DIY: Stir-Fried Noodles w/Beef & Vegetables

This week I've decided to challenge myself with a few recipes that "intimidate" me.  I love Asian food of all kinds, but whenever I read the recipes, I have to admit, I'm intimidated.  There are just so many ingredients I'm not familiar with that I just sort of glaze over and turn the page.  Not this week.  Nope. I've come across one too many recipes that requires rice vinegar, fish sauce, or sesame oil so, here we go... 

First up: Stir-Fried Noodles w/Beef & Vegetables

Seriously friends, this could not have been easier! The whole production took less than an hour, and that includes eating time.  I will definitely be making this again, and the great thing is, you can easily swap out meats and veggies to change it up.  

Notes:

• Drizzle a little sriracha sauce on top (and maybe a squeeze of lime) for an extra burst of flavor.
• Timing is very important with this recipe, make sure you read it all the way through before starting.
• The 3 oz. of noodles doesn't seem like a lot, so I used 5 oz and it ended up being more than enough, aka - 3 oz. was probably fine.  Once you throw everything in, it really becomes quite a bit of food.  
• Be generous when adding the sauce ingredients, although I probably only needed a bit more because of the extra noodles used.  
• You could go for 3/4 lb of meat, but not completely necessary.  Speaking of, consider upgrading from flank steak to something a bit higher quality.  I wasn't too impressed with flank, but it did the job just fine. 

Next up: Thai-Style Stir-Fried Chicken & Basil

Cheers!

Claud

P.S. I think I have a new love for sesame oil. If you have any fav recipes that use it, please pass them along!

Make it Your Own: Grilled Mozzarella & Spinach BLT's

I came across this fabulous recipe in one of my most recent issues of Fine Cooking.  It's kind of ironic, because displayed quite prominently on the cover is "100+ Healthy Recipes," but the cover image is of a Grilled Mozzarella and Spinach BLT.  I like to think that that illusion was the reason I let myself make this one :) I'm thinking it probably shouldn't be categorized as a "healthy" recipe.

I'm calling this one "Make it Your Own," because I made one seemingly minor change, and it made the absolute world of difference in this sandwich.  Arugula. Wow - talk about awesome!  Although the recipe calls for spinach, I had a mix of the two and I decided to improvise, really glad I did.  I might even write in to the magazine... 

Grilled Mozzarella and Spinach (and Arugula!) BLT's

Notes:

• I honestly don't know the difference between sliced mozzarella and the "good" stuff that you usually get in Caprese sandwiches.  This recipe called for the latter judging by the picture, and maybe by the use of the word "fresh," but I just had some thick slices cut at the deli of what I'll call the "regular" mozzarella, and it worked great.  If you do this, make sure that the cheese is the appropriate size, I ended up trimming it down.  Originally, I had thought the more cheese the better, but honestly that coupled with the bacon, greens and tomato, makes less OK here.
• Two pieces of bacon, as opposed to 3, works just fine here. (Hey - gotta try to make it "healthier" if it's going to be in the healthy issue!)
• Use yogurt-based margarine instead of butter or olive oil. It gives that buttery taste without all the calories!
• Per sandwich, you'll use one generous handful of greens, as they reduce down quite a bit when they're cooked.
• If you don't have a panini press, you'll survive.

Cheers!

Claud

Pizza Challenge 2k10!

A few Friday's ago, a couple of friends and I were trying to figure out something fun and inexpensive we could do together. Going out for dinner and drinks can really add up, so being the food-loving bunch that we are, we decided on... Pizza Challenge 2k10!

Here's how it works - the host provides the basic ingredients (dough, sauce, cheese) and each team brings the toppings (for a fun twist, have everyone bring a topping to swap or provide a secret ingredient that everyone has to use!).  Create categories (i.e. Taste, Texture, Creativity, etc) and have everyone vote on the finished product.

Our Team Breakdown:

Sam & Jon aka "The Winners" - Sun-dried tomato alfredo, spinach, chicken and onions

Erin & Dan - Mushrooms, bell pepper, olives and pepperoni

Claud & Matt - Italian sausage and jalapeno

It was a blast - Here are a few pics from the night! 

Winner of Most Creative by far - by Dan & Erin

Cheers!

Claud

Crowd Pleasers: Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Hi Friends!

It's been too long, sorry for being MIA! Just to make it up to you, I'm going to share one of my absolute favorite appetizers, spinach & artichoke dip.  We all know that this tasty dip can be a bit of an indulgence - but the ingredients in this particular recipe put a healthy twist on a traditionally sinful favorite.  Once again, I attribute this great find to Ellie Krieger and one of my favorite cookbooks, The Food You Crave.  And don't miss Regan's homemade pita chips below - they're a perfect match for this recipe!

Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip: Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 1 tablespoon canola oil C: I use extra-virgin olive oil instead, either works
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups) C: I only use about 3/4 a cup - it seems like a lot of onion to me.
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 (9-ounce) package artichoke hearts, defrosted, rinsed and dried C: Jarred or canned also work great.
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, excess liquid squeezed out
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) Neufchatel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese)
• 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese C: I usually use about another 1/4 c to sprinkle on top.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F

1. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are light-golden but not browned. Remove from heat and cool.

C: I like my dip with a little more texture as opposed to a spread-like consistency, so here's where I change things up --

2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, Neufchatel, mozzarella, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.  Scoop out into medium sized bowl.

3. Place spinach and artichokes into processor bowl and pulse until broken up, but not completely incorporated. Spoon into bowl with other ingredients and mix to combine all ingredients.  

4. Spread into an 8-inch glass square baking dish or 9-inch glass pie plate which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. 

C: I've often made double batches and found that it takes about 45 minutes to be heated throughout.  

Regan's Homemade Pita Chips

2-4 Pieces of pita bread

Dried oregano

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F

1. Cut the pita bread in half and then in two inch strips. Cut through the center to make thinner chips.

2. Place on cookie sheet so that the chips do not overlap. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano, a dash of salt and pepper.  

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes until brown and crispy.

It's that easy!  The pita chips also go great with salads, and you could probably switch out the herbs to explore different flavors.

Cheers!

Claud

Treasured Recipes: Couscous-Stuffed Chicken w/Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Kalamata Olives

If you're a food lover and bride-to-be, then listen up!  Some of my most treasured wedding gifts were recipes from my family and friends.  Back in October, I was fortunate enough to be given a gorgeous bridal shower by a wonderful group of ladies, and each invitation was accompanied by a recipe card.  Guests filled out the cards with one (or sometimes two!) of their favorites, and brought them to the shower to be placed in a recipe card box next to the guest book.  I just loved it!

The recipe below is from my long-time family friends, neighbors and Israel natives, the Zreik's.  Growing up, I was close friends with their daughter, Maya, and spent many an evening at their house for dinner.  It was their that I was introduced to pita bread, couscous, grape leaves, Greek yogurt, and tabbouleh.  Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

So needless to say, I was especially excited about this one because not only do I have fond memories of eating with the Zreik's, but both Matt and I love every ingredient in this recipe (his favorite food is "olives").  I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did! It's a keeper for sure.

Couscous-Stuffed Chicken w/Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Kalamata Olives

For the Couscous:

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. kalamata olives, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. chicken stock

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if desired)

1- 10 oz. box of couscous

4 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes, drained & chopped

1/2 lb. crumbled feta

For the Chicken:

4 - 6oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt

fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

For the Sauce: 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. white wine

1/2 c. lemon juice

6 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes

4 tbsp. kalamata olives, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

1/4 lb. feta cheese, crumbled

Couscous

In saucepan over medium heat add olive oil, when hot, add the garlic & red pepper flakes.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes and saute a few minutes more.  Add olives and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add the box of couscous, turn ff heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork and season with salt and pepper.  Spread 2 cups on large plate, add in 1/2 lb. feta and let cool. Keep the remaining hot to serve with chicken.  

Chicken

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Trim chicken w/ a boning knife, if needed.  Start at top of breast and carefully make a length-wise cut from top to bottom and making a pocket about 2 inches, making sure not to pierce the other side of the breast.  When couscous is cool enough to handle, carefully spoon couscous mixture into pocket.  Even out the stuffing by gently moving it around with your hands.  Wipe off any excess couscous from outside of breasts and season with salt and pepper.  

Heat olive oil and butter in the saute pan and brown off both sides of chicken.  Place chicken on baking sheet and place in oven for 20 min.  While chicken is baking, make the sauce.  

Sauce

In saute pan that you cooked chicken breasts in, heat and add garlic.  Deglaze with white wine and add lemon juice.  Reduce by 1/3.  Add in sun-dried tomatoes, let reduce for 2 to 3 min.  Add the olives, turn off heat, add the butter, stir to combine.  

To serve, place warmed couscous on plate, cut chicken breast in half, top with sauce, crumble remaining feta cheese over.  

The only thing I forgot to do was season the chicken! It still turned out great, but I'd recommend adding the salt and pepper. 

Cheers!

Claud

DIY: Roasted Tomato & Garlic Hummus

One of my favorite middle-eastern treats is hummus.  It's a great, healthy snack, and makes for a tasty appetizer, too!  Next time you're thinking about picking some up, try making it yourself. It's super easy, and only takes minutes.  This recipe is one I threw together after discovering my love for roasted tomatoes from my previous post.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato & Garlic Hummus

1 can garbonzo beans

2 medium tomatoes, roasted

1 garlic clove, papery outermost skin removed, but left unpeeled.

1/4 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice tomatoes into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Place the tomatoes and garlic in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.

Rinse the beans under cold water (rinsing removes a good amount of the sodium). Let drain for a few minutes.

Place beans into food processor (or blender) along with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Pulse until creamy.  Add garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper and remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and pulse until desired texture is achieved.  If you want the hummus to be completely creamy, you can pulse all ingredients at once. I like the bits of tomato, so I prefer to add the remaining ingredients after the beans are blended. 

Cheers!

Claud

Healthy Eating: Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and White Beans

Matt and I have crazy work hours and often eat dinner late, so I'm always looking for healthy, light recipes to make.  One of my favorite finds is a cookbook by Ellie Krieger called The Food You Crave. It has tons of easy, healthy recipes, that still have a lot of depth.  A lot of times we think of eating healthy as boring or not as satisfying, but it doesn't have to be! 

There are a lot of things you can do with vegetables or fresh herbs to make a dish both tasty and healthy.  For example, roasting.  This particular dish calls for roasted tomatoes and garlic, which is something I'd never tried. The flavors change so much through roasting and it could not be easier.  The sweet, tart flavor of the tomatoes, with the texture of the beans and strong, but somehow still subtle taste of garlic was an amazing combination. 

Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and White Beans: Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

3 large ripe tomatoes 

6 large garlic cloves, papery outermost skin removed, but left unpeeled

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste 

Freshly ground black pepper

Once 15.5 ounce can cannellini or other white beans, preferably low-sodium (C: I used navy beans)

1/2 box (8 oz.) penne pasta (C: I use whole wheat)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 c. fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (C: I used Kraft blend from my last post)

Preheat oven to 450F.

Slice each tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds.  Put the tomato wedges and garlic in a 9x13-inch roasting pan, toss with 2 tbsp of the oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and a few turns of the pepper.  

Roast, uncovered, until the tomatoes lose their shape and become slightly charred. 35 to 40 minutes. C: Start checking them at about 30 minutes

Drain the beans in a large colander in the sink. C: helps reduce the sodium

Cook the pasta according to the package direction.  Drain the pasta in the colander containing the beans, so that the hot pata water warms the beans.  Return the drained pasta and beans to the pasta pot.  

When the tomatoes are done, carefully pick out the garlic cloves, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl, and mash with a fork.  add the lemon juice, the remaining 1 tbsp pil and 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper, and stir to combine.  Transfer the roasted tomatoes to the pasta pot, add the garlic lemon mixture and basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to combine. Serve with the Parmesan. 

 

Serves 4

Serving Size: 1.5 cups

Per Serving

476 calories

14.5g fat

A couple of notes:

• Although this is pasta dish, a lot of the calories usually come from the sauce, so since this doesn't have any, its still pretty healthy. However, the above nutrition facts may vary based on what kind of pasta you use. 
• Watch the tomatoes and garlic closely while roasting.  Mine were a little overdone, but I only roasted them for 35 minutes. 
• Go easy on the salt. There are a lot of strong flavors in this dish, and it's not really needed.

Cheers!

Claud