Sharing Plate – Your Cooking Coach |

We were entertaining a few weekends ago and yet again, I was at a loss- what should I make?? My brain is usually all stressed out until something comes to mind and then I am at peace.

As I have mentioned many times before, our favorite restaurant is Arturos here in Maplewood. My favorite thing to eat there is a wild boar and mushroom ragu. I love that dish- I actually dream about it. It is consistently good and I can’t get enough of it.

I decided to make something similar but in a lasagna form. I had recently bought some dried mushrooms from Trader Joes. I reconstituted them and added them to some delicious cremini mushrooms. I used ground turkey meat instead of wild boar- well where was I supposed to get that?? Anyway, I am more comfortable using turkey meat for health reasons. The lasagna was layered with a simple bechamel sauce. I also used a truffle paste I picked up from Spello, Italy. I finished the ragu with a drizzle of truffle oil (thanks to Trader Joes).

I served the lasagna with a garlic cheese bread and a citrus salad. I of course had to serve a side of fresh tomato sauce- since my husband loves his red sauce.

It turned out to be a very successful dinner. Everything was delicious- I was very happy. Next time you have a few minutes- try the mushroom and truffle ragu- you won’t regret it.
Click here for the recipe… »

I am hoping to start a weekly tradition of top ten lists. This week I begin with things to change or do to stay healthy. I am definitely not a doctor nor a dietician but I do have common sense and I know what works for me and my family. Especially as a woman in my late thirties (I can’t say that for too long- so I will milk it for what it is), I find it harder to stay on course in terms of losing weight or keeping it off. I find I have to eat far less than I used to and exercise a lot more than before.

I guess things change as you get older and have kids. I feel very responsible for teaching my daughter healthy eating and living habits. Things that will stay with her for a life time. I want her to know how to live a balanced and happy life- well that maybe a completely different post…

So- I ask all of my readers to go through the list and comment ‘on the blog’ what things are on your list that are missing from mine. I would love to get a conversation going and learn from all of you out there. If you all are interested, we can do this on a weekly basis.

Here is my top ten list- I feel like David Letterman…

1. Eat a good breakfast- consisting of fiber, protein and fruit- Whole-wheat toast with one egg and some strawberries on the side.
2. Eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism high.
3. Snack on non-fat Greek yogurt, fruit with raw honey and walnuts.
4. Take all white flour and white bread out of the house. Eat whole wheat bread and substitute the regular flour for white whole-wheat flour.
5. For lunch- make a one-slice open sandwich with whole wheat bread, smoked salmon, fresh tomatoes, sprouts and cucumbers. Spread some hummus and sprinkle a dash of garlic powder on top.
6. Substitute evaporated cane juice for white sugar.
7. Cook with extra light olive oil and use extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings and topping pasta dishes.
8. Drink eight (8 ounces) glasses of water.
9. Have an ounce or two of dark chocolate.
10. Have a dinner consisting of fish, shrimp with lots of vegetables.

Since the beginning of the New Year, I have been very good about eating healthy and incorporating the right things during the day. I started a month long cleanse which will be coming to an end soon- I am glad I did it- I feel good and it motivates me to eat properly and exercise.

One of the things I am trying to eat more of is protein- especially the good kind. Salmon is the best way to get your protein- but the problem is that my husband and my daughter don’t enjoy eating the fish at all. I mostly end up eating it for lunch since neither of them are home.

I have been buying wild smoked salmon from Trader Joes. I usually make a sandwich or recently have started adding it to scrambled eggs. I beat two eggs and add sliced salmon and cook up the whole thing. I find the combination very satisfying, especially if I top it with some hot sauce- yum!

The other day, I bought some fresh, local pesto. I brought it home and started thinking about some yummy pasta dish I would use it in- but then I remembered I am trying to eat less pasta. So, instead I used it in the salmon and egg concoction. I just added a tablespoon to the beaten eggs and salmon. I then cooked it the same way I did before.

It was absolutely delicious. It brought the simple dish to a whole new level. I loved the sweet basil taste with the salty parmesan kick with the nutty pine nuts.

It is now a staple lunch for me – at least 2 to 3 times a week. It is very filling and satisfying. Try some pesto scrambled eggs with smoked salmon next time you are looking for a healthy lunch.

• 2 eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon water and ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon extra light olive oil
• 1 tablespoon basil pesto
• 2 to 3 ounces smoked salmon, sliced thin

Beat the eggs and add the pesto and salmon. Mix well. Heat a non-stick pan with the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the eggs and lower the heat to medium. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon till the eggs begin to set. Turn the heat off and the eggs will continue to cook. Serve with a salad or wheat toast.

This side dish was served with the ma po tofu I whipped up for my husband the other day. I am always looking to serve broccoli in different ways- especially because it is the most popular vegetable with kids. It is also quite versatile. I can chop it up small and use it for fried rice or I can just broil it simply with extra virgin olive oil and salt.

I find most parents boil the broccoli for their kids. I find roasting vegetables brings out the natural sweetness in them and makes them yummier. We invested in a small toaster/convection counter top oven a few years ago. It is super handy. I use it for breakfast to make toast; for lunch to bake a quick fish fillet and for dinner to roast vegetables. Since it has a convection button as well- things cook much faster. It is very convenient and I don’t have to heat my big oven for a small job. The broccoli tastes delicious roasted in the oven.

For this dinner, since I was making a tofu and turkey stir fry, I needed a side of vegetables. Blood oranges are in season and are in abundance at Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I had a whole bunch sitting on my kitchen counter and I decided to use that as a base for this quick side dish. I mixed fresh blood orange juice (which is the most delicious thing I have ever had-  a sip takes me back to last summer in Umbria), tamari and a bit of honey and of course some garlic. I reduced the sauce a bit to transform it into a glaze. I roasted the broccoli half way and then poured the glaze on top. You can substitute regular oranges in this dish. I would top the broccoli with some orange zest and it will be delicious.

The broccoli was delicious and a bit different. What I liked about it was that it was easy and quick yet flavorful and most importantly got a thumbs up from my daughter.

Next time you want to cook broccoli for dinner roast it the oven and pour a blood orange and tamari glaze.
Blood Orange Glaze

• Juice 3 to 4 blood oranges- should yield 1/3 to ½ cup juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

Bring the blood orange juice, honey, tamari and garlic cloves to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes till the juice thickens and reduces to a ¼ cup. Taste for seasonings and keep aside.

• 3 cups broccoli florets, frozen or fresh
• 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

Roast the broccoli mixed with the olive oil and salt in a 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes or till it becomes soft. Take out of oven and pour the glaze over the broccoli, mix well and place back in the oven. Roast for another 10 minutes. Serve as a side dish with any entrée.

This is my easy, quick ‘go to’ meal. I use the pink lentils which cook up in a matter of minutes and it is ready to eat. I made this for a friend who requested Indian food. She said she was satisfying her craving by going to Trader Joes and buying the boxed Indian meals- what??? I couldn’t let that one go- I think she knew I would be very disturbed by that comment and she was right. Even though I had no plans on making Indian food for our dinner together- I couldn’t help myself. I decided to make a chicken dish and these lentils.

I needed to serve a vegetable and to make it easy I decided to use baby spinach- that I had in my fridge- yet another great thing to keep in there all the time. It is handy for a quick salad or even a stir fry.

The lentils were done in about 15 minutes, I added the spinach and then heated some mustard and cumin seeds in oil and was done! The result was a delicious, healthy side dish that can be served with rice or bread.

I gave it to my daughter the next day and she didn’t even notice the spinach in it- I am not sure how that happened. The bright colored greens were quite apparent to me but I think because the dal was so delicious, she didn’t even care about the spinach.

Make the spinach dal next time you are short on time…

Click here for the recipe… »