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the salad bar: the ultimate summer salad.

July 26, 2010 in Healthy Eats, Salad Bar with 3 Comments

A salad is always a good way to start the week, especially after weekends of food + drink debauchery.

Especially when said salad has bacon. And pan-fried fresh corn.

Um, yeah. I went there.

There’s also grape tomatoes, avocado, and grilled chicken. Probably some red onion. And did I mention there was bacon? And we can’t forget about the dressing. Or maybe we can – because I just did. I can’t remember what’s in the dressing. It’s definitely an herb vinaigrette. I’m thinking basil.

What do you think? Let’s go with basil. Chop some up, and add a good squeeze of lemon. Salt and pepper, and slowly whisk in your olive oil. That’s it. Fresh basil-lemon vinaigrette.

Let’s get back to this pan-fried corn. Eating it alone is heaven, and adding it to a salad is just outrageous. Fresh corn right off the cob, a little butter, and some salt + pepper = a party in your frying pan. I used to eat this stuff all the time growing up, and let me just tell you – it’s addicting. The fresh corn just sings here, but in a crunch frozen or even (gasp!) canned would do. But it would have to be a very big crunch.

Go. Make it. Now.

citrus salmon with broccoli.

July 21, 2010 in Healthy Eats, Main Dishes with 3 Comments

In our house, we eat a lot of salmon. And a lot of broccoli.

{We also drink a great deal of wine - but that’s neither here nor there}

I don’t usually use a recipe for a meal like this – I just give the salmon a nice sear on both sides, and maybe do a pan sauce at the end with lemon juice, white wine and/or chicken stock, maybe a few capers and a little swirl of butter at the end. The broccoli typically is roasted, because that’s how I love to eat it most – and yes, it’s something like roasting tomatoes…a bit magical and overwhelmingly more complex and flavorful than just steaming or even sauteéing.

This recipe, however, was interesting to me because it starts with a sear but finishes cooking – steaming, really – in the covered pan. The end result was delish, and though it was nothing too far off from what I usually do, it was definitely a fast, easy, and healthy dinner worth making again.

Citrus Salmon with Broccoli

Courtesy of BHG

  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter {Smart Balance}
  • 2 4-6 oz skinless salmon fillets
  • 1 tbsp snipped fresh dill
  • 1/2 bunch (1/2 lb) broccoli, trimmed
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
  • Lemon slices and fresh dill (optional)

Slice 1/2 of the lemon into thin slices; set aside. Juice remaining 1/2 lemon into a 1 cup measure; add water to equal 1/2 cup. Stir in sugar. Set aside.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until bottom is golden; turn fillets. Add lemon juice mixture. Top with snipped dill and lemon slices. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes more or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

Meanwhile, in another skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Quarter broccoli lengthwise into long spears; add to skillet along with garlic. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp-tender, turning often. You could also roast the broccoli in an oven heated to 400 degrees (after tossing lightly in olive oil and salt and pepper) for about 15 minutes. Serve the salmon with the broccoli, pouring the pan juices over the salmon. Serve with additional lemon slices and fresh dill.

Makes 2 servings. Calories are estimated at 363 per serving. I like.

the salad bar: grilled chicken BLT salad.

July 18, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Healthy Eats, Salad Bar with 7 Comments

You will love this salad. Trust.

I mean, it has bacon. And tomatoes… But not just any tomatoes. Roasted cherry tomatoes.

Something magic happens when you roast tomatoes; in fact, I think it was this salad that got Daniel to first warm up to the little red guys. I know, it’s hard to believe there are people out there {and lots of them} who hate tomatoes. Well, there are. And they probably just haven’t tried them roasted.

And then there’s the dressing. It’s a buttermilk dressing (a lower-fat version, of course) with these little bits of chopped green onion swimming throughout it. It’s creamy, tangy, and the perfect match for this salad.

BLT Salad with Grilled Chicken and Buttermilk Dressing

Recipe adapted from Steamy Kitchen: Fresh Flavors Fast Cookbook from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

6 slices bacon
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1-2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 bag romaine lettuce (or 1 pound romaine hearts, coarsely chopped), or other salad greens of your choice
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange bacon in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange cherry tomatoes on another sheet pan; drizzle olive oil overtop and season with salt and pepper. After 12-15 minutes, the bacon should be crisp; after about 10 minutes, the tomatoes should be done. Take them out accordingly, crumbling or cutting the bacon into large pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Fill a bowl with the lettuce, adding the tomatoes, bacon, and chicken; add dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

strawberry + peach tart.

July 12, 2010 in Healthy Eats, Sweets + Treats with 8 Comments

This is what happens when you live in Florida, and what are considered to be “seasonal” foods are actually harder to find.

I wouldn’t dare expect the Publix I frequent to the carry rhubarb, but I was hoping Whole Foods would come through.

Nope. Apparently, they were out.

{I’ve since been several times and haven’t seen the so-called seasonal vegetable/fruit anywhere}

I’ve never cooked with rhubarb, let alone even eaten the stuff. So suffice it to say, I’ve been pretty curious lately,  as I’ve been seeing it plastered across just about every blog I read. I guess I’ll have to keep enjoying reading about what everyone else is doing, as for now, there’s no rhubarb in sight for me.

I can’t be too upset about it, however – because with the lack of rhubarb came this delicious creation using strawberries and peaches instead. I made this for an impromptu summer BBQ with friends, and I think it was the perfect light and healthy summer dessert. Coming in at around 200 calories a slice (for the rhubarb version – we’re assuming them to be similar), you really can’t beat it.

Strawberry + Peach Tart

Adapted from Cooking Light’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart

  • 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough
  • 2 cups sliced peaches
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
  • 3 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Blackberries, for garnish
  • Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°.

Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights or dried beans (I use rice) on foil. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove pie weights and foil. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Make sure you reduce it long enough to allow it to thicken up – I probably didn’t reduce long enough, and ended up with a bit of liquid in some areas of the tart. Remove from heat, and stir in peaches and strawberries. Stir together well and spoon fruit mixture into prepared crust. Combine 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar; sprinkle evenly over tart.

Place tart on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack.

Add a few blackberries in the center for garnish, if you like, and serve with whipped cream.

What are YOUR favorite light and easy desserts for summer?

black bean burgers.

June 28, 2010 in Healthy Eats, Main Dishes with 9 Comments

Here’s a burger you can feel good about.

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And by good, I mean healthy. Because we all know the kind of burgers that I feel best about aren’t going to be the vegetarian variety.

Still, I really enjoyed making {and eating} these – it was a nice way to switch up the weeknight routine. I don’t typically cook things like burgers during the week, because in my house, we’re all aboard the healthy train until the weekend comes around. So this super-fast and easy recipe allowed me to sort of trick myself – or actually, trick Daniel. He was a little overly excited by the idea, and when he took a bite, I have to say – he was a little disappointed. He thought it was good, but it did look like a burger, and I guess he couldn’t get past the fact that there was no meat in it.

I absolutely loved them, and I think they’re a great as a healthy snack eaten without the bun – I doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers for that exact purpose. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber {not to mention high on the anti-inflammatory scale}, so you really can’t go wrong – and you could even play with the recipe a bit more, adding whatever spices or herbs you like.

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Black Bean Burgers

Adapted from For the Love and Cooking Light

  • 2 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 cup shredded light Monterey Jack cheese {I used a reduced-fat Mexican blend, though I usually prefer to shred my own}
  • 1/4-1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1-2 medium jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
  • 2 large egg whites {I used a hit of the egg whites out of the carton}

For serving:

  • 4-5 whole wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
  • Lettuce, onion, tomato, and avocado for topping
  • Cilantro aioli {optional: light mayo, finely chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and hit of lemon juice}
Preheat oven to 350°.  Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork or a potato masher. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Shape the mixture into patties as thick as you’d like, and arrange them on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, turning once.  Place on toasted hamburger buns and top as you like.

the salad bar: goat cheese + grapes.

June 1, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes, Salad Bar with 3 Comments

Goat cheese makes everything better.

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Not only is it delicious, but it’s naturally lower in fat and calories – yet higher in calcium – than cheese produced from cow’s milk. It also averages about 5 grams of protein per 1 ounce serving – which you know I’m a fan of! (And if not, you can read about my obsession with protein here.) Another fun fact of the day is that it’s easier to digest – many who are lactose-intolerant are able to happily eat cheese produced from goat’s milk.

Now that we’re all schooled up on the benefits of goat cheese, let’s get back to the salad. Goat cheese is one of my favorite things to add to a salad because it just deposits that rich, tangy flavor all throughout the dish. It goes great with so many different types of fruits and veggies, but here I added red seedless grapes – which was a perfect complement. I also paired it with a dill vinaigrette which was delicious, healthy, and most importantly – easy.

Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese and Grapes

Adapted from BHG

  • 1 package salad greens
  • 2 chicken breast halves (either grilled or Rotisserie)
  • 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

For the dill vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced (or you can use 1 tablespoon dried)
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

First, make your dressing. This is a very simple vinaigrette – so I forgo my Magic Bullet and just whisk my vinegar and seasonings together, and then add the olive oil in a slow stream. You could also easily shake it all together in a small jar. And as for the chicken, I went with a pre-purchased Rotisserie from the deli. It makes life that much easier. You can also grill your chicken on a grill pan, Foreman, or – if you’re lucky enough to have one – an outdoor grill.

Toast your pine nuts by tossing them in a pan (dry pan – not nonstick) over medium heat for a few minutes, or throwing them on a sheet pan into the oven (set to 350 degrees) for 5-10 minutes. Be careful they don’t burn! You just want to lightly brown them to bring out their flavor – but it’s definitely not a necessity if you’re feeling lazy – you can always throw them in raw.

Now just grab your salad bowl and add your greens. You can use whatever you like – I think I used a Romaine mix here, but spring greens would be especially good. Slice up your chicken and add it to the bowl, along with the grapes, pine nuts, and goat cheese. Pour some of your freshly-made dill vinaigrette over the salad and enjoy.

Serves 2.

the salad bar: parmesan chicken + arugula.

May 25, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes, Salad Bar with 7 Comments

I love arugula.

And I love to enjoy it paired with a super-easy lemon vinaigrette. There’s something so perfect about the peppery flavor of the greens combined with the tartness of the fresh lemon juice.

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It’s perfect alone as a simple side or starter salad, but here I’ve used it as a base for {yet another} chicken salad. Only this time, I’ve baked the chicken in the oven rather than grilling it or a using a purchased Rotisserie from the deli. And let me just tell you – when I baked the chicken just as described in the below recipe, I ended up with the most perfectly cooked chicken breasts. Ever. So incredibly juicy – and the mustard/thyme/Parmesan coating gave such great flavor.

As far as the Parmesan shavings go, adding them just seemed like the right thing to do – but it’s totally optional. The original recipe called for halved cherry tomatoes, so you could also try that – it would be  a great way to add some more color to your plate.

Parmesan Chicken + Arugula Salad

{Roughly} adapted from Food & Wine

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 package arugula leaves
  • Shavings of Parmesan cheese

    • For the lemon vinaigrette:

  • Juice from half a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

    • Preheat the oven to 475°. In a small bowl, combine the mustard with the olive oil and thyme. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brush them all over with the mustard mixture. Pat the grated Parmesan all over each breast. Transfer the chicken breasts to a rimmed baking sheet (I cover mine with foil for easy clean-up).

    Bake the chicken on the top shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until just cooked through and nicely browned.

    For the dressing, just whisk the mustard and lemon juice together in a small bowl and add the olive oil in a slow stream as you’re mixing. That’s it – now you have your lemon vinaigrette! How easy is that? Pour it over the arugula and mix well. Season with salt and lots of freshly-ground pepper.

    For the Parmesan shavings, just take a block of Parmesan (I buy a huge one at Costco because I like the good Parmigiano-Reggiano and it’s a little pricey), and create thin shavings along its side using a vegetable peeler. Place your chicken breasts and Parmesan shavings on top of your salad and enjoy.

    Serves 2.

    the salad bar: an asian twist.

    May 17, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Healthy Eats, Main Dishes, Salad Bar with 13 Comments

    Our go-to healthy weeknight dinner is a big bowl of salad and veggies topped with slices of grilled chicken.

    We usually eat a salad like this once a week, but lately we’ve been enjoying them 2 or 3 times over. The reason is that I have a little photo shoot coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’m trying to eat as clean as I possibly can until then. But, the truth is – I’m loving having them so often, I may just continue the pattern for a while longer.

    {It is bikini season, after all}

    These salads are usually nothing fancy – and never difficult – so I haven’t posted on them in the past; but if you’re anything like me, you know that you can easily find yourself in somewhat of a salad rut.

    In other words, if your mind thinks chicken, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, and then goes blank – you’ve come to the right place.

    I’m going to start sharing with you whatever easy salad combinations come out of my kitchen – so that hopefully, they can find their way into yours. Just remember that you can always interchange veggies, cheeses, or any other ingredients if you’re not into whatever I’m using – the beauty of salads is that they’re so easily customizable. And the same goes with the dressings; I usually like to make a vinaigrette each time because I find it to be super easy and delicious, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use whatever store-bought version you love. Just have fun with it! That’s what we do.

    We also eat it straight out of this giant wooden bowl, comfortably perched in front of the TV {insert favorite trashy-reality show here}. Real Housewives of New Jersey, anyone?

    Grilled Chicken Salad with Soy Vinaigrette

    • 1 bag salad greens {I used a butter lettuce blend}
    • 1/4 large red onion, sliced
    • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced
    • 2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
    • Handful roasted peanuts

    For the dressing:

    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 2-3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • Squeeze of fresh lime juice
    • Tiny splash sesame oil, optional
    • Fresh minced ginger, optional
    • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

    To grill the chicken, we use a George Foreman indoor grill. Daniel does this part, but it’s fairly straightforward. First, either marinate your chicken or season it with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Let your grill get nice and hot for about 5-10 minutes, or to a medium to high heat. Lightly brush the grill with olive oil or spray with cooking spray and place your chicken breasts on the grill. Close the lid and let them cook for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. If you’re not sure, just check a little more than half-way through by taking a breast off and cutting through it. When they’re done, take them off and let them sit for a few minutes. You can either eat them hot like this, or give them more time to cool down if you prefer. We usually just slice them and eat them while they’re still warm.

    While the chicken is cooking, you can chop and prep all of your veggies. Throw the salad greens into a large bowl, and toss in the rest of the ingredients. When the chicken is done, add that in as well.

    To make the vinaigrette, you have a couple of options. My favorite way to go is the Magic Bullet, which is a little miniature blender. I like using a machine because it produces a creamier dressing, and it just mixes better. You can also just grab a bowl, whisk together all of your ingredients except the oil, and then add the oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly. This is the method I use when I’m making a very simple vinaigrette with just a few ingredients. The last option would be to use one of those salad dressing containers – the ones that have a lid – so you can just shake all of the ingredients together.

    The key is to taste as you go. I don’t use a lot of dressing, and I always eyeball the measurements. Sometimes I can end up with more, which I will just throw away if it’s a little extra, or keep if there’s enough left for another salad.

    Add as much vinaigrette as you like over the salad and season with salt and pepper. Give it a good toss, and enjoy!

    weeknight fix: shakshuka.

    May 10, 2010 in Healthy Eats with 4 Comments

    No, I’m not talking about some new Zumba-esque dance move that will burn calories faster than you can say the word.

    {Though that does sound pretty great – I need to get on that}

    What I am talking about is a delicious North African/Israeli dish consisting of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. And while it doesn’t burn calories – it’s definitely healthy, inexpensive, and simple enough to spice up any easy-peasy weeknight meal plan. Sure, the main event here is eggs – so you could eat it for breakfast or brunch – but having eggs for dinner is one of my favorite things to do; it just makes you feel good after a long day. Add some warm tomato sauce to the mix, and what’s more comforting that that?

    Shakshuka
    Found on Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Saveur

    Serves 4 to 6

    1/4 cup olive oil
    5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped {I used jalapeños}
    1 small yellow onion, chopped
    5 cloves garlic, crushed then chopped
    1 teaspoon ground cumin
    1 tablespoon paprika
    1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
    Kosher salt, to taste
    6 eggs
    1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
    1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
    Warm pita chips, for serving {I used whole-wheat}

    Heat oil in a 12-inch deep skillet or a Dutch oven {any excuse to use my Le Creuset} over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

    Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. This is fun and makes me happy; it’s like squeezing those little stress balls but better. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

    Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. If this scares you, don’t let it – it’s super easy! Cover and let it cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

    To make the pita chips, just cut your pita rounds into eighths – toss with a bit of olive oil and kosher salt – and throw them into a 400 degree oven for about 5 to 10 minutes. So easy and healthy – and they work great with all kinds of dips and spreads.

    does it get any easier?

    April 26, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Healthy Eats, Starters with 8 Comments

    {It’s a rhetorical question}

    Because clearly, the answer is no – it doesn’t get any easier. Or healthier. Or more delicious.

    Why complicate things? I must give credit to Meg {Dan’s fabulous mother} who put all of these great platters together for us. She’s been doing this for years, and she knows better than anyone that simple – when it’s done right – is often the best way to go. Just chop up a bunch of fresh, colorful veggies and serve it all up with an easy, healthy dip. I promise – your guests won’t be disappointed.

    Here we did sweet peppers, celery, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini. And this fabulously simple blue cheese dip.

    Blue Cheese Dip

    8 ounces lowfat cottage cheese

    4 ounces blue cheese

    4 tablespoons light mayo

    1 teaspoon lemon juice

    3 tablespoons chopped red onion

    And right now, I’m pretty much drooling remembering how delicious this was. And the best part – no recipe needed! Just cut up all of your favorite fruits {or whatever looks good at the store – market, if you’re lucky} and serve with yogurt of your choice. We used a mixture of lime and vanilla, and it was heavenly.

    Yes, I know. This {slightly} detracts from the “healthy” factor here, but this little antipasto sampling rounds out the rest of this spread perfectly. Again, good ingredients and simplicity are key – we just set out sliced capicola, salami, and prosciutto and served them alongside these little balls of mozzarella goodness (extra points for being pre-packaged already soaking in olive oil and herbs).

    So, what do you think – do these look easy enough? Any other no-fuss favorites you have in your arsenal that we need to know about?

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