Tag Archives: recipes

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

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…

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.

 

Mango Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

I was longing for summer this week and made one of my warm weather favorites.  This salad is great on it’s own, or paired with chicken, fish, steak, or pork (pretty much anything).  I love mangos and avocados, and I thought, why not just skip the mixed greens and have those two ingredients be the real star of my salad?  We all know lime and cilantro pair well with both fruits, so I went with that and came up with this simple concoction.  Often times, I will just eat it on it’s own, or scoop it onto a chip.  However, this time around, I poured it over my Simple Chicken.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Mango Avocado Salad

Mango Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing:

1 medium mango cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 medium avocado cut into 1/2″ pieces
2-3 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
2 tbsp. squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. mayonaise
1 tbsp. honey dijon mustard 
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
salt & pepper
 

Cut the mango and avocado into 1/2″ pieces, and set aside.  In a bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, honey, mayonaise and  honey dijon mustard with a whisk until it is smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.  Add the sesame oil and whisk briskly until the dressing becomes thick and creamy.  Stir in the chopped cilantro and salt & pepper to taste.  Toss several spoonfuls of the dressing with the chopped mango and avocado.  Enjoy!

Mango Avocado Salad over Simple Chicken

 

Simple Chicken

When I’m on a healthy eating kick, I use this quick method to cook boneless skinless chicken breasts.  If done right, the chicken is very flavorful and super moist.  Like many of my recipes, this is a method I picked up from watching my mom cook over the years.  I will probably refer to this Simple Chicken in several future recipes, as it is something I eat often and am constantly finding new things to pair it with.

Simple Chicken

Simple Chicken:

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 free-range boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt & cracked pepper
1/4 cup chicken broth

Heat the olive oil in your pan on med-high heat.  Meanwhile, coat both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Once the oil is hot, place the chicken breasts in the pan and sear them for about 3-4 min until a golden brown crust forms.  Flip the breasts and sear the other side for about 2 min, reduce the temperature to low, pour in the chicken broth and cover (For an added twist, add a splash of red or white wine which makes for a great gravy once the chicken is done).  The steam will slowly cook the chicken the rest of the way, and will take about 8-12 minutes.  Allow the chicken to rest for several minutes before serving.

Chicken & Apple Curry Soup

This soup is very easy to make and completely soothes your soul!  The curry and the apple flavors work very well together.  If you are not a fan of curry, I wouldn’t write this one off until you try it.  This recipe was found by a family friend, who I think found it in a magazine.  I unfortunately don’t know the source, but some items and quantities have been tweaked from the original.

Chicken & Apple Curry Soup

Chicken & Apple Curry Soup:

Serves 8.  Prep: 20 min  Cook Time: 30 min. 
 
3 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrot
1 cup chopped onion
3-4 cloves pressed garlic
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
74 oz. chicken Broth 
2 cups chopped apple (granny smith or golden delicious)
1/2 cup long-grain rice
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup light cream of half-&-half
4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
 

Sweat the Carrots, Celery & Onion

In a large saucepan, sweat the celery, carrot and onion in the olive oil.  Add the garlic last and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the broth, apples, rice, curry powder, and thyme.  Bring to boiling and then reduce the heat.  Simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes (until rice is tender).

Add the Long-Grain Rice

Combine the cream and flour and stir into the soup.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in the chicken and heat through (I just steamed 2 chicken breasts with a sprinkle of salt & pepper while I chopped the other vegetables).

Stir Until Thick

Add salt to taste and for the best consistency, let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes before serving.  It’s even better the next day!

 
 

Tangy Tomato Curry Sauce

My Mom is the queen of making amazing food with a can of coconut milk, a dash of curry powder, and a few pantry staples.  This sauce is one of my favorites, and was completely inspired by the many versions I’ve seen her make.  What I love most about this particular sauce, is that it’s absolutely delicious and it only takes about 4 minutes from start to finish.  Once the sauce is done, you just need a good vehicle to get it into your mouth.  This time around I chose asparagus, but the possibilities are endless!  I love to smother a chicken breast in this sauce, or poor it over broccoli or potatoes.  Most veggies, and really any protein would taste great with this sauce.  Even halibut, or better yet – Chilean sea bass would be amazing.  If you don’t have any of those items to use as a vehicle, spooning it straight in is also a great method.  Yum!

Tangy Tomato Curry Sauce

Tangy Tomato Curry Sauce:

EVOO 
3 cloves of pressed garlic
1 small can tomato paste (6 oz.)
1 small can coconut milk (6 oz.)
4 oz. chicken broth (veggie broth would also work)
1 tsp. curry powder
3 tbsp. honey (or more if you like it extra sweet)
salt & pepper to taste

In a saucepan, on medium heat, press the garlic into a splash of EVOO being careful not to burn it.  Add the tomato paste and coconut milk and stir until smooth.  Add the curry powder and incorporate well.  Slowly pour in the chicken broth to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.  This may vary depending on what you pair it with.  Add the honey, stirring well, and reduce the temperature to medium-low.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If the sauce thickens up after sitting, use more broth to thin it back out.

Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables with Candied Walnut Salad

This was one of the cheapest meals I’ve made in a while.  And delicious to boot!!  The hubby and I were sticking to a strict grocery budget this week, so I had to stretch a dollar and buying a whole chicken was very economical.  I bought a whole Free Range Chicken (about 1.5 lbs.) for $7.00.  Throw in 4 carrots, a half of a sack of baby yukons that were starting to sprout in the pantry, and a nubbin of an onion that I found in the crisper, and I had myself a meal my grandma would have been proud of.  A quick pan gravy was the perfect flavor booster, and of course a little salad to make the meal ‘healthy’.

Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables

Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables:                                            

1.5 – 2 lb. Whole Chicken
4-6 Large Carrots (peeled and cut into 2 in. pieces)
6-10 Small Potatoes (cut in half or quarters)
1/2 Yellow or White Onion
1/4 Cup Butter
2 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley
1 Tbsp. Chopped or dried Thyme
2 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt & Pepper
1/4 Cup Red Wine 
 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth 

Pre-heat oven to 400°.  Rinse and pat dry chicken (remove giblets).  Toss Carrots, Potatoes and Onion with EVOO, 1/2 Tbsp. Parsley, 1/2 Tbsp. Thyme, Salt & Pepper and place in the bottom of your roasting pan.  Splash in the Red Wine of your choice and the Chicken Broth, and lightly toss the veggies in the liquid  Mix Butter with remaining Parsley and Thyme, and add Salt & Pepper to taste.  Spread the herb butter under the skin of the chicken on the breast side.  Rub remaining herb butter to coat the entire chicken.  Place breast-side down in the roasting pan and bake for about 30 min.  Flip the chicken breast-side up and bake for about an hour (basting with the juices periodically).  Reduce the temperature to 375° and loosely cover the whole chicken with aluminium foil.  Cook until your meat thermometer reads about 175°.  Remove from the oven and let rest at least 10 min before serving.

Quick Pan Gravy:                                              

Pan Drippings (remove excess oil)
1 1/2-2 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. Honey Dijon
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Dissolve the flour in a separate dish with a splash of chicken broth and make a smooth paste (rue).  Heat the pan drippings on Med. and add the Honey Dijon and flour rue while whisking.  Add Chicken broth and increase heat to Med-High until it bubbles and begins to thicken.  Reduce the temperature to Med-Low and continue whisking until thick and smooth.  Add Salt & Pepper to taste.

Candied Walnut Salad

Candied Walnut Salad:                                 

1/4 Cup Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Honey Dijon Mustard
1/3 Cup EVOO
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 Small Box Baby Romaine Mix
1/3 Cup Candied Walnuts (store-bought or homemade)
1/3 Cup Crumbled Feta
1/3 Cup Sweetened Dried Cranberries 
 

Salad Dressing: Press 2 Cloves Garlic into a bowl and add the Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, and Honey Dijon.  Whisk until well incorporated.  Stream in the EVOO while whisking vigorously.  Whisk until the dressing becomes thick and creamy, and the oil is no longer separated.  Add Salt & Pepper to taste.

Toss the Baby Romaine with Candied Walnuts, Feta and Salad Dressing.  Top Salad with the Sweetened Dried Cranberries.