Roasted Potatoes and Spinach

Both D and I enjoyed it. I think it was the ton of butter that was in the dish.  We both would have it again. We had with Honey-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin.

Roasted Potatoes and Spinach

Photo by ALB

Crispy potatoes meet garlicky spinach for the perfect side dish.

Level: Easy
Total: 40 min
Prep: 12 min
Cook: 28 min
Yield: 3 servings

From Food Network

Ingredients
1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 5-ounce container baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss the potatoes with the butter and mustard on a baking sheet until coated; season with salt and pepper.

Roast, stirring once halfway through, until the potatoes are browned and tender, about 25 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and garlic and continue to roast until the spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper.

8 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 3 servings)

Argentine Inspired White Bean Salad

I found this recipe when D and I decided to have Argentinean Pork.  We were looking for something besides rice.  So we found this.  We both like it but it needed a little more vinegar, in my opinion.  D figured out he doesn't like fresh oregano.  Still?  I would have it again.

Argentine Inspired White Bean Salad

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup small diced roasted red pepper
1/2 cup small diced celery
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh cilantro
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil (used 1)
kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine beans, peppers, celery, and red onion.

In a small Tupperware or jar (with a lid), combine garlic, oregano, cilantro, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with lid and shake well.

Pour dressing over beans.

Eat immediately, or store covered, in the fridge for later.

Serve over fresh greens if desired.

2 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Warm Chipotle Lime Butternut Squash Salad

I don't know why I was had to have this recipe, but I did. Originally it called for Sweet Potatoes, but D doesn't care much for them, so we subbed in Butternut.

We both enjoyed it, and would have again. We had with Grilled Chipotle Marinated Chicken.

Warm Chipotle Lime Butternut Squash Salad

Photo by ALB

Adapted from the Real Food Dieticians
PREP TIME: 10 MINS
COOK TIME: 15 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 25 MINS
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS
Cooking Spray
1 pound butternut squash, cubed
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 small bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups kale, roughly chopped (heaping cups)
4 slices bacon cooked and chopped
Chipotle Lime Mayo (recipe below)
Salt and black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 
Cook bacon and remove. After, add cubed butternut. Dash with a little sea salt and black pepper. Sauté for about 10-12 minutes stirring throughout. Butternut should be cooked through.

Then add diced pepper, sliced onion, and garlic. Sauté for another 10 minutes.

Then add kale and sauté for 2-3 minutes longer until kale is slightly wilted. Then add chopped bacon.

Transfer to a bowl (or leave in skillet) and gently stir Chipotle Lime Mayo (we served on top, there was more than plenty). Serve warm.

Leftovers can be served warm or cold for up to 5 days.

Garnish with fresh parsley and green onions, if desired.

Homemade Chipotle Lime Mayo recipe (mix all together):
7 TBSP cup Hellmans's Light mayo
1/2 lime, juiced
1 chipotle pepper minced

4 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Cabbage and Rice Noodle Salad with Peanut-Lime Dressing

This went with the Banh Mi Meatballs.  It was really good. Large portions.
I would have again.

Cabbage and Rice Noodle Salad with Peanut-Lime Dressing

Photo by ALB

Active Time: 20 Mins
Total Time: 20 Mins
Yield:  Serves 4 (1 1/3 cup)

This bright, Asian-inspired salad makes absolutely no claims to any kind of authenticity except for deliciousness. For those nights when takeout beckons, brown rice noodles, gorgeous, gut-healthy cabbage, crunchy cucumber, and an addictive peanut-lime dressing fill the void for a fraction of the calories. This sturdy salad holds up well in the fridge, so (we know from personal experience) pack it up with a bit of rotisserie chicken for a filling desk lunch.

Ingredients
4 ounces brown rice noodles (such as Annie Chuns or similar)
4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 1/2 cups shaved carrot (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup English cucumber, diced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup peanut butter (used crunchy)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 small cloves)
2 tablespoons minced shallot (about 1 small)
1 teaspoon Vietnamese-style fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
Garnish: 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts (forgot)
Cilantro 1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation
Step 1: Cook rice noodles per package instructions. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

Step 2: Combine noodles, cabbage, carrot, cilantro, cucumber, and scallions in a bowl. Toss to combine.

Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter, water, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and lime zest together until smooth.

Step 4: Add dressing to veggie-noodle mixture and toss until ingredients are coated.

Step 5: Divide into bowls and garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges as desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 240; Fat: 11g; Satfat: 2g; Unsatfat: 8.7; Protein: 7g; Carbohydrate: 29g; Fiber: 4g; Sugars: 5g; Added sugars: 0g; Sodium: 250mg; Calcium: 4% DV; Potassium: 8% DV

6 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings with no peanuts)

Spinach and Arugula Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing

I wanted to have something healthy-ish for Christmas so I found a few recipes for salad.  D and I ultimately chose this one.  We used a rutabaga for the turnip, because neither one of us knew what a turnip was and thought the rutabaga was a turnip.  We both liked it, and had more on New Year's Eve.

Spinach and Arugula Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing

Photo by ALB

Hands-on Time: 10 Mins
Total Time: 10 Mins
Yield Serves 6 (serving size: about 1 cup)

This light but rich dressing meets at the happy place between Caesar and ranch.

Ingredients
1.5 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated and divided (about 6 tablespoons)
1/3 cup canola mayonnaise (used light mayo)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups baby spinach leaves
4 cups baby arugula leaves
3/4 cup matchstick-cut or shredded turnip, divided (used a rutabaga)

Instructions
Combine half of cheese and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Add spinach, arugula, and half of turnip. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and turnip.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 77; Fat: 5.4g; Satfat: 1.2g; Monofat: 2.7g; Polyfat: 1.4g; Protein: 3g; Carbohydrate: 3g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 6mg; Iron: 1mg; Sodium: 252mg; Calcium: 107mg; Sugars: 1g; Est. added sugars: 0g

COOKING LIGHT, April 2016

2 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)

MUSHROOM RICE WITH ONION & SHALLOTS

This rice needs to go into the regular rotation.  It had so much flavor.  D and I both think we have had something similar.  We both thought it would be good as a casserole with chicken and Parmesan.

Any way we will have again.  We had with Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken.

MUSHROOM RICE WITH ONION AND SHALLOTS

Photo by ALB

Recipe By DailyInspiration

This recipe sounds like a great side dish to steak or chicken. The dish comes from the "Joy of Eating" cookbook.

READY IN: 45 mins
SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice, long grain
1 (10 1/2ounce) can beef broth
3⁄4 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1⁄4 lb mushroom, sliced

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, stir together the rice, broth, water, salt and pepper. Cover pan and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute onion and shallots in butter until onions are soft. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms are tender. Stir mushroom mixture into rice and heat through.

4 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)

Crack Broccoli

So this was good.  I'm not sure it was "crack-worthy" as I've never done crack.  Also D forgot the cheese.  But Broccoli with almonds...it's very good.  He was eh about it, but I think he is tired of broccoli.  Me, I liked it a lot.

We had with Chicken and Mushrooms.  We would have again.

Crack Broccoli

Photo by ALB

YIELD: 3 - 4 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

Ingredients
1 and ½ pounds broccoli crowns (roughly 2 heads)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (used 1 1/4 TBSP)
4 garlic cloves, pressed
large pinch of dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons raw, sliced almonds (with or without skin)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 – 3 tablespoons freshly grated aged pecorino cheese (didn't use)
zest of half a lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Trim any dry, tough ends of the broccoli crowns, leaving roughly 2-inches of stalk attached. Slice the broccoli into ½-inch-thick steaks, starting in the center of each broccoli crown and working out to the edges, reserving any small or medium florets that fall off for roasting. Slice any large remaining florets in half lengthwise.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, pressed garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the broccoli steaks and toss gently until evenly coated. Arrange the broccoli, cut-side down, on the lined sheet pan, setting them apart slightly. Sprinkle with salt.

Roast the broccoli for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the broccoli, and sprinkle the almond slices evenly across the sheet pan. Roast for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is caramelized and tender, and the almond slices are toasted and golden.

Transfer the broccoli to a platter, toss gently with the lemon juice and top with the grated cheese. Garnish with fresh lemon zest. Serve hot or at room temperature.

2 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Southwestern Stuffed Zucchini Boats

So this is one of those recipes that I instantly want to hate.
6 servings from 4 zucchinis.  It's either 4 servings or 8.  Nobody has time to to figure out that each person 4 people gets 2/3s of a zucchini and 2 people get the left over cuts.  Not to mention, all the stuff will fall out of the boat.

So make it 4 servings or 8, and be done with that 6 shit.  D and I made it 4 which made it higher in calories, but we're still alive so it's all good.

The taste was awesome and we definitely have again.

We had with Mojo Chicken.  Defintitely could brown some ground chicken though and add it, that way, as well.

Southwestern Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Photo by ALB

By: Co+op, stronger together
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 (we made it 4)

Zucchini takes center stage, stuffed with spiced up black beans, red pepper and topped with cheddar.

Ingredients
4 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons prepared salsa
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Pinch of salt and ground black pepper
Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Scoop the flesh out of the zucchini halves. Gently squeeze it to extract any excess liquid, then dice about a cup of the flesh to use for the filling.

Cook the zucchini boats cut side down on an oiled sheet pan for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the boats over.

While zucchini is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the red pepper, green onions and zucchini flesh for 3-5 minutes. Add the ground cumin, salsa, and black beans and cook another minute. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, and hot sauce if using.

Evenly distribute the filling mixture between the zucchini boats. Return the filled boats to the oven and bake for 10-12 more minutes until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information 4 servings from MyFitness Pal
Calories: 4, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 30 mg, Sodium: 752 mg, Carbohydrate: 28 g, Dietary Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 8 g, Protein: 16 g

Refried Bean Poblanos with Cheese

When I showed this recipe to D, I was kind of surprised he said yes.  I even mentioned it was vegetarian.  He still went for it.

We had it last night.  It couldn't have been easier, although D said next time he would like to char the peppers.

Anyway, I halved and seeded the poblanos, and he did the rest (opened cans, packets and the microwave).  With me seeding the poblanos the whole dish probably took 10 minutes instead of 6.  Also, despite poblanos not being that hot, don't rub your eye until after you have washed your hands, if you are handling the peppers (PSA!).

We would have again, or we would have half a pepper as a side dish.  It was really good. (We did have with sour cream, which wasn't pictured).

Refried Bean Poblanos with Cheese

Photo by ALB

Poblano chiles grown in a hot, dry climate can be more intense than others, so the spiciness of this dish depends on the heat of your peppers.

Prep: 2 minutes; Cook: 6 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed chile halves)

Ingredients
4 medium poblano chiles, halved and seeded
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
1 (8.8-ounce) pouch microwaveable cooked long-grain rice (such as Uncle Ben's Original Ready Rice)
1/2 cup picante sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation
1. Place chile halves, cut sides up, on a round microwave-safe plate. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 3 minutes.

2. While chiles cook, combine beans, rice, and picante sauce in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spoon bean mixture evenly into chile halves. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Uncover chiles, sprinkle each half with 2 tablespoons cheese, and microwave at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle evenly with cilantro, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 303; Fat: 6 g; Sat fat: 3.1 g; Monofat: 0.0 g; Polyfat: 0.1 g; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrate: 45.4 g; Fiber: 7.7 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Iron: 0.7 mg; Sodium: 960 mg; Calcium: 232 mg

Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast, APRIL 2009

Skillet Mexican Zucchini

For awhile, D and I have been looking for healthy Mexican side dishes.  We seem to get into a rut of Mexican Red Rice and/or Refried Beans.  Nothing wrong with either of these foods, but we've been trying to incorporate more flavorful vegetable dishes.  So we found this one, and decided to try it.

Knowing that I don't like warm tomatoes (except on pizza), D added the tomatoes at the end, so they weren't cooked.  I liked this better than D; I also poured more lime juice on mine.

Add a Mexican Blend or other spice to flavor it up.

We had with Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Chicken.

Skillet Mexican Zucchini

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb zucchini, diced
1 large tomato, cored, seeded and diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp minced pickled jalapeño
1/2 cup crumbled queso blanco (or queso fresco, cotija or feta) (used Habanero Jack)
fresh lime juice, to taste (used 1 TBSP)
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
(add cumin and chile pepper)

DIRECTIONS
Cook the garlic in oil in a large skillet over medium heat 1 minute, stirring until sizzling. Add zucchini and cook stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add tgreen
 onion and cook about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add tomato, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and spices to taste and top with queso blanco. Serve hot (or cold).

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Yield: 4 Servings, Serving Size: 1/4th of the recipe
Calories: 102; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: g; Cholesterol: 17mg; Sodium: 211mg; Carbohydrates: 8g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 5g

Caribbean Style Corn on the Cob

So D and I were looking for a side to have with Jerk-Style Chicken the other day.  I'm kind of bored with vegetables, and we always seem to have black beans/coconut/rice combo, so we decided to look for something else.  I found a recipe for Caribbean Style Corn on the Cob on Delishplan.com.

However, there's really no way in hell, I'm making homemade aioli.  I've been trying hard to watch what I'm eating and that just didn't fit the bill.  So I went back to looking.  D looked over the recipe and said we should have it and just use low-fat mayonnaise.  That would help a lot.

Then I was in a meeting food-planning, and decided to look up the amounts used in the Elote recipe D makes.  So I got the amounts based on that.

D grilled it, because he always grills corn.  Again, we had with Jerk-Style Chicken.

Caribbean Style Corn on the Cob

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Delishplan.com

Ingredients
3 TBSP mayo
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
1/4 tsp Paprika
2 TBSP shredded Parmesan cheese
4 ears of corn

Preparation
Prepare grill. Combine mayonnaise through cheese in a small bowl.

Place corn on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill corn 12 minutes or until tender, turning frequently. Remove corn from grill; brush with mixture.

Serve immediately.

Artichoke and Tomato Pasta

This recipe was on the back of the Saucy Chicken Recipe card.  We decided to make it as the side to Saucy Chicken.  It was pretty good.

Photo by ALB

I think we would have again.

Artichoke and Tomato Pasta

Photo by ALB

From Weight Watchers

Serves: 6
Winning Points (per serving): 4

Ingredients
6 oz uncooked bow-tie noodles
1 can (14-16 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and halved (not oil-packed)
1 cup chopped ripe plum tomato
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; rinse under cold running water, drain well, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients except cheese; add noodles and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for about 1 hour; serve sprinkled with cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 171; Fat: 4.7g; Fiber: .7g

Camembert Mashed Potatoes

A few years ago, D made these mashed potatoes.  They were quite good.  The Camembert was not overwhelming, but you could definitely taste it was there. Over the years, we have said we would have them again, but there is something hard about putting a really nice cheese into mashed potatoes (or I'm just cheap).

Anwyay, Kroger had Camembert marked down, so I picked up a wheel.  And we decided to have these.  They still taste like I remember.

We halved the recipe, since it was just the 2 of us.

Camembert Mashed Potatoes

Photo by ALB

The buttery taste and creamy texture of Camembert cheese glorifies these potatoes. Camembert is similar in flavor and texture to Brie, which makes a fine substitute. The rind is easiest to remove if the cheese is well chilled.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Ingredients
1 1/2 (8-ounce) rounds Camembert cheese
11 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 4 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh chives (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Preparation
Cut cheese into 6 wedges. Carefully remove rind from cheese; discard rind. Chop cheese; let stand at room temperature while potato cooks.

Place potato in a large Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander; return potato to pan. Add cheese, milk, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper; mash with a potato masher until smooth. Garnish with chives and additional pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 198; Fat: 4.4 g; Sat fat: 2.8 g; Mono fat: 1.3 g; Poly fat: 0.1 g; Protein: 7.9 g; Carbohydrate: 30.7 g; Fiber: 2 g; Cholesterol: 13 mg; Iron: 1.5 mg; Sodium: 310 mg; Calcium: 82 mg

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

Cilantro-Jalapeño Latkes with Chipotle Sour Cream

This recipe came about in 2 ways.  One, when it was Hanukkah, Cooking Light emailed out this recipe.  So I pinned it.  Second, we had left over hash-browns from the Southwest Shrimp and Corn Chowder, so we decided to have these.  You won't get 12 latkes if you do it this way.  Such is life.

D made them.  He said the key is to get the oil in the pan very hot, (something he doesn't usually do), to prevent them from sticking.

We both liked them a lot. We would have again.  We had with Jalapeno Chicken.

Cilantro-Jalapeño Latkes with Chipotle Sour Cream

Photo by ALB

Turn a basic latke recipe into a Mexican-style dish by adding cilantro and jalapeno peppers to the potato cakes and serving with chipotle-flavored sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 latkes and about 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream mixture)

Ingredients
6 tablespoons light sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
3/4 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
6 cups shredded peeled baking potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup grated fresh onion
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 large egg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil, divided

Preparation
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

2. Combine potato and onion in a colander. Drain 30 minutes, pressing occasionally with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture, flour, and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. (let the pan oil get hot...about 15 minutes). Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture loosely into a dry measuring cup. Pour mixture into pan; flatten slightly. Repeat the procedure 5 times to form 6 latkes. Sauté 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Remove latkes from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and potato mixture to yield 12 latkes total. Serve with sour cream mixture.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 260; Fat: 11 g; Sat fat: 2.2 g; Mono fat: 6.9 g; Poly fat: 1.2 g; Protein: 5.6 g; Carbohydrate: 35.3 g; Fiber: 3.8 g; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Iron: 2.1 mg; Sodium: 268 mg; Calcium: 36 mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2010

Nutty Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

My friend Delane turned me onto Brussels Sprouts, so whenever I see them in a way I hadn't thought about and look good, I usually want to try. D and I finally got around to trying this one.

The sprouts tastes like sprouts. The breadcrumb mixture was something that made you want to lick that bowl. Together, it was a great salad.

Definitely would have again. We had with Tomato Basil Chicken.

Nutty Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

Photo by ALB

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 8 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 ounce shaved Asiago cheese

Preparation
1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or just until golden, stirring constantly. Add breadcrumbs; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Transfer garlic mixture to a small bowl.

2. Separate leaves from Brussels sprouts; quarter cores. Heat remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add leaves and cores to pan; cook 8 minutes or just until leaves wilt and cores are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; toss with breadcrumb mixture, salt, and pepper. Top with walnuts and cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 71; Fat: 3.1 g; Sat fat: 0.6 g; Mono fat: 1.1 g; Poly fat: 1.1 g; Protein: 3.5 g; Carbohydrate: 8.9 g; Fiber: 2.3 g; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Iron: 1 mg; Sodium: 160 mg; Calcium: 47 mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2009

Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini

This is one of those recipes where I should probably read better.  It wouldn't have been adapted if I had written on the list 2 pounds of zucchini and not 2 zucchini.  But such is life and thus 2 zucchini made 4 servings.

I love Elote, so this wasn't a huge stretch.  It was very good, had a nice bite, and I would have again.

Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini 

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Closet Cooking

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4


Ingredients 
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/4 cup queso freso, crumbled
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 lime, juice

Directions 
Grill the zucchini over medium-high heat until just tender, about 2-3 minutes per side, brush with the mixture of the butter and mayo, sprinkle on the cheese, cilantro, cayenne and lime juice and enjoy!

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 73; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 14 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Potassium: 268 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 3 g

Aaron Franklin's Pinto Beans

So I got this recipe from Homesick Texan's site. She mentioned peppery in her intro, but I kind of missed that part. I was too focused on beans and brisket. Also my friend Todd had gotten Aaron Franklin's Cookbook, so I figured if a personal friend and a blogger both got this book, and pretty much everyone says Aaron Franklin is the best BBQer of all time, well I should make these beans.

And I had every intention too. Then I had that Orange Creamsicle drink and a few beers and using sharp objects isn't a smart idea when I'm sober, so D prepped this on Saturday night.

We had planned on going to 3-4 different Barbecue Restaurants for lunch Sunday but Biscuits and Gravy were had (yes, I made biscuits), and then a nap was required, and so we settled on the quickest one, as D still had to make Carne Guisada.

So we ended up getting 1/2 pound of brisket at Grand Champion Barbecue (their pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were good, as well).

Anyway, back to the beans...D chopped up the meat, and there was a little over a cup, but he dumped it all into the beans.  And we waited for the Carne Guisada.

So the beans were spicy.  Immediately I thought because of the chili powder, but D said the pepper.  I thought about it and agreed.  So next time we make it we will back off on the pepper to 1/2 TBSP.

But the first 3 bites, before the heat started building were awesome!

Aaron Franklin's Pinto Beans

From Homesick Texan

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 pound dried pinto beans
1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt*
1 tablespoon black pepper (next time, cutting back to 1/2 TBSP)
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chopped smoked brisket

Instructions:
Rinse the pinto beans and remove any rocks. Place the beans, onion, chili powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, stir until the spices are well distributed, and then soak the beans uncovered for 8 hours. Alternatively, you can bring the pot to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let them quick soak for 1 hour.

To cook the beans, add the brisket to the pot. (Do not drain the soaking liquid.) You want there to be at least an inch and a half of water above the beans, so add more water to the pot if needed. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down the heat down to low, cover the pot, and then gently simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the cover and then continue to cook the beans until they’re tender, which will depend on the age of the beans. This can happen anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours.

If you want to make these in the slow cooker, after soaking, cook them covered on low for 6 hours, then remove the lid and continue to cook on low for 2 more hours.

Yield: 6 to 12 servings

*Notes:
If you're not using kosher salt but table salt or sea salt instead, reduce the amount of salt to 1 tablespoon, otherwise the beans may be too salty.

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Servings: 8; Amount per Serving
Calories: 235; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 756 mg; Potassium: 111 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 37 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Sugars: 2 g;  Protein: 18 g

Cumin Rice With Avocado

So I'm constantly looking for Mexican Side Dishes.  Although I could eat refried beans 5 of 7 days a week, I don't think D could.  So when I found this recipe, I thought we should give it a try.

It was very good and we would have again.  It makes me like restaurant Mexican Rice even less.

Cumin Rice With Avocado

Photo by ALB

Adapted from A Messy Cook

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 1/4 C of Chicken Broth
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/3 cup picante sauce
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
2 green onions, sliced

Directions
Bring Chicken Broth to a boil in large saucepan.
Add butter and cumin, and stir until butter is melted.
Add rice and reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender.
Stir in picante sauce and heat through.
Stir in avocado and onions just before serving.

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Per Serving
Calories: 191.4; Total Fat: 7.2 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 5.2 mg; Sodium: 270.1 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 29 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 0.9 g; Protein: 3.4 g

Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs With Farro Salad

So the chicken in this recipe needs some (a lot) of tweaking.  It was pretty much just chicken cooked in the oven.  As in, at one point, I thought about getting barbecue sauce to give it some flavor, but I didn't want to offend D.  And then he said he thought the chicken was boring.  So there's that.

The Salad on the other hand was really good. Of course, we didn't use farro, because I didn't want to spend time in the grocery store looking for farro.  So we used couscous.  I think if I were to have this again, I would use boneless chicken thighs so I could cut them up and put them in the salad.

That seems the way to go with this, because I want the salad again.

Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs With Farro Salad

Hands-On Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves 4

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 cup whole-grain farro (used 3/4 C of couscous because that's what we had)
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 radishes, cut into wedges
3 ounces Feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup torn mint leaves (used basil)

Directions
Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the farro in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the lemon zest and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in batches, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; reserve the skillet. Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 165° F, 18 to 22 minutes.

Add the asparagus to the drippings in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to the bowl with the farro, along with the radishes, Feta, lemon juice, mint leaves, the remaining tablespoon of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve the chicken with the farro salad.

Nutritional Information (using original recipe)
Calories: 659; Fat: 36 g; Sat Fat: 11 g; Cholesterol: 159 mg; Sodium: 968 mg; Protein: 48 g; Carbohydrate: 37 g; Sugar: 4 g; Fiber: 6 g; Iron: 5 mg; Calcium: 146 mg

Real Simple, May 2013

Baked Fries with Garlic Cheese Sauce

Garlic and Cheese...they were good.  D made them. I wish there had been more cheese sauce, but when don't I lament that.  The calories were higher than what Laaloosh reported, but such is life.

We would have again.  We had with Reubens.

Baked Fries with Garlic Cheese Sauce

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)
4 servings
Serving size is about 1 ½ cup fries, and 3 tbsp cheese sauce

Photo by ALB

From Laaloosh

Ingredients
5 medium sized gold potatoes, washed and dried
2 egg whites
1/4 cup reduced fat milk
3 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup Mexican style cheese, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice potatoes into french fry-shape strips. Place in a bowl and toss with the egg whites.

Season with salt.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with nonfat cooking spray.

Remove fries from bowl, gently shaking off any excess dripping egg white, and place onto prepared baking sheet.

Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and carefully remove the parchment paper, sliding the fries directly onto the baking sheet.

Place back into the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the fries are golden brown and crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. Make sure to toss the fries around about every 8 minutes to ensure even crisping.

To make cheese sauce, place milk, cream cheese, garlic and shredded cheese into a small sauce pan and set over medium heat. Stir constantly until all cheese is melted and combined. If sauce is too thick, you can thin in out using some additional milk, adding tablespoon by tablespoon as necessary to achieve desired consistency.

Serve fries with cheese sauce drizzled over them or on the side for dipping.

Nutritional Information (from MyFitnessPal)
Calories: 223; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat 4 g ; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 18 mg; Sodium: 217 mg; Potassium: 831 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 35 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 4 g; Protein: 8 g