Stuff It! Stuff the eggplant, that is. One of my favorite ways to serve and eat eggplant is fried and layered into a crusty piece of French bread. But, when I choose to limit my intake of bread and fried foods, this preparation is a close second.
Eggplant is one of those vegetables which is overlooked or completely ignored. It's usually "stuffed" into a dark corner in the grocery store. In my store I have to stand on tip toes to reach up and grab one. It's as if they are trying to hide the eggplant! Maybe, it's because no one knows what to do with it! And, if you don't, you can always use one as a Mediterranean decoration. Pick a colorful bowl, fill with lemons, pomegranates and sprigs of rosemary. Plop an aubergine colored eggplant in the center. (I just gave myself a great decorating tip!) If you want to make a meal instead of decorate, stay tuned!
Turkey Sausage Stuffed Eggplant
2 smaller (6-7 ") eggplants, or you can use 1 large (8-9") size
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 turkey sausages, removed from casings
1/4 of a yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half, lengthwise and scoop out the pulp. Do this by using a paring knife to cut withing 1/2 inch of the outside. Lift out as much pulp as you can, then carve the rest. Don't completely remove all the pulp. Reserve the scooped out pulp and place the hollowed eggplants on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with one of the tablespoons of oil. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the turkey while chopping into bite size pieces using a wooden spoon, then add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and red peppers. Add one cup of diced (reserved) eggplant. Cover and continue to cook on medium for about 7 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, parsley and broth, stir, cover loosely and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Stuff the eggplants, firmly and sprinkle cheese on top. At this point you can refrigerate and bake later. Or, set the oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 10-15 minutes.
Serves 4.
I'm a sucker for any kind of Asian noodle, chow mein, lo mein, soba, pad Thai and chow fun for starters. I admit that I've attempted to make some of these in the past, but, years ago special ingredients weren't readily found at the store. You usually had to go to an Asian market to seek them out. Now there's no excuse for not being able to create these noodle dishes.
I used frozen cooked shrimp for this which made it immensely convenient instead of having to clean them myself. They're great to have in the freezer to add to salads and pastas, too. Fresh is always best, however, if you're pressed for time, use the frozen. I also used packaged soba noodles called chuka soba which means Chinese noodle (I hope). No hand pulling noodles for me.
I like my noodles spicy hot, but not the five alarm #5 on the noodle scale. I used sriracha sauce to add some heat. Depending on your preference, you may want to add some to your individual plate if making for your children. You've been warned!
Ingredients:
package of soba noodles
1 Tbsp oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cooked shrimp, defrosted, cut into pieces
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, julienne
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1/2 cup water
Cook the noodles according to package in boiling water. They only take 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well and set aside.
In a large skillet (or wok -type pan) heat the oil on medium high. Add the eggs and immediately start to stir around like you're scrambling eggs, only quicker. When done, remove from the pan, lower the heat to medium. To the skillet, add the shrimp, carrots, onions, cilantro, mint, Hoisin, and sriracha sauce. Stir until well blended. Add the noodles, mix and add the water to give it a looser sauce. Add the eggs at the end and serve.
Believe it or not it will take less than 10 minutes. All the chopping (prep work) takes the longest. Enjoy!
Okay, so you're not forbidden to eat this. The dish is plated onto a bed of dark "forbidden" rice and piled high with shrimp and vegetables. Black rice is similar in the fiber content of brown rice with the same nutty taste. In ancient Chinese culture it was only served to the Emperor and was off limits to his subjects, thus, "forbidden".
Treat yourself with a dinner fit for the king!
Ingredients:
Forbidden (black) rice, cook according to directions
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 large carrots, peeled and julienne (cut into strips)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions, chopped (reserve 1/4 of this portion for garnish)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded red or green cabbage
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
10-12 pre-cooked shrimp, cleaned, no tail
Napa or lettuce leaves for garnish
sriracha or chili sauce for a spicy condiment
forbidden rice (Cook according to directions)
Once you've done all the chopping or prep work, this comes together quite quickly. Cook the rice first. It will take about 45 minutes. In a large skillet heat the oil on medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms and cabbage and stir while cooking until slightly limp. Add the shrimp, stir, and add the hoisin and soy sauce. If mixture appears dry, just add a bit of water to loosen.
Serve on a lettuce leaf and a bed of rice. For those of you who like a little spice, by all means add some chili flakes, sriracha sauce or sweet Thai chili sauce.
Makes 2 heaping towers.
Is it bizarre that I should have such intense cravings for food like salmon or tuna? I'm not sure...could it be a deficiency in vitamin K or D? Or is it just my adoration for low carb substitutes that mimic a pizza?
If you're a fan (I know there must be one person out there!) of bagels with cream cheese and salmon, you will surely be satisfied eating just one or part of one. This combination is far from "normal" on a pizza, but somehow it works! Try it!
Ingredients:
Plain naan (Indian flat bread)
fat free cream spreadable cream cheese
handfuls of spinach or arugula, chopped
pre-cooked sliced onions with minced garlic (optional)
smoked salmon (1/2 - 1 oz for each serving)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place naan on baking sheet and heat for about 3-4 minutes. Spread each naan with about 1 oz of cream cheese, then some onions and garlic. Top with spinach or arugula and dot with small pieces of salmon. Done and dinner is served!
This would make a great appetizer for those fish loving friends! Just cut into strips and serve with a glass of white wine.
You've seen those pricey decorative bottles of infused balsamic at specialty stores and farmer's markets. I thought I would take a chance when I purchased a tall bottle of blackberry ginger balsamic at a nearby farmer's market last Summer. Pricey? Yes! So, this concoction will go onto my "to make home made" bucket list. In the meantime, I graced an otherwise plain piece of chicken with a balsamic honey glaze. Delicious!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oil
4 thin chicken breast "steaks"
2 Tbsp blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
Season the chicken on both sides with the herbs, salt, pepper and thyme. In a large skillet heat the oil on medium. Brown the chicken on both sides, cooking for about 7 minutes on each side, remove from the pan (keep warm) while making the glaze/sauce.
In a small saucepan, on low-medium heat, add the honey and vinegar. Simmer and stir until the mixture thickens. Pour over the chicken.
I served it over a bed of arugula and the glaze was perfect for a salad dressing as well.
NOTE: You can certainly use the same skillet for the glaze that you used for the chicken. I did it separately, in case I had leftover sauce for a salad the next day. (I didn't want chicken bits in it.) Crazy, huh?
