I’ve been cooking a lot lately

I’m a little behind on my recipe posts, but the days and nights have been busy, and filled with laughter and happiness, so I really cannot complain. Saturday John and Tonya came over so that us gals could craft and that evening we went to O’Charleys for dinner. I tried the cedar-planked salmon, and oh. my. God. It was delicious.

As luck would have it, the very next day at Ingles, Alex and I spotted a 1/2lb salmon filet on sale for only $2.50. Nothing wrong with it, straight from the fish counter, fresh not frozen, just marked down for quick sale. I knew I’d either have to freeze it, or cook it that night, so I decided to try my luck on a salmon recipe.

For my first time cooking fish at home that is not processed, preserved or frozen, I was more than a little intimidated. I let Alex cook his new recipe first (cast-iron skillet pizza) while I poured over 800 how-to websites and obsessed over what to do with the skin-side. When all was said and done I settled on broiling as my cooking method, and a simple marinade of garlic and lemon infused olive oil. I coupled it with fresh steamed broccoli with a little lemon, salt and pepper, and a risotto-inspired portabello quinoa.

Broiled salmon, mushroom quinoa risotto, and steamed broccoli:

1 large (1/2lb) salmon filet
2 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves fresh garlic
salt
pepper
1 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup quinoa
1 cup portabello mushrooms

Bring 1/2 low-sodium chicken stock, 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup quinoa to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, saute one cup mushrooms in a separate pan. Pour mushrooms and drippings into after it finishes boiling, cover, and set aside.

Cook broccoli however you prefer. I cheat and cook in the microwave in a bowl with about 1/4 cup of water and a loose cover.

Turn oven on to broil. Prepare a pan lined with foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon on the pan (skin side down!) and rub the flesh lightly with butter. Saute garlic cloves in 2 tbsp olive oil until garlic is golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic, it gets a bitter taste. Press down on garlic cloves and remove them. Add lemon juice to oil to taste, and baste over butter layer on fish. Place in oven and broil, uninterrupted for 10 minutes, or approximately 5 minutes per 1/2 inch of thickness. I wanted mine a little bit more done, and turn the oven off but left the fish inside for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Plate up and enjoy a fest of garlic-lemon broiled salmon, mock-mushroom risotto and fresh citrus broccoli.

The whole meal was approximately 605 calories, including: 39g carbs, 28g fat, 52g protein, 519mg sodium and 6g fiber!

Quinoa stir fry with chicken and vegetables

Let me begin by saying I am disgusted with most of the major chicken companies. Primarily, Tyson. I know, I know, I just need to buy organic. Unfortunately, our roommate just moved out and it’s all I can scrape to buy my spinach organic. But Tyson is just ridiculous. The quality is horrendous, and they are grossly overpriced unless you can catch it when the family packs are on sale for $1.98/lb. So this week, nearly out of chicken, I opted for the Ingles meat counter’s stir fry chicken packet. They’re pre cleaned, pre sliced for stir fry, and looked better overall than most all of the Tyson at the store.

I’ve been craving Chinese food really badly for a week or so now, and it was brought to a whole new level on Friday night because my family ordered take out and it smelled delicious. Tonight I threw together a healthy take on stir fry with Quinoa, the prepared chicken, tons of delicious veggies, and a little Asian flavor.

I ate my fill, mom loved it, and dad had seconds. And maybe thirds. It was definitely delicious. Alex had some of the same chicken chopped smaller and made into quesadillas, and he thoroughly enjoyed those, too.

Quinoa stir fry with chicken and vegetables:

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 medium zucchini squash
1 medium yellow squash
2 medium carrots
1 cup portabello mushrooms
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper
1 medium stalk of broccoli
1 package stir fry chicken, about 1/2 lb
Soy sauce/duck sauce to taste (we didn’t have bottles on hand so it was equivalent to 7 packets of Kari-Out soy sauce, and 4 packets of Kari-Out duck sauce.

Bring 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup chicken broth to a rapid boil. Boil for 10 minutes, adding about 3/4 a cup of water halfway through. When most liquid has been absorbed, remove from heat and cover. Leave aside until everything else is ready to serve.

I began by prepping all of my veggies. I simply sliced the zucchini and squash into medallions, and then halved or quartered them depending on the medallion size. I cut florets off the top of the broccoli, and set the stalk aside. Mushrooms got a rough chop, keeping them fairly large since they cook down quite a bit. The carrots were thinly sliced lengthwise and the bell pepper was chopped into bite sized pieces. I trimmed the outer skin off the broccoli stalk, and julienned it so that it mimicked the bamboo shoots I love so much in restaurant Chinese food.

In a large skillet or wok, heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Add all veggies, kickin’ chickn’ seasoning to taste, and saute until all veggies are soft but still a little crisp. When veggies are cooked, add soy sauce, duck sauce, and ground ginger to taste, and reduce heat to low allowing vegetables to simmer while you cook the chicken.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to another saute pan, add chicken, kickin’ chickn seasoning and saute until chicken is golden-brown and cooked through. Add chicken to vegetables, and serve on top of quinoa.

This makes about 6 healthy servings, and contains: 197 calories, 19g of carbs, 5g of fat, 22g of protein, 248mg sodium, and 3g of fiber.

Rosemary Sweet Potato Wedges

Dinner was a new adventure for me tonight! When we went couponing last week, I scored Boca Burgers BOGO at Publix, with a $1.00/2 coupon. I ended up paying something like $3.00 for 2 boxes of Boca Burgers. Great savings, but a risky move considering I’ve never tried a Boca Burger, and the only kind they even sell that I have ever had was black bean burger (which they were sold out of.)

I knew I wanted to try one of the burgers tonight, and I am such a sucker for french fries with a burger that I had to figure out something quick, tasty, and nutritious to fill the void. (For the record, I’m not boycotting regular potatoes completely, but I am significantly decreasing the amount I eat them.) I remembered a recipe my friend Tara used for a party a few months ago for Rosemary Sweet Potato Wedges, and I decided that was a perfect compromise!

This recipe is super simple, delicious, and nutritious! It would be delicious paired with just about anything, or by itself! I only made a single serving, using one half of a very large sweet potato and I still had some wedges left over. Since the calorie information will not be accurate, I’m not going to include it here.

Rosemary Sweet Potato Wedges

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Par-cook sweet potatoes until slightly soft. I did this in the microwave because I have a genius microwave that has a potato cooking sensor. You can do it however you like, just watch them so they don’t get too soft, you still have to cut them.

While sweet potatoes are par-cooking, mix your “marinade” in a separate bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons rosemary, 2 teaspoons of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.When mixed it should be almost pasty, but you can omit some of the rosemary for a milder taste.

When sweet potatoes are just tender enough to slice through easily, cut potatoes into medium-sized wedges. I used one half of a sweet potato and got enough wedges for two servings of about 6 wedges.

Using a basting brush or spoon, drizzle/baste sweet potatoes on all sides with the oil mixture. Place on middle rack of oven for 10 minutes, turn potatoes, and finish for another 10 minutes. I don’t like mine super crispy, so you may want to increase the cooking time by a few minutes if you do.

I paired my “flame broiled” Boca Burger with the delicious sweet potato wedges and about a cup and a half of steamed broccoli. It was a delicious meal that came together pretty quickly all said and done. And Boca Burgers? I give them an A+. I honestly thought they tasted just like a concession stand cheeseburger from my high school football stadium. I’m not sure if that should make me as happy as it does, but I’ll definitely add these to the list of foods that can help me out on nights I don’t have as much time to spend in the kitchen!

Southwestern stuffed chicken breast

Alex and I barely saw my parents at all last week, so we spent a good deal of time there this weekend. Saturday night I made my parents vegetable quesadillas with sweet potato, Portabello mushrooms, spinach, zucchini squash and black beans. They were absolutely delicious, and it was a lot of fun to get to share one of my healthy recipes with my family!

Today there were leftover black beans, and I couldn’t resist throwing together a completely new meal with some of yesterday’s leftovers! Mom had Some large Tyson boneless, skinless chicken breast thawed, and we came up with the idea to do a stuffed southwestern chicken breast. Mom pounded out the chicken breasts and cut them in half, getting two servings out of each breast. The recipe below would serve 4 people, and calorie information has been based on these proportions.

Needless to say after a little creativity, we created a juicy, flavorful main course that tonight paired well with baked potatoes (with salsa and a dollop of sour cream on top) but would also be delicious with quinoa with diced tomatoes and spices, or a simple mix of sauteed veggies as well.

Southwestern stuffed chicken breast, serves 4

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 8oz each)

1/4 cup whole kernel corn (we used generic canned corn)

1/4 cup Bush’s Best Low Sodium Baked Beans

1/4 cup shredded italian cheese blend (ours was Kroger brand and included mozzarella, provolone, romano and Parmesan)

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup queso fresco

1 cup cooked spinach

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently pound each chicken breast and cut along the equator, creating 4 individual chicken pieces.

Carefully slice each chicken breast creating a pocket between the breast pieces. Season generously with Weber’s Kickin’ Chicken season, or a combination of cumin, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, and onion powder, and set aside.

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of EVOO and add fresh spinach (about 3 cups typically yields 1 cup cooked, or use 1 cup frozen spinach.) Sautee until cooked through and add corn and black beans. Gently stir and heat until just cooked with garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully pull apart chicken pieces, and stuff 2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture inside. Top with mixed cheeses and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, and cheese is melted.

Serve alongside your favorite southwestern-inspired sides for a fun, economical meal using yesterday’s leftovers!

Serves 4, 283 calories per serving including 6g carbs, 15g fat, 34g protein, 656mg sodium and 2g fiber per serving.

You win some, you lose some

So, one thing I’ve learned throughout this process is that everything doesn’t always go right all of the time. The trick is, figuring out how to overcome it, with minimal backpedaling or damage caused.

For two weeks now we have cooked healthy, wholesome, delicious meals day in and day out. It was bound to happen that we have an epic kitchen fail at some point. Monday night was “skip it” night in our house. That’s what we call it when our tastes are too far apart, or we’re just too lazy to plan a cohesive meal. In the past this would have consisted of Totino’s pizzas (anybody else noticing a trend? I love you, Totino’s.) Chef Boyardee. Ramen noodles. The feasts of carb kings. The sultans of sodium. Too much? Maybe…

So last night was my first super lazy skip it night since I’ve started eating healthy. Past nights have included lots of sauteed veggies, super flavorful dishes, and a satisfied belly. Last night was disaster with a capital D. I started by trying one of those Starkist tuna salad pouches. It was on sale at Ingles, and I had a coupon. Made it worth trying. Let me say this: I am a major lover of Tuna. I eat it in sandwiches, wraps, casseroles, salads, straight from the can, on crackers, with creamy cheese melted on top, you get the point. I took one bite of this tuna salad (which sounded delicious- water chestnuts, celery…) and immediately dug the packet out of the garbage to check the date. It was well in date (didn’t expire until 2014…) but it just tasted sour.

Frustrated, but not completely broken, I moved on instead to one of the Healthy Choice soups I bought this weekend (also a great coupon deal!), New England Clam Chowder. Clam Chowder for me is like Brunswick Stew- if I’m at a restaurant and they serve it, I have to try it. If I see a new kind at the store, I have to have it. The first soup I made when I started cooking: New England Clam Chowder. I like it more than tuna, if that is even possible. This soup was not what I was dreaming of. Sweet, watery, and even chewy in parts, I choked down a good 3 bites and went back to square one.

I eventually settled on leftover spaghetti squash, but it was definitely disheartening! I went into tonight with renewed vigor, determined to make delicious, wholesome vittles. Yet again I was foiled. I looked up instructions for how to roast broccoli and brussel sprouts, and followed them to a T. When it came time to take them out of the oven, they were charred. Thanksfully sprouts have layers, and I was able to salvage those, but the little green balls that top the broccoli stalks were ash. One bite was enough to make me want to gag.

2 bad nights in a row, but I’m hoping that the bad luck ends in 3, since it was technically 3 separate food attempts. Here’s hoping that tomorrow brings better results in my kitchen, and continued determination to power through the little set backs.

Spaghetti squash with roasted vegetable ragout

Weekends mean one thing for sure in this house these days: GROCERY SHOPPING! Now that I’m focusing on incorporating so many fresh, healthy foods into my regular diet, more frequent trips are definitely required to keep my fridge fully stocked!

On Saturday we took a trip to Publix, and I went to town in the produce section. Several of the vegetables I picked up got incorporated into one of my favorite vegetarian meals for dinner tonight: Spaghetti squash with roasted vegetable ragout! My favorite part about this meal is that you can easily alter it based on what veg is in season, or what you’re in the mood for at the time. Tonight I stuck with some of my favorite staples, and added a few extra steps to really play with the flavors and kick this dish up a notch.

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Vegetable Ragout (Serves 4)

1 small-medium spaghetti squash

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 cup diced portabello mushrooms

2 cups of broccoli florets (about 1/2 of one “head”…not sure what you call broccoli)

6 cups raw baby spinach

1 can Del Monte diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

2 teaspoons of hot sauce (or to taste)

4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste

Begin by piercing several holes into the outside of your spaghetti squash, and roasting in the oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes

While the squash is roasting, dice remaining vegetables. When squash is finished roasting, take out of oven, and set on a plate to the side. Add 2 tablespoons of EVOO to the roasting pan, and add diced vegetables, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are just soft.

While vegetables are roasting, heat 1 pad of butter in large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add spinach, and cook until just wilted. Add one can of Del Monte diced tomatoes, and stir to combine. Add roasted vegetables, lemon juice and hot sauce and let simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

While ragout is simmering, slice spaghetti squash in half at the equator (not lengthwise) and remove seeds/pulp from the center (you can save the seeds for roasting later, if you’d like.) Slice each half again, this time lengthwise, and shred inside of the squash with a fork, adding the squash strings to a serving plate.

Grab a healthy portion of spaghetti squash, top with the vegetable ragout, and sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan! This meal has a lot of prep, and individual steps, but when you take a bite of this succulent, refreshing “pasta” meal, you will be thankful for every minute of the cooking time!

 

Nutritional information for squash + sauce: 246 calories, 51 g carbs, 1 g fat, 14 g protein, 486mg sodium, and 15 g fiber.

Woman’s Day Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Vegetables