Veggie Burgers

AND THEY SHOULD LOOK LIKE THESE (but even better, of course):

Enough for 4 burgers. I thoroughly washed everything already. Why doesn't traders have alfalfa sprouts anymore?? I'm trying out the organic pea shoots instead (tell me what you think).

1. cook veggie burgers according to stove-top directions. although my tj lady said they're best in the oven. don't know how long or at what temp...
2. place patty on piece of lettuce.
3. top with 1/4 of the edamame hummis.
4. then carrot slaw. then tomato. then cucumber. then pea shoots.
5. finish off with the cheese crisps i'm experimenting with (i was inspired by chapter one).
6. finish with the top piece of lettuce and enjoy!

Serve with a side of sweet potato fries.

RECIPE HERE

Asian Inspired Asparagus

Yum. This is perfect paired with the Soy-Ginger Flank Steak. It's perfect by itself too. It's perfect cold. It's perfect hot. Did I mention it's perfect?

Ingredients

3 lb asparagus

1 tablespoon honey (or brown sugar)

1/8-1/3 cup sesame oil (I usually do about 1/4 cup)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced finely

1/4 inch fresh ginger, grated

black pepper

chili pepper flakes

Directions

1. Put all marinade ingredients into a ziploc bag & shake to combine. Add asparagus and marinate for 1 hour or overnight.

2. Cook on a hot grill for 5 minutes, turning often, til just lightly browned.

Soy-Ginger Flank Steak

Living in southern California means that we pretty much bbq all year long but summertime (and the desire to leave the stove & oven OFF as much as possible!) means we bbq even more! I found this recipe in Food & Wine Magazine 6 years ago and it has been a favorite ever since! I love that I can prep it the night before, allow the marinade to soak in & then let Kurt throw it on the grill for a quick, delicious dinner.

Ingredients

One 2 lb flank steak (TJ's just started carrying all natural flank steak and it's only $1/lb more than Costco)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger (highly recommend using a microplane grater/zester)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper (I usually omit this)

Directions

1. Using a small sharp knife, score the flank steak on both sides in a shallow crosshatch pattern and transfer to a shallow baking dish.

2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lime juice & ginger.

3. Pour 2/3 cup of the soy marinade over the flank steak and turn to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes (I let it marinade overnight sometimes). Reserve the remaining marinade.

4. Heat your bbq up to moderately high heat.

5. Remove the steak from the marinade & pat dry. Brush the steak with the olive oil & season with pepper if desired.

6. Grill the steak about 11 minutes for medium to medium-rare meat, turning occasionally.

7. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the meat against the grain. Drizzle with the reserved marinade and serve.

Massaged Kale Salad

I was hesitant to make this salad and I was hesitant to keep its title....I mean come on....MASSAGING a salad! Who has time? Who wants to massage lettuce? But guess what..it was SO good and the reviews were positive, so I decided to post it.
I got the recipe from Aarti Sequeira, a Food Network chef. It is a very easy recipe to make, very delicious and summery and super healthy. Kale is extremely high in Vitamins A, C and K and can pack a punch (a good punch) of nutrition to your diet.
Without further ado here is the recipe:

Ingredients
1 bunch kale (black kale is especially good), stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 mango, diced small (about 1 cup)
Small handful toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons

Directions
In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the 1/4 cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.

Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.

I didn't have pepitas on hand so I substituted with toasted slivered almonds and it was so good I think I would suggest making that substitution permanent. Also avocado would be excellent to add for additional protein.

Orzo Salad with Roasted Vegetables

The last thing I want to do when it's hot outside is spend a bunch of time heating up my oven (& therefore my house!) to cook dinner. This salad is the perfect thing for a warm summer evening... especially if you roast the vegetables the night before when it's cool! Serve this as the main or pair it with a light protein like some white fish! The leftovers are pretty tasty too!

This recipe comes from my friend Lara who has a fun little blog you should check out called mylittleluxuries. She's the source of some of my favorite recipes too. :)

Ingredients

• 1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4 inch diced
• 1 red bell pepper, 1 inch diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 inch diced
• 1 red onion, peeled and 1 inch diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb orzo pasta or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

To assemble

• 4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
• 1/4 cup pignolis, toasted (pine nuts)
• 3/4 lb good feta, 1/2 inch diced (not crumbled)
• 15 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan.

3. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

4. Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.

5. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

6. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

7. For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables.

8. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil.

9. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Kobe Beef Sliders

I was having one of those days. AND, it was my day to prep dinner for that week's swap. I pulled into Trader Joe's and had no clue what I was going to do. So I said to myself, "Whatever the sample is tonight is what I'm doing for swap this week." It's no secret that we're pretty fond of TJ's samples around here but this particular night??? Yeah, it was a winner!

Ingredients (all available at Trader Joe's, obviously!)

* 1 lb Kobe beef (TJ's sells it in the freezer section) You could also use ground turkey, ground sirloin or your burger ingredient of choice

* TJ's Fresh Bruschetta Sauce

* Shaved Grana Padano Parmesan Cheese

* Organic Micro Greens

* Mini Slider Buns (I've also done this with King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls... YUM!)

* TJ's Garlic Herb butter

Instructions

1. Prepare 8 small burgers with the meat and either pan fry or grill.

2. Spread garlic herb butter on the inside of the buns or rolls and broil or toast for a few minutes to melt the butter and brown the bread a bit.

3. Assemble: Burger, some shaved parmesan, a scoop of bruschetta & some micro greens.

4. Enjoy!!

Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is an incredibly easy meal to make and you probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients at home. Simply chop some onion and place in a hot pot with a bit of olive oil. Simmer for a few minutes. Add chopped up chicken and continue cooking until chicken is almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add some freshly chopped veggies. I added zucchini, carrot, potato and celery. Cook for a few more minutes. Then, add some chicken broth to cover the chicken and veggies. I used some frozen homemade chicken broth. (Did you know how easy it is to make your own broth? Take a whole chicken, place in boiling water for hours with some celery tops and viola!) Then add some cans of beans you have on hand. I used some black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans. I also threw in a can of turkey chili for some thickening power. Then toss in a can of corn or a frozen bag of corn or heck some freshly cut corn. Add a can of diced tomatoes. Finely chop some fresh cilantro and add to the pot. Let the soup simmer for an hour or more to blend the flavors. Add some salt if needed.
Serve in a bowl with some fresh cojita cheese and mexican crema or sour cream. Top with fresh cilantro, avocado and crumbled up tortilla chips. Then, if you are like me, dump some cholula or your favorite hot sauce, stir and enjoy the goodness! Slice up some freshly baked cornbread and you've got yourself a meal.

Pizza Bianca

This is from my favorite cooking magazine, Martha Stewart Food. I had a very similar recipe made for our fam by my friend Kelly, after Charlie was born. Hers was way more gourmet, but this one is still delicious, super easy, and affordable. Pair it with your favorite wine, some good dessert, and you're set.

INGREDIENTS
pizza dough (I love TJ's herb & garlic dough)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 cups baby arugula

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 500 (I know!!). Dust work surface with flour and roll out dough. Transfer to pizza pan/stone or baking sheet. In bowl, stir ricotta, 1 tbsp oil, and garlic; season with salt/pepper. Spread ricotta mixture on dough, leaving border for crust. Top with mozzarella, then parmesan. Brush 1 tsp oil on edge of dough. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted and browned in spots, 12-14 minutes. In a small bowl, toss arugula with 1 tsp oil and season to taste with salt/pepper. Top pizza with arugula and serve!

Watermelon Mint Martini

In my humble opinion, watermelon only tastes good the day you cut it. So, what's a girl to do when the kids only eat half of it...why juice it and make martini's naturally! These watermelon mint martinis are easy to make and even if you aren't the hugest watermelon fan, the flavor it subtle and immensly refreshing.

Here's what you need:
1 cup watermelon juice (crush watermelon in a tall cup and strain through a metal strainer or cheesecloth OR if you have a juicer....score!)
4 ounces Vodka
splash of simple syrup to your liking
Juice of 1 lime
6 torn mint leaves
ice
lime wedge and mint leaves for garnishing

Place all ingredients in a metal cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into prepared martini glasses. We wanted a less sweet version so we opted to salt our rim using half sugar and half sea salt. Delish! Happy summer!

Homemade Blue Cheese Wedge

What a yummy, summery salad made with *almost* all of the ingredients you probably have stocked in your fridge. This was a filling salad, but oh so light.

For the dressing:
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced or garic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup milk to thin the dressing

For the salad:
1/4 head of iceberg lettuce rinsed
bacon crumbles
coarsley chopped walnuts
red onion slices
tomatos diced
salt and freshly ground pepper

If this isn't enough for a "meal" serve with burgers or a nice steak. Enjoy!

Cinco de Mayo meal on the run

Hi everyone! We have taken a few weeks off from swapping due to a brand new baby, a house move and out of town guests visiting. We will be back in full swing the week of May 23 so please check back then for some new recipes and ideas.
In the meantime, I have to give a shout of to our neighborhood Trader Joe's sample lady for helping us figure out tonights easy meal. You only need 3-4 ingredients:
*black bean and cheese taquitos (frozen section) or any taquitos of your choice
*verde salsa (jar from Traders)
*shredded cheese
Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes and you have yourself some yummy tasting poor boy enchiladas. Top with sour cream (or in our house we always sub plain yogurt) guacamole, fresh cilantro if you have any growing in your garden and presto...dinner!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Easy Breezy Meaty Lasagna

Raise your hand if you've heard of The Pioneer Woman? I've been a long time follower of her blog. She is a mother of four, ranch owner, homeschooler, photographer and author. Mostly though, she loves cooking simple, delicious meals (not necessarily low fat!) which are relatively easy to throw together. Check her out: thepioneerwoman.com

This week I made her lasagna found here.

The ingredients are basic and it comes together pretty quickly. I made three lasagnas in about 40 minutes from start to finish and figure I spent under $20.00. I used the Trader Joe's no bake lasagna noodles (and bit my fingernails hoping they would work and not be chewy or uncooked) and they were fabulous. Who doesn't like a meaty, cheesy lasagna?

So, gather your ingredients and make a few. Throw them in the freezer unbaked and save them for a rainy day.

Enjoy!

Sunburst Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS
4 whole wheat tortillas (10-inch), warmed
1/2 pound chicken, cut into cubes
1/2 cup of my mom's vinaigrette dressing (see below)
1 1/2 tablespoons cocktail sauce
2 blood oranges (or 1 grapefruit), peeled and sectioned
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/8 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 bag (about 8 ounces) salad greens

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line 4 (7-inch) oven-safe bowls with 1 tortilla each. Place the bowls onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the tortillas are golden brown and crisp. Let the tortillas cool in the bowls on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the tortillas from the bowls and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Stir the chicken, half the dressing and the cocktail sauce in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Stir in the blood oranges, avocado and pecans.

Divide the greens among the tortillas. Top with the chicken mixture. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Mom's Vinaigrette
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange muscat champagne vinegar (tj's)
1 cup oil

Glazed Salmon with Rice and Asparagus

We don't eat a whole lot of fish in the Ferenc household, not because we don't love the taste, but because Mama doesn't like/know how to prep fish. This week's Sprouts ad came in the mail and I noticed they had Alaskan wild caught Sockeye salmon on sale. I decided to take the plunge and find a simple salmon recipe and hope for the best. I purchased the salmon with the skin on and placed the large filet in a simple marinade of:

• ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
• ⅓ cups Water
• ⅓ cups Soy Sauce
• ¼ cups Vegetable Oil
• juice from one fresh lemon
• ginger, pepper, garlic and any other fresh herbs you like

I left the salmon to marinate overnight, or longer then simply drained out the marinade into a saucepan and baked the salmon at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. While the salmon was cooking I simmered the marinade on low heat so we could pour over the salmon later. Cook up some rice, we had wild rice and place the salmon (with skin removed after cooking) on top of the rice and generously pour over the sauce.... it’s YUMMY. Serve with a side of fresh asparagus. The best way to cook asparagus is to heat up a skillet with some olive oil. Toss the asparagus in the skillet and season with garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until the asparagus turns a pretty green. Immediately douse with fresh lemon juice and cook 1 minute more. Remove the asparagus and you should have some perfectly cooked, fresh and non-soggy asparagus.

I wasn't sure how the kids would respond to the salmon. I was prepared to put up a food fight and not give them any other dinner option and GUESS WHAT??? They gobbled this up, asked for more and loved it! They never cease to surprise me.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Prepping! This week's contents include: 1 bag of chicken mixture. 1 head of lettuce. 1 bag of frozen gyoza from Japanese market. Dipping sauce for gyoza (can also be used as extra sauce in wraps).

Ingredients
1 teriyaki-flavored rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup red pepper, diced small
1/4 cup water chestnuts, diced small
1/4 cup bamboo shoots, diced small
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic - minced
12 lettuce leaves

Directions
1. Remove meat only from rotisserie chicken and dice small. This should give you about 2 cups of diced chicken.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and remaining ingredients.
3. Cook until heated through -- about 5 minutes.
4. Serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping.
(recipe credit here)

CHANGES? Next time instead of rotisserie, I would marinate chicken breasts in teriyaki sauce, cook and cube. The rotisserie shredded too thin and I didn't love the texture.

Side dish: Gyoza (instead of that asian salad)!

Veggie Lasagna

This recipe is from the Trader Joe's Cookbook. We ate ours last night and it was REALLY good. This thing was so quick and easy to make too, which is what I'm looking for these last days of pregnancy when I can only stay on my feet for so long. The ingredients for this one were a little pricey, so I don't know if I'll do it again, but it is an awesome meal for quick and yummy.

Your directions:
Cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook another 15 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes and sprinkle the Italian Parsley on top before serving. Side: Ceasar salad with garlic croutons and freshly grated parmesan.

Enjoy!!

Bacon, Gruyere and Arugula Quiche

So, excuse the blurriness of the picture above...I said I can cook not take pictures! I just wanted to show you how pretty this quiche turned out. I almost didn't want to cut it. But, my taste buds got the best of me and I gave in. Meghan gave me the starting point recipe for this basic quiche. You can add just about anything you want in to it.

Quiche basic recipe:

6 large eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche

1 cup milk (preferably whole)

8 ounces gruyère, emmenthal, or other Swiss-type cheese

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, salt, pepper and garlic to taste

After you make the basic recipe, just add whatever you feel like adding. I added some chopped grilled onion (grill it in the bacon fat...just do it!), bacon pieces, shredded gruyere cheese and fresh arugula. Then simply pour it in the pie crust, which I bought at Trader Joe's and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. Watch to make sure your pie crust isn't getting too brown. If it is, simply throw a piece of tin foil over the whole thing and continue cooking.

I served our quiche with a nice simple spinach salad with toasted almonds, freshly sliced strawberries, red onion and feta. Toss with Trader Joe's Raspberry Vinaigrette.

The best thing about quiche is that you can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is so versatile and filling. Plus, you have plenty of leftovers to carry you through a busy week. Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I had never made chicken noodle soup from scratch before... it always seemed somewhat daunting and involved and it's never been my favorite type of soup. But, it's been cold, and rainy, and gray and that kind of weather makes me think of soup so I thought I'd give it a try.

This recipe from Bon Appetit via Epicurious seemed easy enough (you don't have to make your own stock) so I decided it was time to make some soup! I read through a bunch of the comments and seasoned the chicken with Lawry's seasoned salt but I should have done more - I ended up adding some into the soup right before serving. Next time I might try it with rice instead of noodles but it was pretty good! Serve it with your favorite salad and some bread for a warm, hearty meal.

Irish Tacos with Fried Cabbage

No trip to Trader Joe's is complete without swinging by the sample kitchen and seeing what's on the menu for the day! (Liv reminds me if I forget!) I have gotten a number of great ideas from their samples and a few of them have become part of my regular cooking repertoire. This week's sample was something very different but also pretty tasty and with my swap day falling on St Patrick's Day this week, I thought this was a fun thing to make!

INGREDIENTS:

*1 package corned beef (I used TJ's premade, but you could certainly make your own)
*1 package corn tortillas (12)
*1 package TJ's frozen mashed potatoes (Super convenient, but of course you could make your own)
*1 package creme fraiche (7.5 oz)
*12 oz shredded pepper jack cheese

*1 bag shredded cabbage (10 oz)
*1/2 cup diced onions
*1 tbsp butter
*1 tbsp cider vinegar
*1 tbsp sugar
*2 tbsp water
*TJ's organic micro greens

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To fry the cabbage: melt butter and saute onions until tender. Dissolve sugar in vinegar, add to cabbage, then add to onions in the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water and cover. Simmer until done.

2. For tacos: Cook corned beef according to package instructions, then shred. Toast corn tortillas on both sides in a hot pan. Cook mashed potatoes according to package instructions. Layer tortillas with potatoes, corned beef, creme fraiche, cabbage & cheese. Garnish with micro greens & enjoy a twist on the traditional St Patrick's Day dinner!

Mexican Casserole

Photo to come... maybe of us eating tonight. This is such a staple recipe in our house and I do it for moms who have a new baby and get rave reviews. It's so filling and leftovers taste great. I just love Mexican food....

INGREDIENTS
1 rotisserie chicken (I get mine from Costco because they seem bigger/juicier/tastier and I know they add no hormones/steroids)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can organic tomatoes, diced w/ juices
1 can organic black beans, drained/rinsed
1 sm can diced green chilis
1/2 bag of frozen roasted corn (from Trader Joes)
1.5 cups salsa (again, my fave is kirkland brand medium salsa)
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Four 8-inch flour (or corn) tortillas, cut into quarters
Tortilla chips
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Shred up the meat from rotisserie chicken and place in large bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except for the last 3. Place the torn tortilla's on the bottom and sides of a casserole dish. Pour chicken mixture in and then scatter the chips on top. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the cheese, and bake uncovered until the top is golden and crusty, about 15 minutes.

We eat it just as it is. But you can always add quac, sour cream, or whatever you like. Serve with your Mexican salad: Mixed greens, crunched up organic blue corn tortilla chips, cilantro dressing

Meatball Parmesan Sliders

Here is the link for this weeks recipe. This meal was a big hit in our household. I modified it a little bit to fit our taste and needs. I opted to make the meatballs out of beef only. I would have added some ground pork but couldn't find any suitable. I also tripled the garlic...like I do for almost every recipe. I used more fresh parsley than stated and I added fresh basil as well to season the meat a bit more. I had never made homemade meatballs before and I have to say I will probably keep this as a staple in the freezer for those nights I find I want to just throw some spaghetti in the pot for the kids and with some frozen pre-cooked meatballs in the freezer I could pull a few out and thaw them right in the sauce. I used my big kitchen mixer and threw all of the ingredients together and then rolled out about 48 meatballs. My fear in making meatballs is that they might crumble or fall apart when cooking in the sauce...not so! Gently turn them over in the sauce if the sauce isn't covering the whole meatball and they will cook through nicely. Now, I couldn't find brioche bread either, so I opted for the mini slider buns at Trader Joe's and I think they were pretty good. Simply butter each side of the slider bun and toast for a minute in the toaster oven. Add the meatball and kind of push it down a bit so it won't roll off. Then I added a piece of provolone cheese, some red onion and a few fresh basil leaves and returned to the toaster oven until the cheese melted. You can also scoop an extra bit of marinara sauce on right at the end. Scrumptious! Throw in a ceasar and you have dinner girls!

Spicy Steak Salad

One of my favorite things to make almost weekly is a hearty, steak salad. You can really be creative and make this salad with everything you love and customize it to fit your families needs. Last week I made this steak salad with organic mixed greens, sliced cucumber, baby pearl tomatoes, red onion, marinated mushrooms, crumbled sheep feta and of course spicy tri-tip. We used a balsamic dressing from Trader Joe's but one of my absolute favorite stand by dressings is just sprinkling rice vinegar and sesame oil over the salad. It gives it a nice, subtle Asian kick. I wish I could remember who first introduced me to this easy dressing because I would probably kiss them. The way I like to marinate mushrooms is to heat up some olive oil in a pan and add the mushrooms in to cook for about 3 minutes. After the mushrooms soften, add some generous splashes of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic powder or fresh minced garlic if you have it. Let the mushrooms continue to cook and simmer down. Go ahead, walk away and even forget about them for 15 minutes until the aroma in your house is undeniable. The come back in turn them off and add them warm with the juices into your salad. Your husband will thank you....at least mine did.

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

Collards with Turkey Sausage & Shrimp

From Clean Eating Magazine, March 2011

INGREDIENTS

* 1/2 tsp chile powder

* 1/2 tsp paprika

* 1/4 tsp sea salt

* 1/8 tsp each ground black pepper & cayenne pepper

* 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail off

* 1 tbsp olive oil, divided

* 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced

* 2 lean deli-fresh turkey sausages (7 oz), casings removed**

* 1 bunch collard greens (about 1 lb), stems removed & leaves chopped***

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix together chile powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tsp spice mixture until coated.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large saute pan or wok on medium-high. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, until softened. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 more minutes, until just turning pink. Transfer shallot-shrimp mixture to a bowl and return pan to heat.

3. Heat remaining 1 tsp of oil in pan. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes, until browned. Stir remaining spice mixture and collard greens into pan. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove lid, stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Add shallot-shrimp mixture back to pan, stif and cook for 1 more minute, until heated through. Serve immediately.

NOTE

** I used chicken sausage because that's all they had a Trader Joe's.

*** I used Trader Joe's Southern Greens mix (Mustard, Turnip, Collards & Spinach Leaves)

Dijon Pecan Crusted Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 3 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the eggs, dijon, milk and honey. Put aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together panko crumbs, cinnamon, pecans, salt and pepper.
3. Dip the chicken in the egg mix, and press in the pecan mix.
4. Place chicken in a baking dish and pour melted butter over the top.
5. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Turn to broil for last minute to toast pecans.

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas

From www.campbellskitchen.com


2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 green onions, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Fresh cilantro leaves

Stir the salsa, cumin, oregano, chicken, cheese and onions in a medium bowl.

Place about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold the opposite sides over the filling. Roll the tortillas up from the bottom and place them seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush the tortilla rolls with butter.
Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until they're golden brown. Serve with additional salsa. Garnish with cilantro.

Tonights Side: Trader Joe's low fat organic refried pinto beans - salsa styled

Sesame-Crusted Tilapia with Gingered Green Beans

From Clean Eating Magazine March 2011

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
* 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
* 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger, divided
* 4 tsp olive oil, divided
* 1 tsp sesame oil, divided
* 4 6-oz tilapia fillets, skin & bones removed
* 2 tbsp sesame seeds
* 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
* 3 cups trimmed green beans (12 oz)
* 1/2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F

2. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, 2 tsp ginger, 2 tsp olive oil & 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Place tilapia in a shallow nonstick or foil-lined baking pan and pour lime juice mixture over top, turning fillets to coat. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over top of tilapia and bake for 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Broil for 1 minute at the end to toast the sesame seeds!

3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add remaining 4 tsp ginger and cook for one minute or until fragrant. Add broth, beans, salt and pepper, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until beans are bright green and tender-crisp. Remove from heat, add remaining 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil and toss to coat.

4. Using a thin heat-proof spatula, lift tilapia from pan and arrange on serving plates. Drizzle with pan juices and serve immediately with green beans, dividing evenly.

Grilled Lemon-Oregano Chicken Drumsticks

J... you missed this one when you were in Seattle. We took them as appetizers over to my parents house to watch the Oscars and it was a hit. My side dish was heather's green beans from pioneer woman.

From Epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
8 chicken drumsticks


INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Pour marinade into 1-gallon resealable plastic bag; add chicken and seal. Turn bag to coat chicken. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes or in refrigerator up to 2 days, turning occasionally.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place chicken, with some marinade still clinging, on grill rack; grill chicken until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, turning frequently, about 30 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.