Category Archives: Quick and Easy

Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian Noodles

25 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Healthy, Quick and Easy

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Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian NoodlesThis recipe looks and sounds fancy, but it comes together really easily and truthfully doesn’t take much effort at all.  You can’t beat that!

Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian Noodles
Yield:  Four servings
Time:  30 minutes

For the noodles:
12 oz. soba (buckwheat) noodles (or whole wheat angel hair works just as well!)
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup canola oil
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. hot sauce
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
3 tbsp. sesame seeds

For the tuna:
4 filets of sushi-grade ahi tuna
approximately ½ cup low sodium soy sauce

For garnish:
pickled ginger
wasabi

1.  Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package.  Return drained noodles into a medium sized pot.

2.  In a measuring cup, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce.  Pour over the hot, cooked noodles.  Toss together.  (I used tongs and was intentionally not gentle, which helped to break up some of the long noodles.)  Place a lid on the pot while preparing the tuna.

3.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Pour approximately 4 tbsp. of the soy sauce into the bottom of a preheated skillet, until the base is covered with a thin layer of soy sauce.  Place raw tuna in the pan and drizzle the top of each filet with approximately 1 tbsp. of soy sauce.  Cook for three minutes, until bottom is nicely seared.  Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, to desired doneness.  (If the soy sauce thickens too much, add another 1-2 tbsp. during the cooking process.)

4.  Create a bed of noodles on a plate, and place the seared tuna on top.  Garnish with pickled ginger and wasabi.

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Basil and Goat Cheese Egg Scramble

16 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by in Breakfast, Healthy, Quick and Easy

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Basil and Goat Cheese Egg Scramble

I have a confession:  I cannot make omelets.  I’ve tried for years to make the perfect omelet, I’ve even stared for entirely too long at the professionals showing off their omelet-making skills at breakfast buffets.  I’ve asked for their tips and tricks, but still, after much practice, I simply cannot toss the partially-cooked egg with all its mix-ins into the air and have it and all the mix-ins land back in the pan.  I end up with bits of egg, broccoli, and tomatoes all over my kitchen floor, with splatters of grease streaked across my walls.  So in very un-JanisCakes style, I’ve given up.  Now, when I make “omelets” they are really scrambled eggs with all of the fixings cooked into clumps of egg.  When I ask my husband if he wants an omelet, he now laughs and says “do you mean scrambled eggs, babe?”  Why yes, yes I do.  And quite frankly, doesn’t it taste the same whatever form it takes on anyhow?  My omelets egg scrambles usually contain whatever fresh veggies and herbs I have at the moment, but when I made this one a few days ago it was tasty enough that I decided to share this specific ingredient combo.  Feel free to make it into an omelet if you’re a pro (and please message me with explicit step-by-step instructions of how you create such a masterpiece), or do as I do and turn it into an unattractive, albeit delicious egg scramble!

Basil and Goat Cheese Egg Scramble
Yield:  2 breakfast servings
Total time:  15 minutes

2 whole eggs plus 3 egg whites
3 tbsp. skim milk
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
6 large basil leaves, roughly torn
2 MorningStar Farms sausage patties (I like the Hot & Spicy or Maple Flavored varieties), diced into bite-sized pieces
1½ oz. goat cheese

1.  Whisk together the eggs and egg whites, milk, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.

2.  Place the quartered tomatoes into a small (like 8-inches or so) greased skillet.  Heat over medium heat until they are slightly tender.  Mix in the pieces of MorningStar sausage patties, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

3.  Pour the prepared eggs into the pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until egg begins to cook.  Stir the egg around to cook evenly (or be super fancy and do your omelet-flipping thing when the time is right).  Mix in the basil and half of the goat cheese.  Continue cooking until the egg looks completely cooked through.  When fully cooked, top with the remaining goat cheese and enjoy!

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Ricotta and Summer Squash Flatbread

09 Wednesday Jul 2014

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

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Ricotta Summer Squash Flatbread

A surplus of fresh summer squash forced me to get creative with how to use it all up before it went bad, and shortly thereafter this recipe was born!  I love how the refreshing lemon flavor pairs so well with the creaminess of the ricotta.  These flatbreads make a delicious summer appetizer, or you could pair them with soup or a salad for a main course.

Ricotta and Summer Squash Flatbread
Yield:  4 to 6 appetizer servings (12 pieces total)
Time:  15 min prep; 10 min cooking; 25 min total

2 flatbreads (the kind I use are roughly 7″ x 9″ each)
1 yellow summer squash
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

1)  Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2)  Slice the squash into very thin pieces.  Toss with ¼ tsp. salt and set in a colander for 10-15 minutes.  This helps to pull out some of the squash’s natural moisture.

3)  Place the flatbreads on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Lightly spray the tops of the flatbreads with cooking spray.

4)  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and pepper.  Stir until well mixed.  Fold in ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese and ¼ cup of the mozzarella cheese.  Distribute the ricotta mixture evenly between the two flatbreads.  Using the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread it over the entire surface of the flatbreads, all the way to the edges.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on top of the ricotta mixture, splitting the cheese evenly between the two flatbreads.

5)  Bake at 400°F for 8 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.  Broil on high for 1½ to 2 minutes, until parts of the cheese begin to turn slightly golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and cut into six pieces (3×2).  Serve warm.

Ricotta and Summer Squash Flatbread

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Caprese Skewers con Prosciutto

15 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by in Appetizers, Quick and Easy

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Caprese Skewers con Prosciutto

This recipe is one of my go-to summer appetizers.  They’re crowd pleasers and a perfect accompaniment to cold beers on the roofdeck on a Friday evening.  They come together quickly, can be made hours in advance and stored in the fridge, ready and waiting to be pulled out in time for happy hour!

Caprese Skewers con Prosciutto
Yield:  24 skewers
Time:  10-15 minutes total

12 large cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
24 small balls of fresh mozzarella (I prefer the kind that comes marinated in olive oil and herbs)
a large handful of fresh basil, cut into roughly 1½-inch pieces
8 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 2-inch wide strips
24 toothpicks / party picks

1.  Thread a ball of mozzarella on a toothpick.

2.  Fold the basil in half, thread onto the toothpick, sliding on next to the mozzarella.

3.  Fold the prosciutto into a ribbon-like shape and thread onto the toothpick.

4.  Spear a tomato half to finish the skewer.

Enjoy!!

Caprese Skewers con ProsciuttoCaprese Skewers con Prosciutto

 

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Citrus Shrimp Summer Salad

03 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by in Dinner, Fish, Fruit, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Salad

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Citrus Shrimp Summer Salad

The first few hot days of the year always make me crave summer-inspired salads filled with fresh berries!  Here’s a salad you can enjoy now and continue making all the way through the end of August!

 

Citrus Shrimp Summer Salad
Yield:  4 dinner-sized salads
Time:  25 minutes total

For the shrimp:
1 lb. raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, and tails removed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
zest of one orange
2 tbsp. lemon juice (or orange juice)
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

For the salad:
6 cups salad greens
2 avocados, chopped into bite-sized pieces
¾ cup blueberries
10 strawberries, sliced
¼ of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
6 small tomatoes, quartered
8 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing:
lemon oil
blueberry balsamic

1.  Wash the salad greens and arrange on four dinner plates.  Top with avocado, blueberries, strawberries, red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and goat cheese.  Drizzle the salads with lemon oil and blueberry balsamic.

2.  Place the EVOO and shrimp in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Stir in the garlic, orange zest, and lemon juice.  Cook until the shrimp is opaque, about 5-8 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and cook for another 2 minutes.  Top the prepared salads with the cooked shrimp.

Citrus Shrimp Summer Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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