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This simple, spicy African pepper sauce (called harissa) is all fresh fish needs to kick up the flavor a notch while not kicking up the calorie count. With just a few ingredients, it brings big flavor, plus heart-healthy fats and a monster dose of vitamin C. It goes great with any grilled protein!
Ingredients: - 1 jar (12oz) roasted red peppers, drained - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper - 1 clove garlic - 2 tbs olive oil - 1 tbs sherry or red wine vinegar - 1/2 tsp ground cumin - Salt & pepper to taste - 4 white fish fillets How to make it:
1. To make the harissa: combine the red peppers, cayenne, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and cumin in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Lighlty oil a grill or stovetop grill pan and heat until medium-hot. Lightly season fillet with salt & pepper. Cook 4-5 min on the first side. Turn them over and cook another 2-3 min. When they're done, the fish should flake with gentle pressure from your finger tip. 3. Serve immediately with a big scoop of harissa.
I served mine with a side of sauteed veggies (squash, zucchini, and onions) tossed lightly with some olive oil and finished off with a drizzling of balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Calories: 310
Fat: 15g
The recipe I "stole" this from actually called for gnocchi (little balls usually made from three parts potato and one part flour--soooo yummy!) but as we all know I'm still playing my "clean out the pantry" game and decided to sub in one of the many boxes of pasta we have instead.
Now, depending on where you order, pesto can be a crapshoot. Individually, its components are loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats, but if the balance is askew, then your nutritional intake will be too. When you make dishes with pesto, figure around 2 tbs per plate--and throw in some healthy extras like tomatoes and green beans to bring substance and balance to the bowl.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 lb green beans
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1 cup bite-size cubes of fresh mozzarella
- Freshly grated Parmesan (you can cheat on this and use "non-fresh")
How to make it:
1. Set a large pot of water over high heat. Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and green beans to the skillet and cook for 3 min, then toss in the tomatoes and continue to cook until the green beans are tender (but still crisp) and the tomatoes are browned on the outside. Remove from heat.
2. alt the water after it reaches a boil. Cook pasta/gnocchi according to package. Drain and add to pan with green beans and tomatoes. Stir in the pesto and mozzarella. Divide among 4 plates and top with Parmesan.
Calories: 490
Fat: 22g
I'm embarrassed to call this a recipe, it's that easy.
All you do is mix equal parts honey and dijon in a bowl and whisk. Slowly drizzle in some olive oil until it's a smooth consistency. Salt & pepper to taste. Marinate chicken for however long you desire and then grill over high heat until chicken is no longer pink. Brush on marinade throughout grilling as well.
I decided to make my chicken into burgers and lightly toasted some buns. Additionally, I grilled pineapple rings for the finishing touch.
This was served alongside grilled veggies (squash, zucchini, and onions) as well as cayenne-parmesan corn.
Sweet and spicy. This dish is usually made with battered and deep-fried chicken thighs bathed in a glossy sauce flavored with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, chilies--and lots of sugar. This chicken breast version is breaded and baked until crisp, then tossed with a reasonable version of Tso's sauce that is low in fat and contains no sugar but is still sweet.
(Adapted from "Now Eat This!")
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (whole-wheat) flour
- 2 cups (whole-wheat) panko breadcrumbs
- 4 egg whites
- 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup low-cal, low ft Asian sauce
- 3 packets no-cal sweetener (such as Splenda)
- 3 tbs rice vinegar
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted (or you can buy an already toasted shaker of them and shake away)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450. Place wire rack on foil-lined baking sheet. Set aside.
2. Put flour, panko, and egg whites (lightly whipped) into three separate shallow dishes. Dredge the chicken in the flour (shake off any excess). Add chicken to egg whites and toss to coat completely. Then add chicken, a few pieces at a time, to panko and toss to coat completely. You may need to work in batches for this.
3. Spread chicken on wire rack. Bake until breading is golden and crispy and c hicken is cooked through, about 10min.
4. Meanwhile, place broccoli florets in a microwave-safe dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high until tender, about 4 min. Keep covered until ready to serve.
5. In a large bowl, combine sauce, "sugar," rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce. Add the cooked chicken and toss gently until chicken is evenly coated.
6. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the chicken and serve with the steamed broccoli.
Serves 4
Calories: 310
Fat: 5.6
Burgers:
- 1/2 lb ground lamb
- Juice of 1/2 an orange
- Salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form into 2 patties. Grill over medium-high heat about 5 min per side for medium.
Salsa:
- 1 small tomato, seeded and diced
- 1/2 a mango, cut into small chunks
- Cilantro to taste
- ~ 1 tbs lime juice (fresh or bottled)
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
Cayenne Grilled Corn:
Spray corn with no-cal butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Wrap tightly in tin foil. Grill over medium heat 20 min turning occasionally. Grilled Garlic
Green Beans:
Make a pouch out of tin foil. Place in green beans. Spray lightly with oil or butter. Roughly chop 1 clove garlic and add to pouch. Toss in a handful of slivered almonds. Seal pouch leaving a slight opening for air to escape. Grill over medium heat 20 min turning occasionally.
For the (healthy) kid at heart.
I just used a wheat pancake/waffle mix and followed the direction on the box to make a waffle. Then I used whatever fresh fruit I had on hand to make a face complete with whip-cream hair. Drizzle on some low-cal syrup and no wonder this waffle is smiling!
When most people hear the phrase chicken salad, they immediately think globs of fatty mayo smothering bits of chicken with a few other ingredients hidden in there. To some, this may be just fine, but I prefer a lighter version where I can actually taste both the chicken and whatever else is in it. I always though my mom made the best chicken salad and would look forward to it every summer as she always said it was a "summer dish" (now why, exactly, I do not know). I love it because there is big chunks of all the ingredients and it is filled with lots of delicious flavors. Also, it's not drenched in mayo.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup chopped cooked chicken
-1/2 a small can of water chestnuts
- 1 small can mandarin oranges
- 1 small can pineapple chunks (reserve some of the juices)
- 1/2 cup grapes, halved
- 1/2 tbs soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light mayo + 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or 1/2 cup light mayo)
- Handful of slivered almonds, toasted
- Chinese noodles
To make the dressing, combine the mayo, Greek yogurt, soy sauce, and 1 tbs pineapple juice. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Toss with dressing. Can be made ahead of time. Garnish with Chinese noodles and almonds before serving (so as to prevent sogginess).
I served this on a bed of lettuce I had leftover with a drizzle of poppyseed dressing for added flavor.
Serve alongside your favorite bread for scooping and dipping.
Buffalo wings make a great appetizer, but we all know they are not the healthiest item to consume before your (or as your) meal. Instead, these buffalo tenders get a slimmed down make-over and become the star in these Caesar wraps.
Buffalo Chicken Tenders:
- 1/2 cup (whole-wheat) flour
- 1/2 cup (whole-wheat) bread crumbs
- 2 egg yokes
- Buffalo sauce
- 4-5 chicken tenders (enough for 2 meals)
- Salt and Pepper
Place the flour, egg yokes, and bread crumbs in separate bowls (in that order) to create an assembly line. Coat each tender in the flour; shake off any excess. Dip into the egg yoke mixture and finished off with a coating of bread crumbs. Lay flat on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees about 7 min per side (flipping once). Once done, allow to cool. Cut tenders into bite sized pieces and toss with buffalo sauce--as much or as little to taste.
Assembly:
Using whichever wrap you prefer/have on hand, fill it with lettuce of your choosing, diced tomatoes, croutons (store-bought or homemade), Parmesan cheese, and your buffalo tenders. Drizzle with Caesar dressing. Wrap tightly and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup fresh or refrigerated orange juice
- 1 tbs finely minced fresh ginger or 1/2 tbs ground ginger
- 1 lb salmon filets
Steps:
1. Preheat a grill to medium-high. Coat with nonstick spray.
2. In a sauce pan, combine vinegar, maple syrup, orange juice and ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce until about 1/4 cup remains. Divide in half, reserving half.
3. Place salmon on grill, skin side up. Grill for about 4 min and flip. Brush generously with glaze. Cook for another 4 min, or until cooked through, basting frequently.
4. When fish is done, remove to a serving plate and drizzle with reserved marinade.
I served the salmon over jasmine rice that I cooked with beef broth instead of water (adds flavor) and spruced it up with green beans, sauteed spinach and corn.
This recipe comes from the Publix "Apron's Simple Meals" collection (you know, the one where they give you the free samples whenever you walk into Publix). They're really quite convenient; everything you need for that nights meal is right there already gathered for you and the recipe card breaks everything down including utensils, cookware, shortcuts & tips.
Ingredients:
- large zip-top bag
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder)
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 lb beef flank steak (or any other similar variety - I used skirt)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup raspberry preserves
- 3 tbs chipotle mustard (which I was just going to wing by combining chipotle peppers with regular mustard, no need to buy a whole thing of mustard I'm just going to use 3 tbs of, when I noticed the family I babysit for happened to have some in their fridge which I "borrowed")
- 1 tbs chipotle hot pepper sauce
- aluminum foil
- 6 hamburger buns or 1 french baguette
Steps:
1. (It says to do it in the oven, but you know how I feel about ovens and summer, so I did it on the grill instead). Preheat grill on high. Place in zip-top bag ingredients 2-4 and shake to mix. Add flank steak; seal tightly and knead bag to evenly coat the steak. Grill 8-10min per side (depending on thickness) for medium steak.
2. Combine remaining ingredients (except bread) in a medium bowl. Sauce may be warmed, if desired. Place in microwave-safe bowl; microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until warm.
3. Transfer steak to cutting board and cover loosely with foil; let stand 5 min. Slice meat thinly (across the grain). Lightly toast bread and place meat atop. Top with sauce and serve.
The recipe yields 6 serves, but I cut it in 1/3's for just me and my dad. Measurements don't have to be exact.
This was served with a side salad. The meat was nice and flavorful with fruity undertones and a kick from the chiptole peppers.
A Greek-inspired weight watchers recipe. Salty feta cheese adds a kick to these poultry-based burgers. Other Greek ingredients add more great flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb uncooked ground chicken breast
- 1 tbs fresh oregano (I just eyeballed sprinkling dried oregano)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powdered
- 7 tbsp feta cheese (I used reduced fat), crumbled
- ~1 to 2 tbs hummus
- 4 reduced-calorie hamburger rolls
- 1 cup lettuce
- 2/3 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
- Black olives, sliced (about 4 tsp)
Instructions:
Preheat grill or broiler.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken, oregano, garlic powder, hummus and feta; divide mixture into four balls and then press them gently into patties.
Grill or b roil patties until internal temperature of burgers reaches 165 degrees, about 7-8min per side.
Serve each burger on a bun spread with hummus and topped with lettuce, peppers, and olives.
(For those of you counting or interested...):
Points Value: 5
The Philly cheesesteak just may be America's most famous hero sandwich and this version lends us a new, different kind of hero. This recipe comes from a book (Now Eat This!) I received for graduation from a family friend who knows just how much I love (healthy) cooking.
Ingredients:
- Nonfat cooking spray
- 1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
- 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 whole-wheat buns
- 3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium beef broth
- 3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz sliced lean roast beef (from the deli counter)
- 6 slices of your favorite cheese
- ketchup
1. Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, spray it well with cooking spray and add the onion and pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover the pan, and cook , stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 12min.
2. Meanwhile, heat another pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, split the buns in half and place them on the pan, cut side down. All to char a little, about 1-2min. Remove from grill and set aside.
3. Combine the beef broth, chicken broth, and sliced roast beef in a medium saute pan, using a fork to separate the roast beef slices. Heat the beef gently over medium heat until the broth is hot but not boiling. Remove the beef, reserving the brother.
4. Divide the beef among the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Top each sandwich with 1 1/2 slices of the cheese. Top the cheese with the hot onion-pepper mixture, and then the ketchup. Close the sandwiches with the bun tops, and serve them with the warm broth for dipping.
Before After
Fat 50g 7.6g
Calories 902 344
Every year we host Rosh Hashanah dinner and this year I'M in charge. It's been tradition that my mom has made apricot chicken and it has always been a crowd pleaser. I decided to stick with this dish and do a test run (even though Rosh Hashanah's is 2 months away). After doing a recipe sweep and going through and cleaning out all the recipes we have acquired over the years, I still could not find my mom's Rosh Hashanah apricot chicken so I had to improvise and pull from other sources.
The winner, which I decided to go with, is from Cooking Light:
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves (I used a sugar-free-with-fiber one which definitely forfeited some of the sweet flavor. I would either go with 1/2 and 1/2 next time or just use regular sugary preserves)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp bottled minced garlic
- 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- (3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook 2 min, turn. Brush exposed side with sauce and cook 2 min. Turn and brush, cooking 2 min. Turn and brush a fine time cooking 2 min. (Total of 8 min or 3 turns). Juices should run clear and chicken should no longer be pink inside.
On the side-Grilled Green Beans:
As usual, I wanted to do everything on the grill, but how does one grill greenbeans? I decided to be innovative and make individual steam pouches. I took 4 squares of tin foil and placed a serving of greenbeans in the middle of each one. I then shaped the tin foil into a pouch leaving the top open. I drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper and then sealed the pouches shut leaving a tiny opening for steam to escape. These were placed on the grill over medium heat for around 20 min.
Homemade Challah:
Every year, we look forward to Rosh Hashanah dinner for my Aunt Rosalie's homemade challah (especially the cinnamon-sugar one with raisins!). I have her recipe on file and decided to give it a go--maybe I'll make my own challah this year for Rosh Hashanah?! Now, I'm not going to give you the recipe since it's a family recipe and we've got to keep some things sacred, but I will tell you, challah making is an all day event with a lot of pounding and kneading and waiting and repeating. Being the science nerd that I am, it's neat watching the yeast in action. The challah turned out perfect and delicious. A nice golden brown exterior and a warm, dense interior.
This is another recipe adapted from eatbetteramerica.com. Lamb is great for a special dinner and the fruit sauce is sure to impress, but oh-so-easy to make.
prep time: 20 min
start to finish: 40 min
serves: 4
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 large pear, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/8 tsp ground clove (DON'T use whole cloves and try to crush them yourself. I did this and it turned out to be too strong and pungent of a flavor.)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (thawed)
- 1 tbs red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice (or, if you don't have allspice like me for some reason, you can mix equal amounts of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg)
- 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper
- 4 4-5 oz lamb rib chops, cut 1 inch thick or 8 3 oz lamb loin chops cut 1 inch thick (I used lamb loin chops ~1 inch think. I bought a pack of 3 that came to just under 1lb)
1. For sauce: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add pear, green onions, and cloves; cook about 3 minutes or just until pear is tender.
2. Add blackberries; reduce heat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often; remove from heat. Stir in red wine vinegar. Set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, stir together allspice, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over chops; rub in with your fingers. Place chops on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill until desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling. Allow 12 to 14 minutes for medium-rare doneness (145°F) or 15 to 17 minutes for medium doneness (160°F).
4. Serve with sauce.
On the side: Grilled Asparagus
Thread a wooden skewer (soaked in water for about 20min) through asparagus leaving space between each one. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 2-3min per side.
Serve with a nice bread toasted lightly on the grill.
This recipe comes from eatbetteramerica.com.
A homemade, tangy yogurt and fruit dressing tops off a delicious turkey salad that is ready in under 15-min. Not to mention, the whole meal comes in at under 300 calories (not including the bread served on the side!)
Strawberry-Yogurt Dressing
- 2 (6oz) containers strawberry yogurt
- 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
In a blender or food processor, combine ingredients, cover, and blend on high speed until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Salad
- 1 bag spinach
- 1 ripe peach, cut into thin slices
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced
- Green onions, for garnish
- Almonds (I used a honey-cinnamon almond to give it a sweet kick)
- Deli turkey meat
Arrange all ingredients on a plate and drizzle with dressing. Serve with bread.
This was a very simple, quick, light, and delicious meal (and low in calories!).
I made the tzatziki sauce Sunday when I did my prep work; this allowed all the flavors to integrate and marinate together for the best, most flavorful sauce.
Tzatziki is a Greek or Turkish meze or appetizer also used as a sauce. Tzatziki is made with strained yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, and various other spices and flavors. It is such a simple dish to make and pairs well with all sorts of breads, meats or vegetables.
Tzatziki
- 1 single serve carton of plain (not vanilla) Greek yogurt
- 1/2 large cucumber
- minced garlic, to taste
- mint, oregano, basil, salt
Wash the cucumber and slice width wise into circles. Place on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cover with another paper towel and leave for an hour or so to allow to moisture to absorb from the cucumbers.
Finely dice the cucumbers and add to the Greek yogurt. Add about a teaspoon of garlic and season to taste with mint, oregano, basil, and salt. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Salmon
- 4-6oz of salmon per person
- Olive oil
- Dill
- Salt, pepper
Brush the salmon lightly with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and dill. Grill on a medium-hot grill 3-4 min per side.
Serve alongside tzatziki with a tomato-cucumber salad and some pita chips.
So yesterday Jared and I were supposed to go up to Athens for the day and move the rest of my stuff out. I figured since we would be gone all day, it would be nice to have a no-hassle dinner ready for us when we got back. So Sunday I made a quick and easy pasta salad and stuck it in the fridge ready for dinner the following night. It turns out we did not make it up to Athens yesterday due to one u-haul mishap after another (but we did get a lovely tour of Roswell and all their u-haul locations!) We still did enjoy the pasta salad for dinner nevertheless.
- 2 cups pasta, any kind, cooked
- Chicken (I seasoned with Italian seasoning)
- Vegetables of your choosing (I used frozen and placed them straight from the freezer into the pan with the chicken once it was cooked through)
- Italian dressing
- Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and refrigerate until ready to eat.
I was craving cinnamon apples the other day, so I decided to incorporate them into a turkey burger.
- ~1/2lb ground turkey meat (this made 2 decent sized patties)
- 1/3 an onion (finely chopped)
- Small handful of craisins (optional)
- 1 small granny smith apple (finely chopped)
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper to taste
- Cheese, your favorite (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and shape into 2 patties. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Grill burgers on a hot, greased, grill for 5-8min per side until cook through (no pink in the middle). After the first flip, top with cheese (i used the shredded sharp cheddar) if desired.
Cinnamon-Apple topper:
- 1 small granny smith apple sliced thinly
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Water
- Butter
Cut a granny smith apple into thin slices. Toss in a bag with enough water to lightly coat. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and brown sugar. Melt a small sliver of butter in a pan of low heat. Pour the apple mixture into the pan. Cover and let cook while the turkey burger are on the grill.
Place each patty on a bun (I used wheat) and top with the cinnamon-apple mixture.
This dinner takes us south of the border for a healthier version of the quesadillas.
Chicken:
- Chicken (enough for however many you're feeding, cut into bite sized pieces)
- Tequila
- 1 Lime
- Cilantro, Salt & Pepper
Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces and place in a sealed container. Add tequila and the juice of one lime to coat the chicken thoroughly. Sprinkle with cilantro, salt & pepper to taste and leave to marinate (I left mine for 2 days since I prepped on Sunday and cooked on Tuesday--you want to leave it in long enough for the juices to marinate and tenderize the chicken, but not too long)
Salsa:
Salsa mainly just refers to any type of sauce, mainly tomato based. I just used whatever I had on hand at home to create my homemade salsa. This consisted of:
- Beans (pinto in this case)
- Diced peaches (from a can)
- Green chilies
- Diced canned tomatoes
- Corn
- Cilantro (dried)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the base of the quesadillas, I used sundried tomatoe flatouts. Only 100 calories and full of flavor! I sprinkled these with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, then layered it with the chicken and salsa mixtures followed by a final sprinkling of cheese. These were placed on a hot grill and allowed to cook for 2-4min per side until lightly browned and grill marks appeared. They were served with a spoonful of salsa on top and a side of brown rice.
A family friend of ours gave up a bottle of seasoning salt he discovered and really loved so I decided to make use of this. I generously seasoned both sides of a top sirloin with this as well as cracked black pepper and wrapped both steaks in tin foil and placed in the fridge to absorb the flavors until ready to use.
The steaks were grilled on high on a pre-heated grill for 5 min per side to a perfect medium.
They were then sliced and served over a "true blue" salad kit I bought from Publix and assembled.
The contents of the salad kit included:
-Baby arugula
-Candied almonds
-Chopped/dried dates
-Blue cheese crumbs (which I opted out of using in favor of Parmesan instead)
-Blue cheese vinaigrette
It was a nice twist on a classic Caesar salad giving it a sweet and tangy flavor profile.
Plenty of napkins required for this meal!
So as I stated before, I'm trying to use up all the endless odds and ends my mom bought for our pantry. This week, I decided to make use of a can of "Manwhich" I found in there.
Meals from a can are easy--just add meat, bun, and eat! I decided to put Joe on a diet and make a skinny Sloppy Joe; all the flavor, all the mess, less fat and calories.
Instead of using ground beef, I substituted in ground turkey (I used 1/2lb since it was just me and my dad...who happens to be a Joe himself, but not as sloppy. In fact, he actually ate the Sloppy Joe with a fork and knife! Where's the fun in that?!) Additionally, I added in about 1/4 - 1/3 a cup of the frozen onion and pepper trio straight from the freezer. Once thawed out, I roughly chopped the veggies into fine pieces. Then comes the finishing touch, the sauce! Since I was cooking for 2, I just used 1/2 the can and let simmer.
Serve on a bun, napkins close by, and be messy!
On Sunday, Jared and his family had a cookout. The weather was great and the food was even better! Though I was told by Jared not to bring anything over, I love cooking and sharing my food too much not too. I wanted to make a light, refreshing summer dessert and I remembereda this from summers past. However, inside of making a giant pizza, I decided to make them into individual servings.
For the "crust," I cheated and used a sugar cookie break-n-bake package.
The frosting consisted of 4oz cream cheese (light of course!) softened and mixed with 1/4cup confectioners sugar as well as juice of 1/2 a lemon. The was spread over the cookies once they cooled.
I then arranged a mixture of fruit (fresh and frozen/thawed) on top.
The final addition was an orange glaze brushed over top. This consisted of 1/4 cup orange juice mixed with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp. corn brought to a boil over high heat until thickened.
Once cooled (about 30min) brush the glaze over top and refrigerate.
Let soften a little before serving (but not too much or they will get soggy!)
Greek food is one of my favorite cuisines, and stuffed tomatoes are a classic Greek dishes. I decided to take this classic out to the grill.
Over the weekend, I did my prep work making the stuffing to go inside the tomatoes.
Stuffing
-1/2 lb ground turkey
-Parsley, oregano, mint, basil, salt & pepper to taste
-Onions
-Bell peppers (any color--I used a trio mix from the freezer section) -Raisins
-Chopped pistachios (optional)
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add turkey and cook through. Add onions and bell peppers (I poured them in straight from the freezer) and allow to cook. Season with parsley, oregano, mint, basil, salt & pepper to taste until fragrant and colorful. Add raisins and chopped pistachios (if using) and allow to cook for another minute or so. Remove from heat. This is the stuffing for the tomatoes.
To assembly
Slice off the tops of the tomatoes and scoop out the the insides reserving about 1/2 to combine with the turkey mixture. Stuff the tomatoes full with the mixture. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Wrap loosely in tin foil and place on grill over medium heat for about 10min. Remove foil and place directly on grill and let cook another 5min.
Serve on a bed of spinach.
It doesn't get much easier than this: cut kebab ingredients, thread on skewer, grill, eat.
You can use almost anything on a kebab (though, bread grills A LOT quicker than everything else and ended up burning and being thrown away in my case)
Here's what I used (mind you, I'm cooking for 2 picky eaters so I kept it pretty basic):
-Chicken -Green bell pepper -Onion -PineappleI served this over brown rice, sprinkled on a few sundried tomatoes, and drizzled it with soy sauce.
For dessert, I decided to try my hand at grilling strawberries. So before I embarked on my mission, I browsed the internet for some ideas, tips, and tricks. Armed with my knowledge, I washed, hulled, and skewered 4 strawberries, drizzled them with some balsamic vinegar, sprinkled them with sugar, and placed them on the grill turning every minute or so.
I served this over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkled it with slivered almonds and shredded coconut.
It wasn't anything to brag over, honestly just tasted like strawberries and ice cream, but I tried....
Bear with me on this one people, it sounds a little (ok a lot) strange once you read the list of ingredients, but it was DELICIOUS! It yield a flavor combination of sweet, but with a tangy, spicy kick. Even Alisa (the picky one) liked it.
Any steak will do. I went with a top round because it tends to be a leaner cut of beef; however, I think it was too lean for this recipe. I need me a steak with some more fat and juice on it next time!
For the rub, no measurements were used. I just sprinkled enough of each to coat the steaks on both sides and then got down and dirty and rubbed it in.
Rub
-Coco powder
-Cinnamon
-Cayenne
-Garlic powder
-Salt & Pepper Once the steaks were massaged, i placed them each on a square of tin foil and made "boat" out of them. In this, I poured an adequate amount of Rootbeer to cover the steaks, then sealed tightly shut. I left this to marinate for about 24 hrs.
The steaks were grilled over high heat, 5 min per side, for a perfect medium.
These were served alongside garlic & parsley mashed potatoes. (I just jazzed up a box of mashed potato flakes by adding minced garlic and chopped fresh parsley) as well as a side salad and roll.
Since I had a whole bottle of rootbeer, I decided to make a rootbeer float for dessert! I stopped by the grocery store on my way home from "work" and picked up a pint of vanilla ice cream. A scoop of ice cream topped off with rootbeer--so refreshing and different for a change!
I love cooking, but it's nice every once in awhile to have someone else cook for you and that's exactly what my loving boyfriend, Jared, did for me this past Tuesday. After a "long" ;-P day of "work," I went straight to his house where he was already starting to prepare dinner and all I had to do was sit back and watch.
The chicken was seasoned perfectly (don't ask me with what) and the quesadilla's were overflowing with sauteed mushrooms, onions, and peppers. Two kinds of cheesed were used, and instead of tortillas, he was creative and used flatbread. Before grilling them, he drizzled over their beloved Trader Joes black bean and corn salsa.
This was served alongside rice and blue corn tortilla chips.
We had a nice dinner with his parents...I could get used to being cooked for!
So I was browsing through Women's Health magazine (...don't judge me, it just keeps coming to our house!) and stumbled across an article on "How to Make the Perfect Patty," and this particular one caught my eye.
Burger -1 medium zucchini and 1 medium carrot, peeled, grated and chopped into small pieces -1 lb lean ground chicken breast
-1/2 cup bread crumbs
-2 tsp. Worcheshire sauce
-1 egg, lightly beaten
-1/3 cup parsley, chopped
-Salt & pepper, to taste
Mix ingredients together in a bowl then form into 6 patties. Brush with olive/vegetable oil. Place burgers on grill and cook 4-5 min per side until cooked through
Sauce -1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
-2 tbs. brown sugar
-2 cups strawberries, sliced
-1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1 tbs fresh mint, chopped (I actually just used the dry stuff and sprinkled it over without really measuring)
Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft (about 4 min). Add brown sugar and continue cooking for 2 min. Add strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper and cook for 1 min. Sir in mint and remove from heat.
Assembly Toast bread (flatbread or naan--I found this neat artisan flatbread at the grocery store made by "flatout" that is like a flatbread burger roll that is connected on one seam) for 1-2 min per side until lightly browned and warm. Line flatbreads with arugula, add burgers, and top with strawberry sauce, then fold bread over burgers.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS. Per serving: 387 cal, 8g fat, 7g fiber, 27g protein
Grilled Caesar Salad with Chicken
Seems strange to grill lettuce; however, the concentrated heat of the grill teases out the natural sugars in food, which, in turn, creates caramelization and extra layers of flavor. So, back to the grill it was.
Let me start out by saying, I tried to follow a recipe and make my caesar dressing in advance, but my blender and I got in a fight...and the blender won. Apparently the blade's not working and the "dressing" leaked out of every side. So Jared to the rescue with pre-made caesar dressing. DIY dressing to be attempted at a later time.
To make the salad:
-4 hearts romaine
-2 English muffins, split
-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz each)
-Olive oil
-Salt & pepper to taste
-1/4 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
-1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
-Parmesan cheese (which, I actually forgot to add at the end!)
Preheat the grill. Cut the romaine down the middle lengthwise, leaving the root end intact. Brush romaine, muffins, and chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken 4-5 per side until caramelized and no longer pink--remove to rest.
Place lettuce and English muffins on grill. Cook lettuce 1-2min, just enough to lightly char and wilt the leaves. Cook muffins until brown and crispy.
Slice chicken into thin strips. Cut muffins into bit-size pieces. Arrange with olives and sundried tomatoes over lettuce halves. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with cheese.
Saturday night I was left to fend for myself. Jared was working, my dad was at the Braves game, and Alisa...well, who knows.
Do you ever get a craving every now and again for a classic--a flashback to your childhood--a good 'ole peanut butter sandwich? Well, this was the exact state I was in Saturday night, but I didn't want any ordinary PB&J sandwich, I wanted to spice it up and get creative with a basic. In comes:
Grilled Peanut Butter, Apricot, Banana & Coconut Sandwich
(now that's a mouthful)
-2 slices of wheat bread
-Peanut butter (all natural for me!) spread on one slice
-Apricot preserves spread on the other slice
-1/2 a banana, sliced thick
-Sprinkling of shredded unsweetened coconut
-Handful of mini-chocolate chips
Once assembled, I toasted my creation in the toaster oven until lightly browned on both sides and served alongside carrot sticks, apple slices, raisins, and pretzels.
I'm like the mailman: "neither ran nor snow nor gloom of night...." will keep me from grilling. Of course, my luck, it starts to rain right around dinner time. I had an internal debate about whether I should just bring my meal indoors or continue on with my outdoor grilling. By the time I was ready to cook rolled around, the rain had lighted to a drizzle and the thunder and lightening were long gone; so back to the grill I go.
Chimichurri Sauce
-1/4 cup red wine vinegar
-3 tbs water
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-Salt & Course ground black pepper
-1 tsp red pepper flakes
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsleyMix the vinegar, water, garlic, 1 tsp each salt & pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the oil. Once everything's blended, whisk in the parsley. Set aside
The sauce was very good and flavorful. The red wine vinegar gave it a nice kick. Next time, I think I will chop the parsley in a blender to get a more fine chop.
Grilled Steak
-1 1/2 lbs skirt (flank or sirloin works just as well) Heat grill until hot. Season steak with salt & pepper and place on hot grill. I was told, for medium-rare to cook 3-4min per side; however, this left the steak too rare for us Freeman's. So, back on the grill the steaks went. After another 5 min of so, we took them off and they were still pretty pink in the middle, but at this point it was late, starting to rain a little harder, and, well, I'm impatient. I need to play around more with steaks and grilling times to get that perfect combination, but this would have to do for tonight. I usually like my steaks medium, and this was just under, but it was still delicious, juicy, and full of flavor.
The steak was drizzled with the chimichurri sauce and served alongside 1 bunch grilled scallions (trimmed of the roots and placed on the grill just after the first flipping of the steaks) as well as grilled pita/tortillas placed on the grill at the same time.
I've decided that, in addition to posting my own creations, I will also post an overview and my review of restaurants on my "list." You see, every city I visit (or, in this case, live in) I create a list of the top places I want to eat at. Most people create places of things they want to see, museums they'd like to visit, attractions, etc....but nope, not me. I tend to eat my way through cities.
So now that I'm officially (despite what my dad may say) back in Georgia, I will start here. Jared dragged (yes dragged) me to his doctors appointment in downtown Atlanta with the promise of lunch afterward (hey, who am I to pass up a free meal?!). As we were pulling in to the office complex I just happen to glance across the street and notice Gladys Knight & Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles and, since it's on my list, decide it was fate and that this would be the perfect time to check it off.
A little bit of history: The concept of chicken and waffles was born in Harlem, New York at Well's restaurant where they severed many celebrities into the late night hours. Many couldn't decide if they wanted breakfast or dinner, so both were served! The menu consists of your traditional southern soul food. We knew that one of the entrees we would get would be the chicken and waffles (better known as the "Midnight Train"); the other we turned to our server and her expertise and went with the "Smothered Chicken."
So........
Midnight Train: 4 southern fried jumbo (and, yes, they were indeed jumbo) chicken wings and one original waffle
(I apologize for the quality of the pictures; they were taken on my blackberry as this was an impromptu trip and I did not have my camera on hand)
-The chicken was perfectly cooked--moist on the inside, crunchy and perfectly seasoned outer skin. Not overly greasy like most fried chicken places.
-The waffle was a malted blend and, with just the slightest drizzle of syrup, was the perfect combination of sweetnessSmothered Chicken: A tender, boneless, fried chicken breast smothered in their homemade gravy served over a bed of white rice and served with 2 sides and a cornbread muffin
-The chicken was the same story. The gravy on top was delicious. Thick and creamy (2 words not normally in my cooking vocabulary) and full of flavor. The white rice, in my opinion, did not add too much.
-Side #1: Mac & Cheese. SO good. One of my weaknesses. Not overly cheesy. Baked to produce a nice golden brown crust on top.
-Side #2: Squash Casserole. A mixture of zucchini, yellow squash, and onions baked to a sweet taste. And sweet taste indeed...it was almost like a dessert. Kinda a shame you can take something so healthy and innocent and take it to the dark side. Naughty and nice, but oh-so-good.So verdict....Not a place you'd go often (unless you want your cholesterol and pants size to increase), but a must-try once if you're ever in the Atlanta area.
I'm a big girl now; I unhooked, exchanged, and reattached the propane tank all by myself (and without exploding anything or anyone!) Soooo, that means: grilling time again!
Tonight was a Grilled BBQ Mango-Chicken Pizza (yum)
I used store bought pizza dough from Publix (the Publix by me has this neat little diy pizza section where they sell everything you'd need to make your own pizza--I just needed the dough). One of these days when I have the time, I plan to make my own dough from scratch...but that was not tonight. I'm almost ashamed to say that I chose the regular Italian dough over the multi-grain one. Me?! But, an aside, multi-grain isn't all that great...now wholegrain, that's another story, so I guess I don't feel THAT bad.
On that note, pizza dough is harder than I thought to stretch out. It's so elastic and resilient. After putting up a fight with it, will call it a tie between the dough and me. I did manage to stretch it out, but not as much or as perfectly round (for an OCD person like me) as I would've liked. I now have a new-found respect for pizza makers.
The dough is the star of this pizza, not just the blank canvas for toppings. Once the dough was stretched out, it was grilled on either side over medium-high heat for about 3-5min/side. Watch closely as this is a quick cooking method and you don't want the dough to burn!
Once one side was perfectly grilled, I took them off the grill to dress them. After flipping them, (grilled side up) I spread the slightest layer of tomato sauce, layered some thick slices of tomatoes, sliced grilled onions, chopped BBQ chicken (which I had in my freezer pre-cooked and defrosted and tossed with BBQ sauce), diced mango, and a sprinkling of cheese. This was returned to the grill to finish cooking.
The grilled pizza was phenomenal! Forget the toppings for a moment (yes, they were delicious), but the crust was something else. It was crispy and crunchy on the outside, yet soft and doughy on the inside. Warm. Smoky flavored. Yum yum yum.
So, for starters, I'd like to point out that I am sitting here blogging at Ogelthorpe University watching a 9-year-old's tennis lessons and getting paid $14/hr to do so (good work if you can find it!). And let me just say, yes, this 9-year-old could kick my butt in tennis....but, I think I have him in the cooking department!
On that note, I noticed we had 4 boxes of spaghetti in our pantry so I decided to make use of that. In addition, I still had 1/2 the package of ground turkey leftover from my grilled pear turkey burgers from the first blog. So I put 2 and 2 together and decided to make spaghetti & turkey meatballs. Like last nights meal, I did the prep work(making the meatballs) ahead of time, before "work."
Meatballs -1/2 lb ground turkey -~ 1/4 cup (Italian seasoned) bread crumbs (remember, I don't do well with exact measurements...I usually just eyeball, but for the sake of this blog, I'll guesstimate) -1 egg (lightly beaten) -Sprinkling of Italian seasoning (to taste) -Salt & pepper -Sprinkling of Parmesan cheeseCombine all ingredients in a bowl and form into balls. Cook in a saute pan drizzled with olive oil over medium heat until well-browned on all sides...my ended up losing somewhat of their ball-shape during this time--oh well, it's all about taste, right?! And taste good the did! The combination of the seasoning played well together and were delicious if I do say so myself!
Sauce -1 12 oz can (stewed) tomatoes--these happened to be flavored with garlic, oregano, and basil (any canned tomato would work, these were just one of the many I had lying around in my pantry) (Oh, and make sure to drain them before adding them in the pan) -1/2 an onion (I used vadillia b/c they were on sale) diced/chopped/sliced (whatever!) sauteed -~1/8 cup of tomato sauce -1/2 spoon full of basil pesto
Combine all ingredients in a pan and simmer over low heat until ready to use When I got home, all I had to do was make the sauce, boil the noodles, reheat the meatballs, combine & serve.
I decided to make some garlic bread to go alongside the pasta. This was done ahead of time as well.
Using the leftover bread from the previous nights meal, I sliced it, spritzed it was spray butter (hey, 0 calories), rubbed it with minced garlic, and sprinkled it with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.
To finish it off, I toasted it in the toaster oven for 5-8min until lightly browned.
....Hey(!) That's an alliteration (My English teachers would be proud).
On that note, I apologize for the lack of blog posts this past week. I know my millions of followers (ha!) have been disappointed. I have been at the beach for the past week: Hilton Head. We have gone there the majority of summers of my life since I was 6 months--a Freeman family traditions. We have always gone out to eat while there (it was the one week of the year when my mom didn't have to cook--it was her vacation as well). I, of course, would not have minded in the least cooking a meal of two, but, tradition is tradition and so we went out to eat...every night. Now that's not to say the food was not utterly delicious and I may or may not have gained a few pounds.
But I'm back and ready to cook up a storm! Still need to exchange my propane tank, so until that gets done, grilling will be put on the back burner (no pun intended) for now. I decided to mirror my meal last night after one of the hidden, off-the-beaten-path Athens restaurants I stumbled across in my last days there: The White Tiger: a little, run-down white shack with delicious homemade, organic foods and chocolates! One of the things Jared and I split there for lunch was this delicious salmon sandwich so that was my inspiration for dinner.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, Alisa and I have a sort of babysitting business we're running this summer, so I'm working 2-6pm every night. Since I wasn't sure how long it'd take me to get home (47 min, thank you Atlanta traffic), I did all my prep work earlier in the day, including cooking the salmon.
Salmon
-3 (4-6oz) salmon fillets -Juice of 1/2 a lemon -Salt & pepper Pre-heat a skillet over medium heat and spray. Sear salmon on both sides 2-4min per side. Then I just placed in a tupperware in the fridge and reheated in the microwave when I got home.
To construct the sandwich, I spread (lite) veggie cream cheese on both halves of a multi-grain roll. Topped with lettuce (iceberg...it was on sale!), cucumber slices, onions, the salmon, and capers.
This was served alongside fresh veggies and pretzels. So easy and so delicious!
So let me first start off my saying, I never in my life thought I would be a blogger. With that being said, welcome to my first blog entry: "Girl Meets Grill." As summer approaches, it's time to get out of the kitchen and onto the grill--and almost anything tastes better grilled. I've never grilled anything before in my life...that was always my mom's job and she never got around to teaching me. And...needless to say, my dad was no help. So, with the help of Jared, we attempted our first dinner on the grill (and were lucky, because apparently we had just enough fuel to cook our food).
Grilled Pear Turkey Burgers -1/2 lb lean turkey (This made 3 decent sized burgers) -Thyme, Rosemary, Poultry Seasoning, Parsley, Minced Garlic, Salt & Pepper (When I cook, I don't do well with direct measurements. I usually go by smell and sprinkle a little of this and a little of that until I'm satisfied)
-1/2 cup bread crumbs -1 egg (lightly beaten) -1/2 pear (finely chopped--save the other half for topping)
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Form into 3 patties. Grill over medium-high heat 5-7min for side flipping ones and making sure not to press down as this will release those delicious juices (and don't forget to spray the grill BEFORE you place the burgers down.....yah, we forget, but not the worst thing that could happen for a first time griller) Once the burgers were done, they were piled high on a roasted garlic bread I had purchased from Kroger(which, by the way, was phenomenal and definitely added a whole other level of flavor profile to the burger) , toasted lightly on the grill, and spread with a fig preserve. This was also accompanied by lettuce, tomato, and the other 1/2 of the pear sliced and grilled as well (about 2min per side). This was served alongside with corn (grilled of course) and pretzels (which, no, I did not grill).
I must say, I was very pleased with myself at how great these burgers turned out and that I mastered the art of grilling!
