Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado & Cilantro and Chicken in Marinade

| Published Tuesday, May 29, 2012



Tonight we welcomed a new member of the family - a Trek Lexa road bike.  After my last marathon, I got runner's knee (again).  I realized I'm not getting any younger and injuries will take longer to heal.  The road bike will serve as my cross-training regime and help strengthen my quads, hams, and hip flexors.  


When we walked in the door after spending 2 hours at the bike shop, the kids were exhausted, starving, and needy.  Oh, wait.  That was me.  Luckily, before we left for the bike shop, I set out the ingredients for the salad and the chicken freezer meal was defrosting in the refrigerator. My husband fired up the grill and I prepared the salad.  Nothing could make this any better - except maybe an ocean view.






Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado and Cilantro
Serves 8

4 ears of corn, husk removed
2 avocados, diced and sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
5 ounces crumbled Feta
1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper

Grill corn over medium-high heat until tender with grill marks.  Using a sharp knife, cut off the kernels and place into a large bowl. 

Add the avocados, grape tomatoes, red onion, Feta and cucumber. 

In a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Shake well. Pour over the corn mixture and toss to coat.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.


Chicken in Marinade
Serves 6

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or your choice of meat – steak, pork chop, etc)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 cup oil 
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Combine lemon juice, Worcestershire, dry mustard, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper and garlic.  Put meat in a 1-gallon freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the meat.  Seal, label and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:   Thaw at least overnight in the refrigerator. Discard marinade.  Grill or cook meat as desired.

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Sweet Potato Salad and Balsamic Chicken with Basil

| Published Sunday, May 27, 2012


Let me forewarn any soon-to-be dinner guests at our house.  You NEVER say you don't like something because I will test you.  You may not know when or how, but I will test you.  My husband says he doesn't like sweet potatoes.  I made this Sweet Potato Salad with white sweet potatoes so they resembled russet potatoes.  When he asked what we were having, I responded, "potato salad without with a vinegar base, not mayo."  He says he doesn't like mayo based salads either... which I have proven to be true.  


Two helpings later I asked how he liked the salad.  "Really good", he said.  "You liked the potatoes and the dressing?" I asked (hint hint).  "Yea, it was really good."  Busted!


Havarti is a smooth cheese that reminds me of fresh mozzarella, but not slippery.  Creamy and subtle, this cheese is the perfect foundation for Balsamic Chicken with Basil sandwiches.








Sweet Potato Salad
Serves 6

3 medium sized sweet potatoes (I used white sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into approx. 1 in cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a roasting pan, combine sweet potatoes and olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir around coating potatoes in oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes until fork tender and golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add potatoes, pineapple chunks, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and olive oil.  Pour dressing over potato salad. Toss.  Serve warm or chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. 


Balsamic Chicken with Basil
Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 slices soft Havarti cheese
3 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced
8 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 large ciabatta or sandwich rolls, sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Place the chicken breasts in the dish.  In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar.  Brush top sides of chicken with balsamic mixture.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 175 degrees). 

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil garlic, salt and balsamic. Toss gently to combine. 

Place the bottom half of the sandwich roll on a serving plate.  Top with two slices of cheese.  Then top with a chicken breast.  Spoon the tomato mixture on the chicken and replace the top half of the roll.  Repeat with the remaining ingredients.  

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Southwestern Pasta Salad and Chocolate Covered S’mores

| Published Thursday, May 24, 2012



Our family was invited to a friend's house for dinner.  Since the guest list included both adults and young kids, I tried to think of a salad and dessert that would appeal to both age groups.  A lot of children love tacos, so I prepared Southwestern Pasta Salad using whole wheat rotini pasta and flavored with chili powder and ground cumin.  A handful of fresh chopped cilantro and fresh chopped tomatoes gave this dish beautiful texture, flavor and color.


For dessert, I wanted something fun and messy - a special treat.  Chocolate Covered S'mores combined a traditional favorite with a little extra flair.  Since I was making s'mores for a crowd, I roasted the marshmallows in the oven!  Our oldest daughter was in charge of the decorating.  She picked Blues Clues decorating sprinkles - I thought it added the perfect touch.



Southwestern Pasta Salad
Serves 8

12 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15.25 ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl combine the corn and beans. Stir in cooled pasta.  In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic. Pour over pasta mixture; stir to combine.  Toss in bell pepper, cilantro leaves and tomatoes. 

Chill until serving. 


Chocolate Covered S’mores
Serves 16

16 whole graham crackers
16 large marshmallows
4 ounces milk chocolate chips


16 ounces milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
Sprinkles, decorative candies

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Break the graham crackers in half.  Place on a large baking sheet.  Top half with marshmallows and the other half with the 4 ounces chocolate chips.  Bake for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt and the marshmallows begin to brown and puff up.  Remove from the oven and top the graham cracker with marshmallow with the chocolate chip graham cracker.

Put the baking sheet into the freezer for five minutes to harden the s’mores. 

Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine the 16 ounces of chocolate chips and shorting.  Microwave on low power for 1 minute. Stir.  Continue heating and stirring until melted. 

Remove the s’mores from the freezer and dunk them into the melted chocolate.  Transfer to a sheet of waxed paper.  Sprinkle with candies or your desired topping.  Freeze to harden chocolate.  Remove prior to serving to soften.    

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Lemon Chicken Piccata, Onion Bites, and Good Day Bars

| Published Tuesday, May 22, 2012


What is one trick to make meal time easy?  Make sure all foods bake at the same temperature.  Tonight I make Lemon Chicken Piccata, Onion Bites, and Good Day Bars – all in the oven at the same time at 350 degrees.  By making sure all the food bakes at the same temperature, you can avoid the “oven temperature shuffle” – turning the oven heat up and down to accommodate each dish. 

The Lemon Chicken Piccata has a light refreshing taste.  This chicken recipe is fried in only 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then baked allowing it to remain on the lighter side but still searing in all of the flavor. 

Our youngest daughter’s reaction to the Onion Bites surprised me.  Onions are typically not a food you think of as a toddler finger food.  But when our daughter ate her first Onion Bite, she asked (signed) for more.  Hmmm, maybe I should add these to her 2nd birthday party menu!

What would healthful eating be without a little indulgence here and there.  Good Day Bars turns any day into a good day – if you like chocolate.  A combination of brownies, Oreo cookies, and chocolate chip cookies, this definitely is not something you want to eat every day.  So instead: make it, try it, and share it!


Lemon Chicken Piccata
Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Set aside. 

Put the flour in a shallow dish.  Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Cook the chicken over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.  Place the chicken on the baking sheet and bake until cooked through (175 degrees internally), approximately 15 minutes. 

In the same nonstick skillet (do not wash), cook the minced garlic for 20 seconds over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth and lemon slices.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer 5-8 minutes until the mixture reduces to about 2/3 cup.

Add the lemon juice and capers.  Continue to simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the butter.  Stir until it is melted.   Add the parsley; stir and remove from heat and set aside.

Place a chicken breast on a serving plate and spoon the lemon sauce over the top.  Repeat with the remaining chicken and sauce. 



Onion Bites
Serves 8

1⁄2 yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1⁄2 cup plain Greek yogurt or light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices whole wheat bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix the onion, yogurt (or mayonnaise), Parmesan, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside. 

Remove the bread from the oven and scoop about 1 teaspoon of onion mixture onto each round.  Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the onion mixture is hot and lightly golden. 



Good Day Bars
Serves 24

1 package brownie mix, prepared according to package directions (do not bake)
1 package Oreo cookies
1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
           
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Layer the cookie dough on the bottom of the pan.  Using your fingers to spread the dough to cover the entire bottom of the pan. 

Next, lay Oreos side by side covering the cookie dough.  Do not overlap the cookies.  If any cookies remain, save them for another use.

Pour the brownie batter on top of the Oreo layer.  Use a knife or spreader to smooth the top to ensure the Oreos are covered.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the brownie layer is done.  Let cool before serving.

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Carrots with Sage

| Published Sunday, May 20, 2012

I prefer cooked carrots over raw carrots - so does our girls.  You matter how you cook them - plain, honey, honey mustard, spiced - I love them.  Carrots with Sage is a savory rendition of the cooked carrot.  Simple and quick, this version will definitely be repeated in our house.  







Carrots with Sage
Serve 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 carrots, diagonally sliced
1/4 cup water, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil.  Add carrots and 2 tablespoons water.   Saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add remaining water and partially cover pan.  Cook 10 minutes or until carrots are almost tender. Add salt and pepper to pan; increase to medium-high heat. Cook 4 minutes or until carrots are tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently.   Sprinkle with sage.

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Quinoa Fried Rice and Curried Pineapple Chicken

| Published Friday, May 18, 2012


It's marathon season and I crave protein.  After my marathon two weeks ago, I had my heart set on a BIG deli sandwich with meat, cheese, and veggies.  Luckily, my loving mother volunteered to "run" down the street to a local quaint deli and get me the best sandwich ever known to man (or marathon runner).  Now, as I train for the next marathon, protein is essential as I maintain my high mileage.  Quinoa Fried Rice is packed with protein from the quinoa and eggs.  In addition, this a great meal for little ones as it is easy to eat with little hands. 

I dislike mushy fruit.  The thought of mushy strawberries in yogurt makes me gag.  So does the thought of mushy pineapple in a saute.  Curried Pineapple Chicken creates a thick curry coconut sauce that is mild and not overpowering and full of flavor.  Topped with fresh chopped basil, even the baby loved this dish!  I added the pineapple at the end to eliminate the mushy factor.



Quinoa Fried Rice
Serves 4

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup frozen peas
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa. Return to a boil, then simmer 12 minutes.  Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.  Add the soy sauce, garlic, ginger powder and frozen peas.  Stir to combine.

Push the quinoa to the side of the saucepan and add the two eggs.  Cook over medium heat until the eggs begin to set.  Scramble with a fork.  Then stir well to combine with the quinoa mixture. 




Curried Pineapple Chicken
Serves 4

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, undrained
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

In a large nonstick skillet with a drizzle of olive oil, sauté onion and chicken until browned.  Stir in the beans. 

In a small bowl, combine the juice from the pineapple (reserve the pineapple chunks), coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, curry powder, garlic, and gingerroot.  Pour into the pan with the chicken.  Cover and let simmer until chicken is cooked through.  Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Stir in the pineapple chunks and heat through.  Serve.

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(Healthy) Kid Favorite Mac N Cheese

| Published Thursday, May 17, 2012


Once a week, when I make the weekly menu, I ask the family if there is anything special they would like me to cook.  This week our oldest daughter told me she wanted macaroni and cheese and broccoli.  After a brief pause, she added, "Separate".  So against all northern-style cooking methods, she didn't want anything in one dish that was cooked at 350 degrees for one hour.  (That's my girl!)

(Healthy) Kid Favorite Mac N Cheese doesn't use butter and cream to make a rue like most homemade macaroni and cheese recipes.  Instead, it uses a puree of steamed garlic and onion, mixed with shredded cheddar cheese and plain Greek yogurt.  The puree gives the macaroni subtle flavor and essence without chunks of onion or pieces of garlic.  The plain Greek yogurt provides a smooth undertone in addition to a boost of protein and calcium. 

The (Healthy) Kid Favorite Mac N Cheese was a hit and so was the roasted broccoli.  In fact, just before our oldest daughter went to bed, she asked for a snack.  I told her she could have more broccoli.  She joyfully bounded over to the cupboard, grabbed a plate and scooped up the rest of the roasted broccoli.  Within 2 seconds it was off her plate and in her belly.  Smiling, she said, "That was good."  




(Healthy) Kid Favorite Mac N Cheese
Serves 6

8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 large yellow onion, peeled and halved
9 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 cup water, divided
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

In a microwave safe dish, add the onion, garlic cloves and 1/2 cup water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a blender; blend until smooth adding additional water to make a smooth puree.

Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions, drain.

Meanwhile, bring onion-garlic puree, mustard, and cayenne to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Whisk in cheddar until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in yogurt.

In a medium bowl, toss the macaroni with the cheese sauce. Season with salt to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle panko over the top. Top with Parmesan.

Bake until Parmesan is melted and macaroni is hot throughout, about 10 minutes.

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