Instead of making that great pizza crust from scratch, why not use some store bought (there I said it) garlic flavored Naan. I found it was worth the time saved and delicious. Choose your toppings well!
For this creation I caramelized some onions in olive oil and a bit of chicken broth. That was the hardest part! Spread a bit of tomato sauce or your favorite pesto, then just begin to layer on your toppings. I went with sliced Roma tomatoes, dried basil, minced garlic, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, those precooked onions, handfuls of fresh spinach and a lower fat choice of goat cheese crumbles. Pop them in the oven (400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes) or on the grill and you have an easy dinner!
Of course, nothing takes the place of a rustic homemade pizza crust but this is pizza in a crunch!
Dinners are getting lighter and easier since the weather has improved. More salads, meatless dishes and loads of veggies on the grill. That means less dishes to wash and I'm good with that!
Grilling fish in foil is a fast way to get a meal on the table. All of the prep work is done ahead of time so you can enjoy the company of guests or family. This is a highly recommended way to steam fish and lock in flavor and moistness. Plus, you can be as creative as you want to be. Add different herbs and spices; You really can't go wrong or make mistakes!
Hawaiian Style Steelhead Trout
serves 2
1 large fillet of trout, deboned
a piece of foil large enough to encase the fish in
salt and pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh ginger zest, 1 Tbsp
1/4 cup chunk pineapple
handful of arugula or spinach
a drizzle of olive oil
a drizzle of maple syrup
Lay out the seasoned trout onto the foil, skin side down. Spread with garlic, ginger and the pineapple. Drizzle with maple syrup, add the arugula and a drizzle of olive oil on top. Close the foil packet sealing corners well. Place in the oven or on the grill. On a hot grill they should take about 10-15 minutes, at most. In the oven at 400 degrees. allow them to cook on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. The fish will steam perfectly along with the arugula or spinach. YUM!
Excuse the picture. It looked so yummy I forgot to get the "before" picture!!
What would we do without chicken? When in doubt, make something with chicken, right? It's so versatile and easy to disguise. For this meal, I wanted to create a chicken salad that would be a little out of the ordinary. Add dates! With a few ingredients we had a nice light dinner - very Spring-like!
Chicken Salad with Dates
serves 2
2 cups pre-cooked chicken breast meat, chopped. I baked
them with a little olive oil and herb de Provence
10 dates, chopped
1 handful sliced almonds
1 Tbsp red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp organic mayonnaise
1 tsp organic horseradish mustard
Place all the ingredients into a bowl. Mix well and mound onto salad greens, with avocado slices and maybe a bit of wonton strips for crunch. Drizzle with your favorite dressing. This would be great in a sandwich, too!
Because I'm ALWAYS trying to eat right and better, I opted to make a pasta dish with whole wheat pasta. I've tried several brands over the years and most brands never "turned me on". So, either my tastes are changing or the food companies are improving their alternative pastas. Instead of it tasting healthy (dry and unappealing) this pasta had a nice nutty flavor to it. Of course, it helps when you add cheese! Everything tastes better with cheese!
My artichoke baked rotini is also meatless, so I'm already headed on the right track to better health, right? You can prepare it ahead of time and bake at a later date....for company. But, it doesn't take long to throw it together for your family during the week!
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pasta (dry)
boiling pasta water
salt and pepper
1/2 chopped or sliced onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 handful of basil, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1 12 oz bag of artichoke hearts (frozen Trader Joes are excellent)
1/3 cup bread crumbs, seasoned
4 oz mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil water for pasta and cook rotini until al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water for later, and set aside in the large pan.
In a large skillet, saute onion in a little olive oil and then add the garlic, red peppers, basil, artichokes and cook together for about 5-6 minutes. Add the skillet contents to the pasta along with breadcrumbs, mascarpone and most of the Parmesan. Mix well, salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add some of the pasta water to get a creamier consistency. Pour into a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle with more Parmesan. Cook uncovered in the oven for about 20 minutes. You can add more mascarpone for a creamy pasta, but it was nice the way it was. Enjoy!
No, this is not a recipe for a sweet cupcake with quinoa as the main ingredient, although I will be making some muffins with quinoa in the future. Hubby put in a recent request for some "meatless" dinners! All I can say is, "be careful what you wish for"! As he arrived home last night I was throwing stuff in a bowl, scary! He knows after almost 40 years of being together to "trust me"! And he did, and he was pleasantly surprised or at least, he should win the best actor award!
This post is not about that dinner (in the future) but the following day for my brunch. I use that word loosely... Instead of a savory quinoa I wanted to try a sweet concoction. Here it goes...
Ingredients
1/2 cup pre-cooked quinoa
1 tsp agave sweetener
1/4 cup pre-cooked applesauce (I make a batch once in a while to go with yogurt or oatmeal. 1-2 apples, peeled and sliced, a little water, cinnamon and stevia packet. Boil and simmer for a while...done.)
2 tsp vanilla Greek yogurt
a sprinkle of cinnamon
a drizzle of agave for garnish
Mix the quinoa and agave together so it's sticky. Place in a mold or 1/2 cup container, press down and flip over carefully on a serving plate to remove. Presentation is everything! Garnish with apples, yogurt, cinnamon and a drizzle of agave. What satisfying, tasty treat, seriously! This is one serving but can easily be doubled.
