Flavorful Springtime Soup

Good evening everyone!  Spring has (finally) arrived in the Des Moines metro and I think all residents can breath a sigh of relief.  Although the trees haven't budded and the grass hasn't turned green, warmer temperatures and stable weather has brought a calm to an usually rough winter.  With spring making a triumphant entrance, the return of spring ingredients has also arrived.  Tonight, I'm making the perfect springtime soup, filled with fresh flavors that are light to the pallet and the stomach too.

The Recipe:  Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup
Original Recipe Found In: Bon Appetite Magazine, April 2013

What You'll Need:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 medium Leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 Celery stalk, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
12 Ounces boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
6 Cups low-sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Orzo
1/4 Cup chopped fresh Dill
Lemon halves (for serving)

To start, heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.  Add the leak and celery and cook until softened and stirring often, about five to eight minutes.  Add the chicken and the broth to the pot, season with salt and pepper.  Bring the contents of the pot to a boil.  Once at a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover with a lid.  Simmer until the chicken is cooked completely through, about 15 to 20 minutes or, with a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.  Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.  Let the chicken cool and shred into bite size pieces.

Meanwhile, return the broth in the pot to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook according to package directions or until al dente, about eight to ten minutes.  Once the orzo is done cooking, immediately remove the pot from the heat.  Stir the chicken back in and add the dill.  If you are using dried dill (in which you'll need a tablespoon of dried spice,) you may find you'll only need half of a tablespoon.  Of course, you can add more, if you want more dill flavor to your soup.  Serve, with the lemon halves to squeeze over the soup, and enjoy!

The End Result:

This might be the best and quintessential spring inspired soup.  All the ingredients are incredibly light, but they all work together harmoniously to give the soup a well rounded flavor.  The leeks and celery cook down, so as to not overpower with a vegetable flavor.  The chicken, infused with the broth, doesn't have a strong poultry flavor.  Also, the dill, surprisingly, won't hit your tastebuds with an herby punch.  The lemon might be the only ingredient that shines on its own in the soup.  While I preferred a hint of lemon in my soup, Tyler was squeezing the lemon dry and he loved it in his dish.  I would definitely recommend using the lemon at your discretion:  try the soup, if you want more flavor, add the lemon; if you enjoy that lemon flavor, add more until your hearts content.  Overall, a great soup that is perfect for any springtime evening.

That's all we have for you tonight.  Join us Thursday as Tyler cooks up a family favorite dish, but this recipe will be immediately added to your recipe book.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Incredibly Tasty Turkey Meatballs

Good evening everyone!  Although I am not officially part of the Live Healthy Iowa program, I've been following Tyler's lead and learning to live a healthier lifestyle.  I haven't lost 20 pounds like he has (but, needless to say, I am very, very proud that he has accomplished this goal,) I can say that I have lost some weight and toned up in some areas that I was unhappy with.  We are very happy with the results we've achieved and our bodies will thank us in years to come.  

Since we've started this program, it was always a goal to share great tasting recipes that won't be heavy on the calories.  With all these tasty low calorie recipes we've been creating, it's not tough to lose the weight with dishes this good.  Tonight is no exception:  turkey meatballs, served with a delicious tomato barbecue sauce, that will make you wanting more.

The Recipe:  Barbecue Turkey Meatballs
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light Magazine, April 2013

What You'll Need:
2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/8 Teaspoon ground Cloves
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced Tomatoes with mild Green Chiles
1 1/4 Pounds ground Turkey
3 Tablespoons Italian-Seasoned dried Breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

To start, place the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, paprika, ground cloves, and diced tomatoes with green chiles in a blender.  Blend all these ingredients until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.  In another bowl, combine the turkey, breadcrumbs, and chili powder until well mixed.  Rinsing your hands with cold water and keeping your hands wet, shape the mixture into 16-18 meatballs.  Place the meatballs on a clean plate.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat with cooking spray.  Once the pan is hot, add the meatballs.  Cook the meatballs for two minutes on each side, for a total of 10-12 minutes, until all sides turn brown.  Next, carefully add the tomato mixture to the skillet, not to splash any sauce on your hand.  Bring the heat to a simmer.  Cover the skillet and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the meatballs are done cooking, checking with a meat thermometer to see if they reach 165 degrees.  Serve with the tomato sauce and enjoy!

The End Result:

I can't quite put my finger on which style of barbecue this recipe derives from, but the sauce has an incredibly great smoky flavor.  It also has a nice kick of heat to it, thanks to the paprika and the green chiles in the tomato sauce.  Also, the chili powder in the meatballs gives it a nice boost of flavor that normally isn't in meatballs.  The turkey is a great substitute for beef and I wouldn't be afraid to use turkey in any meatball recipe.  Turkey has been a wonderful addition into our cooking and I'm sure this isn't the last you'll see turkey being used.  Overall, a very tasty meatball with a sauce that you can't help to lick up.

Thanks for joining us this week and sharing with us as we continue to explore the culinary world.  Until next time,

~Cheers!

Low Calorie Southwestern Pork

Good evening everyone! There's a program known as "Live Healthy America" that rolls out in the last week of January each year and runs to the first week in April. It's sponsored by a large collection of corporate sponsors, including Hy-Vee and other regional partners. The larger program is broken down into state specific groups (Live Healthy Iowa, Minnesota, Texas - etc.) and encourages local business to get their employees to form groups (teams) to get active and lose weight.

This year, my coworkers and I decided to join our employer's initiative and formed our own team. While Maggie and I have always championed eating healthy, I still found myself not quite where I wanted to be. Using the Live Healthy Iowa program and the My Fitness Pal app, I set out with a goal - to lose 20 pounds by the end of the program.

This morning, with 1 week to go in the program, I'm happy to report I've reached my goal. I'm 20 pounds lighter than I was 9 weeks ago, all done through eating healthy and making sure to stay active. (Our team combined has lost nearly 60 pounds in that time frame).

The nice part about this program is that it isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle change. You're not going to gain everything right back, because the program forces you to lose weight in small, reasonable steps. By changing your eating habits and activity, you lose weight in a natural, healthy way.

The long and short of it is this - if you have an opportunity to partake in this program next year, go for it. If you want to start losing weight now, find the My Fitness Pal app and stick too it. It's hard at first, but as you adjust and see results, you'll be delighted with your progress.

Tonight's recipe comes directly from the Live Healthy Iowa website. It blends southwestern flavors (one of our favorite mediums) with low calorie cooking. You can't go wrong with that combination!

The Recipe: Southwestern Pork
Original Recipe Found On: Livehealthyiowa.com

What You'll Need:
(Serves 8)

1.5 Pounds Pork Tenderloin (Trimmed of fat)
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Teaspoons Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cup Cornmeal
1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Frozen Corn
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Diced

In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal and cumin. Blot your pork dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then carefully roll each piece in the cornmeal mixture, making sure each piece is evenly covered. Repeat until all pieces are breaded.

Add the vegetable oil to a large (12 inch) non stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the breading takes on a nice golden brown color.

While your pork is cooking, mix the chicken broth, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add this mixture to the skillet with the browned pork, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Let the pork cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Next, add the corn and red pepper to the skillet, stirring to evenly incorporate everything amongst the skillet. Return the lid and allow the mixture to cook for an additional 10 minutes. Slice the tenderloin into pieces and serve surrounded by the sauce. Enjoy!

The Results:

This dish lives up to the southwest name. I added a little bit of chipotle sauce to the dish while it was cooking - about 1 tablespoon (to give it a little kick) and would recommend you do so as well. The extra little layer of heat really adds to the depth of the sauce, which beautifully compliments the crunchy yet tender pork.

At just over 150 calories per serving, this light and tasty pork treat will be sure to please the whole family while keeping your healthy eating habits.

That's all we have for you this evening. Maggie takes to the kitchen tomorrow night with a brand new dish of her own.

Also, be sure to keep your eye on our blog in the next coming weeks, we're finally able to have a full size grill with our new home - and we're going to be able to pick one up sometime soon. That means that years worth of grilling recipes filed away until we had a grill are about to come to the blog. It's going to be a grilling summer! (Assuming summer ever gets here...)

~Cheers

Not Your Average Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Good evening everyone!  After having such a delicious and filling meal last night, it's a nice switch of pace to have a sandwich that's considered a comfort food.  More often than not, comfort foods are high in calories and feature ingredients that are not that great for you.  But once in while, it's nice to find a comfort food that still tastes great, without feeling guilty after eating it.  Tonight, I tackle one of those classic dishes, tweak a few of the ingredients, and make it something you can create any night of the week.

The Recipe:  Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
An Adaptation from a Eat This, Not That No-Diet Diet recipe
(Serves Two)

What You'll Need:
2 Slices Rye Bread
2 Tablespoons spreadable Butter
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
4 Slices Bacon
1 Apple, cored and thinly sliced

To start, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Once the pan becomes hot, begin to cook the bacon, until each side is slightly crispy.  As with all things, everyone likes their bacon differently, so use discretion when cooking the bacon to your liking.  Once the bacon is cooked, transfer to a paper towel lined plate and let the bacon dry and cool.  

Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat.  On a plate, cut each slice of bread in half and begin to prepare the sandwich:  Spread the butter on the outside sides of the bread until completely coated.  Flip the buttered sides out and sprinkle an even layer of cheese on both slices.  Line one slice with a layer of apple.  Line the other layer with the bacon.  Carefully, flip one slice onto the other and smoosh the sandwich together.

By this time, the skillet will be hot enough to cook the sandwich.  Place both sandwiches in the skillet, place a sandwich press, or another heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches.  Cook on one side for five to six minutes.  Remove the sandwich press and carefully flip the sandwiches over.  Cook this side between three to four minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Transfer to a plate, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

This makes any other grilled cheese obsolete.  The cheddar cheese makes it creamy, melty, and serves as a nice base for the sandwich.  The bacon is the star of all these ingredients, adding a smokey flavor that can't be duplicated.  Using rye bread, instead of whole wheat or white bread, adds a new, delicious flavor and is very hearty.  The surprise of the sandwich is the apple.  It's not usual to have apple in a sandwich, let alone a grilled cheese sandwich, but it's sweet, crunchy texture is something that makes this sandwich a league of its own.

Thanks for joining us this week.  Tune in next week as we continue in our journey in the culinary world.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Feast, Without Having To Fast

Good evening everyone! One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to prepare the "grand meal" a roast with all the sides, french onion soup, slow roasted chicken - I love the dishes that take time and attention because they're the dishes that feel the most satisfying for me. It's been awhile since I've tackled a "grand meal" on the blog - for two main reasons. I switched work locations about two years ago, and that schedule greatly reduced the number of free days I had during the week to cook up an ambitious dish. The biggest reason, however, was that we really committed ourselves to healthy cooking. It's hard to eat healthy when you're making up roasts and side dishes to feed a crowd (and there's only two people to eat it all).

Tonight, I've got the best of both worlds. I have dinner guests who will help us eat and I have a grand meal that only totals to 410 calories. A feast that doesn't attack your waistline? Sounds great!

The Recipes:

Hamburger Steak With Onion Gravy
Original Recipe Found In: Cooking Light Magazine, April 2013 Issue

Smoky Haricots Verts and Mushrooms
Original Recipe Found In: Cooking Light Magazine, April 2013 Issue

Chive Mashed Potatoes
Recipe Inspired by, but heavily adapted from: Cooking Light Magazine, April 2013 Issue

What You'll Need
(Serves 4)

For The Hamburger Steak:

1 Pound Ground Sirloin (Or high quality ground beef)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper (Divided)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil (Divided)
1 1/2 Cups Yellow Onion (Sliced vertically, into long strands)
2 Teaspoons All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Unsalted Beef Stock


For The Haricots Verts:

1-2 Slices Applewood Smoked Bacon
12 Ounces Trimmed Haricots Verts (French green beans)
2 Teaspoons Canola Oil
4 Ounces White or Bella Mushrooms
2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
1 Garlic Clove (Minced)
Salt & Pepper

For The Chive Mashed Potatoes:

1.5 - 2 Pounds Russet Potatoes (Peeled & diced)
1 Tablespoon Butter
Low Fat Milk (Quantity will vary)
Non Fat Sour Cream (Quantity will vary)
Chives (Quantity will vary)


If you're looking to save time, you can prepare the mashed potatoes the night before and simply warm them in the oven 30 to 40 minutes prior to serving them. To prepare the potatoes, simply boil and mash the potatoes with a stand mixer until all the lumps have been worked out. Next, add in splashes of the low fat milk, the tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of the sour cream. Allow the mixer to blend everything and give the potatoes a taste. If they still taste a little dry and bland, add another splash of milk, and another tablespoon of sour cream. Repeat this process until the potatoes have a creamy taste and smooth texture. Finally, add the chives in small portions, tasting the result until you find the desired blend of flavor. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside until you're ready to serve.

To prepare the hamburger steak:

Divide your beef into four equal balls and then work them into patties, each about 1/2 inch thick. Season each side of the patties with a pinch of salt and pepper. Next, add 2 teaspoons of canola oil to a large, non stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the patties and cook until they've browned, about 3 minutes per side.

Remove the patties from the pan and add the remaining teaspoon of canola oil. Bring the oil to a shimmer once again and then add the onions. Allow the onions to cook until they become lightly golden brown and soft, this takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Once golden, add the flour, a pinch of salt and pepper and allow the mixture to simmer for about a minute. Next, add the beef broth and bring the mixture to a light boil.

Once boiling, return the beef patties to the skillet and cover, leaving the lid slightly askew. Allow the patties to cook in the sauce for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they're cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve the patties with the sauce drizzled on top.

To Prepare the haricots verts:

First and foremost, realize that haricots verts are simply a fancy way to say green beans. A good grocery store will have fresh haricots verts right next to their fresh green beans. If you cannot find haricots verts, substituting them for green beans is perfectly acceptable, just realize that the thicker bean will require a little longer cooking time.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating up, place a roasting pan in the oven.

While you're waiting for your oven to come to temperature  cook up your bacon slices in a small skillet. Reserve the bacon grease in a small dish. Crumble the cooked bacon and set aside.

Once the oven is up to temperature, remove the roasting pan and add the reserved bacon grease along with the canola oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms to the roasting pan, stirring to evenly distribute them in the pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven for 8 minutes to begin cooking the mushrooms. After 8 minutes, add the haricots verts to the pan, stirring to evenly incorporate them amongst the mushrooms. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 8 minutes, or until the beans are lightly browned and crisp. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and add the crumbled bacon pieces just before serving.

The Results:

The hamburger steak was rich and savory thanks to the simple yet delectable sauce. The quality of your beef is very important for this dish. With so little in the way of outside help, the beef has to stand on its own. Spring for the ground sirloin or the premium beef, look for anything with good marbling - the natural fat adds a great deal of flavor to the final dish.

The haricots verts were a delightful surprise. Roasting green beans is a great way to bring out their naturally sweet flavor, but roasting them in bacon grease and serving them with crumbled bacon bits takes that flavor to an entirely new planet. The mushrooms add a nice bit of texture and soak up quite a bit of bacon flavor as well, helping to create a fresh and flavorful side dish that might just be my new favorite way to eat green beans.

Finally, the chive mashed potatoes, as you might expect, tasted a lot like a baked potato (that's easy to accomplish with sour cream and chives as part of the ingredients). I prepared my potatoes the night before, which meant I had to pop them in the oven prior to serving. This created a 'twice baked' potato flavor that actually enhanced the overall quality of the dish. If you've got the extra time, I'd recommend preparing the potatoes the night before and then heating them in a 300 degree oven prior to serving. It really makes the flavor "pop".

Individually, all of these dishes were quite tasty - combined, they created a savory and delicious meal that reminds me why I love putting time and effort into cooking. The best part is, the cumulative calorie total for this feast is only 410. Light, healthy and full of flavor - my friends, it doesn't get any better than that!

That's all we have for you this evening, join us tomorrow night as Maggie takes a traditionally simple dish and flips it into something new and creative. Until then,

~Cheers

Guilt Free Chicken Parm

Good evening everyone! Italian cuisine might possibly be the most popular style of cuisine across the United States. Whether it’s authentic cuisine or the Americanized versions, the combination of pasta, sauce and a little meat and cheese seems to appease even the pickiest of palette. The obvious downside to Italian cuisine is that it is far from healthy. Pasta, cheese and tomato sauce do not exactly keep the calories low.

The challenge then rests on finding ways to cut down on the calories while still delivering the authentic flavor of Italian cuisine. Tonight’s recipe, a healthier version of chicken parmesan, manages to drop the calories by cutting out the breading, reducing the copious amounts of cheese and cooking up a lighter sauce that keeps all the flavors intact. Let’s get cooking!

The Recipe: Light Chicken Parmesan
Original Recipe Found In: Food Network Magazine, March 2013 Issue

What You’ll Need:
(Serves 4)

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (8 to 10 Ounces each)
1 Small (6-8 inch) Baguette (Day old is okay if you’re looking to save on cost)
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ Cup (Plus 2 Tablespoons) Fresh Chopped Basil
1 15 Ounce Can Tomato Puree
1 Small Garlic Clove (Grated)
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
½ Cup Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Begin by slicing you chicken breasts in half, horizontally, to create four cutlets. Place each cutlet between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer or heavy skillet to pound them to ¼ thickness. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper and set aside.

Using a serrated knife, slice your baguette into smaller cubes. Place these cubes in a small food processor and pulse them until they become coarse breadcrumbs. Be careful to avoid over processing the bread, too fine of a breadcrumb will simply be lost in the sauce and lose the ‘crunch’ that chicken parmesan is known for. Toss the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of fresh basil and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large (12 inch) non stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become golden brown and crispy. This takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Once golden, transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside.

Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken cutlets to the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through completely. The instructions say this takes 3 minutes, but, as recipes tend to do, they’re giving you the most optimistic time. I’d err on the cutlets taking 3 to 5 minutes per side, be sure to keep your instant read thermometer nearby so you can check the temperature (you’re looking for 165 degrees at the chicken’s thickest point) so you’ll know when the cutlets are done. Transfer the finished cutlets to a plate tented loosely with aluminum foil.

Preheat your broiler at this time, or set your oven temp to 400 degrees.

To prepare the sauce, add the tomato puree to the same skillet along with 1 cup of water, the garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese. Reduce the heat to medium low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Once thickened, stir in the remaining basil and season the sauce lightly with salt and pepper.

Next, return the cutlets to the skillet and turn them to coat in the sauce. Add in the remaining basil, parmesan and reserved breadcrumbs. Top the mixture with the mozzarella cheese and place the skillet under the broiler or into the oven for 1 to 2 minutes (broiler) or 5-7 minutes (oven) until the cheese melts and becomes lightly golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

The Results:

This dish manages to create all the flavors of classic chicken parmesan, a hearty tomato sauce, crunchy crust and cheesy finish, all without adding up the calories. By creating your own sauce from the healthier tomato puree and eliminating a large quantity of cheese, this tasty treat clocks in at about 320 calories per serving. (For reference, standard chicken parmesan weighs in at 830 calories per serving). Full flavored Italian cuisine without the impact of a large calorie count on diet? I’d call that a win-win situation.

That’s all we have for you this week. We’re back next week with two new healthy and tasty recipes. Until then,

~Cheers

Lovable Low-Cal Lasagna

Good evening everyone!  It has always been a goal of mine to cook some variant of a lasagna dish here on the blog.  The lasagna I grew up on has lots of marinara sauce and uses ground beef, and while I love that particular version, Tyler has diverted from lasagna because of that reason.  So, I've tried to find a recipe that doesn't include lots of tomato sauce and can still be qualified as lasagna.  Tonight, I'm proud to say that I have found that particular recipe, it's relatively easy to cook, it's healthy - I may have hit this classic dish's perfect trifecta!

The Recipe:  Turkey Sausage and Spinach Lasagna
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, March 2013

What You'll Need:
1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup 1% Low Fat Milk
1 Cup unsalted Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Water
1 (12 Ounce) package fresh Spinach
2 (4 Ounce) link hot Italian Turkey Sausage
1/2 Cup chopped Shallots
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
6 No-Boil Lasagna noodles
1 1/2 Cups part-skin Ricotta cheese
1 Ounce shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese
1 Ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

To start, preheat an oven to 375 degrees and also preheat a skillet to medium heat.  In a 1/4 cup measuring cup, lightly spoon the flour in and level with a knife.  Combine the flour, milk, chicken stock, canola oil, and bay leaf in the skillet and stir with a whisk.  Cook this mixture for eight minutes or until the combination is thick and bubbly, stirring frequently.  Once this is done cooking, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the salt and pepper.  Spray a 11x7 glass baking dish with cooking spray.  Measure one cup of the milk mixture and spread it along the bottom of the baking dish.  This will serve as the base of the lasagna.

Next, replace the milk mixture skillet with a clean skillet and heat again over medium heat.  If you don't have two skillets in your arsenal, pour the milk mixture in a bowl, cover to keep heated, and wipe out the original skillet.  Add two tablespoons of water and the spinach to the pan.  Cook for two minutes or until the spinach begins to wilt.  Drain the wilted spinach until the leaves are barely most.  If needed, you can press the spinach until liquid comes out.  Return the skillet to the stovetop and heat to medium-high heat.

Remove the casings from the sausage and add the sausage to the pan, cooking for four minutes or until browned.  The heat will naturally break up the sausage, so be sure they begin to crumble when they are fully cooked.  Remove the sausage from the pan and keep warm in a small bowl.  Add the shallots and garlic to the skillet and sauté for two minutes.  Stir in the remaining milk mixture, cooked spinach and sausage and remove the skillet from the heat.

Creamy lasagna filling

Returning to the glass baking dish, arrange two noodles over the milk mixture.  Top with 1/2 cup of ricotta and 1/3 spinach mixture.  Repeat the layers twice.  Sprinkle the layers with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Cover the baking dish with foil that's been coated in cooking spray.  Place the dish in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for forty minutes.

After the lasagna has been cooked, remove the foil.  Continue to bake for four minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.  Cut into six pieces, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

I'm used to lasagna with a hearty tomato sauce, with crumbles of meat sprinkled in, and cottage cheese intermittently throughout the whole dish.  This version of lasagna gives a completely different approach to the traditional lasagna I remember as a child.  The milk mixture, with the spinach and turkey sausage, is super creamy and replaces any kind of marinara sauce in a lasagna dish.  Using the spinach and the turkey sausage gives it a unique flavor, but definitely doesn't skimp out on taste.  The Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses give the top of the lasagna almost a melty crust and it is definitely worth not missing.  And since each serving is only 332 calories, it's a lasagna not to feel guilty about!

Thanks for joining us tonight.  Check back tomorrow as Tyler whips up a new recipe to try in your kitchen.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Very Veggie Risotto

Good evening everyone! Tonight, we’re returning to a favorite ingredient of the blog, risotto. This versatile little pasta has been the base in many dishes across our three years of cooking healthy and has shown great flexibility to fit into nearly any flavor combination we can throw at it.

The downside with risotto is that it is a bit of a kitchen diva. It needs attention while it cooks, as you balance out the right amount of liquid and allow it to simmer – but not rest – for 35 to 40 minutes. Too short and the result is a chewy, sticky mess, too long and you just created 40 minutes worth of mush.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not difficult to cook, it’s just time consuming. Most of the time, it’s worth it, however. A few months back, I stumbled across a process of making risotto that involved an oven and 35 minutes of cook time…and that was it. No stirring, no babysitting, no fluid monitoring – just prep and let cook. Suddenly, risotto was easy and delicious.

Oh the possibilities!

Naturally, when I stumbled across a light and healthy risotto recipe last week, I was eager to try my new technique on a slightly more complicated dish. Does this quick and easy recipe work for a dish with a few  more components? Let’s find out!

The Recipe: Risotto With Yogurt and Peas

Original Recipe Based On: Food Network Magazine March 2013 Issue

What You’ll Need:

2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
½ Cup Finely Chopped Shallots
1 Cup Arborio Rice
1/3 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Cup Frozen Peas
3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley (Minced)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Chives (Minced)
1 ½ Teaspoons Fresh Marjoram (Minced) or Thyme
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ Cup Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt

Note: I’m using the concept of the Food Network recipe, but applying our own cooking technique to the dish. As such, the instructions are note the same as the original recipe. If you’d rather follow that version, I’d encourage you to pick up the March 2013 issue of Food Network Magazine.

Preheat your oven to 425.

Add the butter into a large Dutch oven or baking dish and place it in the oven, covered for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the butter to melt.

Once the butter has melted, add the risotto, shallots, peas, chicken broth and white wine to the baking dish and stir well to evenly combine all of the ingredients. Once blended, return the baking dish to the oven and allow it to cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

Just add heat!

After the first 20 minutes, remove the baking dish and give the ingredients another stir. Return the dish to the oven, covered, for an additional 15 minutes. The risotto will look a little dry and sort of flat when you first remove it from the oven, however, resist the urge to add any additional liquid until you taste test the risotto. If the risotto is soft and creamy, you’re good to go. If you find it to be a little crunchy, add a splash of chicken broth, stir, and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley, chives and marjoram. Once your risotto is soft, add all but 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture along with the plain yogurt and the parmesan cheese. Stir vigorously until the mixture becomes creamy (this takes about 1 minute). Serve topped with the reserved herb mixture and a pinch of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

The Results:

Typically, creamy risotto dishes feature mascarpone cheese as it melts beautifully and adds a great, rich flavor to the profile of a dish. This recipe cuts out the calories that mascarpone would deliver by substituting non-fat Greek yogurt. The result is the same creamy base, but you do lose a little bit of bonus flavor that mascarpone brought to the table.

That’s where the white wine and parmesan cheese come in. Combined, these two more than compensate for the missing mascarpone by adding a great layer of deep, rich flavor to the natural risotto. Blended with the bright flavorings of the herbs and peas, this dish morphs into a fresh, almost ‘summer salad’ tasting pasta dish that will warm you up on these cooler March nights without bogging you down like a traditional pasta salad would.

If you’re cooking for a full family, especially young ones who detest vegetables, this dish might be a tough sell. But the adults or those with a fondness for fresh veggie flavors will find a lot to love with this pasta.

That’s all we have for you this week. We’re back next week with another set of brand new dishes to share. Until then,

~Cheers

Not Your Daddy's Sloppy Joes

Good evening everyone!  Last week, we created delicious Mexican dishes that are also healthy for you.  But Mexican isn't the only style of food that we all crave.  The not-so traditional, yet always inviting, American style.  I'm sure these dishes have roots in another region, but we've come to know these recipes classified under American.  Tonight, I am taking a classic American dish, but giving it a healthy boost, so you can enjoy without the guilt.

The Recipe:  Turkey Sloppy Joes
Original Recipe From:  Eat This, Not That No-Diet Diet
(Serves Six)

What You'll Need:
1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Pound lean Ground Turkey
1 1/2 Cups Tomato Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Chili Powder
10-12 shakes of Tabasco or other hot sauce
6 Whole Wheat or Sesame Buns, split and toasted

In preparation for this recipe, it's important to examine the ingredients and see what you can use without adding more calories to the dish.  This is especially true when it comes to the tomato sauce.  Unknowingly, you can pick up a jar of marinara sauce and not realize that it's not tomato sauce.  While marinara has that extra flavor that normal tomato wouldn't have.  It also has more sodium (and therefore more calories) than plain tomato sauce.  Also, we found out that there is lean and extra lean ground turkey.  Whenever you can find something better than what the original recipe calls for, it will make for a better tasting dish in the end.

To start, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat, just until the oil is almost shimmering.  Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook until just softened, about two minutes.  Once these are cooked, add the turkey, breaking it into smaller pieces.  Cook the turkey until it is lightly browned, about five minutes.  Turkey is a leaner meat, so it will cook in a shorter amount of time than ground beef or any other ground meat.

Joe, pre sloppy

Next, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worchestershire sauce, chili powder, and hot sauce and stir until everything is well coated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Reduce the heat of the skillet to low and simmer for ten minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has coated all the meat.  Remove the skillet from the heat and divide the meat mixture among the buns.  Serve and enjoy!

The End Result:

These little sandwiches pack the heat in all the right spots.  Between the green pepper, chili powder, and hot sauce, the meat gives a good heat flavor that might not be present in a traditional recipe.  While some sloppy joe recipes have more liquid than meat, this recipe is far from that concept.  The meat and the veggies definitely overtake the sauce, but it gives it a good, consistent quality that can't be beat.  If I were to take any sloppy joe recipe to a gathering, I would replace a traditional sloppy joe recipe with this one.  Not only is the flavor better, but it's also healthier for you too - at 307 calories (with the bun,) it's a great addition to any family's cookbook.

That's all we have for you this evening.  Join us tomorrow as Tyler visits another blog classic that will hit all the right notes.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Festive Fajitas

Good evening everyone! As Maggie mentioned yesterday, we sort of stumbled upon a theme week here on the blog. It wasn't intentional, but after we both came up with our recipes for the week and discovered they were from the same vein (Mexican cuisine) we decided to run with it. So, welcome to day 2 of Mexican week!

My dish today has been featured at least two times on the blog already, but I'm not the type of person who likes to settle on one recipe as the be all, end all for that dish. In fact, even though the basic concept of tonight's dish, chicken fajitas, seems fairly straightforward, I've found there are a multitude of ways you can prepare and enjoy this tasty Mexican treat. Let's try out a new way tonight!

The Recipe: Chicken Fajitas
Recipe Inspired By: Food Network Magazine March 2013 Issue

What You'll Need:
(Serves 4)

1 Teaspoon of Chili Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Pound Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Large Bell Peppers (Any color) Sliced*
1 Red Onion, Sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Lime Zest (Reserve wedges for serving)
8 Corn Tortillas
1/2 Cup Prepared Pico De Gallo (Or fresh salsa)
1/2 Cup Crumbled Cotija Cheese**

* Try to select two different color peppers, not only will it add visual appeal to your dish, the contrasting heat levels of the peppers will add another layer of flavor and complexity to the final dish.

** Cotija cheese is a spanish cheese made from cow's milk. It's a thicker cheese, often served shaved or grated (like parmesan). It turns out, it's also HIGHLY seasonal. Since the cows that make this cheese have to be fed a certain kind of grass, their ability to produce this cheese only lasts from July through October. That means finding this cheese in your grocery store come February (like we were trying to do) is darn near impossible. As such, be prepared to adapt to another kind of Mexican cheese (such as Queso Fresco or another cheese from the Mexican cuisine section of your local grocery store).


There are two ways you can prepare the chicken for this recipe, by the original instructions, or by the method I decided to use today.

For the original instructions, season the chicken with the chili powder, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the breasts are golden brown.

Pop the browned breasts into a 435 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes to allow them to cook through. Allow the breasts to rest for 5 minutes prior to slicing the meat.

I opted to follow my own path. I really enjoy the flavor of a slow roasted chicken breast - but I didn't exactly want to babysit the chicken all day to achieve this result. Instead, I broke out our smallest slow cooker.

For this method, simply season the breasts as described above, then add them to the slow cooker along with just enough chicken broth to cover the breasts. Set the slow cooker on low and let it cook for 5 to 8 hours.

Once the chicken has spent a good portion of the day roasting, simply shred the breasts with a fork, and remove the chicken with a slotted spoon (you don't want the liquid - it'll ruin your fajita). This method really boosts the flavor of the chicken and allows you to have dinner on the table even faster if you're working all day.

To prepare the vegetables, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non stick skillet on medium high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, a pinch of cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the veggies have softened and are lightly browned. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lime zest and add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture is looking especially dry.

While your veggies are cooking, wrap your tortillas in aluminum foil and stick them in a 200 degree oven for 5 minutes. This softens the tortillas up and makes them less likely to crumble while you're eating.

Right before serving, combine your sliced or shredded chicken with the veggies and spoon this mixture onto the center of your warmed tortillas. Top with the fresh salsa and a few crumbles of cheese. Enjoy!

The Results:

When it comes to quick and healthy Mexican cuisine, it doesn't get much better than the fajita. I'm glad I decided to slow cook our chicken as it imparted a great savory flavor to the final dish that I don't know would be there had we simply grilled the breasts. The combination of red, yellow and orange bell peppers and red onion really added a nice bit of heat and bit to counter the savory chicken and cheese flavors.

Warming the tortillas in aluminum foil is a nice trick that I will certainly use again. We've had issues in the past with corn tortillas simply crumbling during the meal - making for a rather adventurous dinner time experience. Microwaving them seemed to help, but never fully alleviated the problem. This method softened them greatly without making them crunchy or crispy (or drying them out).

That's all we have for you this week. We're back next with two brand new dishes and more culinary adventures. Until then,

~Cheers

Giving Mexican Soup a Lighter Twist

Good evening everyone! We often times, not intentionally, stumble upon theme weeks here on the blog and sometimes, we find this out until one of us cooks and the other has yet to cook their recipe.  This week would happen to be one of those theme weeks and personally, I love this week's theme!  We are cooking healthy Mexican dishes and I'm starting off the week with a soup that wouldn't look like it's healthy.  But with some better-for-you ingredients and portion size controlled, this soup will satisfy any appetite.

The Recipe:  Chicken Tortilla Soup
Original Recipe Found from Various Sources
(Serves 8)

What You'll Need:
16 Ounces jarred Salsa (any mild or hot flavor will do, depending on how spicy you want your soup to be)
2 Cups Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Pounds frozen Chicken Breasts
16 Ounces frozen Corn
2 Cups Black Beans, drained and rinsed
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Teaspoons ground Cumin
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese (or Mexican/Taco blend cheese, again, it's up to your personal preference)
4 Corn Tortillas

This is my first attempt at a slow cooker recipe, and it's one recipe that doesn't involve a lot of steps.  But, if you're in for a time crunch or want to whip up something flavorful that will make your whole kitchen (or house) smell great, this is the recipe for you.  Typically, Mexican dishes have numerous steps in the recipe before the end result is something delicious.  When it's this easy, it has to be tried and definitely shared.

In a large slow cooker, pour the cream of chicken soup, chicken stock, and salsa in the cooking vessel.  Next, add the chicken, corn, and black beans.  Stir until everything is well incorporated.  Sprinkle the cumin in and cover with the lid.  Set the slow cooker on low and cook for four to five hours (or if you are setting this to cook while your at work, eight to nine hours will work also.)  If you are serving this soup sooner rather than later, set the cooker on high and cook for two to three hours.

While the soup is finishing cooking, take out the chicken breasts and place on a plate.  Using a fork and a pair of tongs, shred the chicken.  Since it's been cooking between two to nine hours, the chicken will tear apart without any problem.  Next, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  Place four small corn tortilla on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes, or until the tortillas get crispy.  Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes.  After the shells are cooled, either break apart with your hands or slice with a pizza cutter.  Remove the lid and stir all the ingredients together inside.  

Add the cheese and the baked tortilla shells and stir once more to get everything incorporated.  Serve with sour cream, cilantro, chopped green onions, or by itself, and enjoy!

The End Result:

What a delicious combination!  All the ingredients together make for one delicious soup.  It does tend to run a bit on the runny side, but all those liquids combined make for one awesome broth.  The chicken is cooked to perfection and give it a boost of protein.  The beans and corn doesn't show themselves off, but they do add a nice addition to the soup.  I did add cheese to my soup and it made the soup creamier and added a little bit more flavor to the dish.  Also, a serving of soup is under 300 calories, so you won't feel guilty about breaking your diet.  Overall, a great recipe to try when you're short on preparation time and want something that tastes incredible.

Join us tomorrow as Tyler rounds out our healthy Mexican week with a classic dish with a lighter twist.  Until then,

~Cheers!

So Crazy It Just Might Work - Chicken Fried Fish

Good evening everyone. Many of you are likely familiar with the process of “chicken frying” a piece of meat. Most commonly, the “chicken frying” process happens to steak (I.E. chicken fried steak), it’s a primarily southern dish that earns its name because the steak is cooked and breaded much like fried chicken.

I’ve never actually had chicken fried steak, as the concept of beef breaded and fat or oil fried has never fully appealed to me. Last weekend, however, while perusing the pages of our latest food network magazine, I found something that caught my attention, chicken fried FISH. Better yet, LOW CALORIE chicken fried fish.

After a quick read through of the recipe, I found that it was really chicken fried in name only (the breading process is more of a natural breading process for fish) but the addition of its own white cream sauce and the chance to try yet another breading technique was too much to pass up. So, can you chicken fry a fish? Let’s find out!



The Recipe: Chicken Fried Fish
Original Recipe Found In: Food Network Magazine March 2013 Issue


What You’ll Need:
(Serves 4)

12 Ounces Green Beans (Trimmed)
4 X 6 Ounce Tilapia Fillets
¾ Cup All Purpose Flour
¼ Teaspoon Paprika
2 Large Eggs
¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
1 ¼ Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
¼ Cup Whole Milk
2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley


To Prepare the green beans:

Add the beans in a microwave safe dish along with ¼ cup of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap and microwave the beans on high for 5 minutes, or until tender.

For the fish:

Combine the flour and paprika in a shallow dish and crack and beat the eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Assemble your dish in a row (as we traditionally do with breading dishes) – eggs first, followed by the flour mixture. Make sure to have a plate at the end of your “assembly line” to put the finished fish on.

Begin by thoroughly drying off the fish fillets. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it one thousand times – moisture is the enemy of breading. Any water left on the fillet WILL sabotage the breading quality. Take a few extra minutes to blot off the excess moisture; you’ll appreciate the end result.

Once the fillets are dry, season them lightly with a little salt and pepper. Next, dunk the fillet into the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Dredge the fillet in the flour mixture, making sure that all sides and crevices are evenly coated. Repeat this process until all of the fillets are breaded. Reserve the excess flour mixture –you’ll be using it later on.

Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large (12 inch) non stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add 2 fillets and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the breading is golden brown and the fish beneath is opaque and flaky. Transfer the fish to a plate tented loosely with aluminum foil and set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean, and then add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the oil shimmers, add 3 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture from earlier, along with the chicken broth and ¼ cup of water. Make sure to whisk the mixture frequently while allowing it to come to a boil. Once boiling, add the milk, cream cheese and parsley, be sure to stir well to evenly incorporate everything. Continue whisking this mixture until it begins to thicken – this should take about 2 minutes. Season this sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Serve the sauce over the fillet alongside the green beans. Sprinkle a little extra paprika on top of the fillets prior to serving just to boost the flavor. Enjoy!


The Results:

As I alluded to in the open, calling this recipe “chicken fried” is a bit of a misnomer – it’s not really any different from a battered fish recipe. Since it’s served alongside its very own white cream sauce, however, you can get away with a creative title. That being said, the battering of this dish is delicious and crispy with just a hint of heat from the paprika.

The true star of this dish, however, was the sauce. Oh. My. Goodness. The sauce is one of the best we've cooked up on the blog. Creamy, yet full of great depth and flavor, it's one of those sauces that you immediately think; "What else can I use this on". It's fantastic and worth trying this whole recipe just to cook up the sauce. I’ve never created a sauce for fish that wasn’t lemon or butter based, so this foray into ‘creamy’ was a fun path to follow. The green beans add a nice layer of freshness to the dish and actually taste quite good with a little of the cream sauce too! (Yes, I actually liked the green beans - mark that under "Things I never thought I would say")

That’s all we have for you this week. If you live in the greater Midwest, good luck dodging the impending snowstorm. It looks like the greater Des Moines metro is going to get nailed…did I mention I HATE winter? Yuck. Either way, we’re back next week with more delicious new adventures in the culinary world. Until then,

~Cheers

You Can Have Your Pasta and Eat it Too!

Good evening everyone!  As we are currently focusing on healthy recipes, sometimes we have to bid fond farewells to certain dishes that would not qualify as healthy.  For me, those dishes would be either include cheese or pasta.  Granted, if the quantity of the ingredient is minimal, it would still be healthy, but nothing too heavy or else it would be filled with hidden calories.  For tonight's recipe, I will be focusing on one of the "forbidden" ingredients, and also, how to make it on a relatively limited budget.

The Recipe:  Linguine with Spinach-Herb Pesto
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light Magazine, March 2013

What You'll Need:
4 Ounces fresh Baby Spinach
1/4 Cup slivered blanched Almonds
1/4 Cup fresh Basil leaves
2 Teaspoons chopped fresh Oregano
1 Teaspoon chopped fresh Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 large Garlic clove, chopped
2 Tablespoons organic Vegetable Broth
2 Teaspoons fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided (about 1/4 cup)
8 Ounces uncooked Linguine

To start, heat a large pot of water over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Next, place the spinach in a microwave safe bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.  Microwave the spinach on high for two minutes or until the spinach begins to wilt.  Remove the bowl from the microwave and remove the plastic wrap off the bowl.  Let the spinach cool slightly.  I found that this not only softens the spinach, but reduces on some of that spinach-y flavor that some people aren't a fan of.  This will help tremendously in the end flavor of the pesto.

After the spinach is cooled, place it in a food processor, along with the almonds, basil leaves, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and garlic.  Process these ingredients until everything is chopped, but not completely blended.  Next, add the broth, lemon juice, and salt and pulse this mixture five times.  With the processor on, slowly pour the olive oil through the food chute until this combination is well blended.  After the pesto is formed, pour (or scoop, depending on your consistency of pesto) into a bowl and stir in half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

I love pesto so much, I could probably eat this whole bowl (no joke!)

By this time, the pot of water should be at a boil.  Place the linguine in the pot and cook according to package directions.  After the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta in a colander to remove the excess water.  Return the pasta back to a serving bowl and toss the pasta with a half cup of pesto.  Divide the pasta into 1 1/2 cups (one serving size) into bowls.  Serve with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and enjoy!

The End Result:

This version of pesto is nothing like any pesto I've ever tasted.  The spinach gives it a refreshing, earthy flavor, instead of a strong herby flavor that would inhibit it if we used just basil leaves.  Your tongue doesn't feel like it's been ran through the herb aisle.  The pesto also clings to the linguine, which is an added bonus of using this type of pasta.  Trust me, you won't be begging for more sauce that won't be on the pasta.  But the overall surprise of this dish is that it is only 353 calories a serving, which is a delight to any pasta lover.

I had also mentioned earlier that this recipe is a budget saving dish.  Normal pesto is made from entirely basil leaves and pine nuts, with a sprinkling of olive oil thrown in.  While basil can be found for relatively cheap, it's the pine nuts that are almost always outrageously priced.  We've seen a four ounce container of pine nuts sell for almost $8 dollars in a regular supermarket.  With this version of pesto, using spinach and almonds, it greatly reduces the cost, without skimping on the flavor.

That's all we have for you tonight.  Tune in tomorrow as Tyler presents a brand new recipe.  Until then,

~Cheers!

See, You Can Pair Fish and Cheese Together

Good evening everyone and Happy Valentine's Day!  As many, long-time followers of the blog are aware, we have one style of recipe that we keep going to again and again and again:  it's the breaded fish recipe!  Although many variations have passed through our pages, we have yet to duplicate a single dish.  Tonight, I'm putting my own, unique spin on this time-tested recipe.  Although we have not tried cheese, more specifically Parmesan cheese, (the key ingredient) in a fish dish yet, I cannot to wait to try it and see if it's worth the hype.

The Recipe:  Baked Parmesan Tilapia
Original Recipe Found from Various Sources
(Serves 2)

What You'll Need:
2 Tilapia Fillets
1 Egg, beaten
8 Teaspoons low-fat Mayonnaise
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
1/3 Cup grated fresh Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Thyme
1 1/2 Teaspoon Parsley

To start, preheat an oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with an even layer of nonstick cooking spray.  This will help the tilapia keep from sticking to the sheet - no one likes or wants stuck-on fish when cooking!  If you used frozen tilapia and thawed them in the refrigerator, be sure to pat off the excess moisture built up on the fish with a paper towel.  This might take several sheets, but you'll really want the fish to be dry.  This will help the coating and the breading stick better to the fillets.  Also, if there's any remaining ice sheets left on the fish, be sure the paper towel soaks up these also.

Fish patted dry and ready to be seasoned.

Next, pour the beaten eggs in a small bowl.  Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice and stir until everything is well combined.  In another small bowl, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, thyme, and parsley.  Stir all these ingredients together until everything is mixed well.

Arrange the bowls next to each other, along with a clean plate at the end of the line of bowls. Using one hand, dip each fish filet into the mayonnaise mixture and make sure each side is coated evenly.  Let the excess mixture drip off each fish.  Next, with the other hand, dip the fish in the breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides of the fish completely.  Place each fillet on the clean plate until all the fillets are coated and ready to cook.

Place the tilapia fillets on the prepared baking sheet with enough space so that their juices won't mix with each other.  Put the uncovered baking sheet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the fish is white and flaky on the inside.  Serve with lemon juice and/or tartar sauce (or by themselves) and enjoy!

The End Result:

An incredibly moist fish that flakes the moment it's pierced with a fork.  Tilapia is a neutral flavored fish that will soak up any flavor its given.  This recipe is an excellent example of this.  The breading coated the fish completely and encased it in a delicious flavor.  No single spice is pronounced in the breading, but all of them work together to give the fish a great, well-rounded flavor.  I was sort of surprised that the Parmesan cheese didn't have a strong bite, but it did add a smidge of oomph that was just right to this dish.  Like I've mentioned before, the pairing of fish and cheese had never been attempted in the blog, but with this recipe, it's definitely worth coming back to.

Thanks for joining us this week!  Be sure to come back next week and check out the culinary adventures we will delve into.  Until then,

~Cheers!

Close Your Eyes & Dream of Summer

Good evening everyone! We're starting to run into our first hints of spring here in the Des Moines metro. I know that these warmer temps (if you want to call 40 degrees 'warm') and bright sunny days are simply an illusion, but I still can't help but feel upbeat that spring is now closer than it ever has been before.

With a spring mindset, I decided to cook up a dish that invokes the memories of spring and summer - BBQ. We've tried our fare share of BBQ dishes on the blog, from sauces and slow roasts to dry rubs and stove tops. What we've never tried, however, is a dry rub on chicken (we typically have used dry rubs for pork). When I found a new dry rub recipe, courtesy of blog favorite, Jamie Oliver, I decided tonight was the time to change that. Let's get cooking!


The Recipe: BBQ Rub Chicken with Citrus Vegetables
Dry Rub Recipe From: Jamie's America

What You'll Need:
(Serves 2)

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (Trimmed of fat)
1 Bag Frozen Vegetable Medley (Peas, carrots, green beans)
1 Lemon

For The Rub:

1 Tablespoon Fennel Seeds (Mashed with a pestel and mortar)
2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1 Teaspoon Light Brown Sugar
2 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
Zest from one orange
Pinch of salt and pepper

To make the rub:

In a small bowl, combine all of the rub ingredients and toss until you achieve even distribution. Ideally, apply your rub to the chicken breasts 4-8 hours prior to cooking them, that way the flavors can truly marinate into each breast. Cover each breast liberally with the rub and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Store the chicken in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook.

To prepare the citrus vegetables:

Nothing goes better with summertime BBQ flavors like some freshly steamed veggies with a little lemon juice. Since we're not exactly in prime veggie season in the midwest (with the ground being frozen and all) we're using the next best thing - 'fresh' frozen vegetables.

Pull out a large sheet of aluminum foil and add the frozen vegerables to teh center. Zest your lemon, adding the zest evenly across the vegetables. Next, pull up the sides of the foil to create a 'pouch' around the veggies. (See the picture below) Don't pull it closed just yet. Squeeze the juice from your lemon in the pouch, then seal it tightly.

Next, preheat your oven to 350 degrees (this can also be made on the grill, but since it's still winter, we're using the oven).

Pop your foil packed veggies into the oven a few minutes before you add the chicken. They'll take a little bit longer to cook.

Set a wire baking rack on a rimmed baking sheet and coat it lightly in non-stick cooking spray. Place your chicken breasts on the wire rack and into the oven. Allow them to cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees.

Once your chicken is hot, remove the chicken and veggies from the foil and serve. If you'd like, cook up some homemade BBQ sauce to serve along side the chicken or simply enjoy the chicken with the rub.

The Results:

It might not be summertime outside, but it's summer at the dinner table when you cook up this dish. This rub was a new twist for me, I had never used one with fennel seeds before. The fennel orange combination actual balances quite nicely, adding a layer of citrus depth with the aromatic flavors of the fennel. Of course, paprika and brown sugar, two staples of any dry rub, make sure the BBQ flavor shines through brightest of all. Alongside a helping of fresh citrus infused veggies, this meal is light on calories (350 per serving) and heavy on great flavor!

That's all we have for you this evening, stop by tomorrow night as Maggie puts a new twist on a long time blog favorite. Until then,

~Cheers

Grilled Cheese With Pizzaz

Good evening everyone! Every now and again, Maggie and I embark on a "theme week" here on the blog. We decide to focus our recipes around one food group, cooking style, etc. Sometimes, like this week, we accidentally stumble upon a theme week. When we're picking out recipes for the coming week, we do try to avoid doing too similar of recipes (we try to prevent two soups in one week, for example). This week, Maggie and I both decided on dishes that featured sandwiches. However, since Maggie's dish was a unique twist on a decidedly "un-sandwich" dish and mine was a new rendition on a classic sandwich, we decided to roll with it.

So, let the unofficial sandwich week continue with tonight's recipe!

The Recipe: Southwestern Cheese Panini
Original Recipe Found On: Eatingwell.com

What You'll Need:
(Serves 4)

4 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese*
1 Cup Shredded Zucchini
1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots
1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion
1/4 Cup Prepared Fresh Salsa
8 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread
2 Teaspoons of Canola Oil

* You'll want to pick up sharp cheddar here over mild or regular. The more pronounced flavors of sharp cheddar mean you can use less cheese, but not lose out on the flavor.

The preparation for this recipe is delightfully simple (after all, it is just a gussied up grilled cheese).

In a large bowl, combine the cheese, zucchini, carrots, onion and salsa, making sure everything is evenly incorporated. Distribute this mixture evenly amongst the sandwiches. (TIP: Although it's not mentioned in the original recipe, I'd recommend using a slotted spoon to distribute this mixture that way any excess fluids drip out. You'll want to reduce the amount of liquid in the mix as much as possible as it will soak the bread and ruin your panini otherwise.)

Set a large (12 inch) non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the canola oil (1 teaspoon) and bring it up to temperature. When it begins to shimmer, add two of the sandwiches to the skillet.

If you have a grill press or other weighted cooking instrument, set in on top of the sandwiches. If you don't, you can make your own by simply setting a smaller skillet atop the sandwiches and weighing that down with 2 to 4 soup cans (or pie weights).

Cook the panini for 2 minutes, or until the bread becomes golden brown. Next, remove the weight and flip the sandwich. Reduce the heat to medium, place the weight back on top of the panini and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is equally golden brown. Repeat this process with the other sandwiches.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

The Results:

Zucchini is quickly moving up our list of favorite veggies due to its great versatility. It brings a bright, fresh flavor to any dish, but it's subdued enough that it doesn't overwhelm the final flavoring. This is a great way to sneak your daily veggies into the evening meal. The sharp cheddar cheese creates the classic "grilled cheese" flavor, but the other veggies oh-so-subtly mix things up a bit. The real star of this dish is actually the salsa as it adds just enough of a unique twist to really bring this panini to another level.

That's all we have for you this week. We'll be back next week with more healthy and delicious recipes! Until then,

~Cheers

Hello Frittata...There's Something Different About You

Good evening everyone!  As seasoned followers of the blog know, the one recipe I'm bound by destiny to come back to again and again is the Frittata.  There are just so many variations of this simple egg dish, I'm sure I could create a whole blog about it (but then it would boring, making frittata after frittata, so I'm sure it would get old quick.)  Tonight, I'm taking on another frittata recipe, but this one has a brand new element that I haven't tried before.  It's not the ingredients in the frittata, but what's on the outside that I'm switching up.  It's my unique spin on a egg sandwich, that is actually quite healthy for you.


The Recipe:  Three Cheese and Herb Frittata Sandwiches
Original Recipe Found In:  Food & Wine Magazine, February 2013
(Serves 6)

What You'll Need:

2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 small Onions, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon finely chopped Thyme
Pinch of crushed Red Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
10 Large Eggs
4 Ounces fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
1/2 Cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 Cup finely chopped Parsley
1/3 Cup finely chopped Chives
3 Ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
3 Cups Baby Spinach
6 Slices Whole Wheat Toast
12 thin slices of Prosciutto

Optional:
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
12 large Basil leaves, torn


To start, preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, begin to melt the butter in the olive oil over medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, add the onion, thyme, crushed red peppers, bay leaf, and an oversized sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Cover the skillet and cook this combination for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and until the onions are very soft.  Once this is done cooking, uncover and discard the bay leaf.

While the onions are cooking, in a large bowl, whisk all the eggs together.  Then, stir in the crumbled goat cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, chives, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.  When this mixture is completely combined, slowly pour it in the slightly cooled skillet.  Next, gently stir to mix all the ingredients together, and cook on the stovetop over moderately low heat, until the eggs start to set, about five minutes.  You won't want the heat set too high because the eggs will cook immediately, nor do you want it too low or the eggs won't set.

Sprinkle the frittata with the remainder of the Gruyere cheese and transfer the skillet to the oven.  Bake the frittata in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the center has just set and is completely cooked through.  Next, run a rubber spatula around the edge of the frittata and gently slide it onto a cutting board.  Let it cool slightly and cut it into six pieces.

After the frittata has cooked, you can begin to assemble your sandwich:  On top of one piece of toast, place a slice of prosciutto, a slice of frittata, a bed of spinach leaves (tomatoes and basil, if you are using them.)  Serve and enjoy!

The End Result:

This recipe had so many things going for it.  First of all, if it wasn't for the toast to even all these flavors out, this would have had one powerful bite.  The herbs and the cheese completely overtake the frittata, yet gave it a good melty, yet earthy flavor.  The spinach also helps to even out the flavor invasion, providing a cool layer between everything.  The prosciutto, still kinda cool from the refrigeration, was a stark contrast between the warmth of the frittata, but the meaty element from the prosciutto was needed in the sandwich.

The original recipe called for this sandwich to be constructed between two layers of bagels.  While the idea is great, we wanted to omit this big bite of caloric intake.  Not only were the two pieces of toast way under what the bagel would have been for calories, but this sandwich was only 270 calories.  This dish is way less than any takeout egg sandwich would be.  Overall, a great dish, if you're in the mood for something unique and very tasty.

That's all we have for you tonight.  Join us tomorrow as Tyler creates a brand new dish to share.  Until then,

~Cheers!