Happy Insides

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Since we used to be vegetarians (and Jason was even vegan for awhile) we are not afraid to eat a lot of meals that don't center around meat.  A lot of people have recently started trying to have meatless Mondays or are trying to give up meal for 1 meal a week.  We think that is a really great effort and really applaud anyone who is willing to try it.  There are so many really delicious meatless meals out there too many people are missing because they think it HAS to have meat to be a "real" meal.  We really recommend to everyone to really give it a fair chance and you may find that you actually like (possibly even love) plenty of vegetarian dishes.  Just remember that not every dish is suited for every palate and not every cooking technique will be liked by every person.  So if you try something and aren't thrilled with the results don't give up.  Keep trying!

While perusing the Cooking Light website not to long ago we came across this wonderful looking dish that we knew we just had to try.  It looked super easy and really tasty.  Plus we just love to use eggs in our dinners.  They are a very healthy and really cheap source of protein.  Even if you buy pasture raised eggs and a dozen runs you closer to $4 than to $2 you can still get a lot of good meals out of that dozen eggs.

Italian Eggs over Spinach and Polenta
Adapted from Cooking Light 
Makes 4 servings
1 16 oz. tube of polenta, cut into 12 slices
cooking spray
2 c. tomato basil pasta sauce (fresh or store bought)
1 5 oz. package of Fresh baby spinach, washed
4-8 eggs (depending on if you want 1 or 2 per person)
2 oz. Parmesan
Fresh basil, shredded for garnish

1) Preheat your broiler to high.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Spray polenta rounds with cooking spray and place them on the baking sheet.  Broil for about 3-5 minutes until heated through and begin to get crispy on top.  Set aside.

2) Meanwhile bring your sauce to a simmer in a large skillet.  Add the spinach.  Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.  Make 4-8 (depending on how many eggs you are using) indentations in the spinach mixture with the back of a spoon.  Carefully crack an egg into each indentation.  Reduce heat a little and cover.  Let eggs cook about 5-7 minutes till they are the desired doneness.  Serve by placing 3 polenta rounds in a dish.  Spoon the spinach mixture over each round and top with one or two eggs.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and basil and serve.

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We have to say that we were pretty shocked that we had yet to blog about this recipe yet.  It is one of our favorite weeknight meals.  It is easy, healthy, and inexpensive to make.  We usually end up making it about once a month, which for us is quite frequent. 

We found this dish on one of our favorite food blogs Cara's Cravings.  We have eaten a ton of her recipes and enjoyed every one we made.  We definitely recommend it as a great source for new eats.  One of the things that originally sold us on the dish was the giant fan of avocado across the top of the dish.  You can almost always guarantee that if a dish uses avocado (even if just for garnish) we will end up trying it.  It did not disappoint and while the avocado may look like garnish we would definitely recommend that you NOT skip it.  It really adds a nice creaminess and great flavor to the rest of the dish.  It is pretty integral in our opinion.  Along those same lines don't skip the cilantro garnish either.  We are also of the mind that cilantro makes many things better.  

Southwestern Egg & Black Bean Skillet
Adapted from Cara's Cravings
Makes 2 Servings
1 t. olive oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 c. frozen corn
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (we use Rotell Original or with habanero) 
2 large eggs
1-2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
chopped cilantro and sliced avocado for garnish

1) In a skillet heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until it begins to be translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, corn and black beans and cook another 2 or so minutes until the garlic is fragrant.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. 

2)  Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies to the skillet and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove the cover and make two small indents into the beans.  Carefully break an egg into each indent and then replace the cover.  Continue to cook covered for another 5 minutes until eggs are set and depending on your desired results (runny yolks or fully cooked).  Serve with feta cheese, avocado and cilantro.

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Once again this week we were part of another great recipe swap that Cassie signed us up for.  The theme for this week's swap was a pasta dish.  We, once again, really enjoyed the recipe we got and although we may have done quite a bit of adapting of the recipe, so much so that we couldn't use the original title, we feel that the spirit of the dish was upheld and it was still full of the flavors intended.  The recipe was a Martha Stewart recipe, but it was recommended to us by a the blogger Lisa from Lisa's Cooking Adventures.  Thanks Lisa!  We loved every minute of this dish!

As mentioned above we did quite a bit of adapting of this recipe.  It was originally called Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe.  We shop at a pretty small natural grocery store so quite a few of the title ingredients weren't available to us, but the substitutes we definitely close ones.  First we chose to use a different whole wheat shape pasta to eat more whole grains and because orcchiette was not available.  We didn't have time to make the pasta homemade either so we just stuck with the store bought and it was great.  Second there was no broccoli rabe to be found so we subbed out Swiss chard that also gave the dish a little bit of a pinkish color. 

Pasta with Swiss Chard and Italian Sausage
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes 4 Servings
12 oz. whole wheat pasta
4 hot Italian sausages, removed from casings
7 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh Swiss Chard, well washed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. Parmesan

1) Over high heat bring a pot of well salted water to a boil.  Prepare Pasta to Al-dente and then drain and set aside.

2) In a skillet over medium heat crumble Italian sausages and cook fully.  Remove the sausages from the pan and drain off any excess fat from the pan.  Add in the olive oil, the garlic, and the red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 30 seconds.  Add in the Swiss chard and cook about 5 minutes until wilted.  Return the sausage to the pan.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

3) Toss the sausage and chard mixture with the pasta and the Parmesan.  Serve immediately.

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We are big burger fans.  There is nothing more satisfying on a summer evening than eating a juicy and delicious burger.  We don't discriminate either.  We will try almost any type of burger be it traditional or out there.  We'll eat beef, chicken, vegetarian, bison, etc. when it comes to burgers.  Also with toppings the sky is the limit.

With that said whenever we find a new burger recipe that intrigues us we know that we are going to have to give it a try.  We saw this recipe for Greek turkey burgers on The Novice Chef Blog and knew that these would be on our menu the next week.  They certainly did not disappoint.  We did a little tweaking to the recipe and turned the burgers in to chicken burgers rather than turkey just for personal preference.  We also decided that we would rather eat them in a pita than on a bun so there came the idea for mini burger patties much like falafel patties.

Greek Chicken Mini Burgers
Adapted from The Novice Chef Blog
Makes 4 Servings
12 oz. lean ground chicken
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c. sundried tomatoes, chopped (not packed in oil)
1/2 c. chopped fresh baby spinach leaves
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 whole wheat pitas
tzatziki sauce (recipe to follow)

1) In a medium bowl mix together the all the ingredients excluding the last two.  Form the mixture into 16 mini patties about 1-2 inches in diameter.

2)  Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat.  Cook the mini burger patties about 2-3 minutes per side until cooked all the way through.

3) Meanwhile warm pitas in the oven for a few minutes.  Cut the pitas in half.  Fill each pita half with 2 mini burger patties, some tzatziki sauce and any other burger toppings you want (onion and some more spinach would be great).  Enjoy!

Tzatziki sauce
1 medium cucumber, peeled
6 oz. fat free Greek yogurt
juice of half a medium lemon
1 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

1) Using a grater grate the cucumber fully.  Place the shredded cucumber in a clean tea towel or paper towels and wring out as much excess moisture as you can.

2) Mix the cucumber together with the remaining ingredients and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.

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Recently Cassie signed us up for a recipe swap on a message board she frequents.  The theme of the swap was an easy weeknight meal.  We thought it would be a fun challenge as well as a great way to try a new recipe.  Plus we figured we could doctor up just about any bad recipe if need be.  Well fortunately for us that was not the case.  In the swap we received this great recipe from Giada deLaurentis adapted by Lisa from Lisa's Cooking Adventures.  It was so good.  We really enjoyed the flavors of the dish it DEFINITELY fell under the "easy" category for the night.  Also just in case you are wondering this is the recipe we shared in the swap.

When we got the email for the dish we automatically knew it would be a winner for our house.  You see Jason is a sour fanatic.  He is one of those weird people that likes to eat lemons plain or with a little salt.  He even buys pure citric acid (sour salt) and mixes it with water for a "treat".  In fact he would probably rather eat a lemon than a cookie most nights.  Not right, huh?  Well this recipe uses three lemons.  It had a great lemon flavor and immediately Jason said that we need to make it again soon.

Spaghetti al Limone with Shrimp
Adapted from Lisa's Cooking Adventures
Makes 4 Servings
12oz. whole wheat spaghetti

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
4 cloves garlic, minced

salt to taste
3 medium lemons
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. milk or heavy cream
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan
ground black pepper to taste
small handful of fresh basil shredded
red pepper flakes


1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente.  Reserve 1 c. of the pasta water and then drain pasta and set aside.  

2)  Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and the shrimp and saute about a minute on each side until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked.  Salt to taste and set aside.

3)  Also while the pasta is cooking zest and juice the three lemons.  When the pasta is done in a large pot add 3/4 c. of the reserved pasta water, milk or cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil.  Bring this to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 2-3 minutes.  Return the pasta to the pan and toss well to coat with the sauce.  Toss in the Parmesan and black pepper to taste.  Serve with basil and red pepper flakes sprinkled on top of the pasta.  

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We cannot tell you how excited we are to share this meal and this series of books.  The meal was delicious and the books are some of the best we have ever read.  We are talking about the Dark Tower Series by Stephen King.  These books are Stephen King's Magnum Opus, and if you like any of his works you will love these.  In fact, you will find some very familiar scenes and characters from King's other books within the pages of this series.

The story chronicles the journey of Roland of Gilead.  He is the last gunslinger and is on a quest to travel to and climb to the top of the Dark Tower.  The world has moved on since he was young and things such as time, distance or direction no longer are quite so measurable or trustworthy anymore.  Roland, along with his new found Ka-tet (group of friends brought together by fate aka Ka), must fight against the forces of the Crimson King that wish to destroy the Dark Tower and with it all existence.  This journey traverses different worlds, times, and many miles (or wheels).  It also spurs many emotions within the reader and leaves you with a sense of longing after you have finished.  The main characters Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, Oy, and Pere Callahan will all strike a nerve because they are all so human and so real.   

The meal we planned for this story is actually drawn from the third book "The Wastelands."  After traveling a great distance across a fairly desolate beach Roland and his Ka-tet come to a wooded area.  There they are able to hunt deer and find vegetation to eat.  One of the things they make is deer meat wrapped in leaves.  These concoctions are dubbed Gunslinger burritos by Eddie at one point and we felt that they would be an excellent addition to our literary lunch.  We didn't have deer meat available to us so we used beef, but feel free to use any meat or game that you want.  Also we embellished on the contents of the burritos a bit and made them more into a lettuce wrap style meal.  We hope you enjoy both the books and the meal. 

Gunslinger Burritos
A Jason and Cassie Original
Makes 4 servings
For Steaks: 
1 lb. sirloin steak (preferably grass-fed)
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

For Beans and Rice:
1 t. olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno diced (with or without seeds)
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. water
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 small lime
1 handful cilantro leaves, rinsed and chopped

For Vegetables
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion sliced
1 red bell pepper sliced

1 Head lettuce

1)  To prepare the steaks:  Season sirloin steak with the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper.  Grill steaks about 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat until medium.  Set aside and let rest a few minutes before slicing.

2) To prepare the beans and rice:  heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and jalapeno and stir fry for about 30 seconds.  Add the rice, beans, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.  Simmer and let heat through for about 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the lime juice and cilantro.

3) To prepare the vegetables:  Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and peppers and let saute about 10 minutes until they soften and begin to brown.

4) Separate all the leaves on the head of lettuce.  Wash each leaf well and then dry.  To serve place a small amount of each of the steak, beans and rice and vegetables on top of each lettuce leaf.  Wrap up and enjoy.

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Months and months ago we were having some people over for dinner and were raking our brains with what to make.  Jason suggested we try our hand at Pozole so we did.  Before that point in time Cassie has never had hominy.  Sure she had heard of hominy and had a sketchy idea of what it was, but had never tasted it.  From that Pozole on though Cassie can officially declare herself a hominy fan.  When we found this recipe we knew we were going to have to give it a try.  It did not disappoint.  It was definitely a lot better tasting than our photo shows and we urge you to give it a try. 

Green Chile and Hominy Casserole
Adapted from Elly Says Opa
Serves 4-6
2 Poblano chiles
1 T. canola oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos (1 seeded), chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz. can hominy, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. cayenne
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped 
2 t. lime juice
2 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
salt and pepper to taste
sliced scallions

1) Place the Poblanos under a preheated broiler till their skin begins to blister and blacken.  Turn to make sure all sides are blackened.  Place the poblanos in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let them sit about 10-15 minutes.  When the poblanos are cool enough to touch begin to rub the skin off of them.  Once you have all the skin removed, remove the seeds and dice them. 

2)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a cast iron (or other oven safe) skillet heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and let cook 3-5 minutes until it begins to soften.  Add in the jalapeno and cook another minute or two.  Add the garlic and let cook 30 seconds. 

3)  Remove the skillet from heat and add the diced poblanos, black beans, hominy, sour cream, Greek yogurt, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, lime juice, half of the cheddar cheese and salt and pepper.  Stir well to combine.

4) Top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven.  Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling.  Top with the scallions and serve.

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We all have those favorite recipes from when we were growing up that just scream of childhood and the comforts of home cooking.  Then (at least if you are like Cassie) there are those dishes that you were served that used to fill you with dread and you just knew you were going to be sitting at that kitchen table forever, holding your nose and trying to choke down the prescribed number of bites left that your mom told you to eat....Wait, that didn't happen to you? 

Ok so we will admit it...Cassie was a weird kid.  She had some very strong food aversions and basically only really liked to eat tuna, fruit, cottage cheese and sprouts covered in blue cheese dressing.  There were things that she didn't hate and would eat, but that list is basically what she liked (minus desserts).  There were frequent battles around the kitchen table in her youth and many attempts at disposing of foods she was required to eat.  Chicken Pot Pie was definitely one of those "this is going to be a struggle" meals.  

Jason on the other hand was a far less picky eater than Cassie.  He pretty much ate what was made for him and didn't complain too much.  Even with that consideration Jason has never been much of fan of pot pies.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either.  So why did we decide to make this then?   

Chicken pot pie is one of those dishes that just screams comfort food.  It is rich, creamy, warm and usually either has some flaky pie crust or some other yummy breaded topping.  With all that going for it we saw the Eating Well recipe and decided to give it another try.  We made this for a comforting Sunday lunch and enjoyed it over and over through the week.  It will definitely be made again. 

Chicken Pot Pie with Whole Wheat Biscuit Topping
Adapted from  Eating Well
Serves 6
Filling:
3 t. canola oil, divided
1 c. onions, chopped
1 c. carrots, peeled and diced
10 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 c. butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 1/2 c. reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 c. corn starch
2 c. chicken, cooked and diced
1 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2-1 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt
black pepper to taste

For biscuit topping:
1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
2 t. evaporated cane juice or sucanat
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. dried thyme
1 1/2 T. cold butter cut into small pieces
1 c. milk +1 T. vinegar
1 T. canola oil

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat one teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and carrots and cook until they begin to soften and brown a bit, about 3 minutes.  Add in the mushrooms and squash and cook, stirring often, for another 5-7 minutes.

2)  Add in 2 cups broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer a few minutes.  Mix the remaining 1/2 c. of broth with the cornstarch.  Add this mix into the pan and cook stirring until it begins to thicken.  Add in the chicken, peas, sour cream, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Transfer this mixture to a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray.

3) Whisk the flour, evaporated cane juice, baking powder, baking soda, salt and thyme together in a medium bowl.  Using either a pastry mixer or your fingers mix the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine meal.  Add in the milk mixture and the oil and stir until combined.

4) Drop the biscuit mixture on top of the filling mix in the casserole dish in 6 good sized lumps.  Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet (to avoid any overflow in the oven) and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the biscuit topping is browned.  Let cool about 5 minutes, serve and enjoy. 

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We have mentioned before how much we like our grocery store, Natural Grocers.  They sell really quality products and always have tons of great meal ideas in there store.  This meal came from their magazine they were giving away Delicious Living.  In the February 2011 issue they have a section on cooking with cocoa.  This instantly drew our attention and when we saw the black bean soup we knew we had to make it.  It just sounded way too good. 

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A trendy food ingredient has emerged in recent years.  This ingredient has caused some concern on our part and we could even go as far to say that we are disturbed by this trend.  Pine nuts are taking over food.  You see them topping salads, mixed in sauces, pesto is everywhere...Wait...Why is this disturbing?

Well it is only really disturbing if you are like Cassie and have severe allergy to pine nuts.  One bite or drop of cross contamination sparks a pretty nasty reaction that can last for days and often leads to a trip to the Emergency Room.  It also makes eating out at restaurants that use pine nuts slightly dangerous.  Cross contamination is a big issue in those busy kitchens for people with severe food allergies.  Plus there are so many really yummy looking recipes out there that call for pine nuts!  At least with those recipes we aren't afraid to take them on and either omit the pine nuts completely or sub them out for another nut.  That is the case with these really yummy Swiss Chard Lasagna Roll-ups that we made.  We used walnuts in place of the pine nuts and it made for a really satisfying meal.

Swiss Chard Lasagna Roll-ups
Adapted from Leslie Sarna
Serves 4-6
12 oz. ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped

12 Swiss Chard Leaves, washed and the stalks removed
3 c. prepared tomato sauce (jarred or homemade)
15 oz. part skim ricotta cheese
1/3 c. golden rasins
1/3 c. walnuts
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a casserole for your oven by spraying it with olive oil cooking spray.  Spoon about 1/2 a c. of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish to cover it. 

2) Brown ground chicken in a medium skillet over medium heat with the onion and the 2 minced garlic cloves.  When it is cooked through, drain the meat and set aside to cool slightly.

3) In a medium to large bowl combine the ricotta, raisins, walnuts, 1/4 c. of the Parmesan and 1/4 c. of the Mozzarella.  Once the chicken has cooled a little mix it in with the cheese mixture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

4)  To prepare the roll-ups take 1 chard leaf and spoon about 1/3 c. of the mixture on to one end of the leaves.  Roll it up in the leaves tucking the sides in (like a burrito) to keep the filling inside the chard leaves and then place into the casserole dish.  Do this to all 12 leaves.  You may have some filling leftover.  Pour the remaining sauce over the roll-ups and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella on top.

5) Bake in the oven about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

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Mexican food is serious comfort food around our house.  We both grew up in areas with lots and lots of good Mexican food (Texas and Southern California).  In fact the debate about what is better, Tex Mex or more authentic Mexican food, is a pretty common around our household.  Jason being the Texan of course thinks Tex Mex is better while Cassie holds that authentic Mexican food beats out Tex Mex any day.  We will probably never reach an agreement on this subject.  One thing we do know is that we both love enchiladas and were very excited to find this healthy enchilada recipe that can be a made anytime rather than just waiting for a special occasion.  Also the sauce from this recipe was wonderful.  It will now be our go to recipe for enchilada sauce.  

Kale and Pinto Bean Enchiladas
Adapted from Cate's World Kitchen
Serves 4

1 t. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, with or without seeds, diced
1 t. cumin
2 small zucchinis, finely diced
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. cilantro, minced
1 recipe enchilada sauce, below
12 corn tortillas
1 c. grated jack cheese
salt and pepper

1) Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, and jalapeno.  Cook for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften.  Add the cumin, zucchini and salt to taste.  Cook for another 3 minutes and then add the kale.  Stir until the kale has wilted.

2) Remove from heat and stir in the pinto beans, some black pepper, the cilantro, and a few spoon fulls of the enchilada sauce.

3) To assemble the enchiladas heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Warm each tortilla in the skillet for about 30-60 seconds per side until soft and pliable.  Fill the warmed tortilla with the kale and pinto bean mixture and then form into a roll.  Place in a oven proof dish with a layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom.  Repeat this step until you have 12 enchiladas.  Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and then sprinkle the cheese on top. 

4) Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and begins to bubble.  Serve warm.

Enchilada Sauce
1 large poblano pepper
2 T. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can of whole fire roasted tomatoes and their juice.
1 t. agave nectar
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
1-2 t. lime juice

1) Cut the chili in half and place it cut side down in a pan.  Place the chili under the broiler in your oven for about 10 minutes until the skin is charred and bubbly.  Cover with cold water and soak for 15 minutes.  Dice the chili finely. 

2) Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chili, onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes, stirring.  When the onion has softened add the tomatoes, agave, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.  Use a spoon to mash up the tomatoes as they soften.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.
3) Stir in the cilantro and lime juice.  Using an immersion blender puree mixture until it is smooth.  This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  The sauce is best when it has sat for a few hours to let the flavors really meld. 

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One of the things we are trying to do in 2011 is to shop our pantry before we plan meals and make a grocery list so we can use items we already have and avoid buying items that we didn't really need to begin with.  When searching through our pantry this particular week we came across 1/2 a package of whole wheat macaroni and some frozen peas.  We set to work thinking about what we could make with these and in our brains blossomed this idea for a pasta salad with chicken and peas.  What resulted from this little idea was a great weeknight meal that was quick to throw together and very delicious.

Chicken, Pea and Pasta Salad
A Jason and Cassie Original
Makes 4 servings


8 oz. dried whole wheat pasta, preferably a small pasta like macaroni
5 oz. frozen peas
2 slices whole grain bread (we used sprouted multigrain bread
5 T. olive oil, divided
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
1/2-1 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, baked and cubed. 
Salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add pasta and cook till al dente.  When the pasta is just done, throw the peas into the pot with the pasta.  Let sit for about 30 seconds and then drain.  Place in a large serving bowl.

2)  Take slices of bread and cut into small cubes.  Toss with 1 T. olive oil and salt and pepper.  Line bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 5 minutes until golden and crunchy.

3) Meanwhile make the dressing by combining 4 T. of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Let this sit together for at least 10 minutes so the flavors can combine.

4) In the bowl with the pasta and peas add the chicken, dressing and Parmesan cheese.  Refrigerate until cool.  This can be made ahead of time up to this point.  The salad is actually better when it has sat together for a few hours.  Just before serving toss the croutons in with the rest of the salad.  Enjoy. 



 

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We have been having a serious cold front lately.  Here in Denver we have had some snow, but on top of the snow we have had temperatures below 10 degrees the last few days.  That is just bitter and it begs a person to have some serious comfort food.  One of the best comfort foods on a cold day is soup and sandwiches.  It is an easy meal and oh so warming and satisfying. 

We had our tomato soup picked out so all we needed was a good sandwich recipe.  While trying to decide we stumbled across a recipe in the January issue of Clean Eating Magazine.  This recipe was stuck on 1/2 a tear out page filled with subscription cards.  We only found it because we were intent on ripping it out of the magazine.  Good thing we took a good look at it before we did because this sandwich was very yummy and so easy to make.  Plus it was really healthy!

Grilled Turkey and Sun Dried Tomato Sandwiches
Adapted from the January Issue of Clean Eating Magazine
Makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices rye sprouted grain bread (We used Alvarado Street Bakery)
12 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, patted dry and halved
2 oz. Jack cheese, thinly sliced
4 servings of low sodium turkey breast meat 
1 1/2 c. arugula leaves, washed

1) Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. 

2) While the skillet is heating assemble the sandwiches by taking 4 slices of bread.  Place 6 sun-dried tomato halves on each slice of bread and cover with 1/2 an oz. of Jack cheese on each piece of bread.  Layer 1 serving of turkey breast over each sandwich and then the arugula.  Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread.

3) In the dry, heated skillet place 1 to 2 sandwiches (or however many you can fit) and cover with a lid.  Let the sandwiches cook for about 2-4 minutes per side until the desired doneness of the bread.  Flip over, cover and cook for another 2-4 minutes on the other side and the cheese has melted.   Serve warm.

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Indian food is definitely a favorite in our household.  We love the flavors involved and it is a great use to bring out a ton of spices and really just have some fun in the kitchen.  One of our favorite Indian dishes is saag.  The greens mixed with all the spices turns out a very creamy and flavorful meal that is very fulfilling and perfect for a cold night.  You can make saag with almost any protein.  Paneer, lamb, chicken, etc.  It all goes well.  Our favorite saag is with paneer (Indian cheese).  Paneer can be a bit of a high calorie addition to the meal so we decided to give it a try with tofu instead of paneer.  What resulted was a truly delicious and extremely healthy dish that will definitely be made in our household again.

Saag Tofu
Adapted from Chef In You 
Serves 4

1 c. brown basmati rice
1 bunch chard or Mustard leaves
1 bunch spinach
5-10 parsley leaves (for freshness)
generous handful of fresh cilantro leaves 
1-2 green chilis, with or without seeds depending on taste 
2 T. canola oil, divided
1 onion, finely chopped
1 t. crushed garlic
1 t. crushed ginger
1 package firm tofu, well drained and cubed
1 t. garam masala
pinch of tumeric
1/2 t. corriander, ground
1/2 t. cumin
salt to taste

1) Rinse rice and prepare according to package directions.  

2) Wash and roughly chop the chard and spinach.  In a large pot steam the first four ingredients until wilted.  Place all the wilted greens in a blender with the green chilis and puree until smooth.  You can add a little water if the mixture is too thick to puree.

3) Meanwhile heat 1 T. oil in a medium skillet.  Add tofu and cook for 5-10 minutes until it begins to brown.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

4) Add the remaining 1 T. of oil to the pan along with the onion, garlic, ginger and spices.  Heat for 5 minutes until onions begin to soften.  Add the tofu back to the pan and let cook for another 5 minutes.  Add in the greens puree and bring to a boil.  If the mixture is too watery you can add some corn starch to thicken it up.  If it is too thick you can add some water.  Salt to taste and serve warm over the basmati rice.

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This dish was incredibly simple, hearty, filling, inexpensive, healthy and delicious.  In our opinion all of that adds up to a total winner in our book!  We really enjoyed this stew and it was perfect for a cold winter week night.

 Egyptian Edamame Stew
Adapted from EatingWell.com
Makes 4 servings

1 c. quinoa, uncooked
15 oz. frozen edamame, thawed
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cayenne pepper (or less if you don't like spicy food)
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 small lemon

1) Rinse quinoa and then prepare according to package directions.

2) Meanwhile fill a pot with water and the soy beans and bring to a boil.  Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, drain and then set aside.

3) Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and add the onions.  Let cook for about 5 minutes then add the zucchini.  Let cook for another 3 minutes until the onion begins to brown. 

4) Add garlic, cumin, corriander, cayenne and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

5) Add the edamame to the tomato mixture and cook until it is heated through.  It should only take a few more minutes.  Stir in the cilantro and the lemon juice and serve over quinoa.

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Back in September we told you the story of Our Soup.  A dish that came about one night while scrounging in the cabinets to see what we had.  Well this pasta dish's beginnings were created in much the same way.  Since we have added on and perfected the mix, but we like to think of this (and frequently call it) Our Pasta.  It is an easy, but delicious meal and adds a bit of a kick to regular spaghetti.  We have used various forms of protein in this spaghetti and can be made with just about anything.  In this recipe we use Chicken Italian Sausages, but you can also use beans, tofu, ground meat, chicken breasts, etc. or you can just omit them totally.

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We admit that for the most part it tends to take us awhile to blog about meals.  Sometimes it will be weeks or months after we actually have the meal before we actually blog about it.  Not the case with this meal.  We were both just so excited about it and enjoyed it so much we wanted to get it up on the blog ASAP.  This meal came to be (at least for us) because of a huge hankering for chile rellenos.  We both just love Mexican food and we wanted to find a somewhat healthy recipe for them rather than cheese laden deep fried version that you normally get in restaurants here.  So we headed over to our old reliable source for delicious yet healthy recipes, Eating Well.  There we found this casserole that isn't only healthy and delicious, but it is ridiculously easy.  It takes just a few minutes to whip up before you pop it in the oven.  This meal is definitely going into our regular rotation from now on.

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Recently both of us have gotten into clean eating.  Clean eating is a pretty simple concept.  You eat "real" natural food ingredients in a minimally processed state and you eat several (5-6) well balanced meals everyday.  On top of all this you reduce the amount of saturated fat and sugar in your diet.  It can be difficult to tackle some of the changes initially, but in our opinion it is well worth it.  It leaves you feeling energized and properly nourished. 

To begin researching clean eating Cassie read the book The Eat Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno.  It is a really quick read and she highly recommends the book to anyone interested in eating more healthfully.  The book also has about 30 or so recipes included in it in the back.  This is where we found the recipe for the noodle bowl.  To be honest the recipe was a little poorly conceived ( for example called for way too small of a pot and we had to move the meal to a bigger pot twice), but in the end we felt like it was a good starting point for the dish and I think we ironed out most of the kinks in the recipe below. 

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One thing people find hard to believe is that the two of us have managed to live without a functioning microwave for over 2 and a half years now.  While microwaves are truly a convenient invention neither of us feel particularly inclined to remedy our situation any time soon.  In all honesty we do have a microwave.  There it sat, above our stove, when we purchased our house, but we soon found out that it was not a functioning appliance (ahhh the joys of buying a foreclosed home).  We haven't gotten around to replacing it as we have had many other priorities to take care of in our now cozy little home.  So there it sits and it makes a wonderful timer.  We do plan to replace it one of these days, but we are leaning more towards replacing it with a range hood rather than another over the stove microwave when we do that.  The more you live without a microwave the more you realize how it really isn't all that hard to live without one.

So why the heck are we talking about microwaves?  Well the recipe we are sharing today actually has a step with some microwaving in it.  These usually aren't a big deal and are easily adapted (as was this recipe), but there are some that tend to just throw us for a bit of a loop.  Creating a double boiler of water and a glass bowl on the stove to melt stuff can be quite a pain in the rear.  Sure it isn't that hard, but occasionally (just occasionally), life really would be simpler with one, but we still will probably be one of those crazy households without for a very long time.  So...anyway if you want to revert heating the bean mixture in this recipe back to the microwave then more power to you.

Black Bean and Salmon Toastada
Adapted from  EatingWell.com
Makes 4 servings
8 6-inch corn tortillas
non stick canola cooking spray
1/2 T. canola oil
6 oz. salmon fillet
1 avocado, diced
4 T. pickled jalapenos, mince
3 T. pickled jalapeno juice reserved
2 c. purple cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
2 T. chopped cilantro
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
3 T. sour cream
2 T. prepared salsa
2 scallions, chopped
Lime wedges, optional (but highly recommended)

1) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Arrange corn tortillas on 2 baking sheets in a single layer.  Spray each side of the tortillas with canola spray.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, flipping once and rotating the baking sheets midway through, until light brown.

2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Cook salmon fillet about 6 minutes per side till it is cooked through.  When it is done flake the meat.

3)  In a food processor, process beans, sour cream, salsa and scallions until smooth.  Heat these over medium heat in a small sauce pan for about 5-8 minutes until warm.

4) Combine the salmon, avocado and jalapeno in a bowl.  Combine the cabbage, carrot, jalapeno pickling juice, and cilantro in another bowl.

5) Spread each tortilla with an 1/8 of the bean mixture.  Add an 1/8 of the salmon mixture and then top with an 1/8 of the cabbage mixture.  Serve immediately.

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