11g carbs)

Seven Layer Dip

2007-10-14T19:22:00.000-05:00

We're celebrating the big boss's birthday tomorrow, so I made my tried and true party dip to bring in for the occasion. This baby never fails me, it's easy, quick, and people love it...especially the guys I work with who pretty much eat anything! Hmmm....guess that's not saying much for the dip, but it really is good!

REVIEW: Dangerously scrumptious, because you don't want to stop eating it once you start! I make it healthier by using fat free refried beans and light sour cream. I'm sure it would taste even better with the full-fat ingredients and freshly made guacamole!

RECIPE:
2 cans refried beans
16 oz package pre-made guacamole
8 oz sour cream
1 packet taco seasoning
1 package Mexican-flavor colby jack shredded cheese
1 large tomato, diced
scallions, chopped

Spread a layer of the refried beans in a 9x13 pan, then spread the guacamole on top of the beans. Mix the sour cream and taco seasoning in a separate bowl, then add on top of guacamole. Sprinkle cheese, tomato, and scallions to finish it off.

Chicken Jambalaya

2007-10-13T16:11:00.000-05:00

I didn’t think I’d be able to post my first meal until next week because of my schedule, but then I ran across a recipe in my Fitness magazine that looked easy and I could make in the crock pot! The prep work was very easy, since most of the ingredients came already made. The only problem I ran into was caused by my defiance of reading directions carefully. For some reason I was certain that I had to take the casing off the sausage, but this turned into a tedious (and kinda gross) job. After a couple of tries, I gave up and cut it up casing and all. I also ran into a glitch with the jambalaya rice mix. The recipe says to put only the seasoning packet in at first, then add the rice 45 minutes before serving. When I opened the box, I realized that the rice and seasoning was all mixed together in one big packet! It didn't seem to matter much.

REVIEW: I liked the zesty flavors of the dish. I am a wimp when it comes to spicy foods, but I thought this had just enough kick without overpowering the other flavors. The chicken was soooo tender! I had to drain out quite a bit of liquid before eating, so either I didn't let the rice absorb enough or maybe two cups of water is too much. I took some of it for lunch the next day and it tasted great as a leftover. Success!

RECIPE:

"Chicken Jambalaya"
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
16 oz package frozen bell peppers and onions
8 oz smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inc slices
2 cups water
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes w/ jalapeno peppers, undrained
8 oz package jambalaya rice mix

Place the ingredients in the crockpot in the following order: frozen veggies, chicken, sausage, water, tomatoes, seasoning packet from rice mix. Cover and cook 5-6 hours (even longer is ok too) on low heat or 2.5-3 hours on high heat. 45 minutes prior to serving, mix in rice and cook on high heat. Makes 6 servings. (per serving: 256 cals, 4g fat, 19g protein, 37g carbs)

My 1st Blog Post! (and why Beyond PB&J was created)

2007-10-07T20:41:00.001-05:00

Ok, so it’s not like I am a TERRIBLE cook, but my meals consist of whatever I can make the fastest with the ingredients I happen to have in the fridge at the time. Since half of my fridge is occupied by alcohol, this leaves me a limited space in which to store my usual supply of fresh vegetables, fruit, egg beaters, plain yogurt, milk, hummus, cheese, deli meat, condiments, and the staple that holds it all together: Mission low-carb whole wheat fajita-size wraps. The things I make at home and pack for lunch are extremely healthy. I save my calorie splurges for when I’m out with friends enjoying Mexican food and margaritas – yum!

The problem with concocting healthy meals in little time is that they get repetitive, almost to the point where each night I want to throw my low-fat, low-carb turkey wrap out the window and drive to the nearest Sonic for a burger and tater tots pronto!

My theory is there MUST be a way to eat healthy and keep my meals interesting too! Now that my crazy schedule has calmed down a little bit, I’ve decided to dedicate one night a week to cooking a dish that is out of my comfort zone of broiled chicken and steamed veggies (boring!). Each week, I will search for a recipe that I have never tried before and tackle it! I don’t want to limit myself with too many rules, but I will try to keep my choices diverse, challenging, and nutritious.

Friends are welcome to come over on these nights; they have the choice to help, supervise (i.e. sit on my couch and drink wine), or just enjoy. Food is always better when you have friends to share it with!

Wish me luck in my culinary attempts!!