Pumkin Pie

This was my first-ever attempt at a pumpkin pie - Thank you America's Test Kitchen! It was awesome and I hate pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Muffin

Had some leftover Pumpkin puree from the pie I made, so I baked up some pumpkin muffins.

Whole Wheat Cous Cous with Spinach-Walnut Pesto

Added some lemon and parmesan cheese and it was awesome!

Protein Shake

My new Doc wants me to start drinking protein shakes. This was my first successful attempt. The others I tried before were too gritty or a very unpalatable color. This is the "Veg" Natural Flavor Protien mix blended with Almond Milk and 2 frozen strawberries. It was great!

Fish (Cod) and Chips

Fish and Chips...Another winning recipe by

America's Test Kitchen. It was a hit!

Quinoa with Carrots, Raisins, Orange Juice

You can find the recipe for this at the following link. I found it to be a bit bland in flavor, even with the cinnamon and pumpkin spice. It was better after being refrigerated over night. And it was good cold, too!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-with-Carrots-and-Raisins/Detail.aspx

Beet, Arugula and Strawberry Salad

Arugla leaves, strawberries, roasted beets, walnuts and feta cheese. Serve with honey/lime dressing.

Spinach and White Bean Soup

1 C Frozen Spinach - thawed

1/4 Medium White Onion - cut into large pieces

2 C Vegetable Broth

1 Can White (Cannellini) Beans - rinsed and drained

1 C Whole Wheat Pasta

2 Bay Leaves

2 T Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Corn Starch (1 T - to make slurry)

Saute onion in olive oil until onions start to soften; add spinach, salt & pepper; saute 2-3 minutes longer; add vegetable broth & bay leaves; cook over medium heat 30 minutes; add slurry (cornstarch and water); cook 1 minute; add beans; add pasta and cook another 8-10 minutes or per timing on pasta package.  

REMOVE BAY LEAVES!

I initially cooked the soup without the pasta and later added the pasta as I reheated the soup for dinner. 10 minutes to heat up - and not overcook the pasta - and you're done. Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese over it and serve with a whole wheat baguette. Yum!

Chili-Rubbed Tuna with Arugula

Since I tried this dish, it's been one of my favorites. The chili rub consists of chili powder, cumin, oregano, brown sugar and kosher salt. I use blend of honey or agave syrup and lime as a dressing. The "rounds" are whole wheat deli-rounds that I pick up in my local grocery store.

Peach/Carrot Juice

Easy-Peasey Peach/Carrot Juice.

Ingredients:
1/4 C Baby carrots
1 Peach

1 Plum

1/4 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
 Blend until smooth and strain.

Flourless Chocolate Cake - 4 Ingredients

Celebrating a Little Early!!

8 whole eggs, 2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 lb bittersweet/semi-sweet chocolate (8 oz of each), 1/4 C very strong coffee or Espresso, and confectioner's sugar (optional)

Blend cold eggs until very frothy (5 minutes); Meanwhile, melt chocolate over double boiler, add butter and add coffee to melted chocolate; when chocolate and butter a thoroughly combined, add egg mixture by thirds into chocolate mixture, fold by hand until few streaks remain. Add next third, then final third (fold in, do not blend or mix). Pour into 8" foil-wrapped spingform pan. The pan bottom should be lined with parchment and the sides greased. Pour very hot water into a large roasting pan; set foil-lined spring form pan into water bath. Cook 22-25 minutes until sides are set and temperature reads 140 degrees.

J's pancakes

J's modified Bisquick Pancakes with hearts on top.

He likes them thin, so I use more milk. Easy-peasy!

Tangelo Cabbage Juice

1 tangelo, 1/8 small head green cabbage, 1 plum, 1 apricot, 1/2 water, juice from 1/4 lemon

Swordfish with Apricot Mustard Sauce

This glaze/sauce is relatively easy. Cinder vinegar, apricot preserves, dijon or brown mustard, 2 T melted butter, salt/pepper, make a slurry to thicken... 

Chocolate Shortbread

Super easy and super tasty.

http://search.cookinglight.com/ck-results.html?Ntt=chocolate+shortbread

Beet Juice

My third attempt at juicing. This one contains 1 large beet, 1 medium granny smith apple, a little orange juice and a little water, lime from 1/4 lime and 1/2 tsp of ginger. It tastes awesome!

Swordfish with toasted sesame seeds

Toasted sesame seeds and soy sauce with lime and honey coat this meaty fish. A little red pepper gave the sauce a little zip.

Juicing

My first attempt at Green Juice. Not bad! Cucumber, spinach, lemon juice, water, carrots and tomatoes.

First Juicing Attempt

Today I made my first juicing attempt. It's something I've been wanting to try for some time. My first attempt included carrots, spinach, ginger, orange juice and apple cider. Ok, I cheated a bit by using cider from a bottle and OJ from a carton. Call it "transitioning" from whole foods to juicing.

Egg White and Tofu Scramble

Saute spinach and tomatoes until heated through. Add crumbled firm tofu and saute until lightly browned. Add egg whites and cook until white and fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tuna Salad with Dill

 

Canned tuna, non-fat yogurt, dill and lemon compose this very simple and tasty lunch.

1/2 5 oz can of tuna in water

2-3 oz of non-fat plain yogurt

1-2 tsp lemon

1/4 tsp dill

salt & pepper to taste

Mix well and enjoy!

A Chinese-Food-at-Home Weekend

1) Teryaki Shrimp 2) Sweet 'n Sour Shrimp
I made these Sunday and Monday evenings. Both took about 30 minutes. Recipes will be posted later, but basically, the Sweet 'n Sour sauce consists of white vinegar, vegetable broth and sugar. Replace the sugar with soy sauce (or Tamari) and you have the Teryaki version. I added a little sugar to offset the soy sauce. It was a little too intense without it.

Halibut with Peach Compote

This is a twist on a favorite. I used peaches instead of mango, but kept the red pepper, onion, jalapeno and mint. Saute the onions and peppers in a little olive oil, stir in the jalapeno and mint. Once the compote begins to soften add in the peaches. Cook until peaches are just heated through.

Chocolate Cake

Mom's Chocolate Cake. This is the first cake I've ever made that I was proud enough to show off. Baking is an art!

Red Pepper Hummus and Arugula Sandwich

Nothing too interesting about this sandwich. It's whole wheat bread, roasted red pepper hummus, broccoli sprouts, tomato and arugula.

Watercress and Tofu Salad

A simple watercress and chili powder-seasoned tofu salad. I was on a Watercress salad kick for a week. It's simply too expensive to buy every week, but it sure is tasty!

Tuna Salad with Broccoli Sprouts

Imagine my surprise when I went to buy Bean Sprouts and couldn't because there had been a salmonella scare and they no longer sell them at our grocery store! Turns out Broccoli Sprouts are equally nutritious and just as tasty. And yes, they taste like broccoli when eaten alone.

Tuna Salad Ingredients:  4-oz canned tuna, 2-3 T. plain non-fat yogurt (I use Dannon Natural),

1 carrot stick - shredded, salt & pepper to taste

Lentil/Brown Rice Vegetarian Meatloaf

I found this recipe last week and was dying to try it. I wanted a make-ahead vegetarian meal that I could just reheat during the week for dinner. LOVE this! It's a lentil and brown rice vegetarian meatloaf. It's moist and full of flavor.

Seared Tuna in a Balsamic / Red Wine Reduction

This was awesome! I cubed a tuna steak, dredged it in flour, sauteed it in olive oil, removed it from the pan, added balsamic vinegar and a little red wine to the hot pan, then added the tuna back to the pan.

T's Tuna Salad

Today's lunch. Tuna salad made with plain yogurt instead of mayo. I add carrots, a touch of lemon and a couple of jalepenos for flavor.

Chili-Rubbed Tofu

Yuk, right? Who likes Tofu anyway? Actually, Tofu takes on the flavor you add to it. It doesn't taste like anything on it's own. I use this chili-rub on salmon and I'm trying it on tuna tonight. It certainly works on the tofu!

Crisp Simplicity

These whole wheat rounds are perfect as an accompaniment to dinner. Drizzled with Olive Oil, toasted under the broiler and sprinkled with Fresh Chopped Oregano, they are crispy and flavorful!

Slow-Grilled Ribs and Pineapple

Baby Back Ribs with Grilled Pineapple have become a favorite for my husband and his mother. Another America's Test Kitchen winner!! It's my favorite show and my favorite cookbook.

Weekend Coffee

This is my special weekend coffee...I love flavored coffees but I have acid reflux, so I use a low-acid coffee. I flavor it with chocolate and top it with whipped topping and a sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Delish!

Carrot and Pineapple Slaw

I can't take credit for this one. It's from Cooking Light. My sister spurred my interest in this website. Thanks, Dez!

Whole Wheat Cous Cous with Tofu and Almonds

I had to work hard to get flavor into this recipe.

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Cous Cous
Tofu - extra firm
Frozen Edamame - thawed
Red Pepper - chopped
Fresh Tomatoes - chopped
Almonds - chopped
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Vegetable Broth (optional)

Press tofu between two clean dish towels to remove excess water. Cut into cubes. Bring 2 cups water or vegetable broth to a boil. Remove water from heat. Add 1 cup cous cous to the water and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, saute tofu and red pepper in olive oil until tofu is lightly golden. When cous cous is ready fluff with a fork, stir in tofu, red pepper, edamame and tomatoes. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to cous cous mixture. Add balsamic vinegar to saute pan and reduce until slightly thickened, then add immediately to cous cous mixture. Add chopped almonds. Serve at room temperature.

Haddock with Black Bean/Mango Salsa

This is a take-off on the Basa with Mango Salsa recipe I posted earler. Just add rinsed black beans to the Mango Salsa and replace the Basa with Haddock. The sauce on the Haddock is a blend of duck sauce and reduced balsamic vinegar. It seems to compliment the sweetness of the Mango and the kick of the Jalepeno (in the salsa) well.

Edamame Yogurt Dip

This recipe is a staple weekend snack.












1/2 C. Frozen Shelled Edamame (Soy Beans)
1/4 C. Plain Yogurt
Splash of hot sauce
Splash of lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend the edamame until it becomes a paste. Stir in the other ingredients and serve with whole wheat chips.

For the chips: I use whole wheat wraps. Lightly spray them with olive oil and heat under the broiler or in a toaster oven until brown - but not burnt! Trust me. It's easy to burn them!

Basa with Mango Salsa

This is one of my "regulars". Basa (also known as Swai) with Sweet Mango and a kick of Jalepeno.

Ingredients:

Basa (Swai) Fillet

1 Medium Mango cut into large pieces

1/4 C. Chopped Red or White Onion

1.4 C. Chopped Red Pepper

3-4 Jarred Jalepeno Pepper Rings

Mint (Dried or Fesh)

2 T. Gin or Vodka

Olive Oil

Grill fish about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, Saute mango, onion, red pepper, jalepeno and mint in a little olive oil until onion is soft but not browned; Remove pan from heat and add a small amount of Vodka or Gin to saute pan; immediately light with a long handled lighter. After the flames subside, return to burner. Cook 1 minute longer.

Italian Sausage, Kale and Tomato

One of my own recipes. I just made it up on the fly for dinner tonight.

Ingredients:
1 Vegetarian Italian Sausage
1/2 C. Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1/4 C. Frozen Chopped Kale (or spinach)
1/4 C. Tomato
1 Slice White Onion
1/4 C. Vegetable Broth
1 T. Olive Oil
Pinch of Rosemary
Pinch of Thyme


Cook pasta as directed. Brown the sausuage in a little olive oil; Saute kale (or spinach) and onion in vegetable broth until tender. Add tomatoes and cook 1 minute longer. Add rosemary and thyme. Cook about 1 minute longer until fragrant. Toss pasta with kale and tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

Chick Pea Salad

Today is my first Blog in my new food journal. The photography is all my own - one of my other hobbies. I'm starting with a recent dish. Links will be provided for recipes.

This is a vegetarian dish made with chick peas, lettuce and tomato. It is flavored with lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper. So simple, yet so tasty!

 

Ingredients:

Canned Chick Peas - Rinsed

1 Small Tomato - Chopped

1/4 C. Shredded Lettuce

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper

Toss all the ingredients together and serve!