Category Archives: Eat

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs

Last week, the Hubby and I officially purged our cupboard and fridge of all items laden with wheat and gluten.  We are determined (for once) to stick to a diet of mainly organic fruit, vegetables, and protein.  Wish us luck!

Tonight, we were craving spaghetti and meatballs.  Using spaghetti squash instead of pasta is an easy swap, and we were pleasantly surprised with how light and moist these experimental gluten-free meatballs turned out!  We threw in a little bit of this and that, and ended up with the best meatballs we’ve ever made.

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs

You can check out my Pesto ‘Spaghetti’ Squash & Prawns recipe for instructions on cooking a spaghetti squash.  For this weeknight meal, I simply doctored up an organic bottled marinara sauce with a little extra garlic, onion, red wine, diced tomato and italian seasoning, and after cooking the meatballs, they went for a quick dip into the marinara pool before getting smothered over the spaghetti squash.  I’ll have to save my spaghetti sauce from scratch for another post.

Gluten-Free Italian Meatballs:

makes 18, 5 min prep time, 25 minutes cook time

3/4 lb. ground beefalo
1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
2 eggs, whisked 
1/4 medium sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup canned garlic & basil diced tomatoes, strained
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)
1 tsp finely ground pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 tbsp ketchup
 

 Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine the ground beefalo meat and ground chicken in a bowl.  Add the almond meal, parmesan, and whisked eggs and stir until both meats are well incorporated.  Stir in all remaining ingredients, leaving the ketchup aside.  Form 1 1/2 to 2 inch meatballs and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Place in a 350° oven for 20 minutes, and flip them over half way through.  Increase the temperature to 400° and using a basting brush, coat the top of each meatball with ketchup.  Remove once they reach an internal temperature of 160°, about 5 more minutes.

Toss them in your favorite marinara and enjoy!

 
 
 
 
 

Banana-Nutella Sandwich ‘Pops’

I’m not sure why it took me this long to discover Nutella, but I just bought my very first container of the delightful chocolate-hazelnut spread this week.  I’ve tried it over the years, at a friends house or in a restaurant dessert, but have always refrained from keeping it as a pantry staple (apparently many others do).  Of course, my 3 year old son was very happy about my recent purchase, so I decided to make a little treat for him today.  Kids go crazy over anything in a ‘pop’ form, so that’s what I did.

Banana-Nutella Sandwich 'Pops'

Banana-Nutella Sandwich ‘Pops’

Banana-Nutella Sandwich ‘Pops’:

makes 6 
 
1 ripe banana 
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 tbs Nutella
6 lollipop sticks

Using a 1″ biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles from the wheat bread (toast the bread for an extra warm crunch).  Cut the banana into 1/2″ thick slices, spread the nutella on two bread rounds and sandwich the banana slice in between.  Press the lollipop sticks through the mini sandwiches and serve.

Assembly was a pinch on these yummy morsels!  They were the perfect Sunday afternoon snack, but would also be a hit for any kids party.

'Pops' to Share

‘Pops’ to Share

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

If it’s not chewy, what’s the point? There’s nothing worse than a crunchy cookie (other than no cookies at all), and if I do come across a cookie with too much crunch I am sure to eat it with a great deal of reluctance.

So, today I was perusing a cute little cookie cookbook I’ve had for years (but have never tried a recipe), and found what looked like the perfect Chewy Chocolate Cookie recipe.  I had to give it a whirl.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

The book is 500 Cookies: The Only Cookie Compendium You’ll Ever Need, by Philippa Vanstone.

With my 3 year old son as my helper, and a few pantry substitutions, I created what may now be one of my favorite cookies of all time.  I’m sure the recipe would have been just as delicious as is, but I didn’t have the exact ingredients on hand; below is my version.  These cookies turned out tasting like lava cake (which is my favorite kind of cake).  They were soft and gooey in the middle, with a solid glossy finish on the outside.  Perfect to pair with a tall glass of milk, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from –  500 Cookies: The Only Cookie Compendium You’ll Ever Need

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sweet butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. semisweet mini chocolate chips
 

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a small saucepan, or double-boiler, melt the chopped bittersweet and semisweet chocolate with the butter.  Let cool slightly.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.  Slowly add the melted chocolate and mix on low.  Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low until well combined.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, and drop tablespoons of the cookie dough with enough space to spread out.  Bake for 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Don’t worry, I ate those crumbs. . . And the other two cookies.  :)

 
 
 
 

Simple Arugula Salad

Fall is here.  The leaves are turning bright shades of coral and red, the air is crisp and clean, and I have the insatiable urge to get back in the kitchen after a hectic summer.  Fall typically means massive carb-cravings for me, so tonight I curbed those cravings with a deliciously simple arugula salad.

Simple Arugula Salad

The inspiration for this salad was the box of local cherry tomatoes I bought at the market last night.  They were vibrant and colorful, and needed to be the star of my next meal.

‘No Woman’ Jamaican Jerk Cheese from Beecher’s

The peppery zest of the arugula was the perfect pair for the tomatoes, along with thinly sliced radishes, a creamy champagne vinaigrette and an unexpected finish with my favorite local Seattle cheese from Beecher’s. The ‘No Woman’ cheese from Beecher’s is laced with Jamaican Jerk seasoning and has a nutty finish that’s to die for!  Check out their website HERE for many other delicious cheesy morsels.

Simple Arugula Salad

5 0z. baby arugula (small box)
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 radishes, thinly sliced
3 tbs. Beecher’s ‘No Woman’ cheese, finely grated

Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing:

4 tbs. champagne vinegar
1 tbs. dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs. honey
1 tsp. thyme, minced
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 egg yolk (make sure it’s fresh or use mayonnaise as a substitute)
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt & cracked pepper
 

Prepare the salad dressing in a medium bowl.  Add the vinegar, dijon, minced garlic, honey, thyme, lemon zest, and egg yolk.  Stir the ingredients to combine.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing becomes rich and creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the arugula, cherry tomatoes, and sliced radishes with the champagne vinaigrette in a large bowl.  Top each serving with a healthy coating of cheese and cracked pepper.  Enjoy!

 

Simple Arugula Salad

 

Gluten-Free Sausage & Veggie Pizza

My co-worker, who is on the Paleo diet (and shrinking by the minute), recently passed along a great recipe for gluten-free pizza crust made with almond meal instead of flour.  I believe the recipe came from Everyday Paleo.  I am not on the Paleo diet, so I had no remorse when I smothered my version with cheese.  However, I am trying to reduce the amount of gluten we are eating as a family, so this is a perfect addition to our dinner rotation and a great alternative to pizza delivery.

Gluten-Free Sausage & Veggie Pizza

Gluten-Free Sausage & Veggie Pizza:

Adapted from Everyday Paleo

Pizza Crust

(one pizza, serves 4)

2 cups almond meal
1 ½ tbsp. minced rosemary
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs

Dry Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a medium bowl, combine the almond meal, rosemary, garlic powder, baking soda, salt & pepper.

Add the olive oil and eggs, and mix until well combined.  Form a ball, using a small amount of additional almond meal to keep it from sticking.  Roll out the dough to approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.

Place the pizza dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dust with additional corn meal.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Form a Ball
Roll out the Dough on Parchment Paper

Pizza Toppings

(one pizza, serves 4)

3/4 cup. pizza sauce (canned or homemade)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded romano cheese
1/4 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1/4 lb. mild italian chicken sausage
1/4 lb. spicy italian pork sausage
 

While the pizza crust is baking, prepare your toppings.  Combine the chicken and pork sausage thoroughly together (you can buy high quality italian seasoned pork sausage and chicken sausage at stores like Whole Foods or Central Market.  Or add italian seasoning and spices to plain sausage).  Brown the meat in a pan and set aside.  Toss the peppers and onions in the same pan with a sprinkle of salt and saute them for several minutes to soften them up.  Set those aside.

Italian Sausage

Peppers & Onions

When the pizza crust is finished, evenly spread the pizza sauce on top, and layer the cheese, peppers, onions, olives and meat.  Finish it off with one more sprinkle of cheese and place in a 350° oven for 25 minutes.

Finished Pizza Crust

Spread the Sauce

Layer Peppers & Onions

Add Sausage, Olives & Cheese

‘

The cheese should be melted and bubbly when removed from the oven.  Slice it up and make sure to share!

Gluten-Free Sausage & Veggie Pizza

Considering the crust is literally made from finely ground almonds, we were pleasantly surprised by the taste.  The texture was kind of like a biscuit, which was actually quite pleasant and as good as it gets for gluten-free!  Next time, I will play around with using different herbs in the crust.  Maybe oregano instead of rosemary…

Pesto ‘Spaghetti’ Squash & Prawns

It took me about a month, but I finally made my way back into the kitchen for this healthy meal.  If you’re curious what I’ve been eating the last month during my cooking strike, I’ll tell you it has not been good.  Mainly the crusts from my sons turkey sandwiches, Starbucks breakfast wraps, ‘mini time meals’ from Taco Time, and cookie dough ice cream.  No exaggeration.

Pesto 'Spaghetti' Squash & Prawns

I’m baby-stepping my way to a full body cleanse, so spaghetti squash seemed like a good choice.  If I have to lay off the carbs, at least I can pretend I am eating pasta so it’s not quite so painful.  I’ve eaten a lot of spaghetti squash over the years, but have never paired it with a pesto sauce.  I usually put a more traditional spaghetti sauce with it, and then about a pound of parmesan (to negate all of its wholesomeness).  This time, I decided to try pesto for a change.  I threw in some sweet cherry tomatoes and deliciously fresh prawns for added protein.  I have to say, I am quite impressed at how yummy it was!  My hubby even liked it (except for the prawns – he avoids scavengers like the plague).  I mixed up my usual pesto but used 1/2 baby arugula for a more peppery kick.  Be warned, you will have plenty of pesto left over, so plan on adding it into your dinner plans for the week, or you can reduce the amounts.  I prefer the leftovers!

Pesto ‘Spaghetti’ Squash & Prawns:

Serves 2

1 ‘spaghetti’ squash
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves
2 cups baby arugula
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil + a little splash
3/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 tbsp butter 
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
6-8 prawns, tail-on & divined
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
 

Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 425°.  Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.  Brush the inside flesh with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place squash flesh side down on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, until soft and tender.

Place pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse until they are finely minced and incorporated.  Add the basil leaves, baby arugula, salt and pepper.  Close the lid on your food processor and slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil while whirling the ingredients for about 1 minute.

Basil, Arugula, Salt & Pepper

Pine nuts & Garlic



‘

Add the shredded parmesan and whirl in the food processor for about 1 more minute, until the pesto is well blended.  You should have a nice creamy, puree.  If it is too thick, turn the food processor back on and add more olive oil.

Pesto!

Add the Parmesan

‘

Set aside the pesto.  In a large skillet, place a pad of butter and a splash of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the red pepper flakes while the butter and oil get hot.  Season the prawns with salt & pepper and place them in the skillet.  Toss in the cherry tomatoes and let them char and wilt.  Turn the prawns to the other side after about 1 minute and cook through until they are pink and opaque.

Prawns & Cherry Tomatoes

Hot Prawns

‘

By this time, the spaghetti squash should be ready to come out of the oven.  Hold the squash with a towel or pot holder, and scoop out the insides with a fork.  Place the stringy squash next to the prawns and tomatoes in the skillet (avoid stirring the tomatoes, they will be very soft).  Add a couple spoonfuls of pesto onto the spaghetti squash and stir until the sauce is well incorporated.

Scoop Out Stringy Squash

Stir in the Pesto

‘

Plate the squash first and top with the cherry tomatoes and prawns.  Add a sprinkle of parmesan and basil for garnish.

Pesto 'Spaghetti' Squash & Prawns

Warm Quinoa Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

I seem to go through extreme phases with my cooking (and eating).  Right now, I’m hoping the ‘salad phase’ sticks, because my body needs a cleanse from all the cookies and savory meals I’ve been consuming.  This salad is super satisfying and the addition of warm chicken and quinoa help to actually fill you up!

Warm Quinoa Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

I’ve been craving a strawberry goat cheese salad, but for dinner it had to have a bit more substance so prevent me from eating a bag of chips afterward.  Quinoa is super high in protein and also quick and easy to whip up.  I added chicken as well, for even more filling action.  What can I say, I’m a hungry girl…

Warm Quinoa Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese:

(serves 2)
1/2 cup dried quinoa
extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. minced parsley 
1/2 lb. chicken breast or tenders
mixed greens, or baby spinach
6 medium strawberries
1/2 small red onion
3 tbsp. goat cheese crumbles
salt & pepper

Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette:

2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp. pomegranate balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil  
salt & pepper
 

For the vinaigrette, combine garlic, pomegranate balsamic vinegar, honey and dijon mustard in a bowl.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Keep whisking vigorously until the dressing becomes thick and creamy.  Add salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

Prep the Ingredients

Follow cooking instructions on the quinoa package, adding a splash of olive oil and salt (1 cup water to 1/2 cup quinoa.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover for 15 minutes).  When the quinoa is soft, and translucent, add minced garlic, parsley and salt & pepper to taste.  Set aside.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and either steam until cooked through, or use this Simple Chicken recipe.  Let the meat rest for several minutes and cut into chunks.  Set aside.  Thinly slice the red onion, and chop or slice the strawberries and set aside.

Assemble the salad by tossing several handfuls of mixed greens (or spinach) with the goat cheese, strawberries, onions and pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette.  Divide into two dishes and top with the chicken breast and quinoa.  Add more goat cheese or parsley for garnish, and an extra drizzle of the vinaigrette.  Yum!

Enjoy!

Pastrami & Swiss Panini

When I can’t bear to actually ‘cook’, a hot panini is one of my favorite lazy dinners.  Warm, gooey, melted cheese is hard to resist.  This version I whipped up has swiss cheese, pastrami, caramelized onions, and a fried egg right in the middle of it all.  Yum!

Pastrami & Swiss Panini

You don’t have to have a fancy panini press to make these at home.  I use my George Foreman Grill for panini’s, and it works great.  You could also use a handheld panini press, pared with a nonstick pan or grill pan.  Or, if all else fails, just use two cast iron or nonstick pans.  Place your sandwich in the larger one, and set the smaller one on top of the sandwich to ‘press’ it (stick a can on top for more weight if needed).  If there’s a hot sandwich with melted cheese on the line, I will find a way to make it work!

Pastrami & Swiss Panini:

(serves 2) 
4 slices rye or dark honey wheat bread
4 slices swiss cheese
2 fried eggs
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil 
safflower oil 
salt & pepper
butter
zesty aoli (recipe below)

Zesty Aoli:

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp honey
1/2 teaspoon creamy horseradish
cracked pepper
 

Caramelized Onions

Combine the mayonnaise, minced garlic, honey and horseradish for the Zesty Aoili.  Mix well and season with cracked pepper.  Set aside.

In a nonstick or cast iron skillet, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced onions and season with salt and pepper.  Toss them in the oil and heat until caramelized.  Set aside.

Prepare your nonstick or cast iron pan with safflower oil over medium/high heat.  Crack the eggs directly onto the hot oil and fry the eggs to your preferred doneness, adding salt and cracked pepper to taste.  To assemble the sandwich, spread the zesty aoli on both slices of bread, next add the swiss on both slices, pastrami on both, and finish with caramelized onions on one side and the fried egg on the other.

Assemble the Sandwich

Fry the Egg

Close up your sandwich and coat the outside of the bread with a thin layer of butter or oil.  Place on the panini press and let the melting magic begin!  Remove the panini once the cheese has melted, it is heated through middle, and the bread is toasted to a golden brown.

Time to Eat!

I couldn’t wait another second to take a bite!  The one thing with panini’s is that you MUST eat them while they’re hot!  Pair this with tomato soup and you have yourself a perfect week-night meal.

 

Cranberry-Raisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

After making the Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Treat ‘Pops’ for Valentines day, I had a bag of leftover white chocolate chips.  They have been haunting me from the pantry ever since.  If they were regular chocolate chips, I probably would have just eaten them straight from the bag.  White chocolate chips are not my favorite on their own, but absolutely have potential when mixed with other delicious things.  So, that’s just what I did; I mixed them into a cookie with cranberries, raisins, and oats.  They turned out perfectly!

Cranberry-Raisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

I can’t take all the credit for these yummy morsel’s, as they were born from the recipe on the back of the Ocean Spray Craisins box.  Click here for that complete recipe.  Mine were just barely adapted.  For example, I just about doubled the white chocolate chips (2/3 cup was not nearly enough), and instead of all cranberries, I used 1/2 cranberries, and 1/2 raisins.

Cranberry-Raisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies:

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
 
Preheat oven to 375°.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Cream together the eggs and brown sugar until smooth.  Add eggs and mix until fluffy.  

Add Eggs

Cream Butter & Brown Sugar

Add dry ingredient mixture slowly, mixing until smooth.  Stir in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and raisins.

Stir in the Goodies

Add Dry Ingredients

Form the dough into 1 inch balls and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Very gently flatten the tops for a better cookie shape (not shown).

Form Cookie Dough Balls

Finished Cookie Dough

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°.  Let the cookies cool on a wire rack (for as long as you can stand) and enjoy!

Cranberry-Raisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction

I was in Denver, CO last week for work and went out to a hip little restaurant called North.  Apparently it’s a chain with several locations across the U.S., but unfortunately none in my neck of the woods.  I ordered the Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin and it was fabulous.  The pork was cooked to perfection, and the apple cider reduction added the perfect balance of sweetness.  I tried my best to recreate the dish for Sunday night dinner.  I have to say I did a pretty good job, as I was going off of taste-bud memory alone.

Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction

The pork tenderloin had some form of herbed breadcrumbs on the outside, which I assume were panko.  I also detected a layer of dijon mustard holding the panko crust to the meat.  I would imagine they seared their version first and finished it off in the oven.  For simplicity I just baked it from start to finish.  They served potato puree and rapini (aka- broccoli raab) on the side.  I served mine with classic garlic mashed potatoes  and wilted spinach.

Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin:

1 lb.  pork tenderloin
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. minced rosemary
1 tsp. minced thyme
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cracked pepper
2 tbsp. dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Combine panko bread crumbs, minced parsley, rosemary and thyme in a bowl.  Add salt, cracked pepper and olive oil.  Stir until well combined.  Lay out the bread crumb mixture on parchment paper.

Panko Mixture on Parchment

Panko & Dijon

Thinly coat the pork tenderloin with dijon mustard and set it onto the panko mixture. Roll the tenderloin until the entire surface is coated evenly.

Cover with Panko Mixture

Coat with Dijon

Place the pork tenderloin on a broiling pan or wire rack over a baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes, and remove when internal temperature reaches 155°.  Let the meat rest before slicing.

Apple Cider Reduction:

Apple Cider Reduction

1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup maple syrup

Reduce apple cider and apple cider vinegar in a saucepan over high heat for about 10 minutes.  Add honey and maple syrup, and continue to reduce the liquid on medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of syrup.

Classic Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

6 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. cream 
salt & pepper, to taste

Boil potatoes until fork tender.  Strain water and return them to a pot.  Using a hand masher, work the potatoes until fairly smooth.  Add garlic, butter, salt & pepper, and stir until well combined.  Add cream one tbsp. at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Wilted Spinach:

6 oz. baby spinach
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil and pepper flakes over medium heat in a large skillet.  When the oil is hot, add the baby spinach and toss until it’s fully coated.  Add salt to taste while it cooks down. This will happen quickly, so watch closely.

Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction