If you love sweet potatoes, but don't want all the dairy, try this version! People rarely notice the missing butter when I make these.
INGREDIENTS
4 medium sweet potatoes (peeling is optional)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 package of marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake (40 minutes at 450 degrees) or boil the sweet potatoes (20-25 minutes) to get them soft. Remove the ends of the potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a casserole dish and mash with a large spoon. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Continue mashing until all the ingredients are well mixed and the sweet potatoes are smooth. Spread the marshmallows evenly over the top of the sweet poatoes. Bake in 350 degree oven until the marshmallows begin to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Mr. M's zucchini & mushrooms
Ingredients
1 zucchini
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Directions
Thinly slice the zucchini. Cut the mushrooms into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat some olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce. Continue cooking until the mushrooms soften (about 5 minutes). Enjoy as a side!
1 zucchini
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Directions
Thinly slice the zucchini. Cut the mushrooms into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat some olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce. Continue cooking until the mushrooms soften (about 5 minutes). Enjoy as a side!
Healthier Chicken Tenders
These chicken tenders are a great alternative to the greasy and bad-carb super-processed chicken tenders from the frozen aisle or fast food joint. Enjoy these with your favorite dipping sauce with a lot less guilt!
Ingredients
1 lb. chicken filets, sliced 2 in. wide
2 whole wheat pitas
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry sage
olive oil
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pitas in the toaster or toaster oven until they are crisp. Use a food processor or blender to turn the pitas into the bread crumbs to coat your chicken. Combine the ground pitas, oregano, and sage in a medium size bowl. Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each piece. Place the chicken pieces one at a time in the bowl, cover with the pita and herb mixture, and place on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, turn each piece using tongs, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes.
Ingredients
1 lb. chicken filets, sliced 2 in. wide
2 whole wheat pitas
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry sage
olive oil
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pitas in the toaster or toaster oven until they are crisp. Use a food processor or blender to turn the pitas into the bread crumbs to coat your chicken. Combine the ground pitas, oregano, and sage in a medium size bowl. Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each piece. Place the chicken pieces one at a time in the bowl, cover with the pita and herb mixture, and place on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, turn each piece using tongs, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Vibacious Tilapia
When Mr. M and I were in NY visiting his family, his mom made the best tilapia ever! She was kind of enough to share the recipe below.
INGREDIENTS
Tilapia (1 lb. or more)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
AdoboSazon (with cilantro and achiote)
Lime(s)
Olive oil
1 Red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
Red onion
Sofrito
Garlic clove(s)
Grated ginger (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Vibration cooking method--measurement by hand, eye & vibe. Wash down tilapia fillets in sea salt for about 5 mins and rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, season the tilapia with olive oil, garlic & onion powders, adobo, and limes. Gently rub al ingredients in all slices. Let sit a few minutes.
Use a cast iron pan or one of your choosing, adding enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan for a quick pan fry of seasoned talapia slices. Pan fry for 5-6 minutes, turning once. Remove slices from pan.
Add more olive oil, enough to cook down the sofrito, red onion(s), garlic & colorful peppers. Now, you should have a liquid base. Add the ginger. Return talapia slices to the pan, cover & cook over low heat for 10 minutes, adding a little water or wine if needed. Serve over couscous or rice with a salad and feast!
INGREDIENTS
Tilapia (1 lb. or more)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
AdoboSazon (with cilantro and achiote)
Lime(s)
Olive oil
1 Red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
Red onion
Sofrito
Garlic clove(s)
Grated ginger (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Vibration cooking method--measurement by hand, eye & vibe. Wash down tilapia fillets in sea salt for about 5 mins and rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, season the tilapia with olive oil, garlic & onion powders, adobo, and limes. Gently rub al ingredients in all slices. Let sit a few minutes.
Use a cast iron pan or one of your choosing, adding enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan for a quick pan fry of seasoned talapia slices. Pan fry for 5-6 minutes, turning once. Remove slices from pan.
Add more olive oil, enough to cook down the sofrito, red onion(s), garlic & colorful peppers. Now, you should have a liquid base. Add the ginger. Return talapia slices to the pan, cover & cook over low heat for 10 minutes, adding a little water or wine if needed. Serve over couscous or rice with a salad and feast!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Latin American Vegetarian Food
I was in Austin, Texas a couple of weekends ago and went to my favorite restaurant, Mr. Natural. If you are a vegetarian living in Austin, you probably know about Mr. Natural and how they have fantastic lunch specials with lots of yummy vegetarian food.
For those of you who haven't been to Mr. Natural or Austin, you should know that this is THE place for Mexican vegetarian food...even vegans! Since Mexican food is known for lots of cheese and meat, the idea of making it vegetarian might sound disrespectful, but I think everyone deserves to have some good Mexican food. When you really think about it, the staples of Mexican food make it very amenable to vegetarian versions.
Soon after arriving back in Miami I was kind of sad to realize that there isn't much Mexican food here, much less vegetarian Mexican food. Now that I think about it, there aren't many vegetarian options for any type of food from Latin America around here. Then I thought, I know how to cook, what am I talking about???
So, I'm embarking on attempt to make vegetarian and vegan versions of some of my family's and my own recipes as well as any other dishes from Latin America that are begging for a vegetarian version. I'm down for the challenge, so if you have any ideas for dishes to be converted, let me know and stay tuned for the results!
For those of you who haven't been to Mr. Natural or Austin, you should know that this is THE place for Mexican vegetarian food...even vegans! Since Mexican food is known for lots of cheese and meat, the idea of making it vegetarian might sound disrespectful, but I think everyone deserves to have some good Mexican food. When you really think about it, the staples of Mexican food make it very amenable to vegetarian versions.
Soon after arriving back in Miami I was kind of sad to realize that there isn't much Mexican food here, much less vegetarian Mexican food. Now that I think about it, there aren't many vegetarian options for any type of food from Latin America around here. Then I thought, I know how to cook, what am I talking about???
So, I'm embarking on attempt to make vegetarian and vegan versions of some of my family's and my own recipes as well as any other dishes from Latin America that are begging for a vegetarian version. I'm down for the challenge, so if you have any ideas for dishes to be converted, let me know and stay tuned for the results!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Lazy vegan lunch
This is less of a recipe and more of a strategy for packing a vegan lunch that is easy to prepare the night before and you can stick in the microwave for a few minutes. I think I ate this for lunch 2-3 times a week in law school because it fits nicely in a microwavable container and it doesn't take much to prepare couscous.
Ingredients
1 cup couscous
Water
California vegetable mix or broccoli (frozen)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cumin
Nutmeg, pinch
1/2 can Chickpeas
Directions
Bring some water to a boil in a kettle. Put the couscus in a large bowl. When the water is ready, pour the boiling water over the couscous until it is just covered. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and nutmeg. Stir with a spoon and cover the bowl for about ten minutes. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Spoon the couscous into your tupperware/glad containers you'll pack for lunch along with the chickpeas and the frozen veggies. By lunchtime, the veggies will be defrosted and the spice from the couscous should give everything some flavor. You can always add additional spices on top for more flavor.
Ingredients
1 cup couscous
Water
California vegetable mix or broccoli (frozen)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cumin
Nutmeg, pinch
1/2 can Chickpeas
Directions
Bring some water to a boil in a kettle. Put the couscus in a large bowl. When the water is ready, pour the boiling water over the couscous until it is just covered. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and nutmeg. Stir with a spoon and cover the bowl for about ten minutes. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Spoon the couscous into your tupperware/glad containers you'll pack for lunch along with the chickpeas and the frozen veggies. By lunchtime, the veggies will be defrosted and the spice from the couscous should give everything some flavor. You can always add additional spices on top for more flavor.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Rosemary Citrus Halibut
It took a little experimenting with different ways of preparing this and I think this way keeps the fish moist and helps it absorb the flavors. I think the red pepper flakes give it a nice little kick, but if you don't like spicy food, the flakes are optional.
2 halibut filets
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 2 tangerines
2/3 cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the white wine vinegar, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon and tangerine zest, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in bowl. Whisk the olive oil in a little at a time and continue whisking until oil is combined well into the other ingredients. Lightly salt and pepper the halibut on both sides.
Heat the halibut over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. Add the vinaigrette so it surrounds the fish and place in the oven. Baste every 2-3 minutes. Turn the halibut over after 15 minutes and return to oven for another 10 minutes, continuing to baste every 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
2 halibut filets
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 2 tangerines
2/3 cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the white wine vinegar, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon and tangerine zest, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in bowl. Whisk the olive oil in a little at a time and continue whisking until oil is combined well into the other ingredients. Lightly salt and pepper the halibut on both sides.
Heat the halibut over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. Add the vinaigrette so it surrounds the fish and place in the oven. Baste every 2-3 minutes. Turn the halibut over after 15 minutes and return to oven for another 10 minutes, continuing to baste every 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sushi!
About a month ago I decided I wanted to learn how to make sushi. So ,I went out and got a bamboo mat, sushi rice, nori sheets, and everything else for sushi. My first attempt was a total disaster. For some reason I thought that rolling sushi would be intuitive and easy. Boy was I WRONG. Now I know why Mr. M says some people spend their entire lives learning how to make sushi. I couldn't get the rolling action going and each roll I tried ended up completely falling apart.
So, I googled "how to roll sushi" to get a clue. After reading tons of info I realized that sushi rice requires a special mix of vinegar and sugar to add flavor and that saran wrap on your prep space or covering the bamboo mat makes things so much easier. Luckily my bag of Lundberg sushi rice had a recipe on the back. My next attempt was much more successful and I made it only with cucumbers to save the expense in case this turned out to be another disaster. This attempt was a lot better, but I forgot to make the special sushi rice, so it came out very bland and the rolls were formed, but a little loose.
Third time's a charm? I felt pretty good about actually being able to make a roll, so I bought some avocado and smoked salmon for my third attempt. The rolls didn't fall apart when dipped in soy sauce! I can't claim I'm good at this, but at least my rolls stay together now. There are also a lot of rolling instructions that say to use the bamboo mat instead of your hands to roll, but I can't seem to get it right with that method, so I'm sticking with this method until someone teaches me how to do it differently.
Ingredients
2 cups sushi rice
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
Thinly sliced smoked salmon (or any other fish you want in your roll)
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Rinse the rice in a colander until the water comes out clear. Cook the rice with the water in a pot until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is done, set it aside and let it cool so you don't burn your hands while preparing the sushi rolls. Transfer the rice into a large bowl. DO NOT refrigerate the rice.
In a pan over low-medium heat, mix the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar until the sugar is absorbed. When your rice is cool enough to handle, slowly add the vinegar mixture into the rice with your hands. I tried this with a spoon at first, but it works a lot better if you use your hands.
Next, place a sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board or whatever flat surface you plan to use to make the rolls. Lay a nori sheet on the board, add a very thin layer of rice, and then sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the rice. Flip the nori sheet with rice over (the rice should stick to the sheet).
Add a thin line of each filling toward the bottom of the nori sheet. Carefully begin rolling the sheet making sure it's not too loose or too tight so the ingredients don't fall out when you cut the roll. Once you've rolled the sheet, place a bamboo mat over the roll and give it a gentle squeeze to better form the roll. Flip the roll and squeeze with the bamboo mat again. Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into bite size pieces.
So, I googled "how to roll sushi" to get a clue. After reading tons of info I realized that sushi rice requires a special mix of vinegar and sugar to add flavor and that saran wrap on your prep space or covering the bamboo mat makes things so much easier. Luckily my bag of Lundberg sushi rice had a recipe on the back. My next attempt was much more successful and I made it only with cucumbers to save the expense in case this turned out to be another disaster. This attempt was a lot better, but I forgot to make the special sushi rice, so it came out very bland and the rolls were formed, but a little loose.
Third time's a charm? I felt pretty good about actually being able to make a roll, so I bought some avocado and smoked salmon for my third attempt. The rolls didn't fall apart when dipped in soy sauce! I can't claim I'm good at this, but at least my rolls stay together now. There are also a lot of rolling instructions that say to use the bamboo mat instead of your hands to roll, but I can't seem to get it right with that method, so I'm sticking with this method until someone teaches me how to do it differently.
Ingredients
2 cups sushi rice
3 cups water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
Thinly sliced smoked salmon (or any other fish you want in your roll)
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Rinse the rice in a colander until the water comes out clear. Cook the rice with the water in a pot until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is done, set it aside and let it cool so you don't burn your hands while preparing the sushi rolls. Transfer the rice into a large bowl. DO NOT refrigerate the rice.
In a pan over low-medium heat, mix the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar until the sugar is absorbed. When your rice is cool enough to handle, slowly add the vinegar mixture into the rice with your hands. I tried this with a spoon at first, but it works a lot better if you use your hands.
Next, place a sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board or whatever flat surface you plan to use to make the rolls. Lay a nori sheet on the board, add a very thin layer of rice, and then sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the rice. Flip the nori sheet with rice over (the rice should stick to the sheet).
Add a thin line of each filling toward the bottom of the nori sheet. Carefully begin rolling the sheet making sure it's not too loose or too tight so the ingredients don't fall out when you cut the roll. Once you've rolled the sheet, place a bamboo mat over the roll and give it a gentle squeeze to better form the roll. Flip the roll and squeeze with the bamboo mat again. Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into bite size pieces.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tofu & veggie stir fry
I've always had trouble getting tofu to stir fry with a nice texture. So, this time I looked up how it's done on Cooks Illustrated and learned the secret--cornstarch. A quick dip gives the tofu a nice slightly crunchy texture and makes the tofu so much more enjoyable.
Ingredients
1 package of low fat extra firm tofu, cut into triangles
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp powdered ginger
1 bag frozen Asian veggie blend
1/2 package lettuce salad mix (I used a 5 lettuce blend)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
Place the cornstarch in a bowl and dip the tofu triangles in the cornstarch and set aside on a clean plate. Once all the tofu is lightly coated with the cornstarch, heat 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 tbsp. of soy sauce and sugar. Add the soy sauce and sugar mixture to the tofu and cook the tofu with the mixture for another 3-5 minutes and making sure you coat the tofu.
Remove the tofu and place on plates. Heat the other tsp. of vegetable oil and sesame seed oil in the pan. Place the garlic, frozen veggies, and carrots in the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft and the other veggies are warm. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of soy sauce, ginger, and lettuce. Stir continuously until the lettuce wilts and place on the plates with tofu immediately.
Ingredients
1 package of low fat extra firm tofu, cut into triangles
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp powdered ginger
1 bag frozen Asian veggie blend
1/2 package lettuce salad mix (I used a 5 lettuce blend)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
Place the cornstarch in a bowl and dip the tofu triangles in the cornstarch and set aside on a clean plate. Once all the tofu is lightly coated with the cornstarch, heat 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 tbsp. of soy sauce and sugar. Add the soy sauce and sugar mixture to the tofu and cook the tofu with the mixture for another 3-5 minutes and making sure you coat the tofu.
Remove the tofu and place on plates. Heat the other tsp. of vegetable oil and sesame seed oil in the pan. Place the garlic, frozen veggies, and carrots in the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft and the other veggies are warm. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of soy sauce, ginger, and lettuce. Stir continuously until the lettuce wilts and place on the plates with tofu immediately.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Noodle Soup
I felt inspired to make a hot bowl of soup after watching Anthony Bourdain in Laos. The noodle soup he had for breakfast one day looked so great I just had to try making my own. So, here is my attempt to recreate what I saw on No Reservations keeping in mind soups I've had at Thai restaurants and using ingredients I had in the fridge and the cupboard.
Ingredients
Rice Noodles
5 cups water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped (only the white part)
7 chicken tender strips, cut into 1 inch squares
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
red pepper flakes (topping)
red pepper paste (topping)
green onion (chopped)
2 cloves of fried garlic, finely chopped (topping)
Instructions
Heat the oil over medium heat and add the 3 cloves of garlic, celery, and leek. Cook until tender. Add chicken and cook for about 5-8 minutes or until cooked through. Add water, rice noodles. salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook until noodles are al dente and then add the mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are done. Pour into bowls and then add the amount of each topping you like for your soup. Mix everything around in the bowl and enjoy!
Ingredients
Rice Noodles
5 cups water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped (only the white part)
7 chicken tender strips, cut into 1 inch squares
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
red pepper flakes (topping)
red pepper paste (topping)
green onion (chopped)
2 cloves of fried garlic, finely chopped (topping)
Instructions
Heat the oil over medium heat and add the 3 cloves of garlic, celery, and leek. Cook until tender. Add chicken and cook for about 5-8 minutes or until cooked through. Add water, rice noodles. salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook until noodles are al dente and then add the mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are done. Pour into bowls and then add the amount of each topping you like for your soup. Mix everything around in the bowl and enjoy!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Pan Roasted Snapper
I don't normally use butter, but the butter in this recipe gives the fish a nice color and flavor.
Ingredients
2 snapper filets
Regular salt
Black pepper
4 pinches of dry thyme
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp peanut oil
Instructions
Salt and pepper the fish on both sides and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in the a pan for about 1 minute. Add the fish and cook for 3 minutes, turn over and cook for another 3 minutes. If your fish has skin on one side, then cook the skin side first for 5 instead of 3 minutes. Turn the fish over again and add a pinch of thyme to each filet. Add the butter and baste the fish for 2 minutes with the butter. Turn the fish over and add a pinch of thyme to each filet. Continue basting the fish for another 2 minutes.
Ingredients
2 snapper filets
Regular salt
Black pepper
4 pinches of dry thyme
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp peanut oil
Instructions
Salt and pepper the fish on both sides and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in the a pan for about 1 minute. Add the fish and cook for 3 minutes, turn over and cook for another 3 minutes. If your fish has skin on one side, then cook the skin side first for 5 instead of 3 minutes. Turn the fish over again and add a pinch of thyme to each filet. Add the butter and baste the fish for 2 minutes with the butter. Turn the fish over and add a pinch of thyme to each filet. Continue basting the fish for another 2 minutes.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This recipe is the vegan version of the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe on the lid of Quaker Oats. Just substitute the egg replacer with 2 real eggs and the margarine for butter if you want the original version. Warning: this recipe makes 4 dozen cookies!
Ingredients
2 sticks margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups uncooked Quaker Oats
1 cup raisins
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 tbsp of warm water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Mix the egg replacer in a small bowl, add the vanilla, then add to the dry ingredients. Beat the margarine and sugars until creamy in the small bowl and then add to the rest of ingredients in the large bowl. Stir in the oats and raisins last and mix well. Place rounded tablespoons of the mix onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Let them cook and then watch them vanish!
Ingredients
2 sticks margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups uncooked Quaker Oats
1 cup raisins
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 tbsp of warm water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Mix the egg replacer in a small bowl, add the vanilla, then add to the dry ingredients. Beat the margarine and sugars until creamy in the small bowl and then add to the rest of ingredients in the large bowl. Stir in the oats and raisins last and mix well. Place rounded tablespoons of the mix onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Let them cook and then watch them vanish!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Lemon Thyme Zucchini
The original Tom Colicchio recipe calls for fresh lemon thyme, but I couldn't find any at the grocery store. So, I used dried thyme and lemon juice to make up for it. The result was very delicious zucchini. I threw the zucchini on top of some pasta and it was perfect.
Ingredients
6 small zucchini
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. thyme
salt & pepper
water
12 black pitted olives
Instructions
Slice the zucchini into thin rounds, put them in a bowl and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the zucchini. Heat the zucchini for about 5 minutes, then add the lemon juice and thyme and heat and add some water so it covers the bottom of the pan every 2-3 minutes for a total of 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, and olives and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Ingredients
6 small zucchini
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. thyme
salt & pepper
water
12 black pitted olives
Instructions
Slice the zucchini into thin rounds, put them in a bowl and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the zucchini. Heat the zucchini for about 5 minutes, then add the lemon juice and thyme and heat and add some water so it covers the bottom of the pan every 2-3 minutes for a total of 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, and olives and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Greens w/ parmesan & spice
The inspiration for this recipe comes from Giada De Laurentis. I made this dish for Thanksgiving last year and it was awesome. Just enough spice and cheese to keep things interesting.
Ingredients
3/4 lb. green beans
3/4 lb. wax beans
1 small box of pre-cut mushrooms
1 bunch of kale, stemmed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp. grated parmesan
1/2 onion, diced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil
Instructions
Heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and heat for 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, wax beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 4 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green and wax beans are almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan on top.
Ingredients
3/4 lb. green beans
3/4 lb. wax beans
1 small box of pre-cut mushrooms
1 bunch of kale, stemmed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp. grated parmesan
1/2 onion, diced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil
Instructions
Heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and heat for 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, wax beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 4 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green and wax beans are almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan on top.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Flavorful Cod
I hadn't gone grocery shopping in a while when I came up with this, so as you can see, it's just dried spices with cod filets. Very simple, but very tasty!
Ingredients
2 cod filets, salted and peppered on each side
dash of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. olive oil
Instructions
Combine the red pepper flaks, thyme, and oregano in a bowl. Coat each filet with 1/2 tsp. of olive oil and then sprinkle the seasonings on each side. Heat the remaining 1 tsp. of olive oil over medium heat and add the fish. Heat the fish for 4 minutes on each side and serve hot.
Ingredients
2 cod filets, salted and peppered on each side
dash of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. olive oil
Instructions
Combine the red pepper flaks, thyme, and oregano in a bowl. Coat each filet with 1/2 tsp. of olive oil and then sprinkle the seasonings on each side. Heat the remaining 1 tsp. of olive oil over medium heat and add the fish. Heat the fish for 4 minutes on each side and serve hot.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Ginger Pear Muffins
These are Mr. M's favorite muffins. The ginger is subtle and the brown sugar on top makes them extra sweet!
Ingredients
3 pears, peeled and choped
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. sugar
/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
2 eggs
6 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
margarine
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients i(except pears and brown sugar) in separate bowls and then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then add the pears to the mix. Line 12 muffin pans with margarine and evenly distribute the mix into the muffin pan. Add 1/2 tsp. of brown sugar on top of each muffin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. Let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes and then enjoy!
Ingredients
3 pears, peeled and choped
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. sugar
/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
2 eggs
6 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
margarine
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients i(except pears and brown sugar) in separate bowls and then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then add the pears to the mix. Line 12 muffin pans with margarine and evenly distribute the mix into the muffin pan. Add 1/2 tsp. of brown sugar on top of each muffin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. Let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes and then enjoy!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Potato Salad
This potato salad gets an extra kick from dijon mustard. If you don't want the spice in the salad, stick with mayo.
Ingredients
6-7 small russett potatoes cut into cubes
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
water
Instructions
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Bring the eggs to a boil in another pot, cover, turn off heat, and let the eggs sit in the covered pot for 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl, add the vinegar, and combine gently without breaking up the potatoes. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the mustard, mayo, onion, garlic, and pepper. Add the boiled egg to the mixture and then slowly mix into the potatoes. If you have some fresh basil on hand, chop it up and top the salad with the basil.
Ingredients
6-7 small russett potatoes cut into cubes
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
water
Instructions
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Bring the eggs to a boil in another pot, cover, turn off heat, and let the eggs sit in the covered pot for 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl, add the vinegar, and combine gently without breaking up the potatoes. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the mustard, mayo, onion, garlic, and pepper. Add the boiled egg to the mixture and then slowly mix into the potatoes. If you have some fresh basil on hand, chop it up and top the salad with the basil.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Spicy Black Bean Soup
Spicy black bean soup....what else can I say? I know this looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's really easy and you can turn it into a vegan version by using only water instead of chicken broth. Mr. M doesn't normally like soup, but he ate 2 bowls tonight! Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion, celery, garlic, greenonion, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes. Add beans, chickenstock, water, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and cilantro, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. You can either serve the soup as is or pulse in a blender to make it a thicker soup.
Ingredients
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion, celery, garlic, greenonion, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes. Add beans, chickenstock, water, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and cilantro, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. You can either serve the soup as is or pulse in a blender to make it a thicker soup.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Berry Protein Smoothie
This is a typical breakfast smoothie for me after a run. Very easy and very fast. Bananas add a nice consistency to protein shakes. I find them too watery without the banana. You can always substitute the strawberries for other berries--blueberries and rasberries are good choices. A good blender is a plus for one serving, but a higher quality blender is probably necessary if you make several servings at a time on a regular basis. I am so excited b/c I just ordered the Braun PowerMax blender from amazon.com, so it should arrive in next week.
Ingredients
8 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla or unflavored protein powder (18 grams of protein)
1 banana, chopped into 5 pieces
3 strawberries, sliced and green tops removed
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
Instructions
Pour water into the blender jug and add the protein powder, strawberries, and flax seeds. Blend at medium speed and add the banana pieces one by one. I usually add a few ice cubes to my cup before pouring the smoothie b/c I take it with me to work.
Ingredients
8 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla or unflavored protein powder (18 grams of protein)
1 banana, chopped into 5 pieces
3 strawberries, sliced and green tops removed
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
Instructions
Pour water into the blender jug and add the protein powder, strawberries, and flax seeds. Blend at medium speed and add the banana pieces one by one. I usually add a few ice cubes to my cup before pouring the smoothie b/c I take it with me to work.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Jambalaya
I tried a Jambalaya recipe yesterday, but there were a few things about it that I think should be changed because it called for almost a whole stick of butter and only 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. There are several kinds of Jambalaya with different varieties of proteins and spice, so here is my version. Prep is minimal, but the cooking takes about an hour.
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1/2 cup clams
1/4 cup oysters
1 link andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
4 chicken thighs
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 14 1/2 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne peper
Place half the butter in a large skillet or saucepan and brown the chicken over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. Set aside the chicken and heat the andouille sausage for 3 minutes. Set aside the andouille and then saute the rest of the butter, onion, green onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic until tender. Add the seafood and cook for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and cayenne and heat for 15 minutes. Add the rice, chicken broth, chicken, and sausage and stir to combine everything. Cover the skillet or saucepan and cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, the shrimp are pink, and the rice is tender.
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1/2 cup clams
1/4 cup oysters
1 link andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
4 chicken thighs
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 14 1/2 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne peper
Place half the butter in a large skillet or saucepan and brown the chicken over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. Set aside the chicken and heat the andouille sausage for 3 minutes. Set aside the andouille and then saute the rest of the butter, onion, green onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic until tender. Add the seafood and cook for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and cayenne and heat for 15 minutes. Add the rice, chicken broth, chicken, and sausage and stir to combine everything. Cover the skillet or saucepan and cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, the shrimp are pink, and the rice is tender.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Snapper w/ tomatoes
I've adapted a very time consuming recipe to an my version of Snapper Veracruz style. The original recipe was too much work for me. So, I make this version off the top of my head which is a lot faster and just as good...at least I think so!
Ingredients
Four 8 oz. skinless snapper
Juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp salt
3 bay leaves
3 jalapenos from a jar, chopped
3 tomoatoes, peeled and chopped (or 1 can chopped tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper for the fish
Instructions
Heat the olive oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Salt and pepper the fish on both sides and add to the pan. Heat the fist for 2 minutes on each side. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, lime juice, and jalapenos and cover for 5 minutes. Turn the fish over, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice.
Ingredients
Four 8 oz. skinless snapper
Juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp salt
3 bay leaves
3 jalapenos from a jar, chopped
3 tomoatoes, peeled and chopped (or 1 can chopped tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper for the fish
Instructions
Heat the olive oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Salt and pepper the fish on both sides and add to the pan. Heat the fist for 2 minutes on each side. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, lime juice, and jalapenos and cover for 5 minutes. Turn the fish over, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Pancakes
I love breakfast and pancakes are always a treat. If you prepare your dry ingredients ahead of time and store you can save the environment the packaging of a store bought mix.
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients ina bowl. Pour the batter onto a hot griddle and heat until small bubles cover the entire surface of the pancake, then flip the pancake over and continue heating for a few minutes until golden brown.
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients ina bowl. Pour the batter onto a hot griddle and heat until small bubles cover the entire surface of the pancake, then flip the pancake over and continue heating for a few minutes until golden brown.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Cornish Hens
These are super-fast and super-easy. Throw in veggies or sprinkle different herbs or rubs on top to vary the flavor.
Ingredients
2 cornish hens
4 tbsp grainy mustard
2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 2 slices of bread at the bottom of a small baking pan and place the hens in the pan. Pour the canola oil over the hens. Spread the mustard evenly over the hens. Cook for 45 minuts.
Ingredients
2 cornish hens
4 tbsp grainy mustard
2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 2 slices of bread at the bottom of a small baking pan and place the hens in the pan. Pour the canola oil over the hens. Spread the mustard evenly over the hens. Cook for 45 minuts.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Chicken Saltimbocca
Chicken and prosciutto is such a great combination. This dish is pretty easy, but once you slice the chicken, it looks really fancy.
Ingredients
4 chicken cutlets
1 cup fresh baby spinach
4 slices of prosciutto
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup chicken broth
Juice from 1 lemon
olive oil
salt
pepper
Instructions
Salt and pepper the chicken. Place 1 slice of prosciutto on each chicken cutlet. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over each cutlet. Cover the cheese with the spinach on each cutlet (dividing the spinach evenly between the 4 cutlets). Starting at the short end, roll each cutlet and secure with toothpicks.
Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the chicken and brown on each side, about 3 minutes each side. dd the chicken broth and lemon juice and boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. If you want some extra flavor and sauce for the chicken, remove the chicken from the pan and reduce the remaining liquid for another 5 minutes.
Ingredients
4 chicken cutlets
1 cup fresh baby spinach
4 slices of prosciutto
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup chicken broth
Juice from 1 lemon
olive oil
salt
pepper
Instructions
Salt and pepper the chicken. Place 1 slice of prosciutto on each chicken cutlet. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over each cutlet. Cover the cheese with the spinach on each cutlet (dividing the spinach evenly between the 4 cutlets). Starting at the short end, roll each cutlet and secure with toothpicks.
Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the chicken and brown on each side, about 3 minutes each side. dd the chicken broth and lemon juice and boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. If you want some extra flavor and sauce for the chicken, remove the chicken from the pan and reduce the remaining liquid for another 5 minutes.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Low-fat Chicken Molé
Molé is a Mexican sauce that is known for the combination of chocolate and spice. It's normally a very heavy sauce that you can pour over chicken and enchiladas. Making traditional molé from scratch will take forever and good luck finding the different kinds of chiles that go into it if you are not in Mexico or the southwestern US.
So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this low fat, easy, and healthy version of molé! I know, it's totally cheating the original dish, but yes, I like instant gratification, and this recipe is awesome and good for you. Plus, it's not like there is a Mexican restaurant in Miami that is going to serve me the kind of molé I grew up eating.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs chicken (breast)
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
14 1/2 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Spray olive oil from a mister ino a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 8 minutes, turn, and brown the other side for another 8 minutes. Remove the chiken and set aside. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, and cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Return the chicken to the skillet and combine with the vegetables and spices. Add the tomatoes with their juice, peanut butter, and cocoa powder and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, stirring every few minutes. Turn the chicken over after about 15 minutes and continue cooking for another 10 minutes covered.
So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this low fat, easy, and healthy version of molé! I know, it's totally cheating the original dish, but yes, I like instant gratification, and this recipe is awesome and good for you. Plus, it's not like there is a Mexican restaurant in Miami that is going to serve me the kind of molé I grew up eating.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs chicken (breast)
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
14 1/2 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Spray olive oil from a mister ino a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 8 minutes, turn, and brown the other side for another 8 minutes. Remove the chiken and set aside. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, and cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Return the chicken to the skillet and combine with the vegetables and spices. Add the tomatoes with their juice, peanut butter, and cocoa powder and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, stirring every few minutes. Turn the chicken over after about 15 minutes and continue cooking for another 10 minutes covered.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Chickpea salad
Orangette has a a fantastic recipe for a chickpea salad. I added a little parsley in it last night and it was awesome and oh so easy.
Vegan Apple Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
These muffins are fantastic. Seriously, don't let the word "vegan" throw you off. If you really want your eggs and milk, just substitute them in and you'll have regular muffins that are just as great!
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin pan with margarine. In a small bowl, beat the Ener-G Egg Replacer powder in 2 tablespoons of water. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the mix is moist ; add all other ingredients mixing just until moistened. Pour into greased muffin pan 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done. Makes 12 large muffins.
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oatmeal (uncooked, non-instant)
3/4 cup non-fat soy milk
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped apple (peeled or unpeeled--it's up to you...I prefer peeled)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer beaten in 2 tablespoons of water
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 mashed banana
Margarine to grease pan
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin pan with margarine. In a small bowl, beat the Ener-G Egg Replacer powder in 2 tablespoons of water. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the mix is moist ; add all other ingredients mixing just until moistened. Pour into greased muffin pan 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done. Makes 12 large muffins.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Baked sweet potato fries
I love french fries. Unfortunately they are bad for you and are usually made with tons of grease, oil, and worst of all, are fried. Normally this would not stop me (see prior posts on garlic lemon potatos and spicy home fries), but I'm getting ready to train for the Army 10 Miler and need to drop some of the weight from the diet "break" I've been on since the Miami 1/2 marathon in January.
What's the alternative to traditional french fries? Baked sweet potato fries! They aren't just nutritious, they taste really good! Hmmm, so fried potatoes or a yummy baked non-greasy version that has vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin A? Now that's a compromise I'm willing to make.
Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, sliced the way you want your fries to look (thick wedges or thin shoestring slices?)
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
pepper
Instructions
Make sure your oven rack is in the upper middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pour about 1/2 tablepoon on the baking sheet and distribute evenly using a paper towel so the potatoes don't stick. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the oil, salt, and as much pepper as you want on the fries. Place the potatos on the baking sheet so there is some space between each slice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn them over with a metal spatula and bake for another 15 minutes. Place the potatoes in a paper towel-lined basket to absorb any excess oil and serve immediately.
What's the alternative to traditional french fries? Baked sweet potato fries! They aren't just nutritious, they taste really good! Hmmm, so fried potatoes or a yummy baked non-greasy version that has vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin A? Now that's a compromise I'm willing to make.
Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, sliced the way you want your fries to look (thick wedges or thin shoestring slices?)
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
pepper
Instructions
Make sure your oven rack is in the upper middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pour about 1/2 tablepoon on the baking sheet and distribute evenly using a paper towel so the potatoes don't stick. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the oil, salt, and as much pepper as you want on the fries. Place the potatos on the baking sheet so there is some space between each slice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn them over with a metal spatula and bake for another 15 minutes. Place the potatoes in a paper towel-lined basket to absorb any excess oil and serve immediately.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Vegan Potage Parmentier (potato leek soup)
I know, butter and heavy cream taste soooo good. They make me really ill without a box of lactaid though. I bought butter the other day to include in the soup, but I completely forgot to put it in. The result was a very tasty soup that was extremely easy to make that happens to be vegan. And I don't even have a vegetable peeler!
This recipe serves 3.
Ingredients
2 leeks, finely chopped (only the white and light green parts)
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups of water (or chicken stock for a meat eater version)
1/2 tablespoon salt
fresh parsley/chives for garnish
Bring the leeks, potatoes and salt to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30-35 minutes. Pour the soup into a blender (if you have a food mill, use that instead) and pulse until the soup is smooth. Pour the soup through a sieve into a large bowl.
If you want the softened butter/heavy cream, add a teaspoon to each serving.
Garnish with a sprig of parsley or chives. Enjoy hot or cold.
This recipe serves 3.
Ingredients
2 leeks, finely chopped (only the white and light green parts)
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups of water (or chicken stock for a meat eater version)
1/2 tablespoon salt
fresh parsley/chives for garnish
Bring the leeks, potatoes and salt to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30-35 minutes. Pour the soup into a blender (if you have a food mill, use that instead) and pulse until the soup is smooth. Pour the soup through a sieve into a large bowl.
If you want the softened butter/heavy cream, add a teaspoon to each serving.
Garnish with a sprig of parsley or chives. Enjoy hot or cold.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon
I got over dealing with red and bloody meat for Mr. M's birthday. It was surprisingly simple and easy although I had to use plastic baggies for my hands so I didn't actually touch the meat with my bare hands.
Instructions
2 filet mignons, about 1 inch thick
salt
pepper
vegetable oil
Instructions
Dip a brush in vegetable oile and brush the meat with oil. Salt both sides of the meat and generously pepper the meat all around. Cook the meat over high heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the cut. To determine how rare or well done the meat is, push down on the meat with a spatula or tongs. Well done meat will not give very much when you push and the rarer the meat, the less give the meat will give when you push down. If you keep testing the meat once you've turned it over once, you start to get an idea of how much the meat is cooking.
Instructions
2 filet mignons, about 1 inch thick
salt
pepper
vegetable oil
Instructions
Dip a brush in vegetable oile and brush the meat with oil. Salt both sides of the meat and generously pepper the meat all around. Cook the meat over high heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the cut. To determine how rare or well done the meat is, push down on the meat with a spatula or tongs. Well done meat will not give very much when you push and the rarer the meat, the less give the meat will give when you push down. If you keep testing the meat once you've turned it over once, you start to get an idea of how much the meat is cooking.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Goat cheese & grape crostini
I know this sounds like it won't taste good, but I promise it does! My original source for this recipe was in a recent issue of Bon Appetit which calls for herbed goat cheese and both green and red grapes. I've tried this a few times and found that adding basil and a hint of sage to the goat cheese is a tastier than the herbed goat cheese available at my local grocery store. Also, either red or green grapes work well, but it will be much more colorful with both.
Ingredients
French baguette
15-20 Green and/or Red seedless grapes
6 oz. Goat cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp sage
salt
pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguette into small pieces, spray olive oil on one side of each piece, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes so it gets a little crunchy.
Mix the goat cheese, basil, and sage in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the grapes lengthwise.
Spread the goat cheese mixture on each slice of bread and sprinkle the grapes over the slices. Voila!
Ingredients
French baguette
15-20 Green and/or Red seedless grapes
6 oz. Goat cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp sage
salt
pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguette into small pieces, spray olive oil on one side of each piece, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes so it gets a little crunchy.
Mix the goat cheese, basil, and sage in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the grapes lengthwise.
Spread the goat cheese mixture on each slice of bread and sprinkle the grapes over the slices. Voila!
Friday, May 23, 2008
update on recipe contest
My inspiration is sauvignon blanc and the main ingredient is halibut. Now, the tricky part is figuring out something creative that tastes good and goes well with the wine. My recipe is still a work in progress, but I'm working on getting the right balance of lemon, tangerine, rosemary, and a little spice.
The first method I used was cooking the fish in parchment paper packets, but the cuts were so thick they didn't absorb all the flavors as well as I had hoped. The second attempt was slow braising and that worked a lot better, but I let the fish cook too long. I think I'm sticking with the braising, but I have to figure out the right amount of time and right amount all the other ingredients to make it better.
The first method I used was cooking the fish in parchment paper packets, but the cuts were so thick they didn't absorb all the flavors as well as I had hoped. The second attempt was slow braising and that worked a lot better, but I let the fish cook too long. I think I'm sticking with the braising, but I have to figure out the right amount of time and right amount all the other ingredients to make it better.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Mini-breakfast sandwich
Yes, this is something else I came up with because I had extra rolls and extra prosciutto and needed to do something with it. Who knew challah rolls would taste so good for breakfast?
Ingredients
4 eggs
4 slices prosciutto
4 challah rolls
salt and pepper
Instructions
Slice the challah rolls in half and heat on a griddle or large pan for about 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. Scramble the eggs with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly in a pan over medium heat. Remove eggs and set aside. Heat the prosciutto in the pan for about 1 minute each side. Place one slice of prosciutto over 1/2 of each roll, add eggs to each roll, cover each sandwich with other half of roll and keep each sandwich together with a toothpick.
See, prosciutto makes everything taste good, doesn't it?
Ingredients
4 eggs
4 slices prosciutto
4 challah rolls
salt and pepper
Instructions
Slice the challah rolls in half and heat on a griddle or large pan for about 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. Scramble the eggs with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly in a pan over medium heat. Remove eggs and set aside. Heat the prosciutto in the pan for about 1 minute each side. Place one slice of prosciutto over 1/2 of each roll, add eggs to each roll, cover each sandwich with other half of roll and keep each sandwich together with a toothpick.
See, prosciutto makes everything taste good, doesn't it?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Carrots & Kale
Kale can seem like an intimidating vegetable, but this recipe will be a hit, even with veggie haters.
Ingredients
6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped and stems removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar (or 8 drops of liquid stevia if watching sugar intake)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups water
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the carrots and kale and cook until the carrots soften and the kale turns a lighter green. I suggest adding the kale after the carrots have been boiling about 2-3 minutes so it doesn't get too soggy. Drain the vegetables. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the vegetables and gently stir in the vinegar and soy sauce. Add the brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coverthe pan and let the liquid reduce for about 3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Credit: this recipe is a modification of the recipe found in Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet
Ingredients
6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped and stems removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar (or 8 drops of liquid stevia if watching sugar intake)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups water
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the carrots and kale and cook until the carrots soften and the kale turns a lighter green. I suggest adding the kale after the carrots have been boiling about 2-3 minutes so it doesn't get too soggy. Drain the vegetables. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the vegetables and gently stir in the vinegar and soy sauce. Add the brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coverthe pan and let the liquid reduce for about 3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Credit: this recipe is a modification of the recipe found in Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet
Monday, May 19, 2008
Migas
Migas are a Tex-Mex breakfast favorite and a snap to make. Some people add a bunch of ingredients, but I prefer this recipe.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 corn tortillas
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup refried beans
Instructions
Scramble the eggs in a bowl with the pepper and set aside. Cut the tortillas into strips and then into squares. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onions. Cook the onions until they are starting to become translucent, then add the tortillas. Heat the tortillas until they are soft and heated through. Add the eggs and cook until the eggs are done.
Top with your favorite salsa and serve with a side of refried beans. Serves 3.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 corn tortillas
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup refried beans
Instructions
Scramble the eggs in a bowl with the pepper and set aside. Cut the tortillas into strips and then into squares. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onions. Cook the onions until they are starting to become translucent, then add the tortillas. Heat the tortillas until they are soft and heated through. Add the eggs and cook until the eggs are done.
Top with your favorite salsa and serve with a side of refried beans. Serves 3.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Tastebook.com
I just found out about this awesome website, http://www.tastebook.com/
You can create your own personalized cookbook! You create a hard cover, spiral bound book with ten categories of recipes to add 25-100 recipes. The photos are beautiful and you can add your own. You can type in your own recipes or pull recipes from different websites like epicurious.com, simplyrecipes.com, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet.
Pretty cool, huh?
You can create your own personalized cookbook! You create a hard cover, spiral bound book with ten categories of recipes to add 25-100 recipes. The photos are beautiful and you can add your own. You can type in your own recipes or pull recipes from different websites like epicurious.com, simplyrecipes.com, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet.
Pretty cool, huh?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Muffuletta
Muffuletta [muhf-uh-let-uh] (n): a thick, round sandwich similar to a hero, typically containing ham, salami, and cheeses and topped with an olive salad, a specialty of New Orleans.
Central Grocery on Decatur Street in New Orleans is the gold standard of muffulettas. You MUST try one when you are in New Orleans.
The bread you use for this sandwich is extremely important because you can't just throw these hearty ingredients onto any old bread or else it wouldn't be a muffaletta, now would it? A large (8-10 in. diameter) round loaf of Sicilian/Italian bread is usually be hard to find outside of New Orleans, but luckily, I found a place on North Miami Beach, Laurenzo's Italian Market (http://www.laurenzosmarket.com/home.html), that makes fresh Sicilian bread each day. If you can't find the bread, there is a recipe at NOLA Cuisine (http://www.nolacuisine.com/2005/08/21/muffuletta-bread-recipe/).
The next important part of the Muffuletta is the olive salad. I've seen a few variations of the olive salad and decided to leave out gardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots, celery, and pperoncini) because I had a hard time finding it and I don't really want cauliflower in my sandwich.
Mr. M gave the following recipe his seal of approval and even liked this muffuletta more than the one we had in the Big Easy. Yeah, baby!
Olive Salad Ingredients
1 cup pitted green olives, very coarsely chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, very coarsely chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Juice from 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
Sandwich Ingredients
6 oz. Hard Salami
6 oz. Mortadella
6 oz. Provolone cheese
1 round loaf (Sicilian or Italian with sesame seeds on top), 8-10 inches in diameter
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours to allow all the flavors to combine and marinate.
Cut the loaf of bread in half. Depending on how much time you have and how thick you want your sandwich, either jump right into assembly or dig some of the bread out to make room for all the toppings.
To assemble the Muffuletta, use a brush to spread any excess oil from the olive salad over the bread, spread one layer of olive salad on the Sicilian loaf, add a layer of salami, then a layer of provolone cheese, a layer of mortadella, then another layer of olive salad. Cover with the top half of the bread.
If you have time or didn't scoop any bread out, cover the sandwich with a plate and weigh it down with some cans for 30-45 minutes. If you don't have much time, want an extra thick sandwich, or scooped most of the bread out, then skip this step.
Traditionally, you're supposed to cut the muffuletta into quarters, but that's a little too much for me, so I recommend cutting it into eighths. One muffuletta will serve anywhere from 2-8 people, depending on the hunger level :)
Central Grocery on Decatur Street in New Orleans is the gold standard of muffulettas. You MUST try one when you are in New Orleans.
The bread you use for this sandwich is extremely important because you can't just throw these hearty ingredients onto any old bread or else it wouldn't be a muffaletta, now would it? A large (8-10 in. diameter) round loaf of Sicilian/Italian bread is usually be hard to find outside of New Orleans, but luckily, I found a place on North Miami Beach, Laurenzo's Italian Market (http://www.laurenzosmarket.com/home.html), that makes fresh Sicilian bread each day. If you can't find the bread, there is a recipe at NOLA Cuisine (http://www.nolacuisine.com/2005/08/21/muffuletta-bread-recipe/).
The next important part of the Muffuletta is the olive salad. I've seen a few variations of the olive salad and decided to leave out gardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots, celery, and pperoncini) because I had a hard time finding it and I don't really want cauliflower in my sandwich.
Mr. M gave the following recipe his seal of approval and even liked this muffuletta more than the one we had in the Big Easy. Yeah, baby!
Olive Salad Ingredients
1 cup pitted green olives, very coarsely chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, very coarsely chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Juice from 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
Sandwich Ingredients
6 oz. Hard Salami
6 oz. Mortadella
6 oz. Provolone cheese
1 round loaf (Sicilian or Italian with sesame seeds on top), 8-10 inches in diameter
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 24-48 hours to allow all the flavors to combine and marinate.
Cut the loaf of bread in half. Depending on how much time you have and how thick you want your sandwich, either jump right into assembly or dig some of the bread out to make room for all the toppings.
To assemble the Muffuletta, use a brush to spread any excess oil from the olive salad over the bread, spread one layer of olive salad on the Sicilian loaf, add a layer of salami, then a layer of provolone cheese, a layer of mortadella, then another layer of olive salad. Cover with the top half of the bread.
If you have time or didn't scoop any bread out, cover the sandwich with a plate and weigh it down with some cans for 30-45 minutes. If you don't have much time, want an extra thick sandwich, or scooped most of the bread out, then skip this step.
Traditionally, you're supposed to cut the muffuletta into quarters, but that's a little too much for me, so I recommend cutting it into eighths. One muffuletta will serve anywhere from 2-8 people, depending on the hunger level :)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Panettone
Panettone is an Italian holiday bread that is made with candied oranges, raisins, and sometimes chocolate. It's easy to find during the holidays, but some bakeries and gourmet stores have it year round. I saw it at Publix this week, which made me think of adding a panettone bread pudding recipe here.
Giada De Laurentis has a fantastic recipe for panettone bread pudding at the Food Network website:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_90098,00.html
This is a delicious bread pudding that is fairly easy to make because the panettone gives the pudding a delicious flavor. Another good thing about this pudding is that it can be prepared a couple hours ahead as long as you cover and refrigerate. I haven't made syrup, but the pudding was excellent by itself.
Giada De Laurentis has a fantastic recipe for panettone bread pudding at the Food Network website:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_90098,00.html
This is a delicious bread pudding that is fairly easy to make because the panettone gives the pudding a delicious flavor. Another good thing about this pudding is that it can be prepared a couple hours ahead as long as you cover and refrigerate. I haven't made syrup, but the pudding was excellent by itself.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Yes, vegan. No one will be able to tell that you didn't use all that dairy. I made these for Thanksgiving one year and they were a hit. You can also make these with a garlic twist by adding some chopped roasted garlic. I've even used non-fat soy milk to make these and they were still delicious.
Ingredients
4 cups potatoes
2 1/2 to 3 cups water, boiling
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon margarine (vegan)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 whole scallions, chopped
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot or large saucepan. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and either leave them in the pot or transfer them to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with a wood spoon or mashing utensil until they begin to look pureed. Add the soy milk, margarine, and salt, pepper. If you want them a little creamier, add more soy milk and margarine. Sprinkle the scallions over the potatoes and serve!
Ingredients
4 cups potatoes
2 1/2 to 3 cups water, boiling
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon margarine (vegan)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 whole scallions, chopped
Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot or large saucepan. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and either leave them in the pot or transfer them to a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with a wood spoon or mashing utensil until they begin to look pureed. Add the soy milk, margarine, and salt, pepper. If you want them a little creamier, add more soy milk and margarine. Sprinkle the scallions over the potatoes and serve!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
spicy home fries
I made these this morning and they are great with a side of egg whites.
Spicy Home Fries
1 potato
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Slice the potato, with skin, into small squares. Heat the olive oil in the pan. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Turn potatoes with a spatula and cook covered for another 3-5 minutes, adding inthe additional 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Remove cover, stir, and add in red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Spicy Home Fries
1 potato
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Slice the potato, with skin, into small squares. Heat the olive oil in the pan. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Turn potatoes with a spatula and cook covered for another 3-5 minutes, adding inthe additional 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Remove cover, stir, and add in red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Easy fish & greens
This is really fast and makes good use of wilting spinach or other greens you may have in the fridge.
4 fish fillets
4 cups spinach (or other greens)
juice from 2 lemons
4 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 dgrees. Arrange 1 cup of spinach on 4 separate sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place 1 fish fillet on top of each cup of spinach. Pour 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and juice from 1/2 a lemon on each fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fold the sides of the foil/parchment paper up and twist to secure each packet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the greens and fish onto plates with a spatula and serve immediately.
4 fish fillets
4 cups spinach (or other greens)
juice from 2 lemons
4 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 dgrees. Arrange 1 cup of spinach on 4 separate sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place 1 fish fillet on top of each cup of spinach. Pour 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and juice from 1/2 a lemon on each fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fold the sides of the foil/parchment paper up and twist to secure each packet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the greens and fish onto plates with a spatula and serve immediately.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Cinco de Mayo...chicken tacos
Yummy chicken tacos
4 chicken cutlets cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 jalapeno (ok if from a jar), sliced lengthwise with seeds removed
3/4 cup Jalapeno juice (from jar of jalapenos)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup papaya, chopped
3/4 cup black beans, cooked and drained
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tortillas
Heat the onion, garlic, and green onion in a skillet with olive oil and heat for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn over chicken using tongs. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add jalapeno juice and sliced jalapeno. Cook chicken covered for 5 minutes, then uncover and let jalapeno juice reduce.
In a separate bowl, mix cilantro, papaya, black beans. Add juice from 1 lemon and salt and pepper. Heat tortillas and add an even mix of chicken and cilantro mix.
4 chicken cutlets cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 jalapeno (ok if from a jar), sliced lengthwise with seeds removed
3/4 cup Jalapeno juice (from jar of jalapenos)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup papaya, chopped
3/4 cup black beans, cooked and drained
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tortillas
Heat the onion, garlic, and green onion in a skillet with olive oil and heat for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn over chicken using tongs. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add jalapeno juice and sliced jalapeno. Cook chicken covered for 5 minutes, then uncover and let jalapeno juice reduce.
In a separate bowl, mix cilantro, papaya, black beans. Add juice from 1 lemon and salt and pepper. Heat tortillas and add an even mix of chicken and cilantro mix.
Garlic Lemon Potatoes
If you ever have a bunch of potatoes and need to do something with them, this is a very easy and delicious side/appetizer. The result is fancy french fries.
3-4 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon parsley
3-4 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon parsley
1/4 tablespoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Mix the garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest, basil, parsley, sage and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and turn heat on medium. Add 1 layer of the potatoes and brown for about 5-6 minutes. Turn the potatoes to the other side and brown for another 5-6 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lemon, herb and oil mixture to the potatoes. Add salt and pepper. Let the potatoes heat for another 2 minutes in the mixture uncovered and stirring a little to make sure the potatoes don't stick.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Recipe Contest!
I decided to enter the Columbia Crest Flavors of Washington Recipe Contest. I have to use one or more of the ingredients listed in the rules and the recipe should be inspired by one of Columbia Crest's wines.
My short list of ingredients: asparagus, chanterelle mushrooms, halibut, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, poultry, sweet onions, tomatoes.
The two wines that most inspire me to cook are Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. I still have to choose which one will be the source of my recipe's inspiration. Maybe the Shiraz. I don't know yet.
The recipe will be judge according to these criteria:
1. How well the Washington State ingredient(s) used
2. How well the recipe pairs with the Columbia Crest Grand Estates wine that served as its inspiration
3. Overall taste
4. Originality
I think 1 and 3 will be easy, but 2 and 4 are going be the challenging criteria for me. We'll see.
The first place winner gets a trip to NYC for 4 days and a chance to meet Bobby Flay--how cool is that! Mr. M always asks what recipe I would throwdown with Bobby Flay and I never have a clue. If you've never seen Throwdown on the Food Network, you should really check it out.
Well, I'm looking forward to testing some new recipes and figuring out what I'm going to submit. One immediate inspiration was getting Tom Coliccio's book, Think Like a Chef. It took long enough to start thinking like a lawyer...how long will it take to start thinking like a chef?
My short list of ingredients: asparagus, chanterelle mushrooms, halibut, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, poultry, sweet onions, tomatoes.
The two wines that most inspire me to cook are Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. I still have to choose which one will be the source of my recipe's inspiration. Maybe the Shiraz. I don't know yet.
The recipe will be judge according to these criteria:
1. How well the Washington State ingredient(s) used
2. How well the recipe pairs with the Columbia Crest Grand Estates wine that served as its inspiration
3. Overall taste
4. Originality
I think 1 and 3 will be easy, but 2 and 4 are going be the challenging criteria for me. We'll see.
The first place winner gets a trip to NYC for 4 days and a chance to meet Bobby Flay--how cool is that! Mr. M always asks what recipe I would throwdown with Bobby Flay and I never have a clue. If you've never seen Throwdown on the Food Network, you should really check it out.
Well, I'm looking forward to testing some new recipes and figuring out what I'm going to submit. One immediate inspiration was getting Tom Coliccio's book, Think Like a Chef. It took long enough to start thinking like a lawyer...how long will it take to start thinking like a chef?
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Rice with Turkey Andouille Sausage
Rice with Turkey Andouille Sausage
I though of this out of sheer laziness. I didn't feel like going out to dinner. I didn't feel like eating chicken or fish and can't bring myself to touch raw beef. I didn't want to take a long time to cook. I did want something spicy.
2 links of Turkey Andouille Sausage (cut into thinly sliced rounds)
1/2 cup rice (if you want extra flavor, get a box of the flavored rice pilaf...don't use the toasted almond one though, it'll taste a little weird with the sausage)
1 cup water
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, and simmer until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is almost done, heat the sausage in a skillet (not too much oil b/c the sausage will release some grease). When the rice is done, stir the sausage in and voila! Serve with some veggies on the side.
I though of this out of sheer laziness. I didn't feel like going out to dinner. I didn't feel like eating chicken or fish and can't bring myself to touch raw beef. I didn't want to take a long time to cook. I did want something spicy.
2 links of Turkey Andouille Sausage (cut into thinly sliced rounds)
1/2 cup rice (if you want extra flavor, get a box of the flavored rice pilaf...don't use the toasted almond one though, it'll taste a little weird with the sausage)
1 cup water
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, and simmer until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is almost done, heat the sausage in a skillet (not too much oil b/c the sausage will release some grease). When the rice is done, stir the sausage in and voila! Serve with some veggies on the side.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Asparagus Prosciutto Wraps & easy "Chicken Parmesan"
Friday night's dinner consisted of asparagus prosciutto wraps, "chicken parmesan," and pasta w/ peas and mushrooms. This dinner took me about 45 minutes to prepare by going in this order: boil water for pasta, peel asparagus, throw pasta in while preparing the chicken, wrap the prosciutto while cooking the chicken, cook the peas and mushrooms last.
Asparagus Prosciutto Wraps
salt
pepper
While the oven heats up to 450 degrees, was the asparagus and cut only about 1 centimeter off the bottom. Peel the bottom half of each asparagus stalk to get rid of the bitter taste, but keep the length of the stalk. Line the asparagus up on a baking sheet or foil and spray with olive oil using a mister. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Wrap each asparagus with 1 piece of prosciutto (mostly in the middle of the stalk) and place in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Easy "Chicken Parmesan"
This is a simplified and healthier version (sans mozzarella and breaded layer) of an already simplified chicken parm recipe.
4 chicken cutlets
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
parsley
sage
thyme
salt
pepper
3/4 cup marinara sauce
5 teaspoons parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put some olive oil in the skillet and sprinkle in about 1/2 teaspoon of each of the parsley, sage and thyme into the oil and stir. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and place in heated skillet. Cook skillets until brown on each side, about 3-5 min. each side, depending on thickness of the cutlets. Add the marinara sauce (I used Healthy Choice to save a few calories) over and around the chicken. Sprinkle the parmesan over each chicken cutlet. Place the skillet in the oven for about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Fusilli with peas and mushrooms
This recipe is super fast since peas and mushrooms cook very quickly and you can save even more time by using frozen peas and pre-cut mushrooms.
Olive oil
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
10 oz. frozen peas
Salt
Pepper
1/2 lb. -1 lb. rotini pasta (depends on how much you want the veggies to stand out)
While your pasta is cooking in the water, spray some olive oil into a small skillet with a mister. Add the mushrooms in first and heat until almost fully cooked (they start to look slightly brown), then add the frozen peas. Add a generous amount of pepper, a pinch of salt, and spray with olive oil. Continue stirring until peas are cooked through (about 2 minutes) and set aside. Drain the pasta and stir in the peas and mushrooms. If you want a little added flavor, sprinkle some parmesan cheese.
Asparagus Prosciutto Wraps
Prosciutto will make almost anything taste good. This appetizer/side dish looks and tastes fancy, but is extremely easy.
Asparagus stalks
Thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise (1 halved slice per asparagus stalk)
Olive oilsalt
pepper
While the oven heats up to 450 degrees, was the asparagus and cut only about 1 centimeter off the bottom. Peel the bottom half of each asparagus stalk to get rid of the bitter taste, but keep the length of the stalk. Line the asparagus up on a baking sheet or foil and spray with olive oil using a mister. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Wrap each asparagus with 1 piece of prosciutto (mostly in the middle of the stalk) and place in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Easy "Chicken Parmesan"
This is a simplified and healthier version (sans mozzarella and breaded layer) of an already simplified chicken parm recipe.
4 chicken cutlets
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
parsley
sage
thyme
salt
pepper
3/4 cup marinara sauce
5 teaspoons parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put some olive oil in the skillet and sprinkle in about 1/2 teaspoon of each of the parsley, sage and thyme into the oil and stir. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and place in heated skillet. Cook skillets until brown on each side, about 3-5 min. each side, depending on thickness of the cutlets. Add the marinara sauce (I used Healthy Choice to save a few calories) over and around the chicken. Sprinkle the parmesan over each chicken cutlet. Place the skillet in the oven for about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Fusilli with peas and mushrooms
This recipe is super fast since peas and mushrooms cook very quickly and you can save even more time by using frozen peas and pre-cut mushrooms.
Olive oil
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
10 oz. frozen peas
Salt
Pepper
1/2 lb. -1 lb. rotini pasta (depends on how much you want the veggies to stand out)
While your pasta is cooking in the water, spray some olive oil into a small skillet with a mister. Add the mushrooms in first and heat until almost fully cooked (they start to look slightly brown), then add the frozen peas. Add a generous amount of pepper, a pinch of salt, and spray with olive oil. Continue stirring until peas are cooked through (about 2 minutes) and set aside. Drain the pasta and stir in the peas and mushrooms. If you want a little added flavor, sprinkle some parmesan cheese.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Touch Catering
I ended up going to an event at the Miami Beach Community Church that was catered by Touch Catering (same owners as Touch restaurant on Lincoln Rd.) and the food was soooooo good. It was a promotional event for wedding catering, so there were specialty drinks called "Runaway Groom" (bombay sapphire w/ grenadine) and bride bellinis (w/ a fresh rasberry) and some other drink with a rose petal...all very yummy.
The food was awesome...most memorable were the cupcakes with lots of frosting on top and a mushy icing type center and the lamb chops.
Obviously, I didn't cook tonight thanks to www.touchcatering.com
However, I feel inspired to try cooking something other than chicken and fish....maybe lamb chops are next on my menu. I've really got to get over being squeamish about meat!
After the catering promo I went to the German bar on Lincoln Rd. and had a 1/2 liter of Hef Weisen...nice! No boot of beer for me though =)
The food was awesome...most memorable were the cupcakes with lots of frosting on top and a mushy icing type center and the lamb chops.
Obviously, I didn't cook tonight thanks to www.touchcatering.com
However, I feel inspired to try cooking something other than chicken and fish....maybe lamb chops are next on my menu. I've really got to get over being squeamish about meat!
After the catering promo I went to the German bar on Lincoln Rd. and had a 1/2 liter of Hef Weisen...nice! No boot of beer for me though =)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
breakfast
Dinner was uneventful last night since I was tired and it was publix shopping night. I went with a frozen paella dinner which wasn't too bad.
So this morning I took some effort and make bagel egg sandwiches...toasted same seed bagel with scrambled eggs, salt and pepper. I also made a protein strawberry banana smoothie with ground flax seeds-yum!
I haven't decided on dinner yet, but I bought some prosciutto, so it might be interesting!
So this morning I took some effort and make bagel egg sandwiches...toasted same seed bagel with scrambled eggs, salt and pepper. I also made a protein strawberry banana smoothie with ground flax seeds-yum!
I haven't decided on dinner yet, but I bought some prosciutto, so it might be interesting!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Naan Pizza
Tonight's dinner consisted of naan pizza, green salad with sliced almonds and vinaigrette, and angel food cake with California Strawberry Champagne and fresh strawberries. Yum!
The first day back to work after a vacation is tough and I spent most of the day writing a post-hearing brief. No fun. So, I decided I deserved a delicious and easy to make dinner to help me get back into the swing of things.
Naan pizza. I admit, I got the idea from Nigella Express, but it now has my own twist to make it spicy. I used garlic naan, slathered a mushroom bruschetta topping, then added a layer of garlic and herb pasta sauce, added some cubes of fontina cheese, some slices of the rotisserie chicken from last night, and finished it with a generous sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Since the pizza really only requires some heating, I stuck in the oven for about 10 minutes. The salad was simple--a mix of leaves, halved sweet grape tomatoes, sliced almonds, and a balsamic vinaigrette. The pizza and salad took a whopping 20 minutes to make!
The angel food cake looked fancy, but was extremely easy and quick. I stopped by Norman Brothers for the naan and the angel food cake was fresh and they just happened to have California Strawberry Champagne (a strawberry sauce). I felt inspired to prepare a dessert. I sliced up some strawberries and arranged them around a slice of the angel food cake and then drizzled the strawberry champagne over it. Easy, eye-catching, and oh so satisfying.
In addition to dinner, I considered baking some ginger pear muffins for my firm's celebration of Administrative Professionals Day tomorrow, but I decided to be lazy and bought some orange cranberry scones. The muffins would require some effort in the packaging and presentation, which is way too much to do at this point. All the women in the office are on a diet anyway (although Pizza Hut was ordered for lunch). Instead of food, I opted for herbal teas in really neat looking tin cans, lavender aromatherapy foaming salts, and lavender satchets. At least the office will smell good tomorrow.
The first day back to work after a vacation is tough and I spent most of the day writing a post-hearing brief. No fun. So, I decided I deserved a delicious and easy to make dinner to help me get back into the swing of things.
Naan pizza. I admit, I got the idea from Nigella Express, but it now has my own twist to make it spicy. I used garlic naan, slathered a mushroom bruschetta topping, then added a layer of garlic and herb pasta sauce, added some cubes of fontina cheese, some slices of the rotisserie chicken from last night, and finished it with a generous sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Since the pizza really only requires some heating, I stuck in the oven for about 10 minutes. The salad was simple--a mix of leaves, halved sweet grape tomatoes, sliced almonds, and a balsamic vinaigrette. The pizza and salad took a whopping 20 minutes to make!
The angel food cake looked fancy, but was extremely easy and quick. I stopped by Norman Brothers for the naan and the angel food cake was fresh and they just happened to have California Strawberry Champagne (a strawberry sauce). I felt inspired to prepare a dessert. I sliced up some strawberries and arranged them around a slice of the angel food cake and then drizzled the strawberry champagne over it. Easy, eye-catching, and oh so satisfying.
In addition to dinner, I considered baking some ginger pear muffins for my firm's celebration of Administrative Professionals Day tomorrow, but I decided to be lazy and bought some orange cranberry scones. The muffins would require some effort in the packaging and presentation, which is way too much to do at this point. All the women in the office are on a diet anyway (although Pizza Hut was ordered for lunch). Instead of food, I opted for herbal teas in really neat looking tin cans, lavender aromatherapy foaming salts, and lavender satchets. At least the office will smell good tomorrow.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Cooking Lawyer
Welcome! I'm a young lawyer living on South Beach who loves cooking and eating good food. One of my goals after graduating from law school was to learn how to cook. I've set pots and towels on fire and turned food into charcoal...but I've graduated to chicken saltimbocca, snapper a la veracruzana, ginger pear muffins, biscotti, and pannettone bread pudding.
One of my goals with this blog is to share my attempt to meet billable hours then come home and cook a good dinner with limited utensils.
New Orleans = good food. I've been eating gumbo, jambalaya, muffaletta, crawfish etouffee, pralines, and beignets for the last 4 days in New Orleans. I bought the Brennan's cookbook and am determined to learn how to cook some of these amazing dishes and, for the first time ever, cook with boyfriend, "Mr. M."
One of my goals with this blog is to share my attempt to meet billable hours then come home and cook a good dinner with limited utensils.
New Orleans = good food. I've been eating gumbo, jambalaya, muffaletta, crawfish etouffee, pralines, and beignets for the last 4 days in New Orleans. I bought the Brennan's cookbook and am determined to learn how to cook some of these amazing dishes and, for the first time ever, cook with boyfriend, "Mr. M."
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