Archive for the ‘Entrees’ Category
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Sneak Preview of Dinner, 3/7
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
I stopped by Nugget tonight on my way home from work and picked up a few goodies for dinner tomorrow. Wanna’ see?
Organic Heirloom Tomato
Sweet & Fragrant Organic Basil
Tomato and Basil Salad
Organic Lacinato Kale, AKA Dino Kale
Oragnic Kale
Steamed Organic Kale, with a touch of Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon
I’m also making boneless skinless chicken breasts, which I’ll marinate briefly in fresh lemon (hmm … Meyer or Eureka?), fresh thyme, and extra virgin olive oil, then cook on my George Foreman. I’ve got a little bit of Forbidden Rice (an incredibly delicious and healthy short grain black rice) that I’ll mix with some short grain brown rice. If you’ve never tried Forbidden Rice, I highly recommend it. I think that the Co-Op in Davis has it in bulk, which ends up being more economical to buy than the 15-ounce packages. Here is a link for information on it: http://www.lotusfoods.com/Forbidden-Rice/p/LOT-00210&c=LotusFoods@All
Dessert
And, of course, what dinner would be complete without …
Dinner …
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
If you were here tonight, you could have had this for dinner …
Salmon with Trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend (paprika flakes, sea salt, garlic, basil).
Stir fried snow peas with ginger and a touch of sesame oil and soy …
and pan roasted fingerling potatoes (gold, purple, and red) with fresh thyme.
Comfort Food with a Healthy Twist
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
What comes to mind when you think of comfort food? Mashed potatoes? Macaroni and cheese? Warm, creamy, hearty foods? Chicken soup? Ice cream? Sweets? Salty? Meatloaf? Fried chicken? What is it that makes “comfort food” comfort food? These foods make us comfortable. They remind us of a safe, happy time in life that was free from heartbreak, fear, and doubts. They fill us with a sense of nostalgia, security, and warmth.
For me, comfort food is healthy food because it makes me feel better now and I know I’ll feel better later. I don’t feel so good after eating fried chicken, or macaroni and cheese.
Tonight, I am in serious need of some good, healthy comfort food.
Trader Joe’s has a mix of southern greens that really fit the bill tonight. Mustard, turnip, collards, and spinach. This recipe if an adaptation of one of the recipes on the bag.
I started with just one thick slice of bacon. I don’t eat just any bacon; I do not care for the nitrites, nitrates, and preservatives that most bacons are loaded with. Trader Joe’s to the rescue again with an uncured bacon that’s also a good deal. This pound of uncured bacon ends and pieces, which is perfect for a dish like this, is only $2.99.
Depending on how you feel about bacon fat, you can trim away much of the fat and just cook the meaty part of the bacon. Most of the pieces in this package tend to be thick, and that is perfect for this. For my vegan friends, you can either omit the bacon or substitute a vegan bacon or sausage product. Or, you can simply omit it and just go straight for the red onion and saute that in some good olive oil.
Saute the 1 or 2 pieces of bacon or a sausage. A spicy Andouille sausage is good.
Chop a red onion into bite-sized chunks. On medium heat, saute with the bacon until lightly browned and softened. Place the greens on top, and give a generous grind of Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning.
Pour over some chicken stock; I like the Costco brand. Again, vegan and vegetarian friends – use vegetable stock.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to gently cook until the greens are tender. I don’t like the greens cooked too much. They can get bitter.
This is a very versatile dish. It makes a hearty side dish or entree, and can easily be made as a soup. For an entree, I serve the greens over short grain or sweet brown rice. Oh, so healthy and comforting. For an easy soup, just add lots of stock and serve it in a bowl. Add a little hot sauce, if you want to heat it up.
Voila! Comfort is served. Grilled chicken breast, purple and red potatoes, and Southern greens.
A Rainy Fall Day Calls for Comfort Food …
Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
Coming soon … Roasted Curried Vegetables … perfect for a cool, rainy day.
Later … Almost there …my home smells soo good right now … should be ready in about 30 minutes.
Voila!
Roasted Curried Vegetables
These are so simple to make. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Clean and cut broccoli and cauliflower into evenly cut large bite-sized pieces; drain well. If you’re using whole broccoli and cauliflower, you can use the stems, too. Mini or fingerling potatoes are perfect for this, but you can also use large potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces. You will want to cut the potatoes into smaller pieces than the broccoli and cauliflower, though, to ensure even roasting. Cut one onion (I prefer red) into about 1-inch cubes. Drizzle the vegetables with a good olive oil, then sprinkle generously with your favorite curry powder. Toss well to combine. Spread evenly on a baking pan. Do not crowd the vegetables – otherwise they’ll steam and not roast. Place the baking pan(s) in the middle of your preheated oven. If you’re using multiple baking pans, be sure to leave plenty of room between them and to rotate them (top to bottom) after about 30 minutes.
Depending on the size of your cuts, the vegetables will take about 60 to 90 minutes to roast.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Yams or sweet potatoes are a divine addition.
You may want to cook the potatoes or sweet potatoes separately. Sometimes they take longer to roast than the other vegetables.
Enjoy!
Dinnuh!
Thursday, September 15th, 2011
Don’t you wish you were here?
Heirloom cherry tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and a grind or two of pink Himalayan salt.
... grilled zucchini ...
... and crookneck squash
The whole ensemble ... pork loin cutlets, grilled red onion, zucchini & crookneck squash.
As Promised – Zucchini Quiche
Friday, August 26th, 2011
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking dish with pie crust. Cut fresh zucchini into bite-sized chunks and distribute evenly on crust. Top with fresh herbs of your choice – shown here with fresh basil. Add cheese of your choice – shown here with a sharp English cheddar and part skim mozzarella. Add sundried tomatoes.
Season to taste with pepper – I used Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning. Whisk a few eggs in a separate bowl. You might want to add a little salt, depending on the cheeses you’re using. Carefully pour the whisked eggs over the quiche fillings. Top with grated cheese – shown here with freshly grated Parmesan. Optional – sprinkle with some fresh breadcrumbs.
Bake 350 until set. This will vary depending on the size of the quiche.
Allow to cool a few minutes before cutting.Zucchini Quiche
This quiche is good served hot and reheats well for leftovers.
Enjoy!
A Tale of Two Zucchinis
Sunday, August 21st, 2011
A Tale of Two Zucchinis
It’s that time of year again. If you have a friend with a garden, there is a good chance that you’ll soon find yourself with more zucchini than you might know what to do with. Here are a couple of quick, simple, and healthy ideas for you.
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Slice garden fresh zucchini and roma tomatoes about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Layer alternatively in a gratin baking dish.
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Sprinkle with fresh herbs of your choice (shown below with fresh thyme & chives), season with salt & pepper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Top with freshly grated cheese – shown here with mozzarella and Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio (parmesan, asiago, fontina, & mild provolone cheeses)
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Sprinkle with some fresh sourdough breadcrumbs. These are so easy to make! Let a slice of good sourdough dry out a bit. Cut it into cubes, throw in a blender or food processor, and voila! Homemade breadcrumbs.
Top with a little extra fresh grated parmesan and season with pepper. I like the Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning bland ($1.99 at Trader Joe’s and worth every penny).
Bake at 325 F until it’s done (about an hour). “Done” is subjective … some will like it cooked more than others. Next time I’ll make sure to take a picture of the finished product. Sorry!
This can be served as a main course or as a side. It is lovely with fish, chicken, or lamb.
Coming soon … Zucchini Quiche …
Got Too Much Zucchini?
Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Here’s an idea for you …
Slice garden fresh zucchini & roma tomatoes about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Layer alternatively in a gratin baking dish. Top with fresh herbs of your choice (shown here with fresh thyme & chives), season with salt & pepper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of good quality balsamic vinegar. For a vegan treat, bake here.
For a vegetarian treat, top with freshly grated cheese – shown here with Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio (parmesan, asiago, fontina, & mild provolone cheeses) and a little extra fresh grated parmesan and pepper on top.
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
Bake at 325 F until it’s done (about an hour). “Done” is subjective … some will like it cooked more than others.
Zucchini & Tomato Gratin
This can be served as a main course or as a side. It is lovely with fish, chicken, or lamb.
Enjoy!
Post Work Post Ride Dinner
Tuesday, August 9th, 2011
Salmon with Heirloom Tomato & Persian Cucumber Salad
I’d have to say I had a pretty darn good day today. A very productive work day. A relaxing walk at lunch. A good ride after work followed by a dinner of perfectly cooked salmon with Trader Joe’s everyday seasoning and smoked sea salt, with a refreshing heirloom tomato and Persian cucumber salad with fresh thyme & chives, freshly zested and squeezed lemon, extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground Pink Himalayan sea salt and pepper.