Tilapia with Cajun Cream Sauce

I wanted to do something with tilapia other than the usual - season it, stick it under the broiler - so I came across this recipe on The Recipe Link. It's a copycat recipe of an Outback steakhouse recipe (Royal Port Tilapia).

I adapted the recipe a bit to be healthier...it was pretty tasty! Definitely something different, we'll be making this one again

CREAM SAUCE FOR OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE'SROYAL PORT TILAPIA

(copycat recipe)

Source: The Recipe Link.

1 shallot, diced

1 tbsp butter (omitted)

1 clove garlic (optional)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (used 1 tsp)

about 1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup fish stock (or clam juice) (used chicken broth)

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp catsup (or more)

(optional) Cajun spices (to taste)

3 tbsp Creole sauce (or salsa) (used Franks Red Hot)

1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream (used Fat Free 1/2 & 1/2)

Saute shallot in butter over low heat 1 minute.Add garlic, oil, and flour and heat to make a roux. Add stock, wine, and catsup (if you like it a bit sweeter) and reduce. Add Cajun spices, and creole sauce or salsa and continue cooking. After 5 minutes or so, add cream and thicken to desired consistency. Blacken your tilapia (Cajun spices or Old Bay), some diced shrimp and crayfish and see how this turns out.

Bruschetta Chicken

Another easy recipe, anyone see a pattern here??? But honestly, this came together so quickly and easily, that it was almost a crime. It was pouring down rain when I made these, so I just cooked them on the grill pan. We had this with barley and sauteed zucchini.

Here's what I did...

4 Chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 T olive oil

2 T Balsamic vinegar

Salt & Pepper

Heat grill pan to med-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Mix oil and vinegar together in a bowl. Dip chicken in vinegar and put on grill pan. Cook for 5 minutes, brush with vinegar; flip chicken and brush other side. Cook for another 5 minutes or until done.

Bruschetta Topping:

1 tomato, diced

1 t minced garlic

1 T chopped basil

dash of balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper

Mix all together and let sit until chicken is cooked. When chicken is done, top it with the tomato mixture.

Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad

I don't know how we survived without a grill before we moved into this house! Seriously...nothing is better than grilled yumminess in the summer. I came across this tasty little number one day watching the Food Network (sidenote, Norm has ESPN on any chance he gets, my go to channel is the Food Network...go figure!)

I couldn't have been easier. Here's how you do it...

Slice a head of romaine in half lengthwise. Either spritz or brush the cut surface with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, cut side down for 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes. Drizzle with dressing and salad toppings. Easy-peasy!

I dressed these with South Beach Caesar dressing, chopped tomato and bacon bits and some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Delish!

Crabcake Eggs Benedict

Everyonce in a while, we have breakfast for dinner. Sometimes it's quick and easy - scrambled eggs and turkey bacon. Sometimes it's a little more "complicated", like Crabcake Eggs Benedict. We first had this dish in Hilton Head a couple of years ago and it was wonderful.

We used Norm's crabcake stuffing recipe that we used at Christmas to stuff a lovely filet tenderloin. Instead of English Muffins, we grilled up some large portabello mushroom caps. Paired with some fresh fruit, it was the perfect dinner!

Crabcake Eggs Benedict

What you need:

portabello mushroom caps

eggs

crabcakes

hollandaise sauce

chopped chives

As the crabcakes are cooking (we just sautee them in a frying pan), grill the mushroom caps, poach the eggs and make the sauce. To plate: place a mushroom cap on the plate, top with crabcake, then poached egg and top with sauce and chives.

Spinach Pepper Jack Pizza

I found this will surfing the Web one day for fun pizza toppings. Since we started grilling pizza...no ordinary pepperoni pie will do! This was friggin' fantastic, seriously. I don't think I've ever heard Norm rave about pizza before, but we both were lovin' it the night we made this one. I cut the recipe in half to make one pie. We used a whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe's and I add about a cup of chopped mushrooms, about a 1/2 C of chopped onions and a clove of minced garlic to the spinach mixture. and sauteed everything until the mushrooms and onions were soft.

Spinach Pepper Jack Pizza

(Source: msn)
8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
2 packages (10-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained, and squeezed dry
3/4 pound pepper-jack cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Two 12-inch store-bought pizza shells, such as Boboli
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Heat the oven to 425°. In a large nonstick frying pan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the bacon, drained spinach, pepper jack, salt and pepper and mix well. Brush the pizza shells with the oil. Divide the spinach mixture evenly between the two pizza shells and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.

Bake the pizzas directly on the oven rack (for a crisper crust) or on two baking sheets until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Strawberry Tart

A few weeks ago, we went to the most disappointing Farmer's Market. Ever. It was the first of the season, and they advertised the crap out of it. It was to be located in a parking lot on the South Side roughly the size of a football field. Well, we got down there, paid to park in a nearby garage since street parking was at a premium. We turned the corner and and headed toward the lot...and there were a whopping 3 tables in this giant parking lot. Ugh. But we did buy fresh strawberries, and a head of romaine and headed to Whole Foods, lol.

The strawberries were so sweet and juicy...and perfect! Norm's parents were coming down the next day so I decided to make a fresh strawberry tart with our farmers market find. I don't do well making my own dough, so I settled for a pillsbury pie crust (and it was FABULOUS!)

Fresh Strawberry Tart

(Source: adapted from this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Summer-Pie/Detail.aspx)

1 pie crust

1 8 oz package of cream cheese (I used reduced fat)

1/3 C sugar

1 tsp almond extract

1 pint of fresh strawberries, sliced

1/3 cup of semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

1 tsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 400. Press pie dough into tart pan. Prick several times on the bottom and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely. Blend cream cheese, sugar and almond extract until fluffy. Spread into tart shell. Top with sliced strawberrries. Combine chocolate chips with oil, microwave until melted, stir until smooth. Drizzle over tart.

I am a Weight Watchers message board addict....seriously. I have 3 very large word documents of recipes that I have copied and pasted from message board posts. I keep sneaking them into meals, springing them on Normie...but for the most part they've been winners, so I don't think he minds too much!

I have made this a bunch of times now...but I sub chopped, sauteed portabello mushrooms for the asparagus. It's delish! It's a great, healthy side dish that can be varied in so many ways.

Barley-Asparagus "Risotto" with Balsamic Vinegar

(Source: weight watchers message board)

Servings: 6

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion(s), minced

1 cup uncooked barley, use quick-cooking pearl variety

3 cup fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup chives, fresh, sliced

1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in barley and cook, stirring, about 1 minute more. Add broth, cover and simmer over low heat for 8 minutes; stir in asparagus and simmer 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in chives and vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Something different to try...with summer grilling season in full swing, I like to try out tasty new marinades. This comes together in an instant and has a great flavor that is not overwhelming. I was a little leary about the dressing mix as sometimes it's way too strong and salty, but this was really just yummy! I let the chicken marinate for a good 2 hours, maybe a little longer. We had this with grilled veggies and a awesome barley "risotto" (recipe also posted.)

Ranch Grilled Chicken

(Source: Weight Watchers message board)

1 lb boneless Chicken breasts

1 package dry Ranch Dressing Mix

2 T olive oil

1 T red wine vinegar

Whisk dressing mix, oil, & vinegar. It is like a paste. Put in a gallon zip loc bag, add chicken and squish bag so that chicken is all coated. Set in refrig for at least 1 hour but no longer than 4 hours. Cook on grill.

Veal Stuffed with Proscuitto, Provolone and Sage

Ok, so I combined a couple of recipes to come up with this little gem...Norm loves this Veal Involtini dish that I make that is very simple. Veal, layered with provolone and fresh sage, rolled up and pan-fried. We had made a trip to Whole Foods, and when we came up on some thinly sliced veal, he made the suggestion to have the involtini.

I took it one step further, added some proscuitto...which for whatever reason was within arms distance from the veal, so it was like we "had" to have it! Here's what we used:

~ 1 lb of veal, thinly sliced (we had about 6 decent slices of veal altogether)
6 slices of proscuitto
6 slices of low-fat provolone
2-3 Tbsp of fresh sage, chopped
flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic
Wine (for deglazing the pan)

Instead of rolling it up, I just folded it in half, and secured the packages with a toothpick. Then I dredged them in flour seasoned with salt, pepper and a little garlic-parsley mixture and into the pan it went! I pan-fried it in a touch of olive oil and a little butter (spray butter). Then I deglazed the pan with a little marsala, getting all of those yummy brown bits off the pan. I let the wine reduce a little and voila!

We had this with fresh steamed green beans, whipped cannellini beans and a tossed salad.

Chorizo and Shrimp Kebabs

Norm was the one that found the recipe for, and whipped up this marinade for some chorizo that we had stashed in the freezer. It was skewered with some shrimp and grape tomatoes - before the big samonella scare!

Here's what he did...
18 shrimp
1 link of sausage, cut into 1/2" rounds
12 grape tomatoes

Juice of one lemon
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Skewer shrimp, sausage and tomatoes. Grill over direct heat for a few minutes, turning once.

Chinese Take Out (at Home!)

On a whim one day, I bought this Newman's Own teriyaki marinade. This sauce has been in the cupboard for like a month, so I figured we needed to crack it open and try our hand at some take-out in the comfort of our own kitchen. Probably not as tasty as from a traditional restaurant, but definitely healthier!

So I decided on marinating some chicken tenders in the teriyaki sauce, and to stir fry some veggies (snow peas, peppers, onions, mushrooms). Of course no Chinese meal would be complete without rice....so I had to try out a recipe I found online for a healthier version of fried rice.

Everything turned out really well! It was pouring down rain, so I used the grill pan to cook the chicken. It had been marinating for over an hour, so the meat had a chance to soak up some of the yumminess. While it was cooking, I stir fried the veggies (using a touch of mongolian fire oil, a dash of sesame oil and a minced garlic clove for flavor).

Here's how I made the fried rice...

Cooking spray

2 C cooked brown rice

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 C chopped carrot

1/2 C peas (I used frozen)

1/2 C chopped onion

1-2 T soy sauce

Heat a wok over med-high heat. Coat very well with cooking spray, add egg. Scramble egg, remove and keep warm. Wipe out wok, and put back on burner. Add 1 tsp sesame oil and heat. Add vegetables and stir fry until crisp tender. Remove and keep warm. Spray wok if necessary and add remaining sesame oil. Let it heat up and add the rice. Stir frying until it's heated thru, keep stiring to break up any clumped up rice. Add back in eggs, veggies, and add soy sauce and stir until combined Season to taste with salt, pepper, etc.

Flatbread Pizza

I've said it before, I love when Norm's not here for dinner, I can make things that he won't eat! He would have zero interest in this light version of pizza. Not because he doesn't like pizza (he loves it) but because it has soy cheese as well as a layer of herbed ricotta cheese on the crust. It's something that comes together in a pinch, and it's filling and pretty good for you!

Flatbread Pizza

(Source: me!)

1 whole wheat flatbread

1/3 C low-fat ricotta cheese

italian seasonings

garlic salt

ground pepper

pizza sauce (I used a fat-free organic brand I found)

soy cheese

mushrooms

turkey pepperoni

sliced red onion

Preheat oven to 375. Heat flatbread in oven for about 10 minutes (until it just starts to get toasty). Season ricotta with italian seasong, garlic, pepper. Remove from oven, spread crust with ricotta mixture, top with pizza sauce, soy cheese, and other toppings. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Quinoa with Black Beans

This was a simple side dish that works to help incorporate different whole grains into our diet. I think it took Norm more than a little convincing to eat it though! The first time I made quinoa it was nothing great...good, edible, served its purpose as a dutiful side dish, but wasn't anything spectacular.

I can only eat so much brown rice, so I convinced him to give it another shot. I got this from a Weight Watchers message board...and figured what the heck, it seemed like it would be perfect with the broiled tilapia and steamed asparagus we were having. We both liked it a lot so it may go into regular rotation! This makes a TON...I only used 1 can of beans, and added a little more spice (a chopped jalapeno, and additional cumin).

Quinoa with Black Beans

(Source: Weight Watchers message board)

1 tsp canola oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

3/4 C uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 C chicken or beef broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1 C frozen corn kernels

2 (15oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 C fresh chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic,sautee until lightly browned. Rinse quinoa with cold water (use a fine seive). Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with broth. Season with cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add corn and cook an additional 5 minutes or until corn is heated through. Stir in black beans and cilantro.

Saffron Tomato Sauce with Capers

Saffron...it's the world's most expensive spice.

**Sigh**

It adds such a unique flavor to dishes, and a little goes a long way. We actually pretty much always have it in the spice cabinet so that Norm can whip up his famous paella (actually its his dad's recipe, but he's pretty much mastered it!). So when I found this recipe for Saffron Tomato Sauce with Capers in Fine Cooking, I quickly bookmarked it to try.

I was delicious. More than delicious. I loved it! The first time we had it, had it with some sauteed shrimp. The next time we stepped it up a notch and steamed some mussels and clams in the rich broth. Yummy! We had it over whole wheat pasta...and I didn't use as much oil as the recipe called for. It's easy to fit this into South Beach, Weight Watchers, or other healthy eating plan.

Saffron Tomato Sauce with Capers

(Source: Fine Cooking)

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 a small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 c)

2 large cloves of garlic, very thinly sliced crosswise

30 threads of saffron

Pinch crushed red pepper

28-oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained and small diced (about 2 C)

2 tsp capers, rinsed and chopped

1 small sprig fresh thyme

Pinch sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 T chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Crumble saffron into the pan and stir in the crushed pepper. Let cook for about 20 seconds and then add the tomatoes, capers, thyme, sugar, 1/2 t salt and several grinds of black pepper. Simmer briskly, adjusting the heat as necessary until the tomatoes are softened and the flavors melded, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig and stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(*EASY*) Lighter Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Man, I love me some tasty breakfast pastries! Unfortunately, they don't exactly fit into a healthy eating lifestyle. I found this recipe posted on a Weight Watchers message board...it was everything I love in a recipe...quick, easy and most of all tasty! Not something for every day, but a great something sweet for company.

I made these as a last minute breakfast when my parents were in town. They came together in minutes and looked pretty on the serving plate. My only regret was that I didn't whip up a quick icing for them, but they were great without it. Oh well, next time!!! We had these with fresh cantalope and honeydew on the side.

Mini-Cinnamon Rolls

(Source: Weight Watchers message board)

2 T packed brown sugar (I used 1/3 C Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t unsalted butter (omitted, but spritzed Smart Balance butter spray on the dough before topping)

1 11oz tube of refrigerated breadsticks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Separate breadsticks into 12 strips, sprinkle mixture on each strip (I rolled out the dough, and patted the entire "square" of dough with the sugar/cinnamon topping, then separated). Roll each strip into a spiral, pressing to seal the ends. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool 10 minutes on a rack before serving.

Grilled Pizza

We've been wanting to try grilling pizza for a while...but things came up, other dishes to try took precedent over a simple pizza and this went on the proverbial back burner for a while.

A couple of years ago, Norm bought a Weber Grill cookbook (Weber's Real Grilling) that had a couple of pizza recipes in it that looked fantastic. By the way, this cookbook is gorgeous...lots of pictures (a big plus for a visual person like me) and loaded with pro grilling tips and of course some outstanding recipes.

For the holiday weekend, we decided we'd try a grilled pizza. And holy cow, it was delicious! I was going to try my hand at a homemade crust, but opted for the ready-made whole wheat pizza dough that I found at Trader Joes. The pics I took came out blurry so I figured I wouldn't post them...but here's the recipe!

Barbecued Chicken Pizza
(Source: Webers Real Grilling)

Dough:
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling dough
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

Sauce:
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 C finely chopped yellow onion
2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 C ketchup
1/4 C dry red wine
1/4 C dijon mustard
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, 5-6 oz each
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 C grated smoked Gouda cheese
1/4 C finely chopped fresh chives

To prepare dough: In a medium bowl, combine the yeast and sugar with 3/4 C warm water (105-115 degrees F). Stir once and let stand until foamy, 5-10 min. Add 2 1/2 C flour, 3 T of olive oil and salt. Stir until the dough holds together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 4-6 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the ball to cover the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, 1-1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough in the bowl. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 equal pieces. Cut parchment paper into 9-inch squares and lightly oil each sheet on one side. Roll or press dough flat on the oiled side of the paper into circles about 8" in diameter, leaving the dough a little thicker at the edges. Then lightly oil the top side of the dough.

To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over med-high hear, melt butter. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until light brown, about 1 min, stirring occasionally. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Pour 1/2 the sauce into a small bowl, reserving the other half in the saucepan.

Lightly brush or spray chicken on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly coat the chicken on both sides with the sauce in the bowl. Grill the chicken over direct medium heat until meat is firm to the touch and no longer pink in the center, 8-12 minutes, turning once. Finely chop or shred the chicken and moisten with same reserved sauce in the saucepan (you may not need all of it).

Lay dough on the grate, with the paper facing up. Grab one corner of the paper with tongs and peel it off. Grill over direct medium heat until they are marked on the underside, 2-3 minutes, rotating the crusts occasionally for even cooking. Don't worry if crusts bubble, they will deflat when turned over. Transfer the crusts from the cooking grate to the back of a baking sheet, with the grilled sides facing up.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over each pizza, leaving 1/2 inch border around the edges. Arrange the chicken and chives over the cheese. transfer the pizzas from the baking sheets to the cooking grate. Grill until the crusts are crisp and the cheese is melted, 4-5 minutes, rotating the pizzas occasionally for even cooking. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into wedges. Serve warm.

A Private Wine and Cheese Tasting

So we made a special trip to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Saturday to gather all the yummy foods we needed for the holiday weekend. On the menu...burgers & dogs, corn on the cob; steaks and pasta; and pizza on the grill.

While we were in Whole Foods, Norm found one of our favorite cheeses - Humbolt Fog. So that sparked the idea of getting a few specialty cheeses, cracking open a bottle of wine and enjoying our deck. So 4 cheeses, a container of quince paste, apples and pears and the cutest whole wheat mini-toasts that you have ever seen later...we were exiting Whole Foods ready to have ourselves a good time! That is until we got back to our car, parked by the state store and I had the idea of each of us picking out 2 bottles of wine to have a wine tasting along with our newly acquired cheese.

Here's what our feast looked like -

Before...

...and after = )

Eggs Over Spinach & Mushrooms (& other fun stuff!)

So this brings us up to the Memorial Day holiday weekend. We decided not to go anywhere, and just spend some quality time on the deck, grilling tasty foods and just relaxing. And that we did!!!

It was so nice to sleep in for a change!!! On Saturday morning, I woke up before Norm, so I put on the coffee and decided on what to make for breakfast.

Here's what I came up with....

3 C baby spinach
1 C mushrooms, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
salt, pepper
1/4 C reduced-fat feta cheese
2 slices of canadian bacon
2 eggs

Heat two skillets over medium-high heat. Spray both with cooking spray. In one pan, add mushrooms, saute until brown around the edges. Add spinach and garlic; sautee until spinach is wilted. While the mushrooms and spinach are cooking, add the canadian bacon to the other pan, and "fry" until it starts to brown. Remove bacon to the spinach pan and keep warm.

Re-spray the bacon pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add eggs and "fry" until done season with salt and pepper. Divide spinach and mushroom mixture between 2 plates; divide cheese between two plates. Top with canadian bacon and eggs.

Spicy Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry

We make this quick stir-fry quite a bit and it's always fantastic. I first found it in a South Beach Diet cookbook....the original calls for shrimp, but we used chicken this time. You can pretty much put any veggie into it that you want (it's great for cleaning out the ol' fridge), but the snow peas really make it great. We also spice it up with some jalapeno cuz we're spicy like that! It's great over brown rice...or just as is if you're watching your carbs.

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

(Source: South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook)

4 tsp canola oil, divided

2 T plus 1 1/2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb chicken tenderloins, cut into bit sized pieces

2 T minced fresh ginger

8 oz mushrooms, quartered (I usually use sliced)

4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 bell pepper, any color, cut into strips

8 oz snow peas, strings removed

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Whisk together 2 tsp canola oil, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and garlic in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.

Lightly coat a large skillet (or wok) with cooking spray, and heat over high heat. Add chicken, stir frying until cooked. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over high heat; add ginger and cook 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, scallions, bell pepper, snow peas, and red pepper flakes and cook until veggies are crisp-tender (about 4-5 minutes). Stir in chicken and remaining soy sauce and toss to combine. Serve hot.

A Twist on Eggs Benedict

For the life of me I can't remember where I found this recipe, but it was darn tasty! I think it was an Ellie Kreiger recipe from the Food Network, but I saw it on a cooking blog .... printed it out, but forgot to star it on my Google Reader. I am far too lazy to do a search tonight...so we'll leave it at that = )

We had this dish for a light dinner one Sunday night. We had gone to Norm's parents for lunch - Norm's Dad made me a special dinner for my birthday (pork dhansak with brown basmati rice...and rava for dessert...YUMMY!) So after all that food during the day, a lighter fare was much appreciated. I did change the original recipe and poached the eggs instead of scrambling them. We served it up with some cut fruit on the side, and it hit the spot!

Pesto Eggs Benedict

(Source: Ellie Kreiger, Food Network -adapted)

Cooking spray

4 portobella mushroom caps

4 slices Canadian Bacon

4 eggs (I used eggland's best)

2 tsp pesto, divided

2 T chopped fresh basil leaves

Here's what I did...

Fill multi-pan up with water, add egg poacher insert and heat until water comes to a boil. Heat grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Clean mushrooms and scrape gills out carefully with a spoon. Spray pan with cooking spray, put mushrooms on, gill side up and cook for 3 minutes. Add eggs to egg poacher, season with salt & pepper. Flip mushrooms, cook on other side. Add canadian bacon to grill pan. When eggs are done, take mushrooms out of gril pan and put onto plate...gill side up, top with canadian bacon and 1/2 tsp pesto. Add poached egg and top with 1/2 tsp pesto and basil.

Eggless Caesar Salad

This is one of my new favorite salad dressings! I have been on the lookout for an alternative to my ol' standby olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing.

I have made this so many times since we first tried it. This is also from the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy cookbook, but I've been playing with the ingredient amounts to suit our tastes. Personally, I like more dressing, so I upped the amount of everything except the olive oil. I keep tweaking it, but it's really just plain good!

We have also had this salad served with grilled salmon on top for a filling lunch or with grilled mushrooms and asparagus for a little something extra to accompany dinner.

Eggless Caesar Salad
(Source: South Beach Diet Quick & Easy cookbook)

1 T fresh lemon juice
2 anchovy filets, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t dijon mustard
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
1 T grated parmesan cheese
1 (1 1/2 lb) head romaine lettuce, chopped (8-10 cups)

Whisk together lemon juice, anchovy, garlic and mustard in a large mixing bowl; slowly whisk in oil. Stir in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lettuce, toss, and serve.
Makes 4 (2-Cup) servings.

160 calories; 15g fat; 2.5g saturated fat; 3 g protein; 4g carb; 2 g fiber; 125 mg sodium

Playing Catch Up...again (and Indian Spiced Lentils)

Blogging is hard, if you don't have a computer handy. = )

Our laptop took a dive around the middle of April...causing much distress. Norm couldn't check his fantasy baseball Web site, I couldn't blog or do any of the fun internet things that I can't (um or shouldn't) do from work. We had to send it away to get fixed. The entire process took far too long (like 3 weeks!) so we were very happy to get it back and fully functional.

In the meantime, I did spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen making some yummy stuff.

So here's the first of the catch up recipes...Indian Spiced Lentils. I found this in a South Beach Diet cookbook. I wasn't sure I could convince Norm to try lentils. Outside of his Dad's authentic Indian dishes, I don't think he has had too many things where lentils were a major player. The dish was yummy. Since we like our food on the hot side, I added some extra heat from a jalapeno...and I upped the curry powder for more flavor. We had it with some grilled salmon and broiled eggplant.

Indian Spiced Lentils
(Source: South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook)

4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (not in original recipe)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp curry powder (I used closer to 1 T)
1 C dried lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 1/2 C chicken broth
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in curry powder and lentils. Add broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and papper. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Carrot Cake with Toasted Coconut and Cream Cheese Icing

I'm playing catch up with all the stuff I haven't posted yet...this is a cake that I made for Easter Sunday at my parents house. Norm and I made the trek to Johnstown to see my parents and grandmother and spend some quality time with them over Easter weekend. My mom will tell you that she doesn't "bake"...but I have learned most of what I know about cooking and baking from her. As I get holder, she asks me more and more to make desserts for family get-togethers. Which I don't mind (and neither do they!) because I can take the opportunity to try out new recipes on them.

This was a cake that I found on the Food Network site, courtesy of Eating Well magazine. I knew I wanted to make a cake, but make a healthier version of a classic...this fit the bill perfectly! It uses whole wheat pastry flour, and I subsituted Splenda for baking for the sugar, and egg beaters for the eggs to keep it lighter.

Instead of the 9x13 pan, I made a layer cake of 2-9" cake rounds and used 2 packages of cream cheese. I also had 1/2 a bar of dark chocolate that I chopped up into the cake batter for a little surprise. I baked everything at home, then assembled it at their house. In my haste, I forgot my camera, but snapped a few shots as we were 1/2 way thru it with my mom's camera. I'll have to post the pics when she sends them to me. Everyone raved about it...and my mom requested that I make it again for our family's 4th of July party this summer! It was definitely a hit = )

Carrot Cake
(Source: foodnetwork.com)
Cake:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
2 cups grated carrots (4-6 medium)
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Frosting:
2 tablespoons coconut chips or flaked coconut
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To prepare cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toast walnuts in a small baking pan in the oven until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and coconut.

Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting & finish cake: Place coconut in a small baking pan and toast in the oven at 300 degrees F, stirring several times, until light golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the coconut.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

We try to eat a lot of fish as part of our whole "healthy eating" plan. Tilapia is a fish that's very versatile, so this is another food that we keep trying new things with since we have it so much!

I found this recipe on Rachel Ray's Web site. Say what you will about Rachel, but she has some damn tasty recipes! I served this with some simply prepared butternut squash (with a touch of butter, salt and pepper) and french-cut green beans.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

(Source: Rachel Ray)

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspooons paprika
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound total)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper


Preheat the oven to 400º. In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the paprika and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and dredge in the cheese mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.

Veal Oscar (sort of...)

We had bought a giant package of veal scallopini at Costco one day with the thought of making veal parmesan, but that quickly changed over to Veal Oscar once we were wondering around the grocery store and came up with some asparagus and fresh crab meat.

I have had bad experiences with making sauces from scratch in the past, and being crunched on time for between working out and trying to get work done at home, we settled for bearnaise sauce from a packet. Which probably isn't as good as homemade, but is pretty reliable and tasty. We didn't really use a recipe, just kind of winged it and hoped for the best! We served it with simple side of Italian green beans seasoned with a little lemon, salt and pepper.

Veal Oscar

flour - i used whole wheat pastry flour

salt

pepper

garlic salt

veal, pounded thin

crab meat

shallot (minced)

garlic (minced)

bearnaise sauce (made according to directions on package)

asparagus (blanched or steamed until crisp-tender and keep warm)

butter

olive oil

Season flour with salt, pepper, garlic salt. Pre-heat large pan over medium heat, coat pan with cooking spray. Dredge veal in flour. Add 1 T of olive oil and butter to pan. Add veal into pan. Let cook for 3 minutes, flip over and let it cook on the other side. While the veal is cooking, heat another pan over medium heat, coated with cooking spray. Add shallot, cook until tender and add garlic, cook one minute. Add crab meat and heat thru.

To plate, lay veal on plate, top with crab and asparagus and spoon bearnaise sauce over it.

Chili Cumin Pork Tenderloin

This recipe comes courtesy of one of my favorite blogs Janet Is Hungry. We seem to eat a lot of pork tenderloin, so we're always looking for new ways to cook it....spicy rubs, glazes, sauces...you name it!

This spice rub was delicious, and we can't wait until the weather gets warmer to fire up the grill and grill the tenderloin. I cut the tenderloin into medallions, and rubbed the spice mix over each slice before letting sit for 30 minutes before cooking. We used our grill pan to cook it, and served the pork with butternut squash and mixed veggies.

Chili Cumin Pork Tenderloin

(Source: http://janetishungry.blogspot.com)

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix spices together and rub generously all over pork

2. Let the pork sit for about 30 minutes.

3. Grill pork on BBQ for 20-25 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Seafood Enchiladas

We've been trying to clean out the freezer....trying. It seems that as soon as we clear some room outta there, we just jam it up again. *sigh* There's probably things in there that we totally forgot about, just waiting to become part of some culinary masterpiece. = )

So, inspired by the success of our beefy enchiladas and a package of mixed seafood - shrimp, scallops and calamari - from Trader Joe's, we figured we could make a fun variation on the original recipe. Instead of the traditional red enchilada sauce, we used a green enchilada sauce, and complemented it with some fat-free refried pinto beans flavored with green chilies....and of course topped them with shredded lettuce, tomato, olives, avocado, and sour cream. Delish!

Cottage Cheese Seafood Enchiladas
(Source: adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (skipped this and just used cooking spray)
1 lb frozen seafood medley (trader joe's)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 chopped jalapeno

1 chopped habanero

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 T chili powder (approximate amounts of this and the cumin, i did it to taste)

1 tsp cumin

1 T cilantro

1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
5 whole wheat large tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (reduced fat shredded mexican blend)
1 can green enchilada sauce

To Make Meat Mixture: Heat a medium skillet with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add seafood, garlic, onion and green chile peppers and saute until browned, then add seasoning (chili powder, cumin) to taste. Stir until well incorporated.

To Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl mix sour cream with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper; stir until well blended.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To Assemble Enchiladas: Heat tortillas until soft. In each tortilla place a spoonful of meat mixture, a spoonful of cheese mixture and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with any remaining meat and cheese mixture, enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted & bubbly.

Baked Pesto Salmon with Tomatoes Over Arugula

Another borrowed recipe...normally I wouldn't make something that called for sliced tomatoes as a prominent ingredient this time of year. The tomatoes taste awful in the winter. However, my grocery store had an enticing mix of cherry/grape tomatoes that I couldn't pass up. Don't they look yummy????

This is another super easy and delicious recipe, courtesy of Kayln of Kayln's Kitchen. Basically three ingredients: Salmon, pesto, tomatoes. Quick to put together and not a lot of clean up. Thanks, Kayln for the wonderful recipe!

I think it would be great in the summer to do on the grill. I had my very first experience with making pest tonight as well. My store had no pesto. WTF??? What grocery store has no pesto in stock??? I think it turned out well for my first try.

So this is what I did...I took a giant piece of foil, and folded it in half and sprayed the entire thing liberally with cooking spray. I place 2 wild salmon filets in the middle, topped each with a healthy tablespoon of my homemade pesto, and topped that with the colorful cherry tomatoes that I quartered. I folded the foil up into a nice, neat tightly sealed package and baked at 450 for 15 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes, then open up the package and serve.

We had this over salads with goat cheese. I made a meyer lemon vinaigrette for myself (juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 1 clove of garlic, chives, salt and pepper) and Norm had a bottled balsamic dressing. He isn't a fan of citrus, which I just cannot fathom = )

Grilled Chicken with Truffled Wild Mushrooms Over Whipped Cannellini Beans

Whew! That title is a mouthful....but damn if this dinner wasn't totally delicious. For real.

Perhaps I should preface this post with the fact that the next couple of recipes were lifted off of other people's blogs. Not necessarily out of laziness or lack of creativity lately, but I have so many scrumptious recipes bookmarked, I figured I had better start making some of them before my Google Reader explodes. This recipe, taken from the aptly titled blog Other People's Food. I had it starred in the reader forever, wondering when the right time would be to spring whipped white beans on the hubby. But since he's such a fan of the mashed cauliflower, I figured now would be good.

One of the best things about this meal is the whipped beans. I am already dreaming up variations with different spices and herbs to keep this in our regular rotation of side dishes. Also, it could easily turn into a vegetarian dinner - without the chicken of course. Speaking of chicken, it was prepared very simply. I seasoned chicken tenders with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and grilled on my grill pan while the beans were simmering.

Truffled Wild Mushrooms Over Whipped White Beans

(Source: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/document/575)

2 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 medium leek, white and pale green parts chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 lb. wild mushrooms, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp. truffle oil

Heat 1 tsp. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add leek and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in beans, broth, garlic and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer bean mixture to food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Return to skillet, cover and keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 tsp. oil in medium skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté 8 minutes, or until soft and brown. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley.

Spoon whipped bean mixture into shallow bowls. Top with equal portions of mushrooms. Drizzle each serving with 1/2 tsp. truffle oil, and serve.

PER SERVING: 299 CAL; 15G PROT; 7G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 46G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 691MG SOD; 17G FIBER; 2G SUGARS

Spicy Broiled Eggplant

This recipe is courtesy of my father-in-law who makes some fantastic meals! These can be really spicy - depending on the amount of cayenne you put into the spice rub. But they are quick and easy...not to mention delicious and fat-free.

The spice rub is simple: cumin, coriander, garlic salt, cayenne

Pre-heat the broiller. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Slice the eggplant into rounds (typically i make mine around 1/4" thick). Rub spice rub onto both side of the eggplant slices. Broil until dark golden brown, flip and broil the other side. Easy as pie!

We had these with brown basmati rice with spicy shrimp. Yum!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Prosciutto, Arugula. Mozzarella & Cabernet Marinara

One of our favorite restaurants in Pgh has this absolutely mouth-watering pizza - thin crust, with marinara, fresh mozzarella, and prosciutto...topped with arugula and shaved parmesan when it comes out of the oven.

To die for. Since we've been on "the diet" we haven't been there or had the pizza in forever. Sooooo for a Valentine's weekend surprise, I bought all of the makings for the pizza with the intent to make a whole wheat crust and make my own. Plans went astray, and the dough never got made so I decided to use the ingredients and incorporate them into a pasta dish that was South Beach friendly.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Prosciutto, Arugula, Mozzerella & Cabernet Marinara
(Source: me!)

8 oz whole wheat pasta

1/2 C chopped onion

4 oz prosciutto, chopped

4 oz sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T fresh basil

1 jar cabernet marinara (I used Muir Glen Organic)

3 cups arugula, chopped

Salt, pepper, italian seasoning

6 oz fresh mozzerella, sliced

Cook pasta according to directions on box. Saute onions, garlic, mushrooms until tender over med-high heat. Add prosciutto. Sautee a few minutes longer until fragrent. Stir in sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, italian seasoning, etc to taste. Stir in arugula and let wilt. Spoon over pasta and top with cheese.

Cake Balls!

Ok so the name of these little tasty treasures makes me giggle like a school-girl. But they are fantastic! I knew I couldn't make them unless I had a reason to take them somewhere, or else I would sit on the couch popping these in my mouth one by one until they were all gone. **Sigh** No willpower.

This is also one of those recipes that is so easy, it's almost embarrassing to post. Seriously. Well...except for the dipping in chocolate part. I need to work on my dipping skills. There's endless possible varieties to try by using different cake mix/frosting/coating combos...this one is a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting dipped in dark chocolate.

Cake Balls
1 box of cake mix
1 container of frosting
Chocolate (I used Baker's dark chocolate)

Make cake according to the directions on the box. While it's still hot, crumble into tiny bits. Stir in frosting until incorporated. Form in 1" balls - I used a small pampered chef cookie scoop thingie - and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refridgerate until completely cooled. Dip into chocolate and let harden.