Fresh Turkey Taco Salads

I know I've already posted about avocados and tomatoes once this week, but with Cinco de Mayo coming up on Saturday, it seemed like the perfect time for a post about one of my favorite easy dinners - fresh turkey taco salads.

The origin is actually the recipe from early April about Teriyaki Asian Tacos.  I mentioned without much explanation that I named the dish "Asian Tacos" because it was so similar to how I do real tacos.  Since I've talked about it several times, I thought I'd officially share what tacos look like in these parts. 

And they look like this...

Turkey Taco Salads!

It's not earth shattering.  Just a collection of fresh, slightly more healthy ingredients that make this my go-to when I'm short on time or ideas for dinner.

Exhausted after work but want something healthy and filling?  Turkey tacos. 

Just landed at the airport after a week visiting family for the holidays?  First stop - pick up the dog.  Second stop - grocery store for milk and the ingredients for turkey tacos.

And as you've probably noticed, it's in salad form.  Sometimes I switch it up and eat it as an actual taco, instead of with a fork.  But most of the time it's like this.

The main ingredients that make this so awesome are fresh avocados and tomatoes.  The avocados add a silky smoothness to the salad that pares well with the crunchy texture of the tortilla chips.  The tomatoes add a nice burst of flavor and moisture.

Simple touches but they make a big difference in my opinion.  Besides the addition of the fresh ingredients, I use ground turkey instead of ground beef and then your standard low sodium taco seasoning packets.  I also use shredded lettuce and add some shredded cheese and a layer of crushed tortilla chips.

I LOVE how fresh this tastes and am not kidding when I say I eat this 2 or 3 times a month depending on how busy we are.  I especially love this because it's one of those dishes that Roy makes.  Makes a busy day even better!  And this would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo if you're more interested in drinking your calories instead of eating them!

Teriyaki Asian Tacos

When my Mom called and told me about this recipe I was amazed. The idea is so basic yet it's never even crossed my mind. Even before I made it, I knew this would be one of those that gets added to my regular rotation. It comes from a longtime family friend, Mrs. Thornton. 

Mrs. Thornton has been in our lives for what feels like forever.  She's the kind of family friend who has been a part of your life for so long you forget how and when they came to you in the first place.  She has literally known my brother since he was in the womb and was a fixture for us growing up as she was our "emergency contact".  My Mom repaid the favor for her kids as well.  The highlight by far was the time she was called to school to pick up Mrs. Thornton's son after he fell off the roof while chasing a wayward ball (he was fine, don't worry).

The kids are (mostly) all grown and now my Mom and Mrs. Thornton are on to grandbabies and granddogs.  The last time they caught up, Mrs. Thornton shared this recipe with my Mom.  It's original form was as a ground chicken mixture with pine nuts and teriyaki sauce that goes in lettuce wraps.  Think PF Changs only super, super easy.  Because I never seem to be full from lettuce wraps, I switched it up and served the mixture over some steamed rice.

DELICIOUS.

I know calling this "Teriyaki Asian Tacos" makes no sense at all.  But stir fry seemed inappropriate since there's no wok.  And the ground chicken with the veggies and the sauce... it's so close to the way I do tacos, just with Asian flavors.  It used it to describe the recipe to Roy and it stuck. 

So Teriyaki Asian Tacos it is!

I used a little bit of diced celery and matchstick carrots for color and texture.  The original also called for pine nuts but I used cashews because I love cashews with Asian flavors.  I added a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and served this with steamed white rice.  I really like the sauce that Mrs. Thornton recommended - Mr. Yoshida's.  It's not as abrasive as regular Teriyaki can be and it eliminates the need to add spices or cook down the Teriyaki on it's own until it thickens.  Which means it's perfect for weeknights!

If you want to stay true to the original recipe, serve this in a romaine or Belgian endive lettuce cup.  Enjoy it as an appetizer or like we did, as a full meal and switch up the veggies to make it work for you.  And by all means, feel free to suggest some new names for the dish!

*****

Teriyaki Asian Tacos
20 mins active, 4-6 servings

[FYI - this is an "eyeball" recipe meaning I just added things until it looked right, so the amounts below are more guidelines than exact measurements.  Feel free to tweak the amounts so they work for you.]

1 lb ground chicken
1 medium onion, diced
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews
1/2 cup (or more) Mr. Yoshida's Sweet Teriyaki sauce
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
steamed brown or white rice (optional)
lettuce cups (optional)


Brown ground chicken and onion in a large skillet.  Drain and return to pan. 

Add sauce, diced celery and cashews and mix so everything is coated in sauce.  Make sure to add enough sauce to give the chicken moisture.  You don't want dry ground chicken!  Heat on medium or low until sauce is warmed through and celery and cashews have softened just a bit. 

Sprinkle with matchstick carrots and toasted sesame seeds.  Serve over steamed rice or with in lettuce cups.

Bobby Flay's Vegetable Meatloaf

Last week I promised you a veggie meatloaf recipe from Bobby Flay.  I'm sure several of you were scratching your head thinking "Veggie... meatloaf....??  How does that even work?".  Or you may have been in the non-believer category, thinking there was no way a veggie meatloaf could be good.  But this one is.  And it has Bobby Flay's name and 185 five star reviews to prove it's point.

The base for this meatloaf is ground turkey so you're off to a healthy start.  Then you add in zucchini and 2 bell peppers which is quite a lot of veggies for a little meatloaf pan!  In my opinion, the secret and unexpected ingredient here is balsamic vinegar.  It lends the meatloaf a subtle sweetness that you typically don't associate with meatloaf. 

Full disclosure - this recipe doesn't come without some work.  The prep can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on how much dilly dallying, wine drinking and chip dipping you're doing.  Or how "helpful" your sous chef is.  Roy got relieved from kitchen duty when he tried to mince the zucchini.

However, Foster very much enjoyed this part and scoured the kitchen for whatever flying leftovers he could find.

Then it takes 60-75 minutes to bake.  But it's so worth it.  Plus it makes enough for 8 servings so you'll have some good leftovers to work on.  It's well worth a bit of time on a Sunday afternoon. 

The first time I made this, I made the balsamic glaze for the top of the meatloaf.  But I've skipped it every time thereafter. In my opinion, the balsamic stinks up the house when it's baked this way and I don't really care for the baked balsamic/ketchup mix taste. We go low brow with our sauce - plain ketchup all the way!  However, I included that with the recipe in case you want to try it that way.  But whatever you do, don't skip the balsamic IN the meatloaf.  That part is not optional. 

Try it with some roasted or mashed potatoes and a salad. You'll lick the plate!

*****

Bobby Flay's Vegetable Meatloaf
8 servings, 30 mins active, 90-105 mins total

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.

Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. [Optional:  Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf.]

Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Per serving: Calories 270; Fat 14 g (Sat. 4.2 g; Mono. 6.3 g; Poly. 3.1 g); Cholesterol 104 mg; Sodium 451 mg; Carbohydrate 16 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 20 g

Chicken with White Wine Sauce (Cooking Light)

I believe in the philosophy "everything in moderation".  But sometimes you have one of those weekends that includes too much wine and cheese at book club, a parade of appetizers and beer for a football game, a brunch with comfort food and old friends, and then some occasional late night fridge raiding.  Given that it's just days after Christmas and New Years, I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way.

After weekends like that, I make recipes like this.  Filling and flavorful, but a bit friendlier towards my body which is usually craving vegetables by that point.  [And there's a sentence I never thought I'd type]

Chicken with white wine sauce has been a standard for the Royfriend and I for the past 2 or 3 years.  It's one of our go-to's after long weekends when we're eager to get back on track.  It's absolutely delicious... the onions get so soft and sweet they melt in your mouth and the white wine vinegar gives normally bland chicken some really good flavor.  The little bit of butter at the end gives it a hint of richness so you forget you're eating healthy food, it's one of my favorites.

I also love this because it's one of those recipes that makes my life easier.  Most of the ingredients live in my pantry and I can have it on the table in under 30 minutes.  Extra bonus - the leftover sauce keeps well in the fridge (only pour the sauce over the chicken you're eating that night, put the rest in the fridge and reheat for leftovers).

I prefer to use thinly sliced chicken breasts for this recipe.  I don't have a good reason, other than thinly sliced chicken breasts seem to provide a better ratio of sauce to chicken.  I typically season my chicken with salt and pepper and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  This is really good served over penne pasta but you can also serve it with a regular side and a salad like I did in the photo above.

After traveling through 4 airports and 5 cities to see family and friends over the holidays, my body is definitely crying out for some "responsible food" (aka: not Taco Bell).  And I suspect I'm not the only one, so I thought I'd share one of my lighter recipes.  Stay tuned cause there's more healthy food to come!

Happy Holidays!

*****

Chicken with White Wine Sauce (Cooking Light)
Serves 4-6; 25 mins active

Cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
1.5 lbs thin sliced chicken breasts
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.  While chicken is baking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add finely chopped onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in chicken broth, white wine, and white wine vinegar; bring to a boil.

Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter and fresh chives.  Spoon sauce over chicken and serve warm.

Sweet Potato and Celery Root Hash

In October Roy took me to a cooking class at the Chopping Block to celebrate my birthday.  It was a grilling class and we got lucky with a beautiful fall evening.  The kind of weather that practically begs you to hang out on a patio with a few beers and some good friends. 

At the Chopping Block for a grilling class in October

We had such a good time that we signed up for another class in November with friends.  The menu sounded amazing and I was pretty sure I'd regret it if I missed it.  We would be making Gruyere fondue with apples and bread, spinach salad with warm bacon vinaigrette, soy glazed salmon, sweet potato and celery root hash and pumpkin donuts with chocolate dipping sauce.  The meal did not disappoint and we had a ton of fun with Hannah and Rick.  Surprisingly, the boys did most of the cooking! 

Roy showing off his new-found seasoning skills

The entire meal was delicious but one of my favorite items was the sweet potato and celery root hash.  The celery root gives the hash a nice lightness and the sweet potatoes caramelize beautifully.  The red onion and bell pepper add some color and texture and the herbs add another layer of unexpected flavor.  Rick and Hannah liked it so much they made it the next week for Thanksgiving and I've been anxiously awaiting a chance to make it at home too. 

I finally had the opportunity to break out this recipe right before the holidays.  By far, the hardest part of this dish is facing your fears and buying celery root.  Once you do that, it's really easy to own it with your chefs knife!

Celery root with the top sliced off

Once you get rid of the outer layer, you slice and dice this like you would a potato. 

A few tips... use the largest skillet you have.  There's a lot that goes into this and you want to give all the delicious ingredients enough room to be arranged in a single layer.  That will ensure everything caramelizes well.  And on the topic of carmalizing... make sure you give the veggies enough time to really caramelize before you stir or toss them.  That was one of the "lessons" we learned in the class.  You don't want to over stir or toss your veggies.  Another lesson was about seasoning.  You should season your food with salt each time you add ingredients, so that layers of flavor can build.  So basic but it was news to me!! 

Roy doesn't love sweet potatoes so I compromised and used one sweet and one russet potato when I made this at home.  In class we used two sweet potatoes, so keep that in mind and make the version that you prefer. 

I also had a hard time getting the celery root to cook when I made this at home, so next time I'll probably add it a few minutes before I had the potatoes. 

This is DELICIOUS and although it's a fall/winter dish, I think it would be great anytime of year. Enjoy!

*****

Sweet Potato and Celery Root Hash
serves 4; 35 mins (active)

2 Tbsp olive or grapeseed oil
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into a half inch dice
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into a half inch dice
1 medium-sized celery root, peeled and cut into a half inch dice
1/2 red onion, small dice
1/2 red pepper, small dice
1 Tbsp chives, minced
2 Tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste


Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive or grapeseed oil.  Saute the potatoes and celery root, tossing occasionally, until caramelized and softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the onions and peppers and continue to cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Mix in the chives and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Veggies with Israeli Couscous

This recipe is quickly turning into one of my favorites.  By now you probably know that I veer towards recipes with veggies.  For me, the more the better! 

This dish delivers on that and so much more.  I love it for a number of reasons... the roasted veggies make your house smell heavenly, it makes a ton of food, and it can be served warm or cold and as a main dish or a side salad.

Chopping and prepping the veggies can take 20-25 minutes, which is the only downside in my opinion.  I find that pouring a glass of wine to drink while you work helps the situation greatly ;) 

This recipe calls for Israeli couscous which is also called pearl couscous.  It's bigger than traditional North African couscous and tastes more like pasta than rice.  It's delicious too!

Think of this as the basic framework for a house that you can decorate however you want.  Use the veggies you have on hand or whatever is fresh at your grocery store or farmers market.  Chop them large or small to suit your preference.  And add the dressing to suit your taste.  I added about half the dressing the night I made it and then added a bit more the next day once it had time to blend with the veggies and couscous.  You can always add more later but you can't fix something you've overdressed.

Have fun with this, make it as a side salad with a nice steak or pack it for lunch instead of your usual sandwich! 

*****

Roasted Veggies with Israeli Couscous

1 small eggplant, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped, seeds removed
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups dry Israeli Couscous
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/3 cup feta cheese

For the Balsamic Dressing:3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper


Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Chop and arrange the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, onion, and garlic in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper. Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 30-35 minutes, stirring vegetables occasionally. Remove vegetables from the oven and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring three cups of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, stir in the Israeli couscous. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until couscous is just tender, with a slight bite, about 10 to 13 minutes. Drain into a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine couscous and roasted vegetables. Stir in the basil and feta cheese.

To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over couscous and vegetables and stir until well combined.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Confetti Corn

This dish is as fun and delicious as the name "Confetti Corn" suggests!  It's a super simple recipe that I grabbed from Ina Garten's cookbook Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavors from Simple Ingredients. 

Pardon the cruddy photos, still waiting to get my nice camera replaced

I've always loved Ina Garten's Food Network show "The Barefoot Contessa" (she's so soothing on tv, I find myself completely mesmerized).  But up until a few years ago you needed a number of gadgets, a plethora of pricey ingredients, 4 hours, and a small kitchen clean up crew to make her recipes.  In recent years, she really has gone back to basics and her recipes are much more approachable.  And as promised, they pack fabulous flavor (here's another delicious recipe from this cookbook: Easy Sole Meuniere).

I made confetti corn to go with Asian Honey Chicken Kebabs and some grilled veggies.  It took about 25 minutes total to prep and cook and was really delicious.  I loved the addition of the red onion and orange bell pepper and the herbs added another layer of flavor that I wasn't expecting.  The corn was sweet but stayed crisp, even after I left it warming on the stove top while we waited for the kebabs to be done.

I ended up with some smaller ears of corn so I beefed this up with almost a cup of frozen corn.  You couldn't tell the difference. 

This got 3 out of 3 stars from the Royfriend.  I suspect I'll be making it a few more times between now and the official start of fall!

*****

Confetti Corn
by Ina Garten, from Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavors from Simple Ingredients

2 T. good olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 small orange bell pepper, 1/2 inch diced
2 T. unsalted butter
Kernels cut from 5 ears of yellow or white corn (4 cups)
1 1/2 t. of kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. chopped fresh basil, chives and/or parsley

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.  Stir in the bell pepper and saute for 2 more minutes.

Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt.  Over medium heat, add the corn, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, until the corn loses its starchiness. 

Season to taste, gently stir in the basil or other green herbs and serve hot.

Sweet, Summer Roasted Veggies

Turns out this week is all about the sides!  Here is another one I've been making pretty regularly all summer.  It allows me to max out on all the produce that catches my eye at the farmers market but still turn items into a cohesive meal. 

The version above includes zucchini, corn, a red bell pepper and a red onion.  You can put it together using practically any combination of ingredients though.  So use what you've got... green or yellow bell peppers, onions, squash, etc.

The standard version from food blogger Kevin & Amanda calls for olive oil and minced garlic.  I find sometimes the garlic can overpower the veggies so I use it judiciously.  This isn't one of those Italian recipes where the more garlic the better.  My advice is play with it and see what you like best.

To serve two people, Amanda suggests 1/3 cup of each veggie.  I usually just eyeball it.  You can easily ratchet the amount up or down depending on how many people you're serving. 

Make sure you save whatever chopped veggies you don't use in a ziploc baggie in your freezer.  Next time you're in a pinch for a side you can whip them out and have this roasted veggie dish on the table in less than 20 minutes.  That's right, no need to thaw the veggies!  Which means... you can also do this using frozen veggies in the winter.  I know, I'm just blowing your mind aren't I?

Give it a shot and let me know what interesting veggie combos you come up with!

PS: while I was testing the links for this post, I stumbled upon this gorgeous recipe from Kevin & Amanda's site for mini-lasagna cups.  Pretty sure I'll be making those as soon as humanly possible!

*****

Sweet, Summer Roasted Veggies
from Kevin & Amanda

1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup zucchini, diced
1/3 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen), diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper


Chop and dice veggies and combine in a medium bowl.  Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat (you don't want these swimming in a pool of EVOO). 

Roast in a shallow baking dish at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Salsa Cruda aka: Bruschetta Pasta

I've been dying to share this recipe with you since I started this blog, but I forced myself to wait until I could do it right and get my hands on some farmers market tomatoes.  And they are finally showing up en masse!  So I'm excited to gift you with "Bruschetta Pasta".  Although I'm more excited about the fact that I got to eat it in order to blog about it.

Despite the origin of this recipe, which makes my face blush with shame, it's one of my favorite, favorite, favorite fresh meals.  I must have made this a dozen times last summer.  It's fresh, flavorful and light while still being filling.  All you need is a salad and maybe some rolls if you're harboring a carb addiction.  Plus your house will smell amazing from the garlic and fresh herbs!

So just where did this recipe come from?  None other than Skinny Italian, by Teresa Giudice of the Real Housewives of New Jersey.  I can feel you judging me all the way across the interwebs.  But let's be honest, almost every female in America has gone through a guilty pleasure phase with one Real Housewives franchise or another. 

I was intrigued by her cookbook and it's actually given me quite a few of my current favorite recipes.  There were also lots of good tips about using and storing herbs.  Thanks to Teresa, I now have parsley and basil in my freezer at all times so I can add more flavor or "fancy" on the fly. 

Teresa calls this Salsa Cruda or "raw sauce".  It's like the Italian version of salsa and is good as a dip or over angel hair pasta, bread or salad.  I tried it over pasta and fell in love!  To me it more closely resembles bruschetta, hence 'bruschetta pasta".

The only thing I changed about this recipe was the salt content.  The original calls for 1/2 teaspoon but I find that to be too salty (way too salty, actually).  I just do a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  My advice is go easy on it to start.  You can always add more later!

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.  And if you're interested, check out Teresa's book.  Don't worry, I won't judge you ;)

*****

Teresa Giudice's Salsa Cruda or "Bruschetta Pasta"
Active: 15 mins, 45 mins total
makes about 4 cups

3 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Dash of salt and pepper
Approx 1/3 cup of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Use your hands to gently combine the tomatoes, parsley, basil, oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Be careful not to squash the tomatoes but make sure they get good and coated.

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to develop the flavors. 

Serve as desired (over bread, salad, pasta).  Sprinkle each serving with about 2 teaspoons of parmigiano-reggiano.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

My farmers market is in full swing and nothing makes me happier than wandering around the stands in the sunshine, picking out produce to last the week.  Without fail, I bring home too much and am left trying to figure out how on earth I will use everything.  Here's my haul from last week:

Corn on the cob, candy onions, heirloom cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes, baby red potatoes, large zucchini, basil, basil and more basil

I've been wanting to try Ellie Krieger's zucchini parmesan crisps (121 5-star reviews on foodnetwork.com!) and figured they'd go really well with some roasted potatoes and flank steak.  They were a perfect compliment, tons of flavor with a little bit of crunch.  And they cooked at the same time and temp as the potatoes - bonus!

Ellie's recipe used medium zucchinis and I obviously went super sized so my slices were a bit larger, but it worked all the same. 

I tried it with grated (or ground) and shredded parmesan cheese and Roy and I agreed - shredded all the way.  It imparts more flavor and gets bubbly and brown on top.

Make sure you keep your slices to the recommended 1/4" thickness.  If you make them thicker, they won't get crispy. 

And good luck getting them on the table.  Most of the time I couldn't even get them off the baking sheet before a few had disappeared into Roy's mouth!

*****

Ellie Krieger's Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Cooking spray
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (3/4-ounce)
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place aluminum foil on baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and a few turns of pepper. Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating it evenly on both sides, pressing the coating on to stick, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove with spatula. Serve immediately.

Per Serving: (serving size, 1/2 cup)
Calories 105; Total Fat 6g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 2g, Poly Fat 0g); Protein 5g; Carb 8.5g; Fiber 1.5g; Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 222mg

Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette

A couple of weeks ago I went to a work event where asparagus was served alongside a lemon vinaigrette. It was so simple that I'm also embarrassed to admit how much it blew my mind.  Is this a new trend?  Has this secretly been happening since the 80's and I've just been unaware? 

Whatever the case, I immediately made a mental note to try it again at home.  I'm all for asparagus but it's like broccoli... much better when it's "accessorized" with some additional flavors like Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar glaze, butter, lemon, etc.

This is a super easy vinaigrette that I nabbed from Epicurious to use on a salad last summer.  It worked perfectly for the asparagus and is made up almost entirely of pantry ingredients. 

I learned at the cocktail reception for work that if the vinaigrette should happen to make it's way towards the other food on your plate, it ends up being a delightful accident.  So I took a more liberal portion when I made this at home and dragged my roasted potatoes and garlicky grilled chicken through it.  Amazing!

Give it a shot sometime this summer while you've got the grill fired up and let me know if you have any other "accessories" for asparagus!

Happy Eating!

*****

Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (the juice of about 1 lemon)
1 Tablespoon minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel (the zested peel of about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1.5 lbs fresh asparagus
PAM olive oil spray

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Wash and trim ends off 1.5 lbs of asparagus (medium or thick stalks).  Mist asparagus with PAM olive oil spray and grill over medium heat for 4-8 minutes.  Drizzle with vinaigrette and enjoy.

Note: can be made a day ahead.  Keep chilled in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Last weekend Roy and I loaded up the car and went to celebrate the 4th of July at a friend of a friend's lake house. 

It was a -- perfect -- Midwestern summer day.  The kind that make all those brutal winter days worth it.  It was toasty, but not so hot you broke a sweat.  The sun was shining and had warmed the lake water up, but it was still refreshing when you jumped in.  There were literally tables and tables of food and the most welcoming and friendly group of people I've ever met.  And the day wrapped up with some fireworks over the lake that easily rivaled (and to be honest, beat) the city of Chicago's firework show.  It was one of the best "4th's" I've ever had.

My contribution to the feast was Buffalo Chicken Dip.  It's spicy, filling and can be made ahead of time, making it one of my favorite dishes to bring to a party or tailgate. 

I also decorated a batch of pretzels with red, white and blue sprinkles after seeing some inspiration online.  The ones with M&M's are just Hershey Hugs melted on top of pretzels with an M&M in the middle.  The other set were just dipped in some white chocolate and rolled in sprinkles and candy sugar. 

Anyway, back to the good stuff... for the 4th I made Hungry Girl's version of the buffalo chicken dip which features a handful of substitutions to eliminate some of the fat and calories.  My fellow "foodie" friend Rachel introduced me to this recipe and having had both the full fat version and this skinnied down version... I can promise you - you will not know the difference. 

I serve the dip with tortilla chips, celery and carrots.  Hungry Girl also suggested red bell peppers.  Whatever you do, don't be afraid to hang on to any leftovers and turn them into lunch! 

Happy Eating!

*****

Hungry Girl's "Buff Chick Hot Wing Dip"

Two 10-oz. cans 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained
One 8-oz. tub fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing
1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (Fage 0% is the best)

Place softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Mix in Frank's RedHot sauce, mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, and yogurt. Stir in chicken until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture evenly into a deep 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until mixture is heated through. Stir well and enjoy!

PER SERVING (1/15th of recipe, about 1/4 cup): 68 calories, 1.5g fat, 616mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g sugars, 10g protein -- PointsPlus® value 2

Asian Honey Chicken Kebabs

This recipe is as much of a summer staple for me as my flip flops.  I'm pretty sure I whip up a batch of these kebabs two or three times a month between June and October using whatever veggies I can find at the Farmers Market that week.

Asian Honey Chicken kebabs with grilled red onion, zucchini and squash and corn on the cob

And unlike some grill recipes that have you making your own rubs and spice mixes (which is fun, when you have the time to do it from scratch), this recipe is about as "lazy woman friendly" as it gets.  It uses just a couple of every day ingredients that you probably have sitting in your pantry right now like honey, soy sauce and garlic.  And it gives normally bland chicken some great flavor!

Occasionally I'll throw some steak in the mix as well.  Or if I'm really feeling fancy pants, sometimes I'll marinate the steak separately in some teriyaki sauce and make a duo of chicken and steak kebabs.  See, doesn't that sound delicious and as fancy as you can get for a BBQ?  I con my guests that way all the time :)

You can throw your veggies into the marinade along with your protein.  Or try keeping them separate and spray them with a light mist of Olive Oil PAM before they hit the grill so their natural flavors shine through.  And seriously, try whatever you can get your hands on... bell peppers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, potatoes (yes, I said it, potatoes, apparently it's the "new thing" to grill although I've yet to try it).

One lesson I will impart after a summer of making kebabs: while it may look cute to mix and match your protein and veggies, resist the urge!  It's just not practical.  Chicken, steak and veggies all have different cooking times and keeping like items on their own skewers makes it easier to cook everything just right.

Happy Eating!  And of course, let me know if you have any other summer marinades that you swear by.

*****

Asian Honey Chicken Kebabs

Serves 6

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (about 1.5 lbs)

1 clove of garlic, minced

veggies of your choice

In a medium bowl, mix together vegetable oil, honey, soy sauce, pepper and minced garlic.  Reserve a little bit in a smaller bowl or glass to brush on kebabs while grilling.

Add cubed chicken and veggies if you choose decide to marinate them.  Stir or mix well to coat the chicken.  Refrigerate for 3 hours or more.

When you're ready to grill, thread chicken and veggies on skewers and discard remaining marinade.  Preheat grill, lightly oil grill grate, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is done.  Brush with reserved marinade and turn to keep kebabs from burning.

BBQ Chicken Nachos

True confession time: I love bar food.  It's my Saturday guilty pleasure of choice, especially during football season.  I try to eat balanced meals and snacks during the week (keyword: try).  And then I indulge my cravings in spinach and artichoke dip, gluttonous brunch, loaded nachos, fried anything and college football when Saturday rolls around. 

Trouble sets in around dinner time.  I find myself too stuffed to enjoy even one more loaded cheese fry and my body is preparing to disown me after all the processed food and sodium.  I feel like undoing the top button of my jeans and falling asleep at the table. 

And that's why I adore this recipe.  It blends the best of both worlds - loaded nachos and the wholesome foods that treat me so much better than my favorite bar dishes. 

The original recipe came from my Chicago friends Dave and Lindsay (affectionately known as AY in Windy City circles).  Roy and I were at their house for dinner when Lindsay introduced us to this amazing find.  It's so basic, you'll wonder why you didn't think it up yourself.

Tangent time... it's hard to explain to you just how fun Dave and Lindsay are and how much I enjoyed living in the same city as them.  So here's a picture that should help elaborate. 

How can people who will do that on their wedding day NOT be fun to hang out with?!?  They've been gone for almost 2 years now, but Chicago still misses them dearly.

Over the years I've played with Lindsay's original recipe by adding in peppers and onions.  I finally settled on the recipe below that includes diced red, green and yellow peppers.

diced bell peppers waiting to be made into nacho goodness

I probably make it every other week during football season, particularly for Monday night games.  It can be made ahead of time and it makes enough for leftovers.  Plus I feel like I'm enjoying an indulgent treat when in reality, I'm getting protein, veggies, and whole grains which is more than I can say for my bar appetizer bffs.  Be cautious not to put too much chicken on one chip. I know it's tempting but you want to maintain a good chip to chicken ratio.

Play around with the your favorite ingredients and work up a combination that's best for you.  Check out this article, "Nachos 50 Ways" from the Food Network Magazine.  You'll get all kinds of good inspiration!

Unfortunately, I can only vouch for the healthy rating if you keep it as is.  But don't let that deter you from trying it with buffalo chicken and blue cheese, fresh corn and jalapenos, or mango and pineapple with Monterrey jack cheese.  The combinations are endless.

Happy Eating!

*****

BBQ Chicken Nachos
35 mins, serves 4-6


1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 1.5 lbs)
3 diced bell peppers – red, green and yellow
Shredded cheese (I use cheddar)
1 bag of restaurant style tortilla chips (you want larger chips so they have space to hold the goods)
BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s original sauce)

1. Bake the chicken for 20 mins at 400 or until cooked through.  While chicken is cooking, dice bell peppers.

Lazy Woman's option: use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save yourself the time of baking the chicken.

2. Slice the chicken breasts into big chunks, place in a food processor or blender and shred until it resembles a pulled bbq meat.  You can also pull it apart by hand using forks, but that’s a lot of effort and interferes with my ability to simultaneously drink a beer.

3. Place shredded chicken and diced bell peppers into a large bowl and add 1/3 cup of BBQ sauce.  Mix well and add more sauce in small increments as necessary.  You want it to be well coated and moist but not soggy.

4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Lay chips in a single layer on the backing sheet and spoon the shredded chicken and bell pepper mixture onto the chips.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese. 

5. Bake on a rack in the top third of the oven at 300 degrees for 10 min.  Just enough to melt the cheese and heat the chicken/bell pepper mixture through.


Again, it’s very easy to make this the day before and refrigerate it so you aren’t slaving away on game day or a work night.  Just stir the mixture up and let it come to room temp first.  And only make as many nachos as you think you’ll eat.  You can’t reheat the nachos, but the bbq mix keeps so you can always make more.

*****

Below are the nutrition facts from a very similar Hungry Girl recipe.  It's not a perfect match.  The HG recipe is based on using 1 can of 98% fat free chunk white chicken, 1 cup of fat free cheese, 1/2 cup of bbq sauce with about 45 cal per 2-TBSP serving, and baked tortilla chips.  I'm just sharing this to give you a ballpark since the recipes are pretty similar.

229 calories, 3g fat, 875 mg sodium (would assume this goes down if you bake your own boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of using canned chicken), 26g carbs, 125g fiber, 7g sugars, 21g protein

Pan Fried Flounder (or Sole)

Thanks to the recent heat wave, we've been having July and August-like temps here in Chicago.  When I got up to walk the dog at 8am yesterday it was already 81 degrees.  Which is great, because who doesn't love a good sweat before their morning coffee?!?

The good news is the heat has made it much easier to give up my heavy winter dishes in favor of lighter summer fare.  Like this one which was featured on the Weight Watchers site when they did a relaunch of the program this spring (if you don't trust my review of the recipe below, trust the 563 reviews on the WW website).

The combination of flavors - Dijon mustard, cornmeal, Parmesan and lemon - is intriguing.  I was unsure of how they'd come together.  But the result is decidedly delicious!  The recipe includes just the right amount of each ingredient so that no one item is overpowering.  It ends up being fresh and flavorful with a little bit of crunch and a nice tanginess. 

My store was out of flounder so I made this with sole which was on sale.  It turned out to be convenient for when I goofed the recipe the first time and realized I'd forgotten the egg whites.  Fortunately I had two more fillets in the fridge so I was able to just start over! 

Which leads me to things I'd do differently next time... skip the egg whites.  Unless you're really trying to do Weight Watchers by the book, I think it's A-ok to save yourself some time and kitchen utensils by just using an egg substitute or even a real egg wash.  I also had a hard time getting the cornmeal coating to stick to the entire fish surface, as you can see in the photo below.  I think that's something that just takes time, and maybe a fish spatula, to master. 

This has been added to the summer rotation and has helped get me out of my "white fish slump".  I won't go into the details but let's just say, I'm no longer allowed to cook tilapia.  So this makes me doubly excited to have an easy fish dish (besides salmon) under my belt!

Happy Eating!

*****

Pan Fried Flounder

from Weight Watchers

1 pound flounder, sole or fluke fillets   

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard   
1 large egg white, whipped until stiff (or equivalent measure of egg substitute)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal   
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese   
1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, finely minced (or 1 tsp dried thyme)   
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste   
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste   
2 sprays olive oil cooking spray   
1 Tbsp olive oil   
1 medium lemons, cut into 4 wedges

Rinse fish and pat dry. Place fish on a plate and spread both sides of fish with mustard; dip into egg white (or egg substitute) and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, thyme, salt and pepper.  Dust the fish with the cornmeal-mixture, making sure to cover both sides.

Coat a large oven-proof skillet with cooking spray and set over medium to medium-high heat; heat oil until shimmering. Add fish to skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side; flip fish and cook until done on other side, about 2 to 3 minutes more.*

Serve fish with lemon wedges.

Honey Mustard Pretzel-Coated Chicken Tenders

After I graduated from Virginia Tech (GO HOKIES!) I spent two years living in Northern Virginia with Eric, one of my best friends from college.  Eric is like a brother to me, but unfortunately neither of us could cook.  Dinner typically came from a can, the freezer or a take-out menu.  There was even an instance where I made a pie, added the filling and put it in the fridge to set all before Eric kindly reminded me I hadn’t actually baked the crust.  Whoops!

While the genesis of our dinners were the same (can, freezer, or take-out menu), the actual food varied quite a bit.  I stuck mostly to frozen entrees like Eggo waffles, pierogies with kielbasa or Bagel Bites with a can of green beans (what, you don’t consider Bagel Bites an entree?). 

Eric on the other hand, has been known to consume a bag of frozen chicken tenders for dinner.  Or a bag of Ore Ida fries.  Or occasionally both!  Sometimes he would polish off a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream as an appetizer.  He was working out a lot back then, so he had the kind of metabolism that would make women weep with envy. 

Eric actually met and started dating his wife during those days and I knew he’d found a keeper when I saw her match him in the kitchen, can of chili for can of chili.

Eric and Shannon tailgating for a Hokie football game

Despite how good those chicken tenders and fries smelled when Eric cooked them, I was never much of a chicken tender fan.  Until I stumbled on these babies.  They redefine “chicken tender” and the honey mustard flavor is unexpected and delicious.  Bonus: they’re from Hungry Girl so they’re healthy! 

The pretzel coating gives it the crunch you associate with chicken tenders without requiring a deep fryer.  Plus the sweetness of the honey mustard flavoring goes perfectly with the saltiness of the pretzels.  The only modification I made to this recipe was that I used a food processor to crush the pretzels.  I served these with a side of fresh broccoli and an awesome spring salad of mixed greens, strawberries, mandarin oranges and Raspberry Walnut dressing. 

Happy Eating!  And if you have any other healthy “fake out” recipes that you’d recommend, share them in the comments below.

*****

Hungry Girl's Honey Mustard Pretzel-Coated Chicken Fingers

6 T. honey mustard
4 T. fat-free liquid egg substitute
10 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 strips (or just buy a package of boneless skinless chicken tenders)
salt and pepper
2 ounces (about 20 twists) hard salted pretzels (I use honey mustard wheat pretzels)
4 t. granulated sugar

Mix honey mustard and egg substitute together in a small bowl. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper, then submerge in the mustard-egg mixture.  Set aside to marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Crush pretzels and mix with granulated sugar.  It’s ok if the pretzels don’t all get crushed up.  I actually like it better with some variety.  Spread the mixture out on a plate or in a shallow dish. 

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Thoroughly coat chicken strips with the pretzel-sugar mixture, and then transfer to the baking sheet.  Discard the remaining mustard-egg mixture. 

Mist the tops of the strips with non-stick spray.  Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping chicken about half way, until chicken is cooked through.

Note: completely forgot to mist the strips with cooking spray and flip them halfway.  Just know that yours will look even better than the pictures!

Per serving: 349 calories, 2.5g fat, 928mg sodium, 39g carbs, 1g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 37g protein

My New Favorite Snack

I have a new obsession these days when it comes to food - yogurt and berry parfaits with Cascadian Farms oats and honey granola.

Let me tell you, that granola is life changing.  The little clusters of granola have a light coating of honey.  When you add the granola to the yogurt, the honey coating mixes into the parfait and it's amazing!  You can see the beginning of what happens when the yogurt and oats and honey granola start to mix in the bottom of the picture above.  It's so sweet and delicious it's hard to believe it's actually healthy for you (just gotta watch the serving sizes!)  And it's surprisingly filling.

More proof:  Blogger Amanda calls it her favorite desert, snack, and lunch (really, insert any meal here).  She specifically describes it as an every day alternative to cupcakes.  I'll try anything that's described as a fix for supersized sweet tooth cravings.

So in case you're keeping score at home, we've got...
      Delicious
      Healthy and guilt-free
      Filling
      Something that satisfies even my enormous sweet tooth craving 

All that adds up to a winner in my book.  Here's Amanda's original blog post about the parfait.  I switched it up and used Stonyfield organic non-fat vanilla yogurt (trying to avoid the high fructose corn syrup). 

There's really no recipe... just a suggested ingredient list.  Mix it together in a bowl or layer it in a glass.  Below are pictures of everything I use but switch things up so it works for you.  I love it equally with blueberries and raspberries. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Caesar Salmon "Two-fer" with Parmesan Crisps

With the weather warming up I'm trying to switch from my heavy, heartier "winter" recipes to lighter items that go well with this couldn't-be-any-slower-to-arrive spring.  It's partially because with the warmer weather, I just feel like eating fresher, lighter meals.  And partially because hibernation season is coming to a close in the Midwest and I'll have to take this fleece jacket off eventually.

But it's so hard. 

To me, those typical winter dishes are the epitome of comfort food.  It's not easy to say "so long" to my favorites like mashed potatoes, pasta that swims in cream, vegetable meatloaf, chili, hearty crock pot recipes and mac 'n cheese masterpieces. 

Enter Caesar Salmon!  It's my transitional crutch.  A two ingredient recipe that goes back and forth between hearty or light, depending on how you serve it.  And because the secret ingredient is fat free Caesar dressing, you can enjoy the indulgent flavors without feeling guilty.  Which is exactly what I need when I'm trying to change my habits back to fresher, healthier eating.

I've included that really hard, really complex, two ingredient recipe below (this is one of those times when a sarcasm font would come in handy).  You prepare the salmon the same way and then serve it anyway that floats your boat.  Here are my suggestions:

For those chilly nights when dessert is a hot chocolate with marshmallows...
Cook salmon according to the recipe and serve with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable or a Caesar salad.  Maybe add in some crusty french bread if you dare.

For the nights when you just want to sit on the patio with a glass of wine...
Cook salmon according to the recipe.  While the salmon is cooking, bake Parmesan crisps to go on the side (see recipe below).  Try not to eat the Parmesan crisps before your salmon is done.  Build a salad of romaine greens and using your hands, pull apart the cooked salmon and spread over the salad.  Top with croutons and Cardini's dressing and add whatever remains of your baked Parmesan crisp to the side. 

It's delicious however you prepare it.  Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

*****

Caesar Salmon Salad with Parmesan Crisp

Baked Caesar Salmon

Salmon fillets
Cardini's fat free Caesar salad dressing

Rinse salmon fillets in cold water and pat dry.  Place in a Ziploc bag or a shallow dish (whatever you prefer) and marinate with Caesar salad dressing for 30 minutes.

Lay a piece of aluminium foil on the counter (about 1' x 1').  Place salmon in middle of foil and fold and pinch the edges on all sides so it makes a little tented envelope or package.  Place on a baking sheet.  Repeat with other salmon fillets. Discard the remaining marinade.

Bake the packages at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the fish flakes.

Baked Parmesan Crisps

1 c. coarsely grated Parmesan Reggiano

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Make 4 flat circles of cheese on the baking sheet.  Make sure the cheese in the circles is spread out a bit so you get the lacy effect. 

Bake 8-9 minutes until cheese is golden and lacy.  Remove and let cool 1-2 minutes.  Loosen from the baking sheet with a spatula.

Note: Stay in the kitchen and watch these cook.  Once they are done, they're done!  I start checking mine after about 5 minutes.

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

I think someone has been sprinkling some crazy in my cereal these days.  Life has gone from busy to controlled chaos to chicken-with-it's-head-cut-off.

I've been trying to find ways to take back some control, like making bigger meals on Sunday so I can start the week off with some good leftovers and enough time to make it to a Monday night yoga class. As much as I'd love to stop working at 5, swing by the grocery store and come home to cook dinner... yeah, not so much.

This Sunday I made an old standby - Parmesan Garlic Chicken. It's just a Kraft recipe but it adds a lot of flavor to otherwise boring chicken breasts.  It's healthy and holds up really well when reheated.  Plus the garlic and parm make your house smell great!

I made it with an Asparagus Gruyere tart that was fantastic (recipe coming later this week), but ended up being too much cheese and sodium when paired with the chicken coated in parm and garlic.  That's what I get for being fancy!  Next time back to basic veggies like oven roasted broccoli or asparagus.  And I'll save the tart for something like steak or ham.

Happy eating!

*****

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

1/2 c. grated Parmesan Cheese (use a heaping 1/2 c. to make mixture last longer)
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs)

Mix cheese, dressing mix and garlic powder.

Lightly beat egg with a splash of water.  Dip chicken in egg mixture and then in crumb mixture, turning to coat the piece of chicken entirely.

Place in a shallow baking dish.  Bake for 20-25 mins at 400 degrees.

For a golden appearance / crispier crust, after the chicken is cooked through, set oven to broil.  Place chicken 6 inches from heat and broil for 2-4 mins until it's golden brown.

Calories 230, Total fat 7g, Saturated fat 3g, Cholesterol 100mg, Sodium 680mg, Carbohydrate 2g, Dietary fiber 0g, Sugars 1g, Protein 37g