Broccoli Rabe Pesto with Turkey Meatballs

Healthy and satisfying.  That's how I would describe this dish.  It's easy and it has all the components, noodles, veggies, and meat. My husband loved this because he loves broccoli and he doesn't get it very often. 

Buying frozen turkey meatballs and keeping them in the freezer makes it easy to whip up a quick meal on busy nights.  I buy mine at either Trader Joe's or Mother's Market.  Make sure they are all natural and don't contain and bunch of artificial ingredients. 

I used soba noodles for this dish, which is buckwheat, but you could certainly use a whole wheat pasta.

Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli rabe 
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted 
1/3 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 
3 garlic cloves
Salt and Pepper 
1/3 olive oil 
1 package turkey meatballs 
1 lb Soba noodles

Bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Blanch the broccoli rabe  for a couple of minutes.  Remove and drain well, reserving the water to cook the soba noodles.  Chop coarsely and add to a food processor.  To the processor add the pine nuts, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper, and pulse until it's a large mince. Add the olive oil and pulse for a second. I like to leave a little bit of chunk to the pesto and not blend it until smooth but you can make it however you like it. 

In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil.  If you bought fully cooked meatballs heat through for a few minutes.  If you bought raw, cook them according to package directions.  Then add the pesto and heat through. 

Meanwhile cook the soba noodles in the reserved pot of water according to the package directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the water.  When the soba noodles are done add to the skillet and toss all ingredients together.  If needed add a little of the reserved water to loosen up the sauce. Serve warm garnished with a little more grated Parmesan. 

Squash Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage

I have to say I don't make pasta much anymore but this one was calling my name. I try not to eat gluten very often so I made this with pasta made from quinoa. There are lots of options available these days so choose a pasta that works for your family.

Secondly anything made with winter squash interests me. Using it to make a sauce for pasta seemed like a healthy idea. This is creamy without cream, it's only squash and broth.

Prepare all your ingredients.  Wash and chop everything so that you are ready to cook without interruption.  This process is called mise en place.  Its the process of organizing and arranging ingredients in the kitchen for the cook. Its much easier to cook a recipe when you have everything at ready, in front of you. I didn't always practice this, and I'd get in the middle of a recipe and then have to stop to chop something and it was much for difficult, and often frustrating, to get something prepared.   Once I took cooking classes this was required and I quickly learned how beneficial it was, so now I do it every time. It saves time and my sanity in the kitchen.   My husband is great at this. He's my sous chef and he's always up for what we call "slicing and dicing" to help get the ingredients ready.

Both kabocha and butternut squash are perfect for purees, they cook up soft and smooth, so choose the one you prefer or can find easily.  

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 oz pancetta or bacon, chopped small  
1 Tbsp fresh sage, finely minced 
3 cups kabocha or butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch pieces   
1 small onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea Salt 
Freshly cracked Pepper 
2 cups chicken stock 
12 ounces fettucine or linguine
1/4 cup pecorino, finely grated 

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet on medium high heat.  Add the pancetta and cook until crisp.  Add the sage and toss to coat.  Using a slotted spoon remove the pancetta from the skillet and set aside. 

Add the squash and onion to the skillet, salt and pepper, and cook until slightly brown about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Then add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to cook and reduce about 15 to 20 minutes until the squash is soft. Allow to cool slightly, then puree.  Add the puree back to the skillet and add in the pancetta back in. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. 

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Reserve one cup of pasta water.  Add the pasta to the skillet with the squash, add a little pasta water at a time until you get a nicely coated pasta.  Add the grated pecorino and toss well. 

To serve, mound in a bowl or plate, grind a little freshly cracked pepper over it and slice a few pieces of pecorino on top using a vegetable peeler.   


Note:  I found that I had more squash then I needed so the next time I make this I might remove a little of the squash and keep it for another meal.  This squash is very rich so you need to determine how much of it you want on your pasta. I prefer mine a little lighter, but you may like using it all so experiment. 

This puree would also be good to use in a risotto or as a sauce for grilled foods. 

Pasta with Salmon and Peas

This pasta came out of one of those nights when I was searching the kitchen for something to cook so I would not have to go to the store. You know how that goes, we've all had them. I would have eaten just about anything because I was in my pj's and was NOT going to get dressed no matter what. 

I found a really sad piece of salmon in the freezer, along with some peas, and a box of gluten free pasta in the pantry.  I figured I could make something happen with that. I mean if you have pasta in the house you have a meal. 

The surprising thing is that it turned out so good my husband kept asking me if I wrote down the recipe.  Of course I had not, but figured I better do so right away before I forget what I did. Now it is one of our favorite quick night meals. 

Ingredients: 
Shallots 
Stock 
Butter
Cream 
Salt and Pepper 
Peas 
Salmon 
Cheese 
Pasta (use regular or gluten free)

Cook the salmon in a saute pan for a couple minutes per side, then set aside to cool. Break up into bite size pieces. 

Cook the pasta while you are making the sauce. 

In the same saute pan you cooked the salmon in cook the minced shallots, then add some chicken or vegetable stock, reduce slightly, add some butter and cream and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add the peas and cook until just heated through. Season with salt and pepper, add the salmon. Add the pasta to the pan and toss gently.  Add some cheese and serve.    

Baked Penne with Butternut Squash and Four Cheeses

Can you say comfort food?  While this recipe uses penne pasta it's kind of like mac and cheese when you think about it.  Designer mac and cheese.  

There are a few layers to this dish.  You roast the squash, make the bread crumbs, make the cheese sauce, then put it all together. It does take a little time, as all good things do.  You can use gluten free pasta if you like, or whole wheat, whatever your preference.  

This is great for a pot luck, or if you're having family over. You can make one large pan full, or make it in small pans so that you have leftovers to freeze. I use 3 gratin pans when I make it so I have one for now, one for a few days later, and one to freeze.  Or one to give to a friend. 

About the cheese. The amounts below are approximate.  Don't sweat the exact amounts. Any combination of cheeses is going to taste great. 

Ingredients: 
1 pound butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped 
1 pound penne pasta 
Sea Salt  
Pepper, freshly ground 

Cheese sauce: 
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp flour 
2 cups organic heavy whipping cream 
2 cups water 
1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, grated 
3/4 cup blue cheese 
1/2 cup Pecorino
3/4 cup Parmesan 
Pinch of nutmeg 
Salt and pepper

Topping: 
3 slices bread 
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 tbsp sage, chopped
2 tbsp butter, melted 
Salt and pepper 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Peel the squash, then cut into approximately 1 inch cubes. Place the cubed squash in a bowl.  Add olive oil, salt and pepper, sage and toss well to coat. Place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. The squash should be soft and cooked through. 

To make the topping: cut off the crusts of the bread, then cut bread into cubes. Put in a food processor and pulse until fine. Transfer to a bowl. Add the melted butter, salt and pepper, Parmesan and sage.  Set aside. 

To make the cheese sauce: Pour the cream into a container and add 2 cups of water to it and mix.  In a medium saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly, making a rue. Cook 3 to 4 minutes then slowly start adding the cream and whisking to prevent any lumps.  Slowly turn the heat up and allow to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes then add the cheeses, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. 

In the meantime cook the pasta according to package directions.

Mix together the pasta, butternut squash, and cheese sauce. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish, sprinkle the bread crumb topping over the top. 

Bake for 30 minutes. 

Pollo Alla Diavola

Pollo Alla Diavola translates to devilish chicken. Alla Diavola refers to using chili's in the recipe as it's supposed to be hot and spicy like most Latin things are.  However, I have to say that we were quite surprised that this dish was not really hot. It had an excellent flavor but no real heat, so don't be afraid to make it if you are not a fan of hot food. The chili sauce added great flavor, and it was moist and juicy.

This dish was inspired by Bobby Flay's show BBQ Addiction on Food Network. It is our new favorite show.   I have never seen my husband watch a cooking show and be so focused. He even rewinds the DVR sometimes if he has to see something over again. He is totally channeling Bobby these days and I am the lucky recipient of his work. 

For this recipe you need a whole chicken.  There are only two of us and I always experience a little sticker shock when I buy a whole organic chicken.  I don't usually spend $18 on meat for one meal.  But then I realized that this chicken would feed us for more than one meal. As it turns out we got three meals out of this one, so that's only $6 a meal.  I'm sold. 

Pick any combination of dried chili's you like. We had a few different kinds in the pantry so we used all three.  We used an ancho and a generic California chili because they provide that deep depth of flavor but they are not hot. Then we added a couple of the tiny little red Asian chili's that for the heat.  We used only half of this chili oil for the whole chicken we grilled and kept the other half in a glass jar in the refrigerator. A week later we made chicken again and used the rest of the oil. 

1 whole organic chicken, butterflied
3/4 cup olive oil 
1 tsp dried oregano 
1 tsp salt
4 to 6 black peppercorns 
4 or 5 dried chili's
3 large garlic cloves
  
In a small dry saute pan heat the chili's for a few minutes to bring out the flavor.  Add the peppercorns, garlic, oregano and 1/2 cup of the olive oil. 
Heat on low simmer for about 5 minutes until the oils release and the air is fragrant  Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes.  Pour into a food processor or blender, add the salt and puree until smooth.  If needed you can add an additional 1/4 cup of olive oil. Pour into a glass jar for storage. 

Butterfly the chicken by cutting out the backbone.  We used a pair of kitchen shears which made it a pretty easy process. Then press it down flat to help it cook evenly.  There are videos on line if you want to watch a how to.  

With a pastry brush brush on the chili oil all over the chicken.  Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.  Put chicken on the grill and cook for approximately 10 minutes on direct heat, skin side down. You want a nice brown crisp skin. Flip it over and cook approximately another 30 minutes on indirect heat. Try to maintain the temperature at 400 degrees. Check the internal temperature until it comes to 160 degrees  Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.  

Orange Chicken stir fry with Sugar Snap Peas

Chicken, chicken, chicken.  We all seem to be eating lots of chicken.  I don't know about you, but I get board with it pretty quickly.  One night I had this lonely chicken breast staring back at me as if it was challenging me......waiting for me to do something creative with it.  So this recipe is what I came up with.  I love the orange chicken we get at the Asian restaurant so I thought this might be good.  It's nowhere near as good as the restaurant but it'll due for a quick week night meal. 

Serves 2

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown jasmine rice 
Zest of one orange 
1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed 
2 Tbsp soy sauce or liquid amino 
1 Tbsp cornstarch 
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced 
pinch of red pepper flakes 
1 large chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces 
Sea Salt
Pepper, freshly cracked
Snow Peas, a large handful, enough for 2 servings
Sesame Seeds 

Rinse the rice well and allow to drain.  In a small sauce pan heat 1 1/2 cups of water and a 1/4 tsp sea salt, add the rice.  Bring up to a boil, then lower the heat and cook very slowly, slightly covered, for 35 minutes.  Turn off the heat, stir, and allow to sit, fully covered, for 10 minutes before serving. 

To make the sauce:  Zest the orange, juice the orange and put into a small bowl, add the soy sauce and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. 

In large sauce pan or wok, heat the oil, add the onions and pepper flakes. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the chicken, salt and pepper. Stir fry for approximately 4 minutes. Add the sauce and snow peas.  Cook and stir until the sauce has thickened and the peas are done, approximately 2 minutes. 

Serve in a bowl, brown rice down first, then chicken mixture over the top.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Simple Shrimp with a Honey Mustard Glaze

This is by far the easiest recipe I have ever posted.   I've made this for a picnic and it works out really well.  If you need to take a dish to a get together you can put this together in minutes. It's fast! And what's so surprising is that it tastes so darn good. Shhhh.......don't tell anyone how fast it is. Let them think you spent some time putting this together. 

You can use a grill to cook these or simply use a grill pan on top of the stove.

Make sure your shrimp are cleaned, peeled and deveined.  I leave the tails on to act as a handle to hold. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine the mustard, honey, lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl.  This will be your glaze.  Add the shrimp and toss well to coat.  Allow to sit in this for at least 15 minutes then saute or grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side and they are done.

You can eat them right away or you can allow them to cool and them put them into a container with a top and put them in the cooler for the picnic. They will hold well for a couple of hours.

Chickpea Flatbread

This was my first time cooking with chickpea flour and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.   I'm always looking for gluten free recipes, and recipes that I can eat similar to bread, since I can't eat bread anymore.  This recipe seemed promising so I thought I'd give it a try. 

About chickpea flour:  It is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.  It is a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, folate, and manganese. It is also a low glycemic food and therefore I would recommend this product to my diabetic clients. 

This recipe makes 6 pieces and you can use a 11 x 7 inch baking dish or a baking sheet pan.  Its nice if you cook it up thin so it's not too heavy. I like to top it with tomatoes that I normally make for brushetta, but use your imagination.  I also roasted some asparagus one night and put that on top. I've also done a pan of caramelized onions then added that to the pan prior to cooking so it cooks up in the flat bread. 

If I serve this as a meal I serve two pieces along with a salad. If I serve them as appetizers for a dinner party I serve one piece per person.  If it's cocktails I cut them into much smaller pieces and serve as finger food.  You can easily double this recipe and bake it on a baking sheet pan.  You would increase the temp to 450 and cook for 35 to 40 minutes. 

This takes a little advance planning as it has to sit for at least 2 hours before baking.   I prefer to allow it to sit for 6 hours or even overnight. I think it enhances the flavor. 

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour 
3 cups warm water 
1 tbsp sea salt 
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil  

Pour the water into a large bowl.  Slowly whisk in the chickpea flour, salt and pepper.  Let stand at room temp for 2 hours.  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

Stir in the rosemary and olive oil. 

Brush a sheet pan with olive oil then pour the batter into the pan.  It should be solid when done and slightly brown. 

Bake 40 minutes.  

Cut into 6 pieces.

Tomato topping:  Cut up two tomatoes into small dice and put into a bowl.  Add 2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic, salt and pepper, a tbsp or more or chopped basil, and two tbsp olive oil.  Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to develop.  

Another topping I would recommend would be grilled veggies. 

You could also other items prior to cooking:
caramelized onions
bacon
prosciutto
additional herbs
garlic 
cheese, pecorino, Parmesan etc. 
greens like escarole 

As you can see there are lots of things you can do with this recipe.  

Miso soup with buckwheat, bok choy, shitake

I could live on soup.  It's warm, it's comforting, it's delicious.  You can make soup out of anything, and I can make a big batch of it and have it ready to eat for days.  You know my motto, cook once, eat twice! 

I have a gluten intolerance so I've been experimenting with grains.  Buckwheat is gluten free and it's a good replacement if you miss pasta like I do. And it's inexpensive. I go to the local Asian market and buy a package that contains about 7 or 8 bundles, which equates to enough for 7 or 8 meals, and it's only a few dollars. 

This soup takes some preparation so get into the kitchen and do all your chopping.  Once that is done it comes together very quickly.  For me it's always the washing and slicing and dicing that takes up so much time and energy.  I try to get his done early enough so that once we are hungry I can just get into the kitchen and this will be on the table in 10 minutes. 

This soup is aromatic and great for cold and flu season. The mushrooms and ginger are immunity building! 

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp olive or coconut oil 
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger 
4 scallions
3 garlic cloves, minced 
4 oz shitake mushrooms 
1 small sweet potato 
4 oz buckwheat noodles 
1 baby bok choy 
1 handful sugar snap peas 
1/2 cup white miso 
Lime wedges 
coarse salt

Peel and very finely mince the ginger. 

Slice the scallions and separate the white and green parts.  You will use the white parts to saute into the soup and green parts as a garnish when its done. 

Mince the garlic. 

Clean and slice the mushrooms. 

Peel the sweet potato and cut into 1 inch cubes. 

Wash and slice the bok choy into 1 inch slices.

Prepare the sugar snap peas removing any strings.

Dissolve the miso in a small amount of hot water so its ready to pour into the soup.

Cut the limes in wedges. 

In a medium pot heat the oil, add the ginger, scallion whites, and garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Do not burn the garlic.   Add the sweet potatoes and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender about 6 to 8 minutes.  

Meanwhile cook the buckwheat noodles according to package directions.  Pour into a colander and allow to drain well. 

To the soup add the bok choy, mushrooms, peas, cook 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low and add the miso.  You  never want to boil miso.  Cook one minute more keeping the veggies crisp tender.

To serve:  Put noodles into the bowl, add some of the soup, top with the scallion greens and a wedge of lime. 

Serves 4.

Pork Roast with Spice Rub

This spice rub is amazing!  It's so good I want to use it on everything.  I made it the first time with a pork roast, but you could use it on chicken, pork chops, anything.  I cooked some carrots and potatoes with the pork roast and I even took some of the rub and put it on the vegetables.  Just a little.  Now I think I might use more next time. I love the flavor.  

Ingredients:
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
1/2 tsp cardamon or 8 whole pods 
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted 
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp peppercorns
1 tbsp Spanish paprika 
5 cloves garlic
2 tbsp brown sugar 
1 tbsp coarse salt 
1/4 cup olive oil 

1 3 pound pork roast 

In a spice grinder, or coffee grinder, process the bay leaves, star anise, cardamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, and pepper until finely ground.  Place in a small bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well making a paste. 

This recipe will make more of the spice paste than you need for this recipe.  You can keep it in the refrigerator to use later for another meal.

Rub the spice rub all over the roast.  Make sure you cover all sides and use enough that it really gets into the meat.  Cover and chill for a least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

Remove some of the rub from the roast. Take off any excess but make sure that you leave a little on if you want the great flavor.  

Heat the over to 450 degrees.  Place the roast on a large roasting pan. Roast at 450 for 30 minutes.   Cover the pan with foil, turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Put a little water on the bottom of the pan to keep the roast from drying out.  Check after 3 hours. The roast should be fork tender.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. 

Sausage over Polenta

Some of my favorite dishes have come out of my kitchen out of necessity. I had no plans for this dish, it just happened. I found a package of sausage in my freezer that had been there for a while and I knew I needed to use it up or throw it out soon. Plus it was one of those days when I just could not stand going out for groceries again. I was trying to find something I could throw together for dinner and I thought of those sausage.  

I also found a little bag of polenta in the pantry, that I honestly did not even know I had.  Bingo, polenta and sausage!  A no brainer.  And I always have cans of tomatoes in my pantry so this dish was born.

Saute 4 sausages for 5 minutes per side in heavy saute pan. Allow the sausage to get some good color on it so keep the heat up high. After the 10 minutes of cooking time deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of wine or broth. Scrape up all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add 2 large cloves of garlic, minced, 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of dried oregano  and simmer on low for about 20 minutes  covered.  Turn the sausage over and continue to cook another 20 minutes more. The sausage will be tender and the sauce will have reduced. If you loose to much moisture you can add in a little water. 

In the meantime cook 1 cup of polenta in 3 cups of salted water for 5 minutes or according to package directions. Whisk constantly.  Turn off heat and add 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and allow all to melt. 

To serve, make a pile of polenta in the bottom of a bowl, put 2 sausage over each, and spoon on sauce.  Grate a little more cheese over all.  

Makes 2 servings. 

Buying a whole salmon

I was out food shopping one day, cruising through the fish department, and ran into an entire whole wild salmon for sale.  Hum.  I stood there looking at it, comparing it to the filleted salmon right next to it, and the price difference of each item.   The whole fish was $3.00 per pound cheaper than the fish that was already filleted. Wouldn't you seriously consider it for that kind of savings?  Or is it just me? 

I had some experience in filleting a fish many years ago and found out how difficult it was, so I really had to think about this.  Yikes, did I really want to get myself into that situation again?  In the end I could not pass up the savings and bought the whole fish.  I brought it home and begged my husband help me fillet it! 

I've gotta tell you it was a little overwhelming. And you have to have to certain amount of strength to cut through it all, and that's where my husband came in. He has the brawn, and I have the technique.  Between the both of us, we took turns at the fish.  It took a while :)  He cracked through the backbone so we could cut it down the center. 

Then we had to fillet the fish off the backbone, which is the most difficult part, and you can lose a lot of fish if you are not careful.  Then I starting pulling out the bones, and finally we cut it up into serving size pieces. 

In the end we ended up with 9 meals from this fish and since it cost me just under $42.00 which averages out to $4.66 per meal, which is $2.33 per serving. For wild salmon!  I am thrilled.  I can't believe that we get to eat wild salmon for this prices. 

I put the servings in zip lock bags and put them in the freezer. Now I simply pull out  a bag, put in a bowl of cold water to defrost, and its ready to make for dinner.  

There is no way on earth I will ever find that deal again but now I am so happy I decided to tackle it.  It just means keeping your eyes open and being open to something that is a little more work than you'd like.   With the prices of food these days I am willing to do a little more work to get the savings. 

I hope this will inspire you to go out and find a deal and tackle it.  Good luck! 

Brown Rice Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes

Pasta is a popular dish in America.  It is easy and quick to make and it is filling.  Some people however, over do it on pasta, and eat entirely too much.  Try having a small bowl of it and supplement the meal with a green salad.  The white flour variety can cause a sharp increase in your glucose level so this might be something you want to consider changing. Moving to a  whole grain pasta can be a simple step to improve your health. In addition, I have gluten sensitivity so I have to use alternative blends.  


This is a perfect summer time meal as it requires little cooking, only the heating of the water for the pasta.  Then you throw in all the ingredients, toss, and enjoy. This is also a good week night meal for busy people and kids love it. 


This is a pasta made with brown rice flour that you can buy at Trader Joe's, Sprouts, or other health food stores.  Ciliegine is the mozzarella that is sold in little 1 inch balls.  Certainly if you can't find ciliegine you could use a larger shape and just cut it into 1/2 inch pieces. 


I start by preparing all my ingredients.  Mise en place is the term used in professional kitchens meaning literally "putting in place".  Before you start cooking you get everything ready so that once the cooking process starts all your ingredients are prepared and ready to grab quickly. 


Ingredients:
6 ounces pasta 
8 ounces ciliegine 
8 ounces organic grape or cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
3 tbsp fresh chopped basil 
1 tbsp fresh chopped chives


Mise en place: Prepare all and put into individual bowls. 
Slice the tomatoes in half. 
Slice the ciliegine in half. 
Chop the herbs. 
Measure the oil and balsamic. 
Line up your bowls next to the stove so they are ready. 

In a large stockpot cook the pasta according to package directions. 


When pasta is done, reserve about 1 half cup of the liquid, then drain the pasta quickly and return to the pan. Add all the ingredients and toss well.  The cheese will just slightly begin to melt. If you need more moisture, which I usually do, I add some of the pasta water until I get it to the consistency I want. I would guess this would require anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup. 


Serves 2.  

Sweet and Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings

a gaggle of wings

This sauce is sweet and sticky and can also be a little spicy if you want.  It's a great sauce to use when grilling chicken.  I used chicken wings but I would also suggest using drumsticks. You want to pick this up with your figures to really get in to it.  You can serve this as the entree or an appetizer.  If serving as an appetizer split them apart, separating the three parts, so you are only dealing with one piece at a time.  


The process is that you want to prepare your chicken.  Then make the sauce.  


Ingredients: 
1 /12 cup dry red wine 
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or liquid amino 
2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger 
2 large garlic cloves, minced 
Salt 
Chicken of your choice 


Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Do not cover. Reduce until it is the consistency of honey.  It will take about 45 minutes.  Allow to cool. 


Season the chicken with salt.  Grill to within a couple minutes of completion, probably 20 to 25 minutes.  Brush the chicken with the sauce, turn and brush the other side. Do this a couple times until the chicken is completely covered with the sauce and the heat has started to caramelize it on the surface. 


Option:  We like a little spice in ours.  And I do mean just a little.  We don't like it really hot, we just like a suggestion or an under laying note so we added a tablespoon of Sambul to the sauce.  One tablespoon is very mild so if you would like a little more heat add more. That way you get that sweet and hot thing going. 


Finger licking good! 


Serve this with some typical summer BBQ food like potato salad or coleslaw.

Black Rice and Quinoa

This recipe is so satisfying.  It is nutrient dense as well.  Quinoa is an ancient grain and a complete protein and therefore, you do not need to add another protein source to this dish. Qunioa's key nutritional factor is its high level of lysine, an amino acid necessary for the synthesis of protein, making it one of the best sources of plant protein. It also contains riboflavin, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and fiber.

Quinoa should be rinsed thoroughly to remove any powdery reside. Place it in a fine strainer and hold it under cold running water until the water runs clear and then allow it to drain well.

Black rice is delicious. The first time I saw it I was at Whole Foods and it jumped off the shelf and into my basket. I cooked it just like any other rice and served it as a side with the traditional protein, grain, veggie meal and it was really nice.  It's a nice change from eating brown rice all the time.  Black rice is considered to be anti-inflammatory and a great source of antioxidants. Plus it is high in fiber and contains substantial mineral content.

I used vegetable stock in this recipe but you can make this with water.  All my years of cooking has taught me that adding layers of flavor always results in a tastier finished product.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup black rice, rinsed well 
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed well 
3 cups vegetable stock, or chicken stock, or water
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine 
3 large garlic cloves, minced  
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp chopped chives
freshly cracked black pepper
1 avocado
1 lemon cut into wedges as garnish

Directions:
Bring rice and 1 cup stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook according to package directions, about 25 minutes. I like to turn the rice off shortly before it is done and let it sit.  It absorbs the rest of the water and the steam fluffs it up.

Meanwhile, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of stock in medium saucepan.  Add the salt and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. If there is still water in the pan, drain it.  Discard bay leaf.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large saute pan, add the onion and cook slowly for about 8 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cumin, cook for 2 minutes more. Add the quinoa and rice to the pan along with the lemon juice. Turn off heat. Add the cilantro and chives and toss well.  Add an additional tbsp olive oil, pepper, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if needed.

Cut avocado into wedges along with lemon and top the dish.

This is a good dish for a group dinner as a side dish.  You can also serve this in individual bowls as a main course.  I like it as a main course but sometimes I like to add a vegetable as well.

Enjoy!

Broccoli stir fry with rice noodles

While going through nutrition school we study 100 dietary theories and what happens with most students is we try many of the diets to see how well they work, or to test a theory in order to help our clients.  This is how this recipe came about.

I was testing a diabetic diet, eating no animal products, and no fat. I was also mostly gluten free so I needed lots of vegies and gluten free meals.  I made this meal without the oil, I just sauteed it in water. And I found rice noodles that I could use in place of the more traditional wheat noodle.

I find if I have a little starchy carb in the meal I am much more satisfied. If I try to eliminate all starchy carbs from my diet I'm hungry again in an hour and then I am looking for a snack. It's better for my body to just eat the carb and be done with it.

This dish is filling, full of vegies, and has a tiny bit of heat with the sambal. Of course if you prefer no heat at all just eliminate the sambal.

Ingredients:
6 dried chinese black or shiitake mushrooms
2 tbsp tamari
1 tsp sambal
7 ounces rice noodles
1 tbsp coconut oil
4 tsp minced garlic
4 tsp minced ginger
1 onion, chopped
4 large bok choy stems and leaves, sliced into 1 inch strips
2 carrots, sliced thinly
1 small head broccoli, cut into 2 inch peieces
Salt 
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish

Put dried mushrooms into a small bowl and cover with warm water. Allow to soak for 20 minutes until soft.  Remove from the bowl and chop mushrooms into small pieces. Strain the water through a fine seize and put into a medium size bowl.  Add the tamari and sambal to make a sauce.

In a small bowl add the cornstarch to 3 tablespoons of water and stir to disolve.

In a large pot boil some water and cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Mine took 4 to 5 minutes but check the package for guidance.

In a wok or large saute pan heat the coconut oil, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.  Add the onion, carrots, broccoli, bok choy, mushrooms and salt to taste. Stir fry about 4 to 5 minutes or just until the vegetable get slightly soft.  Add the sauce, cornstarch water and noodles and toss well to heat through and coat all the vegies and noodles.

Remove from heat and plate.  Top with chopped cilantro.  

If you have no issues with fat and want a little more flavor you can also garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil.

The package of rice noodles I purchased contained 14 ounces in total and I used half the package for this recipe and it made two large servings.

You can also use baby bok choy instead of the traditional large size.

Game Day Chili

I call this recipe Game Day Chili.  Don't get me wrong, it's great anytime.  But I seem to make it mostly on big game days like Super Bowl.  It makes a large pot full so they is plently for a small crowd or for leftovers.  This recipe has a little heat to it but it is not HOT.  If you like it hotter you can adjust the seasoning half way through cooking.  This is also a great recipe to make ahead. The flavor is so much better after it sits for a day.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, medium dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp each: cayenne, red chili flakes, ancho chili powder
4 tsp cumin
2 red bell peppers, medium dice
2 lbs ground beef
2 lbs chuck, cut into small bite size peices
2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 12 oz beer
2 2 lb cans diced tomatoes
2 lb can kidney beans, drained 
2 lb can pinto beans, drained 
1 7 oz can chopped green chili's
Water

Toppings:
Grated cheese
Avocado, chopped
Sour cream
White onion, chopped fine 

In a large dutch oven heat the olive oil and the butter.  Add the onions and saute until soft.

Add the garlic, then all the spices, and saute a few minutes taking care not to burn. 

Add bell pepper, saute a few minutes until soft.

Add meat, salt and pepper and saute until browned. 

Add tomatoes, beans, and green chili. Add enough water to get to the consistency you want, a cup or two should do it. Cook on low for 1 hour. Check it every 15 minuties or so and give it a stir. 

Adjust seasoning.  Cook another 30 minutes on low.  Allow to sit for as log as possible.

Serve with toppings.

Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon is an old time classic entree that was made famous by Julia Child.  Shhhh.....hear her saying it?  That voice will never be forgotten.  The other day, I don't know why, I decided I just had to have it.  Nothing else was good enough.  So off to the store I went in search of the few things I needed, like pearl onions.  Who keeps those in the house?  Not me.

There are many variables about this recipe.  The recipe below serves two large servings.   When I want to serve it for a dinner party I will double the recipe.  If you are serving other dishes the doubled recipe will then serve 6 small portions.  Or double the recipe if you want leftovers as this freezes well.

Ingredients:
Bay leaves
Fresh Parsley
Fresh Thyme
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, chopped
3 slices bacon, diced
2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cut into bitesize peices
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups red wine
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup of pearl onions, cleaned 
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup peas

Make a bouquet garni by tying together the thyme, parsley and bay leaves with kitchen twine.
In a saucepan heat the beef stock.
In a dutch oven heat the olive oil then add the onion and bacon. Saute until brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.  Leave the oil in the pan.

Add the beef to the pan and cover with flour.  Toss to coat.  Saute until browned.

Add the red wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up all the brown bits.  Add the hot beef stock, the carrots, mushrooms, peas, pearl onions, bouquest garni and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.   Season with salt and pepper.

Remove bouquest garni before serving.

This can be served over mashed potatoes for a complete meal.  I have also seen it served over noodles.  If you want to take a shortcut, you can cut up some potatoes and add it to the pot the last 30 minutes of cooking.  Then you have a complete meal in the pot, similar to a stew.

This meal is perfect for a cold winter night.  It's satisying, comforting and filling.

I hope your family enjoys it.

Lentils, Rice and Caramelized onions

A vegetarian friend of mine sent me this recipe because she knew I was looking for vegetarian meals that have some protein in them.  The original recipe came from Aarti Sequeira of the Food Network.  I made a few minor changes as I always do to incorporate more of my preferences.


This recipe provides good protein from lentils and I used brown rice for the whole grain carbohydrate.  The caramelized onions are a special surprise that is used both in the body of the dish and as a garnish.  This is a one pot meal, which I love, and it makes a good amount, so I had leftovers.  We, 2 of us, ate this for dinner and I still had enough for lunch for several days.  This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
3 large red onions, thinly sliced
Salt
3/4 cup brown rice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cinnamon stick

Garnish:  (all are optional)
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted or any nuts you have available 
Squeeze fresh lime juice
Greek yogurt
Cilantro

Put the lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with enough water by one inch.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a large skillet, add the olive oil, then the cumin seeds and cracked pepper and cook for about 1 minute.

Add the onions, sprinkle with several pinches of salt, and cook on medium or low heat until they turn dark brown, stirring often. This will take 15 to 30 minutes to get good color on the onions. Do not rush this or they will burn.

Remove half the onions from the pan to use as garnish.

To the pan add the ground cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon stick and saute about one minute.  Add the rice and cook until grains start to turn slightly brown, this should take only a few minutes. Add the cooked lentils and 3 cups of water, and 1 1/2 tsp of salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 35 minutes.  The water should be almost completely evaporated and the rice should be tender.  Allow the rice to steam with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick from the pan.

Meanwhile toast the nuts. 

To serve: mound rice into bowl, hit with a squeeze of lime, top with the caramelized onions, a dollop of yogurt and a bit of chopped cilantro.

Thai Beef with Snow Peas

This dish is somewhat new for me. I don't usually gravitate towards Asian inspired dishes. My feeling is that I would rather have it out at a restaurant that does it well, and that trying to replicate it at home is not worth it. I feel that way about sushi too. I can get some good sushi at the sushi bar, so making it at home is not going to happen. However, this dish seemed relatively easy and the idea of the chile's intrigued me. In addition I have never cooked with coconut milk, thinking it sounded too sweet and coconut is something I would rather have in a dessert. But I decided to gave it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. It did not taste like dessert at all.  The coconut milk gave the rice a a slightly tropical flavor which was delicious.  My husband must have liked it because he said I could make it again. That's guy speak for..... I like it. 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups brown jasmine rice
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 1/4 pounds organic ground beef
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 long hot peppers, seeded and sliced into matchsticks
1 can straw mushrooms
1 handful fresh snow peas
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 lime, cut into four pieces

Start by making the rice. When the rice is almost done, work on the beef.

In a medium saucepan combine the rice, coconut milk, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook about 20 to 25 minutes. The liquid should absorbed but not dry. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

In a small bowl combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Heat a skillet or wok, add the vegetable oil, then the beef. Saute until the beef is almost cooked through, working the beef into small pieces as it cooks. Add the garlic, cook for a few seconds, then add the chili's, the mushrooms, and snow peas. Cook until the snow peas are just starting to soften about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture, cook an additional one minute. Remove from heat.

To serve place the rice in a bowl, add the beef over top, and serve with one lime wedge.

Chili's: Chili's can taste very different. I have used red jalapenos that have very little heat at all, but Thai chili's are hot. You must really taste the chili while it is raw to determine how much you want in the dish. Your love or tolerance for the heat is really what determines how much chili should go in to the dish. You can also cook the dish with the chili's to get some of the flavor and then remove them prior to serving. You don't have to eat them. Also, I use rubber gloves when cleaning chili's to keep the heat off my hands. I have made the mistake of touching my face after chopping chili's only one time. It only takes once. After that, I have been consistent in using the gloves.

Herbs: The use of basil in this dish is traditional but I think using cilantro would also work well.

Makes 2 servings.