Greek Quinoa Salad

With a strong taste for feta, I concocted this awesome Greek Quinoa Salad that is perfect as a healthy snack or side. Pair it with a grilled chicken breast and call it spa day. 

Recipe after the jump:

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water

Salad:
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup diced english cucumber
1 cup sliced black olives
feta for sprinkling

Whisk together the dressing:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped to a paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Bring the quinoa, salt, and water to a boil.  Once it's boiling, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes.  In the meantime prepare the salad and dressing (separately from one another).  When the quinoa is done, remove it from the heat, fluff with a fork, and add to a separate bowl.  Allow to cool.  Once cool, add the salad ingredients and toss with the dressing.  Sprinkle with feta and enjoy!

PC: kaaltv.com
Dressing recipe: Bobby Flay

Breakfast Cookies

My former sorority sister Lauren should be voted Mom of the Year.  She's a hard-working entrepreneur, dedicated Mom, social chair for other Mom's, and also a healthy chef for her beautiful daughter Bryn and her friends.  Her most recent playdate featured Breakfast Cookies that were devoured by the kids and adults alike in about one minute flat. They're so good that it's hard to believe they're nutritious.  It's no surprise since everything she does is extraordinary. 

Recipe after the jump:

Here's the recipe from Weelicious:

Yields: 30 cookies

3 bananas (preferably ripe or spotty bananas)

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup pitted and chopped dried dates

1/4 cup oil (Lauren uses sunflower oil)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup any of the following: raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or chocolate chips*

1/4 tsp salt

*I use a mix of raisins, craisins and sunflower seeds; Lauren uses raisins, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mash the bananas in a bowl until runny and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.  Using a mini ice cream scoop or tablespoon, place the batter onto a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.  Cool and serve.

To make into bars, place the dough in a greased 7" x 11" dish and bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool.  Cut into bars or squares. 

To freeze: allow cookies to cool ompletely after baking and then place them into a Ziploc bag, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.

PC: Yummly.com

Martha, Martha, Martha!

I'm always in the market (literally and figuratively) for a mind-blowing taco recipe.  And after discovering this bad boy from Martha Stewart (you go girl!), I took myself out indefinitely.  

Pair this meal with an ice cold beer and thank me later.  

Bean and Fish Tacos

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced into rings

2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges

Coarse salt

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions (about 6)

3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno chiles (about 2)

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for serving

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3/4 pound meaty fish fillets, such as mahimahi (I used halibut)

2 cups cooked beans, plus 1/4 cup cooking liquid (I used canned cannellini beans)

8 to 12 corn tortillas, toasted briefly over an open flame and wrapped in a cloth, for serving

4 ounces cotija or ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup), for serving (I used cojita)

4 radishes, thinly sliced, for serving (I didn't use radishes)

1 head romaine lettuce, trimmed and shredded (2 cups), for serving

Directions:

1) Preheat broiler with rack 8 inches from heat source. Toss onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Let stand at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

2) Meanwhile, mix scallions, jalapenos, chopped cilantro, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl (set remaining mixture aside), and stir in remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Rub all over fish.

3) Reheat beans and their liquid. When hot, stir in 3 tablespoons reserved scallion-cilantro mixture. Remove from heat; cover.

4) Broil fish, flipping when scallions and cilantro begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Continue to cook until opaque throughout, about 4 minutes more.

5) Serve beans and fish with tortillas, remaining scallion-cilantro mixture, lime wedges, onions, cheese, radishes, and lettuce.

PC and recipe: MarthaStewart.com

Asian Made Simple

Asian food is one of my favorite go-to's for week night cooking.  It's flavorful, comforting, and therapeutic since it requires a lot of chopping and handling.  After sampling a few of my friend's flavorful dishes at a recent Cooking Club, I'm never at a loss for a better-than-takeout meal.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Servings: 3

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt/pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Rinse the chicken, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper (1 good pinch of each).  Coat the chicken in cornstarch and then the egg.  Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken in two batches until browned (the chicken will not be fully cooked through).  Place the chicken in a greased 9x13 pryex.  In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce and pour evenly over the chicken.  Bake for one hour and turn every 15 minutes.  Serve with brown or white rice and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Allyson Becker from Lifeasalofthouse.blogspot.com

P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef
Servings: 2
12 oz sliced beef tenderloin (Whole Foods will do this for you)
1 tbsp soy bean oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp garlic
2 oz soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp rice wine
2 oz green onion sticks, 3" long

Heat the oil in a saute pan.  Add the beef and cook for 30-60 seconds or until cooked.  Beef should be slightly browned around the edges and gray throughout the rest of the surface.  Add the garlic and toss for about a minute.  Add the rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil.  Cook and reduce the sauce around the beef until all sauce has caramelized onto the beef (it should take around 5 minutes).  The pan should be dry before proceeding.  Add the green onion and toss into beef.  Serve with rice.

Recipe courtesy of Emily Hoffman from P.F. Changs

Martha's Cashew Chicken
Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
1 tbsp cornstarch
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
3/4 cup raw cashews (4 oz), toasted

In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.  Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.  Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet along wtih garlic and white parts of scallions.  Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes.  Return first batch of chicken to pan.  Add vinegar, cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.  Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water, cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in scallion greens and cashews.  Serve immediately over white rice, if desired. 


PC: Tablefortwoblog.com, pfcb.com, Martha Stewart

Star Power

+

Last night I combined two of my favorite Food Network stars' recipes to create a perfectly balanced and delicious Greek-like meal.  Although the meatloaf isn't a traditional Greek dish, the feta and sun-dried tomato tie it all together to give it that major Opa! factor. 

For those of you short on time, this dish is great because you can prepare it in advance and pop it in the oven when you're busy bathing your kids and putting them to bed.  Allow an hour for cooking. 

 Giada's Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Bobby's Greek Potatoes with Lemon Vinaigrette

PC: GiadaDelaurentis.com & Sweetandsaucy

So Smooth

Pregnancy brings on all kinds of cravings like two of my favorites, ice cream and fruit.  Since a daily ice cream can't be good for my non-existent waistline, I found the perfect solution to get my fix: Yoplait's Frozen Smoothie, available in several delicious flavors like strawberry banana.  Located in the freezer section of most markets, all you need to add is milk which makes it a great source of calcium.  And, when I'm extra hungry, I add a small scoop of almond flour and it tastes even more like a milkshake (which is the entire point of the snack).  

Here's the almond flour I use:

Enjoy!

PC: Yoplait, Amazon

Kabob Night

I grew up loving kabobs.  We used to make them year-round on our outdoor and indoor grill and to this day not a week goes by when I don't crave them.  When yesterday's craving set in, I made Chicken and Veggie Skewers with Homemade Tzatziki and Peanut Sauce from Bibby's Backyard BBQ and it was absolutely delightful.   The meal is hearty, delicious, and comforting and is perfect for a weeknight meal or else entertaining guests.  I served mine with whole wheat couscous and grilled pita on the side and my only regret is that I didn't make extra for leftovers.
  

Chicken and Veggie Skewers with Homemade Peanut and Tzatziki Sauce:

Serves 4:

Chicken Kabobs:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp oregano

salt/pepper

Whisk together all of the ingredients, besides the chicken, in a large bowl.  Add the chicken and toss to coat. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before grilling.

*If you're using wooden or bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling.  When ready to grill, place on a pre-heated grill and cook for about 7-10 minutes per side until done. 

Veggie Kabobs:

1 cup chopped peppers

1 cup chopped red onion chunks

1 cup button mushrooms

1 cup zucchini chunks

1 cup cherry tomatoes

Thread veggies on skewers.  Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cook on a grill until all veggies are lightly charred all over, about 10 minutes.  Serve alongside chicken kabobs.

Tzatziki Sauce:

1 1/2 cups greek yogurt

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 heaping tsp minced garlic

1 tsp lemon

1 green onion, sliced thinly

1 tsp oregano

salt/pepper to taste

Feta-optional

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate for 2-8 hours before serving

Peanut Sauce:

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 cup-1/2 cup warm water

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.  Add the water last to thin out the sauce.  You may not need all of it.  Serve at room temperature.

Serve with couscous and grilled pita

If you're like me and don't have access to an outdoor grill, be sure to invest in this Calphalon Nonstick Grill Pan.  I use it for everything!

Whole Foods, ILoveChickenWings.com, Foodnetwork.com, Cookingwithsugar.com, gettyimages.com, amazon

Sky's 'Week in a Day'

Over holiday break I watched Rachel Ray prepare a full week's worth of meals in a one hour show, and I thought to myself, this is totally up my alley! Now that my energy levels vary from day to day and all I crave is a nice, home-cooked meal, why don't I try this?  So when I returned on Sunday I set off to the market with recipes in hand in hopes of becoming a food star in my very own home. (Even though my husband already regards me as a shining star), I have to say that it was a pretty easy feat and there's truly nothing better than having a home-cooked meal on nights that you don't have the time or energy to put in the work.

So here's what I made:

Dinners # 1 & 2: Black Bean and Chorizo Chili  (We ate this on Sunday and Monday night)

I featured this chili last year and it's by far my favorite.  I substitute nitrate-free chicken sausage for chorizo (when I'm pregnant), and use half ground round/half ground turkey meat instead of beef stew meat.  I do this because I personally don't like chunks of real meat in my chili. This recipe yields 10 servings, so if you're a party of 2, it could last you 5 nights.  Or else 1-2 nights and you can freeze the leftovers.

-Serve it with sliced avocado, american cheese, chopped onion, crushed tortilla chips and fresh corn bread.

Corn bread: I often use a mix that I have in the pantry with other ingredients that I always have on hand (like milk, oil, and eggs).  This time I actually used the recipe from the back of the Corn Flour mix since I had to buy it for the chili.

Dinner #3: Turkey Tacos with Refried Beans (We ate this on Tuesday night)

When I browned the turkey meat for the chili, I added on an extra 1 3/4 lbs of turkey knowing that I would use part of it for a night of tacos and the other for spaghetti casserole.  For turkey tacos, I don't use anything fancy but the trusty Ortega taco kit.  And since I already had the toppings on hand from the chili (avocado, shredded lettuce, tomato) all I needed was salsa and refried beans from my pantry. How easy is that?

+

Dinner # 4: Easy Spaghetti Casserole (Wednesday night's dinner)

On Sunday, I took the remaining 3/4 lb of browned turkey meat and mixed it with a bottle of San Marzano marinara sauce I had on hand (about 8-10 oz sauce).  I doctored it up with some salt, oregano, and garlic powder, and threw in some sauteed chopped onion and garlic.  Since I wasn't sure if the sauce would stay in my fridge, I threw it in the freezer until Wednesday morning when I allowed it to thaw out.  All I needed to do then was boil some whole wheat spaghetti (8 oz), mix it with the sauce, and throw it in a 8" x 8" casserole and top it with parmesan and shredded mozzarella. You just bake it in the oven at 400 for 35 minutes until it's piping hot. I also baked some frozen broccoli since I had it in the freezer.  This casserole was inspired by my Grandma Rose who used to make it for Mom as a kid. 

Dinner #5: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

I figured that by Thusday we could 'cheat' and just eat some Campbell's Tomato Soup along with a grilled cheese made in our panini maker.  I'll use Whole Food's 9 grain bread with some American cheese and a little butter and call it a day. 

Dinner #6: We're going out. I need a change of pace.

PC: Cooking.com, Today's Turkey, mybrands, Everything and Nothing, Uncommon goods.

Burrito Bowl

Thanks to Closet Cooking I have another easy Mexican meal under my belt: the deconstructed burrito aka the Burrito Bowl.  This hearty meal includes everything you'd find in your typical burrito: cilantro lime rice,  spicy black beans, fresh pico de gallo, and tequila lime chicken all topped with sour cream and grated jack and cheddar cheese.

Even better, no utensils are required-just serve tortillas instead.

And to make this meal healthy, just use brown rice, low fat sour cream and cheese and stick to your serving size.

PC: Closet Cooking

Rockit-Inspired Turkey Burger

The minute I spotted a pretzel baguette at Whole Foods I knew I had to recreate my favorite turkey burger of all time from Rockit Bar and Grill in Chicago.  Rockit serves theirs on a pretzel roll topped with red onion, sliced avocado, and spicy mayo with a side of the mouth-watering sweet potato fries, so I was on a mission to do the same.  I used my new cookbook bible, The New Best Recipe, for a twist on the traditional turkey burger (they add ricotta cheese to theirs) and Ore Ida's NEW Sweet Potato French Fries to cut down on time. They melt in your mouth and aren't that bad for you.

Here's how you make the turkey burgers:

Quick Turkey Burgers:

Serves 4:

1 1/4 lbs lean ground turkey

1/2 cup ricotta (I used part skim)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp canola oil

Toppings:

1 avocado, sliced

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

1 pretzel baguette or 4 pretzel rolls, sliced in half

Other:

Ore Ida's Sweet Potato French Fries (about 1 bag to serve 4)

Combine the turkey, ricotta, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a medium bowl  until well blended.  Divide meat into 4-8 burgers depending on the size you want to achieve.  Lightly toss each portion from hand to hand to form a ball, then lightly flatten the ball into a 1-inch thick patty. 

Heat a large, cast-iron skillet (or heavy skillet) over medium heat until very hot. Swirl the oil in the pan to coat the bottom.  Add the burgers without moving them until the bottom of each is dark brown and crusted, 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn the burgers over and continue to cook until the bottom is light brown but not yet crusted, 3 to 4 minutes longer.  Reduce the heat to low, position the cover slightly ajar on the pan to allow steam to escape, and cook 8 to 10 minutes longer, flipping once if necessary.  Watch closely as ricotta tends to burn easily.

While the patties are cooking, assemble the rest of the sandwich: Cut the baguette into burger-sized buns, and place on a plate.  Top with red onion, sliced avocado, and finally a (finished burger) topped with spicy mayo sauce (recipe to follow).  Serve with sweet potato french fries.  You can add some brown sugar if you want to get the Rockit effect.

Here are the french fries to look for at the market:

And the recipe for spicy mayo:

Spicy Mayo:

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 large clove of garlic, crushed

Chop the crushed garlic wtih salt and press it to the side of the knife until mashed.  Scrape the garlic into a small bowl and stir in chili powder, lime juice and mayonnaise. Set aside.

Finally, here's how mine looked:

Oye Vay SoyVay!

A friend of mine recently turned me on to Soy Vay's Wasabi Teriyaki and let me just say, OYE VAY is it addictive! I used it as a marinade for halibut filets and threw it together with some couscous, sauteed red pepper, garlic, and onion, and roasted asparagus.  This meal is soy easy and equally (soy) delicious.   

Here's the marinade to look for at the market:

And here's my go-to for easy couscous (or rice) in a jiffy:

Near East Couscous:

How to prepare this meal:

Serves 2:

Ingredients:

Soy Vay Marinade (about 1/4 cup)

2 6-8 oz halibut filets

1 tbsp canola oil

1 bundle asparagus, rinsed and trimmed

1 box of Near East Couscous (you'll need 2 Tbsp Olive Oil and water)

And 1/2 red pepper-diced

1/2 onion-diced

1 head of garlic

1) Coat a baking sheet with Pam.  Add asparagus, sprinkle with kosher salt, spray with a little extra pam and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 21 minutes. When finished, increase the heat to 400 degrees.

2) Add the olive oil to a pan.  Let it simmer, add onion, let it cook for about 1-2 minutes and add garlic.  After about 20 seconds, add the red pepper and season with salt/pepper.  Allow to soften for another 5 minutes or so.  Mix periodically. Set aside.

3) Prepare couscous as directed.  It takes 5 minutes to prepare once the water is boiling.

4) Heat the canola oil in a non-stick pan.  Add the halibut and sear for 2 minutes per side.  When finished, throw it on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Line the asparagus on the center of the plate. Top with couscous, then sauteed veggies and the halibut filets.  Enjoy!

Easy Caprese Ideas:

Caprese salad aka insalata tricolore (the three colors representing the red, white and green of the Italian flag) is one of the easiest tricks in the book.  With fresh produce and cheese, this salad will never let you down.  Most recently, I've added grilled peaches to the mix for a nice Summer twist. 

Take your standard Caprese Salad (tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil, salt, pepper, olive oil):

+

Add some cut up Peaches (grilled or just plain ripe)

And drizzle with a thick balsamic glaze.

Other entertaining ideas:

Caprese Bites:

Caprese skewers: (with grilled bread)

 

or a grilled Peach and Mozzarella Salad:

PC: Tesco, Rachel Black, My recipes, Whole foods, Fine Cooking:

Baja "Fresh" Tacos

All this taco talk has me in a frenzy!

Once again I tried a new recipe for fish tacos and boy were they blogicious: Baja Fish Tacos.  I wasn't planning on making them until my husband requested them... anything for love I tell you.

I cut the all the ingredients in half (besides the fish-I used 12 oz of mahi mahi) and the spices were spot on. The mexican cream (I used creme fraiche+ lime/lime zest) pulls all the ingredients together and of course I served mine with roasted fingerling potatoes and jalapeno. The meal was delightful.
Recipe: Epicurious, Image: health.com and food & wine

'Sole' Food

After a quick trip to my fishmonger, I decided to make some Sole Food-Sole Meuniere that is. Given the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of butter (plus oil), I decided to cut some corners to make my dish good for your heart and soul (and bikini).

Quick tip: try to buy wild Pacific sole rather than Atlantic sole which is overfished. 

The meal:

Sole Meuniere with Brussel Sprout and Shallot Hash and Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Grade: A + (Julia Child-worthy with a quarter of the fat)

How I did it:

2 6 oz fillets of sole

1/2 cup all purpose flour

salt/pepper

1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil + cooking spray

3 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp drained capers

3 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Rinse off the fish and dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle both sides evenly with salt/pepper.  In a small bowl, add the flour and dredge the fish, making sure to cover all sides.  In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil and heat until it shimmers.  Add 1 1/2 tbsp butter and swirl to coat the pan.  When foam subsides, add fish and cook until golden on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes.  Carefully turn the fish over and cook until opaque in the center and golden on the bottom, about 1-2 minutes.  Divide fish between 2 warmed plates, tent with foil.

Sauce:

Take another skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining butter.  Cook until golden, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice, parsley, and capers and spoon the sauce over the fish.  Serve with additional lemon wedges.

Brussel Sprout/Shallot Hash:

-please note that I cut this recipe in half and still  only used about a tablespoon of butter (rather than 3) 

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes:
1 lb small yukon potatoes, cut into quarters
2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
kosher salt/pepper
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the potatoes and quarter.  Place on a baking sheet and add the rest of the ingredients. Toss to coat.  Bake for 40-50 minutes and flip the potato mixture half way through. Season with salt/pepper and enjoy!

Image from my phone:

Recipe inspiration: Bon Appetit and Cooking Light, Brussel Sprouts: Food and wine

Girl Meets Grill

Here's a Menu for the Grill:

To start:

Grilled Tomato Crostini's:

Sausage Mixed Grill with Balsamic Vinaigrette:

Main:

Grilled Trout with Lemon-Caper Mayonnaise

&

Roasted Asparagus with Almonds:

Dessert:

Grilled Mixed Berry Hobo Pack:

(Mixed berries and Grilled Pound Cake)

Now, all I need is a grill!

Food & Wine

Chicken Shawarma

After a quick trip home (to Ohio) to see my family, I decided to recreate one of my favorite sandwiches from growing up: Chicken Schawarma. This Middle Eastern sandwich, wrapped in pita, will bring you all the pleasures of Coney Island to your home without the grease (or fat).

Recipe (modified from Cooking Light)

-serves 2 with leftovers

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 3" strips

2 tbsp lemon juice (juice of one small lemon)

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

Mix all ingredients together and allow to refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours if possible.  

Remaining ingredients:

3 whole wheat pitas

a handful of romaine lettuce, cut into 2" pieces

low fat tzatziki sauce (mixture of greek yogurt, lemon, dill, garlic) (I buy this premade)

low fat hummus (I use plain and sprinkle paprika on top)

Preparation:

Heat a grill pan to medium high heat (for about five minutes).  Coat with cooking spray or else 1-2 tbsp corn oil.  Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side.  Place on top of a toasted pita (I throw mine in a separate pan on low heat to make them warm), and top with lettuce and one tablespoon tzatziki sauce.  Serve with hummus and greek salad if desired. 

Greek Salad: mix together romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber, peppers, feta cheese and Greek dressing (low fat).

Enjoy! I aplogize for the picture, my camera is out of commission and I had to resort to my blackberry.

TV Dinner

Sometimes cooking reinforces important life lessons like 'don't judge a book by its cover'.  While judging may be a favorite pastime for some of you, those of us who try not to reap the benefits like the meatloaf meal you see above... In fact, it may be my new favorite weeknight dinner of all time.

The meal:

"Beefed up" Meatloaf with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Whole Wheat Mac n' Cheese:

Meatloaf:

Serves 2

1 lb of ground round beef

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

2-3 tbsp ketchup

1/4 cup sugar (secret ingredient)

3/4 tbsp prepared horseradish-I used white

3/4 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 package lipton onion soup mix

Mix ingredients and shape into a loaf.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes (or until an internal thermometer registers between 160-165 degrees).  Let it sit for about 5 minutes before slicing. 

Brussel Sprouts:

3/4 lbs brussel sprouts

2 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt/pepper

Cut off the ends of the sprouts and remove any yellow outer leaves.  Mix with olive oil/salt/pepper and bake along with the meatloaf for 35-40 minutes (until brown and crisp).

Whole Wheat Mac n' Cheese: (can be purchased at most supermarkets)

Prepare as packaged.  Use 2 tbsp butter and skim milk.  Sprinkle with fresh parmesan.

Place it all on a plate, sit on the couch, and enjoy.  Last night I enjoyed this while watching Glee (perfect night if you ask me).

PC: Cooks.com (Jamie Warnick),

Fish Tacos

Tacos seem to be all the rage lately in the food magazines and restaurants and I can see why they're so popular because they're so versatile, simple to prepare, and the options are endless! I'm more of a soft taco kind of girl and thanks to my friend Joe, I was able to put these tilapia tacos together in no time!

Tilapia Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa topped with Avocado:

Serves 2:

Fish:

1 lb of fresh tilapia (you only need around 14-16 oz)

2 small limes

1 tsp lime zest

2 tbsp olive oil

salt/pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

Mango Salsa (from my post Real Recipes by Real People)

1 Mango-peeled and diced

1/2 small diced red onion

half a lime

1/4 red pepper (diced)

1/2 cubanero pepper (diced) you can also use a small amount of jalapeno

salt/ground pepper

dash of sugar

dash of garlic powder

Other:

1 sliced avocado

Corn tortillas

Preparation:

Place the fish, lime juice, zest, olive oil, salt/pepper, cumin and paprika in a zip lock bag.  Marinate for about an hour in the refrigerator.  When ready to prepare, heat a grill pan (or frying pan) over medium high heat, and grill each side of the fish for about 3 minutes until done.  Flake and serve.

Mango salsa-mix together all the ingredients and add to each taco.  Top with avocado and enjoy!

P.S. I like to serve mine with Mexican corn on the cob.

Click here to learn how to prepare basic corn on the cob:

To make it Mexican, top each cob with 1/2 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of low fat mayonnaise, crumbled cotija cheese, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper (or paprika)

Guess who

I'm a popular fruit, often mistaken as a vegetable, that was once reserved for royalty (pretty fancy, huh?) Now I'm eaten by all walks of life (thank goodness because I'm no snob) and am sometimes called an Alligator pear (not so keen on that nick name, my skin isn't that rough)...Who am I?

That's a secret I'll always tell: The Avocado!

Bragging rights: I provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E , B-vitamins and folic acid (hello baby mamas), and I act as a 'nutrient booster' by helping the body absorb more fat-soluble nutrients. 

Now the fun part, EAT me:

Avocado, Mango, and Pineapple Salad with Pistachios and Pickled Shallots:

P.S. Throw on a little grilled chicken and call it dinner.

PC: Fine Living, Facts: avocado.org

Taste of India

I'm constantly on the hunt for easy, inexpensive, and healthy weeknight meals that will give you a taste of the world for less... like last night's Indian-inspired dish:

Chicken Tikka with Channa Masala (chickpeas, slow simmered with onions, tomatoes and spices) and Tandoori Rice

The perks? The prep time is only 5 minutes (literally)

The trick: Tasty Bite, my new favorite 'heat and eat' sides

This meal honestly beats any delivery I've had in NYC/Chicago and if I were to start comparing fat/calories I'd for sure come out on top. (I love winning)

Now all I need is a trip to India to seal the deal.

Recipe for Chicken Tikka:

1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite size pieces

4 tbsp of 2% greek yogurt (or fat free)

6 tbsp Patak's Tikka paste (sold at most supermarkets)

 Mix the yogurt and tikka paste in a small bowl and add chicken. Toss to coat.  Marinate for at least an hour up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the chicken (without the excess marinade) on a baking sheet, cover with Pam, and bake for 25-35 minutes.  When you have 3-5 minutes left of baking, pop the channa masala and rice in the microwave for 90 seconds and place a serving of each onto plates.

Serve with naan or Indian Roti wraps.

Here's what to look for at your supermarket:

Enjoy!