Spring Pea and Shrimp Linguine for 2

Ok, so I didn't really sit and shell fresh peas to make this recipe.  Frozen peas, picked and frozen at their prime freshness, are a really great way to showcase this Spring staple.  Another fantastic frozen food: shrimp.  Frozen just after being caught, shrimp can add a fresh seafood taste to any meal.

This easy weeknight recipe uses both frozen peas and shrimp for a bright Spring dish.  I usually write my recipes in measurements for a  family-sized portion but in all honesty, I am just cooking for two.  If you are cooking for more people, simply double or triple the ingredients.  The cooking times remain the same.

Spring Pea and Shrimp Linguine for 2

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2  lb. frozen shrimp, thawed (peeled, de-veined, & tails removed)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 lb. linguine
• 1 T grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 4 large basil leafs, cut into a chiffonade (very thin ribbons)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta to package directions.  In the last 4 minutes of cooking time, add the peas to the cooking water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet at medium-high heat; add the olive oil.  Saute the minced garlic for about 1 minute, until lightly browned.  Add the shrimp to pan and saute until pink, about 3-4 minutes.

Drain pasta and peas; add to the pan with the shrimp.  Toss lightly, using the leftover butter and oil as the sauce.  Transfer to serving bowl and top with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and basil.

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Pasta with Spring Vegetable Pesto

Spring is here! As a foodie, this is my favorite time of year. The sun is bringing us out of hibernation, birds are singing merry songs, flowers are brightening the landscape. Best of all: bright, fresh vegetables are readily abundant.

My favorite spring veggie: asparagus. After reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I have learned to appreciate asparagus for its incredibly short season and would be FASCINATED to learn how it is grown & harvested the other 50 weeks of the year. If you have not yet read this book, run, don’t walk, to your nearest library or bookstore to get a copy.

Meatless meals are perfect for spring and summer. Delicious, organic produce is plentiful and our bodies crave lighter meals rather than the heavy, fatty meals we consume in colder months. An added bonus, with swimsuit season around the corner, is the calories that you do without when forgoing meat.

Inspired by the season’s produce, I headed to my “test kitchen” to utilize the bright green spears. Armed with my food processor, I created a tasty April meatless meal.

Pasta with Spring Vegetable Pesto (makes 4 servings)

• 8 oz. whole wheat penne pasta (or your favorite pasta)
• 1 small bunch asparagus
• 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) peas
• Juice from 1 lemon
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or more, as needed)
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Salt & pepper

 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Wash the asparagus spears and cut off bottom inch and a half (in my opinion, snapping the spears by hand wastes a lot of perfectly good asparagus!). Cut all of the spears into 1-2 inch pieces. Set half aside, and add remaining pieces to the water along with half of the peas. Cook briefly until vegetables are bright green, about 2 minutes, and remove from boiling water (do not drain) using a spider or strainer to the bowl of a food processor.

In the meantime, add the pasta to the boiling water and begin to cook according to package directions.

To the food processor, add lemon juice; season with salt & pepper. Pulse a few times to begin breaking down the vegetables then add the pine nuts and parmesan. Blend vegetables and drizzle in the olive oil until a pesto texture is produced.

In the last two minutes of the cooking time, add the reserved asparagus and peas to the pasta cooking water. Drain and toss with the pesto. Serve topped with extra grated parmesan.

Enjoy!

Spiced Grilled Chicken with Couscous

Tomatoes are everywhere right now and the last of my basil is also sitting in pots on my deck begging to be picked and used before the cold weather sends my plants to basil heaven. 

Anyone who knows me personally also knows that I am a huge chicken fan.  I love how versatile it is; you can fry it, you can roast it, bake it, make soup with it, but best of all - you can grill it!

This easy recipe adds a little spicy kick to grilled chicken.  Add steamed vegetables to the couscous for an extra healthy addition.

Spice Grilled Chicken with Couscous

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken halves
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup couscous
• 3/4 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup torn basil
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 T olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat grill to medium high.

Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken until about 1/2" thick.  Season with paprika, cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Grill about 3 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil and add couscous.  Remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon zest and juice, 2 T of olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Spoon to bottom of serving dish, scatter tomatoes and basil on top.

Slice chicken into 1/4" slices and arrange on top of couscous.
Enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Tomato Flatbread

Tomato plants across my neighborhood are producing so much fruit that you can often see the bright red produce exchanging hands; "I have so many tomatoes, I don't know what to do with them!"  Pots of herbs are also sprouting fragrant leafs, waiting to be brought into the kitchen to add brightness to dishes.

Here is a delicious meatless meal that can help you use some of them up.  The dough is so moist and delicious, you'd think an Italian chef prepared it himself.

Flatbread with Summer Tomatoes

For the dough:

• 1 package of dry instant yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 & 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 & 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 T olive oil

For the rest:

• 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, sliced in thing slices
• 4 oz. fresh mozarella or goat cheese
• 2 T chopped fresh herbs, such as chives and parsley
• Handful of fresh basil

To make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in the water and sit for 5 minutes.  Sift in flour, salt and pepper and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.  Add the oil, knead for a bit in the bowl, then turn out to a floured surface.  Knead until a soft dough forms.

Line a large glass bowl with olive oil.  Add dough ball and cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel.  Let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.  Punch dough down, and let rise, covered, an additional hour.

Roll dough out to approximately 15x10 inches.  Slide onto a cookie sheet, cover again with damp towel, and let rise for one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange tomato slices on a stack of paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt and place a few more paper towels on top.  Lightly press down to remove excess juices. 

Arrange tomato slices over dough and top evenly with cheese.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with herbs, arrange basil, and crack additional black pepper on top, if desired.

Slice, and enjoy!

Roasted Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is one of those easy-yet-elegant side dishes that is just so good, you think you should be punished for eating it with dinner rather than a dessert.  This winter squash is just beginning to appear on local farmstands and I am happy to welcome it here!

 

Try this method for a simple yet satisfying accompaniment to your next meal.  It is so effortless that with a small head start, you could add this to any weeknight meal for a special touch.

 

  

Roasted Acorn Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 & 1/2 T butter
• 2-3 T brown sugar
• 2 T chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds, making little bowls.  Place the bowls in a baking dish.

Divide butter in each "bowl" and top with brown sugar.  Add walnuts and roast in center rack of oven for 40-50 minutes.  Don't be afraid, it is hard to overcook this squash!

That's all!  I told you it was easy ;)

 

 

 

Meatless Monday - Roasted Cauliflower Gratin

I am growing terribly upset that summer is almost over.  Though it is still quite hot outdoors, summer vegetables are less abundant.  I love fall veggies but there is nothing quite as bright and ethereal as those produced in June or July.

Making my way through a recent delivery of local, farm-fresh veggies, I pondered what to do with a head of Cauliflower.  A self-proclaimed Gruyere maniac, I thought there would be no better dish suited for this delectable white vegetable.

Roasted Cauliflower Gratin

• 1 medium (about 2 lb.) head cauliflower trimmed and cut into florets
• 2 tsp butter
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• /2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
• 2 T finely chopped chives
• 1 T canola oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 T all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat milk
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 3 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and white pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and add florets.  Season with salt and white pepper, toss to distribute.  Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and set aside.

Preheat oven to broil.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese and all of the chives.

Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion to pan; saute 4 minutes or until almost tender.

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add flour and stir over heat for a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste.  Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring constantly, until milk has thickened, 3 or 4 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of salt and a large pinch of white pepper. Pour milk mixture over cauliflower mixture and top with the cheese mixture.  Broil 3 minutes or until golden brown and thoroughly heated.

Stay tuned for a recipe for another late-summer produce gem appearing in markets across the regions... acorn squash!

It all began with an organic chicken...

One whole chicken, so many uses.  This past weekend, I summoned my inner-Barefoot Contessa and whipped up a delicious roast chicken for Ryan and myself.  This ambrosial bird provided not one, but two meals' worth of meat... and that was only the beginning!

Serving the roast chicken with roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions provided a gourmet weekend dinner for 2.  There was enough meat left over for a second meal, so I blithely contained the remains and stored them away in my refrigerator for a meal later in the week; a gratifying Roast Chicken and Asian Noodles.

With the remains of the chicken (I just can't bring myself to use the word "carcass" when describing food), after carving all of its moist, flavorful meat off the bone, plus the giblets which I set aside, I made chicken stock.  Sure, you can buy chicken stock at the grocery store, or even doctor up some boring ol' chicken broth by adding bullion and other flavors, but nothing - NOTHING - beats the flavor of homemade chicken stock.  I froze the chicken stock to use later to make a hearty soup.

One chicken, three potential meals.  Nothing went unused.  That is what I call a superfood!

Check back later this week for my Roast Chicken and Asian Noodles and Chicken Stock recipes.

Roast Chicken and Vegetables

• 1 5-6 lb. organic roasting chicken  
• Kosher salt  
• Freshly ground black pepper  
• About 30-40 sprigs of thyme, divided 
• 1 lemon, halved  
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise  
• 2 T butter, melted 
• 2 sweet potatoes, diced into 1" chunks
• 1 large onion, sliced into about 1" slices
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks 
• Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets, save for making chicken stock.

Rinse the chicken inside and out, pat the outside dry with paper towels.

Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with half of the thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic.

Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Place in the center of a roasting pan, cross the legs and tie together with kitchen string .  Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Place the potatoes, onions, and carrots around the chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, the remainder of the thyme, and olive oil.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Place the chicken on a platter and surround with vegetables.  Cover with aluminum foil for about 15 minutes to allow the juices in the chicken to redistribute.

Carve, serve, and enjoy!

Asian Green Beans

My CSA share for the past 2 weeks has had bunches of green beans.  The fun thing about CSA shares is that you are given items that you may not have thought to buy that week, and you have to be creative.  Bored with plain green beans, I thought I'd try giving them an Asian twist. 

I pulled out my wok, recalled the skills I learned from a Chinese cooking class, and created a delicious accompaniment to the General Tso's chicken I made that night. 

*You can use a regular saute pan if you don't own a wok.

Asian Green Beans

• 1 pound green beans
• Canola oil (for wok)

For the sauce:

• 1 T hoisin sauce
• 1 T Tamari (dark soy sauce)
• 2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 & 1/2 tsp sugar

To finish:

• 1 T chopped garlic
• 1 T chopped fresh ginger
• 2 scallions, white part only, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red chili paste

Wash the green beans and drain thoroughly. Trim the ends.
In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat the wok on medium heat and add 2 T oil.  Coat the wok all around with the oil.  When the oil is hot (it will shimmer and sizzle when a drop of water is thrown in), add the beans. Stir-fry for 7 - 10 minutes, until beans are bright green and just tender.  Set aside.

Heat 1 T oil in the wok on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir-fry briefly for a few seconds until aromatic. Add the chili paste.

Add the green beans to the sauce and toss to coat.  Serve hot, and enjoy!
 
To learn more about CSA shares, I recommend reading Sharing the Harvest.
 

 

Meatless Monday - Grilled Eggplant with Pesto and Pasta

Coming up with ways to use seasonal produce is always a fun challenge for me.  With an abundance of basil in my garden, I always have pesto on hand.  This delicious meatless meal will definitely satisfy!

Grilled Eggplant with Pesto and Pasta (serves 8)

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced into rounds
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 lb of twisty pasta such as rotini or gemelli
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto (you can find my pesto recipe at the bottom of this page)
• 1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. 

Brush both sides of eggplant rounds with olive oil.  Season with salt & pepper.

Grill both sides of eggplant for about 3 minutes, until grill marks appear.  Slice into 1/2" by 2" slices.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water to box directions.

Combine pasta and eggplant, stir in pesto.  Just before serving, gently stir in mozzarella cheese.  It will melt into gooey goodness!

Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

As you've read, nothing excites me more than summer produce.  A visit to the farm stand is one of my most treasured times, I am in my element among the bright colors and fresh fragrance.

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that just signifies summer (or late spring) for me.  I love using it in kabobs, stir-fries, and bread.  Zucchini bread is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  Martha Stewart even suggests you use zucchini bread as a base for chicken salad for hors d'ouevres.

It's not only versatile, but it's good for you!  Zucchini is not only a source of Vitamin C, but also has good amounts of folate, potassium, and vitamin A.

Zucchini Bread (makes 2 loaves)

• 3 eggs
• 1 & 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups plus 2 T vegetable oil
• 2 & 1/2 cups grated zucchini (a food processor with a fitted blade works very well for this)
• 2 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 T walnut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk for 2 minutes, until light.  Beat in the sugar.  Stir in the zucchini, vegetable oil, and vanilla and incorporate well.

Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients, a bit at a time.  Stop and stir to incorporate every so often.  Add the nuts and walnut oil.

Pour mixture into the prepared pans.  Bake for approximately 1 hour.  Cool on baking racks before you remove from loaf pans.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Panzanella Salad

I adore the fresh taste of basil. So much so that I grow an abundance of basil on my back deck. I have so much, I usually end up freezing it or making pesto to use it up.  I grow many other herbs too, and end up only using a portion of each.  This year I vowed to be more creative with the plethora of herbs that I insist on growing.

This recipe is a good way to use some delicious basil and also day-old bread.  Not only that, but once any of my several tomato plants start producing ripe red gems and my shallots are ready to be pulled up, this recipe will be a perfect use of my container garden!

                                                                                                               Photo by Ryan Macchione

Panzanella Salad with Ricotta (serves 4-6)

• Loaf of crusty Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 medium sized tomatoes, seeds removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
• 3 T red-wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Large handful of basil leaves
• 8 oz ricotta

Bake bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer at 375 degrees until just golden, resembling large croutons, about 18-20 minutes.

In the meantime, combine bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, vinegar and oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add basil and toasted bread cubes, stir to combine.  Allow bread to soak up the juices by sitting for 20 minutes.

Divide evenly among serving bowls.  Top with a large spoonful of ricotta.  Season with salt & pepper and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. 

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Bella Burger

This recipe was featured on Huffington Post Green!




Sometimes coming up with alternatives for meat can be tough.  Sure, you've got pasta dishes, tofu or some other soy derivative, but getting creative with those can become a grueling process after a while.

For my meatless meals, I am not always looking to "fake it" by using a meat substitute.  I came up with this sandwich because I was looking for a sandwich that I could make without "pretending" I was eating meat.  I love using seasonal produce where I can, and walking out to my back deck to pick some fresh tarragon was definitely satisfying.

Sara's Bella Burger (makes 2)

• 2 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 1 ball of fresh mozarella packed in water, sliced into 1/4" slices
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 2 T light mayonaise
• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high.

Clean tops of mushrooms with a wet paper towel.  Scrape the "gills" out on the underside with a spoon.  Brush both sides with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, and add to grill.  Grill both sides for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Grill insides of hamburger buns for about 30 seconds.  Return to serving platter. 

In a small bowl, mix mayo and tarragon.  Spread on hamburger bun tops. 

 On bottom of bun, add a slice of mozarella.  Top with mushroom caps, then half of the roasted red pepper and then bun top.

 Enjoy with a quinoa salad or tortilla chips!

Grilled Marinated Chicken with Italian Vegetables

As I said in my earlier post, Orange Pineapple Marinate Chicken with Mango Salsa, I have learned that one trick to grilling chicken is marinating it for a good amount of time first.  This recipe is like steeping the chicken in flavor...

Using the season's freshest produce, I whipped together a flavorful, colorful Spring time dinner.  First, I started with a tomato and mozzarella salad.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Dressing

• 1 large, ripe tomato
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup basil leafs
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pinch black pepper

In a blender, combine olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until emulsified.  Add basil leafs and blend well.

Slice tomato and mozzarella and arrange on platter.  Drizzle with 1/2 of dressing, reserving second half for asparagus, and serve.

Grilled Marinated Chicken

• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1/3 cup bottled Italian dressing
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 T lemon juice
• 3 T sesame seeds
• 1 tsp ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

Combine last 6 ingredients and marinate chicken for a minimum of 1/2 hour. 

Heat grill to medium high heat, 375 degrees, for 10 minutes.  Clean grill and add chicken.  Grill for 7 minutes, then flip.

Grill second side of chicken for about 7 minutes longer, until internal temperature reached 160 degrees.  Remove from grill, tent with foil, and rest for 10 minutes before serving.  While resting, grill asparagus.

Italian Marinated Grilled Asparagus

• 1/2 of basil dressing from Tomato and Mozzarella salad
• 1 bunch of asparagus

Equipment needed:

• Grill pan

To grill pan, add asparagus and brush with a small amount of marinade.  Add to hot grill and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning and basting with more marinade frequently.  Serve alongside of chicken.

Meatless Monday - Veggie Chili

This was my first attempt at using tempeh, and I'm not going to lie - I was a bit apprehensive.  In the end, the recipe came out very good!  It even fooled my carnivorous fiance, and tricking him into eating meatless meals are one of my favorite things!

I made this recipe using a crock pot.  If you don't have crock pot, or don't feel like using one, just cook on low on the stovetop for 1-1.5 hours.  It won't be quite as flavorful, however.

You have to add extra spice to meatless meals when using a soy-based meat substitute because it absorbs the flavors of what it is cooking in.  Play around with the spice levels to suit your personal tastes.


Tempeh Chili

• 1 package (8 oz) tempeh
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 T olive oil + 2 teaspoons
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3-4 tablespoons chili powder (depending on how hot you like it!)
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bottle good dark beer
• 1 18 oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 T tomato paste
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

 For Serving:

• Rice
• Sour Cream
• Cheddar Cheese
• Green Onions

In a large frying pan, cook onions, carrots and green bell pepper over med-high heat, until tender and a little brown (about 10 minutes) stirring occasionally.  Transfer to bottom of crock pot. 

Add tempeh to your now-empty pan and fill with water until it is almost covered. Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce and let simmer over medium-high heat for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. When water is mostly absorbed, mash tempeh with a fork, so it's crumbly but still chunky - it will resemble ground beef.  Lower heat to medium and add 2 teaspoons olive oil, garlic and spices.  Saute for another minute, then transer to crock pot.

Stir beer into the crock pot mixture. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, beans, maple syrup, and lemon juice.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

Serve over rice and top with cheese, chopped green onion and sour cream.

Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

My New Year's resolution was to eat healthier and also more organically, sustainably, & locally.  My diet has always been on the healthy side, typically organic, and often locally produced, but I just wanted to push myself a little more and rid my kitchen of anything with unpronounceable ingredients shipped from some city in Guam.

So far, I've drastically reduced the amount of meat my fiancé and I consume.  Ryan is Italian and never even considered something to be a meal without meat - and this past weekend he actually SUGGESTED getting a spinach pizza, with no meat!  This is huge!  So far, I'm proud to say that we're on a good track for fulfilling my resolution.  Now is the time for you to remind me we're only 8 days in to 2010...

With a crisper full of veggies (organic and mostly local), I pondered what to make.  Tonight's dinner was going to be a light, tasty meal that will not only be delicious, but nutritious!  I served this gratin alongside of roasted chicken for a delicious, satisfying meal.

When I refer to sweet potatoes in my recipe, do not confuse this with yams.  The yam is not even distantly related to the sweet potato, but a tuber that is much higher in natural sugar than sweet potatoes (generally yielding a much sweeter dish) and have a higher moisture content.  For this recipe, I used the paler, more yellow variety.

Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin – Serves 4

• 1 small onion, diced

• 3 T butter, divided
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 bunch red-stemmed Swiss chard
• 1 cup milk
• 1 T flour
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 very large sweet potato, sliced into about 1/4" rounds
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp parsley
• Salt & Pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 2 T of butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions until translucent. Add the Swiss chard to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the massive amounts of green leaves shrink down to 1/16th its original size (you won’t believe your eyes!). Remove from heat and strain as much of the liquid out as possible.

To make a béchamel- heat the milk over medium-high heat until bubbling. In the meantime, place 1 T of slightly softened butter into a small bowl and add the flour. Mash with a fork to combine and whisk into the milk until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt & pepper.

Spray an 8” x 8” baking dish with cooking spray and layer half of the sweet potatoes on the bottom. Layer with 1/2 of the swiss chard, then 1/3 of the cheese and sprinkle with half of the thyme and parsley. Top with half of the béchamel sauce.

Repeat with remaining potato slices, the remaining swiss chard, 1/3 of the cheese,  thyme and parsley and the rest of the béchamel sauce. Press everything down so that the entire dish is saturated with the béchamel and top with the remainder of the cheese.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until bubbling and golden-brown on top.

 

 

Stuffed Peppers

I have been wanting to tackle stuffed peppers for a while now. This meal turned out to be a very easy, light, and delicious weeknight meal!



Stuffed Bell Peppers

• 4 bell peppers in the color of your choice
• 1 cup orzo
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
• 3 links of chicken sausage (I used sundried tomato)
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 T chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring 1 cup of broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain any remaining broth.

Saute sausage in oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until lightly browned.

Combine orzo, sausage, parsley, and Parmesan.

Cut tops off of peppers and hollow out to create a bowl. Place in a baking dish and pour remaining broth around peppers.

Fill peppers with orzo mixture and divide mozzarella to top each stuffed pepper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Brussels Sprouts You Will Love, Believe Me!

Brussels sprouts are commonly mispronounced as simply brussel sprouts. The modern Brussels sprout that we are familiar with was first cultivated in large quantities in Belgium, hence the name "Brussels" sprouts. I have to admit, I was one of the wide population who mispronounced the name and I also have to admit, this was also the first time I've tried them...

Their flavor was surprisingly delicious, not as bitter or cabbage-like as I was expecting. The pancetta in this recipe gives them a delicious, salty flavor. These Brussels sprouts made many a non-sprout eater huge fans!!



Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Bits

• 1 & 1/2 lbs. Brussels sprouts
• 1/4 lb. pancetta, cubed into 1/4" cubes
• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut Brussels sprouts in half. Put them in a deep skillet or wide pot and cover with water until water is about 1/2" above the sprouts. Cover and bring to a lightly rolling boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until bright green and beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pancetta bits until crispy. Remove from heat and spoon out pancetta bits with a slotted spoon, reserving grease. Set aside.

Add Brussels sprouts to pancetta grease, tossing to coat. Spread Brussels sprouts out on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned on edges.

Place in serving bowl and top with pancetta bits.

Enjoy!

Weeknight Meal - Asian Turkey Tenderloin

Looking for something easy, yet delicious to make for a weeknight meal? Try this extremely simple (there are only 2 ingredients!) & healthy turkey tenderloin with a side of green beans and cherry tomatoes...


Asian Turkey Tenderloin

• 1 turkey tenderloin
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Place tenderloin in dish and coat all sides with hoisin sauce using a brush.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/4" slices.

Serve with jasmine rice and Asian green beans with cherry tomatoes (recipe below).


Asian Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes

• 1/2 lb green beans
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 T peanut oil
• 1 T sesame oil
• 2 T soy sauce
• 2 T sesame seeds

Heat peanut oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Add green beans and cook for 4 minutes, constantly tossing lightly.

Add cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes.

Stirs in sesame oil and soy sauce. Remove from heat and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Enjoy!

Snow Pea Sesame Noodle Salad

*My recipe was featured on www.meatlessmondays.com. See it here

This noodle salad is an excellent dish to bring to a party.

Snow Pea Sesame Noodle Salad

• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 pound snow pea pods
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
• 4 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add snow pea pods and cook 1-2 minutes, until crisp tender. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath to stop from cooking any further and to maintain a bright green color. Bring water to boil again and add spaghetti. Cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti, snow peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Bit by bit, toss in the dressing over to the spaghetti mixture until you are satisfied with the result. You probably will not need to add all of the dressing.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.

Meatless Monday - Vegetable Lasagna

Trying to come up with something other than eggplant for this week's Meatless Monday, I decided to try a vegetable lasagna.

Keep vegetables on hand at all times by buying a bunch when you see them on sale, cutting them up, and freezing them. Or, buy frozen vegetables. For this recipe, I not only used a bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, but I used frozen spinach and onions and some of the frozen bell peppers that I had bought when they were at a great price, cut them up, and froze them.

Switch the recipe up and use your favorite vegetables! This recipe would be great with zucchini or squash, or just broccoli alone.

Vegetable Lasagna

• 4 lasagna noodle sheets (if you cannot find these, simply use 8 noodles that you have boiled first)
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 bag of frozen cauliflower, broccoli, carrot mix, thawed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers (use your favorite color, or a mixture of 2 or 3) cut in a large dice
• 3 T butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 10-ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
• 24 oz. ricotta cheese
• 2 & 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, onions and bell peppers. Season with salt & pepper and saute for 7-8 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add flour to create a roux. Stir until flour and butter are blended and whisk in milk. Whisk over medium-high heat until milk becomes very thick. Add spinach & 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg.

Season ricotta cheese with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper.

In bottom of prepared dish, spread 1/3 of spinach mixture. Top with 1 layer of lasagna noodles, all of the ricotta, all of the vegetables, another 1/3 of spinach mixture, and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

Add another layer of lasagna noodles, top with remaining spinach mixture, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Bake until golden brown on top, about 30-35 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.