July 24, 2008
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with a Honey Drizzle
So yesterday I woke up with the mother of all migraines. I mean seriously!
Oh.
My.
GOD!!!
The stupid thing lasted all day and in fact my head is still sore and foggy, but such is life. Luckily Jamison can work from home, so he stayed home, worked, took care of Alexis and did conference calls while I stayed in bed, only to arise when nature called and such. It was not pretty. My doctor's assurance that these things get worse as you grow older doesn't help all that much as you can imagine! ;oP
So there was no "What's For Dinner?" last night because well I have no clue what Jamison and Alexis ate. I'm assuming they did eat, but you know what they say about assuming! ;oP We will have "WFD?" today though so check back this afternoon!
Now let's talk some sweet potatoes shall we?
I love sweet potatoes! There are so many thing you can do with them and they are such a nice change, not to mention a healthier alternative, to your standard white potato. Mashed sweet potatoes are ridiculously easy to make, all while giving a bit of a wow factor and by all means sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving anymore!
What You'll Need per Person:
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into rounds
Water
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of honey
In a pot of water over high heat bring sweet potatoes to a boil and boil until tender. Once tender drain the potatoes and using a potato masher mash the potatoes until well mashed. Stir in and place mashed potatoes on a plate. Drizzle honey on top of each serving.
Notes: Sweet potatoes are sweet in and of themselves. The don't need a lot of sweetener and natural sweeteners (i.e. honey, natural brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, etc.) are best. You could also add in a bit of freshly ground nutmeg if you liked.
Posted by Dianne at 7:51 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 18, 2008
Cucumber Salad
It's fresh cucumber season! I just love when the cucumbers start coming in. English cucumbers are a nice substitute during the rest of the year, but there is just something about a cucumber fresh off the vine that gets me every time!
This salad is a quick, healthy side dish, or even main course if you like cucumbers as much as I do! It's perfect for a week night dinner, a picnic or even a snack! It will keep in the fridge for days so you can just grab it whenever you like! If you like cucumbers and Greek yogurt then this is the dish for you!
What You'll Need:
4-6 cups of sliced cucumbers
1/3 cup of fat free Greek Yogurt (Note: If you've been here before you know I like Oikos, if you haven't then that's what I use! ;oP Fage will work too, but the flavor of the Oikos is much better in my opinion.)
1/4 cup of fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup of fresh chives, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
A tiny pinch of sea salt
Cut cucumbers and place in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
Mix together yogurt, dill, chives, black pepper and sea salt until well incorporated. Add yogurt mixture to cucumbers and toss to coat. Chill for at least 1 hour and then serve.
Notes: I really like this with cucumbers only, but if you wanted to you could add in some bell peppers and/or red onion.
Posted by Dianne at 7:37 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
June 26, 2008
Vegetable Stir Fry
The other day I set out to make stir fry, vegetable/tofu for me and beef for Jamison. Jamison's stir fry turned out great, mine tasted like cardboard! Not to be dissuaded I decided to tweak it and try making it again for lunch since I had some left over rice and let me tell you the second time was a charm! This meal is healthy, hearty and oh so good! It's the perfect combination for a quick, easy meal!
What You'll Need For The Marinade:
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1/4 cup of soy sauce (Note: Normally I would recommend using low sodium soy sauce, but in a marinade I prefer using regular.)
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
1/2 a block of lite firm tofu, cut into cubes
2-3 scallions, chopped (green and white section)
1 green or red chile pepper, chopped fine
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, chopped fine
Freshly ground black pepper
1 clove of garlic, chopped fine
In a canning jar or glass bowl mix together sesame oil, soy sauce and vinegar until incorporated. Add tofu, scallions, chile pepper, ginger, black pepper and garlic and toss to coat. (Note: If you put it in a canning jar it makes it really easy since you can just shake the jar.) Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour stirring or shaking occasionally.
What You'll Need To Finish The Stir Fry:
Extra virgin olive oil or non-stick spray (Note: I used olive oil spray.)
1 cup of snow peas
4-6 mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, cut into matchstick pieces
1 cup of edamame
The contents of the marinade (See above)
1 - 2 cups of steamed broccoli
1 cup of cooked brown rice per person
In a large skillet over medium heat sauté snow peas, mushroom and carrot, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in edamame until mixed. Next stir in the contents of your marinade and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Add broccoli and toss to coat. Serve over brown rice.
Makes 2 generous servings.
Note: You could do this with chicken, beef, shrimp, scallops...Well you get the idea! Any vegetables you like work as well.
Posted by Dianne at 7:59 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
June 23, 2008
Black Chick Pea Salad
Alexis loves chick peas so when I saw black chick peas
This salad takes elements from many different types of food. The vinegar gives it a slight sushi aspect, while the fresh vegetables give it an air of chopped salad. Any way you look at it, you've got a cool, refreshing, easy, healthy dish that really hits the spot on a hot summer day!
What You'll Need:
2 cups of cooked black chick peas, coole
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 cup of edamame
1 cup of corn kernels
1 cup of pea pods, chopped
1/3 cup of sushi vinegar (Note: As always look for a version that has no high fructose corn syrup! Or better yet make your own.)
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Toss together black chick peas, celery, carrot, edamame, corn and chopped pea pods until completely incorporated. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together sushi vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground pepper until mixed. Pour mixture over tossed vegetables and stir to coat. Serve immediately or chill and then serve.
Note: Because of the vinegar you'll want to eat this salad within 24 hours or so of being made. The vinegar will start to break down the vegetables and after that it will just be a mushy mess. You can add other vegetables into the mix. Some crumbled nori would be a good addition too.
Posted by Dianne at 7:28 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
June 19, 2008
Grilled Dill Shrimp With Asparagus
I love shrimp and Alexis does too. In fact shrimp is one of those things she asked to try recently, though she had had it when she was younger and liked it then too, but had forgotten about it and I'm all about the "If you want to try it, we'll try it!" thing because one of my biggest pet peeves is saying you don't like something you've never tasted! So when she wants to try something we get it for her to try. She wanted to try raspberries, though I'll admit I'm not a fan of those, but if she wants to eat them then fine! She wanted to try lobster so we got a lobster and steamed it and she loved it!
See there I go getting side tracked again...The point is if she wants to try something I'll make it happen, but back to what we were really talking about.
Where was I? Oh yes...shrimp!
I rarely buy shrimp because even with Maryland being a water state it's hard to find truly fresh shrimp! Maryland is proud to be more of a blue crab/oyster state. Sometimes even if you buy frozen shrimp it is old! But every once in a while I'll stumble on to some that is actually fresh and in the case it was fresh AND on sale! Now what is better than that? So of course I grabbed some and we headed home.
There are so many things you can do with shrimp and all sorts of ideas popped through my mind. I thought about making some kabobs with thyme (which by the way you should try because they are to die for!), I thought about boiling some with some Old Bay Seasoning, I thought about making a white shrimp pizza, but my inspiration finally came from Alexis.
Alexis and I love to spend time on the front porch. We have a swing, her sand box, chairs and plenty of room to move around and play. It's just perfect because it's completely shaded in the afternoon. We were out on the front porch enjoying a lovely summer day and she decided to taste my dill plant. She knows that she can eat anything out of my herb box. It's all organic and she can munch to her heart's delight. She hadn't tried the dill before, but that day she decided to give it a munch and low and behold she liked it! So that made me think about possibly adding some chopped dill to the shrimp and thus the idea for dinner was born!
This dish is quick, easy and healthy. Throw in some grilled asparagus and a side salad and you've got a wonderful meal!
What You'll Need:
A pound of shrimp
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Asparagus to grill
In a bowl toss cleaned and deveined shrimp together with the olive oil, dill, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper and put covered in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
Heat your grill or grill pan (which is what I used) until hot.
Brush the grill pan/grill with a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle the asparagus with a little sea salt and place it on the grill first and grill for about 5-6 minutes until it is just starting to soften.
Next add the shrimp turning and cook until just pink. This will happen quickly, approximately 2-3 minutes. Don't cook them too long or they will turn rubbery.
(The burger was for Jamison! ;oP)
When the shrimp are cooked remove them from heat and serve immediately or you can serve them chilled. They are good either way!
Notes: If you don't like dill you could do this with rosemary or thyme. You could also do this with scallops instead of shrimp.
Posted by Dianne at 8:56 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack
June 18, 2008
Not Quite General Tso's Chicken
While my first attempt at a slimmed down General Tso's Chicken didn't turn out completely as I had hoped, and wasn't quite what General Tso's Chicken should be, it did turn out to be quite lovely! It had a very spicy element along with a little sweet. It was good and I would make this again, but I'm going to have to experiment a little more. For now I'll share this with you, because really if you like a little sweet an spicy then this is the dish for you!
What You'll Need:
1 tablespoons of sesame oil
3-4 scallions, chopped (both white and green parts), Plus additional scallions cut into strips for garnishing
2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 large green chili pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of rice vinegar
A pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup of honey
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup corn starch
Extra virgin olive oil
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2-3 cups of steamed broccoli
Cooked brown rice (Note: Brown rice takes about an hour to cook so keep this in mind. The dish itself takes about 30-35 minutes from start to finish.)
In a medium sized pot over medium heat sauté scallions, ginger, chili pepper and crushed red pepper flakes until onion is wilted and tender. Stir occasionally to keep from burning.
When onion is tender add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sea salt, honey and 1 cup of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir together remaining chicken broth with 1/3 cup of corn starch until smooth and add to the pot. Stir sauce until thickened (this usually takes a minute or two) and remove from heat.
Let sauce cool for a minute and then strain into a bowl. Set aside.
While the sauce is cooking, in a large skillet with a little extra virgin olive oil sauté chicken until browned and done through. Once cooked add strained sauce and cook for a minute or two to let the flavors meld.
While the chicken is cooking steam broccoli and the strips of green onion until tender. (Note: I usually do this in the microwave by putting a few tablespoon of water in the bottom of a glass bowl and then putting the vegetables on top. It takes about 2-3 minutes in my microwave.)
To assemble place a cup of rice on a plate and then top with the chicken/sauce mixture. Top with the steamed scallions and broccoli. Serve immediately.
How easy and delicious is that?
Notes: You could do this with shrimp or beef instead. Or if you wanted an entirely vegetarian dish you could use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and mushrooms or tofu instead of meat. If you wanted to make it vegan you'd have to find a substitute for the honey. Agave nectar might work, but I'd have to play around with that to be sure.
Posted by Dianne at 8:58 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
June 4, 2008
Fruit Salad a la Alexis
Last week when Alexis and I were at the grocery store one of the people that worked there gave Alexis a piece of paper that had kid geared recipes on it along with some cartoon character, which I don't remember at the moment, designed to get kids interested in cooking. I didn't want to burst the person's bubble and tell then that Alexis already was interested in cooking so we took the free handout and went home.
When we got home Alexis of course wanted to read the sheet. I glanced over it and there was nothing offensive (i.e. trying to market a specific product to a child) so when she asked me what the main recipe said we read it together. She can read some small words, but she can't read completely by herself yet, though she gets better at doing just that everyday.
The recipe was for a Waldorf type salad. It had apples, grapes, mayonnaise and sugar. (They were actually marketing this as a "healthy" recipe...Um no!) Alexis immediately told me "Let's make this! But I want to add cherries and strawberries." Easy enough. "Oh and Mom no mayonnaise and sugar!" Well I agree with that too. "And when we finish I want for you to put it on your 'bog'!" "Blog..." "That's what I said!"
So today's recipe is directly from Miss G! She also liked this so much she had it for lunch two days in a row! I pointed out that she had had fruit salad many times before, but she told me "Your fruit salad is good, but mine is better!" OK then!
Anyway, so this is the fruit salad that Alexis "came up" with...She's so my child! ;oP
What You'll Need:
1 large apple, chopped
1 cup of grapes
1 cup of strawberries
1 cup of sliced cherries
Toss fruit together and serve.
Notes: Any fruit will work.
Posted by Dianne at 9:01 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 2, 2008
Steak Sandwich Done Right
When I attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and lived in the dorm there was a grill across the courtyard from my dorm that had the best (and the time the only) steak sandwiches I had ever had! The grill wasn't on my meal plan, but you had "bonus" dollars on most plans and those could be used there. A friend of mine and I would go down to the grill once a week or so and indulge. Given we had to walk a mile or so to class and then a mile or so back for many of our classes and we were usually walking quite quickly we easily burned off these splurges and I do mean splurge!
Let's take about these gut buster sandwiches why don't we? These sandwiches had lord knows how much fat and calories! The meat was cooked in butter and then if you added vegetables (I always had just mushrooms) then those were cooked in butter too. After that they'd slap down a little more butter and "toast" the bun on the grill and then put the whole thing together! And I'm not talking just a little butter, I'm talking like 1/4 of a cup at least for each thing that was "cooked" or as the case may be fried! Then we'd top it off with a large order of French fries. Oh my! I can hear my arteries hardening just thinking about all that butter! ;oP
As I have gotten older I just can't eat like that anymore. Over the past two years anything that has too much fat or if I eat too much fried stuff it just doesn't sit well. Plus who wants that much butter in a sitting? (OK...Maybe Ina or Paula Deen, but still! ;oP) Also I really worry about beef in general. I don't eat a lot of beef and I most definitely eat grass fed beef when I do. Mad cow anyone? I think not! It was time to take your basic steak sandwich and take it to a whole other level.
This sandwich actually uses a steak. It does not use that minute steak stuff, which I'm sure is not grass fed. Throw in some mushrooms, some provolone and serve it on some whole grain toasted bread and you've taken the standard, greasy steak sandwich and made it into something much lighter and much better for you. Who says you can't revamp something bad into something better?
What You'll Need:
1 - 1 pound grass fed steak
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sliced mushrooms (optional)
Sliced onions (optional)
Sliced bell pepper (optional)
4 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
2 slices of Provolone cheese
Slice a 1 pound steak into thin strips. Place in a glass bowl and drizzle with some olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and then toss to coat. Place bowl covered in the fridge for at least one hour.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil and cook mushrooms, onion and pepper until just tender. (I used only mushrooms, but you can use all of them or none of them...It's completely a matter of taste.) Once vegetables are tender add steak and cook until the meat is done to your likeness. (I like mine medium.) Remove from heat.
To assemble the sandwich place the layer of meat/veggies onto a slice of toasted bread. Top with Provolone. Add any condiments that you like. (I like a little light mayo.) After the condiments top with the other slice of toasted bread. Cut in half and serve.
Makes 2 sandwiches.
Notes: This method would work with chicken too if you wanted. At the grill they served the sandwich on a hoagie bun. You could serve it on a whole grain bun if you liked. For a vegetarian version you could just use more mushrooms and/or other vegetables.
Posted by Dianne at 8:22 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
May 26, 2008
Corn On The Cob With Thyme
It's almost summer and fresh produce is starting to come in! When I saw some local corn (which in all honesty I kind of doubt the local part given how much rain we've had and how cold it's been up to this point!) I had to grab some! Alexis and I both love corn, so how could we pass that up?
When you think corn on the cob most likely you think boiled and then served with some butter, salt and pepper, but it doesn't have to be. You can roast it using some foil and season it up with a few herbs, giving you a delicious, healthy side dish. And to top it off this is the perfect picnic or barbeque food! What's not to like?
What You'll Need Per Person:
1 ear of corn
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Dried thyme
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven 425 F.
Shuck and clean an ear of corn and place it in a square of aluminum foil.
Using a basting brush brush the entire ear with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, sea salt and black pepper.
Fold the foil around to make a packet and place corn on a baking pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until corn is tender.
Notes: You could do this with any herb you like. Another good topper for corn is Old Bay Seasoning. This method can also be used on the grill by placing the foil packet on the grill for 10-15 minutes.
Posted by Dianne at 8:14 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
May 23, 2008
Yellow Squash with Vidalia Onions
Growing up in the South squash was one of those foods that you saw a lot especially in late spring and on into summer. If you've ever ventured South or have partaken of Southern cuisine you've most likely seen fried squash and to be completely honest it just never spoke that much to me, but then again you're taking about the girl who pulls the breading off of fried shrimp and just eats the shrimp. I like breading sometimes, but there are just certain foods I'd rather have sans breading and yellow squash (and shrimp for that matter) is one of them.
Growing up my mom used to make squash with a little onion. It normally involved some water and/or most likely some margarine, a little diced onion, along with salt and pepper. I decided to take that classic and lighten it up a bit with extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper and throw in some Vidalia onions for good measure.
I've been making squash this way for years and it's delectable. The squash itself has a buttery flavor all on its own so no butter is needed and the olive oil helps bring out a nutty flavor as well. This is a delicious, quick and healthy side dish that is just perfect when you want something a little different.
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
5 or 6 yellow squash, cut into rounds
1 Vidalia onion, diced (Note: Any type of onion will do.)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium sized pot add a little extra virgin olive oil. Dump in squash and onions and add a pinch of sea salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently to ensure it's not burning until onions and squash are soft. Serve immediately.
Did I mention how sinfully easy this is? Who says healthy food has to be difficult and taste bad?
Notes: Sometimes I do a mix of squash and zucchini. Or you can do this with zucchini only.
Posted by Dianne at 11:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 22, 2008
Pan "Fried" Broccolini with Garlic
For the past few years I've heard people go on and on about broccolini, but I had never seen any in the store to actually try. Last week I actually found some at a local market while Alexis was in her dance/gymnastics class flitting and having fun. I couldn't wait to get it home to try! I decided to pan "fry" it with a little garlic that very night and it was heavenly!
Broccolini is a cabbage hybrid that actually looks like a long broccoli floret. It has a milder flavor than broccoli and it doesn't have that sometimes harsh green flavor that broccoli can have when it gets old. Overall it has a mellow undertone that is a bit sweet. It was just perfect pan "fried" and next up I want to try steaming the vegetable to see how that works. Perhaps I may even try to bake some and see how that turns out as well.
Oh the possibilities! I love finding new things to try!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
Broccolini
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a large skillet over low to medium heat sauté garlic until just tender in a little extra virgin olive oil, careful not to burn. Add broccolini and sprinkle with sea salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until broccolini is just tender. Serve immediately.
Notes: Did I mention how easy this was? Start to finish you're done in about 10 minutes tops. You could add in other seasonings if you liked, but I think simple is better here. A splash of lemon juice would make a nice addition however.
Posted by Dianne at 1:05 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
May 12, 2008
Fruity Watermleon Smoothie
Most mornings I eat some sort of fruit and occasionally I like to make a smoothie. Smoothies are great because it's an easy way to get in several servings of fruits and/or vegetables in one sitting, all while having a delicious breakfast or snack! Pick the fruits and/or veggies you like (you can even throw in nuts and/or seeds if you like!) and take it for a spin the blender and you've got an instant, healthy breakfast or snack that will really hit the spot.
What You'll Need:
1 cup of watermelon
1/2 cup of blueberries
3-4 strawberries
1 banana, sliced (Note: I usually use a frozen banana, but I didn't have any frozen bananas today so I used ice instead. If you use frozen fruit you can leave out the ice.)
1/2 cup of orange juice
5-6 ice cubes (Optional)
Dump ingredients in the jar of your blender and blend until smooth. (Did I mention how easy this was?)
Makes one large smoothie or two small smoothies.
Notes: There is no need to use any sweetener in a smoothie as the fruit/juice is sweet enough in and of itself. You also don't have to use ice or frozen fruit, but I like the way it makes the consistency of the smoothie.
Posted by Dianne at 9:28 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
May 2, 2008
Spring Salad
On Saturday after spending all morning at the farm festival and then all afternoon supplementing my plants for the garden I wanted something fresh for dinner. Being outside always makes me crave fresh food.
I had some seasonal sugar snap peas and strawberries and decided it would be fun to create something with those two ingredients. I just kept adding vegetables and fruit and this is what came about. I guess it's true that simple is normally best.
You could make this a side salad in a smaller portion or a meal in and of itself as I did. It's just perfect for one of those days that you just want something different, yet delicious all while being fast and easy to make. It was fresh, springy and really hit the spot!
What You'll Need Per Person:
1/2 cup of sugar snap peas in the pod, chopped
1/2 cup of strawberries, sliced or quarted
1/2 cup of green grapes
1/2 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup of cucumbers, sliced
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
The juice of one orange
1 ounce of blue cheese, crumbled
In a bowl toss together sugar snap peas through walnuts and toss to mix. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar and orange juice until fully incorporated. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat fully.
Sprinkle the top of the salad with crumbled blue cheese and serve.
Did I mention how easy this was? ;oP
Notes: Any vegetable/fruit combo you like will work. You could also mix and match the nuts and seeds according to taste.
Posted by Dianne at 1:28 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
April 14, 2008
Creamy Vegetable and Chicken Pasta
Alexis and Jamison could eat spaghetti every night of the week if I let them, but I get bored with just plain old spaghetti so I often shift things around and make a pasta topper out of fresh tomatoes and veggies all while changing the herbs an things to make it different every time. This is one of those creations.
This pasta topper is healthy and creamy with just the right punch of herbs and flavors. The fresh tomatoes give it a wonderful depth of flavor and it's a quick easy meal that comes together in no time! Pair it with a tossed salad and you've got a delicious dinner that will break the same old pasta blues!
What You'll Need:
2 cups of cooked pasta of your choice (Note: I used corn spaghetti since I made Jamison spaghetti at the same time and of course his has to be gluten free.)
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in two
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of California style frozen vegetables
2 cups of cooked chicken, cut or torn into bite sized pieces (Note: A rotisserie chicken would be perfect for this dish.)
1 cup of baby spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon of corn starch or flour (Note: If you use corn starch and pair it with a corn or soy pasta this dish is gluten free. I used flour this go around since Jamison wasn't eating the dish.)
3/4 a cup of water
Parmesan cheese to top (Note: About an ounce per person.)
In a large skillet sauté tomatoes, onion and garlic with oregano, thyme, sea salt and pepper in a little extra virgin olive oil until onions are tender. Add frozen vegetables, chicken and spinach and cook until the vegetables are thawed. Next stir in flour and water and cook until the mixture thickens. Serve over pasta noodles and top with some shredded Parmesan cheese.
Makes two good sized dinner sized portions or three smaller sized portions.
Notes: You can add in type of veggies that you like. I like to add mushrooms to the mix. You can also mix and match the herbs of your choice.
Posted by Dianne at 9:06 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 28, 2008
Gluten Free Beef with Broccoli
As I mentioned in passing a while back on the banana pudding post we recently discovered that Jamison can't eat gluten (or in more technical terms he has Celiac Disease). While that sounds dire, in reality it just means he has a gluten intolerance and needs to avoid it entirely. Needless to say for a person who had a diet largely made up of wheat in some form or another this has been a huge adjustment, but I must say he's done very well, if not for a grumble here or there, cutting the gluten out of his diet. (Note: The banana pudding recipe is NOT gluten free as it was made before we found out he couldn't have gluten. the pudding itself and the bananas are gluten free, but the vanilla wafers are not.)
As this journey begins you are startled by how many things have gluten in them that you wouldn't expect (various medicines/vitamins, almost anything that is a pre-packaged food which Jamison was a fan of, candy, and of course any breads/crackers and I even discovered that the brand of garlic salt I used had wheat in it! What's that about?) Once you know you can't gave gluten you have to start reading labels even closer than you did before and let me tell you I'm a label reader to begin with! You quickly learn what is and what isn't gluten free and you regularly visit the Celiac Sprue Association's Grain Page. I'm still learning, but I'm becoming more and more comfortable every day saying what is and what isn't gluten free.
One of those things that you wouldn't suspect to have wheat is soy sauce and because of that a lot of Chinese foods, especially those with brown sauces, are now off the market if you can't have gluten. Unfortunately Jamison loves Chinese and all of the dishes he eats are cooked in that soy filled brown sauce and this is how this recipe came about. If you can't have gluten then you just have to start adapting recipes of the things you love. In some cases it isn't easy, but it is doable and in this case it was a quite easy fix.
Chinese cuisine has an aura about it that makes a lot of people think it's hard to cook, but don't worry it's not! If you can steam some veggies, stir fry and make rice, you're golden! It also doesn't take a long time to prepare. It's a quick, easy and healthy option for when you want take out, but can't necessarily have it for health reasons or any other issue.
You'll also notice we have a new "Gluten Free" category on the side bar and I'll be adding to it as I adapt Jamison's favorites to gluten free equivalents. So far it's been hit and miss and I've yet to find a bread recipe that isn't grainy in texture and green in taste, so that's an adventure in and of itself, but I have been able to adapt some other things, so stay tuned! Oh and I will conquer that bread too! I'm anything if not determined! ;o)
What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of organic cane sugar
4 tablespoons of gluten free soy sauce (Note: La Choy soy sauces are wheat free according to their label. I always use the version that has less salt. If in doubt read the label! Wheat should be readily labeled and if it says something along the lines of "food starch" in most cases that means wheat so steer clear!)
2 tablespoons of corn starch
Extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds of beef, cut into bite sized chunks
1 pound of broccoli, steamed
1 cup of cooked brown rice, per person
In a medium sized bowl mix water, rice vinegar, cane sugar, soy sauce and corn starch and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add meat and stir to ensure that all the meat is covered. Cover the bowl tightly and then refrigerate to let the mixture marinate for at least an hour to overnight.
Remove the meat from the refrigerator and take it out of the sauce. Do not discard the sauce as you will need some of it for the recipe.
In a large skillet over medium heat sauté the meat in a little olive oil until the outsides are slightly browned. (Note: Don't go overboard with the oil. You want enough to just coat the pan, roughly 1 tablespoon max.) Once the meat is browned add 1 cup of the marinating liquid and cook until the mixture thickens and the beef is done through. If you like a lot of sauce add more of the marinating liquid.
While the meat is cooking steam the broccoli until just tender and set aside.
Most varieties of brown rice take around 1 hour to cook. The Beef with Broccoli takes about 20-30 minutes to cook depending on how big your chunks of meat are so make sure you give enough time for the rice to be done. You want 1 cup of cooked brown rice per person.
To serve place some rice on a plate and top with the cooked beef mixture. Next add 6-8 broccoli florets and serve.
Notes: You could add in different types of steamed vegetables (i.e. carrots, snow peas, cauliflower, etc.) to make a Mixed Vegetable version. You could also substitute chicken or shrimp for the beef if you're not a beef fan. If you wanted to make a completely vegeterian/vegan version you could use tofu or mushrooms in place of the meat. The possibilities are endless!
Posted by Dianne at 7:12 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
March 20, 2008
Tomato Chick Pea Soup
Tomatoes and chick peas go very well together, so why not make a soup with both? This soup utilizes those two ingredients, along with some other vegetables, to make an easy, quick, hearty, healthy soup that really hits the spot. What's better than that on these days that can't figure out if they are winter or spring even if today is the first official day of just that?
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 - 15.5 ounce can of chick peas, drained
1 - 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 quart of broth (vegetable or chicken)
2 cups of spinach, chopped
Sauté onion, carrot, leek and thyme in a little extra virgin olive oil until onion is tender. Add chick peas, tomatoes and broth and stir until mixed. Bring to a rapid boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes. Add chopped spinach and cook for 5-8 minutes until spinach is just cook. Serve immediately.
Notes: You could add other vegetables into the soup if you liked. You could also add some shrimp or chicken if you wanted a meat element, but the soup stands alone with the chick peas and is hearty in and of itself without extras.
Posted by Dianne at 7:37 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 19, 2008
Greek Yogurt Smashed Potatoes with Rosemary, Garlic and Caramelized Onion
When you think mashed potatoes you immediately think rich and bad for you, but they don't have to be. There are ways to make delicious mashed potatoes, all while ensuring that they aren't bad for your waist line. Add in some Greek yogurt and some herbs, garlic and onion and you've got a fantastic potato side dish that really hits the spot when you want some good old smashed potatoes!
What You'll Need:
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced into small wedges
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt (Note: I like Oikos.)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium sized pot boil potatoes until tender, drain and place back in the pot.
While the potatoes are cooking in a medium sized skillet cook onions until caramelized and then add garlic and dried rosemary and cook for an additional 2 minutes to soften garlic.
In a small pot heat greek yogurt until just heated through (about 2 minutes) and add a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Once potatoes are cooked and drained add the heated yogurt mixture to the potatoes smash the potatoes with a potato masher until somewhat smooth. Stir in onion mixture until incorporated and serve.
Notes: You can use other herbs if you like. You could also leave out the onions or even substitute shallots or scallions instead.
Posted by Dianne at 7:37 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
March 12, 2008
Improvised Miso Soup
I'm a huge fan of Miso Soup, I mean big time! I've always wanted to try and make it at home, but it was just one of those things I just never got around to. Plus when I've read about it in the past it's a bit intimidating, mainly in that you can not let the soup boil once the miso is added. Talk about pressure! ;o)
Last week I decided I finally wanted to try my hand at making Miso Soup. I got some brown rice miso and some tofu and thought I'd be good to go. I didn't however get any dashi stock. I did some reading and found that one version of dashi stock was made with dried mushrooms. The only problem with that was I didn't have any dried mushrooms on hand. I did however have some baby portabella mushrooms so I decided to make some mushroom broth from that and go from there. In other words I improvised! The end result turned out great and was an almost dead ringer for the Miso Soup I order when Jamison picks up sushi for me.
What You'll Need:
1 package of mushrooms (Note: As I mentioned above I used baby portabellas.)
Enough water to cover the mushrooms in a 2 1/2 quart pot
1 package of firm tofu, cut into small squares
1-2 tablespoons of miso
2 cups of spinach, chopped into strips
In a 2 1/2 quart pot cook mushrooms in water until mushrooms are tender. Remove mushrooms and reserve broth. (Note: You do not want to add salt to this as the miso is salty enough to flavor the whole soup. Also you can eat the mushrooms as is or use them in something like Mushroom Stroganoff or Mushroom Spread.)
Once the mushrooms are removed add in the tofu and let it cook for 5 or 6 minutes. (Note: Tofu absorbs flavor from the components of the soup. On it's own it doesn't taste like much.) After the tofu has been in for a few minutes lower the heat and make sure the soup is NOT boiling! Stir in miso until dissolved and make sure the soup does NOT go to a boil after the miso is added. (Note: I don't know why you're not supposed to boil it, but I kept reading that over and over in terms of miso and it's even printed on the side of my miso container. If anyone out there knows why drop me a comment! ;o))
Once the miso is added add the spinach and cook until spinach is just wilted. Serve immediately. (Note: I used the bagged baby spinach and I know it says it's "triple washed" or some such who hah, but wash it! They put some kind of stabilizer or preservative on it, even on the organic versions, and when I don't wash it it makes my tongue numb. That tells you it's something you don't want to be eating! Wash, wash, wash! ;o) Plus you don't know who has handled it after it was "triple washed" so don't take any chances!)
Notes: Using the mushroom broth makes this vegan, just so you know. I even ended up freezing part of the batch for use later. You can also top this soup with chopped green onion. The place I order mine from does both spinach and green onion, but I didn't have any green onion on hand.
P.S. Oh and don't forget the March edition of the Dianne's Dishes contest series for your chance to win some free herbs and spices!
Posted by Dianne at 6:58 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 10, 2008
Pan "Fried" Feta and Thyme Polenta with Caramelized Onions
Polenta is a food I have just recently discovered. For years I associated it with grits and as I've mentioned before I'm not a fan of those, but polenta itself is a healthy, whole grain, alternative to other starchy side dishes. (And for those of you who didn't know it's a Weight Watchers Core food as well!)
This version involves seasoning the base polenta with thyme and feta, letting it set up, cutting it into squares, pan "frying" the squares and then topping them with caramelized onions. The taste combination really melds together well and the whole dish is hearty and filling, which is always a good thing when you're trying to eat less. Healthy most definitely does not have to be boring!
What You'll Need:
1 cup of polenta (Note: I used Bob's Red Mill.)
3-4 cups of water or broth
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces of fat free feta
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (Note: I like Oikos.)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, cut into small wedges
In a medium sized pan bring 3-4 cups of water or broth to a boil. Stir in polenta and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until polenta is thick and creamy, usually about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove polenta from heat and stir in a pinch of sea salt, some freshly ground black pepper, thyme, Greek yogurt and feta and stir to incorporate. Pour polenta into an 8 X 8 inch dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and spread out evenly. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour until polenta is set up. (Note: You can do this in the fridge if you want. You could even do it the day before you want to use the polenta.)
Once polenta is set up cut into roughly 9 squares. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add a little olive oil (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan). Place squares into the pan and "fry" on each side until golden brown. Top with caramelized onions. (See below.)
In a separate pan or skillet cook onion in a little extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon tops) until onion is caramelized. Use to top the polenta. (Note: If you choose to let the polenta sit overnight then do this right before you get ready to serve.)
Notes: You could use rosemary instead of thyme or any other herb you like. You could also add another cheese. I prefer fat free feta because it's one of the few cheeses that actually tastes ok in fat free form. Most fat free cheese taste like cardboard, but feta retains it's body and flavor even when made fat free.
P.S. Oh and don't forget the March edition of the Dianne's Dishes contest series for your chance to win some free herbs and spices!
Posted by Dianne at 1:25 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
February 28, 2008
Cajun Adzuki Beans with Brown Rice and Chicken
Alexis loves beans! Lima, red. black, garbanzo, green...You name it and she loves it! Tuesday on our weekly trip to My Organic Market to get groceries I decided to grab a package of red adzuki beans and give them a try. Alexis saw them on the counter and wanted to make them for dinner Tuesday night, but I told her that we'd have to soak them overnight. So we did just that and yesterday for lunch we had a fresh pot of adzuki beans.
Now while Alexis enjoyed her beans with some brown rice, I wanted to spice things up a little. I was in a spicy mood yesterday (but I guess that's true of most days) so I pulled out Cajun seasoning and a few other elements and this quick and easy rice dish was what I came up with. The spicy goes a long way toward helping you feel full longer and every aspect of the dish is a nice and healthy change from lunch time doldrums. Sometimes it's nice to spice things up in the middle of the day, the added benefit being that you don't want to snack as much as the afternoon wears on. That's always a good thing!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 of a large onion, chopped
1/2 a bell pepper, chopped
3 mushrooms,
1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning (Note: The seasoning I use is salt free. If you use a version that has salt included then omit the pinch of sea salt below.)
1 tablespoon of chili powder
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of paprika
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup of cooked brown rice
1 cup of cooked adzuki beans
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and cut into chunks (Note: This is completely optional. You could add in shrimp to mix things up a bit or even just add in mushrooms if you wanted a completely vegetarian option.)
1 cup of water
In a skillet or medium sized pot sauté onion, bell pepper, mushroom and garlic until onion and pepper are tender. Add seasonings and stir well to mix. Add brown rice, adzuki beans and chicken chunks to the veggie mixture and stir to coat. Add water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until water is gone and has absorbed into the dish. Serve immediately.
This makes two large main course servings or four smaller side dish portions.
Notes: You can make this as spicy (or not spicy) as you like. Simply adjust seasonings to your taste. I was going to add celery to mix as well, but we are out. You could also add in any other veggies that you like.
Posted by Dianne at 7:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 26, 2008
Seasoned Mushroom and Pearl Onion Chicken with Brown Rice
Who says eating healthily has to be boring? You can take your basic chicken breast and spice it up with a little seasoning, pair it with some veggies and brown rice and you've turned it into a scrumptious meal! On top of that it can be done quickly and easily. What's better on a weeknight for dinner?
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small package of button mushrooms
1 - 1 1/2 cups of small pearl onions (Note: I used fresh pearl onions for this.)
Seasoning Mix (Note: I used Kirkland Signature Organic No-Salt Seasoning, which I got at Costco. It is a dried mix of onion, garlic, carrot, black pepper, red bell pepper, tomato, orange peel, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, cumin, margoram, coriander, cayenne pepper, citric acid and rosemary, but what ever kind of seasoning you like works.)
2 cups of cooked brown rice
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a making dish coat each chicken breast, onions and mushrooms with a little olive oil. (Note: You just want a thin coat. A few teaspoons per breast at most.) Sprinkle seasoning over mixture and toss to coat. Bake for 35-45 minutes until chicken is done through. Serve chicken, mushrooms and onions over cooked brown rice.
Makes two servings.
Notes: You could use other veggies if you like. It's all a matter of taste. The seasoning I used has enough flavor that salt isn't necessary, but if the one you use doesn't then add a pinch of sea salt and even some black pepper to the mix as well.
P.S. It's Tuesday and you know that that means...Tuesdays with Dorie! This week's recipe was Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits and was chosen by Ashley of eat me, delicious. I sat out this week's recipe due to having way too much going on last week, but don't forget to pop over and see what everyone else baked up!
Posted by Dianne at 7:17 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 25, 2008
Chicken Soup A La Alexis
"Mommy I want to make some chicken soup."
"OK."
"And I want it to have big chunks of chicken."
"Anything else?"
"And salt, pepper, peas, corn, onion and leeks."
"Is that all?"
"Oh and egg noodles!"
"Sounds good."
"And when we get finished I want you to take a picture of my soup and put it on your 'bog'!"
So we made some soup just as she asked and I'm sharing it with you now. Why stifle creativity? ;o)
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 leek, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
At least 1 quart of chicken broth
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup of frozen corn
1-2 cups of whole grain egg noodles
Sauté onion, carrot and leek with a pinch of sea salt until onions are tender. Add chicken breasts and chicken broth and cook until chicken is done through. Remove from soup and cut the chicken into chunks and then return to broth. Add peas and corn and cook until they are unfrozen (about 5 more minutes). Add noodles and cook until tender. Serve immediately.
Notes: Thyme would be a good addition to this soup. Any other veggies you wanted to add in would be good as well.
Posted by Dianne at 7:39 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 22, 2008
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
For years I've been trying brussels sprouts and have been less than impressed. I've had them boiled, steamed, baked, with lemon, with herbs, with cheese and even deep fried and I just didn't care for them! I kept trying them though, because they have so many health benefits so I thought there must be some way that they could be prepared where they were edible. This week I finally found what I was looking for...Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic! Not only is this recipe simple, it's also healthy and delicious. What's not to like?
What You'll Need:
Brussels sprouts, picked over and cut in half
Extra virgin olive oil (Note: You want just enough olive oil to coat the brussels sprouts...Roughly one tablespoon per 3 cups of sprouts. They should not be sitting in oil.)
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 large cloves of garlic, diced per 3 cups of sprouts
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Wash brussels sprouts and pick off any brown leaves. Cut each sprout in half and place in a baking dish. Once all the sprouts are cut toss with olive oil to coat. Then sprinkle the sprouts with a pinch of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and diced garlic. Bake for 25-35 minutes until brussels sprouts are browned and tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes: You could add in some herbs if you wanted, though I think simple is best in this case. This would be great tossed with some roasted tomatoes and served over a little whole wheat pasta.
Posted by Dianne at 7:16 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
February 21, 2008
Wasabi Mustard Slaw
This is a spicy take on classic slaw, that cuts out the mayo and spices up the ingredients making it healthier overall and also adding a bit of a kick, but it's oh so delicious. Sometimes it's fun to play with a classic and make something totally new and if that creation is lighter than the original then all the better!
What You'll Need:
1/4 a head of cabbage, cut or shredded (Note: You're looking for roughly 2 cups.)
1/4 a head of red cabbage, cut or shredded (Notes: Again roughly 2 cups.)
1 large carrot, shredded
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup of rice vinegar
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of wasabi mustard (Note: I you can't find wasabi mustard you could use 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon of wasabi.)
Toss together the cabbages and the carrot until completely incorporated. Set aside.
In a small canning jar (or you can use a bowl and whisk if you want, but I think it's easier to put it in the jar and then shake!) add olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, pepper and wasabi mustard and put a lid on the jar. Shake until all ingredients are mixed then pour the vinegar mixture over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Chill for 1 hour and then serve.
Notes: I was going to add a couple of tablespoons of celery seed, but I was out. This slaw is best served the day it is made as the vinegar content makes it wilt quickly if stored for too long. Also the red cabbage tends to lose it's color the longer it's in vinegar, though it won't change the flavor of the slaw itself, you might just end up with reddish purple dressing.
Posted by Dianne at 7:08 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
February 20, 2008
Mexican Chicken Stack-up
Mexican food is one of my all time favorites, but as you know it can be very heavy and fat laden. It doesn't have to be though. This "Stack-up" is the perfect substitution for nachos. By layering your ingredients the flavors all meld together and the end result is light, yet satisfying, all while being full of protein, vitamins and good fats. What's not to like about that?
What You'll Need Per Person:
1 cup of beans (Note: I used black beans, but you can use red beans, pinto beans or a mixture if you like.)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked in Mexican spices (See instructions and ingredients below.)
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 an onion, chopped
1 ounce of light or fat free cheddar
1/2 an avocado, sliced
1-2 tablespoons of light sour cream
Heat beans in a small pot.
While the beans are cooking cut chicken into strips or chunks and place in a skillet. Cover with chicken with water. Add 1 tablespoon of parika, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 pinch of cayenne pepper, a pinch of sea salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper and 1 tablespoon of cumin to the water. Give a quick stir. Put pan on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook until water evaporates.
While the chicken and beans are cooking sauté onions in a little extra virgin olive oil until caramelized.
Now on to assembly...The first layer is the beans and the second layer is the chicken.
Next add the onions.
On top of the onions place the cheese and let it melt a bit and then top with avocado.
And finally top with sour cream and serve immediately.
Notes: You could use steak or shrimp instead of chicken or if you wanted to go completely veggie you could sauté some mushrooms and use that instead. Portabella mushrooms would work really well, but any mushrooms will do. Also you can sauté some bell pepper with the onion is you like.
Posted by Dianne at 7:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 18, 2008
Vegetable Soup with Quinoa and Barley
Nothing is as warming on a cold winter day as a hearty, healthy bowl of soup! Last week when we were iced in for two days Alexis wanted to make some vegetable soup and this is what came about. It's rich, warm, chunky and oh so filling, all while being healthy. What's not to like? So if you want to chase away the winter blues whip up a pot of this healthy, yet quick soup, and in no time you'll be warm and toasty!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 button mushrooms, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 - 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 leek, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1 cup of frozen corn
1 cup of frozen peas
1/2-1 cup of quinoa
1/2-1 cup of barley
1 quart of broth (Note: You can use vegetable or chicken broth, whichever you prefer. If the soup seems too thick to you add more broth. You'll most likely have to add more broth to left overs as the soup ingredients absorb the liquid the longer it sits.)
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
In a medium sized stock pot sauté vegetables in a little non-stick spray until onions are tender with a pinch of sea salt, some freshly ground black pepper and oregano. Stir in frozen peas, corn, quinoa and barley. Cover the mixture with broth and stir in tomato paste. Bring to a quick boil and the lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes covered or until barley is tender.
Notes: You can add any vegetables you like. Alexis wanted to add some ABC noodles to the mix as well so we did to hers. Garlic would be a nice addition. Soup really is an easy dish to tweak, so add what you like!
Posted by Dianne at 7:45 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
February 15, 2008
Baked Vegetable Chips With Dill
I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the conventional potato chip. They have always been too greasy and heavy for me. I do however like a good baked chip and decided to try my hand at making some baked vegetable chips. The result was heavenly!
This is the perfect, healthy alternative to regular old potato chips. You control the ingredients and the amount of fat you add, yet you end up with a crisp, satisfying chip that you'll want to make again! These chips are just perfect when you want to crunch! ;o)
What You'll Need:
Root vegetables (Note: For this batch I used a sweet potato, a large carrot and a rutabaga.)
Dried dill (Note: If dill isn't your thing you could use any other dried herb you like or leave out the herbs all together.)
Sea salt
Black pepper (Note: For this you want finely ground black pepper.)
Olive oil spray or other non-stick spray
Preheat oven to 200 F.
Thinly slice each vegetable into rounds. (Note: You can do this with a knife or a mandolin cutter. If you use the latter you can even make crinkle cuts.) Place cut veggies on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Spray generously with olive oil or non-stick spray. Sprinkle with dill, sea salt and pepper.
Place try into your oven on the highest rack and bake for 1 hour. (Note: Keep an eye on the chips and make sure they aren't burning. If they appear too brown then lower them to a lower rack. The sweet potato will turn a lovely chocolate color as it bakes, but that doesn't mean it's burning.) After an hour move the pan to a lower rack and cook for an additional 30 minutes to an hour until chips are crisp. Remove from oven and let chips cool on the pan. Store in an air tight container.
Notes: The chips are really best served the day they are made. If they soften up a bit when you store them you can re-crisp them by putting them back in the oven for a bit.
Posted by Dianne at 11:21 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
February 7, 2008
Shrimp and Artichoke Whole Wheat Fettuccine
Fettuccine. What's not to like? But in reality it's laden with fat and calories. You can easily lighten up this dish by using whole wheat pasta and leaving off the cheese. With the garlic and the healthy fat in the olive oil, you won't miss the cheese at all!
What You'll Need Per Person:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 of a red onion, chopped
1-2 large mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of artichoke (Note: You can cook the artichoke yourself, or get it from a can. I cooked a couple of artichokes with a little lime. sea salt and pepper and used it for this dish, but either method will work.)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6-8 shrimp
2 ounces of dry whole wheat fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package directions (Note: Reserve pasta cooking water.)
1/3 cup of pasta water
In a large skillet sauté onion, mushrooms, artichoke and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper, until vegetables are tender.
Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp are pink. Add cooked pasta and pasta water and toss to coat. Cook for an additional minute or two until pasta water evaporates. Serve immediately.
Notes: You could add in other vegetables if you like and if you just have to have cheese you could add in some Parmesan, but remember with the cheese you are also adding fat and calories.
P.S. Don't forget the Death by Chocolate contest over at Culinate! The voting ends tomorrow at noon, so if you haven't voted already, then hop on over and do so! You could win a trip for two to Napa's Chocolate festival at the end of February! My entry is my take on my Mom's Hot Fudge Cake.
Chocolate...What's not to like? ;o)
P.S.S. I'm finally figuring out this new version of MovableType (or more honestly I'm putting in my own html to make the entries look more like they did before the move and more like I'm accustomed to)! I'm still working out kinks here and there and there are still a few blips on the main page, but it's slowly coming together. Moving to a new server can be a pain, but I highly reccomend LivingDot if you're looking for a new server youself! They've been awesome!
Posted by Dianne at 1:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 5, 2008
Taco Soup
Want some tacos, but want a slightly healthier twist on the sometimes fat laden classic? Why not make some taco soup? This soup has all the elements of your basic taco, minus the corn shell, but with corn thrown in to give it that same taste. Top it with a little light sour cream and light cheese and your taste buds will be convinced you’re eating a taco!
What You’ll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 pound of lean ground beef or turkey (Note: If you want you can leave out the meat all together. You could add in textured vegetable protein, soy crumbles or even just add some beans.)
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of paprika
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups of cooked red beans
1 - 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 - 15 ounce can tomato sauce
In a large pot sauté onion and bell pepper until just tender with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. (Note: You can add more cayenne or less depending on how hot you like things. This is the same with the chili powder as well.) Add ground beef or turkey when the onions and peppers are about halfway done and cook until it is browned. (Note: The light ground beef/turkey has little fat in it and usually doesn’t have to be drained. If the meat you are using has a higher fat content then add the spices AFTER the meat is finished and drained.) Stir in red beans, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Serve warm.
Notes: You could add in different types of beans if you want. Black beans would be really good in this mix. You could also add in some jalapeños if you like them or even cilantro, though I wouldn’t because I’m not a fan.
Also, don't forget that you can still vote over at Culinate in the Death by Chocolate contest! You could win a trip for two to Napa to their chocolate festival at the end of February! My entry is Hot Fudge Cake!
Chocolate...What's not to like?
Posted by Dianne at 9:55 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 31, 2008
Balsamic Steak with Feta and Thyme Sweet Potato Medallions
Balsamic vinegar and feta go very well together, but who is going to eat feta simply with a little balsamic vinegar? By marinating a steak in some balsamic vinegar and topping it with feta, you've got a wonderful taste combination. Pair the steak with some Thyme Sweet Potato Medallions (which go together well in flavor too!) along with some baked or steamed asparagus and you've got a healthy, filling meal in no time!
What You'll Need for the Thyme Sweet Potato Medallions Per Person:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium to large sweet potato, cut into rounds
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Add a little extra virgin olive oil to the bottom of a baking dish and spread around to coat. (Note: you only need a few teaspoons to a tablespoon max. Use a basting brush to spread it around on the surface of the dish.) Layer sweet potatoes into the dish and sprinkle with thyme. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Notes: Depending on how many potatoes you are cooking this may take more or less time. Keep an eye on them. You could leave off the thyme if you aren't a fan and simply top them with a little sea salt and black pepper OR you could even just sprinkle with a little nutmeg and/or cinnamon. It you go with the nutmeg and/or cinnamon route don't think you need to add any sugar. Contrary to popular belief though sweet potatoes really don't need any sugar added, they are naturally sweet all on their own!
What You'll Need for the Balsamic Steak with Feta Per Person:
1 single serving type steak of your choice (Note: An appropriate sized serving of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards or your palm.)
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
1 ounce of feta cheese (Note: I used fat free feta, but you can use whatever type you like.)
In a bowl cover the steak with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, turning the steak occasionally in order to coat evenly.
When you are ready to cook the steak the cooking method is up to you. You can remove it from the marinating solution and pan sear or "fry" it until it's done to your likeness, you can grill it or you can even bake it. I chose the pan searing method and I prefer my steaks medium so it took about 3-5 minutes in a very warm skillet.