Penne with Zucchini and Mint

This pasta is perfect for a weeknight.  We had some special impromptu dinner guests tonight, and it was easy to quickly pull this together while visiting at the same time.  Pasta with vegetables are a no-brainer, but pasta with zucchini and mint is a particularly special combination.  This duo is not only healthy, but it is refreshing and unusual enough to make even simple pasta with garlic and olive oil interesting.  The citrus works wonders, too.

Great zucchini is popping up at the farmers markets now, so make this now!  It's easy, delicious, and healthy.  The norm in my kitchen, or so I like to think.

Penne with Zucchini and Mint

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz. whole wheat penne pasta

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch half-moons

juice and zest of one medium-sized lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook penne according until al dente.  Drain.

2.  While the pasta water is coming to a boil, put the olive oil and sliced garlic into a deep skillet over medium-low heat.  Stir frequently, and cook until garlic is lightly golden, about 6-8 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.  Add zucchini, stir, and then put a tight lid on the skillet.  Let cook for 6-8 minutes, or until zucchini is just tender.

3.  Add lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to the zucchini.  Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir everything to combine.  Stir in parmesan and mint leaves just before serving.

Enjoy!

Mocha Cake with Mocha Nutella Frosting

For mother's day, I wanted to make a dessert that felt mother-ish.  Particularly, one that my mother would like.  We also were going to have a group of 18 people, so it had to be something that could stretch for a large group.  First, I thought to do a sheet cake.  Second, I thought chocolate.  Third, coffee.  Voila - Ellie Krieger's mocha cake!

I changed the frosting to a different one I found on Tasty Kitchen because the original recipe called for a cream cheese frosting, and my mother is not a fan.  Instead, I made a Mocha Nutella frosting that was out of this world.  The combination of the moist mocha cake and the sweet nutty frosting was absolutely fantastic.

This one is a crowd pleaser, for sure.  It's tasty, it's pretty, and it's different than your typical chocolate cake.  Make it for your next family gathering!

Mocha Cake with Mocha Nutella Frosting

adapted from The Food You Crave and Tasty Kitchen

makes one 9 x 13 cake

INGREDIENTS:

for the cake:

Cooking spray

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups plain lowfat yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

2 ounces good quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa)

for the frosting:

1 tablespoon nonfat milk, plus more for texture

1 teaspoon instant coffee

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Whisk together melted butter, canola oil, eggs, and egg whites until well combined.  Fold in the yogurt, vanilla, granulataed sugar, and dissolved instant coffee.  Mel the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microve for 90 seconds on high (careful not to burn it!)  and stir it into the batter.

4.  Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until just incorporated - do not overbeat.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.  Let cool completely on a rack.

5.  Make the frosting:  dissolve the instant coffee in a tablespoon of milk and set aside.  Beat the butter, Nutella, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer on high.  Add the dissolved coffee and milk and beat well.  Add additional milk as needed to achieve a smooth frosting consistency.  Frost the cake when it has cooled completely.

6.  As a nice added touch, grate a little chocolate on the top for decoration.  Cut into squares and serve.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

This recipe marks my 300th post!  Who knew?  Anyone who wondered if I'd keep it up this long, well, there's your answer.  And what better way to celebrate than with a plate filled with comfort food?

We're not looking at any ordinary spaghetti and meatballs here, folks.  These are moist, flavorful turkey meatballs doused with super spicy, rich tomato sauce.  And better yet, they're healthy, too!  We were all out of spaghetti in our house, so I used whole wheat elbows instead.  Feel free to use whatever whole wheat pasta you like.

Also, the sauce is spicy, folks.  I boldly assumed that Ellie's recipe wasn't going to be spicy enough for me, so I amped up the spice.  This led to a dish that had me reaching for my water glass after every other bite.  Don't get me wrong, it was fabulous, but it was a bit hotter than intended.  So take my word for it, don't increase the chipotle pepper quantity unless you want to be sweating while you eat your pasta. 

The meatballs are definitely the best turkey meatballs I've ever made.  The carrot and onion provide a sweetness and texture that is really tasty.  I highly recommend them! 

This recipe makes a lot, so you will have leftovers for days.  If you're prefer not to have meatballs for days, then cut the recipe in half.  Also, I know it's a longer recipe ingredient-wise than I normally make, but just read it through and you'll see it's pretty easy.

Pasta with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

for the sauce:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce (or more to taste)

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or a sprig of fresh)

salt to taste

for the meatballs:

cooking spray

1 pound lean ground turkey meat

1 slice whole wheat bread, pulsed into crumbs in a food processor

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/2 cup finely grated carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (about 1/2 small onion)

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 large egg

pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

for the pasta:

one 14.5 ounce box whole wheat pasta of your choice

parmesan and parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chipotle, oregano, and rosemary, and stir everything together.  Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, make the meatballs.  Preheat the broiler.  Spray the broiler pan or other baking pan with cooking spray.  Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well (preferably with your hands).  Form approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls and place them on the broiler pan.  You will have somewhere between 12 and 20 meatballs, depending on the size.  Put in the broiler for about 10 minutes, until browned and mostly cooked.

3.  While the meatballs are under the broiler, start a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

4.  Put the meatballs in the pot of sauce and cover to let them finish cooking and the sauce thicken a bit, about 10 minutes.  Cook the pasta while this is happening.  Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce and meatballs.  

5.  Serve the pasta and meatballs garnished with a little parmesan and parsley.

Enjoy!

White Turkey Chili

I've raved about the glories of chili before, both white and red.  It's easy to make, it's delicious, and it has endless possibilities.  Here is a particularly healthy version that is packed with creamy cannellini beans and chewy hominy, as well as a nice kick of spice. 

This version of chili is a little bit different and fun, featuring new flavors that I haven't worked with before.  It's great for a cool evening, and you can round it out with some warm corn tortillas for dunking. 

I garnished mine with avocado because I just can't resist any excuse to use avocado.  Use whatever garnishes you like.

White Turkey Chili

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 pasilla pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound ground white-meat turkey

2 15.5-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed

3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 15.5-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

cilantro and lime juice for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, and pasilla pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute.

2.  Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.  Add white beans, broth, and oregano.  Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

3.  Add hominy and salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, uncovered, for about 8-10 more minutes.  Ladle into individual bowls and top with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice, plus any other garnishes you like!

Enjoy!

Marinated Chicken and Grape Skewers (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe comes from her newer cookbook, So Easy.   It's a very original grilled dish, combining sweet-tart green grapes with a beautifully marinated chicken.  I can't say this is something I would have thought to try on my own, but I'm glad someone did.

The chicken is marinated in a combination of citrus, garlic, and far eastern spices, giving it an exotic flavor that pairs nicely with the surprising tang of the green grapes.   The book recommends serving it with a simple warm lentil and spinach salad, made up of sauteed onions and spinach with cooked lentils, parsley, mint, basil, and lemon juice.   The salad complements the skewers  nicely, but of course I think most side dishes would.

I found that making both the lentil dish and the chicken skewers was a bit of work for a weekday, but it didn't take that long.  And it was definitely worth the trouble.  The skewers alone were quite easy to do, so if you want to pick a simpler side dish to make your life a bit easier, that might be a good idea.

Food on skewers is inherently fun to eat, so you could probably convince children and adults alike to give this a try.  It's different, delicious, and healthy. 

Marinated Chicken and Grape Skewers
adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy
serves 2


INGREDIENTS:


1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch of salt
1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 10-inch skewers
12 or so seedless green grapes
cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves


DIRECTIONS:


1.  Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt in a bowl.  Toss the chicken pieces in the marinade and let marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.    If using wooden skewers, soak them in water during this time.


2.  Preheat a grill pan over medium-high.  Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, alternating with grapes.  Spray the grill pan with cooking spray, then lay the skewers onto the grill pan.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.


3.  Serve the skewers topped with the scattered mint leaves, two skewers per person.

Enjoy!

Avgolemono Soup (CEIMB)

When I was in law school, we often went to a Greek restaurant called Taverna Tony for lunch.  It was right down the street, and it had (free!) excellent bread and taramasalata dip. There was one menu item that we always had to get.  It was the lemony, creamy soup known as avgolemono - or chicken lemon soup.  It was my favorite soup of all time, and I still get the hankering now and again to drive up the coast to Malibu for a bowl.  No other Greek restaurant makes it quite as well as Taverna Tony, and believe me, I've looked.

It just so happens that this week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe is for avgolemono soup (or "Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo," as Ellie calls it).   I was so excited that this was the pick of the week!  I have to say that it is remarkably like the version I grew to know and love in law school, only with thyme instead of parsley.  I think next time I make this recipe (and there *will* be a next time), I will use parsley and see just how close to Tony's recipe this one is. 

This is a magical, lemony soup that tastes creamy and decadent, but the source of its creaminess is tempered eggs, rather than cream, flour, or any other typical soup ingredient.  It's a rather unassuming variation on chicken noodle soup, but it is so incredibly good, you can't even believe it until you try it yourself.

Avgolemono Soup

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into small chunks

pinch of salt, plus more to taste

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup orzo

1 large egg

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with the salt, add to the pot, and cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

2.  Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pot.  Add onion, celery, carrot and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add 2 1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.  Add orzo and let simmer until tender, about 6 minutes.  Turn heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

3.  Warm the remaining 1/2 cup broth in a small saucepan until hot, but not boiling.  In a medium bowl, beat the egg.  Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the egg.  Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while.  (You are tempering the egg, as opposed to cooking it).

4.  Add the egg-broth mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened.  Do not let the soup come to a boil.  If any bits of scrambled egg form, fish them out, but this shouldn't happen if you have the heat all the way down.  Add cooked chicken to the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Enjoy!

Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce (CEIMB)

Tonight was the first time I ever made pork tenderloin.  I'm not sure what took me so long.  It's a lean, tender (obviously) cut of pork that is a great way to escape the blahs of repeated exposure to chicken breast.   It is packed with flavor of its own, but the recipe for this week's Craving Ellie in my Belly lends extra flavor from dijon mustard, pepper, and wine.  Absolutely delicious and elegant.

In Ellie's original recipe, you take a pork tenderloin and split it down the middle, not cutting all the way through, to make a wider, flatter piece of pork.  Since the tenderloin I bought was fairly small, I decided to cook it whole and cut it into slices after cooking and resting.  This means, of course, that it takes a bit longer to cook.  Below is my version, but if you want the quicker cooking version, check out the link above.

I also reduced the pepper a little bit, since we're not huge black pepper people.  Feel free to increase it if you're a fan of cracked black pepper.

We had ours with parsley potatoes.  It was a simple, yet far from ordinary meal.  I will definitely be making this one again!

Peppercorn Pork with Wine Sauce (CEIMB)

adapted from The Food You Crave

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat and silver skin

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Rub the pork loin with the mustard on both sides.  Sprinkle with pepper and a pinch of salt, and gently press in the spices so they adhere to the pork.  

2.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.  When it's hot, add the pork tenderloin.  Cook for about 5 minutes on each side (all four of them) to brown, then loosely cover the skillet with foil to trap in the steam.  Cook for another 5 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the meat reads 155.  Remove from pan and tent the meat with the foil.

3.  Add broth and wine to the pan and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.  Cook until reduced by about half, 8-10 minutes.

4.  Slice the pork after it has rested (the time it takes to cook the sauce should be enough) into 1/4 inch slices.  Serve drizzled with the sauce.

Enjoy!

Note:  Be careful not to overcook the pork - it should still have a slight pink blush when you cut into it.

Open Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

I try not to post too many recipes of the semi-homemade variety, but this one is just too good to keep to myself.  It's so ridiculously easy, half the work is already done before you even start.  Just buy yourself some good quality items so it doesn't taste like you didn't make it. 

Chicken parmesan is a delicious yet decadent proposition, so I had to try Ellie's healthy version and see what it was like.  To be honest, I don't know that the die-hard chicken parm fans (like my husband) will be fooled, but it covers the biggest criteria in my opinion - the cheese and the marinara sauce.  The spinach is a nice touch to round out the meal.  Bottom line is, it will work in a pinch, and it's tasty.

Open Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 whole grain Italian loaf or baguette

1 cup jarred marinara sauce

2 cooked chicken cutlets (I poached mine - grilled would be great)

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat broiler and place foil on the broiler tray.

2.  Slice the bread in half lengthwise to make two pieces.  Scoop out the bread to remove the soft inner portion and save for another use (like breadcrumbs).  Place the bread scooped side up on the broiler tray.

3.  Spoon 1/4 cup of sauce into each piece of bread.  Lay a piece of chicken on top and cover with 1 cup of spinach leaves.  Pour another 1/4 cup of sauce over the spinach, then sprinkle each sandwich with 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon parmesan.

4.  Broil until spinach is wilted and cheese is bubbly and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Mousse (CEiMB)

This week was an extra special Craving Ellie in My Belly week for me, since it was my turn to pick the recipe!  What an honor.  Since we started the week with Valentine's Day, it seemed fitting to choose something chocolate.  (Oh who am I kidding, I would probably have chosen something chocolate anyway).

This is Ellie's take on chocolate mousse.  It's a very smooth, almost pudding-ish mousse.  But it is completely delicious.  I know many are skeptical of desserts containing tofu, but have no fear, if you use good quality chocolate and you top it with a little home-made whipped cream, you seriously cannot taste the tofu in this dessert.

I tend to tweak the recipes a bit, but this week I stayed true to the recipe, since I felt it was my duty as the hostess.  The only change I made was to use whiskey instead of brandy, since it was what I had on hand.  Some ideas I saw online were to use orange liqueur or mint extract, which I think would be delicious too, but would make this mousse taste less purely chocolatey.

Chocolate mousse is pretty much a crowd-pleaser, and this version is no exception.  Whether you make it for your special someone or for a group of guests, you will not be disappointed.

Thanks, CEiMBers, for cooking along with me this week!

Dark Chocolate Mousse

from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

1 (12.3 ounce) package silken tofu, drained

3 ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon brandy (or whiskey)

1/2 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

chocolate shavings for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Puree the silken tofu in a food processor until completely smooth.

2.  In a heat-proof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (or in a double-boiler),  combine the bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, water, and brandy.  Stir frequently until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar, a little at a time, until smooth.

3.  Add the chocolate mixture to the tofu in the food processor and puree until well-combined and smooth.  You may have to stop it a few times to scrape down the sides.

4.  Pour the mousse into individual serving dishes, cover tightly, and refrigerator for at least one hour, up to three days, to set properly.  

5.  When you're going to serve,  beat the 1/4 cup heavy cream with an electric mixer until just starting to form soft peaks.  Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar, continue to beat until it is the texture of whipped cream.  Top the servings of mousse with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler on your chocolate bar to create shavings).  Serve.

Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate lovers, look no further for your fix.

It's chilly today, and I wanted to bake something delicious yet not overly gluttonous.  I turned to the queen of delicious-yet-not-overly-gluttonous, Ellie Krieger, and found her recipe for triple chocolate cookies.  The search was abruptly over.

Ellie's recipe calls for cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate, but I upped the ante even further and subbed in semi-sweet chocolate for the milk chocolate.  These are some damn chocolatey cookies, just screaming out for a glass of cold milk.  I am a happy bunny.

There is not a lot of butter or sugar in this recipe - it's all about the chocolate.  And when you bake the way I do, with all whole wheat flour, you can actually feel pretty good about eating these.  Just make them small, or else you  might overwhelm anyone else that eats them with the intense chocolatey goodness.

Triple Chocolate Cookies

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

makes 24-32, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), coarsely chopped

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  In the bowl of a standing mixer (or in a large bowl with an electric beater), beat the butter and sugar together until well combined.  Add oil and egg and beat until creamy.  Mix in the vanilla.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt.  Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix well.  Stir in both chocolates and mix well.  Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop batter onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Ellie says you'll get 24 cookies, but I got 32.

4.  Bake until cookies are just set, 10-12 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.  

Enjoy!

Curried Chicken Salad (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly pick was this fantastic chicken salad.  I like chicken salad sandwiches on occasion, but I really am not a mayo fan.  So when I saw that this version had barely any mayo, I decided to cut it out altogether and see how it came out.  And it was delicious!  To top it off, there's a gorgeous hint of curry spice, fresh juicy grapes, and crunchy toasted almonds to provide a wealth of flavor.

The salad is meant to be served over lettuce with pita chips, but I opted to serve it with fresh whole wheat pitas and make little sandwiches out of it.  I can't even express how delicious it was.  Yum. 

So here it is, the seemingly mythical healthy, mayo-free, curried chicken salad.  It's the figure friendly counterpart to that menu item that seems to be popping up in restaurants everywhere.  What a great pick!

A note: I left out the cilantro merely because I didn't have it, but I think it would be an excellent addition, so I've included it below.

Curried Chicken Salad (CEIMB)

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1/4 cup lowfat plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/4 cups cubed cooked (and cooled) chicken breast

1/2 cup halved grapes (I used green, Ellie uses red)

handful finely chopped cilantro

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 cups lightly packed mixed salad greens

2 whole wheat pitas, warmed and cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.  In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and curry powder.  Fold in the chicken, grapes, almonds, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.  This salad will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

3.  Serve over a bed of lettuce along with pita bread; or pack the pita halves with lettuce and chicken salad.

Enjoy!

Spinach, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza (CEIMB)

Today's pick for Craving Ellie in my Belly is this delicious and easy tortilla-based pizza.  The original recipe called for arugula, but I chose to use spinach, though either would be fantastic.  These are flavors that just naturally go together well, so it's pretty hard to go wrong.

This is like a more gourmet version of the kind of things I used to make when I was single and in law school, and often had to just grab whatever ingredients I had and throw together something a bit odd.  Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.  This recipe most definitely works.  The perfect combination of creamy and crunchy, sweet and salty, angelic and naughty - once again, Ellie has it in the bag.

Tomorrow I promise to make something that is not an Ellie Krieger recipe....truly.

Spinach, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

3 cups baby spinach, caorsely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

two 6-inch diameter whole-wheat tortillas

1 ounce fresh goat cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.

2.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden-brown and softened, about 10 minutes.  Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 more minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3.  Lay the tortillas on a baking sheet and spread the spinach mixture over them.  Crumble goat cheese over the top.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until tortillas are crispy and browned around the edges, and cheese is getting melty.  Cool a few minutes before cutting into wedges.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Paillard with Watercress & Tomato Salad

This meal is extra special, not just because it is delicious and incredibly easy.  It's extra special because it was made by the lady herself, my culinary heroine, my favorite celebrity chef, the woman I admire and aspire to eat like and cook like - the one and only Ellie Krieger.

For my birthday, my sister got us tickets to go see Ellie Krieger do a culinary demonstration and book signing at a local cooking school in the LA area.  Right before our eyes, Ellie made breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.  And we got to sample all of it.  She was so utterly charming and likeable, funny and charismatic - the superlatives know no bounds, folks.  It's so nice to admire someone on television and in books, and then to meet her in person and realize she's just as awesome as you imagined she would be.

And her food was delicious too.  Here I am featuring the lunch recipe she made, though of course it would do just fine for dinner.  It's fresh and tasty, and remarkably easy to pull together.  It also looks elegant and beautiful, much like Ms. Krieger herself.

So here is the recipe for you to make yourself.  Now I will go bask in the afterglow of having met one of my favorite people.

Chicken Paillard with Watercress & Tomato Salad

from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4

That's Ellie making me lunch.  Okay, so it wasn't just me.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds thin cut skinless boneless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 large bunch watercress, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

8 slices whole-grain baguette

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine chicken, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.  Preheat a grill or nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.  Grill chicken until grill marks form and meat is just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Remove and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

2.  In a large bowl, toss watercress and tomatoes, with their seeds, with remaining olive oil and lemon juice, and remaining salt and pepper.  Distribute chicken among 4 serving plates and top each with 1 1/2 cups of salad and 1 to 2 tablespoons of accumulated liquid from the salad.  Serve with baguette slices.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup (CEIMB)

This week's pick on Craving Ellie in My Belly is a very different sort of soup.  Ellie's name for it suggests it is primarily peanut flavored, but the main element is really sweet potato if you ask me.  This is a nice medley of rich and delicious flavors, featuring an unexpected peanutty creaminess. 

I made a change to the recipe and added some wine, but I actually wouldn't recommend it.  I felt like the wine distracted from the other flavors and didn't quite fit in.  Also, mine turned out quite thick because I used a large sweet potato (even though I cut Ellie's recipe in half), so pick the size of the sweet potato knowing it will directly influence the thickness of the soup. 

I wouldn't say this is one I'll make again and again, but it's different, interesting, and rather tasty.  If you're looking for a sweet potato soup to write home about, I'd suggest trying this one as well.

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup (CEIMB)

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes, with juices

1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon honey

salt to taste

peanuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook, stirring, until veggies soften, about 5 minutes.  Stir in cayenne, black pepper, garlic, and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.

2.  Stir in sweet potato, broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes.

3.  Turn off the heat.  Puree soup using an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender, then return to pot).  Stir in peanut butter and honey over low heat until the peanut butter melts.  Season to taste with salt.  Serve garnished with peanuts.

Enjoy!

Honey Harvest Quinoa

I think everyone knows, whether they like to admit it or not, that breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day.  I am not a licensed nutritionist, but believe me, I've read enough about food and health for all of us.  Save yourself the trouble and take my word for it - if you're trying to eat better, to lose weight, to prolong your life, to boost your immunity, any and all of the above - eat a nutritious breakfast.

Here is a great recipe for you to try this out.  It's different from the same-old cereal or oatmeal (not that there's anything wrong with cereal or oatmeal).  It takes a lovely little under-appreciated seed called quinoa and turns it into a slightly sweet, protein-packed hot cereal.  Yum!

You can play with this as much as you like - maple syrup instead of honey would be great.  Pecans or walnuts or any other nuts instead of the almonds would be great.  The original recipe used dried cranberries, but I had some gorgeous raisins on hand so I used those instead.  The quinoa is your oyster.  Or something like that.  As it is, though, the recipe is nutty and just sweet enough to be a very enjoyable breakfast indeed.

Honey Harvest Quinoa

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cups quinoa, rinsed in a fine mesh strainer

1 1/4 cups water

1 small Gala apple, cored and cut into small chunks

1/4 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons unsalted butter (optional)

2 tablespoons raisins

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Put the quinoa and water in a small pot over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and cover.  Cook for 5 minutes.

2.  Add apple chunks and continue to cook, covered over low heat, until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes more.

3.  When the quinoa is cooked, stir in the milk, honey and cinnamon, and cook until milk is heated through, about 1 more minute.  Spoon into serving bowls and top with a bit of butter if using, along with the raisins and nuts.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Sirloin with Grainy Mustard Sauce and Steak Fries

This is a hearty, rib-sticking meal.  And yet you don't feel like you need to be rolled home afterward.  It's that typical Ellie Krieger magic.  She takes what should be heavy and heartburn-inducing and somehow makes it refreshing.  Who knew such a thing was possible?

All you need to know is that this is a delicious meal.  Beautiful sirloin steak topped with a spicy, tangy sauce, and accompanied by crisp-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside fries.  I don't think I need to say any more.

Sirloin with Grainy Mustard Sauce and Steak Fries

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

The Fries

Cooking spray

1 russet potato, scrubbed

1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

salt

The Steak

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup low-sodium veggie or chicken broth

1 boneless sirloin steak, about 3/4 pound

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Start the fries first.  Preheat toaster oven to 450.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Cut the potato into wedges and toss with oil.  Lay out on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and crispy on the outside.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.

2.  In a small saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.  Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in broth, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, cook the steak.  Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper.  Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the steak and cook, turning only once, about 5 minutes per side or to desired doneness.  Set aside to rest and tent with foil.

4.  Add the shallot sauce to the skillet where you cooked the steak, and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Stir and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.  Stir in mustard, and season to taste with salt.

5.  Thinly slice the steak and serve topped with the sauce, alongside the fries.

Enjoy!

Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins (CEIMB)

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to order in restaurants were potato skins.  Of course I'm sure I had no idea just how decadent and evil they were - the skins were probably fried, and I can't even imagine what was piled on top of them.  This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly pick is a fantastic healthy variation on my childhood favorite.

I decided to upgrade this to a full-sized Russett potato rather than small Idaho potatoes, to make this a meal-sized dish rather than a more appetizer-sized one.  Or maybe it was just my excuse to eat more.

These came out so well.  They taste incredible, with the salty crispy skin and the zesty creamy avocado topping.  Make mini ones for your upcoming holiday guests, or just horde them for yourself like I did.  These are way too good.

Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

adapted from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 large Russett potatoes, scrubbed and dried

cooking spray

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 head of broccoli, coarsely chopped (about 2-3 cups)

2 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced

1/2 cup grated extra sharp cheddar

1 small avocado

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1 small clove garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Pierce potatoes several times with a fork, wrap in paper towels, and microwave on high for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.

2.  Preheat toaster oven (or full-sized oven, if you must) to 450.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out all but 1/8 inch of the inside flesh, leaving skin intact.  Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use (see me attempt knishes later this week, unless they are disastrous and I decide not to post them).

3.  Spray inside and outside of potatoes lightly with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt.  Place on the baking sheet, skin-side down, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until skins are crisp and edges are browned.

4.  In the meantime, prepare filling.  Steam broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high.  Add Canadian bacon and cook until crisp, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Reserve.

5.  To make avocado cream, combine avocado, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.

6.  Fill potato skins with broccoli and cheese.  Reduce oven temperature to 400 and return the skins to the oven, cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  Serve topped with avocado cream and bacon bits.

Enjoy!

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is a generic sort of term for pasta with fresh vegetables.  This variation fits that definition, but is anything but generic.  It's a light and yet hearty meal full of vibrant colors and flavors, with a delicate sauce and a ton of nutrients.  In short, it's a great recovering-from-Thanksgiving meal.

The original recipe called for button mushrooms to be added to the mix, and if you like mushrooms, I'd recommend including them.  We are a mushroom-free household due to my husband's preference, so I left them out.  Either way, this is anything but your standard old pasta and veggies.

So get out your good knife and before you know it, dinner will be on the table.

Pasta Primavera

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti or linguine

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon white whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

1/2 cup low sodium chicken (or veggie) broth

1/4 cup nonfat milk

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 small carrot, sliced into thin strips with a peeler

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup chopped chives

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Cook pasta until just al dente, according to package directions.  Drain.

2.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute.  Add bell peppers and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.  Add asparagus and tomatoes, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.

3.  Stir flour into the veggies and cook for one minute.  Add broth, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid has thickened slightly (it won't get super thick), about 5 minutes.  Stir in the carrots.

4.  Add cooked pasta to the veggies and toss everything together.  Serve garnished with parmesan and chives.

Enjoy!

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives (CEIMB)

 

This week for Craving Ellie in my Belly, we each were to make an Ellie dish for our Thanksgiving spread.  I chose something simple - I had offered to be in charge of potatoes, and no Thanksgiving is complete without some kind of mash.  If you like your mashed potatoes smooth and creamy, you might prefer something like this.  These, however, are a lovely rustic smash with the peels still on, the occasional chunk, and yet they still have a lovely smoothness to them.

I think we all know that the traditional topping for a baked potato is sour cream and chives.  I have never been a huge sour cream fan, but somehow when you mix it all together with the fluffy potato innards instead of letting it rest on top, I like it.  And that's exactly what this mashed potato recipe is.  You'd never even guess that there isn't a drop of butter in the recipe.   Also, it's one of the easiest side dishes ever, apart from the exercise of mashing the potatoes, but that's a great way to let out aggression!

I doubled the recipe for our group of eleven, and there was still way more than enough.  If this is your only side dish at a non-thanksgiving meal (such as bangers and mash, perhaps?) then believe the serving count as it is.

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes, large ones halved

salt

1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth, warmed

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (NOT nonfat)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water to about 1 inch above the tops of the potatoes.  Salt it, cover it, and bring to a boil over high heat.  When the water comes to a boil, uncover and reduce heat slightly to medium-high.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are knife tender.  Drain.

2.  Return potatoes to the pot and add the warm broth.  Mash with a potato masher to the desired consistency - I'd recommend getting rid of any serious chunks of potato, but leaving a somewhat rustic texture.

3.  Stir in sour cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Brownies

There are brownies, and then there are brownies.   I can't even count the number of brownie recipes I have tried in my lifetime, one of which I posted on this blog before.  But sometimes a brownie recipe comes along that makes you want to share with all your friends.  For brownie purposes, it is The One.

And best of all, it's fairly low fat.  It comes from Ellie Krieger, after all (with my tweaks).  It was published in the Food Network magazine a few months ago and I finally got around to trying it today.  It is cakey and fudgy at the same time - super chocolatey and rich without giving you the sensation of instant artery clogging.  Definitely one to add to the holiday repertoire!

Double Chocolate Brownies

adapted from Food Network magazine

makes 24 small brownies

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray

6 ounces dark chocolate (60% to 70% preferred), coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup white whole wheat four

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350, and coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler (or a makeshift double boiler - heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water).  Stir occasionally until melted.  Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar until smooth, then add yogurt, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.  Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until blended.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

4.  Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool in the pan before slicing.

Enjoy!