Category Archives: Healthy

Curried Quinoa and Sauteed Shrimp

13 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Healthy

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Curried Quinoa and Sauteed Shrimp

This is one of my all time favorite recipes because it packs so much flavor!  It’s a regular in my rotation of dinner recipes for a few reasons:  1) It’s delicious!  2) It’s fairly healthy.  3) It’s ready in under a half hour.  4) It’s made with ingredients that I always have on hand so if I totally spaced and didn’t plan anything for dinner, I can still make this.

Curried Quinoa and Sautéed Shrimp
Yield:  4 servings
Time:  30 minutes total

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 shallots, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. cumin
2 cups (uncooked) quinoa
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp. butter
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
¾ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

1.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the shallot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add two cloves of the minced garlic, and sauté for another minute.  Stir in the cumin and 1 tsp. of the curry powder.  Sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper.

2.  Add the quinoa to the skillet with the sautéed ingredients.  Stir constantly for 1 minute to combine all of the flavors.  Pour in the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Once boiling, put the lid on and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook for 15 minutes until quinoa is soft and fluffy.  When finished, toss in ½ cup each of fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

3.  Meanwhile (as the quinoa is cooking), melt the butter in a separate skillet.  Once melted, add the shrimp and remaining 3 cloves of minced garlic.  Sprinkle the shrimp with the remaining 2 tsp. of curry powder, and a bit of salt and pepper.  Cook the shrimp over medium heat until fully cooked, about 5 minutes.  Simmer over low heat until quinoa is fully cooked.

4.  To serve, spoon quinoa on a plate, place shrimp on top, and sprinkle with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese to garnish.

Curried Quinoa and Sauteed Shrimp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Roasted Cauliflower

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Healthy, Quick and Easy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Roasted Cauliflower

Not only does this make a quick and easy side, it’s also super healthy and delicious.  Truly delicious…it will convert even the most adamant cauliflower hater!  I often make it to accompany fish such as tilapia, haddock, or mahi mahi.

Roasted Cauliflower
Yield:  2-4 side-dish servings
Time:  35 minutes total

One head cauliflower
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
½ to 1 tsp coarse sea salt
¾ tsp crushed thyme

1.  Grease a large baking sheet and preheat your oven to 400°F.

2.  Cut the cauliflower into quarters.  Slice into ¼-inch sections.  Lay the pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roasted CauliflowerRoasted Cauliflower

3.  Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with sea salt and thyme.

4.  Cook at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, until the edges begin to get golden brown.  I usually broil mine for about three minutes at the end because I like some pieces really brown and a little crispy.  It really brings that roast-y flavor out!

Roasted Cauliflower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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White Bean Dip

08 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Appetizers, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

White Bean Dip

This recipe is one of my all time favorites for a few reasons:

1–It’s a total crowd pleaser.  Without fail, guests always ask for this recipe.  (Who doesn’t love the taste of roasted garlic??)  Also, it’s vegetarian, so it’s a safe appetizer to make for large crowds in case someone doesn’t eat meat.  (Also vegan if you omit the cheese.)

2–It comes together really quickly.  Last time my husband called me to say he was bringing home hungry friends, I threw this together in less than 15 minutes total, including clean-up time!

3–It is made entirely of ingredients that I always have on hand in my pantry and fridge.

White Bean Dip
Yield:  12 servings
Time:  25 minutes total

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup plus 1 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
30 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large handful (about ½ to ¾ cup) fresh parsley (just the leaves, stems removed)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Serve with:  pita chips and/or chopped veggies (I like to use serve this dip with Stacy’s naked pita chips as well as zucchini, carrots, celery, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes.)

1.  Place the garlic and 1 tbsp EVOO in a small sauté pan.  Cook over medium heat until the garlic browns and begins to get crispy, about 3-5 minutes.

2.  Combine the following ingredients in a food processor:  cannellini beans, ½ cup EVOO, lemon juice, Parm, parsley, and roasted garlic (with any remaining oil).  Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve room temperature or heated gently.

Note:  To change up the flavor, I’ll often add two or three roasted red peppers prior to processing.

White Bean DipWhite Bean Dip Dippers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Blackened Mahi Mahi Caesar Salad

18 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Healthy, Salad

≈ 1 Comment

Blackened Mahi Mahi Caesar SaladTo grate the Parmesan cheese for this Caesar salad, I use a Microplane zester.  It makes the cheese so light and fluffy it’s like a small mound of delicious snow!  It’s so fine that it almost melts into the dressing.  Delish!

Blackened Mahi Mahi Caesar Salad
Yield:  2 salads
Time:  35 minutes total

1½ tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried thyme
1½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (more or less, to your taste)
1 tsp dried oregano
¾ tsp ground cumin
2 filets mahi mahi (or 4 narrow filets)
1½ heads romaine lettuce (or other salad greens), chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp lemon juice
Caesar dressing
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
croutons (optional)

1.  Preheat a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium-high heat.

2.  Combine all of the seasonings (first nine ingredients) in a small bowl.  Mix well.

3.  Pat the mahi mahi dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle the top liberally with the seasoning mixture.

4.  Place the mahi mahi seasoned-side down into the hot skillet to sear it.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Season the top surface of the fish, then flip to sear the other side.  Cook over medium-high heat for another 5-7 minutes until cooked through.

5.  Place the lettuce in a mixing bowl.  Drizzle with lemon juice and Caesar dressing.  Toss to coat evenly.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and add the croutons.  Toss and arrange a mound of salad on each serving plate.  Place the blackened mahi mahi over the bed of Caesar salad.  Enjoy!

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Zucchini Boats

03 Sunday Nov 2013

Posted by in Healthy, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

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Zucchini Boats

A few weeks ago I had a ton of zucchini that I needed to use up.  I have a few go-to zucchini recipes, but after I exhausted all the usual dinners and desserts, I came up with this idea.  Why not make stuffed zucchini?  Think stuffed peppers, but swapping the peppers for hollowed out zucchini.

Zucchini Boats
Time:  45 minutes total

5 medium-sized zucchinis
1 bell pepper (I usually use red or orange)
1/2 cup pepperjack cheese, grated
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Asiago)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
a handful of chopped fresh basil
1 to 2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cooked quinoa

1.  Chop the ends off each zucchini, then cut each zucchini in half lengthwise.  Hollow out each half by scooping out the seeds and pulp using a melon baller or a teaspoon.  Salt and pepper the inside of each boat and place into a lightly greased baking dish.

hollowed out zucchinis ready to be filled with stuffing

hollowed out zucchinis ready to be filled with stuffing

2.  Dice up the zucchini pulp/seeds and place in a mixing bowl.  Dice the bell pepper into tiny pieces and add to the mixing bowl with the chopped zucchini.  Add the quinoa, breadcrumbs, all of the grated pepperjack cheese and half of the grated Parm to the bowl as well.  (Reserve the remaining Parm to top the boats with in the last 5 minutes of cooking.)  Add all the herbs and spices to the mixing bowl as well as 2 tbsp. of olive oil.

3.  Saute together the onion and garlic with 2 tbsp olive oil.  Cook over medium heat until tender.  Add to the mixing bowl, and mix well to combine all ingredients.  (If adding chicken or vegan sausage or Veggie Ground Round, add that to the bowl at this time, too.)

stuffing mixture

stuffing mixture

4.  Fill each zucchini boat with filling, and bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.  Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parm cheese, and broil for 2-3 minutes.

cooked zucchini boats

cooked zucchini boats

(Note:  This recipe works great as a side dish as written.  If you want to make it a little more filling for a stand-alone dinner, feel free to add more cooked grains into the mixture, such as additional quinoa, or long grain and wild rice, barley, farro,…)

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