Recipe: Protein Salad

During a staycation a few weeks ago, my honey and I did a challenging 8-mile hike. After the hike, we were definitely ready for a cold beverage and food. We decided to check out a local brewery. While I thought the beer would be the star of our meal, it turned out that the beer was upstaged by a salad. Seriously. The salad was so good that I bookmarked it in my brain for a future attempt at home. 

I did, in fact, recreate the salad at home and it turned out amazing. So now I present to you, the Protein Salad!

This salad is hearty and protein-packed, as the name implies. It is easy to prep and all the individual bits hold up well if you want to prep stuff ahead of time. Just toss everything onto a plate when you're ready to chow down. 

Roasted tomatoes? All you need are tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper!

When they look like this, they are good to go!

This recipe is also easy to mix and match, depending on your dietary restrictions and preferences. Don't eat beef? Swap the beer burger with a turkey or chicken or veggie or whatever patty you prefer. Whole30? Just omit the quinoa and cheese. Don't like salad? Umm... I can't help you there, other to suggest you give this one a go, before you swear off salads all together. 

The vinaigrette starts with piling a bunch of fresh herbs into the blender. Mmm...

Juicy...

Protein Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

Dressing: 

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley
• Juice of 1 grapefruit (an orange would work too)
• Juice of 1 lime 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Everything else: 

• 8 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 4 burgers (beef, turkey, chicken, or veggie)

Directions: 

Roast the tomatoes: 

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Line a medium baking sheet with foil. 
3. Toss tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. 
4. Roast tomatoes for 10 minutes, stir, and then roast for another 10 minutes, until they begin to burst and shrivel up. 

Make the quinoa: 

1. Cook the quinoa according the package directions. 
2. Let cool slightly. 
3. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the citrus chimichurri vinaigrette.  

Make the dressing: 

1. While the tomatoes and quinoa are cooking, blend up your dressing. Add the top seven ingredients to a blender or food processor and whiz it up until it is nice and smooth and a beautiful green. 
2. Set aside until ready to use. 

Cook your burgers:

1. Not sure how to cook your burger? Check this out.

Assemble the salads: 

1. Pile the mixed greens onto four plates. 
2. Top salads with quinoa and roasted tomatoes. 
3. Add a burger to each salad. 
4. Crumble the goat cheese over the top. 
5. Drizzle salads with the citrus chimichurri vinaigrette. 

EAT. 

Recipe: Stuffed Jalapeños

I made up a new stuffed jalapeños recipe for a dinner party on Saturday night and a family friend told me I HAD to post it on my blog...or at least e-mail it to her. I figured that the amount of time was roughly the same, so here you go!

I apologize for not having a photo of the actual stuffed jalapeños but I didn't get a photo before they were all consumed. Whoops.

Stuffed Jalapenos
Makes: 24
Calories: ~90/each

Ingredients: 

• 12 fresh jalapenos, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
• 1 lb bacon
• 1 8-ounce block of light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup light mayo
• 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs 

Directions: 

Bake the bacon...yes, bake it!

1. Line a large baking sheet with foil and arrange the bacon in a single layer. 
2. Place in oven (NOT preheated), set to 400º F. 
3. Bake for 20 minutes, maybe a bit more, until the bacon is browned and crispy. 
4. Carefully remove bacon from baking sheet onto a paper towel lined plate. 

While the bacon is baking, prep the filling!

1. Combine the cream cheese, mayo, chopped green chiles and shredded parmesan in a medium bowl. 
2. Crumble the cooked bacon and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Stuff the jalapeños and bake them!

1. Reduce oven temperature to 350º F. 
2. Divide the filling among the jalapeño halves and line up in a single layer on another baking sheet or dish. 
3. Bake for 25 minutes at 350º F. Sprinkle baked jalapenos with bread crumbs and broil for ~5 minutes, until browned. 
4. Let the jalapeños cool for a few minutes before serving. 

Recipe: Chicken & Leek Pasta

I've got a new recipe to share! Even with full-time work and grad school, I have tried to keep up with meal planning and home cooking. (Luckily, my honey is a great cook and has been helping on the cooking end.) This is important for our physical AND mental health. 

A few weeks back, we received some lovely leeks in our produce box. I promptly decided to play Iron Chef in our kitchen and came up with this pasta dish! 

Butter + Leeks = mmm...

Some sauce stuff.

Chicken & Leek Pasta
Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 small leeks, cut in half lengthwise & then white and light green parts cut into thin half moon slices
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1/2 cup half-n-half
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan, plus more for topping
• 8 oz pasta, such as fusilli or penne 
• Salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Bring pasta water to boil. Add pasta and a bit of salt and cook al dente, according to package directions. 
2. While pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add leeks. Cook leeks, stirring often, until they have softened and are starting to brown, 5-7 minutes. 
3. Add white wine and cook until liquid has evaporated. 
4. Add the chopped chicken, lemon juice and zest, and capers. Cook for a minute to heat through. 
5. Stir in half-n-half and parmesan. Cook for another minute or two, until the sauce is bubbly and delicious. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Drain pasta and return to pot. Pour in the sauce and give it a good stir. Dish up, top with a little more shredded parmesan, and enjoy immediately. 

Recipe: Bacon, Brussels Sprouts & Potato Pizza

Potato on pizza?!

Yes!

We had something similar to this at a Yelp Elite Event a few months back and I loved it and bookmarked the idea in my brain. In addition to being delicious, this recipe is fairly quick which makes it a good weeknight meal.

I would like to point out that this is dairy free, as in no cheese. NO CHEESE. I mean, I love cheese. LOVE IT. But these toppings are good to go on their own. My honey and I discussed this fact while eating it and decided that it really doesn't need any cheese. If you can't imagine enjoying a pizza sans cheese, throw a little shredded parmesan on top before slicing and serving...but I seriously don't think it needs it.

A few tips...

Slice those potatoes super duper thin. I used a mandolin. We have one from OXO.

Layer everything as evenly as possible.

Put the minced garlic in between the layer of potatoes and brussels sprouts...that way it will get cooked but not too brown in the oven.

Basil is awesome on this pizza but you could sub fresh parsley.
Just use something fresh. It adds great flavor and color.

Bacon, Brussels Sprouts & Potato Pizza
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza crust, prepared according to package instructions (I used the wheat pizza crust dough from Trader Joe's)
• 3 slices bacon
• 3 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound baking potato, sliced as thinly as possible (see tips above)
• 6 ounces brussels sprouts, shredded
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• salt & pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon: Place bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes in a 400º F not pre-heated oven, until the bacon is almost as crispy as you like it. (It will cook a bit more on the pizza.) Once bacon is cooked, remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Increase oven temperature to 425º F. 
2. While the bacon is sizzling away in the oven, prepare your other ingredients. 
3. Toss the extra thin slices of potato in a bowl with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. 
4. Place potato slices in a single layer on the prepared pizza crust.
5. Sprinkle minced garlic evenly over the top of the potato slices. 
6. In the now empty bowl, toss the shredded brussels sprouts with remaining olive oil and layer brussels sprouts evenly over the potato. 
7. Crumble the cooked bacon over the top of the pizza. 
8. Bake pizza on a pizza stone or parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, until crust is browned and potatoes and brussels sprouts are softened. 
9. Remove pizza from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil and parmesan, if using. 
10. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe: Ginger Chicken & Bok Choy Soup

As promised...a recipe for the Ginger Chicken & Bok Choy Soup I made last week!

I'm going to crawl on out on a limb and assume that some of the people who read my blog live in places that are actually cold right now. I, on the other hand, do not happen to live in a place that is currently experiencing winter appropriate weather. It is supposed to get up to 70 this week. 70! In January! Needless to say, I won't be making any soup this week.

However, if it were cold outside, I would make this soup. It is super duper yummy and cozy but you can have your fill without feeling too stuffed. It is based on a Martha Stewart recipe but my version is less labor intensive, perfect for a weeknight, post-work dinner.

Ginger Chicken & Boy Chok Soup
Inspired by this recipe: Poached Chicken with Bok Choy in Ginger Broth

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Miso Ginger Broth 
• 1 lb chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise
• 10-ounces sliced white mushrooms
• 3 green onions
• Unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• Low sodium soy sauce
• Sriracha

Directions:

1. Bring the miso ginger broth to a boil in a large stock pot. 
2. While broth is coming to a boil, cut your chicken and bok choy into bite-size pieces and slice up your green onions. 
3. Once broth is boiling, add the chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Add in the boy choy, mushrooms and green onions and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are nice and tender. 
5. Ladle soup into individual dishes and season each with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha, to taste!

Notes:

• Our Trader Joe's carries Miso Ginger Broth but if you can't find any, you can make the broth in the original recipe (link above).
• This soup saves and reheats well. Perfect for dinner one night and then taking to work the next day for lunch. 
• Feel free to experiment with ingredients! I am going to try grilled or roasted tofu (instead of chicken), extra veggies and some rice noodles next time.

Style Cure -- Days 11 - 12 | Party Planning

Day 11: Thursday, August 15
Assignment: Plan a Get-Together and Send Invites
Full post at ApartmentTherapy.com

This one was already completed. Woot. We just so happen to get together with two other couples every month or so for a dinner and game night. We alternate homes and the next evening was ours to host. Soooo, our friends will be coming over on Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we will be cooking up a feast of Indian food, and we will most likely play dominoes and Cards Against Humanity.

If you aren't familiar with Cards Against Humanity you should know that it is available for FREE (or already made at Amazon) and is a highly offensive version of Apples to Apples. I recommend that you don't play it with your small, southern mother. Here is an extremely mild sample of what you may encounter:

PS: Our friends are awesome and I look forward to another fabulous evening with them, eating and playing in our re-styled dining room.


Day 12: Friday, August
Assignment: Shop 'til You Drop!
Full post at ApartmentTherapy.com

Well, you don't have to tell me twice! New dining room table purchased. (Check out this previous post for a photo.) Eeeee! (That's my super excited noise.) We got to pick our delivery date and *fingers crossed* our new table will be delivered this upcoming Saturday!

Please keep in mind that I have owned a hand-me-down (1970s?) kitchen table and chairs, given to me by my parents, since college. Don't get me wrong, the table and chairs are in fantastic shape and have served us well but it is time to move on...and up. We wanted to purchase something that is a better fit for our style and now we can donate our old set to a family in need.

Next up...exploring some local stores for dining room chairs. If all else fails, we can also order those online. However, I hope to find some unique, inexpensive options in person. Our new table will seat eight so our plan is still to get four white chairs (that match) and then two sets of two chairs that are different colors. Our goal is to have at least six chairs by the time our friends arrive for our dinner and game night.

Recipe: Chorizo & Black Bean Chili (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

This is a healthy and hearty vegan and gluten-free chili. It can be whipped up in under an hour although I recommend letting it simmer longer, because chili only gets better the longer the flavors have to get to know each other.

I considered taking more photos while cooking this dish but I wasn't sure if it would turn out all that good and, at the time, thought to myself, "if it turns out to be delicious I will just make it again and do a better job at documenting the process." Well, it turned out quite tasty and I didn't want to wait to share it. So there you go, that photo above is all you get.

We served this chili for a dinner and game night as part of a baked potato bar. In addition to the baked potatoes and chili, we laid out various toppings for our guests to choose from, including: diced avocado, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar and pepperjack cheeses, light sour cream, salsa, hot sauces, corn "scoop" chips, and chopped green onions and chives.

Chorizo & Black Bean Chili

Serves: 8 - 10

Vegan and Gluten-free

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces soy chorizo (this one is our favorite) 
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3, 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3, 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• Approximately 1 cup vegetable broth 
• Salt and pepper
• Toppings of your choice

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and the onions are beginning to brown, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until nice and fragrant.
2. Remove the chorizo from the casing and crumble into pot. Cook, stirring often, until heated through, approximately 5 minutes.  
3. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, black beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth (amount of broth depends on your desired chili thickness). Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. 
4. Simmer uncovered for at least 20 - 30 minutes to combine flavors. Salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Serve with your favorite chili toppings. I highly recommend diced avocado and fresh herbs. 

Project 365: 155 | Thanksgiving | 11.22.12

Project 365: 155 | Thanksgiving | 11.22.12

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving at my mother and father-in-law's house without at least three kinds of cranberry sauce. A fourth arrived shortly after I took this photo.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 145 | Meatloaf | 11.12.12

Project 365: 145 | Meatloaf | 11.12.12

One of our favorite recipes -- pan fried turkey meatloaf in bell pepper rings with tomato sauce and fried sage.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 127 | Wedges | 10.24.12

Project 365: 127 | Fries | 10.24.12

One of my new favorite potato side dish recipes is oven roasted potato wedges. You just cut some potatoes into wedges, toss them with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, pour them onto a baking sheet, and bake them for 35-40 minutes at 450 degrees, shaking them around a bit halfway through.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 118 | Five | 10.15.12

Project 365: 118 | Five | 10.15.12

Yesterday my honey and I celebrated the fifth anniversary of our first date. Five! We celebrated with a date night. The restaurant treated us to a dark chocolate tart after we enjoyed oysters, caesar salad (prepared from scratch table side), and entrees. I had scallops and they were awesome.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 97 | SkinnyTaste | 09.24.12

Project 365: 97 | SkinnyTaste | 09.24.12

On Monday, we cooked two new dishes from one of my favorite food blogs, SkinnyTaste, and they were a success. My honey cooked the grilled Asian chicken and I made the edamame fried rice. We threw in some steamed broccoli and we had delicious and healthy rice bowls. I had done a little prep work the day before, including marinating the chicken and cooking the brown rice. So far, all of the recipes we have cooked from SkinnyTaste have been keepers!

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 91 | Tomatillos | 09.18.12

Project 365: 91 | Tomatillos | 09.18.12

Almost a pound of tomatillos cost a whopping 55¢ at our local produce market. I bought them to go in a turkey and tomatillo chili. Recipe coming soon.

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i

Project 365: 62 | Salad | 08.20.12

Project 365: 62 | Salad | 08.20.12

Once of our favorites recipes (Taco Salad) now made sans tortilla chips.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 49 | Sliders | 08.07.12

Project 365: 49 | Sliders | 08.07.12

Hawaiian pork sliders with BBQ sauce and grilled pineapple to be exact. These are most definitely being inserted into the regular meal rotation because they are one of the most tasty things I have stuffed in my face. The recipe is from Very Culinary. Run, don't walk, to find it here.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 48 | Pizza | 08.06.12

Project 365: 48 | Pizza | 08.06.12

Homemade asparagus and three cheese pizza. Recipe post to follow.

Camera: iPhone

Project 365: 37 | Sushi | 07.26.12

Project 365: 37 | Sushi | 07.26.12

Thursday night sushi.

Camera: iPhone

Recipe: Portobello Chipotle Tacos with Avocado Sauce and Toasted Pepitas

These tacos can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and make for a perfect Meatless Monday (or any other day) dinner.

'Pepitas' is the Spanish culinary term for the pumpkin seed. They are a nice addition to a vegetarian dish as they are a good source of protein. I found pepitas with the other nuts at our local Trader Joe's.


Portobello Chipotle Tacos with Avocado Sauce and Toasted Pepitas

Serves: 4 (Serving size - 2 tacos)
Adapted from: There's a Newf In My Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound portobello mushroom caps, gills removed and thickly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper

1 avocado
2 tablespoons low fat or fat free sour cream
Juice of 1 lime

8 corn tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup pepitas, toasted (optional)
Favorite salsa, homemade or prepared (optional)

Directions: 
Heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add half of the portobellos and cook, stirring often, until tender and browned and very little moisture remains, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove mushrooms to a plate or bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and repeat the cooking process with the remaining mushrooms. Return first half of mushrooms to the skillet and add the garlic and chipotle chile. Cook, stirring constantly, for another minute. Turn off heat and stir in the cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste. 

While mushrooms are cooking, make the avocado sauce. In a food processor or blender combine the avocado, sour cream and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, top each tortilla with 1/8 of the mushroom mixture. Top with avocado sauce, toasted pepitas and salsa.

Project 365: 13 | Taco | 07.02.12

Project 365: 13 | Taco | 07.02.12

For dinner last night we made portobello chipotle tacos with avocado cream and toasted pepitas. They were quite delicious. Here is the recipe.

Camera: Canon Rebel T1i

Recipe: Three Bean Chili

Three Bean Chili w/ Baked Potato

Our three bean chili leftovers are barely cooled and here I am posting the recipe. I found this chili, poured over fresh-out-of-the-oven baked potatoes, made for a hearty, tummy warming meal. (Winter decided to show up again in Northern California this year.) It is also vegan/vegetarian, depending on what you serve it over and what you put on top.

Just for the record, I ate lots of leftover non-vegetarian Irish stew for lunch today so I must admit that our "Meatless Monday" is occasionally "Meatless Monday Dinner Followed By Leftovers for Meatless Tuesday Lunch." With plenty of leftovers from tonight's dinner, this will definitely be the case this week.

One bean... two beans... three beans!

Three Bean Chili
Serves: 6
Total time: 30 minutes (Prep time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 20-25 minutes)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
28 ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1-2 teaspoons chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
Baked potatoes, jalapeño cornbread or warmed tortillas, for serving

Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, French fried onions, green onions


Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the three cans of beans and set aside.
2. In a medium Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, cumin and chili powder. Stir and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes and chopped chipotle chili. Bring to a bubble and cook for a few minutes. 
4. Add the beans and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let all the flavors mingle. 
5. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and add salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Pour chili over baked potatoes or divide into bowls and serve with warmed tortillas for dipping. Add toppings of your choice.