Back to the basics....

It's been awhile. I have no quippy remarks or good stories to fill in over the past years (in all reality I'm sure I do have some stories, but you're going to have to live in suspense). However, don't be too insulted; I have missed this. It's that busy season of life. The raising kids and doing life season where you feel like you barely have to breath, let alone post recipes. During the business of the last year and a half, I was happy if my family got a meal, let alone the never-gonna-happen chance that I would have time to write about it.  We are still alive, and my jeans definitely don't feel like I've been malnourished. My kid has grown multiple sizes in clothing and shoes, costing me a small fortune (can we say three pairs of dance shoes in a matter of months?), so that must mean I'm still doing something right. 

About a year ago I went to a menu system that saves me SO MUCH TIME when I plan our meals. More about that later. 

Today is all about just getting back in the swing of things. No promise it will last.

Dinner tonight is a crock pot pot roast meal that is super easy.

1 lb baking potatoes cut into quarters, 
2 large carrots (peeled and cut diagonally into 3/4 inch slices), 
1 large parsnip (prepared same as carrots),
2 large celery stalks cut into 2 inch slices, 
1 onion sliced, 
2 bay leaves, 
rosemary (approx 1 tsp), 
thyme (approx 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup beef broth

Combine all the vegetables and potatoes in the bottom of a slow cooker.Sprinkle with rosemary and thyme. Add bay leaves. Arrange pot roast (approx 2.5 lb chuck roast cut seasoned to your desire into serving size pieces) over top of vegetables. Pour 1/2 cup beef broth over top roast and cook on low for 8.5-9 hours

Dinner tomorrow will be:

Quick Chicken Primavera Risotto

-2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz each) flattened to 1/2 inch 
thickness and seasoned with salt and pepper
-1 lemon, cut in half crosswise
-1 medium onion chopped
-1 large garlic clove, minced
-2 packages (8.8 oz each) chicken flavored precooked rice. I make my own 16 oz. whole grain brown rice using chicken broth instead of water. Works great in this 
recipe, and is better for you (as well as cheaper) if you have the time.
-1 medium carrot cut into julienne strips
-1 medium zucchini sliced
-2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (or you can used a can of drained diced tomatoes)
-2 to 2.5 cups chicken broth
-1/2 cup (2 oz) grated fresh Asiago cheese
-1/4 snipped fresh basil leaves
-2 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese)

1. Season chicken with salt and black peper. Heat skillet (I use a 12 inch) over medium-high heat 5 minutes; lightly spray or drizzle with olive oil. Arrange chicken and lemon halves, cut side down, in skillet; cook 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning chicken once. Remove from skillet ; cool slightly. Slice chicken into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. 

2. Lightly oil skillet again. Cook onion and garlic over medium heat 4-6 minutes.; Add rice and juice from caramelized lemon halves; cook and stir 3-4 minutes. Add carrot, zucchini, tomatoes, and 2 cups of the broth to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 4-5 minutes or until broth thickens slightly. Stir in chicken; cook until heated through. 

3. Remove risotto from heat. Add Asiago cheese and basil; stir until cheese melts and sauce thickens (adjust consistency with additional broth, if necessary). Stir in cream cheese, if desired. 

This yields 6 servings- Each serving is approximately 260 calories with 6 grams of fat (2 saturated).  The calories will be less if you make your own rice :-)

For you Mere :-)

I didn't have much time to write when I posted the salmon recipe yesterday. Since I have some time to write today I MUST tell you that the salmon recipe is absolutely DELICIOUS. Seriously. I am not kidding. I think it was the best salmon recipe I have ever made....by far. I am pretty sure my hubby would agree and then some! I packed the leftover in his lunch and he actually called to tell me how delicious it was....and that is saying something!! He even made a specific comment about the salsa! So, if you want to wow someone- give this recipe a try. A few notes- I actually cooked my salmon in a skillet since I don't even know how to turn on the grill (grilling and homemade lasagna is handled by Brian). I also omitted the hot pepper because I wanted Johanna to try it, and she's not a fan of the super spicy stuff. I implore you to give it a try!

Now onto today's recipe- Vegetable Enchiladas. I got this recipe from whole foods when they did one of their tasting events on a Friday night. I was amazing by how AWESOME these enchiladas tasted. This recipe is also gluten free and easily vegan if you use Daiya vegan cheese instead of regular mozzarella.

I don't have the specific calories count, but it can't be bad because the ingredients are all good for you and low calorie. I actually made this in a 9x9 plan and layered it like a vegetable enchilada lasagna. It made it a lot easier to put together to use a pan that had higher sides. I still got four corn tortillas on each layer. I didn't have to use parchment paper because I used a Pampered Chef stone (which is non-stick).

Vegetable Enchiladas

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh corn

1 cup bell pepper strips

1/2 onion, diced

3 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 or 2 limes), divided, plus lime wedges for garnish

1 1/2 tablespoons salt-free chili powder, divided

1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided

1 (15 ounce) no-salt-added diced tomatoes

8 ounces leafy greens

8 corn tortillas

3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (optional- could also use vegan cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 400. In a large pot, combine corn, onion, bell peppers, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon chili powder, tomatoes, and greens and cook over medium-high heat until liquid is almost evaporated (about 10 minutes).

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash beans with 2 tablespoons cilantro and remaining 1/2 tablespoon chili powder and 1 tablespoon lime juice.

3. Arrange corn tortillas on a large-parchment paper baking sheet (or in a 9x9 pan). Spread bean mixture evenly over tortillas. Top each with about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture and some cheese. Continue this layering process until all ingredients are used (I used 12 corn tortillas). Bake until hot throughout and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Transfer to plates and garnish with remaining cilantro and lime wedges. Serve and enjoy!!

Grilled Salmon with Tomato Peach Salsa

Yield 4 serving (1 fillet and 1/2 cup salsa); 325 calories

1 cup chopped peeled peach (I used nectarine and it worked great)

3/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion

3 tablespoons small fresh mint leaves (I used 3 Tbsp chopped)

3 tablespoons small fresh basil leaves (I used 3 Tbsp chopped)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

4 (6 oz.) wild Alaskan salmon fillets

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray

1. Preheat grill to high heat

2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; add jalepeno, if desired. Sprinkle mixture with 1/4 teaspoon salt, toss gently. Sprinkle fillets evenly with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place the fillets on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning after 5 minutes. Serve with salsa.

Italian- Style Artichoke and White Bean Salad

I cannot post another recipe without reiterating how AMAZING the black-eyed pea cajun burgers were. I ate 5 of the six in less than 72 hours. I probably could have eaten them all at once, but that might have defeated part of the purpose of a making a healthy "burger"! You cannot call me a liar until you make them and try them!

The bean salad from today is also very delicious. It is a great side dish for a hot summer day. I especially liked this recipe chilled. I feel it really let the basil shine! Enjoy!

Serves 4; 153 Calories per serving

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (6 ounces) jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, gently toss all the ingredients until well combined. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to blend. Toss again and serve at room temperature. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve chilled, or return to room temperature.

In remembrance of the 4th

Instead of the burgers that many of you rightly enjoyed this holiday weekend, feel guilt- free enjoying one (or two) of these!

Cajun-Style Back-Eyed Pea and Corn Patties

Makes 6 servings; 187 calories per serving

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil

1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen yellow corn

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 (15 ounces) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole wheat

1/4 cut instant oats

2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon BBQ sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the corn, onion, and Cajun seasoning; cook, stirring, until corn and onion are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool a few minutes.

In food processor fitted with knife blade, pulse corn mixture, black-eyes peas, breadcrumbs, oats, and the 2 tablespoons cornmeal, BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined but still chunky. Divide mixture into 6 portions and shape into 1/2 inch thick patties. Dredge patties in remaining cornmeal and set aside.

Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil; heat over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve at once.

Tuscan-Style Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This turned out even better than I hoped it would. SUPER easy :-)

Serves 4- 6; 234 calories per serving

2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup drained and julienned marinated sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon marinade reserved

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt, preferable coarse sea salt, or to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 (6 oz) jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained

4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 (9 oz) bad baby spinach

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, reserved sun- dried tomato marinade, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until thoroughly blended. Add the remaining ingredients, except the spinach and toss well to combine. Let stand about 10 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to blend; toss again. (If desired- At this point, mixture can be covered and refrigerated up to one day before returning to room temperature and continuing with the recipe.) Serve at room temperature, over the spinach leaves.

Back to the grind!

Even though I haven't been posting, I have still been cooking.....sometimes ;-) I remember making new recipes and thinking, "I need to post this. It is so good!" But, alas, life got in the way. We hit a VERY busy season, and I was happy if dinner got made let alone posted on my blog! I think that anyone who cooks on a fairly regular basis gets the occasionally rut where they are burnt out. I HAVE SO BEEN THERE! I hadn't even felt like making my regular favorites. However, I have received new inspiration in the form of a FANTASTIC new cookbook!! The good news for you is that I am going to be posting more often again. The bad news is that I am not going to tell you what the cookbook is...at least not right away. There is something to be said for mystery and when it comes to food, I find that titles lead to preconceived notions. So....no titles for you yet!

Wednesday is usually a busy day for us. We have church in the evening, and that means I have to do a quick dinner and nothing too heavy. I don't like feeling like I need to unbutton my top pants button while I'm driving to church!

Without any further ado-

Dinner is served:

Mushrooms Stuffed with Breadcrumbs, Lemon, and Thyme

Makes 4-6 servings (3-4 stuffed mushrooms per serving); 108 calories per serving

12 - 16 large white cultivated mushrooms (12-14 ounces, washed and stemmed, stems reserved)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, or about 3/4 tsp dried thyme

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning*

3/4 finely ground breadcrumbs* (preferably whole wheat)

*I couldn't find lemon pepper seasoning, so I combines lemon zest and pepper. For the breadcrumbs, I used whole wheat panko.

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil and baking sheet. Cut off and discard the tough tops of the reserved mushroom stems Finely chop the trimmed stems and reserve.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid released from the stems has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add the lemon juice. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes, adding the thyme, garlic, salt , and the lemon pepper seasoning the last 30 seconds or so. Remove from the heat and add the breadcrumbs, stirring well to thoroughly combine.

Rub the rounded sides of the mushroom caps with half of the remaining oil. Arrange the mushroom caps, gill sides up, in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the filling evening into the caps, and dab the tops with the remaining oil. ( If desired---At this point, the mushrooms can be held at room temperature up to an hour before continuing with the recipe, or covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours before returning to room temperature and baking) Bake on the center oven rack about 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Allow mushrooms to cool about 5 minutes before serving warm.

Enjoy!! These are great with a vegetable medley on the side. Let your farmers market inspire you!!