Chicken Veggie Meatloaf

The problem I always have with substituting chicken or turkey for beef is that poultry can be so flavorless. Not so with this meatloaf! Lots of spice, Worcestershire, and sautéed aromatics keep things interesting, plus a healthy dollop of (homemade) ketchup or barbecue sauce. You can use any store bought bread crumbs (or grind up your own if you're a crazy person like me who can't throw away bread butts). I used a mishmash of spices here just to keep the meatloaf from tasting too much like any one thing, but if you want to go, say, all rosemary, or use ras el hanout for a Moroccan flair, get creative! (As a guideline, I used 3/4 a tsp salt plus 3 tsp of spice per pound of meat, but I tend to be heavy-handed with the seasoning.) Enjoy!

2 pounds 99% extra lean ground turkey or chicken

1/2 large (or one small) yellow onion

1 green or red bell pepper

1/2 carrot (optional)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp each: chipotle chile powder, celery salt, allspice, turmeric, sage, mace

3 tbs Worcestershire

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce, plus more for topping

2 tbs fresh Italian parsley, optional

Chop the vegetables, then add to a food processor. Pulse a few times until no large pieces remain.

Heat a sauté pan with a tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped veggies and sauté, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, until no liquid remains. Set aside to cool.

To a bowl add all the remaining ingredients, plus the cooled vegetables. Mix gently until thoroughly blended.

Pour mixture into a non-stick loaf pan and top with more ketchup. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees, then allow ten minutes to cool before slicing. Serve alongside sweet potatoes or peas.

For faster cooking, use an ice cream scoop to divide mixture into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 450.

Fall Food! Easy & Healthy Slow Cooker Soups

Rosemary White Bean Soup

This dump-and-go hearty soup is SO easy, and the finished product can be as low-fat or as decadent as you like! Canned white beans pack a fiber punch and take on any flavor you add to them - serve drizzled with olive oil, top with a dollop of kale pesto, or Greek yogurt and finely chopped rosemary to garnish :)

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, large dice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans white beans (low sodium if available)
2-4 sprigs rosemary
4 cups vegetable stock or bone broth, or just enough to cover
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon
Olive oil or half and half, to taste

Dump first four ingredients into slow cooker. Add just enough liquid to cover ingredients, or more if simmering all day. Add 1 tsp pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (more if using unsalted homemade stock and low sodium beans).

Cook on low at least four hours. While hot, or when cool enough to handle, purée in a blender or Nutribullet in batches, adding the zest and juice of one lemon and 3 tablespoons olive oil if using. Pour blended soup into a pot and keep warm.

Add half and half to taste, if needed, and season generously with salt and pepper.


Roasted Carrot Miso Soup

Miso paste can be found at your local Asian market or other specialty food store. It is very salty, so be sure to use low sodium broth or plain water and add miso one tablespoon at a time until the flavor suits you. The carrots I used were extra sweet, so I added almost four tablespoons miso, but with milder vegetables you may need less.

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, roughy chopped
2 pounds carrots, roughly chopped
1 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 inch knob ginger, peeled
4 cups water or stock (I used starchy water left over from boiling potatoes)
3-4 tablespoons white miso paste (find at Asian markets or other specialty stores)

Preheat onion to 400. Prepare two baking sheets with foil.

Chop the carrot and coat with a little more than half the olive oil and pepper. Spread out on baking sheet and roast on top middle rack. Repeat with onion and roast on bottom rack. Check after 20 minutes, as onion may cook quickly, and carrots may take up for 40 minutes or longer depending on size. When the vegetables are somewhat browned on the edges, they are done.

Deglaze the carrots with water if they are stuck to the pan. Transfer the cooked onions, carrots and any liquid to a slow cooker. Add crushed garlic and just enough water or stock to cover.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Add ginger and purée in blender or Nutribullet in batches, adding miso paste as you go and more water if needed to blend. Taste for seasoning. Serve garnished with cilantro, crushed cashews or Sriracha!

Smoked Trout Salad

Who needs icky canned tuna when you've got a boo with a smoker?  Last weekend Dave went all out and smoked everything he could find - pork tenderloin and shoulder, a couple trout, AND a whole duck.  (He gave up before trying to smoke some cheese.)  Next on the list is some smoked salt!

This tasty salad is a perfect vehicle for all that tender fish - basically a classic tuna salad with some peppery arugula thrown in: crunchy celery, red onion and a bright lemony dressing.  Dill would be a great addition too!  This makes a great protein source, a spread for crackers, and tastes even better the next day.

As I've mentioned before, I'm not big into using prepared mayonnaise, but here I've used that organic avocado oil mayo I got for free!  It's definitely faster than making mayo from scratch, but I always do this to make it a little lower calorie: instead of all mayo, I substitute one part dijon mustard and one part fat-free greek yogurt, plus add a squeeze of lemon for freshness.  It really helps!

I still have a lot of smoked trout left - maybe some dip is in my future? :)

Smoked Trout Salad

1 pound smoked trout, flaked, skin and large bones removed
2-3 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 cup packed arugula leaves
1 tablespoon organic mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon greek yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste (depending on the saltiness of the fish)

In a mixing bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, yogurt and lemon juice.  Whisk to combine.

Add the fish and vegetables to the bowl and fold into dressing.  Season with pepper and salt if necessary. 

Chill or serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Parmesan Arugula Salad

So I only came up with this recipe to use up bread crumbs!  When Dave makes fresh homemade whole-grain bread for me, there's always that last little bit that goes stale before we use it up, or little odds and ends that are too small to toast. I always end up saving those pieces because I hate for any of his handmade bread to to go to waste (also, I can't throw anything away. I'm a crazy food recycler). I tossed all those frozen pieces into my food processor to make bread crumbs, and now I've been busy baking up vegetable gratins, meatloaf and these shrimp cakes to use them up! I think meatballs may be in my future :-D

Use a measuring scoop to get these shrimp cakes evenly sized  - this recipe yielded about six, perfect for two to split! You could substitute crab for the shrimp, but it's harder to get the cakes to stick together while flipping because the meat is already cooked.  Instead you could bake these (with shrimp, crab or other seafood) at 400 for about 15 minutes if preferred.

Shrimp Cakes

1 egg, beaten

1 lb raw shrimp, roughly chopped 

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

3 chopped scallions

1-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

scant tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Chop the shrimp in a food processor, pulsing intermittently, until shrimp pieces are roughly chopped but before it turns to paste.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg until combined. Add all remaining ingredients and fold until well mixed.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Using a 1/2 cup measure, scoop the shrimp mixture and form into patties. Saute four minutes per side, or until lightly browned and crispy.

Sizzlin

Serve with aioli and arugula salad, recipes below:

Lemon Parmesan Arugula Salad

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

3 tbs lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey
Pinch each salt and pepper

1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or other good quality hard, salty cheese
5 cups arugula

Combine first five ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.  Add half the cheese and stir.

Add arugula and fold to combine; top with remaining cheese.

I made aioli following these two recipes.  The second is easier, but the first tastes better!  I NEVER use mayo - but recently made an exception to try this Primal Kitchen Organic Avocado Oil Mayonnaise.  Get it for FREE like I did by signing up for a free trial of Thrive Market!

Aioli recipe from scratch via Chowhound:

http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/basic-aioli-29194

Easier Epicurious recipe here:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/easy-aioli-242695

Enjoy!

Triple Coconut Cream Pie

Crust:

1.5 cups dried unsweetened coconut

1.5 cups dried frozen coconut (found at my local Asian market)

3-4 tablespoons coconut oil

3-4 tablespoons maple syrup

Bake at 325 on upper middle rack for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool while preparing filling.

Filling:

3 eggs

2 cans coconut milk

1/2 cup arrowroot flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 pinch salt

3/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut

Blend first five ingredients and cook in a saucepan over medium high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. When custard has a thick pudding-like consistency, stir in the coconut. Pour into crust and chill for four hours or overnight.

Topping:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 capful vanilla extract

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted

Whip the cream, syrup and vanilla on high with a stand or hand mixer. Pile the whipped cream on top of the pie and sprinkle with the coconut. Serve and enjoy!

Homemade Ketchup & Barbecue Sauce!

Fresh ketchup and barbecue sauce taste way better than Heinz! Plus you can customize them to suit your own tastes: substitute honey or balsamic vinegar; add curry powder, sriracha, bacon salt?! 

Since we don't use it much, below is a small-batch ketchup recipe that makes just shy of two cups... enough to keep in the fridge until your next ketchup inspiration strikes, but you could easily double or triple it to feed the whole family :)  Following that is a larger barbecue sauce recipe which we made to go along with a huge pork shoulder and beef brisket we smoked for the Superbowl.  It yielded about three jars of sauce... two of which are chillin in the freezer, til 2016's first summer barbecue arrives :)

Homemade Ketchup Recipe (about 2 cups)

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tbs Worcestershire

1 tbs molasses

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Stir all ingredients together in a small pot over low heat. Simmer until desired thickness is reached.  Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe

1 large onion, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs salt

1 tbs ground mustard

1 tbs smoked paprika

1 tbs chipotle chile powder

6 tablespoons bourbon

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 29 ounce can tomato sauce

3 6 ounce cans tomato paste

Add the chopped onion to a saute pan coated with one tablespoon oil.  Saute the onion over medium heat, seasoning with the salt and spices, until softened.  Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.  When the pan is dry, turn up the heat and add the bourbon.  When it has mostly cooked off, add the vinegars and tomato sauce and paste.  Simmer over low heat (partially covered if needed, to prevent splattering).

When sauce has reached desired thickness, remove from heat and refrigerate to cool.  When cool enough to handle, blend in a Nutribullet or other food processor, until smooth and no chunks remain.  Serve warm.

Lamb Chops with Cherry Port Sauce and Celery Root Leek Purée (and Scotch Vanilla Ice Cream)

I couldn't think of anything romantic to cook this Valentine's Day! I had stumbled across a recipe for vanilla ice cream, and since that's Dave's favorite I decided to unearth the old electric ice cream maker from 1985. But for the main course? Dave picked lamb, and I came up with the cherry-port sauce to give it some sweet V-day flavor ;) Kinda risky to do two, never-before-tried recipes for a special dinner, but luckily everything turned out even better than I hoped for! Enjoy!

1 tbs olive oil

1 frenched rack of lamb

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 cup port or sweet red wine

2 cups frozen cherries, defrosted

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbs chopped mint

2 celery roots, peeled and chopped

1 leek, chopped

2 cups milk (1% ok)

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, as needed

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

In a pot, bring the milk to a simmer. Peel and chop the celery root and add to the pot. Chop the leek and submerge the pieces in water to remove all grit. Add leeks to the pot and if needed add broth to cover. Bring to a low boil and then simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the vegetables over a bowl (reserving the cooking liquid) and add the vegetables to a blender or food processor with the heavy cream. Blend until smooth, adding the reserved cooking liquid if needed until desired texture is reached. Taste for seasoning and when satisfied return to the hot pot to keep warm.

While vegetables are cooking, cut the rack of lamb into pan chops. Slice from top to bottom alongside the bone. Salt and pepper both side of the chops generously and set aside until ready to cook. Defrost the cherries in a bowl (a couple minutes in the microwave if needed) and chop the shallots finely.

Heat a large pan with olive oil. Add the pan chops and sear 4-5 minutes on each side. When browned, remove to a plate and keep warm. To the hot pan add the shallots, port, cherries and their juice. Cook five minutes, then add chops and any juices back to the pan. Coat chops in the sauce and continue cooking until meat is cooked through and sauce is thick.

To serve, place a serving of celery root purée on each plate, followed by two or three lamb chops. Finish with sauce and chopped mint.

Scotch Vanilla Ice Cream

(Recipe adapted from here)

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 sugar (I use raw turbinado sugar, finely ground in my Nutribullet)

1 tbs vanilla (vanilla bean also would be great)

4 tbs Glenlivet 12, or your favorite scotch

Whisk together ingredients, then put in the refrigerator to chill for several hours.

Add to ice cream maker following manufacturer's instructions. When ice cream is ready, freeze until ready to serve.

Black Rice Salad

I only learned of black rice (or "forbidden rice") a few years ago.  When I stumbled upon a bin of it at a local health-food store I grabbed a few cups, put the bag away and forgot about it until recently.
Black rice, a whole grain rice high in nutritional value and teeming with antioxidants, is also known as purple rice for its vibrant color once cooked.  In 2016 I'll be moving away from consuming only one source of whole grains per day and incorporating grains into more of my meals, which means I no longer have to limit myself to "breakfast" carbs - a world of opportunities for pasta and rice dinners and lunches just opened up for me!  As such I knew I wanted to find a way to not only utilize the black rice wasting space in my pantry, but to really showcase its color in an appealing way.  I decided on a black rice and chicken salad (chicken and rice go so well together, but really couldn't be any more boring and colorless in terms of their visual presentation). With an abundance of limes on hand I decided to go with an assertive Southwest-inspired flavor profile.  I brainstormed a list of veggies to include that would not only complement each other in terms of taste and texture but would also represent all the colors of the rainbow, creating an orgy of tones and tastes to dazzle the eyes as well as the palette!
However, when I went to the store to pick up my produce list, I realized what I'd actually done: almost exactly re-create the fabulous Cookie & Kate's Fresh Mango Salsa and then add rice :(  Hopefully I still get points for creativity!  I made an enormous batch of the salsa, then added celery and the rice, and topped it all with my own freshly-squeezed orange vinaigrette.  You have to appreciate what a labor of love this was for me - I absolutely hate dicing.  (My neck actually hurt from looking at the freaking cutting board for so long.) When all was chopped, diced, squeezed, zested, salted and peppered, I took my first small bite to taste for seasoning.
And then the angels sang.
It was perfect, and I proceeded to immediately dish myself up two cups of the stuff and devour it right away.
I made two batches - one as a vegetarian side to serve with some steelhead trout filets, and another one-dish version with cubed chicken included as I had originally envisioned.  To think that this tasty salsa recipe could become the base for a delicious and diverse main dish has encouraged me to keep thinking outside the box.  What else could it be used for???

Note: I made at least twice this much, so I'm estimating for simplicity's sake

Black Rice Salad:

Mango Salsa (recipe adapted from Cookie & Kate):
3 ripe mangos, diced (or buy pre-sliced mango from Costco, because chopping is the actual worst)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, or to taste

Chop and mix.  Easy.

Orange Vinaigrette:
Zest of one orange
1/2 orange, juiced
1 teaspoon apple cider vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon sour cream (to emulsify)
1 pinch each salt and pepper
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

Add all ingredients except the oil to a bowl and whisk.  Add the grapeseed oil a drip at a time while whisking vigorously until well blended.

Additional ingredients:
3 ribs celery, diced (for extra crunch)
3-4 cups cooked black rice (or just add until you reach your optimum rice-to-veggie ratio)
1-2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (optional)

Add the celery, then rice on top of the mango salsa and pour the finished vinaigrette directly onto the rice.  Add chicken if desired, mix and taste for seasoning.  Enjoy!

Tomato Soup for the Soul

I have to admit... almost all dinners are better with some tomato.  Almost anything I can think of to cook sounds better nestled in tomato sauce... shakshuka, a quick bowl of mussels, or this roman chicken recipe I made on a camping trip...

So when it comes to a wintry, homemade vegetable soup you can't be surprised I didn't think too far outside the box.  With fresh or canned tomatoes, this is a great way to use up leftover bits and pieces of veggies in the fridge or put the stock you've been making to good use! :)


Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

6 oz can tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

6 cups chicken stock

6 tomatoes (about two pounds), roughly chopped

1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar

1-2 Parmesan rinds, optional

Salt and pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan, or Greek yogurt and julienned fresh basil, for serving

Directions

In a large pot, saute the chopped onion, celery and pepper in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook for a minute, until garlic is fragrant.  Add the tomato paste and wine and stir until incorporated; bring to a simmer.

Remove the vegetable mixture to a food processor or Nutribullet and blend until smooth.  Return to the pot and add the chicken stock, tomatoes, vinegar and Parmesan rinds.  Bring back up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer from 20 minutes to one hour, or until tomatoes have reached the desired texture.  Serve topped with more Parmesan, or Greek yogurt and fresh basil, if desired, and enjoy!

Tomato, tomahto

Overnight Apple Butter and Whole Wheat Bread

Pretty sure everyone knows about my obsession with making jam (got old fruit? make jam).  I'm always buying more fruit than I can consume.  Grapes go soft, bananas turn freckly and brown, apples get mealy.  Ew.  But tossing it out would be like throwing money down the drain!  All that fruit is still good for purposes of cooking down into delicious preserves!  I usually end up with a collection of old bananas that I'll peel and freeze until I have enough saved up to make a small batch of preserves.

Since I stay away from refined sugar I usually make my jams naturally sweetened.  In the case of my banana jam, no added sugar is even needed - the fruit is already sweet enough, especially once you cook it down :)  Same with this apple butter recipe, adapted from here.  My last preserves came from an ancient, frozen 10-ounce bag of Trader Joe's mixed berries that got cooked down in a pot with a little added sucanat to counter the tartness.  Keep in mind that the end result is usually barely just enough to fill a teeny 4 ounce mason jar, but it's perfect for spreading on toast or even mixing into your morning oatmeal :)

I will say this apple butter couldn't really have been easier!  What follows barely qualifies as a recipe...

4 apples, any variety, cored and cut into eighths (I used Granny Smiths, unpeeled)
A very generous sprinkling of cinnamon

Place the apples and cinnamon in a slow cooker, set to low, and cover.

After about four hours, apples will be mush.  Stir to break up and then leave lid slightly ajar, allowing steam to escape and fruit to reduce, for about one hour.

After one hour stir, replace lid and adjust setting to warm.  Allow to set up overnight if more caramelization is desired.

Mmmmm... butter.

We're still experimenting with baking whole wheat bread, but this is the best we've made so far!  Since I refuse to get into anything too labor-intensive, this recipe was perfect for us.  (The hardest part is setting aside 12-18 hours to let it proof.)  I recently picked up some white whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flours to play around with as well, so hopefully they'll be more experiments to come...

For the recipe to the delicious bread pictured above, head to Jo Cooks here! 

Zucchini Lasagna for Two

Have lasagna any time!  Next time you prepare spaghetti sauce, make a double batch and freeze the leftovers to make this easy, noodle-free lasagna any night of the week.

Ingredients

4 cups prepared bolognese or marinara sauce (here is a basic one you can modify)

1 medium zucchini, washed and unpeeled

2 cups cottage cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Salt and pepper, to taste

Using a mandoline slicer on the thinnest setting, slice the zucchini into thin rounds. Sprinkle rounds liberally with salt and set aside for ten minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel.

In the meantime, transfer the cottage cheese to the bowl of a food processor. Sprinkle with pepper and blend until smooth.

In the bottom of a small loaf pan, spread one fifth of the tomato sauce. Top with one quarter of the zucchini slices. Next spread over one quarter of the cottage cheese mixture. Sprinkle with one quarter of the mozzarella, then repeat layers beginning again with sauce.

Continue until ingredients run out or pan is full. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan. Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the cheese.

Let stand for at least ten minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Shrimp & Sofrito

An easy, low-calorie, fresh and filling recipe for winter!

3 red bell peppers

1 green bell pepper

1 poblano pepper

1 white onion

4 cloves garlic

1 pound tomatoes, any kind, fresh or frozen

1/2 a jalapeño

Dried chiles, optional

One lime, divided in half

3/4 pound fresh or frozen shrimp

Blend all ingredients up to jalapeños in a food processor.

In a large pot, drizzle a small amount of olive oil over high heat. Add the sofrito blend and sauté, until sauce reduces. Add chiles if desired for more heat. Season with salt.

When sauce has reduced to desired consistency, turn down the heat and add the shrimp. Cook until shrimp is just cooked/thawed. Squeeze in half the lime juice.

Garnish with chopped bell pepper, jalapeño, the remaining lime, and enjoy!

No Mayo Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs

If you love deviled eggs but try to avoid store-bought mayo like I do, here is a recipe that is good enough to eat for breakfast! Perfect for brunches or the holidays.

10 hard boiled eggs

6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 tablespoons salted butter, softened

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch cayenne, to taste

Pinch ground mustard, optional

Paprika, to garnish

Slice eggs in half and scoop out yolks into the bowl of a food processor.

Combine remaining ingredients except cheese with yolks and blend until mostly smooth. Season to taste, then add cheese and blend until just combined. Transfer filling to a large plastic bag. Snip off one corner and pipe filling into egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and enjoy!

Fast Fritattas

Hello!  Last night was one of those nights - I needed a quick protein-based dinner I could whip up before running out to do some grocery shopping.  But we were out of meat!  What's a girl to do?  I had a big zucchini in the fridge, but no protein to round out a meal.  Luckily we had a full pack of eggs in the fridge to make this quick and easy fritatta!  We also keep bacon on hand for just these types of occasions (since we don't eat it that often, Dave wraps it up into packs of four strips, puts them in the freezer, and they defrost easily anytime he wants a little breakfast pig).  If you chop while you fry, everything is ready in about 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes to wash the dishes before you eat :)  For this veggie fritatta, I intended to include a tomato I had laying around, but the whole onion and zucchini were enough to fill the pan.  For some added color, you could use just half the onion and a smaller zucchini, and throw in a sweet red bell pepper or small chopped tomato.  Spinach, kale or any other quick-cooking veggie would work in place of the zucchini :)

A few days later I made another quickie frittata using anything I could find in the fridge: a few chopped scallions, some handfuls of spinach, the rest of a pack of smoked salmon... It was delish!  The combinations are endless :)  Find the variations for that recipe at the bottom.  Enjoy!

Veggie Fritatta

2 slices of bacon, chopped (or four, if you want more bacon flavor and don't mind the calories)
1 medium onion, diced
1 large zucchini, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, diced or crumbled
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp turmeric (optional, but it's totally good for you!)
Salt and pepper, to taste


Heat a 10-inch saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat (it has to have a metal, oven-safe, non-plastic handle).  Preheat oven to 375.

Chop the bacon and add to the pan, stirring from time to time until slightly browned.

While bacon cooks, dice the onion, then add to the pan.  If the pan looks dry add a couple tablespoons of white wine.  Season with salt, stirring frequently, until wine evaporates.

While onion cooks, chop the zucchini, drop it in a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Toss to coat.  (Skip this step if you prefer, or do it at the beginning to give the zucchini more time to sweat.)  When onions are soft, drain the zucchini on a paper towel, dabbing any excess moisture before adding to the pan.  Season with pepper and turmeric, stirring frequently.

While zucchini cooks, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk vigorously.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Chop or crumble the feta.  When zucchini is cooked, scrape any vegetables from the sides of the pan so there is an even bed of cooked vegetables.  Sprinkle the feta cheese evenly over the top of the vegetables, then pour the eggs directly into the pan.  Tip the pan so that the eggs distribute evenly.

Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the edges are solid.  Move the pan to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are set and don't jiggle when you shake the pan.

That pan took forever to clean.

Using a rubber spatula, gently separate the fritatta from the sides and bottom of the pan.  Use a knife to cut into four servings.  Serve with a green salad or wine.

Estimated nutritional info per serving:
288 calories, 20 g protein, 19 g fat, 10 g carbs

Double the nutritional information if you accidentally eat two of these, like my husband did.

Spinach and Salmon Frittata

2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 scallions, chopped
4 cups fresh spinach or (10 oz frozen, thawed)
8 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
8 eggs, beaten
Pepper to taste (the smoked salmon and feta are already very salty)


Preheat oven to 375.

In the ovenproof saute pan heat the oil over medium.  Add the scallions and saute for a few seconds before adding the spinach.  Cook until it wilts, making an even layer of spinach around the pan.  Drop the smoked salmon into the pan, distributing the pieces evenly.  Do the same with the cheese.  Season with pepper to taste and pour the eggs into the pan, tipping the pan if needed to make an even layer.

Allow eggs to cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the edges are solid.  Move the pan to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are set and don't jiggle when you shake the pan.

Slice and serve!

Estimated nutritional info per serving:
400 calories, 31 g protein, 30 g fat, 4 g carbs

Leggo my eggo

Beans, Beans, Good for the Heart

So beans are like my least fave thing.  I can seriously never get excited to eat them or find a way to work them into my diet despite all their nutritional benefits (low fat source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium...).  But!  I think I have found a new way for me to finally get them in my life: the bean dip.

Now I'm not talking about 7 layers or a can of refried beans topped with melted cheese.  What good would that stuff be when you can't eat the tortilla chips??  I started with the inspiration of hummus (kinda blah) and took it to the next level.  Or maybe it was Giada who put the idea in my head.  Either way, I'm talking about a super smooth creamy dip that you would never even know was made outta beans!

I've made hummus a million times and followed every trick in the book to get it super smooth (whip the tahini first, painstakingly remove the bean skins...) but it's never as good as what I'm hoping for.  THAT IS until I blended it all up in my Nutribullet!  (How did I live before I had this thing?)  I usually need a little extra liquid to get it going since the bullet is designed for smoothies.  Throw almost anything in there and the Nutribullet grinds it down to a smooth paste and then whips it into a fluffy spread.  Chick pea skins included!

However, you really can't beat buttery cannellini beans.  If you aren't a chickpea fan either, next time grab a can of the white beans and you will be amazed at how luscious beans can really taste.  A few baby carrots and some bean dip is a perfect snack for me between lunch and dinner.  The options are endless!  Start with one can of cannellini beans and add:

a few tablespoons lemon juice, a clove or two of garlic, and cilantro (this has been my go-to use for leftover cilantro);
some roasted red pepper strips, smoked paprika and a few walnuts;
sun dried tomatoes and a handful of basil leaves;
some kalamata olives and a sprinkle of feta cheese;
a scoop of kale pesto!

After dinner I often find myself looking for one more little thing to snack on.  Often it's a scoop of peanut butter and a glass of milk, or maybe a few bites of goat cheese with a drizzle of honey.  But I think I am onto something with this bean kick - last night I blended up a can of black beans to make a yummy chocolate mousse that I think would be perfect on toast, some banana or apple slices (or a spoon).  You could take this same recipe and substitute white beans and vanilla extract, cinnamon, bananas, dates, honey, blueberries, peanut butter, melted white chocolate, you name it!

Who would have ever thought of beans for dessert?!  Enjoy!

1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed until water runs clear
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons milk (if needed to blend)

Blend all ingredients in a Nutribullet or other blender until smooth!

Not poop.

Banana Jam

This is a little something I came up with to use up a bunch of freckly old bananas.  Normally I'd make a couple loaves of banana bread, but they take a long time to get rid of when you're low-carb!  (Well, that is unless I bring them into the office.)  Plus my hubby is always making these super healthy whole wheat loaves of bread on the weekends, and when you smear a slice of bread with this banana jam... well, this stuff smeared on anything would make it taste like banana bread :)

The idea for this recipe came from my Bananas Foster recipe from the New Orleans School of Cooking.  Enjoy!

6-7 bananas, overripe and freckly or brown, peeled and mashed
1 oz dark rum
ground cinnamon

Add the mashed bananas to a saucepan and heat over medium low, stirring.  Continue stirring until fruit reduces and becomes caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.  When the bananas look brown and mostly dry, they are done.

Remove pan from heat.  Add the rum to the pan and light a long match to ignite the rum.  Sprinkle the cinnamon into the flames.

When flame dies out, stir mixture together.  Taste for sweetness.  (Carefully!  It's very hot.)  Serve immediately or store in a glass jar for several weeks.

That's my jam!

June Workout Challenge, Calorie Counting and Meal Plans, oh my!

Wow!  It's been a five-month hiatus.  But with good reason.

Every year around February I start working on my summer bikini bod :) and my gourmet cooking game always takes a hit.  Fresh and healthy foods in, fatty foods and carbs out.  It's been a struggle this year.  I'm 35 now, and every year dropping weight gets harder and harder.  Not that it was easy last year, but knowing that I was slimming down "for the wedding" gave me a fantastic end goal to motivate me.  I intended to keep up the same eating plan post-wedding, but a few indulgences were necessary... and then, I kinda fell off the wagon.  This year I am back on my plan and intend to stay on it.  I read a great article here, and it helped me realize that my diet and exercise goals haven't been realistic.  Every year my goal is to lose "enough weight" so that once I'm "thin enough" I can eat "regular" food again.  This year I realized I will never be able to eat "regular"... I have to find an eating plan that actually works for me, and stick to it forever.  As sad as that sounds, it's actually a little liberating!  Instead of deny, deny, denying myself everything with an end goal in sight, there is no more end goal.  The goal is to feel good and eat healthy everyday.  And if I decide to eat something right now that's not technically on my meal plan?  I'll have it, and then I'll get back on track after.  I try to always listen to my body, and if my body is telling me it needs something sweet or something fattening, I try to find foods in my plan that help me respond to those urges.  But having a meal plan also means that I don't deviate from it (even if someone brings pie in to the office).  I think anyone who has suffered from disordered eating and binge eating like I have can hopefully identify with this.  For me, it's about the slippery slope - a mindset of, "Well, I just had an entire gyro, and I feel really full and guilty about eating it now, so I might as well have those french fries now and then I just won't eat anything tomorrow and I'll work out really hard."  If I have a setback I try to remember that I'm human and it's not the end of the world, and it's not an opening to "let myself go" and binge.  I also log it, along with my other meals, so I can keep myself accountable and figure out what's working for me and what's NOT.

But anyway.  In November, a month after our wedding, I picked up a little weekend job pouring wines at a tasting room.  It's hard not to obsess about wine when you're around it all day!  I was definitely enjoying increasing my knowledge of wine, and accentuating that knowledge was increased consumption :)  My biggest source of excess calories is wine, so in February I decided to kick things off with a detox - the day after Valentine's until the day before St. Patricks, to be exact.  (See how I made sure I wouldn't be missing out on any holiday drinking...?)  After a week without booze I went into some serious withdrawals (and my sugar uptake spiked in response).  After a couple weeks I was fine, and actually felt like the whole exercise was sort of stupid and pointless.  After a month I gave it up, and was glad that at least now I can say the benefits of giving up alcohol are: there are no benefits.  Haha :)  I did at least manage two things: one, I broke myself of my nightly "cooking with wine" habit!  ("Cooking with wine" for me usually means consuming half a bottle by the time dinner is served.)  And two, I discovered there are other things to drink out there: tea, kombucha, club soda, water!!?  Seriously - after 35 years of hating water and refusing to drink it until absolutely necessary (despite all the health benefits of consuming mass quantities of it), I now drink two liters per day.  Which is a pretty big feat in itself!  I still love wine, but I try to limit myself to either having it on weekends only, or a very small glass with dinner occasionally.

So what was all this detoxing, clean-eating, water-flushing doing for my waistline?  Not much.  About a month ago I was disappointed to realize that I was behind where I was this time one year ago - thanks sooooo much to the Timehop app for putting that in perspective :-/  So, I decided to challenge myself to amp up my workouts.  I realized I wasn't actually pushing myself hard enough.  I started my June Workout Challenge by making myself a workout plan for the week, with scheduled days to lift, days to rest, and days for hardcore cardio.  I got off to a great start, up at 5:45am everyday to hit the gym, absolutely killing it!  But by week 2 I started faltering - I could barely get out of bed in the morning before work everyday, and missed a few days of exercise because I felt like I could barely stay awake.  The problem?  I had cut all the freaking carbs out of my diet!!  I had amped up my protein intake to three servings a day, including a large serving of fish for lunch daily (did anyone else feel inspired by The Rock's supposed diet?!)  But without really paying attention, I had squeezed that extra protein in by eliminating all the grains and bread from my diet.  So on Wednesday I went out and had an enormous farro salad from Mother :)  And the following day I felt better, and by 6am Friday I was feeling so incredibly AMPED that my body was screaming to get to the gym.

In case you are curious, my meal plan includes fruits and vegetables, dairy, meat and fish, and whole grains.  Since I work out in the morning, I try to always eat my carbs as early in the day as possible so I have the whole day to burn them off.  The end of the day is protein to keep me feeling full until bedtime.  I eat five to six small meals per day.  Last year on the wedding diet I managed to permanently wean myself off coffee, but I'm experimenting with having a single cup before my morning workout in lieu of meal one.  (I also loved this little article right here, which helped give me some new meal plan ideas.)  I do keep a log of my food intake daily using the Calorie Counter by FatSecret app.  It can be a little tedious, but it REALLY helps me monitor my portion control and to make sure that I'm still getting my fruits and veggies everyday... and not just eating peanut butter and Greek yogurt all day long :)

A pre-planned meal schedule is a new addition that has also really kept me on track so I can make sure that I have whatever I need on hand to keep my diet balanced.  Hard to get those servings of veggies everyday when I haven't been to the store and all I have at the office is macadamia nuts :(  We go to Costco and load up on salmon or tilapia, cook it all at once and then I have it ready to go everyday.  After I get home from the gym in the morning I make my breakfast, and while I eat I pack up my lunch and snacks for the day according to my scheduled plan and/or whatever I anticipate my dietary needs will be for the day (more protein when I lift, fewer calories on rest days, more grains in the days before monster workouts).  FatSecret also lets me log my exercise, so I have an idea how I'm doing in terms of my ratio of calories in to calories out.

Here is a sample of my meal plan for the week!  I generally use a small amount of maple syrup as my favorite sweetener in coffee and Greek yogurt.  I also use salt pretty liberally since I sweat quite a bit.

Monday (workout - one hour of cardio)
Pre-workout: small cup of coffee w/half & half and maple syrup
Post-workout: 3/4 cup quinoa w/sliced banana, milk and maple syrup
Snack: 1 cup Greek yogurt w/maple syrup
Lunch: tilapia filet w/mango salsa
Snack: 12 strawberries, 10 macadamia nuts
Dinner: small serving chicken paprikash w/cauliflower rice (recipe forthcoming!)
Snack: 12 cherries
Estimated calories: 1724 consumed/2365 burned

Tuesday (one hour of weight training plus 30 minutes cardio)
Pre-workout: small cup of coffee w/half & half and maple syrup
Post-workout: 1 cup Greek yogurt w/maple syrup
Snack: 1 small slice of homemade wheat bread with 1 tablespoon all-natural peanut butter
Lunch: tilapia filet w/homemade red pepper aioli
Snack: 1 banana, baby carrots
Dinner: 1 serving vegetarian zucchini lasagna plus red wine
Snack: 4 cherries
Estimated calories: 2000 consumed/2488 burned

Wednesday (rest day)
Breakfast: 2 small slices homemade whole wheat bread, 1 tbs butter, 1 tbs peanut butter
Snack: banana
Lunch: small tilapia filet w/mango salsa
Snack: large salad with homemade balsamic dressing
Dinner: small serving chicken paprikash w/cauliflower rice
Snack: 5 cherries
Estimated calories: 1462 consumed/2035 burned

Thursday (one hour weight training)
Pre-workout: small cup of coffee w/half & half and maple syrup
Post-workout: 1 cup Greek yogurt w/maple syrup
Snack: 1/2 cup quinoa w/ 1/2 banana and maple syrup
Lunch: tilapia filet w/pesto and 1/2 cup quinoa
Snack: 5 cherries
Dinner: chicken w/zucchini noodles and sun-dried tomato cream sauce
Estimated calories: 1615 consumed/2168 burned 

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are a little more flexible, since my workouts are usually longer and there are social events going on where food consumption is more unpredictable.  If I'm hanging out with friends, I always make an effort to bring something healthy to share, like vegetables and hummus or fruit, on the off-chance that there is nothing but chips available (but if there is cheese I'm all in).  If I have plans to head to a restaurant I'll try to eat light during the day, knowing most of my calories will probably be consumed over drinks and food later.

So that's what's been on the agenda lately!  I will admit this more regimented approach is time-consuming, but I'm hoping as it becomes the norm it will get simpler to keep up automatically.  I kind of like being so organized, and it's great always having my lunches pre-cooked and ready to go (not to mention cheaper than trying to eat out healthfully everyday)!  I'm also seeing some results, and just in time for the 4th!  Time to bust out last year's bikini!!

Bikini body circa 2014 - almost there!

Chicken Pasta with Spinach Sauce

2 thinly sliced chicken breasts or one, sliced lengthwise
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup white wine
6 oz baby spinach, or one huge handful
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, stems removed
6 oz goat cheese
2 cloves garlic
Zest of one lemon
1 oz creme fraiche, optional
1/2 box quinoa pasta

Boil water for pasta. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces and slice grape tomatoes lengthwise. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat.

To prepare sauce, chop the spinach and basil in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, garlic, lemon zest and creme fraiche if using. Blend until smooth.

While pasta is boiling, season chicken with the salt and pepper and cook chicken pieces until all pink is gone. Add grape tomatoes and wine to pan to deglaze and cook to reduce, until tomatoes have softened.

When pasta is al dente, add the goat cheese mixture to the pan with the chicken, tomatoes and wine and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Green is good.

Holiday Standing Rib Roast with Root Vegetables (GF)

2 whole heads garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 bone-in rib roast, 4-5 pounds

1 cup fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4-5 small carrots, cut into thirds

1 onion, cut into wedges

2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges

1 potato, cut into large dice

1-2 cups beef stock, homemade

1-2 cups red wine

1-2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

Cut the tops off the garlic heads.  Drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil each and wrap in foil.  Roast at 350 degrees for one hour or until very fragrant.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

One hour before cooking, remove the roast from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 450.

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the skins.  Add the roasted garlic, rosemary leaves, half the salt and pepper and the remaining olive oil to a mini food processor and grind, until leaves are chopped.

Scatter the chopped vegetables in a roasting pan small enough that they fill the bottom.  Pour in the stock and wine and stir to coat.  Place the roast on top of the vegetables and season generously with salt and pepper on the bottom and sides.  Place the roast fat side up and slather with the roasted garlic mixture.

Place the roast in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes.  Lower heat to 350 and continue roasting for at least 90 minutes, basting with the pan juices every 20 or 30 minutes.

When a meat thermometer registers 130, remove the roast from the oven.  Set aside on a platter and cover with foil to rest for 15 minutes.

Heat the vegetables in the roasting pan over a burner on medium high heat.  When juices begin to bubble, sprinkle in arrowroot powder and stir to coat, allowing to cook until sauce has thickened sufficiently.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Carve the roast and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of rosemary.  Serve the vegetables alongside.

Enjoy!

Big meat