EGGPLANT ROLLS WITH CHIPOTLE-PEPITA SAUCE

 

EGGPLANT ROLLS WITH CHIPOTLE-PEPITA SAUCE

{Adapted from a recipe in Jump Up & Kiss Me}

Ingredients for rolls:

1 eggplant

Salt 

Olive oil

8 mushrooms, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup cooked brown rice

2 crumbled, cooked Field Roast (or similar) sausages

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 spaghetti squash, cooked, and shredded

1 zucchini, shredded

1 cup old, shriveled up cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Black pepper

Pinch regular or vegan Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for sauce:

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and seeded

4-8 cloves garlic

1 cup almonds

1 cup pepitas

3-5 chipotle peppers and sauce

2 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsp oat milk

Salt

Directions:

1. Slice eggplant lengthwise, salt, and set aside to drain for 20 mins. Rinse and pat dry.

2. Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Fry each piece of eggplant til soft and lightly brown, draining on paper towels.

3. Add more oil and sautee mushrooms and garlic til starting to brown. Add lemon juice, rice, cooked sausage, veggies, tomatoes, salt, oregano, cheese, and pepper. Cook til brown then remove from heat.

4. Preheat oven to 375°. Place a spoonful of rice mixture at one end of eggplant slice and roll up. Place in lightly oiled casserole dish, seam-side down. Bake 20 mins.

5. Purée bell pepper, garlic, almonds/pepitas, oat milk, and chipotles. Add stock and salt.

6. Drizzle each roll with sauce and serve.

Almost Vegan Black-Eyed Peas & Greens

 Almost Vegan Black-Eyed Peas & Greens

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1-2 yellow or red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 tsp. ancho chili powder (or other spicy/smoky chili powder)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 cups broth of your choice (I used Edward & Sons "Not-Beef" bouillon cubes)
• Splash of liquid smoke
• Splash of red wine
• Squeeze of lemon
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce (if you use Lea & Perrins, this is what makes it non-vegan)
• Whole bunch of Lacinato kale, torn off stem and into bite-size pieces

Directions:

1. Soak black-eyed peas according to preferred method - either over night in cold water, or "quick soak" method (bring to a boil, boil for two minutes, soak in cold water for an hour).
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add onion and cook about 10 minutes until browned. Add peppers and celery and cook 3-6 minutes, until all veggies are soft. Add garlic and ancho chili powder and stir. Add thyme, oregano, paprika, pepper, parsley, and salt and stir briefly. Add black-eyed peas and broth, bring to a boil, lower to simmer.
3. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 45-60 minutes. During cooking, add wine, lemon, and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. If need be, add a bit more broth along the way. Add kale approximately 10 minutes before end of cooking and stir well.
4. When ready, serve immediately over brown rice. Top with Frank's Red Hot sauce. Enjoy!

New Years "Good Luck" Goulash

New Years "Good Luck" Goulash
Serves 3-4

{sorry no pic - ate it all up before I could take one!}

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried black eyed peas
10 oz. collard greens, stems removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 onions, chopped
1-2 large sweet potatoes, skinned and chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Optional:  1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
Optional:  brown rice for serving

Directions:

1.  Rinse and drain black eyed peas well.  Add to large cast iron pot/Dutch oven with 6 cups water, garlic cloves, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer partially covered about 45 minutes, or until tender but not mushy or falling apart.

2.  15 minutes before the black eyed peas are done, stir in the sweet potatoes. 

3.  Drain and rinse the black eyed peas and sweet potatoes in cold water and set aside.  Remove the bay leaf.

4.  Rinse and dry pot.  Heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion, saute about 5-6 minutes until soft but not mushy. 

5.  Layer collard greens on top of onion.  Add black eyed peas and sweet potatoes on top, but don't stir.  Pour orange juice, veggie broth, and vinegar (and Tabasco, if using) over mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika, and with salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cook for 5-10 minutes as-is, then stir gently.  Cook for another 10-15 minutes, until collard greens are cooked but not wilted and veggies are not mushy.

7.  Serve hot, over rice and with additional Tabasco, if desired. 

8.  Enjoy good luck (& good health!) the whole year through!  :)

Easy Mexican Salad Three Ways at Once - Whole30, Vegan, Vegetarian!

Easy Mexican Salad Three Ways at Once - Whole30, Vegan, Vegetarian!
(*Picture to come!)

This one is easy to throw together and satisfy three different audiences - Whole30 adherents, vegan/no dairy peeps, and vegetarians/'fickletarians' (as I affectionately call my little picky eaters).

Ingredients (makes 4 total servings - assumes 1 Whole30, 1 vegan, 2 vegetarian):

Base salad-

1 bag of your favorite greens from TJ's (I like green leaf lettuce mixed with shredded carrot and radicchio)

1 zucchini, diced

1/3 white onion, sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Garlic powder to taste

Paprika to taste

4 large mushrooms, sliced

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 red bell pepper, diced

Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, diced

Juice of half a lime

Additional options based on eating style-

3 oz. Whole30-compliant meat of choice (cooked chicken or steak/brisket works well), reheated and chopped

1/2 can cooked black beans

1/2 can cooked corn kernels

Handful shredded TJ's Mexican cheese blend

2 handfuls broken tortilla chips (I save the small bits at the bottom of the bag for this purpose!)

Handful raw pepitas

1/4 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 habanero, finely diced

Non-Whole30 dressing-

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. coriander powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1.  In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil and zucchini.  Sprinkle with garlic powder and paprika, mixing well and stirring regularly.  Continue for a couple of minutes and add onion and lime juice.  Continue stirring and cooking for several minutes until soft, then remove from heat to cool down.  (You can then cook the bell pepper the same way if you want to keep it separate from the other veggies because your fickletarians don't want it touching their other veggies; if they're cooler than mine, then you can cook the bell pepper along with the zucchini and onion.)

2.  Combine greens, mushrooms, tomatoes, radishes, cilantro, and avocado.  Mix well.  Once cool, add zucchini/onion mixture and mix well.  Be careful to overmix at any point because avocado will get smushy and thereby render itself inedible for fickletarians.

3.  For Whole 30 option, remove serving from main bowl and put in separate bowl.  Top with meat and half of pepitas (and some habanero, if desired).  (Add 1/2 cooked bell pepper here if you're being held hostage by fickletarians.)  Drizzle with Whole30 compliant dressing, such as olive oil and lemon juice.  

4.  Add corn and beans to main bowl and mix.  Mix dressing ingredients separately and stir into salad.  

5.  For vegan option, remove serving from main bowl and put in separate bowl.  Add rice, remaining pepitas, and habanero if desired.  (Add bell pepper here if you've given over your life to fickletarians.)

6.  For vegetarian/fickletarian option, set tortilla chips on a large plate and sprinkle with cheese.  Microwave for approximately 15 seconds.  Mix 'nachos' into salad and serve. Watch fickletarians pick through the salad with their grimy little fingers, scooping out the chips and cheese until you beg, plead, and cajole them into eating the rest of it.  As they do, watch their faces as they realize with horror that this is a salad that they actually LIKE!  ;)

FARRO FANDANGO

FARRO FANDANGO

*A heartier, vegetarian version of a Trader Joe's recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 bag Trader Joe's 10 minute farro (cooked according to package)
2 handfuls kale, chopped
3 Trader Joe's (or other) meatless Italian sausages
3 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 cup (2/3 large) onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
6 mushrooms, crumbled

Directions:

1.  Cook farro according to package, adding kale to the pot 4 minutes before end of cooking.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter over medium-high heat in a saute pan.  Break up the sausages and cook until browned, adding an extra tablespoon oil or butter during cooking, stirring frequently.

3.  Remove sausage and set aside.  Heat last tablespoon oil or butter over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, mushrooms and apple to the pan, cooking and stirring until just starting to brown.  Add sausage, farro/kale, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and cook over low heat a few additional minutes.

Notes:

*For some reason, my kids actually ate this, kale and all.

*The hubby devoured it.

*It's even better the next day.

*If you insist, you could make this with regular chicken sausage...I'm sure it would be delicious, but it truly doesn't lose anything with the veggie sausage, so why not go veggie?  :)

*In case you're not familiar with farro, it's a slightly chewier, nuttier, more interesting version of rice.

*Ready in 15 minutes!

TEXMEX-ISH CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 casseroles/4 servings each)

1 head cauliflower, florets only, diced
6 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1 can corn, drained
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
6-8 small potatoes
[Optional:  1 can red kidney beans, drained and/or 1 can cooked chicken, drained]
1/4 red onion, finely diced
2/3 bag Trader Joe's brown rice fusilli pasta
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Vegetable oil
[Optional:  1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped]

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400°.  


2.  Pierce potatoes with a knife.  Nuke on a plate for 2-3 minutes (until semi-soft), turning over once.  Set aside to cool.

3.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with salt and oil to a boil.  When boiling, add pasta, cauliflower, bell pepper, and onion.  Cook until pasta is tender, approximately 8 minutes.  Drain and spray with cold water.

4.  Chop potatoes into chunks.

5.  In a large glass bowl, mix pasta combo, corn, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, potatoes, [beans/chicken], [cilantro], lemon juice, and all spices.  Mix well, adding 1 cup of cheese.

6.  Grease two square casserole dishes and spoon in the pasta mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes.

7.  Top each casserole with 1/4 cup cheese and bake 15 minutes more.

Notes:

*Gluten-free!

*Could also make with brown rice instead of pasta, but if your kids are anything like mine, they won't eat rice unless it's disguised as pasta.

*I made mine with the artichoke hearts sprinkled on top instead of mixed-in (to entice my artichoke-loving daughter to try it), which makes for a nice presentation.  If you do it that way, be careful that the artichokes don't burn during baking.

*Excellent served with avocado slices and spicy salsa on top.

*Kids can help by stirring all the ingredients and scooping it into the dishes.

CAULIFLOWER FRITTATA

Ingredients:

1/2 cauliflower, only florets broken into small bits

2 leeks, halved and thinly sliced

4  fresh sage leaves

1-2 tsp. crushed garlic

1/3 bunch chard (approximately 1 1/2 cups), removed from stems and chopped

Olive oil 

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella

Handful shredded Quattro Formaggio or Swiss Cheese

Small chunk mild blue cheese, broken/smushed into bits 

Splash Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Pepper 

8 eggs

1/2 cup non-fat milk 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a square casserole dish with olive oil spray.

2.  Cover cauliflower and a splash of water in a bowl with microwave-safe plastic.  Nuke for 1 minute.

3.  In a large sautee pan over medium-high flame, heat some olive oil.  Add cauliflower, garlic, sage and leek.  Stir frequently for 5 minutes.  Turn heat off and add chard, stirring with tongs until chard is just wilted.  Remove sage leaves.

4.  Add cauliflower mixture to casserole dish.  Sprinkle with all cheeses equally.

5.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour into casserole dish.

6.  Bake for 30 minutes or until frittata is puffy and almost browned.  Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.

Notes:

*Increase likelihood of kiddos eating by covering each serving with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese (or gummy bears, or goldfish crackers, or whatever it takes).

*Kids can help by breaking off cauliflower florets, tearing chard off of stems, or whisking eggs.

*Tastes even better the next day!

*Go easy on the blue cheese, even if you really like it...it can overpower the more delicate flavors of the chard and cauliflower.

SQUASH & KALE BONANZA

SQUASH & KALE BONANZA

If you're like me, you always feel a wee bit guilty when squash season hits your local store.  You eye them as you walk by, thinking to yourself, "One of these fine autumn days I'm going buy one of those bad boys and cook a healthy, hearty meal for my family."  Well, thanks to this recipe, that no longer need be a mere dream - pick up that acorn squash and get cookin'!

Ingredients:
(4-6 servings)

2+ 3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. light butter (anything that melts well)
4 smallish yellow potatoes + 2 smallish red and/or purple potatoes
1 acorn squash
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped kale
1/2 pound, or 1 container, crimini or other brown mushrooms, diced
2/3 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
Garlic powder, to taste
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/4 + 1/4 tsp. ground sage

Directions:

1.  Slice squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and stringy parts, and place cut side down in covered microwave safe dish with a half-inch of water.  Nuke for 8-9 minutes or until soft.  Once a bit cooled, carefully remove skin and dice cooked squash.

2.  While squash is cooking, place 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, add garbanzo beans.  Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, until a bit soft and browned.

3.  Poke potatoes with a fork on each side, and nuke for 3 minutes per side.  Once a bit cooled, dice.

4.  Place additional oil and butter in the skillet until butter is melted.  Mix in squash, potatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, and leek.  Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Cook approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well-mixed and just starting to brown.

5.  Mix kale and additional sage into the skillet.  Continue cooking 5 minutes or until kale is wilted. 

6.  Serve over Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend, brown rice or cous cous, with crusty bread.

Notes:

*It may sound a bit plain, but the mixture of the butter with the creaminess of the potatoes and the earthiness of the sage and the nuttiness of the squash is superb!

*My kiddos said their favorite part were the"squishy bits" (the squash and potato), and they both even ate at least two bites of kale, which I deem a success...but then, I have low standards.  :)

BAKED EGGPLANT

BAKED EGGPLANT

The ingredients in this can obviously be varied to suit your tastes (and, more likely, whatever you might happen to have on hand so you don't have to lug two cranky kids to the store at the last minute...), but this is how I made it and it was yummy!

Ingredients:
(Makes 4-6 servings)

1 eggplant, sliced in 1/2" rounds
1 zucchini, thickly sliced
1 yellow squash, thickly sliced
Salt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
Dried basil, oregano and thyme
1 tsp. Meyer lemon juice
1 leek, thinly sliced
6 small-ish tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup bread crumbs
Spray olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crumbled herb-flavored feta cheese

Directions:

1.  Cover eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander in the sink for 15 minutes (or until the natives start grumbling for dinner).  Rinse eggplant slices and pat dry.

2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a 13 x 9 baking dish with olive oil spray.

3.  Lightly beat eggs with minced garlic in a flat-bottomed bowl or small rimmed plate.  In a second bowl or plate, mix bread crumbs with herbs to taste and a tablespoon or so of the Parmesan.  Arrange the bowls/plates right next to the stove.

4.  Heat a (preferably non-stick) pan over medium heat.  Take each eggplant slice, coat thoroughly in egg mixture, coat thoroughly in breadcrumb mixture, then spray each side with olive oil before placing gently in pan.  Flip when first side is browned and press down on second side with spatula to aid cooking.  Remove when both sides are well-browned or starting to burn.

5.  Place one layer of eggplant slices in the baking dish.  Add half of the tomatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash.  Sprinkle with half of the leeks.  Sprinkled with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan.

6.  Repeat with a second layer of all.  Sprinkle feta, lemon juice and more herbs to taste over the top.

7.  Bake uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

8.  Slice and serve over cous cous.

Notes:

*Really good drizzled with chile pepper olive oil.

*Tastes even better the next day.

*Believe it or not, children will actually eat this because of all the cheesy goodness (or maybe it was the bribe of sherbert for dessert...?).

*Not sure if it mattered, but I put the tomato slices directly on top of the eggplant slices (thought the moisture might help with cooking) and the zucchini and squash slices kind of around the sides and in between (to keep the cheese from falling through and possibly burning).

TEQUILA-MANGO BBQ DELIGHT

TEQUILA-MANGO BBQ DELIGHT



Ingredients:
(Makes enough for 4 entree portions, i.e., enough to cover 4 chicken breasts or fish filets)

1 mango
1 clementine or tangerine
1 cube Trader Joe's frozen cilantro (or 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, minced)
6 Tbsp. Cholula hot sauce (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. crushed garlic
1 cup veggie or chicken broth
1 tsp. olive oil + 1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tomato, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Tequila, poured to a count of 4
Splash of cooking sherry
Garlic powder, to taste
1/2 - 3/4 avocado, diced
1 yellow (crookneck) squash, thinly sliced and sprinkled with garlic powder
3/4 - 1 white onion, sliced
[Optional: 1 tsp. corn starch]

Directions:

1. To remove flesh of mango, slice with a sharp knife from one end to the other, repeat about an inch away and remove "wedge," slicing it from the center stone if necessary. Gently slice the skin off the wedge. Put mango in a blender.

2. Add Cholula, clementine, cilantro, tomato, 1 tsp. olive oil, apple cider vinegar, broth, crushed garlic, tequila, and black pepper to blender. Blend on high or "liquefy" until thoroughly mixed. Remove any chunks. Stir in garlic powder and salt to taste. Should yield approximately 2 cups of sauce.

3. In a deep sauce pan or wok, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sherry over low-medium heat. Add squash and cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in 1 1/3 cups of sauce and mix well. Continue to cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring as necessary to prevent sticking or browning. [Stir in corn starch, mixed in water, if thicker sauce is desired.]

4. 3 minutes prior to serving, stir onion into sauce and mix well.

5. Barbecue chicken breasts or fish filets, basting each side with remaining 2/3 cup mango sauce 3 minutes prior to removing from flame.

6. Ladle sauce over chicken breasts or fish filets atop brown rice. Top each piece with avocado bits.

Notes:

*Consider making half the sauce without Cholula and tequila for kids' portions.

*I think halibut would be a good fish choice.

*Careful with this one...you might spoil your spouse who will then no longer be satisfied with leftover macaroni and cheese or cereal for dinner (unless he's my husband, and then cereal for dinner is always a welcome and viable option).

GIT YER GREENS ON CASSEROLE

GIT YER GREENS ON CASSEROLE

Easy, cheesy, low(ish) in fat, low(ish) in carbs, and oh-so-yummy!

Ingredients:
(Makes 4-5 entree portions)


1 package (1 lb.) Trader Joe's fresh Brussels Sprouts, quartered
1 1/2 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains or 8 oz. brown rice, cooked according to package
3 oz. low-fat or fat-free cream cheese, cubed
4 oz. shredded low-fat or fat-free mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. Trader Joe's All-Natural Free Range lean ground beef
2 oz. mushrooms, crumbled
1 shallot, finely diced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp. ground sage
Splash cooking sherry
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add Brussels Sprouts to a medium pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Quickly drain and submerge in ice water. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

3. Add beef to a sautee or frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with black pepper, generous amount of garlic powder, and sage. Add shallot, sherry and mushrooms and stir well. Continue stirring and breaking apart with spoon until beef is just browned.

4. Add beef mixture, Harvest Grains or rice, asparagus, tomatoes, lemon juice and cheese to the bowl. Mix well. Season with salt, black pepper and garlic to taste.

5. Add mixture to a greased 2.5 liter casserole dish. Sprinkle with extra mozzarella.

6. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

7. Serve with an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired.


Notes:


*Can easily be made vegetarian by substituting fake beef or leaving it out altogether.


*Kids can help by stirring ingredients in bowl.


*Very filling! No need for bread or side dishes.

FAST 'N FRESH ANGEL HAIR DIABLO

FAST 'N FRESH ANGEL HAIR DIABLO

The best part of this dish (my favorite thing to throw together for lunch) is that you can probably make it with what you've already got in your fridge and cabinets. The second best part is that it's delish! And the third best part is that each serving costs about $0.50...hard to beat!

Ingredients:

(Makes 2 adult-sized entree servings)

2 servings angel hair pasta

2 tomatoes, chopped

Handful of spinach, torn or sliced

2 green onions, sliced or cut with scissors

1/2 jalapeno, finely diced

2 eggs

Dash of thyme

Dash of basil

Black pepper, approximately 1/2 tsp.

Olive oil

Salt

Parmesan cheese, to taste (at least several Tbsp.)

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Red pepper flakes

[Optional: Few Tbsp. pasta sauce]

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package in salted water.

2. In the meantime, stir eggs over low heat in small omelette pan until well cooked.

3. Add cooked eggs to the bottom of a large bowl. Add red pepper, jalapeno, green onions, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, thyme, and basil.

4. Drain pasta when cooked and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.

5. Top with tomatoes and spinach.

6. Stir very well and serve topped with extra cheese [and pasta sauce].

Notes:

*Kid-friendly if you leave out the jalapeno, green onion (if your kid is picky like mine) and red pepper.

*To make it even faster, use hot tap water to start with (cuts down on boiling time).

*To make it wheat-free, use Trader Joe's Brown Rice Spaghetti.

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH MANGO-CHOLULA SALSA

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH MANGO-CHOLULA SALSA





Time to fire up the 'q!


Ingredients:
(Makes 2 entree portions)


2 wild caught halibut steaks


Marinade -
Juice of 10 key limes
Juice of 2 clementines
1 Tbsp. Cholula hot sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Splash cooking sherry
1 slice mango, juiced or crushed
1 Tbsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
Black pepper, to taste


Salsa-
1/3 mango, diced into bits
1/2 avocado, diced into bits
1/4 white onion, diced into bits


Directions:


1. Mix together marinade ingredients. Separate in two halves. Place halibut steaks on a plate and pour one half of the marinade over them, coating each side well, and set aside.

2. Gently mix other half of marinade with salsa ingredients. Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate as long as possible.

3. Grill halibut for 5-7 minutes per side depending on thickness.

4. Scoop heaping spoonful of salsa on each steak and serve with spinach salad and grain side dishes.


Notes:


*For extra zest, drizzle extra Cholula over finished meal and sprinkle with chili powder.

*Works best if avocado is not too ripe so pieces stay firm and don't get all mushy.

*Best to leave skin on steaks when grilling to keep them moist.

*Don't be intimidated by mango - buy it still firm, let it ripen for a few days on your counter. When slicing, cut a wedge off with a very sharp knife. Then just ease the knife around the half-moon shape to take the skin off. It's much easier than I used to think. I've only seriously injured myself once so far, and that's pretty good for me.

SUPER-DUPER ONE POT RISOTTO

SUPER-DUPER ONE POT RISOTTO

Ingredients:
(Makes 2-3 entree servings)

1/2 - 2/3 box Trader Joe's Three Grains Blend (rice, barley & spelt)
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Splash red wine
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
10 crimini mushrooms (stems removed), diced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 Tbsp. crushed garlic
2 Tbsp. light butter
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 shake dried thyme
1 shake dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
Couple shakes black pepper
1/4 cup + several Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
[Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste]
[Optional: few sprigs fresh parsley]

Directions:

1. In large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add mushrooms, bell pepper and onion to pot. Stir frequently for a couple of minutes, covering with lid in between (oil should be hot and sputtering).

3. Add garlic and red wine. Stir and cover a couple more minutes.

4. Add broth and spices, stir, cover and bring to boil.

5. Add Three Grains blend and stir. Reduce heat to medium, cover and continue to stir occasionally for approximately 10 minutes.

6. Add zucchini, stir, cover and continue to stir occasionally, for 8 more minutes or until all broth is absorbed.

7. Remove from heat and stir in butter and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese [and red pepper].

8. Serve and sprinkle each portion with 1-2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese [and add a sprig of fresh parsley].

Notes:

*Great served with a spinach salad (add garbanzo or white kidney beans for protein!) and toasted slices of hearty ciabatta or other yummy bread.

*Kids can help by dicing up mushrooms.

*I used Trader Joe's Reduced Sodium Savory Vegetable Broth, 3 packets in 3 1/2 cups hot water.

*Surprisingly filling and rich! Doesn't taste like it has so little oil and butter. Just ask the hubby. :)

LOOSEY-GOOSEY PASTA

LOOSEY-GOOSEY PASTA

So, say you want to impress your family by making your own pasta sauce from scratch...and say that sounds too long and arduous and not at all compatible with your busy lifestyle - no matter! You can make this one on the fly, I promise. It's called "Loosey-Goosey" because, as usual, I threw it together and didn't measure anything, so all amounts and cooking times are approximate.

Ingredients:
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

1/2 package angel hair pasta (capellini)
1 Applegate Farms Sweet Italian chicken & turkey sausage, sliced
12 tomatoes, whole but poked with a knife
Olive oil
Worcestershire sauce, to taste (approximately 1 Tbsp.)
1 can tomato paste
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Black pepper
Minced garlic, to taste (approximately 1 Tbsp.)
1/2 bag TJ's organic spinach leaves (approximately 3 oz.)
1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
Handful thickly sliced mushrooms (i.e., pre-sliced in the bag from TJ's)
Cooking sherry or other white wine
Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot of water with a dash of olive oil and salt in it. Once it boils, turn the heat all the way down to keep it hot while preparing the sauce.
2. Meanwhile, pour a generous amount of olive oil into a wok or other large pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add sausage and tomatoes to the pan. Heat for 2 minutes.
4. Start breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon and stirring sausage around to prevent burning or sticking. Cook several more minutes, until tomatoes are soft and starting to break apart easily.
5. When there is a good amount of liquid in the pan, add mushrooms and spinach. Stir for a minute or two, breaking up the mushrooms with the spoon.
6. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, black pepper, dried herbs, splash of sherry. Stir well for a minute or two, then reduce heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally.
7. Turn water back up to boiling, add pasta and cook according to package (approximately 3 minutes), stirring frequently.
8. Remember that you didn't add the bell pepper to the sauce yet and decide to throw it in with the pasta. Realize later that this is an awesome way to cook it (for both texture and flavor), and commit to trying to remember to do it this way in the future. Feel really self-satisfied for being an innovator, conveniently ignoring that it was the result of being scatterbrained and a bit harried.
9. Drain pasta/bell pepper, douse with cold water and toss with a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking.
10. Serve with a generous portion of sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and red pepper.

Notes:

*Angel hair is popular with the preschool set.

*Applegate Farms is a small company that makes a bunch of different organic, humanely-raised meat products. Look for it at health food stores and Whole Foods.

*I like the size and especially the flavor of the Campari tomatoes-on-the-vine from Costco - yum!!

*If your kid enjoys cooking, have her break up the mushrooms prior to adding to the pan.

COUS COUS CASSEROLE

COUS COUS CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

(Makes 3-4 servings)

1 head broccoli, florets only

1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend (Israeli cous cous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa) or 1 cup brown rice and 1 cup garbanzo beans

1 cup Trader Joe's canned Tuscano marinara sauce or other chunky marinara sauce

1 cup Trader Joe's shredded Quattro Formaggio or other shredded, pungent cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 or so heirloom or cherry tomatoes

2 tsp. crushed garlic

Garlic powder, to taste

[Optional: red pepper flakes]

Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon

Splash of olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Steam broccoli florets for 5-7 minutes.

3. Prepare Harvest Grains according to package (using only a splash of olive oil and simmering at least 5 minutes longer than package suggests), mixing in crushed garlic and tomatoes while simmering.

4. Mix broccoli, grains, marinara sauce, lemon juice, [red pepper], most of the cheese and some garlic powder in a casserole dish.

5. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

6. Cook uncovered in the oven for at least 15 minutes.

Notes:

*If your kid picks up a head of broccoli at Trader Joe's and says, "This one looks yummy Mommy! Let's get this!", you ask no questions, you just buy it and figure out what to do with it later. And thus, a new dish is born.

*Be careful to stir the grains well while cooking and probably add more water more frequently than package says to.

*Kids can help by stirring the mixture in the casserole dish and sprinkling the extra cheese.

*This is so easy and fast, and yet has been known to elicit the coveted "Yum!" from a real-life, picky three year old as well as a grumpy, tired hubby.

MO'ROCKIN QUESADILLAS

MO'ROCKIN QUESADILLAS

Sorry for the cheesy (ha!) name...

I use almost exclusively ingredients from Trader Joe's, so for those of you who don't live in close proximity to a TJ's...I'm so sorry. No really, I am. You have to move.

Ingredients:
(Makes 4-6 quesadillas)

3 medium yellow potatoes
1 onion, diced
[Optional: 1 jalapeno, very finely diced]
1 head "broccoflower" (broccoli/cauliflower hybrid) or cauliflower
2 teaspoons garlic, minced or crushed
Olive oil
Handful fresh mint leaves, chopped or cut with scissors
Salt
Black pepper
Cumin (approximately 2 tsp.)
Paprika (approximately 1 tsp.)
Coriander (approximately 1 tsp.)
Juice and some pulp of 1 Meyer lemon
1/2 bag Trader Joe's shredded pepper jack cheese or other shredded cheese
1/2 container Trader Joe's Raita Indian yogurt dip or plain yogurt
4-6 Trader Joe's whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in enough water to cover for 30 minutes.

2. While potatoes are boiling, steam broccoflower for 5-7 minutes and set aside.

3. Heat lemon juice and a touch of olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add onions and garlic [and jalapeno] and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

4. Add the mint, coriander, cumin, pepper and salt to the pan and stir well. Cook 3 minutes.

5. Rinsing the potatoes in cold water, remove the skins. Add warm potatoes and broccoflower to the pan. Break up potatoes and broccoflower with a fork and stir well.

6. Add more salt, lemon juice and garlic powder to taste.

7. Cook a while longer, stirring and mixing to coat all ingredients with spices. Add a bit more olive oil as necessary.

8. Heat each tortilla over a medium flame. Sprinkle one half generously with cheese, spread with a heaping spoonful of potato mix, sprinkle with more cheese, then fold over the tortilla in half.

9. Microwave for 30-40 seconds, or until cheese is melted but not runny.

10. Serve in slices with Raita or yogurt for dipping.

Notes:

*Kids can help by sprinkling the cheese into the tortillas (something my pun'kin loves to do, though I think she eats more than she sprinkles.)

*Careful not to undercook the potatoes at all or you will think you are eating dirt (i.e., they will taste too earthy and be too grainy).

*I really think the tortillas need to be whole wheat in order for the flavors in this to come together.

*If you don't like mint, what is wrong with you? No, I mean, you could use cilantro instead.

*These aren't too bad for you since they use very little oil, and you could make it even healthier by using low fat shredded cheese.

*A dude with a steel rod through his eyebrow at Trader Joe's told me that "raita" is pronounced "rye-tha." I chose to believe him.

COLORFUL CURRY

COLORFUL CURRY
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

Ingredients:

1-2 cups free-range, organic chicken or veggie broth
2-3 tsp. crushed garlic
Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
10 baby carrots, sliced diagonally into thirds
1 bag Trader Joe's fresh broccoli/cauliflower
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
10 tomatoes (Roma or similar), chopped
1-2 tsp. curry powder
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 can Trader Joe's light coconut milk (or other milk/cream)
1/4 cup seedless raisins

Directions:

1. Place potato chunks in a covered casserole dish and microwave for 7 minutes, stirring once or twice.
2. Cover the bottom of a deep sauce pan with broth and heat over low-medium heat.
3. Stir into broth crushed garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Heat until fragrant and beginning to bubble, approximately 3 minutes.
4. Add potato to pan and mix well.
5. Cover pan and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add carrots and broccoli/cauliflower to pan, stir, recover, and continue simmering for a few minutes.
7. Add tomatoes and onion. Add additional broth as needed to keep mixture moist and with a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan. Recover and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
8. Stir in raisins, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, and coconut milk. Recover and continue cooking.
9. Continue stirring and cooking until some of potato and tomato are disintegrated and mixed in with sauce, and broccoli and cauliflower are tender, approximately 5-10 more minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sauce from sticking to the pan.
10. Serve with brown rice and garlic naan.

Notes:

*Add garbanzo or lentil beans to make a complete protein, or serve with a lentil dish on the side.

*My favorite tomatoes are the small, on-the-vine Campari tomatoes from Costco.

*Add chili powder along with curry powder for more of a kick.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Ingredients:

1/2 package Trader Joe's organic baby spinach (approx. 3 oz.)
1/4 red onion, sliced
4 mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 baby carrots, sliced
1 Trader Joe's free range, organic chicken breast, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced into 4 equal-sized pieces
1/4 bottle Louisiana Wildly Wicked Chicken Wing Sauce (or other hot wing sauce)
2 (or more) Tbsp. butter
Several Tbsp. Trader Joe's ranch dressing (or other ranch or blue cheese dressing)
Several Tbsp. vegetable oil
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
chili powder, to taste

Directions:

1. Split spinach into two plates or pasta (wide, shallow) bowls.
2. Top each bowl with equal parts carrots, onion, mushrooms, and celery.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.
4. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle chicken with pepper, garlic and chili powder; flip and cook 2 minutes.
6. Flip chicken and sprinkle other side with pepper, garlic and chili powder; cook 1 more minute.
7. Remove chicken to paper towel and turn heat off under pan.
8. Melt butter in pan, add wing sauce and stir until mixed.
9. Slosh chicken around in sauce mixture until coated well on both sides.
10. Remove chicken to cutting board; slice into bite-size pieces; split equally between salad bowls.
11. Drizzle remaining sauce mixture from pan over chicken.
12. Drizzle ranch dressing over salad.

Notes:

*Always take meat recipes proferred by a vegetarian with a grain of salt.

*It's a good idea to have a splatter guard over the pan when cooking the chicken, unless you enjoy having people stare at your chest trying to decipher what is all over your shirt.

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE #2

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE #2

Ingredients:
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

3 zucchinis, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 package Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
oregano, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
thyme, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
basil, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
crushed garlic, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp. jarred crushed garlic)
Worcestshire Sauce, to taste (approx. 1 tsp.)
juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1 tsp. bottled lemon juice)
paprika, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
several tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 container ricotta cheese

Directions:

1. Snip corner of rice bag, nuke for 3 minutes, and set aside.
2. Cover eggplant slices with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add crushed garlic. Add bell pepper and zucchini, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
4. Rinse eggplant and chop into small cubes. Add to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add onion and tomato to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Sprinkle with pepper, paprika, salt, Worcestshire Sauce, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and basil. Stir well and continue cooking until eggplant is soft and some liquid has dissipated.
7. Combine in a bowl rice, ricotta cheese, and a bit more black pepper, salt, and garlic powder,
8. Add veggie mix to rice mixture and mix very well. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over casserole. Cover with foil and put in oven on 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle more parmesan cheese over casserole, and return to oven for 20 minutes more, until parmesan is slightly browned.

Notes:

*Leave out Worcestshire Sauce, or use vegetarian version, to make it a vegetarian dish.
*Kids can help by stirring rice and cheese mixture.
*Serve with a simple side salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.