Butterscotch Blondies

I felt like I haven't made a normal dessert in a while, so I found a recipe.  I also was craving something sweet.  This recipe is from the book: "1001 cupcakes, cookies & other tempting treats".  It makes 10 servings of blonde brownies.

Ingredients:
9 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped (I left these out)
powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F and grease a shallow 8x8in baking pan.
2.  Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and whisk together until pale and creamy.  Gradually whisk in eggs and vanilla extract.  Sift in flour and baking powder into mixture and beat together until well mixed.
3.  Add the butterscotch chips and nuts (if using) and stir until combined.
4.  Pour into pan and smooth.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.  Let cool in pan, then dust with powdered sugar for decorating and cut into squares.  Enjoy!

Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
369 calories
17g fat (11g saturated)
70mg cholesterol
170mg sodium
50g carbohydrates
1g fiber
34g sugar
3g protein

Sweet Potato Pasta

I had one very large sweet potato left over from when I made Sweet Potato pizza.  I love sweet potatoes!  I was browsing Pinterest and found this recipe.  I've been trying to use substitutes for ingredients I don't have on hand.  So instead of the arugula I was supposed to use, I used parsley.  I got in trouble this month because I went over our grocery budget by 50%.  All of these awesome recipes are fun, but they add up in cost.  So I can't buy anything from the grocery store until February. :(  The recipe below makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 oz baby arugula (I just added parsley at the end of the cooking)
2 cups (dry) bow tie pasta
1 Tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1.  Heat a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.  Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat.  Cook sweet potato for 8-10 minutes until cooked through.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
2.  Add pasta to boiling water and cook just until pasta is barely al-dente.
3.  When sweet potatoes are cooked through and turn to low heat.  Add the balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil, cook for 3-5 minutes until sweet potatoes are glazed with vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Wash the arugula if needed and then place in bottom of colander where you're going to drain pasta.  When pasta is done, scoop out 1/2 cup pasta cooking water; then pour pasta over arugula.  Let is drain for 1 minute, then add the pasta and arugula to pan with sweet potatoes and stir to combine.  Add the reserved pasta water and stir gently.  Then add most of the Parmesan cheese and stir again.  Enjoy!

Beth's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:
404 calories
18g fat (7g saturated)
34mg cholesterol
600mg sodium
43g carbohydrates
5g fiber
8g sugar
18g protein

French Onion Soup

I thought I would try another soup.  I found this recipe in the book: "Cook this, not that".  The recipe below makes 4 large servings.  I still do not like soup.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
5 medium onions, sliced (mixture of yellow and red)
1/2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
freshly cracked pepper
4 slices of baguette
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.  Heat the butter in a large pot over low heat.  Add the onions and salt.  Cover the pot and cook the onions over low heat until very soft and caramelized.  About 30 minutes.  Stir every 10 minutes or so.
2.  Add the bay leaves, broth, wine, and thyme.  Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.  Season with pepper.  Discard the bay leaves,
3.  Preheat the broiler.  Divide the soup among 4 oven-proof bowls.  Top each with a slice of baguette and some cheese.  Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 4/10

Nutrition:
405 calories
12g fat (6g saturated)
20mg cholesterol
1500mg sodium
51g carbohydrates
3g fiber
12g sugar
12g protein

Black Bean Chocolate Cake

I wanted to try making this for so long.  I love cake and a healthier version that tastes good, awesome.  I got this recipe from the blog healthyindulgences.net.  The recipe makes two 9" round cakes.  The recipe makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:
2-15 oz can of black beans
10 large eggs
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
12 Tbsp butter (I accidentally used only 6 Tbsp)
1 cup honey+2 Tbsp of sugar (I accidentally used only 1/2 cup honey and 1 Tbsp sugar)
12 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325F.  Rinse beans in colander and shake off excess water.  Spray two 9" cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper cut out to fit in bottom of pans.
2.  Place beans, 6 of the eggs, vanilla and salt in a food processor.  Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied.
3.  Whisk together cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.  Set aside.
4.  Beat butter with honey until light and fluffy.  Add remaining 4 eggs one at a time and beat for a minute after each addition.
5.  Finally, stir in cocoa powder mixture and beat on high until smooth.
6.  Scrape batter into the two pans and gently rap it on the counter to eliminate bubbles.
7.  Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done when top is rounded and firm to the touch.
8.  After 10 minutes, turn out cakes onto cooling racks.  Once cooled and right before servings, frost cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, recipe below:

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
4 Tbsp cocoa powder

Directions:
1.  Cream butter with sugar.  Add vanilla, salt and cocoa powder and beat until smooth.

Jason's Rating: 5/10
Beth's Rating: 6/10

Nutrition:
523 calories
30g fat (18g saturated)
250mg cholesterol
580mg sodium
56g carbohydrates
8g fiber
36g sugar
11g protein

Salmon Burgers

We were looking for another way to use our salmon from Alaska and we found this recipe.  It is from the book "Weber's time to grill".  It took awhile to make, but it was delicious.  The recipe below makes 4 burgers.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Ingredients:

Veggie Marinade:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt (I used normal salt)

1/4 cucumber, cut into paper thin slices

1/4 medium red onion, cut into thin slices

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces

Sauce:

1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

2 tsp peeled, grated fresh ginger (I used pickled ginger)

1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Salmon:

1 salmon fillet (1 lbs)

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 Tbsp peeled, grated fresh ginger (I used pickled ginger)

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce

1/2 large egg

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

4 whole wheat burger buns

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl stir the vinegar, sugar and salt.  Add the cut up cucumber, red onion, and bell pepper to the mixture and let marinade for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2.  In a small bowl combine the sauce ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate.

3.  In a food processor pulse the salmon pieces until coarsely chopped.  Add the green onions, cilantro, ginger, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, and egg.  Pulse a few times until just blended.  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and gently stir in the bread crumbs.  Shape into 4 patties that are 1/2 inch thick and refrigerate for 30 minutes before grilling.

4.  Brush the cooking grates clean.  Lay a single layer of aluminum foil and spray with olive oil.  Grill over direct medium heat, with the lib closed as much as possible, until you can lift the patties easily from the foil.  Grill 6-8 minutes, turning once after 4 minutes.  During the last minute of grilling time, grill the buns cut side down, until lightly toasted.

5.  Slather sauce on bottom bun, place salmon patty on top and add the marinaded veggies.  Enjoy!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:

418 calories

14g fat (1g saturated)

70mg cholesterol

830mg sodium

50g carbohydrates

2g fiber

9g sugar

30g protein

   

Butternut Squash Pesto Cheesecake

This recipe required me to buy a 4" spring form pan, but it was really yummy!  I got this recipe from Pinterest.  It makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup non-fat cottage cheese

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature
2 Tbsp pesto
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
3 heaping tablespoons of pureed butternut squash
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Line the springform pan with parchment paper or tin foil.  Spray with non-stick spray.
2.  Mix the bread crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl.  Dump into the spring form pan and press onto the bottom and slightly up the sides.  Set aside.
3.  Puree the cottage cheese in your food processor until smooth and creamy.  Add the Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, egg and butternut squash.  Pulse to gently mix.
4.  Pour 1/2 cheesecake mixture into pan, add 1 tbsp of pesto and swirl.  Pour the remaining cheesecake into the pan, then top with remaining pesto.
5.  Bake at 350F for 50 minutes.  The cheesecake is done with the edges are slightly golden and it jiggles a little in the middle when you shake it.  Turn off the oven, crack the oven door and leave cheesecake in the oven to cool down for an hour.
6.  Cool cheesecake to room temperature, and chill in frig for at least 3 hours.  Can chill in frig for 3 days.
7.  Run a knife along edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake from the pan. Enjoy with crackers!

Jason's Rating: 6/10
Beth's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:
222 calories
13g fat (6g saturated)
80mg cholesterol
1300mg sodium
10g carbohydrates
0g fiber
2g sugar
15g protein

Chicken Fried Rice

We have been on a roll with the recipes from the book: "Cook this, not that".  It has a lot of good recipes that are slightly healthier for you.  Tonight we made Chicken Fried Rice!  Yum.  The recipe below makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 green onions, greens and whites separated, chopped

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger (with used jarred ginger)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 cups bite-size boccoli florets

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-size pieces

4 cups cooked brown rice

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 eggs, lightly beaten

How to make it:

Day before: cook rice according to package instructions and then put in refrigerator.  Using cold rice will give a better consistency in the dish than using hot rice that has just been cooked.

1.  In a wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  When the oil is lightly smoking, add the green onion (white parts), ginger and garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds.  Add the zucchini, carrots, broccoli and mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, using a spatula to stir the vegetables throughout.  Add the chicken and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, until the pieces are no longer pink.

2.  Stir in the rice and soy sauce and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the rice to get crispy on the bottom.  Create an empty space on the bottom of the pan and add the eggs.  Use a spoon or spatula to quickly scramble the eggs until light and fluffy, then stir them into the rest of the ingredients.  Serve garnished with the green onions (green parts).

Jason and Beth's Rating: 6/10

Nutrition:

522 calories (versus 1532 in P.F. Chang's version)

9g fat (1g saturated)

100mg cholesterol

450mg sodium

90g carbohydrates

6g fiber

3g sugar

21g protein

Artichoke Dip

This recipe is another healthy version of a restaurant industry dish.  This artichoke dip is super yummy.  It is a remake of Chili's Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip.  This recipe makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

4 large whole-wheat pitas

1/2 Tbsp butter

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 jar (12oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped

1 box (16oz) spinach, thawed

1 can (4oz) roasted green chiles, drained and chopped

2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt

2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the artichokes, spinach, chiles, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and lemon juice.  Cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or until hot.  Add salt and pepper.

2.  Meanwhile, cut the pitas into 4 pieces and bake in a 400F preheated oven for 5 minutes.

3.  Serve dip hot with pitas.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:

100 calories

2g fat (1g saturated)

5mg cholesterol

200mg sodium

16g carbohydrates

2g fiber

2g sugar

3g protein

Loaded Alfredo and Vegetables

This recipe looked really good, so we made it when we got home from Duluth.  It was easy to make and pretty quick.  This recipe was from the book: "Cook this, not that".  It is a healthier version of Olive Garden's Fettuccine Alfredo.  This recipe made 6 servings.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
2.5 cups 1% milk
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 package frozen broccoli
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
16 oz whole wheat pasta

Directions:
1.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Whisk in flour.  Cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk to prevent any lumps from forming.  Add the garlic and simmer, whisking often, for 10-15 minutes, or until nicely thickened.  Stir in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm.
2.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until lightly caramelized.  Cook frozen broccoli according to package directions.
3.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
4.  Drain the pasta and add sauce and vegetables and serve.  Enjoy!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 5/10

Nutrition:
258 calories (versus 1,220 in Olive Garden's version)
10g fat (4g saturated)
15mg cholesterol
140mg sodium
31g carbohydrates
5g fiber
8g sugar
11g protein

Chocolate Cranberry Bran Muffins

I was looking for a healthier breakfast for our weekend in Duluth and I found this one.  It is from the blog "17 and baking", the author had a lot of good recipes.  This recipe makes 18 muffins.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups oat bran

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375F and use 18 paper liners in a cupcake pan.

2.  Combine the oats and milk in a bowl and soak for 15 minutes.

3.  In another bowl, stir together the applesauce, sugar, vanilla, and egg.  Add in the oat mixture.

4.  Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and gently fold into the applesauce mixture. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine.  Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.

5.  Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full and bake 18 minutes, or until muffins spring back lightly when tapped and a toothpick comes out clean. 

Beth, Laura, Andy, Jason and Beth's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:

173 calories

4g fat (2g saturated)

10mg cholesterol

123mg sodium

36g carbohydrates

4g fiber

17g sugar

5g protein

Summer Rolls

These Summer Rolls were yummy and fresh.  We got the recipe from Jason's book: "Weber's time to grill".  I guess they are similar to spring rolls.

Ingredients:

Summer Rolls:

15 fresh shrimp

3 Tbsp Sriracha sauce

8 large round rice paper wrappers

1 cucumber, cut into very thin julienne strips

1 carrot, cut into very thin julienne strips

2 radishes, cut into very thin julienne strips

2 green onions, cut into very thin julienne strips

2 cups roughly chopped lettuce leaves

3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Sauce:
1/2 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp minces lemongrass
1 tsp ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

1.  Cook shrimp in a pan until red.  Set aside to cool. After cooled, cut into smaller pieces.
2.  To assemble rolls, place one rice paper wrapper in hot water for 30 seconds.  Take out the wrapper and dry with a paper towel.  Place a few pieces of shrimp in a horizontal line just below the center of the wrap.
3.  Top the shrimp with the veggies, lettuce, mint, and cilantro.  Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling and then fold in the sides; roll up tightly.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.  Rolls may be covered and refrigerated for several hours at this point.
4.  In a small bowl combine the sauce ingredients.  Serve rolls with sauce.

Jason, Beth and Terri's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
63 calories
0g fat (0g saturated)
68mg cholesterol
280mg sodium
6g carbohydrates
0g fiber
4g sugar
9g protein

Carolina Crab Cakes

These crab cakes weren't as good as the ones from Axel's, but they were very tasty.  I got the recipe from the Taste of Home magazine.  This recipe makes 6 small crab cakes.

Ingredients:

1 egg lightly beaten

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tsp grated onion

1/2 tsp minced fresh parsley

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp seafood seasoning

1/8 tsp ground mustard

dash pepper

dash hot pepper sauce

1 can (6 oz) crabmeat (we used a package (1lb) of imitation crab meat)

1 Tbsp olive oil

Mustard Sauce:

2 Tbsp Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp sour cream

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients.  Fold in crab.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients.

2.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Drop crab mixture by 1/4 cupfuls into the pan; cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Serve with sauce.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 6/10

Nutrition (one crab cake):

86 calories

2g fat (1g saturated)

32mg cholesterol

350mg sodium

11g carbohydrates

1g fiber

3g sugar

5g protein

Sweet Potato Kale Pizza with Rosemary and Red Onion

I've never made a pizza before, from scratch.  This pizza recipe I got from Pinterest.  It is by far the BEST pizza I have ever eaten.  It tastes like it is straight from a specialty pizza shop.  I even made the dough myself!  The dough recipe is from my friends Erica Whalen and Luke Busta.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Pizza Dough (makes two pizza crusts)
Ingredients:
1.25 cups warm water
2.25 tsp yeast
0.5 tsp sugar
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
0.5 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp honey (not raw)

Directions:
1.  Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes, allow to foam.
2.  Mix flours and salt.
3.  Once foamy, to the wet bowl add olive oil and honey. Mix together a bit.
4.  Add dry ingredients 1 cup at a time, and stir (one direction only) into the wet bowl.  Stir thoroughly, add next cup and repeat.
5.  Once dough is manageable, transfer to well floured surface and knead, German-style, and continue to add flour.  Stretch but don't tear the dough, knead until tacky.
6.  Form the dough into a ball and roll it in a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 90 minutes.
7.  "Punch down" and divide in two balls.  Put one ball in a plastic bag in the frig for a different pizza.

Pizza:
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced, about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, for seasoning potatoes and onions
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp, freshly chopped rosemary

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Toss sweet potatoes and red onions with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
2.  Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the pizza dough.
3.  Turn the oven to 500F or as high as your oven will go.  If you have a pizza stone, place in the oven to get hot.  On a lightly floured surface (or pizza peel) push out or stretch the dough in a circular motion.  Don't force it down!  Dough takes coaxing and caressing....love the dough.
4.  In a small bowl toss the kale with balsamic vinegar.  Lightly brush the dough with remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Top the pizza with mozzarella cheese, sweet potatoes, kale, red onion and fresh rosemary (we used dried).
5.  Using the peel, slide the pizza on top of the pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before eating.  ENJOY!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 9/10!

Nutrition:
441 calories
19g fat (7g saturated)
17mg cholesterol
1000mg sodium
50g carbohydrates
3g fiber
8g sugar
14g protein

Watercress Soup

I found another unique recipe in my new book: "La Cuisine".  It is a soup made with watercress and potatoes.  It was super easy.  I had never used watercress before.  The recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
bunch of watercress, leaves reserved
1-2 Tbsp tapioca
salt
2 Tbsp butter
greek yogurt, dollop
olive oil, garnish on top
nutmeg, garnish on top

Directions:
1.  In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of salted water to boil.  Add stems of the watercress and potatoes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

2.  Puree the soup using a food mill or blender.  Return the soup to the pan and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Add the tapioca and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.  Finely chop some watercress leaves.  Add the butter to the soup and stir until it melts creamily.  Pour the soup in bowls, garnish with olive oil, greek yogurt and nutmeg.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 3/10

Nutrition:
168 calories
6g fat (4g saturated)
15g cholesterol
200mg sodium
28g carbohydrates
2g fiber
1g sugar
2g protein

Molten Chocolate Cupcakes

Again, I wanted to make another cupcake.  This recipe I found in my "1001 cupcakes...." book.  One weird thing was that the recipe said it would make 8 cupcakes, but it only made 4.  They were really yummy.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

2/3 self-rising flour

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

2 oz dark chocolate pieces

powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-hole muffin pan with 8 paper liners.

2. Place the butter, sugar, egg, flour, and cocoa in a large bowl and beat together until smooth.  

3. Spoon half of batter into the paper liners. Place the chocolate chunk in batter and cover with remaining batter.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, until well risen and springy to the touch.

5. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for 2-3 minutes before serving warm and dust with powdered sugar.

Terri and Beth's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:

323 calories

23g fat (13g saturated)

111mg cholesterol

150mg sodium

28g carbohydrates

2g fiber

4g sugar

6g protein

Grilled Romaine with Blue-Cheese Bacon Vinaigrette

This was another fun recipe I found from foodnetwork.com.  It is a simple recipe with a twist. The grilled romaine has a nice smokey flavor that tastes great with the vinaigrette.  The recipe below makes two servings.  We paired the salad with some mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive oil
1/4 cup diced red onion
6 strips of bacon, diced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 head of romaine lettuce, cut lengthwise
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
freshly cracked pepper
salt

Directions:
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add onion and bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy.  Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Brush the romaine with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on grill cut-side down and quickly sear until grill marks are visible.

For each serving, place a half thread of romaine cut-side up on a plate and drizzle the balsamic dressing on top.  Sprinkle with blue cheese and garnish with black pepper.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 9/10

Nutrition:
306 calories
22g fat (6g saturated)
25mg cholesterol
274mg sodium
16g carbohydrates
3g fiber
12g sugar
9g protein

Veggie Sandwich!

We doesn't love veggies?  This recipe is from Pinterest.  This is definitely a healthy, easy recipe.  It makes two sandwiches.  It is delicious!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp finely chopped chives
salt and pepper, to taste
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1 tomato, cored and diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
squeeze of lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or cilantro
4 slices of whole grain bread
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
2-4 slices of pepper jack cheese

In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt and chives.  Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, gently toss together avocado, tomato, cucumber, lime juice and basil or cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

Spread the chive-yogurt mixture on all four bread slices.  Divide the sprouts between two slices of bread, and top with avocado salad and cheese.  Cover with remaining slices of bread.  Enjoy!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
510 calories
30g fat (14g saturated)
60mg cholesterol
715mg sodium
41g carbohydrates
13g fiber
6g sugar
17g protein

Chicken with Wild Mushroom and Balsamic Cream Sauce

Julie and John gave Jason and I orzo pasta for one of their wedding gifts.  At first glance I didn't know what it was, I had to ask.  I was really excited when I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com and used it!  Also, I love mushrooms and balsamic vinegar.  The recipe was created by Rachel Ray.  The recipe below makes 4 servings.  It was fantastic!  This is something you all should try!

Ingredients:

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces

2 Tbsp butter

12 cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

12 white mushrooms, sliced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 Tbsp thyme leaves, chopped

2 large shallots

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Heat a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt the water and add orzo pasta.  Cook to al dente.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil, 2 turns of pan.  Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to hot skillet.  Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side.  Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit and add the butter.  Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4-5 minutes.  Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper and then add garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes until shallots are wilted.  Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more.  Whisk in the stock, vinegar, and the cream.  Turn up the heat to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened.  Slice the chicken on an angle.  Add parsley and the chicken back to the skillet to heat up, about 1 minute.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:

495 calories

21g fat (8g saturated)

85mg cholesterol

730mg sodium

50g carbohydrates

3g fiber

2g sugar

30g protein

Vanilla Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

For this cupcake I used the same vanilla cupcake recipe I had used before, but from http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/ I found the maple cream cheese frosting.  It is super yummy.  Then I just added a maple sugar candy on top.  Simple!  The cupcake recipe is from my December 30th blog post and the frosting recipe is below.  The recipe frosts 9 cupcakes.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

4oz cream cheese

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 stick butter, room temperature

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.  Frost cooled cupcakes!  Phew!

Beth's Rating: 6/10

Nutrition (just the frosting):

211 calories

9g fat (6g saturated)

13mg cholesterol 

60mg sodium

33g carbohydrates

0g fiber

32g sugar

1g protein

Eggplant Parmesan Bites

I had one eggplant leftover from making Ratatouille, so I found this recipe on www.foodnetwork.com.  It was delicious   This recipe made 12 bites.

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
Kosher salt
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2 large eggs
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra- virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 large plum tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 cup ricotta cheese
Shredded fresh basil, for topping 

Directions:
Thinly slice the eggplant into rounds and season with salt. Pour some flour into a shallow dish. Beat the eggs in another dish. In a third dish, mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan. Dredge the eggplant in the flour, then dip in the eggs and coat with the breadcrumb mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the eggplant until golden, about 2 minutes per side, adding more oil between batches, if necessary. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and the vinegar in a bowl. Spoon some ricotta onto each eggplant slice. Top with the tomato mixture and basil.

Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
243 calories
13g fat (5g saturated)
95mg cholesterol
328mg sodium
22g carbohydrates
4g fiber
4g sugar
12g protein

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I bought a butternut squash the other day and I was browsing foodnetwork.com for a recipe.  There were a lot of soups, but I was looking for something else.  I found a lasagna!  It sounded really good and different than any lasagna I've seen.  The recipe makes 12 servings and is from Giada.  I did make one adjustment, I didn't add the amaretti cookies it called for.  They have almonds in them AND I couldn't find them at Cub.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Blend until smooth and season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Beth's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:

225 calories

10g fat (6g saturated)

30mg cholesterol

225mg sodium

24g carbohydrates

1g fiber

3g sugar

9g protein

Saffron-Citrus Salmon Steaks with Basil Oil

We took out some of our Alaskan salmon from the freezer a few days ago and we found a great recipe for them.  It is from the book "Mastering The Grill".  The picture looked fantastic and we have never done a citrus marinade before.  Also, we have never used Saffron before.  The recipe below makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

Saffron-Citrus Marinade:
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lime
Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
1 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp kosher salt

Preparing the fish:
1 cup Saffron-Citrus Marinade
4 salmon fillets with skin, and 6 oz each
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
oil for coating grill grate
4 lemon wedges

Directions:
1.  To make the marinade, combine the saffron and vodka and set aside.
2.  Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, until tender; let cool.
3.  Combine the saffron mixture, cooled onion, citrus juices and zests, basil, and salt in a gallon-size ziploc bad; seal and shake.
4.  Put the bag in a bowl just large enough to hold it snugly.  Open the bag and add the salmon.  Release any air and seal, massage the liquid into the meat gently.  Marinade at room temperature for 1 hour.
5.  To prepare fish, remove from marinade bag after 1 hour.  Discard marinade.  Rub with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6.  Heat the grill.  Gas: direct heat, medium (350F-400F).
7.  Puree the basil and remaining olive oil in a blender or small food processor.  Scrape into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then pass through a fine strainer into a heatproof bowl or jar and let cool. (The basil oil can be kept covered in a cool, dark place for 4-5 days.)
8.  Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil.  Put the fish on the grill, cover, and cook until it is just a bit filmy and moist in the center, 10-12 minutes without flipping.  Avoid overcooking, as the fish will continue to cook slightly once removed from the grill.
9.  Served drizzled with the basil oil, and pass the lemon wedges for squeezing.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
302 calories
17g fat (2g saturated)
75mg cholesterol
440mg sodium
0g carbohydrates
0g fiber
0g sugar
33g protein

Easy Ratatouille

I found this healthy looking recipe in my "La Cuisine" book.  The full name of the recipe is Ratatouille Nicoise.  It is a traditional French Provencal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice, France.  This version is an easier version.  Some say the best way to make Ratatouille is to saute each vegetable separately then combine them at the end, but this recipe cooks them all at once.  This recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bunch of fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until softened.
2.  Add eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.
3.  Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 30-40 minutes.  Stir every 10 minutes to prevent sticking to bottom of skillet.  Remove the lid halfway through to reduce the cooking juices if needed.
4.  Remove the parsley and serve.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 6/10

Nutrition:
220 calories
14g fat (2g saturated)
0mg cholesterol
170mg sodium
20g carbohydrates
7g fiber
10g sugar
5g protein

Eggs Baked in Ramekins with Mushrooms

Today I wanted to do a smaller dinner because neither of us were very hungry.  Also, I needed something different but not terribly complicated.  I hadn't used my new french book: "La Cuisine" yet so I looked through it and found an egg recipe.  The recipe below makes two servings.  The french name for this recipe is Oeufs cocotte aux Champignons.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter

salt and pepper

6 small white mushrooms

3 large basil leaves, chopped

lemon juice for sprinkling

2 large eggs

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 500F and brush 2 ramekins with butter and season with salt and pepper.

2.  In a skillet, melt the 1 tablespoon butter over high heat.  Add the mushrooms and basil, sprinkle with lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

3.  Spoon the mushroom mixture into each ramekin.  Break an egg into each ramekin.  Set the ramekins in a glass casserole dish and fill it with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Cover the pan with foil, transfer to the oven, and bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 6-8 minutes.  

4.  Remove the ramekins form the water bath and serve.

Jason and Beth's Rating 6/10

Nutrition:
125 calories
10g fat (5g saturated)
230mg cholesterol
100mg sodium
2g carbohydrates
0g fiber
0g sugar
7g protein