Braised Pork Chops

Fall... My absolute favorite season. Chilly weather, jackets, vibrant colors, and warming meals make this season so wonderful. It sneaks up on you overnight, and all the sudden it's time to bust out all those old cooking techniques that haven't been used since last Winter, like braising. Braising, it even sounds warm! This was a new way to cook pork chops for me, and I really loved it, they were absolutely infused with the flavor from the cooking liquid. It's the perfect dish for serving with some rice and roasted veggies!

Braised Pork Chops:
3 boneless pork chops
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of red wine vinegar
2 tbsp of brown sugar
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of sherry wine
2/3 cups of water
1/2 tsp of onion powder
salt, pepper

In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown both sides. In the mean time stir together the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, and Dijon. Pour over the pork chops and add the sherry, water, and onion powder. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 40 minutes. Remove pork from liquids and turn heat to high, and cook until the sauce reduces and thickens, about 3 minutes. Serve pork topped with sauce. Enjoy!

Happy Eating.

Tandoori Grilled Chicken

I haven't cooked a whole chicken in awhile, well that's not entirely true. It's just in a different form. Summer's version of the whole chicken, is grilling a whole, split chicken. A split chicken is a wonderful thing, it's just a regular chicken with the backbone removed and chopped in half. Then you can easily grill the two halves, which lie flat on the grill. This is my FAVORITE marinade for the chicken. The yogurt keeps the chicken super moist and it's got a lovely smokey, slightly spicy flavor. You can eat the grilled skin, or pull it off and the chicken tastes amazing either way. The leftovers make a wonderful lunch sandwich or salad topper.

Tandoori-Style Chicken:
1 Split chicken, about 4-5 lbs
3/4 cup of Greek yogurt
1 lemon
2 tsp of paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/4 tsp of ginger
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and put in a freezer bag. In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon and seasonings. Add to the chicken bag, and seal the bag. Shake, and press the bag until the chicken is coated. Marinate in the fridge overnight. Pre-heat the grill. Place chicken on the grill skin side down, and cook for 20 minutes, flip the chicken and cook on the meat side until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes, but will vary based on the size of the chicken. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Happy Eating.

Sesame Chicken

One of my least favorite things about moving is having to figure out new take out places. You have your go to pizza place, and your never fail Chinese after trying every single place in a 5 mile radius, and then all of the sudden you move and you have to start over. We moved in May, and while we have the pizza situation under control, we are still working out the Chinese. So after a handful of disappointments, I decided to take matters into my own hands. This was delicious! Better than any of the take out places we've tried. I'm sure we will continuing questing for that perfect Chinese takeout (I haven't mastered lo mein yet), but in the meantime this is a pretty delicious (and much lighter) substitution.

PS: Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a 32 oz jar of Virgin Coconut Oil.

Sesame Chicken:
1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 egg whites
1/4 cup of corn starch
3 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp of sesame seeds
salt, pepper
Canola oil
Heat a large skillet over high heat, and lightly coat the bottom with canola oil. Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the eggs and corn starch in a medium bowl. When smooth, add chicken in and stir to coat. Pan fry chicken, in a few batches being careful not to over crowd the pan. Flip chicken occasionally, until golden all around and opaque throughout, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cook remaining chicken. Meanwhile, make the sauce by stirring together the soy sauce, honey, and vinegar. When all the chicken is cooked return it to the pan and stir in the sauce. Cook until the chicken has rewarmed and sauce is distributed, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice or veggies (or both). (adapted from Martha)

Happy Eating.

Crusted Tilapia

For years people (and websites) have been trying to convince me that you can crust chicken/fish with cereal to make a healthy "fried" item. I remained skepitical. Mostly I heard cornflakes, and I wondered if that was really that much healthier than breadcrumbs. Then I heard fiber bran cereal, and I thought well that's definitely healthier, but not extremely appetizing. After reading hundreds of reviews saying you can't tell it's bran cereal (the little twig kind, not the flakes), I decided to test it on some tilapia. I am happy to report that it is delicious and that you absolutely can't tell that it's bran. It's got a slightly richer and sweeter flavor, but mixed with the chili powder and the fresh herbs it just tastes wonderful. It's a bit darker in color than it would be with plain bread crumbs, but equally delicious. So skepitics out there, try it out and see for yourself!

Crusted Tilapia:
1/2 lemon
3 Tilapia fillets
1/2 cup of fiber bran cereal
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp of fresh parsley
1 tbsp of sunflower oil

Squeeze the lemon over the fish on both sides, and set asside. In a food processor, pulse the cereal, garlic and parsley until resembles bread crumbs. Add in the seasonings and pulse to combine. Pour the crumbs into a shallow dish. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Slice each fish fillet along the natural divide so you have 2 strips from each fillet. Dip the strips in the cereal mixture and coat with crumbs on both sides. Put fish in pan and cook until brown and crisp, about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Happy Eating.

Whole Wheat Bread

I love bread, it might be my favorite food in the whole world. I don't discriminate either, I love all bread, from potato and classic white to fancy french breads and decadant brioches, and hearty wheats and ryes. Nothing beats a great sandwich or a piece of toast with jam. Usually I buy my sandwich bread, but the other day I was thinking, I don't even consider a non-homemade/non-bakery cake, pie, or cookie, so what's so different about bread? I couldn't come up with a good answer, so I decided to make some. I am so glad I did, it tastes wonderful, I know exactly what went in it, and now my freezer is full of delicious hearty wheat bread for all my toast and jam needs!

1 cup of warm water, 110 degrees
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup high-oleic sunflower oil
1/4 cup molasses
3 1/2 cups of 100% Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup of nonfat dried milk
1 teaspoons salt
butter for crust (optional

Put the warm water into a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5-10 minutes. Add the oil, molasses, flour, milk and salt. Pulse until a tacky dough forms. Turn on the processor and knead dough until smooth, about 6 minutes. Alternatively, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes. Put dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Lightly grease a loaf pan and punch down dough to deflate. Roll dough into a log, and place in pan. Let rise uncovered until dough just comes over the top of the pan, about an hour on the counter or overnight in the fridge (if you do this, bring dough to room temperature before cooking). Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, then tent with foil to prevent browning. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from the pan immedietely and rub with butter if desired. You only need a little, and it helps preserve the crust. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing. Store extra slices in plastic bags for a week, or freeze. (adapted from King Author Flour)

Happy Eating.

Banana Oat Pancakes

This short week has me in a fantastic mood! Something about starting over on Tuesday, instead of Monday, just makes the week fly by. I turn around and it's almost the weekend! For me, that means one thing, delicious, wonderful breakfasts!!! I eat breakfast absolutely everyday, it's my favorite meal, but during the week it's usually a smoothie as I'm flying out the door. On the weekends I like to slow it down, and one of my favorite new ways to do that (with out slowing me down, or fattening me up) are these absolutely delectable banana oat pancakes. They are delicious and a super healthy way to start your moving. I like to serve mine topped with fresh fruit and maybe a drizzle of maple syrup, or I will cook down some cherries or blueberries to make a little fruit sauce. Enjoy!

Banana Oat Pancakes:
1 medium banana
1 cup of quick oats
1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese
1/2 cup of liquid egg whites
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
Sliced fruit and/or maple syrup for serving

In a blendor, combine the banana, oats, cottage cheese, egg whites, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend until a thick batter forms, it should be relatively smooth. Heat a griddle pan or a skillet over medium heat, and spray with non stick. Pour/scoop the batter out into silver dollar sized pancakes. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes, then flip and cook until golden on the other side, about 2 minutes more. This makes about 8 to 10 silver dollar pancakes, and serves two mindful eaters.

Nutrition Info:
1 serving (half of the batter, cooked, may vary by brand of ingredients used)
264 calories, 3g of fat, 18g of protein, 45g of carbs, 6g of fiber

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.

Sriracha Lime Shrimp

I love a meal that I can make super fast. Sometimes (believe it or not) I don't feel like cooking and I jsut want something delicious to be done already. I love a meal that I can throw a couple of things in a bag, go change, come back and cook it it about 10 minutes. It's good to have a few of those in your back pocket for lazy days or days you are so hungry you can't wait for dinner to be done. This shrimp meal is delicious, healthy and super fast. Just serve up the shrimp with sauteed veggies and chinese noodles (which cook in three minutes, so perfect for a fast meal). Or if you can't wait for the onions to soften, toss the shrimp and noodles with some lettuce and additional lime, and spritz of olive oil for a fast and delicious salad.

Sriracha Lime Shrimp:
1 tbsp of Sriracha Sauce
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup of vegetable stock or 1 tbps of canola oil for cooking

Place peeled and deveined shrimp in a plastic bag. Stir together the Sriracha, lime juice, sal, pepper, and ginger. Add to the shrimp. Let marinade for 30 minutes to an hour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable stock (to boil) or oil (to pan fry). When skillet is hot, add shrimp and cook stirring frequently until they are cooked through, about 4 minutes. Serve with chinese noodles and sauteed vegetables (I used a pepper-onion-mushroom medley). Enjoy.

Happy Eating.

Turkey Roulade

Do you ever just feel fancy? Like you need a truffle instead of a handful of chocolate chips? Like you want to get dressed up for no good reason and just be fancy? Well, I have the dinner for you. It's called a roulade, and it is the perfect way to take an every day fancy-free meat, and turn it into a show stopper. Basically, you pound it out, stuff it, and roll it up. It's easy to do and looks absolutely marvelous and oh so impressive. So next time your feeling the need to impress, grab your favorite meat mallet and check out this turkey roulade.

Turkey roulade:
1/4 cup of bulgur wheat
1 3/4 cup of chicken stock, divided
Olive oil for cooking
2 medium shallots
1 cup of shitakes
2 tbsp of sherry wine
2 cup of collard greens (or other greens)
1 split turkey breast boneless, with skin
2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper

Make the filling: Bring 3/4 cups of chicken stock to a boil in a small pot. Add bulgur and reduce to simmer, cook until liquid has absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 10-12 minutes. In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of a skillet in a thin layer of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Chop shallots and add to the pan when hot, cook until shallots begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Chop shitakes and add to the pan, cook until mushrooms soften and brown, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sherry, and cook until liquid has absoarbed. Chop collard greens and add to the pan, stirring until the greens wilt. Mix in cooked bulgur.

Prep the turkey: Split breast open, removing the rib bone if there is one (after the rib is removed the breast will split naturally). Using a meat mallet pound turkey, on the non-skin side, until flattened and uniform. Season the non-skin side with salt and pepper. Spread the filling over the turkey breast and then sprinkle with cheese. Starting from the end that has less or no skin on the back (the skin is touching the cutting board) roll the turkey breast and the filling jelly roll style. Tie the turkey breast in the roulade shape with kitchen twine (I used 3 pieces to tie the roast).

Cook the turkey: Add a little more oil to the skillet and raise heat to medium high. Sear the turkey, begining with the seam (where the filling looks like it's coming out) side up, for about 2-3 minutes until skin goldens. Repeat on remaining 3 sides, until skin is mostly to all crispied. Fill a small baking dish with the remaining stock and put seared breast in the stock, seam side up. Bake at 350, until a meat thermomater registers 160 degrees in the center, about an hour, but varies depending on the size of the breast and how thick it's rolled. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. To serve, remove ties and cut thick slices.

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.

Mardi Gras Rice

I love spicy and cajun and the delicious flavors of New Orleans and Mardi Gras. I also love not weighing 300 lbs, and with my baking habbits that means eating some lightened up dishes during the week. That does not mean I am willing to sacrafice flavor at all, however. Or miss celebrating a random holiday! Food should taste good, better than good, amazing. This rice tastes AMAZING, you would never guess that it's healthy (assuming you don't eat the whole pot yourself, all things in moderation). So feel free to be festive with this New Orleans inspired rice dish, and lighten up your Fat Tuesday.

Mardi Gras Rice:
1 tsp canola oil
1 bell pepper
2 small onions
1 jalapeno
3 celery stacks
8 oz of chicken or lean turkey sausage
1/2 29 oz can of plum tomatoes, drained
3 garlic cloves
1 can of black beans, drained rinse
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
3/4 cup of uncooked rice
Salt, pepper

In a medium-large pot heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Chop the bell pepper (any color will do, I actually used half a yellow and half an orange because, amazingly that's what I had), into small squarish pieces. Add to the pot. Chop the onions the same way and add to the pan. Stir the pot occasionally and adjust heat as necessary so nothing burns. Dice the jalapeno and add to the pan (I used the ribs and seeds, but feel free to remove them to reduce heat, but this wasn't really spicy with it, just had a little kick). Chop the celery and add to the pan. Cadditional. Remove sausage from the casing and squeeze into the pan, stir in. Cook the mixture until everything has softened slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Chop the tomatoes and add to the pot, mince the garlic and add as well. Add the rinsed and drained beans and the broth. Stir in the rice and cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is fluffy, about 25-30 minutes. Remove lid and stir, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 as a main dish.

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.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

My seafood adventures continue. Trying to find new and fun ways to make a satisfying meal for a fish lover (me) and a not so much (the boyfriend). After spending 15 minutes in the super market convincing him he would like tilapia and that it was very mild, I figured I better make it very delicious. What is better than crusted and fried? How about the appearance and taste of being crusted and fried, while still being extremely healthy and not a million calories. Perfection. The tilapia is mild and firm, which makes it a perfect fish for crusting, I choose cornmeal for a little texture, flavor, and whole graininess. This delicious dinner was done in about 10 minutes too (well the asparagus took a little longer than that, but you could choose a super fast side), so this dinner is perfect for a lazy and healthy week night meal.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia:
2 tilapia fillets, a little less than a pound
1/4 cup of cornmeal
1/4 tsp of salt, plus additional
1/2 tsp of pepper, plus additional
1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 tbsp of canola oil, approximately

Slice the tilapia fillets along the natural split, so you have four pieces. Squeeze lemon juice over the fillets on both sides and lightly salt and pepper. In a bowl mix together the cornmeal 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, and the parsley. Dredge each piece in the cornmeal mixture on both sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the two larger pieces and cook for 3 minutes. Add the smaller pieces and and flip the larger pieces. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes then flip the smaller pieces, cook everything for another 1 1/2 minutes. In case that was confusing, the larger pieces cook for 3 minutes on each side, and the smaller pieces cook for about 1 1/2 minutes each side. Serve and enjoy.

Happy Eating.

Almond Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

One of my favorite things about the weekend is breakfast. Time to cook and enjoy a delicious, healthy meal to start your day. During the week, it's all oatmeal and yogurt, but on the weekends I can expand my breakfast horizons. I am usually an eggs kind-of gal, but every once and awhile I get a crazy pancake craving and will except no substitutions. I adapted this recipe from my latest cook book obsession Whole Living's Power Foods, which is full of amazing information and wonderful recipes that I can't wait to try. Just reading it makes you want to eat your veggies. But anyway, back to the pancakes. They are absolutely delicious, the boyfriend could not tell that they were "healthy" (and I waited until he had scarfed down several pancakes to let him know), and they are served with a delectable blueberry sauce. The yogurt and almond flour pack in some delicious extra protein, and makes these much more filling than your average pancake. So whip up a delicious and guilt free batch this weekend!

UPDATE: This recipe is featured on Maple Syrup World, a really awesome site for all things Maple Syrup. Check them out on Facebook or Twitter. As an added bonus they are offering a 10% discount to the first 20 Eat, Knit, Grow readers who need to fill their maple cravings. Just use the code EATKNITGROW when you place your order.



Almond Pancakes:
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 cup of almond flour or almond meal
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbsp of butter, melted
1 tbsp of maple syrup
1 egg
3/4 cup of Greek yogurt, nonfat
Any optional mix-ins you want (almonds, chocolate chips, bananas,etc)

In a large bowl mix together the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Pour in the melted butter, maple syrup, egg, and yogurt. Mix until well combined, and smooth. Stir in any mix-ins or leave plain (I choose plain). Heat a griddle pan over medium heat, and grease or Pam. Spoon batter into small circles and use the back of the spoon to smooth them down and shape them a bit (the batter is slightly thicker than regular pancake batter). Repeat until pan is full. Cook until bubbles form in the center and bottoms are golden. Flip pancakes and cook until done all the way through. I had enough batter to make 13 small pancakes. To serve all the pancakes hot (if your pan isn't that big, like mine), leave them in a 200 degree oven while you are cooking the others. To be 100% guilt free, this recipe serves 4, about 3 pancakes each. (adapted from Power Foods)



Blueberry Sauce:
2 cups of blueberries
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp of corn starch
zest of half a lemon, plus one light squeeze of juice

Heat a small sauce pan to high heat with blueberries and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then cook covered until all the blueberries have burst, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and whisk in corn starch, lemon juice, and starch. Stir until sauce thickens slightly. Serve warm with pancakes. (adapted from Power Foods)

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.