Simple Snapper

I think I'd mentioned before that my favorite way to prepare light fish is just with a dash of seasoning and then pan fried on the stove. It's easy, it's quick, and it's tasty. And it adds more fish to my diet.

Simple Snapper

Ingredients:

• fresh red snapper fillets (or other flaky white fish such as tilapia)
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt (or your favorite seasoning)
• PAM

Directions:

• Lightly sprinkle Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt over each side of fish fillets.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Pre-heat large pan on medium-high.  Spray with PAM.
• Cook fish (in a single-layer) for a couple minutes on each side until cooked through. If it doesn't have a nice light sear to it, turn up the heat a little bit.

That's it.  How quick and simple (and delicious) can it get?  :-)

Turkey Meatballs

Pasta is the quick and easy go-to meal in most households.  Made with the proper ingredients, it can be very nutritious as well as yummy.  I always use whole wheat pasta, I switched from the white stuff years ago and have never gone back.  Whole wheat or whole grain anything used to be difficult to find at the grocery store, but nowadays everyone carries at least a couple of options.

I also like to make turkey meatballs instead of beef.  When I do use ground beef, I make sure it's from a leaner cut, like ground sirloin.  And I normally like to add extra veggies to my sauce.  Diced zucchini and carrots work really well, and also button mushrooms.  I'll just throw these into the pot while the meatballs are simmering (earlier for carrots, which take longer to soften, and in the last 15 minutes or so for zucchini or mushrooms, which cook much faster). 

Turkey Meatballs
This is a compilation/adaptation of different recipes I've read over the years.
































Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey*
• 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 egg, beaten
• a couple teaspoons of Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning (or any other Italian seasoning)
• a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• olive oil
• 1 jar Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix together the first 6 ingredients above (without the oil and marinara sauce).
• Form into 1.5" balls.
• In a large skillet, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and brown the meatballs on medium-high heat, turning them a few times to make sure each side is nice and brown.
• Once the meatballs are brown on all sides, reduce heat to low.  Add the entire jar of marinara sauce and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

*Today I used a 1 lb. package of Foster Farms ground turkey.  I sometimes use a package of Jennie-O turkey, which is actually 20 oz., or 1.25 lbs., so if you use this brand, just slightly increase the amount of bread crumbs, grated parmesan and seasoning.  The single egg is still fine.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

I do apologize for my long blogging hiatus. I was also on a cooking hiatus since school got really hectic as we're rolling towards the end of the semester. We ate out way too much and I can totally feel it in my waist. :-( So even though finals are only a couple weeks away and life is as busy as ever right now, I've decided to get back to cooking and eating healthy.

The challenge with this blog is not necessarily the cooking part, I think I've got that down, it's the cooking new foods part. I love trying new recipes and cooking methods, it's just that when I'm busy and crunched for time, I tend to fall back to my old favorites which are quick to not only think up and shop for, but to prepare as well since I don't have to research and refer to other sources. But I do have a long list of new items I want to prepare and try, so I will do my best to cycle through them on a more regular basis. :-)

I was baking a double-batch of kale chips tonight when my mind started to wander. Hmmm, I wonder what else I can roast up to a crisp? When I opened up my pantry, I saw a lonely can of garbanzo beans (AKA chickpeas) amidst cans of black, kidney and great northern beans. So over to the computer I went to search for a recipe. Ta-Dah! Roasted Garbanzo Beans! So easy and so yummy!

Roasted Garbanzo Beans
Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz.) can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• PAM
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Dry the garbanzo beans with a paper towel and place them onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 40 - 50 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy, tossing the beans with a wooden spoon every 15 minutes or so to prevent sticking.
• When beans are nice and crunchy, remove from oven.  Spray the roasted beans very lightly with PAM and sprinkle with seasoned salt.  Toss and enjoy!

Ok, so one can of these suckers isn't nearly enough for a family of 3 plus Grandma.  I'll need to at least double it for next time.  ;-)

Cordon Bleu-ish Chicken

I love love love chicken cordon bleu, but the traditional recipe is soooooo heavy in calories and fat that it's a definite no-go when you're trying to eat healthy. So over the years I've developed my own version. Baked instead of fried, and sans sauce, but still very yummy. I also don't pound out my chicken breasts, but you can if you have the time.

Cordon Bleu-ish Chicken

Ingredients:

• PAM
• 4 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, all visible fat removed
• 4 deli slices of ham (I used Black Forest ham)
• 4 deli slices of cheese (usually Swiss, but I used Provolone tonight)
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a baking pan with PAM.
• Butterfly the chicken breasts.  (Pound them out to 1/4" thickness if you desire.)
• Open up the breasts and stuff each one with a folded slice of ham and a folded slice of cheese.
• Close up the breasts and place them in the sprayed baking pan.  Sprinkle with TSSS.
• Bake until cooked through, approximately 25-30 minutes.

Bon appetit!

Miso-Glazed Sea Bass

Fresh wild Corvina sea bass has currently been on sale at the local grocery store, so this is the 3rd week in a row we're eating it. I'm a seasonal/sale shopper. I just can't justify paying triple for something off-season, there are so many other food choices out there that it's unnecessary. If oranges aren't on sale in the summer, eat the watermelon that is. If the pork chops are full price this week, skip them and buy the sea bass that's seasonal and on sale. :-)

I made this tonight and it was oh-so-good and oh-so-easy. You can buy miso paste in the refrigerated section at most grocery stores, usually over by the tofu or other Asian items. They come in little tubs and keep for several months in the fridge. Just make sure (if you're on the South Beach Diet) to read the labels and buy the ones with no sugar added. I don't miss the sugar because I don't need my miso to be sweet, but if you like the sweetness, you could always add your own no-calorie sweetener. It's all about being aware and being in control of what you put into your body.


Miso-Glazed Sea Bass
Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

• PAM
• 1 1/2 pound sea bass fillet, skinned and de-boned, cut into portions
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 2 tablespoons miso (white or brown, it doesn't matter, it's just taste preference)
• juice of 1 small lime
• water
• freshly-ground black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat broiler.  Spray a baking sheet lightly with PAM.
• Season one side of the fillets with the TSSS.  Place seasoned-side down onto the sprayed baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together miso and lime juice.  Add water, a little bit at a time, until you get a thick drizzle (about the consistency of pancake batter).  Add freshly-ground black pepper.
• Spoon miso mixture over the tops of the fillets.
• Place the fish 6 - 8 inches under the broiler until it is cooked through, about 8 - 10 minutes.

This is delicious accompanied with roasted veggies (cooked in the same oven at the same time).

Random Soup

I make a lot of random soups.  As in I don't have recipes for them, I just throw together whatever happens to be in my fridge and pantry.  The only constant is boxed chicken broth (I like Pacific Natural Foods brand because it's organic and free range, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg).  I combine1 part chicken broth to 1 part water, bring to a boil, add several dashes of fish sauce, and throw in whatever else I have on hand.

Random Soup
















Today's soup includes:

• carrots
• button mushrooms
• Chinese broccoli
• sugar snap peas
• shrimp
• soba noodles

And it was so good!

Broiled Fish Fillets with Dressing

Here's a super quick and easy way to prepare fish with just two ingredients.  I even do it in my toaster oven (in a 9"x9" glass baking dish), which is great in the summer when it's already hot enough without having to fire up the big oven.

Broiled Fish Fillets with Dressing

Ingredients:

• fish fillets, de-boned and de-skinned, cut into portions (wild Corvina sea bass in the above photo)
• your favorite bottled salad dressing (Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette in the above photo)

Directions:

• In a baking dish, pour enough dressing to coat the bottom of the dish.
• Place the fish fillets in a single layer in the dish.
• Pour more dressing over the fish to coat.  If necessary, use a spoon or pastry brush to make sure the fillets are well coated.  You don't need to pour so much dressing as to completely submerge the fish, just enough to coat it will do.
• Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. 
• Preheat broiler.
• Broil until the fish is cooked through and nicely browned on top.  (Approximately 8-10 minutes for 1 pound of sea bass, halibut or other white fish.  Approximately 10-12 minutes for 1 pound of salmon, tuna or other firmer fish.)
• Serve over a green salad or with rice and veggies.  YUM!

I like to make this with vinaigrette-type dressings, such as Italian, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Ginger Soy, etc., although a friend of mine broils salmon with ranch dressing and swears by it.  I'd be interested in hearing (or reading?) your feedback on what fish/dressing combination you used and what you thought about it.  Tonight's combo in the above photo is wild Corvina sea bass with Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.  Delish!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I love traditional gnocchi, but it's a no-no on the South Beach Diet.  White potatoes are high on the glycemic index.  But sweet potatoes, they're a go-go.  Mashed sweet potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, sweet potato fries, and now sweet potato gnocchi.  I came across this recipe on one of my favorite Blogs:  Kath Eats Real Food.  I was immediately intrigued, so today I tested it out.  O. M. G. !!!!!  These little morsels are the BOMB!  (Am I dating myself by using the phrase "the bomb"?)

There are a few steps so it does take a little time to make, but the end result is so worth it.  My toddler gobbled a handful of them as soon as they were just marginally cool enough for her to chew, and the hubby stated that this should be put into the weekly rotation.  As in every week.  And for breakfast.  Drizzled with a bit of maple syrup.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Lifted directly from this recipe with very few modifications.

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, well baked or microwaved, cooled
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1.5 - 2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more for rolling)
• olive oil

Directions:

• Scoop the flesh out of the sweet potatoes and place into a large mixing bowl.  Discard skin.
• Add salt, cinnamon and egg and stir until well incorporated.
• Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time and mix thoroughly in between.  Continue adding flour and mixing until the dough has lost about 80% of its stickiness.  (Better to have it a little too sticky than to add too much flour because that can toughen the gnocchi.)
• The original recipe says to turn the dough ball out onto a floured surface and knead it up into a tighter ball.  However, because I don't have a functional countertop (that's a story for another day), I was limited by the size of my cutting board.  So instead of working with the entire ball of dough all at once, I floured my cutting board and scooped out heaping spoonfuls of the dough and rolled them out.  It took a bit longer to do it this way because I had about 8-10 smaller rolls, but it worked for me.
• Roll the dough out into thin tubes.  Make sure to sprinkle enough flour over the dough to keep it from sticking to your working surface and hands.
• Cut tube into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the dough pieces in about 4 batches so as not to overcrowd the pot.  Boil for about 5 minutes until the gnocchi float to the top.
• Remove gnocchi with a strainer and place in an ice water bath for a couple of minutes to stop the cooking.  Drain them once they're cooled.
• Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat along with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté 1/4 of the batch of gnocchi for a few minutes until a nice brown crust forms.  (Sprinkle w/ a little bit of basil or rosemary or thyme or whatever you like.)
• Serve immediately.  

If you want to freeze some for later, you'll need to do it after boiling and draining them but before sautéing them.  Place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze until solid, about an hour.  Then take the frozen bites and put them into a plastic freezer bag.  When you're ready to eat them, place the bag in the fridge to thaw for a few hours (I usually do it the night before) and then sauté as usual.

These little gems are sweet, crusty, chewy, 100% South Beach Diet legal, and 100% delicious.  Enjoy!

Pasta with Spaghetti Squash Marinara

This is a great way to add extra veggies into your diet.  I normally make this with ground turkey instead of the garbanzo beans, but today I decided to go vegetarian.  You could also add diced zucchini or frozen chopped spinach to increase the veggie intake as well as the plate color appeal.  :-)

Pasta with Spaghetti Squash Marinara
I made this one up myself based on what I had in the pantry.

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• whole wheat bowtie pasta
• 1 jar no sugar added marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's)
• 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained
• salt & pepper (optional)
• fresh mozzarella balls, diced
• freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

• Prepare whole wheat bowtie pasta according to package instructions, to al dente.
• Using a sharp chef's knife, pierce the skin of the spaghetti squash in numerous locations.  Place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 8 - 10 minutes, turning it over halfway through.  Let sit until cool enough to handle.  Cut in half, lengthwise, and remove seeds along with the dark fibrous strands and discard.  Using a fork, scoop out the spaghetti-like strands and put them into a large sauce pan. 
• Add marinara sauce, garbanzo beans and season with salt & pepper as needed.  Toss to mix everything together.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
• Remove from heat and fold in the mozzarella.
• Ladle over pasta.  Top with freshly grated parmesan.

Portabellas with Marinara

Portabellas with Marinara
Adapted from this recipe.
















Ingredients:

• PAM
• Large portabella mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• any no sugar added jarred marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's)
• fresh mozzarella balls (one 1 oz ball per mushroom), sliced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray a baking sheet (or a toaster oven pan if you're doing just one!) with PAM.
• Place the mushrooms gill side up (like a shallow cup) on the sprayed pan.  Sprinkle with a little seasoned salt.  Fill with a couple spoonfuls of marinara.
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
• Add the mozzarella slices on top and return to oven .  Put on broil for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts.
• Serve immediately.