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Healthy Sausage and Peppers Pasta Bake
This is a really healthy dish. I went to the farmer’s market to see what looked good. I bought a large red pepper, some fresh, great looking red onion and a fresh baguette.
I wanted to make a sausage and peppers dish but with pasta and thought baking the dish would be a great idea-so that’s what I did. I had really good quality whole wheat pasta in my pantry and thought it would be great in this dish.
Last week I bought 5 pounds of fresh plum tomatoes and made some delicious sauce and froze it. I took one bag out to defrost and used it in the dish. I also had low fat shredded cheese- why not make it healthy all the way.
I love making these kinds of dishes when it starts to get cold. It was great to smell all the vegetables roasting in the oven. I also made garlic bread with the fresh baguette. I wish we had access to farmer’s market all year round- it is so great to be able to find fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally. The food tastes better and is good for you. My daughter enjoyed the pasta and the garlic bread. I was happy to feed my family and good, wholesome meal!
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Dry Spice Shrimp Curry
I have been making this shrimp dish for at least six or seven years. I remember one of my husband’s friend had come over for dinner. He and his wife are from Switzerland and were living here in the US for a few years. They loved Indian food and wanted to come over for a meal. I made this dish for the first time then and haven’t stopped since. He devoured the dish and actually finished it. Even years after that meal, he talked about it anytime we met.
I made this dish since it was very different than my usual shrimp concoctions- which tend to be more North Indian style. This one has coconut milk but also has a very interesting mix of spices. The cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and the dry chilies are roasted and then ground to a powder. The mix is then cooked with the onions, ginger and garlic. The spice mix gives the dish a very earthy, almost sweet and spicy flavor. It has flavors found in dishes from Kerala– South of India.
I am fascinated by all the seafood and meat dishes in the South of India. The flavors and spices are so different than what I grew up with in the North. I am always trying to find new recipes to cook and enjoy! This is definitely one of them. It’s in my repertoire, especially when we are entertaining.
We had friends coming over and so I made this dish amongst others- it was a big hit as usual. Definitely give it a try next time you entertain…
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, cleaned with the tails off
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- ¼ cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup coconut milk
- Salt
Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
Dry roast cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and red chilies in the oven or on the stove until they are aromatic. Let cool and grind them in a spice grinder to form a powder. Keep aside.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on high heat. Saute the shrimp for about 30 seconds on each side. Take out and keep aside. In the same oil add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the dry spice mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and coconut milk. Mix well and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and salt. Cook for another minute or so, careful not to overcook the shrimp. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Ground Turkey and Green Beans Stir Fry
I bought green beans with the eggplants the other day at the farmer’s market. They had been sitting in my fridge and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Usually pasta comes to mind but I was trying to cook different cuisines since we had quite a lot of pasta in Italy- not that there is anything wrong with that.
I thought about making a stir fry with tofu and green beans. I haven’t cooked with tofu in a while and we all love it. I was feeling quite lazy to prepare the tofu- I take the excess water out, cut it up and then saute it in a non-stick pan. I decided to scrap the tofu and use ground turkey instead. There is a dish my husband really enjoys called ma po tofu that has ground meat and is cooked in a black bean sauce. It is quite tasty and I have made it a few times but I didn’t have black bean sauce at home- oh well. I made my own sauce and sauteed the turkey meat with ginger and garlic. I then added the green beans and the sauce.
It was a quick and easy dish. I made healthy brown rice with it. I saute the rice in a little olive oil and butter and then cook it in chicken broth- it is absolutely delicious! You don’t miss white rice at all. I also buy the Indian basmati brown rice from Trader Joes, so it has a longer grain and is closer in terms of looks to white rice.
My daughter really enjoyed it and surprisingly said nothing about the green beans- I guess she likes them now. She even took leftovers to school the next day. I refrained from drinking any wine as I have indulged a bit too much on my trip and over the summer. Just plain water was good enough with the delicious meal!
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- ½ pound green beans, trimmed
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons water
Mix the corn starch and water and keep aside.
In a large wok, heat the olive oil. Add the ground turkey meat and cook over high heat, separating the meat while stirring constantly for about 5 mintues. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute for 2-3 minutes on high heat. Add the green beans and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce and the corn starch mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing well. Cover the dish and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or till the beans are cooked. Serve with brown rice.
Peanut Eggplant Stir Fry
I have a rocky relationship with eggplants.. There are a few dishes I enjoy. I love baba ghanoush, bhurta and a few more. Overall, I stay away from this vegetable- which is not very good since it has a delicious flavor. I am not a big fan of the texture most of the time- but in dishes like bhurta, it works.
I was at our local farmer’s market in Maplewood shopping for fresh ingredients. It was there I saw the most beautiful looking small, long, purple and white eggplants. Considering I am not a big fan, I couldn’t help myself and picked them up promptly. I didn’t know what I was going to do with them but I knew it would have to be some kind of a stir fry. They looked so fresh and tender- I knew they would have to be the star and not a side kick. They sat in my fridge for a few days- actually I forgot I had them in there.
I was at my favorite grocery store- Trader Joes and was looking to replace some salad dressings in my fridge. I usually buy a pear gorgonzola that is delicious. They were out of it but had a new one- spicy peanut vinaigrette with cilantro- yum, I thought. I brought it home and put it away in the fridge.
I finally decided to make the eggplant and stir fried it with a little garlic and olive oil. I wanted to add a little more flavor to it and thought of the peanut dressing. I added a bit of that and it was perfect. Sweet, spicy and savory at the same time- perfect combination. I was also making a ground turkey and green bean stir fry (recipe coming up on Monday) so I decided to serve the eggplant dish on the side. It was a great accompaniment. I served yummy brown rice with the meal and it was healthy, quick and delicious!
- 1 pound small, thin light purple eggplants, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons spicy peanut vinaigrette (Trader Joes) or any peanut sauce will do
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute on medium heat. Add the eggplant pieces and sauté on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Add the peanut vinaigrette and salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium heat and garnish with cilantro. Check for seasonings and serve.
Banana Coconut Bread
This is another version of the banana bread I usually make. I had a few very ripe bananas and wanted to change up my usual bread recipe. I typically put shaved chocolate in this bread but this time I felt like adding a different flavor.
I thought of dried shredded coconut and went with the idea. I used the same recipe but substituted coconut for the chocolate. As I write this- I am thinking of maybe next time adding coconut milk in the bread as well. I think it will give it a stronger coconut taste and make it rich and creamy- yum!
This one was really good and moist as well. I really love the banana and coconut flavors together- reminds me of the tropics. My daughter who typically doesn’t care for anything with coconut really enjoyed it. I guess the fact I didn’t really tell her the ingredients, probably helped my cause.
This is a different recipe for those who are tired of making the regular run of the mill banana bread– not that there is anything wrong with that… but it is nice to change things around once in a while. Speaking of which, my daughter has been asking me to make the blueberry muffins again and I keep delaying it since I have not yet figured out a different recipe for them.. I am sure it will come to me soon.
- 1¼ cups unbleached white whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup extra light olive oil, plus more for preparing the pan
- 1 cup evaporated sugarcane juice (sugar)
- 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup toasted walnut pieces
- ½ cup sweetened grated coconut
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9X5X3 inches loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the oil and sugar while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled), and remove the bowl from the mixer.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and coconut and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes before taking it out. Cool completely before serving.
Pasta Primavera Topped With Arugula Pesto
This recipe is a combination of two things I had in Italy. The second night there we went to a local wine bar. It had fabulous wines and light fare. We ordered a couple platters of bruschetta which were delicious. Each platter had a 4 pieces of bread with different toppings- none of them had diced tomatoes- which is what I think of when someone mentions bruschetta. Each of the toppings were yummy but one stood out clearly. It was a arugula and almond pesto- I know this because I asked the owner for the ingredients. I wrote them down and made a mental note to make this as soon as I got back to NJ.
The last day of our trip was spent in Rome. We ate dinner at a small trattoria and my husband ordered pasta primavera. Here, when he orders that dish, he is used to getting a plate of pasta with lots of veggies in a tomato sauce. In Rome he got a plate of fresh pasta in a chunky tomato sauce topped with a mound of fresh arugula and mozzarella cheese. It was delicious!
This creation is a combination of the arugula pesto and the pasta dish. I made a typical pasta primavera- which my husband loves; but I topped it with fresh arugula and mozzarella cheese mixed with the arugula pesto. It was really really good- if I do say so myself! The arugula pesto is absolutely out of this world. The slight bitterness comes through but is contrasted really well with the creaminess of the almonds and the olive oil.
Even if you don’t try the pasta, definitely try the pesto. Speaking of pasta- you can definitely use the pesto for a pasta dish- I bet it will be delicious! In fact I will try it and let you know!
- 2 small zucchinis cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- Salt
- 1 pound fresh pasta, cooked al dente
- Pinch of sugar
In a large frying pan, add the olive oil and heat on medium high heat. Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Saute on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or till the vegetables are soft and golden brown. Add the tomato sauce, sugar and salt.
Cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the fresh pasta and mix well and check for seasonings.
- 2 cups fresh baby arugula
- 1 cup fresh ciliegine mozzarella (small balls)
Arugula Pesto with Almonds
- 3 cups fresh baby arugula
- 1 cup sliced blanched almonds
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons slat
In a food processor, add the almonds and process till fine. Add the arugula and start the processing. While the arugula is processing, slowly drizzle the olive oil. Take out in a bowl and add the salt. Check for seasonings.
Take a cup of mozzarella and mix ½ cup of arugula pesto and the fresh arugula and keep aside.
Serve the pasta with ½ a cup of the arugula mozzarella mixture on top.
Scrambled Eggs with Sausage and Mushrooms with Gruyere Cheese
I love it when I can make two completely different meals with the same exact ingredients.
In this case, I made the sausage and mushroom mixture for the quesadillas yesterday. I had about a cup of the mixture leftover after dinner. While I was cleaning up and putting away everything in the fridge, I told my husband he will be getting scrumptious scrambled eggs tomorrow morning.
I woke up the next day and quickly took the mixture out of the fridge. I beat the eggs with salt, half and half and the Gruyere cheese. The scrambled eggs were made in a matter of minutes. I heated a tortilla and served the eggs with leftover tomatillo salsa.
It was a delicious and quick breakfast. I on the other hand, had my usual spelt toast with a dollop of strawberry jam and a chunk of low fat jalapeno cheese. Of course I had a big, huge, delicious cup of coffee with it. I was happy and so was my husband. Sia was happy munching on whole grain pancakes with fresh raspberries and maple syrup. All in all it was a good Saturday morning.
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