Leek and Feta Frittata, Hashbrowns & Tangerine Juice
28 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Vegetarian Recipes Tags: breakfast, comfort food, quick and easy, sides, snack, vegetarian
Frittatas are always a hit in my house. I love leeks so I figured this would be deelish. Michael really liked it, so I guess it was 
I served this for breakfast so it paired perfectly with hashbrowns (with onions and peppers) and deelish tangerine juice! We love juice in my house, but tangerine juice is just so sweet and deelish, a wonderful treat! We use our Breville Juice Fountain Elite and the juice comes out so creamy it is amazing!
Leek and Feta Frittata
- 2-3 leeks, washed and chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 8-12 eggs
- 1/2 cup low-fat milk
- 1/2-1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté leeks and onions until soft; season to tates with salt and pepper
- Whisk eggs, milk and feta together, till combined
- Pour into pan over leeks and onions and cook on stove for 5 minutes. Transfer to the oven for 8-10 minutes till set.
- Enjoy
YUM!!!
Chicken with Peppers and Hummus
24 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Home Cooking Tags: chicken, comfort food, quick and easy
This dish was super easy and had bright fun colors! The hummus blended in with the chicken but Michael said it was a great addition. This is a great weeknight meal that can be thrown together so quickly! You could even just buy chicken tenders and throw this together with the veggies for a super fast dinner.
Chicken with Peppers and Hummus
adapted from Gourmet
4 servings
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced in 1 1/2 inch tenders
1 red or orange bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips1 Italian frying or Cubanelle pepper, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 medium red onion, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 (8- to 10-ounce) container prepared hummus
- Preheat broiler. Line a large baking pan with foil.
- Stir together oil, salt, cumin, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl, then toss with chicken and vegetables.
- Arrange in baking pan and broil 4 to 6 inches from heat, stirring once, until chicken is just cooked through and vegetables are lightly charred, about 8-12 minutes.
- Divide hummus among plates and top with chicken and vegetables.
Zucchini and Spinach Tofu Scram
23 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: comfort food, quick and easy, sides, snack, vegan, vegetarian
YUM! I have never met a tofu scram I didn’t like This is one of those stir-fry kind of recipes that you can substitute and play with, with whatever you have handy or is fresh in season. I have eaten tofu scram for breakfast, lunch or dinner and it is always a hearty, healthy and delicious meal. If you want to add something more to the plate, serve this with an english muffin or roll.
Before adding the spinach
Zucchini and Spinach Tofu Scram
6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, finely diced
12-16 ounces firm tofu, diced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 – 2 tablespoon tamari
5 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup salsa
- Heat oil over high-heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes.
- Add zucchini, tofu, tamari and chili powder. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
- Add salsa and spinach and stir until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
Short Ribs with Pasta
22 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Home Cooking Tags: comfort food
I love making Michael Short Ribs because I know it is one of his favorite things. Rare that I cook red meat at all, but I do this sometimes because I know he likes to eat it every once in a while. He really liked this dish but, as I found out, prefers his meat separate from his pasta. So all the leftovers I packed up were meat only He also said that the chocolate didn’t add much, so forget about it if you don’t have that, although it did add a pretty touch to the dish. Overall, he really liked this dish, but I don’t think he has met a short rib he didn’t like.
Short Ribs with Pasta
Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 4-6
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds short ribs
- Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1 pound pasta
- 4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate
- Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.
- Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse.
- Once the short ribs are browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the meat and bones from the pot. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until done. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if needed, to moisten the pasta.
- Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.
Short Ribs and Sauce before cooking
Short Ribs after cooking and shredding
Butternut squash, Apricots and Apples with Quinoa
21 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: comfort food, quick and easy, sides, snack, vegan, vegetarian
This is a great meal or side dish. The apricot and apples add such a nice sweetness and the spices were amazing! I left mine in the slow-cooker on warm for 2 hours after it was done cooking, it was still really good, but I would recommend not over-cooking this dish. I have said many time before how much I love slow-cooking. It is a tremendous time-saver and such a pleasure to come home to a house smelling so delicious and a meal ready to eat. YUM!
Butternut squash, Apricots and Apples with Quinoa
1 tbsp. cumin powder
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. ginger, minced
2 tsp. orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed black pepper
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 medium, peeled butternut squash
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 1/2 cups quinoa
- In a skillet or heatproof slow-cooker liner, heat oil over medium heat and cook onions about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, zest, cinnamon stick, turmeric, salt and pepper, stirring for 1 minute. Add veggie broth and orange juice and bring to a boil. If using a skillet transfer to a slow cooker stoneware.
- Add squash, apples, and apricots to stoneware and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until vegetables are tender.
- In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa stirring to prevent lumps and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed. Add to slow cooker and stir well. Serve immediately.
Simple Roasted Veggies
18 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: quick and easy, sides, vegan, vegetarian
This is one of those recipes where you can interchange almost any veggie or root vegetable and keep it delicious! When I am cooking a lot of other dishes, it is nice to make a simple veggie side that does not need a lot of attention or prep. It is not the most exciting recipe, but its simple and healthy.
Simple Roasted Veggies
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 bunch of broccoli, cut in to florets and stem peeled and chopped
1 cup baby carrots
10 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 to 4 whole sprigs rosemary
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, garlic, and onion in a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the veggies and season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the rosemary around the veggies and sprinkle with the pine nuts.
- Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes. Using tongs toss the veggies and add more oil if they are too dry. Roast for another 15 or so minutes.
- Take out the rosemary and chop up the softened leaves to sprinkle to veggie with.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy! So simple!
Zucchini Strata
17 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Home Cooking, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: breakfast, quick and easy, sides, snack, vegetarian
More grating! My box grater was sure getting a work out these last couple of weeks. If you hate grating or have a tendency to cut yourself, try using the grating blade on a food processor. It is super simple and fast. I have one and have used it in the past, but for some reason I love to grate. So box grater it is for me.
Michael really enjoyed this one! It can be a great side dish, breakfast or even a vegetarian entrée. Super simple, yet I love the way it came out with great color!
Zucchini Strata
Serves 4
4 zucchini
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmigiano, grated
1 teaspoon curry powder
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grate the zucchini and place in a sieve with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let is drain for about 15 minutes and then rinse well to remove the salt. Squeeze the zucchini with a towel to get as much water out as possible.
- Whisk the eggs and add the bread crumbs, cheese, curry powder, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Combine with zucchini and stir until combined.
- Pour the mixture into a sprayed/greased 8×8 baking and pat down until smooth. Bake for 15-20 minutes. If there is still liquid on top, blot with a paper towel and put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.
Provencal Chicken with Rosemary Orzo
16 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Home Cooking, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: chicken, sides, vegan, vegetarian
This was a great dish. Michael loved it all and I thought the orzo was so simple yet super flavorful! I forgot to drain the can of tomatoes so it took me longer to reduce the sauce, so please do not make the same mistake I did Although I did not eat the chicken, I knew this was going to be a good one because I love these flavors. Tomatoes, Olives, Leeks and White Wine, OH MY! YUM! Enjoy!
Check out those boiling bubbles!!!
Provencal Chicken with Rosemary Orzo
Recipe adapted from Gourmet
Provencal Chicken
Serves 6
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 garlic cloves, minced
white part of 4 leeks, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise, washed well, and drained (make sure to drain!)
2 cups chicken broth
a 28-to-32 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup drained Niçoise or Kalamata olives
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy flameproof casserole pan or deep skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs as browned to a large plate.
Turn on the fan, unless you want to the smoke detector going off Add wine to casserole and boil, scraping up browned bits, until almost evaporated. Add garlic, leeks, broth, tomatoes, zest, and chicken with any juices accumulated on plate and simmer, covered, turning chicken once, until chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter.
Add olives to tomato mixture and boil sauce until thickened slightly. Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve with chicken and rosemary orzo.
Rosemary Orzo
Serves 6
1 pound orzo
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Bring a 6-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook orzo until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain orzo well and in a large bowl toss with oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.
Comp 3-day: The Sports Club/LA or Reebok Sports Club/NY
16 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in In the News, New York Highlights Tags: fitness
Complimentary 3-day Membership (to be activated by 2/28)to The Sports Club/LA or Reebok Sports Club/NY
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Raw Chocolate Mint Coconut Cookies
15 Feb 2010 4 Comments
in Raw Desserts and Treats, Raw Vegan Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tags: chocolate, comfort food, cookies, dessert, quick and easy, raw, snack, vegan, vegetarian
These are DIVINE! I love anything chocolate, mint and coconuty so this is the perfect snack for me! YUM! They were incredibly fast to throw together and were ready and set super fast in the fridge. I was surprised… normally it takes at least a half hour to an hour for my desserts to set and this one was ready so fast! I would suggest doubling this recipe if you want them to last at all
If you are not into mint, I would recommend leaving the peppermint oil out and making them chocolate coconut cookies. I am sure that would be deelish as well!
YUM!! Such chocolate goodness!
Cookie batter is always so good, but now that I know how good this was Done, I was happy I waited
Spoonfuls, ready to start setting
So easy to peel these off and munch!!!
ENJOY
Raw Chocolate Mint Coconut Cookies
1/2 cup Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Raw Cacao Butter
1/4 cup Agave
2 Tablespoons Raw Honey
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
5-10 drops organic peppermint oil
1 1/2 cup Raw Cacao Powder
1 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
- Combine all ingredients except the cacao powder and coconut in a Vita-mix or food processor and process for 2 minutes till completely combined.
- Place the Cacao Powder and Coconut in a bowl and pour the liquid mixture on top and combine with a wooden spoon.
- On a small baking tray lined with wax paper, place tablespoon spoonfuls of the mixture and set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. By the time you know it they will be ready to munch on. Be careful, they go quick
