Salad with a twist

Since I’ve been all about keeping the kitchen cool the past few weeks with the summer heat, I’ve been trying to come up with healthy (and easy!) dinners that both myself and my fiancé would enjoy throughout the week that require little to no cooking. Enter, the salad.

Last week I made another taco salad, but that still required me to use the oven. Since just a “regular” salad (i.e. on a plate or in a bowl) didn’t seem adventurous enough for dinner, I decided to give lettuce wraps a try. I know they’ve been around for awhile, but aside from ordering them once at Chilis about 10 years ago, I’m pretty clueless when it comes to them. They’re typically labeled as Thai or Chinese, and include chicken, some type of cabbage mixture (with carrots), scallions, and a ginger sesame dressing. At least those were the common ingredients I found when doing some research.

Since I’ve never made them before, and have only had them once, I really didn’t know what to expect. However, I figured it would be nearly impossible to screw up, and I was right! You can really wrap almost anything in lettuce. I remember when the no-carb diet was huge, and everyone was eating their burgers with lettuce “buns” and I thought it was insane and gladly ate theirs in addition to my own bun (swimming will do that to you), but now I see the appeal. Though I’m not planning on wrapping my burgers in lettuce any time soon, I definitely want to try some other variations of this nice twist on a salad! But be prepared – it’s messy!

Unfortunately I had grand plans to make my own ginger sesame dressing, but Wegmans was out of ginger. I was so annoyed, but when I stumbled upon a Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce in the Asian aisle, all was forgiven. This sauce rocked my socks. It has a light peanut flavor with hints of ginger, rice wine, garlic, and most importantly, it has a nice kick to it! I’m looking forward to using it in other stir-fry styled dishes.

Thai Styled Lettuce Rolls
– Serves 2 very hungry adults –

Ingredients:
10 pieces of butter or Boston lettuce, washed (I used Boston)
1/2 bag rainbow cabbage mix (about 6 oz.)
handful of soybean sprouts (make sure to wash them well, no one wants e.Coli!)
2-3 Tbsp Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce
4 scallion stalks, diced
1/4 cup water chestnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped in half

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine cabbage mixture, soy bean sprouts, diced scallion, water chestnuts, and peanuts. Add peanut sauce, using a spoon toss to coat.
2. Add about a Tbsp of the mixture to each individual piece of lettuce. Roll like a miniature burrito (tucking the sides in), and have napkins handy!

Creamy and Dreamy

I tend to go through stages with my eating; one week I’ll want sushi all the time, another week it might be pasta, or french fries, or even salads. They usually stick around for a few days, and once I finally have it, the craving goes away. The past few weeks, however, have left me wanting avocados and peanut butter (with chocolate, of course) almost non-stop. Don’t worry, not together. I have visions of creamy guacamole, or avocado sliced atop a sandwich, and following it up with some type of chunky peanut butter dessert. It’s totally weird, and I’m okay with it – I think about food 90% of my day anyway.

So, when YumSugar linked to one of Oh She Glows‘ recipes that had avocado as a main ingredient, I just knew I had to try my hand at it! I don’t know why I haven’t thought of using avocado in a regular pasta dish to help make a creamy sauce, but seeing the recipe was just what I needed to try and create my own. I’ve actually made two different versions, equally delicious.

Avocado Pasta with Cannelini and Tomatoes inspired by Oh She Glows
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, pitted
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 cup cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 lb your favorite pasta (I used whole wheat spagetti)
1 Tbsp lemon

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions (since different types of pasta require different cooking times)
2. In a food processor, add avocado, basil, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse until creamy
3. Combined cooked pasta, beans, and avocado mixture, and add tomatoes.

Avocado Pasta with Tomatoes and Caramelized Onions inspired by Oh She Glows
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp oil
1 ripe avocado, pitted
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 lb your favorite pasta (I used whole wheat spagetti)
1 Tbsp lemon
2 Tbsp herbed Feta (I used Athenos brand)

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions (since different types of pasta require different cooking times)
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat, then add onion, sautéing until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
3. In a food processor, add avocado, basil, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse until creamy
4. Combined cooked pasta, caramelized onions, and avocado mixture, and add tomatoes. Top with crumbled feta.

Cupcakes for Dinner

I’ve baked my fair share of cupcakes on the blog, but until Tuesday night, I hadn’t tried my hand at a savory cupcake. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to try, but when I stumbled upon Can You Stay For Dinner’s version, which is actually inspired by a HungryGirl recipe, I knew I wanted to make my own version.

Using what I already had in my pantry and refrigerator (with the addition of the wonton wrappers), I made 12 “cupcakes” which was enough for dinner on Tuesday as well as lunch on Wednesday for both myself and my fiancé. It was fun telling people I had cupcakes for dinner and seeing the shock on their face, especially after I explained what I actually made. I think the great thing about these little guys is how you can really put whatever you want in them, and completely control how much you want to have… since I usually cut myself a giant piece of lasagna from a tray of it and never finish it, this is much more efficient. And more importantly, I think they honestly taste just like lasagna.

These would be awesome at a party – perfect little portable meals! I’ve been a big fan of wonton wrappers ever since I made my own eggrolls, and a few different variations, and now I’m just trying to think of other ways I can use them. I’m really looking forward to making some more savory cupcakes, and also discovering more ways to use wonton wrappers!

Lasagna Cupcakes inspired by Can You Stay for Dinner
– makes 12 cupcakes –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz soy crumbles (I used Bocca)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion diced
1/2 green pepper diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano
1 cup chunky tomato sauce
12 wonton wrappers
1 cup light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cupcake or muffin pan with non-stick spray, and place a wonton wrapper in each cup, making sure to mold to the shape.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat, adding onion, pepper, and garlic, followed by 1/2 tsp of oregano and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
3. Using the same skillet, add the soy crumbles and additional 1/2 tsp of oregano and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. Sautee about 5-10 minutes.
4. Add onion and pepper mixture to soy crumbles. Add tomato sauce, stirring to combine and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine ricotta cheese and a dash of salt and pepper.
6. Distribute each cup with some of the ricotta mixture, followed by some of the sauce mixture, and top it off with a sprinkle of the mozzarella cheese. Fold over the excess wonton wrapper into the filled cup.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until wrappers begin to turn a golden brown and crisp.

Taking the ham out of the burger

The first time I had a portabello “burger” was at The Cheesecake Factory in college. I’m not sure what made me pick that off the menu, but it was delicious. At the time, I didn’t realize just how meaty portabello mushrooms are, and what a great meat substitute they make. Even people that aren’t huge mushroom fans will likely enjoy a portabello.

So, with the weather being so nice the past few days, I really wanted to grill up some vegetables, and thought portabellos would be great. Of course, just the mushrooms themselves weren’t enough, so I made them into “burgers” with marinated zucchini, and red peppers on a roll with of course, gouda cheese. Throw in a side of curried sweet potato fries, and you’ve got perfection.

Balsamic Grilled Portabello Mushroom “Burgers”
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
2 rolls (I used Kaiser)
2 medium sized portabello mushrooms
1 medium sized zucchini, sliced
1 medium red pepper, sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic, diced
2 slices of smoked gouda cheese (or your favorite cheese)
1/2 small red onion, sliced

Directions:
1. Heat grill on medium-high heat
2. Combine the garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a medium sized bowl. Add the vegetables, making sure to coat them completely.
3. Using either a grill basket or aluminum foil, place the vegetables on the grill. Cook on each side, about 10 minutes until there are grill marks and they are cooked through.
4. Layer the cheese on the bottom of the bun, followed by the portabello mushroom, zucchini (about 3-4 slices), and red pepper. Top with raw red onion, and enjoy!

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Curried Sweet Potato Fries
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potato fries
1 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Peel and slice potatoes, to look like french fries
3. In a medium bowl, toss the fries with olive oil and curry powder, making sure to coat evenly
4. Spread on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes

Running for food

Since a solid 75% of what I think about is food related, it’s no surprise that food consumes my thoughts while I run. Ususally during long runs I dream about smoothies, milkshakes, or iced coffee, while on shorter runs during the week I think about my upcoming dinner. Take Thursday night, Cinco de Mayo, for example. In addition to thinking about the nachos I was planning to make all day, those thoughts followed me throughout my run. There were even points where I thought about picking up the pace just so I could finish and get dinner sooner. Totally normal, right?

When I realized it was already May and that Cinco de Mayo was rapidly approaching, I wanted to make something that had a little Mexican flavor, but wasn’t totally typical. I know, nachos are probably in the top 5 of things that come to mind when you hear Mexican food. But I decided to do things a little differently to give them my own twist. For starters, I took some Chi-Chi’s tortillas that had been sent to me with the mole sauce, and used those as my “chips.” I also used crumbled Chiptole Gardenburger instead of your typical chili or ground beef. Aside from that the toppings were typical; refried beans (with chipotles!), diced red onion, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, jalapeno, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

When I received my fun little Cinco de Mayo package of mole sauce and tortillas, I also received some La Victoria salsa. I saved it until Thursday and finally got to give it a try. I also received a few Tostito’s dip packets from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, and got to put one of the guacamole mix packets to good use. I’m always wary about seasoning packets that claim to bring about authentic guacamole flavors, just because it’s hard to replace the fresh onion, lime juice, ciliantro, etc., but Tostitos does a pretty good job! This is a perfect mix to have on hand just in case you don’t have the other ingredients available to make completely fresh guacamole.

This meal really hit the spot. Of course, it would be great at a party or get together as well. YUM.

Veggie Nachos

Ingredients:
Baked tortillas (see recipe below)
1 Chipotle Gardenburger, crumbled
1 cup refried beans
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
2 Tbsp cilantro, diced
1 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup guacamole
1/4 cup sour cream / Greek yogurt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Layer baked tortilla chips in a lightly greased 9-inch pie dish
3. Add refried beans, followed by onion, jalapeno, tomato, and cilantro topping off with cheese
4. Bake for 10 minutes, serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream

Baked Tortillas

Ingredients:
5 burrito sized tortillas
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sea salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut tortillas in half, and in half again, and again to make 8 triangles
3. Layer on a sprayed baking sheet, and lightly top with olive oil and salt
4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy

*Of course you know the opinions stated here on my blog are completely my own. While I received some products (tortillas, salsa, and mole) from Hormel and the seasoning packets from Foodbuzz’s Tastemaker program, I was not required to write a positive review about them – they were good (in my opinion) and deserved a shout-out!

Planning for spice

When planning out our meals for the week, I ususally consult three sources; the internet, my pile of cookbooks, and the scariest of them all, my brain. Once I get my creative dinner juices flowing, I then have to consult our ever important calendar to see what we’ve got going on throughout the week. A lot of times, this then requires me to go back to the drawing board, since I tend to dream up elaborate dinners that just won’t be done before 9pm, causing me to probably gnaw off my arm before then.

It might seem a bit silly to plan my meals in advance, especially when it’s just myself and my fiancé. However, I’m obsessed with planning, which would explain why I have an extremely detailed Google Calendar, personal planner, and am always looking to schedule things in advance and confirm them. My meals seem to be no different; I like to know ahead of time what I’m going to be making when based on my schedule, and more importantly, pick up the necessary ingredients while at the grocery store. I think one of the worst feelings in the world is getting home after having your heart set on a certain food/meal, only to find out you don’t have some of the ingredients. For me, that’s close to heartbreak. So I try to avoid it at all costs by planning!

I snagged a copy of Vegan Fire & Spice by Robin Robertson a few months ago, and just got around to actually making something from the book. While I’m not a vegan, the simple words fire and spice grabbed my attention. This particular book not only offers recipes with varying levels of heat (marked as one to three chiles), but they’re recipes from all over the world! I love that within one cookbook alone I can find a recipe from Thailand, Mexico, Africa, Morocco, and more, and they’re all spicy!

I had paged through the book marking off things I was interested to try first, so I decided to make the Red Hot White Bean Chili as my first dish. It was easy, spicy, and filling – what more could a girl ask for? Of course I went and completely de-veganized it by throwing regular cheese on top, but other than that and omitting carrots (I didn’t have any) I stayed true to the recipe. I’m really looking forward to making other things from the book – I like fire in my belly!

Red Hot White Bean Chili via Vegan Fire & Spice
– Serves 4-6 –

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh jalapeno or serrano chiles, seeded and minced (I used a jalapeno and habanero)
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
4 1/2 cups cooked or 3 (15.5oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 scallions, minced
optional – vegan cheese for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and chiles. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Blend in the chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and pepper, and stir for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the beans, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, 45 to 50 minutes. Garnish with minced scallions.

Veggieful Enchiladas

Since I didn’t use all of the Philadelphia Creme when I made the Baked Southwestern Pasta Skillet, I needed to figure out what to do with it. I decided to make enchiladas, since we hadn’t had them in awhile. I’ve made them with eggplant, poblano peppers, and some with your typical veggies (onions and peppers). So, this time I decided to combine it all! Since the creme takes the place of enchilada sauce, it’s super quick and easy.

After reading up on tons of wedding blogs, I’ve realized that I should try and tone my arms so they look fab in my wedding dress. Since I used to swim, I have pretty defined arm muscles as it is, without doing any extra work; it’s leftover residual muscle definition. But, I realized I want to make sure I don’t look bulky (something easily accomplished through swimming), and I’ve been noticing that my arms are looking nice and toned simply from yoga. So, in addition to some yoga, I decided to add in some free-weight exercises also. Conveniently, FitSugar recently posted “How to Tone Your Arms Picture-Perfect For the Big Day,” which offered up tons of exercise suggestions I can add to my repertoire. So, that was on my to-do list before getting to work on dinner.

After getting my arms nice and tired, I threw together these veggie packed enchiladas. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the rest of the eggplant and green pepper I have from this recipe!

Veggieful Enchiladas
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp Adobo
1/2 eggplant, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 large green pepper, sliced
1 hot pepper, diced (optional – I used a habanero)
1/4 cup Santa Fe styled Philadelphia Creme + 1/4 cup
1/4 cup shredded cheese + 1/4 cup
6 burrito-sized tortillas

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil in skillet, and add onions and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Add eggplant, and spices, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until onions, peppers, and eggplant are soft.
3. Stir in 1/4 cup of cooking creme, cooking until headed through, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of cheese, and remove from heat.
4. Evenly fill tortillas with filling, and place in a greased 8 x 11 baking dish.
5. Top with remaining cooking creme and cheese, and bake for 15 minutes.

Fa la la la la…fel

No, this post isn’t about Christmas or winter. Though it was snowing Friday morning, April 1st. Get yourself in check, Mother Nature!

Anyway, the first time I had falafel was while working in my dad’s office at Rutgers University the summer before my senior year of college. My dad, the purveyor of hidden deliciousness, brought me to a little restaurant across from the Middlesex County Courthouse; G&P Lebanese Pastry & Fast Foods. I immediately fell in love, and have been meaning to try my own for awhile.

Thankfully, the recipe I wound up using didn’t require me to deep-fry the falafel. As we all know, I haven’t yet mastered the whole hot oil and frying thing just yet. I’m still trying though – I wont’ give up! Aside from the fact that hot oil isn’t my friend in the kitchen, this baked version also means they’re at least slightly healthier. The recipe comes from The Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook, which is seriously right up my alley. All of the recipes are quick, easy, and best of all, cheap. The falafels were no different, though I did have some trouble locating the tahini, but I didn’t give up and eventually found it in ShopRite (we really need to find a better grocery store).

I think these bad boys would be great on a bed of lettuce, as a Middle Eastern burger, or just how we had them – in a pita with lettuce, hummus, feta, and hot sauce. Yum!

Falafel via Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook
– makes about 8 patties –

Ingredients:
1/2 medium red potato (I wound up throwing in a whole small red potato)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 (15 1/2 oz.) can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tahini
1/2 tsp paprika (I did a full tsp)
1 Tbsp parsley (I omitted)
Salt
Pepper

Optional ingredients:
Whole wheat pita
Feta cheese
shredded lettuce, tomato, and onion
Tsiziki sauce
Hot sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Place the potatoes in a pot of water (enough to fully cover potatoes), and boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
3. While the potato cooks, heat the oil in a small skillet and slowly sauté onion until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, mash the beans, potato, and lemon juice. Add the onion, garlic, tahini, paprika, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine. The mixture will have a consistency similar to cookie dough.
5. Lightly oil a baking sheet with vegetable oil/spray. Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet, forming 3-inch pancakes. Place in the oven and bake for 15-minutes.

Springtime Snow Comforts

Having off on Thursday and Friday to take care of some personal things allowed me to get reacquainted with my tiny, but efficient kitchen. Our current kitchen is easily a third of the size of our previous, but the counter space is about the same. Plus, we now have an electric stove, which adds extra counter-space when it isn’t being used. But I digress, as no one is interested in my cooking space (it’s boring).

After I got home, I headed out for a 4-mile run. I had debated the gym all of Wednesday, and when I woke up to an inch of slushy cold snow plastered to my car, was convinced I’d be spending my afternoon with the treadmill. Despite the early morning snow, it really wasn’t that cold out, and by 9am there weren’t any signs of precipitation. So I threw on some tights, a long-sleeve shirt, and sweatshirt, and got to work. I find that when I run in the cold, I feel painfully slow, but am almost always pleasantly surprised with my pace. In the summer, I also feel painfully slow, and that’s usually because I am. At any rate, the 4 miles weren’t all that bad.

After my run, and some quality homework time while cuddling with the cat, I got to work in the kitchen. I found a recipe for a potato, leek, and feta tart on Real Simple. I’ve actually never purchased leeks before, and I probably won’t again for awhile – they were $4 each, and I had to buy two! My fiancé balked at the price and said, “this thing better be good.” So, the pressure was on. It’s definitely a perfect meal for a snowy Spring day. Oh, that pains me to write.

Hopefully I can start making some Spring appropriate dishes soon. I fear we might be skipping Spring and heading right into Summer. We’ll see though…

Potato, Leek, and Feta Tart
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into half-moons
2 small zucchini, cut into half-moons
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Feta (about 2 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 Red Bliss potatoes (8 ounces), thinly sliced
1 store-bought 9-inch piecrust

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, zucchini, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Feta and dill. Add the potatoes and toss to combine.
2. On a piece of parchment paper, roll the piecrust to a 12-inch diameter. Slide the paper onto a baking sheet. Spoon the potato mixture onto the piecrust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edge of the piecrust over the edge of the potato mixture. Bake (covering with foil if the crust gets too dark) until the piecrust is golden brown and the potatoes are tender, 50 to 60 minutes.

Pretty Pierogis

When I was in college, sometimes the cafeteria would have pierogies at lunch, or even dinner. They were always plain ‘ole potato filled, and swam in a sauce of butter, oil, and sautéed onions. Now don’t get me wrong, they were delicious, but I just couldn’t bring myself to get them most of the time. I knew that if I did, I would likely be spending the rest of the day with stomach pains, as I really can’t handle a lot of grease. For awhile when I was in elementary school, I couldn’t eat pepperoni pizza, and had to blot my pizza while all my classmates looked at me as though I had three heads. But if I didn’t, I was sure to spend the rest of my night in the bathroom – it was no fun.

Thankfully, growing up my parents always baked pierogies when they were made. Though, they were usually served alongside kielbasa, which is pretty greasy in itself (which is why I barely ate it). In cooking them a few times myself (always the frozen kind, though, I haven’t branched out to make my own), I’ve mastered the art of baking them first, and then just throwing them in a pan with already sautéed onions and cabbage just for a few minutes to mix everything together, leaving it still pretty grease-less (though I’ll admit there is a little).

Apparently mother nature has been confused, and even though it was in the high 70’s last Friday, there has been a snow/rain/hail mixture going on since Monday. So, these pierogies were a great warm and hearty dish to have while it was thundersnowing outside on Wednesday night! While I would like to at some point try and tackle making my very own pierogies (or at least a somewhat passable version of them), for now I’ll just stick to the frozen kind. At least this meal is semi-homemade?

Pierogies with Onions & Red Cabbage
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
1 box of frozen pierogies, any flavor (I used 4 cheese)
1 medium sized yellow onion, sliced
1/3 cup shredded red cabbage
2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add pierogies and cook for 15 minutes.
2. In a skillet, heat oil and add sliced onion. Sautee for 5 minutes. Add salt and cabbage, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until onions and cabbage are soft.
3. Once pierogies are done in the oven, transfer them to the skillet. Combine all the ingredients, and cook together for an additional 5 minutes before serving.