Wacky Wednesday with a side of Fried Zucchini

I left my phone at the office today. :-(  So, yeah, that sucks!

Recipe of the Week:  Fried Zucchini with Chive Mayo

It looks just like it did in the magazine, so that's a good start (sorry the picture isn't very good, I had to use my work Blackberry to take it!).

I'll give this one a "good for parties but I certainly don't need to eat this entire plate of zucchini" rating.
It tastes pretty good, but you don't need a ton.  And it requires more bowls (3 plus a put full of oil) than I'd generally want to use if I'm cooking just for myself or the two of us.

Directions (I cut the recipe in half):

• Whisk 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 beaten egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  
• Heat 4 cups canola oil in a large pot over medium heat to 350 degrees
• Toss 2 zucchini (cut into spears) in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Coat the zucchini in the batter
• Fry in batches, until golden, 4-6 minutes.

Chive Mayo (I used Greek yogurt, worked great)

• Combine 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup chopped chives, and 3.4 tsp seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay),

Serve with the zucchini and lemon wedges.

It's a keeper and may make an appearance at the New Year's party this year.

Carrots Au Gratin

Not the healthiest veggie recipe ever, but tasty!

Carrots Au Gratin

There are carrots under there, I swear!

I didn't follow the recipe exactly, just used what I had around, but it worked out.

	4 1/2 CCarrots; peeled and sliced- I used most of a baggie of baby carrots
	2/3 CRitz Crackers; Crushed- I had some wheat thins and tortilla chips around so used that.
	3 Tbutter; divided
	1/2 COnion; diced
	3 TFlour
	1/2 tspsalt
	1/4 tsppepper
	1 1/2 CMilk
	2/3 CCheddar Cheese; or velveeta

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9×12 baking pan.
Steam carrots (or cook with your desired method) until they are just fork tender, but still a bit firm (approximately 10 minutes).
In a small bowl, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. Toss the melted butter with the cracker crumbs and set aside.
In a medium saucepan heated over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 Tbs. of butter. Saute the onions in the butter until they are translucent and tender. Add the flour, salt, and pepper to the onion/butter mixture and cook (while stirring) for approximately one minute. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes, until it thickens.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheese. Whisk until everything is smooth and melted.
Fold the carrots into the cheese mixture and coat everything well. Pour the carrot and cheese mixture into the baking pan and sprinkle with the cracker crumbs.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until everything is heated through and cheese sauce is bubbly.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

This is not from my clean eating challenge, though other than the brown sugar, I think they can kind of qualify.
A coworker brought these into the office and once I tasted them I just had to try to make them myself!

They're really easy to make and so tasty!  They've got a pretty good kick, hopefully enough to keep me from eating them by the pound.
Perfect treat for a party.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• 3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)
• 2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)
• 2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)
• 1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
• Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.
Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.
Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Savory Penne

No one is more shocked than I am that this one is a winner.  I have been avoiding meals with peanut sauce for years.  I'm apparently going to have to rethink that decision.  This was really good!
 

Savory Penne

In a bowl, combine 1 tbs rice wine vinegar, 1 tbs peanut butter, 1 tbs orange juice and 1/4 tsp soy sauce.  Stir until smooth.  
In a medium pan, saute 2 cups chopped kale in 1 tsp olive oil until wilted.  
Add 2/3 cup cooked whole wheat pasta, 1/2 cup cannellini beans (rinsed and drained), peanut sauce; stir until warmed through.

Kale Chips

I haven't really posted much about the snacks in the challenge.  Mostly because they're things I would consider fairly obvious (apples with peanut butter, broccoli and hummus, etc).

However, today's snack is Kale chips.  I had serious doubts but in the spirit of the challenge decided to try them.

And, you know what?  They're actually kind of good!

Kale Chips
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Rinse and dry your kale.  Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt.  Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a little salt and bake for 20 minutes or until crisp.  Store in ziploc bag for up to one week. 

Amy's Organic Black Bean Soup

Loving the heat and eat healthy options!  This soup was very tasty and surprisingly filling for soup.  The can says 2 servings, I admit I ate both :-)  It was only about 280 calories combined so I don't feel guilty at all.

I will definitely be trying some more of the Amy's soup flavors!

Note, if you want to eat this for lunch at work, you'll need a can opener!

Quinoa-Edamame Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

I'll share this one even though I just couldn't bring myself to make it last night.  This just did not sound appetizing at all after a tough Cross Fit workout, so I went off menu.  I might try this another time though.

Quinoa-Edamame Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
In a bowl, combine 1 cup cooked quinoa, 2/3 cup cooked edamame, 1/4 cup shredded carrots and 1/4 cup chopped cucumber.  In another bowl, combine 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp grated ginger and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.  Toss with quinoa mixture.

Replacement meal: Egg, spinach, grape tomatoes (halved) microwaved 1:30 on high or until egg is cooked through.  Spread 1/4 avocado on whole wheat wrap, add egg mixture, wrap up, and enjoy!

I then went to Trivia night at the bar and managed to 1. not drink (not that hard for me) and 2. not eat any of the popcorn on the table (MUCH harder)!

Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake

I'm loving that a frozen meal was included in this challenge.  So quick and easy and something I would easily have again.

And, as a bonus, this stuff is delicious!  It would probably be even better if my office microwave wasn't so crappy and I could actually cook it right.

I will definitely be trying more flavors from Kashi.

FYI, I had a hard time finding it, but Target had a great selection.  In fact, they have a huge selection of frozen mealsy (health and not) at the White Plains Target.

Zucchini and Spinach Soup

I'm going to call this one a runner up.  It's certainly edible (such a glowing endorsement!) but needs a little something.  Maybe I blended it too much or need more lentils or spinach.  It's kind of watery and boring.  The cheese helps.

Zucchini and Spinach Soup

Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in large pan and add 1 chopped onion.  Cook over low heat until soft and slightly golden. 
Add 1-2 chopped garlic gloves, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp coriander.  Stir until onion are coated with spices and then add 2-3 handfuls of lentils and 2-3 medium zucchinis, diced into cubes. 
Stir until mixture is covered in spices and cook for a few minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. 
Add 4 cups of boiling water and 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. 
Turn down the heat and simmer half covered for 10 min or until the zucchinis and lentils are well cooked. 
Add 5 large leaves of chopped spinach and cook for another 5 min. 
Turn off the heat and with a stick blender (or by running batches in your regular blender), blend until your desired consistency. 
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
You may garnish the soup with parmesan cheese.

This makes 3-4 servings so I put one serving in my mason jar to take to work and froze the rest.
A nice chunk of crusty bread would do a lot for this soup but, alas, it is not on my menu.  Maybe by the end of the week I won't crave that so much?

Oh, and not exactly the most appetizing LOOKING thing I ever ate, smells good though.



I had already eaten half when I remembered to take this, oops.  Oh, and some proof I eat at my desk at work :-(



Quinoa, Broccoli, & Cheese Casserole

Today's dinner experiment - yet another success.  It's almost like I know how to cook or something (I really don't) 

 Quinoa, Broccoli, & Cheese Casserole Preparation

	1 1/2 cupsquinoa
	1/2 mediumOnion; chopped
	2 cupsbroccoli florets; cut into bite-sized pieces
	1 cupshredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese; divided 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
	1/4 cupGrated Parmesan cheese
	1 clovegarlic; crushed
	1/2 tspPaprika
	salt and pepper; to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash and drain quinoa in a fine mesh strainer 2-3 times.
3. Combine quinoa with 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, saute onion for a few minutes, and cook broccoli in microwave for about 4 minutes.
5. Combine vegetables and spices in a mixing bowl, adding in hot, cooked quinoa, parmesan and 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Mix well and press into an 8x8 baking dish, greased lightly with cooking spray or olive oil.
7. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese on top.
8. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted on top

Yum!

PARTY!!! (with recipes)

Last night R and I threw and awesome party to celebrate M getting her PHD.

We rock at science!!  Or at least decorating with science related stuff.

Awesome scientist cake from The Iron Tomato

And, what everyone's been waiting for - recipes for the best party food EVER!

New for this party, and instant success, Bodacious Bean Dip (from food.com).

2 (14 ounce) cans fat-free refried beans
1 (14 ounce) can corn
1/3 cup green onion
2 1/2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning (I use Pampered Chef Southwest seasoning)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except the cheese into a greased 2 - 3 1/2 quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes and then on high heat for another 30 minutes OR on low heat for 2-3 hours.
3. Add cheddar cheese for the last half hour on low heat.
4. Serve with tortilla chips or as a filling for warm flour tortillas.

I didn't add the cheese, kept it Vegan for R.  It was still really tasty, cheese isn't needed.

Crockpot Meatballs

1 Bag Swedish bite size frozen meatballs (I use whatever frozen meatballs I find at the store, doesn't seem to matter)

1 Cup A1 Sauce

1/4 stick butter

2 T brown sugar

3 T Sour Cream

2 1/4 Cup Ketchup

Defrost meatballs in crockpot.  

Heat Sauce in saucepan and pour over meatballs

Leave on crockpot on warm

I like to serve these with some dinner rolls so people can make mini meatball sandwiches if they want.  

I got this recipe from someone on a chat board I belong to.  I'm not sure where it originated.

Spiced Beef Empanadas (also good with turkey) from CookingLight.com

1 T Olive Oil

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 lb ground beef (80 to 85% lean)

1/3 cup golden raisins (I leave these out)

2 T ketchup

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 store bought refrigerated rolled pie crusts (a good brand, not store brand)

1 large egg, beaten

Sour Cream for serving

Heat over to 375.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in the (raisins), ketchup, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Using a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter (or glass), cut out circles from the pie crusts.  Divide the beef mixture among the circles, brush the edges with water, fold in half and press with a fork (or fingers) to seal.  Transfer to a baking sheet and brush with the egg.  Bake until golden, 20 - 25 minutes.  Serve with sour cream.

It's Two for One Day!!

I have two recipes for you today!  Just cooking up a storm (and my kitchen is showing the damage.  What a mess!) :-)

Last night I made Personal Sized Baked Oatmeal.  I even took a picture of it!

 

I followed the recipe pretty closely but found that when scooping the batter into the muffin pan 1/2 cup is too much.  I used a 1/3 cup scoop and it worked much better.

Oh, and I didn't have Flax Seeds so I left those out.  I probably should have substituted Chia seeds but didn't think of it at the time.

They came out good but could maybe use a few more minutes in the oven (I baked for 30 minutes).  

For toppings I added peanuts and peanut butter, cranberries, and blueberries.  

I like this recipe because it's not difficult, you can use what's in the house already for toppings, and it makes a lot so you can freeze some for later.

And maybe my new favorite food ever (except ice cream, but really, what could top ice cream?):  Quinoa Mac & Cheese. (And another picture...)

Confession:  I cut one corner off the picture because I couldn't resist and already ate some!

Seriously???

DELISH!

The only change I made to this recipe is that I coated the top of the whole dish with Panko breadcrumbs before baking.  I didn't put any veggies in it, broccoli would be good.  I had roasted veggies left over from our cookout this weekend, so I had those on the side instead.

Pretty sure I could eat the whole thing in one sitting but I'll be good.  Doing that would screw up the rest of my meal plan for the week!  I packed up some for lunch over the next few days and froze some for a treat next time I'm craving mac & cheese.

Enjoy!  If you try these recipes (or any I post), let me know how it goes.

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

I'm not sure why I've been making mostly vegetarian meals lately, but I've been finding some good ones so I'm not complaining.  Here's a really easy and tasty meal I made for dinner tonight!

 

 

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

• 1 T Canola Oil
• 1 1/2 C Sliced Zucchini, quartered
• 1/2 C green pepper, diced
• 15 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes (with garlic - or add garlic)
• 3/4 C Water
• 1/2 C Shredded cheese (type of your choice)
• 1 C Rice, Instant (I used brown rice)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

Add rice; stir well. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese.

For me, letting it stand the 7 minutes wasn't enough to get the liquid to absorb into the rice.  I left it on the heat (low) until the liquid was absorbed and the rice was fluffy.

This recipe makes a lot, so it'd be good for a dinner for family / friends or if you want leftovers for weekday meals.

Monday Night Meals - Pasta with Broccoli

I use Fresh Direct for my grocery shopping and have them deliver every Monday evening.  It's super convenient, especially since I loathe going to the grocery store.

I've also been trying to eat "real" fresher, less processed, food.   Luckily Fresh Direct carries a lot of that.

However, this means that I have little to no food around for Monday (starting to miss my preservatives!).  My delivery doesn't arrive until sometime between 8 and 10 PM, since this is when I can consistently be home to receive it.  So, if I don't plan ahead, I am one hangry girl by the time my food arrives.  This isn't good for anyone involved.

I thought I'd add a "Monday Night Meals" series to my blog so on future hungry Mondays I can look back and see what creative (or at least edible) ideas I came up with in the past using whatever I have on hand.

Tonight's entry:  Whole Wheat Pasta with Broccoli and Garlic

• 1 serving of whole wheat pasta (this time I used ziti)
• Steamed Broccoli
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan

I cooked the pasta and broccoli, drained, and put both back in the saucepan.  I added a little bit of olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and cooked briefly on me/low heat to blend flavors (seemed to make sense, I am not a chef).
Served (aka, dumped on plate) with some grated Parmesan.

Quick and tasty!

I should have taken a picture, it actually looked pretty good, but I didn't think of doing this post until after I ate it.  Oops!