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chorizo + quinoa {stuffed} zucchini.

September 3, 2012 — 6 Comments

First off – I’m all about a quinoa salad. It’s super-easy to make, the quinoa gets your protein in, and you can throw in whatever veggies you’ve got on hand and call it dinner.

Chorizo + Quinoa {Stuffed} Zucchini

But because that’s all been said and done in my kitchen, I chose to go a different route with this week’s quinoa inspiration à la The Food Matters Project. Perfect timing because I’ve been craving stuffed zucchini in a major way.

You could take this basic idea and go a number of ways, but since I had some chorizo on hand, I went with that. Chorizo adds crazy flavor to the whole mix, since you’re cooking the vegetables in the fat that renders from it. You could stick with all veggies if you prefer – remember, the quinoa makes it a complete meal for you – or you could… who can guess where I’m going with this… use bacon!

In Food Matters Project, Main Dishes chorizo, mexican recipes, queso fresco, quinoa, zucchini

greek {chicken} nachos.

August 21, 2012 — 15 Comments

Easy. Healthy. Delicious. And guess what? There’s practically no cooking involved.

Greek {Chicken} Nachos

Summer eating at its finest.

This is … a Greek take on nachos. How fun is that?! I’ve been eyeing this recipe in The Food Matters Cookbook since we began and so I was more than pleased to help fellow member Megan out with her selection when she asked me.

The original recipe is titled Greek “Nachos” with Feta Drizzle, and because I was so into the idea, I stayed pretty true to it. The general theory is that pita chips replace the tortilla chips, and then summer veggies like tomato and cucumber form a salad on top. Mark combines the feta with yogurt to form a drizzle, but instead I opted to melt the feta over the chips with chicken. Hello, store-bought rotisserie chicken! You could brown up some ground lamb instead if you’re feeling extra Greek. And if you want to keep things meatless, add hummus or roasted chickpeas in place of the chicken.

In Food Matters Project, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes cucumbers, feta, greek yogurt, mediterranean, pita bread, rotisserie chicken, salsas + relishes, summer recipes, weeknight fix

frozen peach {basil} sangria.

July 23, 2012 — 10 Comments

Here we go again.

frozen peach {basil} sangria

And by we, I mean me … once again, I’m off making deliciously crafty cocktails that go down way too easily – and if you’re not careful, you’re gonna end up in a state of comatosity.

I’m not kidding – after a nice, healthy pour of this frothy sensation, I was ready for a nap.

But isn’t this what summer’s all about? Sweet peaches, fresh basil, crisp white wine and tequila … it’s starting to look like I took my favorite things about summer and stuffed them all into a blender, isn’t it?

It kinda is what I did, but let me just say, this is one of the best cocktails I’ve ever made. It’s truly unique, yet all of the flavors harmonize perfectly.

In Cocktails, Food Matters Project basil, frozen drinks, limes, peaches, sangria, summer recipes, tequila, white wine

roquefort-avocado dip + beet chips.

July 9, 2012 — 16 Comments

Making chips out of vegetables makes me feel slightly better about sneaking massive amounts of tangy blue cheese into my guacamole.

Roquefort-Avocado Dip + Beet Chips

We all know I’m a cheese freak, and for that matter – an avocado/guacamole freak.

You’ve seen my white bean + avocado dip, which was fantastic but for very different reasons. You see, the white beans make the dip healthier. You’re sneaking fiber and protein into a place which subsequently has less room for fatty avocado (yes, we’re talking healthy fats … but too much of even the good stuff is no bueno for the waistline) and in turn, creating an all-around healthier situation.

But! Here, you’re enjoying the most sinfully delicious spread of chips and dip, and there are no carbs to be had! All because very thinly sliced beets have gone and turned themselves into crunchy, savory little chips rivaling anything that comes out of a bag. Terra chips, you’re out!

In Food Matters Project, Starters avocado, beets, blue cheese, chives, crème fraîche, dips + spreads, guacamole, lemon, orange, shallots, tarragon, vegetable chips

skirt steak + {summer} squash tacos.

June 25, 2012 — 20 Comments

Tacos, allow me to introduce you to the classic Argentinean combination of skirt steak and chimichurri.

Skirt Steak + {Summer} Squash Tacos

This isn’t, however, the traditional chimichurri made with parsley that you might be thinking of. This one’s made with arugula and basil – and it’s pretty divine.

Also – we’ve gone ahead and added grilled summer squash to these beauties, up-ing the health factor, and an easy goat cheese crema – which is really just a fancy term for goat cheese mixed with Greek yogurt.

This is one of my favorite meals I’ve made in a while, and it’s so super-simple – and perfect for summer! Cranking up my good ol’ Griddler to its highest heat got me the grill marks I was looking for, and I didn’t have any pots and pans to dirty up in the process since I used it for the meat, the squash, and even the tortillas.

In Food Matters Project, Main Dishes arugula, basil, beef, chimichurri, goat cheese, skirt steak, summer recipes, summer squash, tacos

zucchini-white bean {bacon} fritters.

June 11, 2012 — 13 Comments

Fritters … what exactly are they?

Zucchini-White Bean {Bacon} Fritters

They’re kinda like little vegetable pancakes – well, unless we’re talking apple fritters, or something in that universe. And by that, I mean a universe of sweetness … a lovely thought, indeed!

Also – they rhyme with critters. Way cute!

When I first thought about fritters for this week’s recipe for The Food Matters Project, I thought about something a bit more round. I thought about dropping round little balls of something into hot oil, and deep-frying them. That’s what Mark Bittman’s recipe (get it here, on Lena’s blog) for Braised Chickpea Fritters and Vegetables calls for, before these so-called balls get braised in a vat of saucy veggie-filled tomato goodness.

I like this idea very much, but after my recent fried chicken escapades, I wasn’t feeling the whole let’s-fill-a-pot-of-oil-and-drop-things-into-it type of a thing.

My next thought went to this recipe from Gourmet that I’ve been hoarding for … um, years.

In Food Matters Project, On the Side, Starters aioli, bacon, basil, chives, fritters, pan-fried, white beans, zucchini

heirloom tomato galette.

June 4, 2012 — 19 Comments

This heirloom tomato and fresh mozzarella galette has officially just blown my mind.

Heirloom Tomato Galette

It’s almost like a pizza: A flaky, buttery pastry replaces the crust, a balsamic-Dijon blend acts as a sauce, slices of luscious heirloom tomatoes and fresh local mozzarella melt into each other like buttered toast, and a layer of garlic, olives, and Parmigiano-Reggiano seals the deal. Followed by a generous helping of fresh chives and basil after it comes out of the oven.

I realize it’s a bit of a stretch from this week’s recipe for The Food Matters Project, which is that of a savory tomato crisp. There, you won’t find a crust at all – tomatoes are topped with a cheesy breadcrumb-oat topping and baked. It’s really more of a gratin. (Get the original recipe here, on Nicole’s blog for her inspiring company seeking to teach others about doing good with food, The Giving Table.) Bittman points out that, of course, it would be best in summer when tomatoes are at their peak, but because baking them brings out their sweetness, you can get away with making this recipe all year long.

Heirloom Tomatoes + The Start of Dough

We’ve talked about the magical experience that is roasting tomatoes, and the same magic goes down here in this galette. Gorgeous heirloom tomatoes in vibrant shades of green, yellow, and red are a little piece of heaven this time of year, no matter how you slice it {hehe} … I ate the extra slices and scraps drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt – heaven, I tell you! But when you cook them in this galette, their flavors intensify even moreso, and yes … MINDS. ARE. BLOWN.

In Food Matters Project, Main Dishes basil, chives, galettes, goat cheese, mozzarella, olives, savory tarts, summer recipes, tomatoes, vegetarian

tropical spinach salad with grilled shrimp + feta.

May 21, 2012 — 15 Comments

Spinach and strawberries are a classic combination when it comes to salads, but here – we’re taking that up a notch.

Tropical Spinach Salad with Grilled Shrimp + Feta

I almost skipped out on this week’s recipe for The Food Matters Project, and I’m so glad I didn’t. I’ve had a lot of craziness going on lately, between my trip to Louisville last week, catching up on work, and the ever-insane social calendar. I had a wedding last night, for instance – but I still ~~found~~ made the time to put this salad together yesterday so that we’d have dinner ready for the next couple of nights … and so that I could share it with you, of course!

Who doesn’t love a good main dish salad this time of year? It’s easy, it’s quick, and best of all … it’s bikini season-friendly!

It can be easy to fall into a salad-f0r-dinner rut once you find one you like. I tend toward arugula and store-bought rotisserie chicken with my go-to mustard vinaigrette during those extra-crazy weeks when I can’t even fathom putting more than 2 minutes of thought into dinner. This salad is a little more creative – and yes, it takes a bit more prep – but it’s still super-quick and easy.

In Food Matters Project, Healthy Eats, Salad Bar basil, citrus, dressings + vinaigrettes, feta, main course salads, pineapple, shrimp, spinach, strawberries, tropical, weeknight fix

asparagus-white bean soup + pancetta croutons.

April 30, 2012 — 10 Comments

Here we go again with the white beans.

Asparagus + White Bean Soup with Pancetta Croutons

Every time I’m making something and the white beans come out, Dan’s like, “Really? White beans again? What is it with you and these things?”

It’s a good thing that everything I’ve made with them has been delicious. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have much of an argument for my continued obsession.

White beans are a perfectly magical ingredient, indeed: They add bulk, protein, and fiber to any meal – especially great for all of my vegetarian friends (you are out there, right?). And for those of us like Daniel and I, who like to go meatless a few times a week. You can easily make this soup totally meatless by omitting the pancetta, but I happen to know there are a few of you (at least one) that eat a mostly vegetarian diet with a speckle of bacon here and there.

These pancetta croutons are seriously insane. Cooking the bread cubes in the pancetta and fresh thyme with the help of a little olive oil, since pancetta doesn’t have much fat to render out, results in the most incredible, salty little flavor-bombs that I think could and should be added to pretty much any soup that exists.

The soup itself is {nearly equally} incredible. Potatoes and, yes, white beans add bulk to the soup and when it’s pureéd, you’ll be tricked into thinking you’re eating a rich, cream-based soup. But guess what, pretties? There is NO cream in this soup, and you won’t miss it one bit. There are a lot of ingredients that add flavor to this soup, like shallots (my addition), garlic, fresh rosemary, white wine, and lemon (also my addition). And then there’s the asparagus, which is roasted before being added to the soup thus bringing out its best side. I saved my asparagus tips and added them as a garnish along with the croutons.

In Food Matters Project, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes asparagus, croutons, leeks, pancetta, rosemary, soups, spring recipes, thyme, white beans

homemade {whole wheat} baguettes.

April 23, 2012 — 14 Comments

I’m feeling very French today. Making baguettes, drinking wine, eating Brie and such.

This was my first time making bread. Real bread. And by the way, it felt damn good.

Baking homemade bread is one of those things that just makes you feel like a total baller in the kitchen. Though I’m sure many bread recipes are difficult/annoying/require a bread machine, this one is nothing of the sort! All you need is a food processor – and even that’s not completely imperative, as Bittman points out, you can still make it without one.

In Food Matters Project baguette, french bread, homemade bread, whole wheat