Tuna Stuff

The "Tuna Stuff" is my latest obsession. I go through phases where I'll eat lots and lots of something for a few months, and then I'll get sick of it and not eat it for a long time. Tuna Stuff is what I've been making for the past few months now, and it hasn't lost its appeal yet, so it must be good, huh?

The greatest thing about the Tuna Stuff is that you can throw all kinds of things in it. It's very forgiving. Any sort of canned beans & veggies will work, I think. Just don't go overboard with the onion like somebody did...*ahem* - I'm looking at you, Mr Wonderful. ;-)

Tuna Stuff
1 can tuna packed in olive oil (you can use water-packed but it's not quite as good, in my opinion)
1 can small white beans, rinsed & drained
1 stalk celery, diced
1 handful grape or cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 c chopped parsley
2-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
0-2 Tbsp EVOO
salt & pepper

I usually throw all the veggies in a bowl first, along with the salt & pepper (be generous; salt makes it tastes good!) and a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Then I rinse & drain the beans and throw those and the tuna into the mix. Finally I add the parsley and stir it up. If you drained your tuna well, or if you used water-packed tuna, add a little bit of olive oil. Stir it up & then give it a taste. If it's a little bland, throw in some more red wine vinegar and maybe a touch more salt.

That's all there is to it! Healthy, fast, and especially tasty when you scoop it up with tortilla chips. Yumm....

Cupcake extravaganza!

I've been MIA for a while now, I know. But in my defense I 1) got engaged, 2) lost my camera for a while, and 3) got laid off. So my wedding, which was initially planned for October, is now taking place the first weekend in May. I'm a bit overwhelmed. :)

Today I did a trial run for my wedding cupcakes. I'm not much of a baker, but I figured i could manage mini cupcakes for the shoestring-budget potluck BBQ wedding we're planning. So I bought three boxes of cake mix and got them all gussied up:

Spicy Mexican Chocolate Mini Cupcakes
1 box milk chocolate flavor cake mix
water, eggs, oil as per directions on box
1 1/2 tsp good cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1 Tbsp excellent cocoa mix (I used Sharffenberger cocoa mix)

Mix it all up and bake in mini-cupcake tins lined with paper liners for 13 minutes at 350. Frost with ganache:

1 c heavy cream
1 pkg good semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1-2 Tbsp orange liqueur

Put the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl and toss with the cinnamon. Heat the cream in a small saucepot over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream just reaches a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and walk away for 2 minutes. Then slowly whisk the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is completely melted. If you still have bits of unmelted chocolate, put the bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure boiling water does not touch bottom of bowl) and whisk slowly but constantly until the chocolate JUST melts. Whisk in the liqueur. Chocolate should be smooth and glossy. To frost cupcakes, turn them upside down and dip the top in the chocolate, swirling a little bit to coat completely.

Pina Colada Mini Cupcakes
1 box white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small can pineapple chunks in juice, pureed in small blender
1/4 c white rum
3/4 c shredded coconut, plus 1 cup for toasting

Put cake mix in bowl of stand mixer and add in 3/4 c coconut, and mix together. Prepare the cake mix as directed, substituting 1/2 c pineapple puree for 1/2 c water and 1/4 c white rum for 1/4 c water (you should end up adding a bit more than 1/2 c water to the mix). Save the rest of the pineapple puree for the frosting. Bake in mini-cupcake tins lined with paper liners for 13 minutes at 350. Frost with pineapple cream cheese frosting:

1 8-oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 box powdered sugar
reserved pineapple puree from cupcakes (about 1/4 cup)
reserved 1 c shredded coconut

Beat together cream cheese and butter in stand mixer until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and pineapple puree, beating until completely mixed and fluffy. Toast shredded coconut in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, then sprinkle on the frosted mini cupcakes.

Lemon Mini Cupcakes
1 box white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 lemons

Zest the lemons and add to the cake mix in bowl of stand mixer; mix together. Juice the lemons. Prepare the cake mix as directed, substituting 1/2 c lemon juice for 1/2 c water. Bake in mini-cupcake tins lined with paper liners for 13 minutes at 350. Frost with passionfruit buttercream frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
1 Tbsp meringue powder
pinch salt
1 box powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp passionfruit puree
1-2 Tbsp milk

Beat butter in stand mixer until fluffy. Add in salt and meringue powder. Gradually add powdered sugar and passionfruit puree. Add in a tablespoon or two of milk at the end to get frosting to proper consistency.

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers

I've been promising to make stuffed peppers for Mr Wonderful ever since he got transferred to the local hospital, in celebration of his massively reduced commute. But the thing is, I hate stuffed peppers. It's basically meatloaf in a green bell pepper. Ick. But the other day I saw a 30 Minute Meals episode where RR makes a poblano pepper stuffed with corn & topped with cheese, and I thought it sounded perfect. Mr Wonderful & I love Mexican food. I decided to change it up a little, though. I had leftover chipotle peppers in adobo and some enchilada sauce (after making Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole for a friend who just had a baby), and this is what I came up with. It may not be the most photogenic meal I've made, but it is one of the tastiest!

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers
2 pasilla peppers (the store didn't have poblanos, but they would work just fine if you can find them)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 c frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatos, drained well
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
2 chipotle peppers in adobo (from a can), minced
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I used bagged Mexican mix, but you can use jack or cheddar or whatever floats your boat)
1 c enchilada sauce
salt & pepper

Preheat the broiler. Wash the peppers and put them (intact) on a baking sheet & pop them under the broiler. Broil for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice to ensure even charring. You want them blistered and blackened just a little bit, but not completely deflated and turned to mush. (Leave the broiler on after taking out the peppers. You'll need it later.)

In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and corn. Season with salt & pepper, and allow to brown up just a little. Then add the black beans, tomatoes and cumin. When everything is warmed through, turn off the heat and add the fresh cilantro.

By this time your peppers should have cooled enough to handle. Make a slit from stem to tip (not cutting all the way in half, just slicing the pepper open), and remove the stem and seeds. You should have a kind of floppy pepper "cup". Fill the cup with the corn mixture - really load it in there. Top each pepper with about 3/4 cup cheese. Pop it under the broiler, keeping the door cracked open just a bit so you can keep a close eye on it. Don't let the cheese burn! You just want it to melt and get golden brown.

Heat the enchilada sauce in a pan or in the microwave. When the peppers are finished, plate them up and spoon about 1/2 cup of the warmed enchilada sauce over each one.

Smoky-Sweet Butternut Squash Soup

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The leaves change colors, the weather turns brisk and sweater-worthy, and everything returns to a regular schedule. The kids are back in school. Television stations stop showing reruns and cheap summer filler. What's not to love about autumn? So to celebrate the advent of autumn, I fixed my favorite soup, the one that most clearly evokes autumn for me: butternut squash soup.

Smoky-Sweet Butternut Squash Soup
1 Tbsp EVOO
3-4 slices bacon
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 golden delicious apple, peeled, cored and diced
About 1 dozen fresh sage leaves
1 jar butternut squash puree (I get those big jars from Williams-Sonoma), or one large butternut squash, roasted & pureed (if you're not lazy like me)
2-4 cups chicken stock (one big box = 4 cups)
2 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels. Add the onions to the pot and saute in the olive oil and bacon grease for a few minutes, until translucent but not browned. Add the diced apple and saute for another couple of minutes. Chop up about half a dozen sage leaves and add them to the apples and onions, and season everything with salt & pepper. (Reserve another half dozen large, beautiful sage leaves for garnish.) When the apples are nice and soft, add the butternut squash puree and about two cups of chicken stock and raise the temperature to medium-high. When the soup starts to bubble a bit, lower the temperature back down to medium and break out your immersion blender and blend it up until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more stock (final amount will depend on how much butternut squash puree you have and how thick you like your soup). When everything is heated back up again, taste the soup, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

To garnish, melt two tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter is completely melted and done foaming, add the reserved whole sage leaves, making sure to keep them separated. Remove the sage leaves after about 30 seconds, and drain on a paper towel. The leaves should be crispy. Chop the cooked bacon and the fried sage leaves and top your bowl of soup with a little of each. Delicious!

Tom Yum Soup

I was craving some spicy Thai soup but needed something low-cal (and low-carb!) so I picked up some lemongrass and threw together some Tom Yum. It turned out to be really quick and easy to make, not to mention absolutely delicious.

South Beach Tom Yum Soup
5-6 c chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2-3 small cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)
1 red bell pepper, sliced (slices cut in half so they're not too long)
1/4 c thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts divided
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp Sriracha
2 cans light coconut milk
1 lb cleaned, shelled shrimp
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

First, prepare the lemongrass: remove the tough outer leaves, trim off the root end, and then thinly slice just the ivory-colored part. Take the thin slices and either pulse them in a blender or food processor, or do what I did, and have your Rugrat mash them well in a molcajete. The lemongrass should end up looking like little bitty threads.

When the lemongrass is prepared, put the chicken stock into a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. I used about a box and a half of chicken stock (about 6 cups). To the chicken stock, add the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, bell peppers, and the white parts of the green onions. Add the fish sauce and Sriracha, and then let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the flavors have had a good chance to combine. Add in one can of coconut milk and taste the soup. Mine was very strong at this point, so I added another can of coconut milk to mellow out the flavor a little bit. If you need a bit more salt, add another shake or two of fish sauce. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and add in the shrimp. Let the shrimp cook about 2-3 minutes (if your shrimp are on the small side; 4-5 minutes if you've got bigger ones), until they're opaque, pink, and curled up. Take the soup off the heat, stir in the green parts of the green onions and the chopped cilantro, and serve.

Note: You could add some fresh shredded basil to this and it would be wonderful; I just didn't happen to have any and it wasn't looking all that hot in the grocery store.

Black Bean Soup

This soup is based on the recipe in the South Beach Diet: Super Charged book, but I made a few changes.

Black Bean Soup
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced (or one small diced onion)
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 wax peppers, chopped (I had these in my CSA box last week)
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
1 large tomato, chopped
2 c chicken stock
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp Sriracha
salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a fairly large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, onions, bell peppers and wax peppers. Season with salt & pepper. Saute until the veggies begin to soften, maybe 4-5 minutes. Add in the serrano pepper, garlic, and the white parts of the green onion, and saute for another minute or two. Add in the black beans, tomato, chicken stock, cumin and Sriracha, and stir well to combine. Let the soup come up to a simmer and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Then, using an immersion blender, blend up the soup until it's only a little bit chunky (you can transfer about half of the soup to a blender and puree, then return the blended soup to the pot, if you don't have an immersion blender).

Serve hot with low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, some plain low-fat yogurt, and the reserved sliced green parts of the green onion.

Spicy Seafood Stir-Fry

This is a great refrigerator-clean-out meal that you can throw all kinds of veggies into. It could easily be a vegetarian meal, if you omit the shrimp. And it is perfect for South Beach: for Phase 1, leave out the rice; for Phase 2, use brown rice instead of white.

Spicy Seafood Stir-Fry
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Sriracha
1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1/2" wide half moons
1 chopped bell pepper (I used red)
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I used cremini, but any would work)
3 baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 container of tofu, diced (I used silken but I think firm tofu would hold up much better)
1/2 lb cleaned & shelled raw shrimp

First make the sauce: in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Add the tofu and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is rippling slightly, carefully throw in the zucchini, bell peppers, and mushrooms. After the veggies have started to soften and brown slightly (just a couple of minutes), throw in the bok choy, the tofu and sauce, and the shrimp. Cook just until the bok choy is wilted and the shrimp is done (opaque, curled up, and pink). Serve over rice (or not, if you're on Phase 1 of South Beach).

Caribbean Dinner

I was having a craving for coconut rice a few weeks ago, before I started the South Beach diet, and came up with this easy, quick dinner.

I roasted the chicken bone-in, skin-on, as usual at 400 for about 40 minutes, but with a Jamaican Jerk seasoning on the skin rather than the standard salt & pepper.

The long grain white rice was cooked per package instruction, but instead of water, I used one can coconut milk and enough chicken stock to bring the liquids up to 3 cups. After cooking, I fluffed up the rice and tossed with some fresh cilantro and green onions.

But the black beans were my favorite part...

Caribbean Black Beans
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 small chopped onion,
1 chopped bell pepper (I used orange, but red or yellow would be fine)
1 minced (seeded) jalepeno pepper
1 minced clove of garlic
1 can beans
1 large tomato
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onion, sliced thinly
salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Throw in the onion, bell pepper and jalepeno, and saute until the vegetables are softened. Add the minced garlic and saute for one more minute. Then add one can of rinsed & drained black beans and a large chopped tomato (I used an heirloom from our CSA box) and just let the beans warm up. Take the beans off the heat and toss in some chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve with the chicken and rice.

The beans are vegetarian, so I've tagged this post as vegetarian. You could easily omit the chicken and still have a filling, delicious meal.

Easy Asian Sole

I do not like fish. I will go out of my way to eat anything other than fish, unless it is deep-fried or comes inside its own shell. But I am trying to eat healthier these days - I consider myself kind of "in training" before starting the South Beach diet in earnest - and I've been inspired by watching reruns of the BBCAmerica show You Are What You Eat. So with that in mind, I picked up two petrale sole filets at the grocery store and whipped up this quick and easy meal. And here's another first: with all the delicious green onions, cilantro and ginger, I'm submitting this as my first entry to Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted by Cooking 4 All Seasons this weekend.

Easy Asian Sole
2 filets sole
1 cup milk (approx)
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp chile paste (sambal oelek)
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 green onions, sliced (green & light green parts only)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Put the sole in a wide dish and pour the milk over it - the milk should just barely cover the fish.

In the meantime, mix up all the rest of the ingredients (except green onions and cilantro) in a bowl. Mix in about half of the green onions. After the fish has soaked in the milk for 20 minutes, pat it dry, season with salt & pepper, and put it in a shallow oven-safe dish. Pour the dressing over it. Bake for 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily. Serve over brown rice (they have frozen brown rice at Trader Joe's - cooks in 3 mins in micro!) and spoon a little of the marinade over the top - the rice tastes great with the dressing. Sprinkle with the reserved green onion & the cilantro.

This really turned out well, and soaking the fish in milk first removes a lot of the "fishy" taste that I hate.

Lemony Chicken & Peas

This was a quick dinner I pulled together that had a light, lemony sauce and healthy brown rice. How did I manage a quick dinner with brown rice, you ask? Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice -- it cooks in three minutes in the microwave!

Lemony Chicken & Peas
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
zest and juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1 - 1 1/2 c chicken stock (I used turkey because that's what I had on hand)
2 roasted chicken breasts, shredded into bite-size pieces (I roast several chicken breasts at once and use them for the next few days for quick & easy dinners)
1 1/2 c frozen peas
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
3-4 c cooked brown rice (I used two packages of Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice)
salt & pepper

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan. When the butter is totally melted, add the olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest and minced garlic. Season well with salt & pepper. After a minute or so, add the flour and stir. Cook the flour for a minute, and then add the stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the lemon juice and then throw in the chicken, frozen peas and parsley. Once everything is heated through, it's ready to go. Serve over the brown rice.

Pork Chops and Roasted Fingerlings

I was watching Rachael Ray the other day and saw her make a meal with huge veal chops topped with a "raw sauce" (which was essentially just a salad). I wasn't impressed with the pompous name, but it sounded tasty (hot meat, cool salad) and I had all this organic produce from Trader Joe's, so dinner was born.

Pork Chops & Salad
2 thin cut boneless pork chops
2 tsp salt-free seasoning blend
2 c baby salad greens
1 c chopped heirloom tomatoes (cherry tomatoes will work fine instead)
1/2 small red onion, diced
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

In a large-ish bowl, combine the greens, tomatoes and onion. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and then about 1 Tbsp olive oil. Season well with salt & pepper. Toss to combine, then let this sit off to the side while you make your pork chops.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Put 2 Tbsp olive oil in the skillet. Prepare the chops by sprinkling liberally with the seasoning blend, and salt & pepper. When the oil is shimmering in the pan, you'll know it's hot enough - add your pork chops. Remember that these chops are really thin though, so don't overcook them! I cooked mine for about three minutes, TOTAL - about 1 1/2 minutes per side.

Serve the salad with a chop on top and the roasted fingerling potatoes on the side (see below).

Roasted Fingerlings
1 small bag fingerling potatoes from Trader Joe's, cut in half
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp salt-free seasoning blend
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

On a rimmed sheet pan, toss the potatoes with the olive oil so that all sides are coated. Sprinkle with the seasoning blend and salt and pepper. Turn all the potatoes so the cut side is facing down, then roast 'em for about 25-30 minutes, until they are shriveled a bit and beautifully browned on the bottom.

Summer fruit parfaits

The strawberries and blueberries were calling my name at the farmer's market this weekend, so I whipped up some tasty, healthy parfaits with fruit and yogurt for dessert on Father's Day. This will be my submission for Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day this week; be sure to check out her roundup on Tuesday night for more tasty recipes.

Summer Fruit Parfaits
2 c fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 c fresh blueberries
1/4 c good balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar (or a little more, if your strawberries aren't very sweet)
4 c lowfat plain greek yogurt
1/4 c chopped roasted pistachios
2 Tbsp balsamic glaze (I got this at Williams Sonoma)

In a large bowl, mix the strawberries and blueberries together with the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Let stand at room temperature for at least an hour to let the berries macerate.

In six parfait glasses (or juice glasses), divide the berries and yogurt, layering first the yogurt, then the fruit, ending with fruit. Top each parfait with a sprinkling of chopped pistachio nuts and drizzle with a little of the balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

Perfect roast beef sandwich

I've had such a craving lately for roast beef sandwiches. This is my idea of the perfect combination of flavors for a roast beef sandwich.

Perfect Roast Beef Sandwich
2 half-inch slices toasted sourdough pugliese bread
2 Tbsp dijon-horseradish sauce (see below)
3-4 slices thin, rare roast beef
1 thin slice sharp cheddar cheese
1 leaf butter lettuce

Spread the both slices of toasted bread with the mustard sauce, then top with the meat, cheese and lettuce. Enjoy!

Dijon-Horseradish Sauce
2 Tbsp lowfat sour cream
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp prepared horseradish
salt & pepper

Mix the first three ingredients together in a small bowl, and add salt & pepper to taste. Makes enough for 2-3 sandwiches.

Hummus with Mediterranean Salsa

I don't know what to call the veggie topping, so I called it a salsa. It makes absolutely no sense to call something with cheese in it a "salsa," so if you can think of a better word, I'd be supremely grateful. Anyway, this is super healthy and a great alternative to slaving over a hot stove on those sticky summer nights. I'll be submitting this easy recipe to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup.

Hummus with Mediterranean Salsa
For the hummus:
2 cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed (1/2 c of canning liquid reserved)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c tahini (sesame paste - find it in the ethnic foods aisle near the kosher goods)
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
salt, pinch of cayenne pepper

For the "salsa":
1/2 seedless cucumber, diced
2 c diced ripe tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 c diced feta cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c lemon juice (or red wine vinegar, which is what I used because I didn't have another lemon)
1/4 c EVOO
salt & pepper

Combine the chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt & cayenne in a food processor. Add 1/4 c of the canning liquid from the chickpeas and puree. If the hummus is too thick, add a bit more canning liquid and give it another whirl.

In another bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, onion, feta and parsley. Whisk together the lemon juice (or vinegar) and olive oil in a small bowl, then pour over the veggies. Season liberally with salt & pepper and mix well.

Serve with toasted pita chips (just broil chopped up pita pockets for a couple minutes on each side), topping the hummus with the veggies and a drizzle of olive oil. This makes for a light meal or a delicious appetizer at parties. Store any leftover hummus in a plastic container in the fridge, spreading it smooth and topping it with a light layer of olive oil.

Asian Chicken Salad

A light, tasty salad for hot summer evenings. Quick to put together, if you've got pre-cooked chicken on hand. I'll be submitting this easy weeknight dinner to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week.

Asian Chicken Salad
1 roasted chicken breast, meat shredded
1 sweet bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
3 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c Asian Dressing (see below)
1/4 c fried chow mein noodles

In a large bowl, toss the shredded chicken, bell pepper, coleslaw, green onions and cilantro with the dressing. Serve topped with the chow mein noodles.

Asian Dressing
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
juice of 1 lime or 1/4 c rice wine vinegar, whichever you've got on hand
1/4 c reduced-salt soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp shredded fresh ginger
2 tsp Sriracha sauce (or more, to taste)

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and use immediately.

Smoky Corn & Peas

This simple side dish combines healthy fresh veggies with the most scrumptious ingredient ever invented: bacon. (Served here with a lovely grilled NY steak with garlic-herb butter.) This will be my submission to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week; head on over to her site to find more delicious recipes for healthy foods.


Smoky Corn & Peas
2 slices bacon (I used peppered bacon), cut into 1/2" bits
2 Tbsp butter
1 lb fresh peas, shelled
2 fresh ears corn (shucked, of course)
salt & pepper

Put a small bowl upside down inside a large bowl. Stand the corn up on end on the smaller bowl and, using a sharp knife, cut down the length of the cob, removing the kernels from the ear. Rotate the ear slightly and repeat until all the kernels are cut off the corn, then run the back edge of the knife against the cob to release any remaining corn "juice."

In a large saute pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove bacon & drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease in the pan. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt, then throw in the fresh peas and corn. Season with salt & pepper to taste, and cook just until the veggies are heated through, but the peas still retain their texture - about 3-4 minutes. Add the bacon bits back in and serve immediately.

Summertime Pasta

Light, healthy, quick and delicious! The whole wheat pasta provides some protein to this easy vegetarian meal. This will be my submission to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week.

Summertime Pasta
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)
2 zucchini, ends cut off and halved lengthwise
1 clove garlic, minced
2 seeded, chopped fresh tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
1/4 c crumbled feta
salt & pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions, being sure to salt the water well.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini, cut side down, and cook for a minute or two, until the cut side is nicely browned. Remove zucchini from pan and shut off the heat. Slice the zucchini halves into 1" half-rounds and return them to the hot pan (remember, the heat should be off!). Add the garlic and salt & pepper to taste, and toss everything around, then set aside. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and add it to the pan with the zucchini and garlic, then throw in the tomatoes, basil and feta. Toss everything together and let the feta melt slightly. Top with freshly ground pepper, and serve immediately.

Mexican Chicken Chili

A hearty meal that comes together quickly (if you've got your chicken already roasted, that is*).

Mexican Chicken Chili
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded & minced
2 Tbsp chipotle paste (or one minced canned chipotle pepper with adobo sauce)
1 small can petite diced tomatoes (NOT drained)
1 can corn, drained
2 cans beans, drained (I used one can black beans and one can cannellini beans)
2 roasted chicken breasts, meat shredded
1-2 c chicken stock
salt & pepper

For serving:
Tortilla chips
Chopped green onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Shredded cheese

Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the onions for about 4-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, serrano pepper, chipotle paste (or chipotle pepper) and season with salt & pepper. Add the can of diced tomatoes (this is a regular-size can, not the big cans of tomatoes, although you could use one of those if you wanted it more tomato-y), the corn, beans, and the shredded cooked chicken. Pour in just enough stock to barely cover everything - it shouldn't take too much as you've also used the liquid from the can of tomatoes. Heat everything through, and then serve with whatever toppings you like. I put chips in the bottom of the bowl and ladled the chili on top, then topped it with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and green onions. Yum!

This is even better the next day, after the flavors get a chance to blend together even more.

*Note: I generally get chicken breasts bone-in and skin-on (on sale at Safeway this week!) and roast them with olive oil, salt & pepper at 400 for about 45 minutes -- until the thermometer beeps & tells me they're done. The chicken is much more juicy when you cook it this way than if you roast a skinless, boneless chicken breast. Then I remove the meat and put it in a plastic container & stick it in the fridge for quick meals during the week. It really simplifies weeknight cooking.

Mushroom mushroom!

OK, I know I've been slacking, but I'll make up for it. A couple of weeks ago we had a barbecue here with friends. Mr Wonderful grilled up some incredible NY steaks while I made stuffed mushrooms and panzanella...and you get BOTH the recipes here! The mushrooms are a delicious twist on my usual recipe, and the panzanella is a quick & healthy side dish that's ideal for summer tomatoes. Both recipes will qualify for Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup - be sure and check out her site for other yummy recipes!

Stuffed Mushrooms
20 cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 green onion, sliced thinly (green parts only)
4 Saltines or Ritz crackers, crushed to crumbs
1/2 pkg Boursin garlic-herb cheese
salt & pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop finely. Over medium heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil to a skillet. Add the mushroom stems and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, parsley, green onion and some salt & pepper to taste. Add the cracker crumbs until you get a slightly moist, crumbly mixture (you may need to add a little more or less).

On a cookie sheet, lay out all the mushroom caps. Fill each mushroom cap with Boursin, smooshing it down with the back of a teaspoon. Top the cap with a little of the mushroom-garlic mixture and set it back on the cookie sheet. Fill all the caps, then top each cap with a little freshly grated Parmesan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the mushrooms soften, start to give up their juices, and get a little brown on the bottoms. Serve immediately.


Panzanella
1 c chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes, cut in half)
2 c rustic bread (pugliese, sourdough, whatever), cut into 1" dice
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 EVOO, plus 2 Tbsp
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Scatter the bread on a cookie sheet, and toss with the 2 Tbsp olive oil and some salt & pepper. Pop it in the oven and let the croutons toast for ten minutes.

In the meantime, combine the tomatoes, shallot, parsley, 1/4 c olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt & pepper. As soon as the croutons are done toasting, toss them in with the tomato mixture and let the bread soak up the olive oil/balsamic vinegar/tomato juices. Serve immediately.

Rainbow Pasta

This is a baked pasta dish that's absolutely stuffed with veggies, so it will be my contribution to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup.

Rainbow Pasta
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 c sliced mushrooms (I used crimini and shiitake)
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 large jar tomato sauce (I used an organic roasted garlic/basil flavor sauce)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 lb (half a box) penne pasta, cooked until nearly al dente
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded
1/4 c fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until they soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and bell peppers, and season well with salt & pepper. When the veggies are all softened (another 4-5 minutes), add the tomato sauce and the red pepper flakes and heat through. Mix the sauce with the cooked pasta and pour into a casserole dish. Top with the mozzarella cheese and bake until the cheese is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly (about half an hour).

Serve immediately, garnishing with parsley for a little punch of color.