asian quinoa salad

Something light and asian flavored sounded good for dinner the other night, so this was my creation.  It's a little hard to post a recipe, as I used some sauces/dressing that you likely won't have on hand, but there are always ways to modify.  It was so light and tasty that I wanted to share it anyway.

Here's the sauce lineup:

We ate the quinoa salad at room temperature over romaine lettuce for dinner, but the leftover quinoa salad was good either warm or cold - I ate it both ways.

asian quinoa salad

Ingredients:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
sweet chile sauce (any brand)
1 c. dry quinoa
1 T. seasoned rice vinegar (the kind used for making sushi rice)
juice from one lime
1 T. toasted sesame oil
a small bunch of grilled asparagus (about 1 c. cut up)
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 - 1/3 c. edamame
2-3 T. Gyoza sauce (or soy sauce or hoisin)
3-4 c. finely chopped romaine
lemon ginger sesame salad dressing, or other asian flavored dressing
handful of roughly chopped peanuts
black sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:
Bring 1 1/2 c. water to a boil.  Add quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.  Pour the rice vinegar, sesame oil and lime juice over quinoa and stir until combined.  Put in a separate bowl.

While the quinoa cooks, heat a grill pan to medium high heat.  Butterfly the chicken breast by cutting the thick part in half, but not all the way through the chicken breast so it is still one large piece.  Coat one side of the chicken with the sweet chile sauce.  Place the coated side down on the grill pan once it's hot.  Coat the other side of the chicken breast with chile sauce.  Cook the chicken for ~5 minutes or until there is there is a good seer on it.  Flip and cook other side.  Once the chicken is done, brush each side with a little more chile sauce.  Remove from grill pan and let rest before slicing.

After the chicken has been removed from the grill pan, place the chopped carrots where the chicken was cooked so that the carrots can be coated with the browned chicken bits and chile sauce.  Cook for a couple minutes then add to quinoa.

While the carrots cook, add the asparagus stalks to the other side of the grill pan and drizzle with Gyoza sauce (or other sauce).  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender crisp.  Cut into 1" pieces and add to quinoa.

Slice the chicken into thin strips and add it, along with the peas and edamame, to the quinoa.  Stir until combined.  Add a little more Gyoza or soy sauce if desired.

To assemble, place romaine in two bowls.  Drizzle with ginger dressing and toss to coat.  Top with quinoa salad and sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds.

Note:  This recipe just has enough romaine for two salads, but it can be increased to make more salads.  There is enough quinoa for four salads.

pinterest recipe: creamy veggie pasta

Ok, so I wanted to do one new pinterest recipe a week.  It's been a little over a week, but I'm going to blame it on Chad being out of town and me going back to work last week. :)

I pinned this recipe for creamy veggie pasta with garlic brown butter breadcrumbs that intrigued me... especially the bread crumbs.  I did not have panko breadcrumbs, so used regular bread instead.  They were still very tasty and added a nice garlicky kick to the dish, but I'm thinking the panko ones would have been a little crisper and added a nice texture contrast.  So next time I make it I'm going to make sure I have panko breadcrumbs on hand.

I made a few other adjustments, but overall it was a very tasty dish.  I liked the creamy avocado and garlic from the breadcrumbs, with a little heat from the red pepper flakes.  I went back for seconds, and would be excited to eat the leftovers for lunch.

I also used all frozen veggies, so it was very quick to make.  The asparagus in the original recipe sounds delicious in it, but asparagus is expensive this time of year, so I rarely buy it.  I opted for broccoli, peas, and edamame, all of which I had in the freezer.

creamy avocado pasta and garlic breadcrumbs

Ingredients:
8 oz. whole wheat linguine
1 c. peas
1/2 c. edamame
1 - 2 c. broccoli
1 avocado
1/2 c. chopped ham
1/2 c. plain greek yogurt
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
2 T. cream cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
red pepper flakes

bread crumbs:
1/3 c. panko or regular bread crumbs (1 slice of bread)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. butter

Instructions:
Bring water to a boil in a pot and cook noodles 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.  Drain noodles, reserving 1 c. of the pasta water.

If using frozen veggies, thaw in the microwave (don't cook, just thaw) and set aside.  If using fresh broccoli, saute with olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until tender crisp.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

For the cream sauce, mash 1/2 of the avocado with the cream cheese until fairly smooth.  Add yogurt and 2-3 T. of reserved pasta water.  Stir until combined.

To make the breadcrumbs, combine breadcrumbs and garlic in a small bowl.  Melt 1 T. butter and pour over the breadcrumbs (I didn't take the time to brown the butter).  Stir to combine and set aside.

Heat skillet to medium and add garlic, 1 T. olive oil, and veggies.  Cook for a couple minutes to warm the veggies.  Add the avocado cream sauce and ham and stir to combine.  Add in the pasta, parmesan cheese, and 1/4 c. of the pasta water.  Stir until creamy, adding more pasta water if needed.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Cut remaining avocado in slices.  To serve, top pasta with avocado slices, breadcrumbs and red pepper flakes.

Serves 3-4.

brothy chinese noodles

When I saw this recipe in my Eating Well magazine, I knew it was a must try.  And I'm thankful I did.  It was super, super delicious.  Especially with a little hot sauce to spice it up.  If you have a love for Asian flavors at all, make this recipe.  It was one of those dishes that I wanted to keep eating and eating even after my stomach was telling me it was full, because the flavor is that scrumptious.  I will definitely be making this recipe over and over, especially during the cold winter.

I was much too excited to eat it to take a picture, so below is a picture from eatingwell.com and here's the recipe.  I modified the recipe just a tad (mostly the quantities), so I included my version below.  I think next time I will add even more cabbage, just because I love it and like my veggie to carb ratio to be high.

brothy chinese noodes
picture credit: eatingwell.com

Ingredients:
2 T. sesame oil
1 lb. ground pork or turkey (I used pork)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T. minced fresh ginger
4 c. chicken broth (plus more if needed)
3/4 c. water
10 oz. bag of shredded cabbage (just because I didn't have bok choy and it's cheaper)
2 large handfuls whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles, broken in half
4 T. soy sauce
2 T. rice vinegar

Instructions:
Saute ground meat in 1 T. of the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger on medium heat until cooked through.  Drain off extra grease if needed and set aside.
While the meat cooks, in a separate pot combine broth, water, cabbage, noodles, soy sauce, vinegar and remaining 1 T. sesame oil.  You want the liquid to barely cover the noodles and cabbage so that the dish will have a little broth, but not as much liquid as soup.  Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 3-5 minutes, or until noodles are al dente.  Add the cooked meat and stir to combine.

The original recipe suggested serving with scallions and cucumbers, neither of which did I have on hand (this is what I get for not meal planning).  It was super tasty without them, but I'm thinking a little crunch from the cucumbers would be a nice addition.

Serves 4-6.

sushi bowls

Sushi bowls.  The cheaper and faster way to satisfy your craving for sushi.  I've been wanting to make these for a while and finally got around to it.  They really are easy, the main time committment is just chopping the veggies and making sure you start the rice early enough for it to cool to room temp.

I had shrimp on hand, so that's what we used, but these would be great with any meat that's used in sushi - raw or cooked.  And the veggie options are endless.  Even a little mango would be good in them.  Be creative! 


I used these little square roasted seaweed sheets for the salad (got mind at Costco, but I've seen them at TJ's as well).  I cut them in half and then snipped them into little strips.

    

all the toppings just waiting for their rice and shrimp - seaweed strips, carrots (cut into strips with a peeler), cilantro/green onion/jalapeno, shitake mushrooms, cucumbers, avocado



 

sushi bowl

 Ingredients
sushi rice
meat - crab, shrimp, raw tuna or salmon, etc.
veggies
seaweed wrappers
sesame seeds
soy sauce
ginger (the kind you get with your sushi at a restaurant)

Instructions
To make sushi rice, rinse your sushi rice with water (sometimes I forget this step and it's still fine.. just a little stickier) and combine equal parts sushi rice to water (i.e. 1 c. rice, 1 c. water... although sometimes I need to add a little more water) in a large saucepan and stir with a spatula.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, stir again with a spatula and cover with foil.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked (check after about 10 - 15 minutes and see if it needs more water).  Remove from heat and add seasoned rice vinegar (usually it will say on the bottle how much vinegar you need, if it doesn't then add 1-2 T. for every cup of dry rice).  Let rice cool to room temp.

To build your bowl, simply layer rice, sushi meat, veggies, seaweed strips in a bowl.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with soy sauce.  I also ate mine with some pieces of ginger.  Light and delicious!

comfort food

So I'm not one that's big on comfort foods - secret's out (or maybe that never was a secret).  I like things fresh and light for the most part, but there are few comfort dishes I remember as childhood favorites that still have a special place in my heart... one of those being layered taco casserole.  Not sure if that's the real name of it, but that's what I call it.  Although I don't love the thought of calling anything I eat a casserole.  It just has a negative connotation in my mind and brings thoughts of a pile of food that's too cheesy, buttery, and gooey to be healthy or delicious.  

But this casserole is different.  Taco shells layered with meat, veggies, and cheeses bakes into one big pile of mexican goodness.  It's not the prettiest meal, but it's tasty.

Now this recipe isn't picky and there's not real science or exact amounts to it.  You can make the layers as simple (taco meat and cheese), or as complex as you like.  You could also make it a no-meat meal and use only black beans and veggies.  I tend to use whatever I have on hand and use up as many things in my fridge as possible!  And if have extra of the meat/veggie filling, you can just save it in the fridge or freezer for another mexican dish (like tortilla soup... one of the few good things about winter).          

taco casserole

Filling:

1/2 lb. cooked meat (ground beef or pork, chicken)

1 zucchini, cut into small pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced green chilies

1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. corn

1/2 c. salsa

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)

Saute the onion with a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add zucchini and seasonings (cumin through cayenne) and cook a few more minutes until zucchini softens a little but is still firm.  Add remaining ingredients (including meat) and simmer for 3-5 minutes.  Add more seasonings or salt if needed.

Pour a little salsa in the bottom of a baking dish so the tortillas do not stick.  Add a flour tortilla* and cover with about 1/2 c. of the filling (I just do a thin layer) and sprinkle with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese.  Keep layering tortillas and filling until your baking dish is full (I usually use a little more cheese on the last layer).  I believe I can usually get about 6 tortillas in a tall round baking dish.  

Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are browned and the cheese is melted.  Serve with toppings - sour cream, guacamole, taco sauce, salsa, cilantro, lettuce...

Serves 6-8.

* this is also good with corn tortillas, just bake in a smaller dish

stack it up

My mom found this recipe for shrimp tostadas in the newspaper and passed it on to me.... who knew that newspapers printed such delicious recipes?!  They are one of our favorites - especially in the spring and summer when you want a fresh meal that doesn't require lots of cooking... just chopping of lots of veggies.  And they are great for guests - everyone loves them and they look pretty with all the colorful veggies.  But beware...once you start piling on the layers, they can get very tall (as you can see in my pic below), which means very messy.  However, I can assure you they are worth the mess.

shrimp and guacamole tostadas

Tostadas:

4 tostada shells * 

1/2 c. guacamole

16 - 20 large precooked shrimp (you could also use chicken or black beans for a no-meat option)

Sauce for shrimp:

6 T plain yogurt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp onion powder

1-2 tsp lime juice (~ 1/2 a lime) 

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Add shrimp and mix until shrimp are coated with sauce.

Slaw topping:

1 c. jicama

1 c. carrots

1 c. snap peas

1 c. red bell peppers

2 T chopped cilantro

lime juice

salt to taste

Cut all veggies unto matchsticks (long thin strips), add cilantro, salt, the juice from one lime + the rest of the lime used to make the yogurt sauce, and stir until combined.

Building your tostada:

Take one tostada shell and layer it with guacamole, shrimp, then veggies.  Take a bite and make a mess!

side note:  You can play around with the veggies in the slaw topping.  The ones in the recipe are a great combination, but I have also used zucchini.  The last time I made these I added mango to the slaw, which added a nice touch of sweet.

*I found out that you make your own tostadas by spraying both sides of corn tortillas with cooking spray and baking at 375 for ~15 minutes, or until crisp, turning once while baking.

salmon patties

This is still the week that we are leaving for Hilton Head, making it still the week where I'm trying to not buy groceries.

This time I decided to finally use a couple of the cans of salmon I've had in the pantry for awhile.  While I love fresh salmon, canned salmon is Quite different and harder to use, but still a great source of those wonderful omega-3's.  Turning it into salmon patties or salmon salad is about the best thing I can think of doing with it - any other suggestions?  

salmon burgers with rice pilaf & basil yogurt sauce

Salmon burgers

2 6 oz. cans salmon

1/3 c. finely chopped red onion

1 egg

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil or 1 T basil pesto *

2 T plain nonfat yogurt

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp paprika

zest from 1 lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients and form 4 patties with your hands.  Cook in canola oil in a pre-heated skillet for 3-5 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through.  Place cooked patties on paper towel to soak up extra oil.  Serve with diced fresh tomatoes and yogurt sauce (recipe below).

Rice pilaf

1 c. rice pilaf (or quinoa, farro, couscous, brown rice)

1 medium zucchini, chopped into small pieces

3 c. fresh spinach 

2 cloves garlic minced

white wine

salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook rice or other grain according to package instructions.  While rice cooks saute zucchini and garlic in a little olive oil with salt & pepper 3-5 minutes on medium high heat until just a little tender, letting the zucchini brown a little while cooking (this is accomplished by not stirring very often).  De-glaze the pan with 1/2 c. dry white wine (I used Chardonnay) to soak up all the browned zucchini bits.  Add spinach and cook until spinach wilts.  Turn off heat and set aside.  Add to rice once it is done cooking.

Yogurt basil sauce

1 8 oz. container plain nonfat yogurt (used same container for yogurt in salmon patties)

1 T basil pesto *

1 T olive oil

2 T lemon juice 

1/4 - 1/2 tsp sugar

salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients.  You might need to add a little more oil or water if you use greek yogurt and the sauce is too thick - it should pour easily.

* hint:  As a substitute for fresh basil or pesto, I like to buy the tubes of fresh basil you can find in the produce section.  The brand I currently have is Gourmet Garden.  If the recipe calls for 1 T pesto, I would use 1 T of basil from the tube.  When basil isn't in season, you can get more for your $ by purchasing the tubes and it lasts longer.