Cheater's Fish Curry

Is anyone feeling a little adventerous today? Like they might want to challenge themselves, to try something new and exciting? I love Indian Food, it has wonderful textures and flavors, and the smell of spices is just intoxicating. It's definitely outside my cooking comfort zone, and some of the ingredients (ok, a lot of them) are a bit difficult to find. So I found what I could and then improvised the rest, combining several curry recipes, and just making some stuff up as I went along. Still not adventurous enough for you? Let's through is some fish, and even though I love fish, it defenitely has a reputation for being one of the "scarier" proteins. The results of this experiment left me feeling like a mad scientist, in the best possible way, and the results were absolutely delicious. Delicate poached fish, infused with the wonderful spices of India, and in a lovely rich sauce, with just a hint of coconut and sweetness. So be a little adventerous and enjoy!

Cheater's Fish Curry:
1 tbsp extra vigrin coconut oil
3 shallots
1 onion
1 jalapeno
1 zucchini
1 bell pepper
1 tomato
2 cups of low sodium chicken stock, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp of evaporated milk
1 1/4 tsp of curry powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp corriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp of brown sugar
1 lb of tilapia
1 tbsp of corn starch

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Thinly slice shallots, onions, and jalapeno and add to hot skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally until shallots and onions soften and start to brown, about 6 minutes. Slice zucchini and bell pepper and add to pan, lower heat to medium and cook until pepper begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Chop and add tomato. Add 1 cup of stock and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk. Add the spices and sugar, stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Season fish with salt and chop into 1 inch pieces, and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently until the fish is opaque, about 5 minutes. In the meantime, whisk the cornstarch, remaining stock, and remaining evaporated milk together in a bowl. When the fish is cooked through, whisk in the stock mixture, and stir until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve over rice. Enjoy.

Happy Eating

Turkey Enchiladas

I love Mexican food, and since Cinco de Mayo was right in the middle of my moving process, I've decided to celibrate a bit late, with an easy Cassorale, known as Enchiladas. I usually go for more of the crispy things, I usually pick hard taco shells, I'll take nachos over quesadillas any day. So I have always been a little wary of enchiladas, they are definitely in the soft family. However, they are amazing. The corn tortillas really absoarb the sauce and transform into the soft and delicious crust type thing, it's magical. I could just eat that part, but then you throw in cheese, meat, and sauteed veggies. Yum! I can't believe I ever had an aversion to this, I really need to expand my textural horizons, I wonder what else I have been missing? The recipe may seem a little long and complicated, but it's really very easy and comes together quickly, you could also use store bought enchilada sauce to save yourself some time.

Turkey Enchiladas:
For the sauce:
8 oz of canned tomato sauce, plain
2 tbsp of tomato paste
1 1/4 tsp of chili powder
1 1/2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1/4 tsp celery salt (or regular salt)
1/4 tsp of pepper

For the filling:
1/2 lb of ground turkey breast meat
1 medium yellow onion
1 poblano pepper
1/2 bell pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 cup of chicken stock, low sodium

For assembley:
8 whole corn toritillas, small sized
1/2 cup of 2% cheddar cheese, sharp
1/2 cup of 2% Mexican blend cheese, divided

To make the sauce bring the tomato sauce and paste to a simmer, stir until the paste is disolved into sauce, add seasonings and cook covered for about 5 minutes. Cool and refridgerate until ready to use. (can be made up to a few days in advance, I made mine in the morning for dinner that night).

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the turkey meat in a big clump to brown. Dice the onion and peppers. Using a wooden spoon, brake up the meat in the pan, add the onions and peppers and stir everything together. Lower heat to medium-low. Add in the spices and stir so everything is coated. When turkey starts to stick, add chicken stock and stir. When the stock has been absoarbed, remove from heat. Coat the bottom of a small casserole dish with about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce. Warm the tortillas in a microwave (or under hot water, or in the oven carefully) until they soften. Spread them out, and fill each one with 1/8 of the meat mixture (doing them all at once ensures all the meat gets used and evenness). Top the meat with a small spoonfull of sauce. Take 1/4 cup of the Mexican cheese and divide it between the enchiladas. One at a time roll each one, and place in the casserole dish seem side down (don't worry is a little escapes). Repeat until they are all gone, and the dish is full. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas, bake for 20 minutes, then top with the cheddar and remaining Mexican cheese. Return to the oven, turn on the broiler. Broil until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Enjoy!

I almost forgot to mention, but this adaptation is also very healthy. They were so tasty and tasted so sinful, I almost forgot they were also healthy and a very reasonable low calorie dinner option (with some portion control of course).

Nutrition Info:
Serving Size: 2 Enchiladas
313 Calories, 8g fat, 24g protein, 35g carbs, 4g fiber

Happy Eating

Golden Pork Cutlets

I'm back!!! You might be wondering where I went, since I have still been with all of you. Well, I haven't gone anywhere fancy, but I did move to a new house, and due to some utility related complications (no gas, and a gas oven) I hadn't cooked or baked anything in 5 days (I think that might be a record). But, all is fixed, and I'm delighted to be back in the kitchen. I missed it, a lot. I was so happy standing at my new oven last night, mostly because I was delighted to be cooking, but also because my new oven is so much easier to clean than the old one (that's me thinking ahead to after dinner) and because it has a griddle pan in the center, which I obviously had to use immedietely. I am dreaming of pancake weekends, but until then, delicious dinners. So what did I make my first night back in action? Nothing to difficult (you have to ease back into it), but it had to be delectable and fun, it also had to use up the limited supplies I had left (don't worry, I have since replenished). So I decided to bread up some pork chops, healthy style (summer is a round the corner), and bake some of my mom's amazing brussels sprouts (sea salt, pepper, olive oil, bake at 425 until charred and delicious, about 20 minutes, how's that for an easy recipe?). I am so happy to be back in the kitchen, and happy to report that these pork chops were prounced amazing by the boyfriend (who I didn't mention the healthy thing too), he ate three and didn't want to share the last bite. Enjoy!

Pork Cutlets:
2 boneless, center cut pork chops
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 cup of liquid egg whites (or 3 egg whites, or 1 egg)
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1 tbsp of sunflower oil (or canola or vegetable)

Pound the pork chops with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Cut them down the center so you have 4 roughly equal chops. Scoop the flour onto a small plate. Pour the egg whites into a bowl and beat lightly. Add the bread crumbs to another bowl. In a small bowl mix together all of the spices. Divide the mixture evenly between the flour and the bread crumbs and stir each to combine. Heat a grill/griddle pan or a large skillet with the oil over medium-high heat. To bread the chops, place two chops at a time in the flour, then flip to coat the other side. Submerge them in the egg mixture on both sides, then transfer them to the bread crumbs, make sure the chops are fully coated with bread crumbs before transfering to the pan. Repeat with the remaining chops. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until both sides are brown and pork chops are cooked through. Adjust the temperature as necessary to prevent burning.

Happy Eating.

Beeriyaki Stir Fry

I don't know what it is about summer, but it just makes me want beer, to drink and to cook with. This delicious concoction is a mixture of beer brats and a shrimp stir fry, and it is suprising and delicious. This fun combination is a great easy week night dish. You may have noticed that I have been a little shrimp happy lately, and that is because I made an awesome supermarket discovery, the un-peeled un-deviened non-frozen shrimp that I used to buy (and peel and devein myself) are the same price as the frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp. Amazing! So much easier (and less work) to un-thaw, than to peel and devein. So let the shrimp-a-poluzza continue.

Beeriyaki Shrimp and Sausage:
1/2 lb of shrimp
1 pork sausage (big link)
1/2 bottle of beer
1 tbsp of sriracha
2 tbsp of lime juice
1 bell pepper
1 cup of broccoli, chopped
1 cup of sugar snap peas
1/2 jalapeno
2 tbsp of teryaki sauce
2 tsp of cornstarch
1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
Canola oil for cooking
salt, pepper
Rice for serving

In a medium sized bowl mix the beer, Sriracha, and lime juice. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add shrimp and refridgerate for about 20 minutes. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add sausage to brown. Remove sausage from pan (does not need to be cooked through), and set asside. Coat the bottom of the pan in oil. Chop pepper, broccoli and add to the pan. Add snap peas whole to the pan. Mince jalapeno and add to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are browning slightly, then reduce heat to medium low. Chop the seared sausage as small as you can and add to the veggies. Drizzle the mixture with the teryaki sauce and stir to combine. Add the shrimp, reserving the marinade. While the shirmp are cooking, whisk the cornstarch into the marinade. Add to the pan and turn heat to high, bring everything to a boil and stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the panko, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice.

Happy Eating.

Banana Mango Smoothies

When people first see my blog, they often ask how I don't weigh 300 lbs, my dad in fact asks me this once a week. Whenever I get this question I first remind them that there are loads of healthy recipes on here, and that second I don't eat like this everyday. I am not shoveling cinnamon buns in my mouth for breakfast everyday, or having cream sauce pastas for dinner followed by huge slices of cake for dessert. I generally eat very healthy, and when I do splurge, it's on something extremely worth while, whether I made it or it comes from a restaurant, I better love every bite. And remember, only the best of my best makes it here, to you. So, why I am I telling you all this? Well because I wanted to share my new favorite everyday creation with you. I have had this delicious smoothie 3 times this week and I am still dreaming of another one. As many of you know, I have a love affair with breakfast. It is absolutely my favorite meal of the day, and I never ever skip it, I don't think I am capable. When the weekend comes I enjoy my healthy stuffed French toast and egg dishes (or the occasional pancake), during the week I need something fast, healthy, and filling to help me start my day. In the winter, I am very much an oatmeal kind of gal, but during these lovely warmer months, I like to keep a stockpile of fresh and frozen fruit on hand to whip up delicious smoothies.

Banana Mango Smoothie (makes 1 large smoothie):
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 cup of mango, chopped
1 cup of milk or unsweetened milk substitute (I like almond breeze)
1/4 cup of rolled oats, quick or regular
2 tbsp of sliced almonds
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
Ice cubes, to taste (optional)

Blend together the banana, mango and milk. Check consistency and add ice to desired thickness (I usually toss in 2 or 3 to bulk it up a bit, blend until smooth. Add oats, almonds, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend until everything is incorporated. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.

Well now you have seen a delicious example of how I eat on a daily basis. Leave some love below if you enjoyed this insight into my everyday food, I am thinking of adding a feature on some of my healthy, delicious, fast, and make ahead breakfasts and lunches and I'd love to hear what my lovely readers think. And as always...

Happy Eating.

Garlic Pesto

It's been raining a lot, but it's also warmer and even the rain (which reminds me flowers will be blooming) makes me want to scream Spring is here! And eat a bunch of fresh green things. Yum! As soon as I smelled this basil, I knew I had to eat it, and what better way to eat it than in a delicious pesto sauce. The amazing thing about homemade pesto (besides how delicious and easy it is) is how vibrant the color is, the jarred stuff is all dark and oily, but not this. This looks like all the beautiful and exceptionally appetizing light, bright green. If the smell doesn't make you want to dive in, the color definitely will. This makes enough for 3 or 4 batches of pasta, or you can make 1 batch of pasta and use the rest to marinate meats, make salad dressings, spread on sandwiches, etc. It also freezes well, if you would like to have it keep awhile longer, just freeze it in chunks, I have heard that usisng ice cube trays is a great way to freeze individual servings.

Garlic Pesto Sauce:
2 cups basil
1 cup parsley
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1-3 tbsp of water
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 squeeze lime juice
Tortellini or other pasta for serving.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the pine nuts in the oven until fragrent and slightly browned, careful not to burn, about 5 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, garlic, and pine nuts to a food processor and blend until chopped. Add in salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Turn the food processor on and stream in the olive oil until it's well incorporated. Stream in water, if the mixture is too thick. Add cheese and lime juice and blend until incorporated. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Stir a few spoonfulls into cooked pasta over low heat, adding a little at a time (you can always add more, you can't add less).

Happy Eating.

Brown Butter and Saffron Risotto

Happy Spring! It's finally starting to feel like Spring. Flowers are blooming, it's a bit warmer (and raining every other day), my herbs are growing, and there is a bounty of wonderful looking asparagus in the grocery store. Usually, I roast asparagus, but I had been dying to try something new, something fresh tasting. I played with how I cut it and cook it, to infuse maximum freshness and flavor into this delicious and obscenely creamy risotto. By adding the asparagus at the end of the risotto process, they taste incredibly fresh, like they are just barley steamed and the vibrant green color stays and screams Spring!

Brown Butter and Safron Risotto:
4 tbsp of butter
1 boneless pork chop
1 shallot
1 cup of arborio rice
4 cups of chicken stock, hot
1 tsp of saffron
1 bunch of asparagus
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Salt, Pepper

In a medium pot, heat the butter over low heat. When the butter is foamy, skim the solids off the top, so you are left with mostly clear butter. Raise heat to medium, and allow to bubble and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, about 5 minutes. Reserve half of the butter for later. Stir the saffron into 2 cups of stock and set asside to let steap. Season the pork chop with salt and pepper, and put in the pot. Brown on each side for about 2 minutes. Remove pork chop and set asside. Dice the shallot and add to the pot, cook 1 minute. Add the rice and toast until opaque, about 3-4 minutes. Add about 1 cup of safron infused chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently until the the liquid is almost all absoarbed. Add an additional cup of safroned stock, and repeat. Add 1 cup of regular chicken stock, and repeat. While the risotto is absoarbing, cut the ends off the asparagus and wash. Cut the tops off the aspargus (top 1/4 of the stalks), chop the bottom portion of the asparagus, or run them through the food processor slicing blade. Cut the browned pork chop into bite sized pieces. Add the final cup of stock to the rice and bring to a boil. Allow the liquid to begin absoarbing, and when it's about half gone, add stir in the asparagus (chopped ends and tips) and pork. Continue cooking until the remaining liquid is absoarbed. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved brown butter, and cheese. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.

Happy Eating.

Shrimp Tacos

Two simple and delicious dips now get to become a delicious and fun dinner, with some super easy shrimp tacos! Up the easy factor by making the dips the night before (and then just try to save at least a little to have with dinner). This fresh feast takes about 10 minutes to make (if the dips are done, slightly longer if not) and is tastier and healthier (not to mention with way less salt) than what you'll find at the average taco/fajita serving restaurant. I am calling these tacos, because I used the really little tortillas, and I am usually a hard shell taco kind of girl, but with the peppers and onions they are probably more in the fajita camp, either way they are delicious.

Shrimp Tacos:
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 bell peppers, your choice of color
1 large yellow onion
1 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1/2 lemon, juiced
8 small flour tortillas
Queso Fresco, Sour Cream, Guacamole, and Salsa Verde for serving

Pre-heat the oven to 400. Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the onion and peppers into thin strips, add the the pan and season with 1/2 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 tsp of salt. Cook until peppers and onions are soft but with a little bite, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent total burning (a little char is delcicious). Remove peppers and onions from pan and set asside. Add remaining olive oil. Season shrimp with chili powder, 1/2 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 tsp of salt. Toss them in the juice. Add to the pan and sautee until pink and curled. Use the oven to warm the tortillas. I like mine a little crispy, but if you don't watch them carefully, they heat fast. Serve tacos a la cart style with queso, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa verde. Enjoy!

Happy Eating.

Tamale Pie

APRIL FOOLS. Desptite it being the first of April, it's snowing. The weather is playing a huge prank on us all. So I need some hot comfort now, preferibly, some hot comfort that won't derail my beach body preperations. So here is a Tex-Mexy cassarole that packs a delicious flavor punch, gives you that warm fuzzy feeling that only comes from a hot meal on a cold day, and won't stand in the way of you (or me) from rocking that bikini this summer.

Tamale Pie:
1 1/4 cups of yellow cornmeal
1 tsp of salt
5 1/2 cups of water, divided
1 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, boiled and shredded - 6.7 oz cooked
1 medium shallot
2 bell peppers
1 poblano pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup chard
2 cloves of garlic
1 29 oz cups canned plum tomatoes in juices
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 1/3 cups of frozen whole kernal corn
1 1 /2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of 2% shredded cheddar cheese
Red onion, avocado, sour cream/greek yogurt for serving (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot bring 4 cups of water, lightly salted, to a boil. In a small bowl mix the corn meal with remaining 1 1/2 cups of water until smooth. Whisk the corn meal into boiling water, until smooth. Reduce heat to low and cook stirring frequently for 15 minutes, stir in butter. In the meantime, Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dice peppers and shallot and add to the oil. Cook, stirring often until peppers soften and brown slightly, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and juices, broth, seasoning, and corn and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until most of the liquid has absoarbed, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Grease or spray with non-stick a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Spread about 1/3 of the cooked corn meal onto the bottom of the pan, sprinkle the shredded chicken on top, then pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Top with the remaining cornmeal, spreading the cornmeal evenly over the casserole. If you have issues spreading the cornmeal use a wet spatula, it really helps. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden, about 35 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Nutrition Info (calculated from MyFitnessPal):
For 1/6 of casserole
Calories: 302
Carbs: 37 g
Fat: 11 g
Protein: 17 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 6 g

Happy Eating.

Homemade Pizza Night

I LOVE pizza! And really who doesn't. My absolute favorite in Jersey Shore Pizza, the Brooklyn style giant slices that are thin but with super thick crusts. Specifically, the Jersey shore because you can walk into any place and have the most amazing slice. Ahhhh summer, hopefully it gets here eventually, but until those blissful beach days, my close second is thin crust pizza. The crispy the better. Because, I am having so much trouble finding a decent pizza within delivery distance, I decided to try some DIY therapy, and because I was already trying, I decided to "health" it up. I have been on a flax kick lately, I love the nutty flavor and the added Omega-3s, so I tossed some into a whole wheat crust, and rolled it super thin, then topped it with quickie sauce, fresh mozzarella, and some chicken sausage. The dough was easy to work with and easy to make, I will definitely be making this again. The best part is new toppings equals a whole new dinner. So grab you favorite toppings, and lets get baking!

Wheat and Flax Crust:
2/3 cups of warm water, 105-115 degrees
1/2 packet of yeast, 1 1/8 tsp
3/4 cup of wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
2 tbsp of flax
2 tsp of olive oil
2 tsp of honey
1 tsp of salt

Dissolve yeast into warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minnutes. In a large bowl or a food processor mix flours and flax. Add in olive oil, honey, salt, and water-yeast mixture. If using a food processor: Blend everything with the dough blade attachment until everything is in a ball about 5 minutes, adding additional water or flour if necessary dough should be smooth and slightly tacky. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon until a wet dough forms, turn out onto a floured surface and knead, incorporating more water or flour if neccesary, until smooth and slightly tacky, 5-7 minutes. Put in an oiled bowl and cover until doubles in size, about 1 hr. Punch dough down and then remove from bowl, knead a few times and return to the bowl and recover, refridgerate overnight, for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before desired baking time. Pre-heat the broiler to 500 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place in the broiler. Let the cookie sheet broil for about 15 minutes after the oven is pre-heated. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough as thin as possible, into a large rectangular shape (to fit the sheet). Remove pre-heated sheet from oven and brush lightly with olive oil or spray with non-stick spray. Place rolled out dough onto cookie sheet and stretch it into every corner, so that it is as close to the size of the sheet as possible. Top with your favortie sauces and toppings and bake until crust is browned and all cheeses have melted, 7 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

I topped mine with a quickie pizza sauce (recipe below), 8 oz of garlic and herb chicken sausage (chopped), 1 small yellow onion (sliced), fresh mozzarella (about 4 oz, sliced into thin and small slices), and fresh grated parmesan. After cooking I shaved some additional parmesan on top and drizzled with a little truffle oil.

Quickie Pizza Sauce:
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce (plain)
1/2 8 oz can of tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of dried oregano
1 tsp of dried basil
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
salt, pepper

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil. Mince the garlic and add to sauce, and dried herbs and spices to taste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the oven is ready for the pizza.

Happy Eating.

Chicken Paprikash Pasta

More cold, rain, and wind means I am in need of more hot comfort food. But, the intermittent beautiful days remind me that Spring is right around the corner, along with flirty dresses, shorts, etc that I would like to wear. So, I simply have to lighten some of these dishes up. I'm not Hungarian, so I can't speak at all to the authenticity of this, but I can speak to the deliciousness of this quick and healthy dinner. I decided to give mine a little southwest spicy kick with the addition of chili powder and a Poblano pepper. If you are not a fan of yogurt (or don't have any) you could use the more traditional sour cream, I opted for yogurt because it's a bit more nutritious and less caloric. The yogurt makes the sauce thick and creamy and gives the dish a richness that definitely does not scream light. So grab your skillet and you will have a healthy, hearty dinner ready in under 30 minutes!



Chicken Paprikash Pasta:
8 oz of penne pasta
1 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tsp of corn starch
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp of paprika
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 Poblano pepper
1 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup of non-free Greek yogurt

Make pasta according to package directions. In a small bowl whisk together 1 cup of broth and corn starch and set aside. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Slice chicken into medium-thick strips (but small enough so you could still heat the whole piece in one bite). Season the chicken with salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Add to the pan and brown about 1 minute on each side. In the mean time, slice the peppers and onion, and add to the pan. Add 1/2 a cup of stock (the remaining stock without the cornstarch), and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook until the stock has evaporated, chicken has cooked through, and peppers and onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Mince garlic, and add to the skillet, cook for about another minute, uncovered. Whisk the broth and corn starch mixture and add to the pan, turn heat to high, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Sere chicken, veggies and sauce over penne pasta.

Happy Eating.

Soba Stir Fry in Peanut Sauce

I have been on a bit of a healthy kick lately, and I guess it was noticed by some lovely readers. So Ace Health, a wonderful resource for health and fitness articles asked me to do a guest post (you can check out their other lowering cholesterol specific site here), healthy recipe for them. I choose a fast, easy, delicious, and of course healthy stir fry, in a lightened up peanut sauce. Yum (I actually have the leftovers all set for lunch today). So head over to Ace Health to check out my recipe!

Happy Eating.

Turkey with Mushroom Pan Gravy

The cold rages on and on. This winter has been impossible long, leading me to cook hearty meal after hearty meal. A lot of times, they take time. You need a few hours to roast, or a day to slow cook, an hour or more to do a pasta bake. Sometimes that's too slow. So here is something that took me about 35-40 minutes from start to finish. It's fast, easy and so warm and comforting, a delicious pan roasted turkey breast with gravy! I served mine with roasted Brussels sprouts and a grain medley I picked up at Wegmans (it's the golden jewel blend, if you have a Wegmans, and I highly recommend it). Turkey breast makes a great change from chicken breast, a lot more flavorful (and bigger). All and all a great, easy, and fast week night dinner.



Turkey with Mushroom Pan Gravy:
1 1.5 lb split turkey breast
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1/2 tsp of dried rosemary
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 shallot
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 cups of low sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup of Shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp of flour
1/2 tbsp of butter

Heat oil in a medium pan, over high heat. Season the turkey breast with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Place the breast in the hot pan, skin side down, and brown for about 3 minutes, until skin is caramelized. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and shallot. Flip the turkey over and add the garlic and shallot to the pan, lower the heat to medium-low. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, then pour in 1 cup of chicken broth. Cover pan and simmer turkey breast until it is cooked through (internal temperature of 160 degrees), about 30 minutes (will vary based on size). If at any point in the cooking process the broth has all cooked out, add more broth to keep the turkey moist, I added an additional half cup of broth about 5 minutes before my turkey was done. After turkey is cooked through, remove from pan and cover with tinfoil to let rest. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook uncovered, until any remaining broth has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until incorporated. Add 1 cup of broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Whisk until well combined and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Adjust seasoning to taste. Slice turkey, and serve with gravy on top or on the side. Enjoy.



Happy Eating

Classic Lasagna

It is so cold and rainy and snowy and grey out. All I can think about is warm comforting meals. Soup, casseroles, cheesy pastas, etc. I just want to eat warm heavy things, so I made lasagna. I decided to put my pasta maker to work and I made noodles, using the same spinach pasta dough I made before. I rolled the noodles out to a 7 on the pasta machine, and then cut them into large strips by hand. The spinach in the pasta means I sneaked another serving of veggies into my meal, and I further healthied/lightened up this classic by using part-skim ricotta, low fat mozzarella, and chicken sausage. The lasagna can be made in advanced and frozen, or cooked as soon as it's assembled, it's equally delicious, and warming on these cold winter days.



Lasagna:
12-15 Lasagna noodles, bought or homemade, cooked al dente
Sauce
Ricotta Mixture
1 cup of 2% Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese

Sauce:
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 yellow onion
1 medium shallot
8 oz of chicken or pork sausage
3 cloves of garlic
1 29 oz can of tomato sauce
2 tbsp of tomato paste
2 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 handful of fresh basil, chopped
salt, pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Split open the sausage to remove the meat from the casing and add the meat to the pan to brown. Dice the onion, shallot and garlic and add to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and raise heat to bring to a simmer. Slowly stir in the the paste. Season with spices, and reduce heat to low. Cover, until needed.



Cheese Mixture:
2 1/2 cups of part skim ricotta
1 cup of Parmesan
1 egg
1 tsp of salt

In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, Parmesan and salt. Check flavor, and add more salt if necessary. Mix in egg.

Assembly:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large casserole dish, spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom, trying to get as little sausage as possible. Top the sauce with a layer of noodles. Top noodles with half of the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle 1/3 of a cup of mozzarella on top. Add half of the remaining sauce, then another layer of noodles, then the rest of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 cup of mozzarella, then the rest of the sauce. Add final layer of noodles and top that with remaining mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. At this point, the lasagna can be frozen or refrigerated for later use. If cooking now, cover with tinfoil and cook for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. If you like a crispy top (like me), turn the broiler on and carefully broil for 3-4 minutes until top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.



Happy Eating.

Salt Baked Branzino

I have been progressing on my quest to cook and eat more fish quite nicely. Today I have for you a Salt Baked Branzino. I actually have eaten a lot of Branzino, it's one of my mom's favorites and she grills them whole all the time. I decided to bake mine in a salt dome, which is something I have always wanted to do. It looks and sounds impressive and tastes wonderful and it is very easy to do. The hardest part in getting the fillets out of the whole fish after they cook. Some of the pieces turned out nicely, but some fell apart. Be gentle, is the best advice I can give, it's a delicate fish. And while you are eating the fish, be careful for little bones that might be left. I realize this doesn't sound like a really winning endorsement but I assure you the fish is absolutely delicious and worth the little extra effort! I served the delicious fish with simple roasted Brussels sprouts (one of my favorites!) and some leftover corn bread that I had made for my ribs night. Enjoy!



Salt Baked Branzino:
1 14.5 oz container of unrefined sea salt, fine crystals
2 egg whites, possibly more
2 1 lb whole branzinos, cleaned
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 lemons, plus more for serving
1 tsp of pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the fish and pat dry. Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season inside the slits of the fish with peeper, and stuff each one with 3 sprigs of thyme. Cut one lemon into 6 thin slices and reserve ends for juice. Place 3 lemon slices on the inside of each fish, over the thyme. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish. Mix salt with egg whites, one at a time, until the mixture looks like wet sand. Divide the salt between the two fish and cover the fish with salt, packing it down slightly. Bake fish until the sand has a slightly golden tint, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and crack the salt to remove fish. Check the fish for doneness, and if they aren't cooked through return to the oven (without the salt is fine) for a few minutes. When the fish are cooked, remove the lemon and thyme for the fish. Cut off the head and the tail and open the fish from the slit. Gently lift fish away from the bone and serve with a piece of fresh lemon for squeezing. (adapted from Epicurious)

The fish stuffed and ready for their salt dome:



Salted, baked, and ready to be cracked and served:



Brussels Sprouts:
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 lb of brussel sprouts
1 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 425. These can really be cooked at any temperature, I started them at 425, then lowered the oven to 400 when I put the fish in. Cut the ends off the Brussels sprouts and wash them. In a large casserole dish toss the Brussels sprouts with salt pepper and olive oil. Cook the sprouts on the top rack until they are tender and browned in spots, about 35 minutes, but will vary by temperature.

Happy Eating.

Pan Seared Swordfish

Part of my blog-a-versery goals for this year was more fish to makes it's way here. This goes amazingly with one of my New Year's resolution, which is to eat more fish. Hmmm... Cook more fish, eat more fish, that definitely goes well together. So far I have been doing very well with the eating more fish, and I am moving along nicely with the cooking more fish. Today I have this delicious swordfish steak for you. Swordfish is a great "beginner" fish, it has a very mild flavor and it cooks similarly to a steak. It is great for grilling, broiling or pan searing. I pan seared mine very simply, and served it with roasted potatoes, onions and turnips. Eating the side reminded me of the cold and how much longer there is left in winter, but the fish tasted very fresh and summery. I think the plate definitely reflects my weather attitude, that is if it is going to insist on being this cold, I would like some more snow, but otherwise bring on the warm weather! Either way, this swordfish is delicious and great if you are not a big fish lover. If you are a fish lover (like me) stay tuned because I have a more "advanced" dinner coming up.



Pan Seared Swordfish:
1 lb sword fish steak, about 1 inch thick
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1 lemon
1/2 lime
1 shallot
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp of olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper, squeeze with the lime juice, and the juice of half the lemon. When the pan is hot, place fish in the pan and cook for 2 minutes, lower heat to medium and cook an additional 3 minutes. Meanwhile dice the shallots and the garlic and add them to the pan. Flip the fish and cook for 5 minutes. Cut the fish into 2 steaks for serving. Serve with a lemon wedge from the reserved lemon half.



Roasted Potatoes, Onions, and Turnips:
1/2 lb of red potatoes
1 large turnip, peeled
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of chili powder
2 tbsp of olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the potatoes, turnip, and onion into large bite size pieces. Lightly grease a small casserole dish and put veggies in it. Mince the garlic. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and chili powder to the dish and toss together. Sprinkle with olive oil and toss until everything is coated. Bake until potatoes are tender on the inside and crisp on the outside, about 35 minutes, depending on the cut of your veggies.

Happy Eating.

Rustic Stew with Poached Eggs

I woke up to snow again today. Winter rages on, it may not be the Snow-pocolypse of last year, but this winter seems equally cold and long. Thank goodness for soups, stews and hearty winter meals. Without them I feel like I would go insane, or just be constantly freezing. I have come to love my time standing next to the oven, or above a a pot of something boiling, especially when it is creating something this delicious and simple. It's been ages since I've cooked with carrots, celery, and onions (all together, that is) and I forgot how magical a flavor combination and base it is. One bite of this stew instantly reminded me. And topping it with an egg adds a magnificent richness.



Rustic Stew with Poached Eggs:
1 tbsp of olive oil
4 carrots
1 bunch of celery
2 cup of mushrooms
3 shallots
4 garlics
2 small onions
1/2 cup of sherry wine
1 can of white beans, drained
1 cup of tomato puree
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch of kale, stems and ribs removed
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt, pepper
6 slices of bacon
1 egg per person eating

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over medium heat. Chop the onions, carrots, and celery and add to the pot. Dice the garlic and shallots and add to the pot. Add the mushrooms to the pot as well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 15 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until it evaporates. Add the beans, tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, salt and pepper to taste (on the light side), top with bay leaves and thyme, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the thyme and bay leaves and add chard. Cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon and poach eggs. Serve a bowl of the stew topped with chopped/crumbled bacon and an egg. (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Happy Eating.

Macaroni and Cheese

The extreme cold rages on, I literally feel like I haven't been warm since October! So, inevitably, every night, I just want something warm and hearty, and maybe a little creamy. I spent two weeks craving macaroni and cheese before I finally caved and made a batch. My batch is lightened up, but only slightly. This was so creamy and cheesy and satisfying, with a crispy crunchy crust (the best part). Serve it up with some stewed tomatoes, or a splash of hot sauce, or just dig in and eat it right from the dish! Be warned though it's highly addictive and instead of satisfying my craving it only made me want more, so I am sure I will be whipping up another batch soon.



Macaroni and Cheese:
8 oz of Elbow Noodles
1 Tbsp of unsalted butter
2 Tbsp of flour
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1/2 cup of half and half
1 cup of low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup of plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper

Pre heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cook Pasta according to package directions. In a small pot melt the butter over medium low heat. Whisk in flour. Add in the chicken broth, until the mixture is smooth. Raise heat and bring the broth to a boil, whisk in the the buttermilk and then the half and half. Return heat to low, and cook stirring frequently until the sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in the cheddar cheese a little at a time until all the cheese is all incorporated, salt and pepper to taste. Lightly grease a 7" by 11" glass casserole dish. Pour the cooked noodles into the dish and pour cheese mixture over noodles, mix so cheese is evenly distributed. Mix together the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top. Bake until top is crispy and golden, about 20-30 minutes. Serve and enjoy.



Happy Eating.

Homemade Spinach Pasta

Guess what I got?!! A Cuisanart Food Processor and a pasta roller! That can only mean one thing... Homemade pasta and lots of it!!! The pasta was so much fun to make, and tasted amazing. So fresh, plus it cooked in about 2 minutes. To add a little extra veggie to my meal, I decided to make spinach pasta, which was a fantastic idea. It's a beautiful green, with just a hint of veggie flavor. For dinner, I made a red sauce (my all short cuts, easy for winter, the tomatoes in the store are terrible, and don't even try to find fresh herbs, sauce) and meatballs. The for lunch the next day I ate the left over pasta with grilled chicken, goat cheese, spinach, and a little olive oil. Both were excellent. The pasta was so much fun to make I can't wait to use it again, maybe on some ravioli...

The pasta recipe is from Williams-Sonoma. I halved the the recipe, rolled it out to the seventh setting, and cut the pasta with my thinnest slicer blade.

Rolling out the pasta:



Needed the boyfriend's help by the end...



The pasta freshly sliced:



The pasta all cooked and ready to be sauced:



Winter Tomato Sauce:
1 yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine
2 tbsp of tomato paste
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 tsp of dried oregano
1 tsp of dried basil

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dice onion and garlic and add to the pan. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, stirring frequently. Add wine and tomato paste. Stir together. Add sauce and seasoning to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to sit on low heat for about 20 minutes.

Meatballs:
1 lb of ground beef (your preference of leanness
1/2 small yellow onion
1 egg
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1 tbsp of olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and grease it. Dice the onion. Mix the beef, onion, salt and egg in a bowl. Add the bread crumbs a little at a time, mixing. When the mixture looks like it will hold together and isn't runny, it does not need any more bread crumbs, you may not need the whole 1/4 cup. Form the meat into balls and space evenly on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the meat is brown and the balls stay together, about 10 minutes. Finish the meat balls my adding them in the simmering sauce and cover.



Happy Eating.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb

Welcome to the limbo sort of week in between Christmas and New Years, a perfect time to relax and catch up on some cooking. I have cookies, and meats, and treats I made with my wonderful new kitchen toys! To start it off, some succulent and delicious lamb. This lamb is a boneless butterflied leg of lamb, a cut of meat that I had never used before, because it's on the small side and a bit pricey. But it is worth it. It is only the best, juiciest piece of the leg, cut like a steak, and with just a bit of fat. It cooks beautifully, and tastes like a magical mix of lamb and steak. I served it up with asparagus (recipe below the lamb one) and white rice, mixed with feta cheese, a splash of chipotle olive oil, and a sprinkle of toasted almond slices.



Lamb:
1 lb of butterflied boneless leg of lamb
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1/2 tsp of paprika
1 clove of garlic
1 small shallot
1 tbsp of olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease lightly with olive oil. Wash the lamb and pat dry. In a small bowl mix together the salt, pepper, thyme and paprika. Rub onto the lamb on both sides. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Mince the garlic and shallot and add to the oil. When the oil is sizzling, put the lamb in the pan, fattier side down. Cook until the side is brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip the lamb over and brown on the other side, an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet and cook in the oven until desired doneness. About 8 minutes for medium rare. Let sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving.



Asparagus:
1 bunch of asparagus
1 medium shallot
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of paprika
2 tbsp of sliced almonds
1 tbsp of olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and trip asparagus. Spread out on a foil lined cookie sheet. drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Cook for 15 minutes until asparagus are tender. Remove from oven and top with almonds, return to the oven and cook until the nuts are golden, about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Happy Eating.