Tag: garlic powder
Shrimp and Spinach Risotto- Latin Style
A Latin style risotto, you ask? Well, why not?? Risotto is one of our favorite things to eat and I am always trying to make it in new and different ways incorporating new ingredients every time. Risotto is made with Arborio rice which is a thick grained rice. It is white rice and thus processed- the key is to use the best ingredients one can find while making risotto and eat it in moderation. Usually risotto is finished with cream, butter and cheese making it quite heavy. It can be made lighter and healthier by using good olive oil and a moderate amounts of cheese.
This risotto is a bit different from the Italian variety. I decided to use some Latin flavors… so, I marinated the shrimp with some smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. I then sautéed some shallots and garlic. I added the rice, kidney beans. I cooked the risotto with chicken broth and added fresh baby spinach. The addition of all these yummy ingredients make this risotto quite light and very delicious. The key to making light dishes is to boost the flavor factor- in this case, it is the delicious marinated shrimp.
Try this dish next time you want to have a delicious, healthy and different risotto- try this one..
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Pan Seared Flounder with Bok Choy Tofu Noodles
If you are trying to feed your kids less pasta- you need to try this dish. A few months ago, I started buying tofu noodles (shirataki noodles) from an Asian store. Later I noticed them in my regular super market and was thrilled. They are very low in calories and are delicious. The texture is a bit different and might need a bit getting used to- but sky is the limit with them.
I usually use them in Asian preparations but they can be used in anything. My daughter loves, loves them. When I was planning on making this dish, I made sure I bought enough packs of these noodles (each pack is a small quantity). I actually bought five to make sure all three of us get enough noodles. I then sautéed some delicious flounder which I sprinkled with a spice mix. The dish was delicious with sautéed bok choy with the noodles and the fish. I used a bit more chicken broth to mimic some of the delicious noodle soups we have been having at Asian restaurants.
The dish was a big success! Try this super healthy meal…
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Grilled Ribeye with Chipotle Honey Barbecue Sauce Fajitas
I loved making this main entree for a few friends we were having over the other day. I knew I was going to grill but wanted to come up with something different to serve. Mexican and Latin themes always come to mind for a warm summer evening dinner. The bold flavors lend themselves beautifully to summer meals.
I bought a gorgeoous, grass fed piece of ribeye. It was huge- about three pounds or so. I decided to make a dry rub and sprinkled it all over the juicy steak for a good 4 to 5 hours- over night will be ideal.
I then made my own barbecue sauce- which is super easy and so delicious. Usually barbecue sauces are full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and salt. If you make your own, it is easy to control the salt and the sugar plus you end with a tastier product.
I grilled the huge steak while basting with the barbecue sauce. I had extra sauce on the side for the meal.
We ate the delicious steak inside grilled tortillas topped with avocados, grilled peppers and onions and the barbecue sauce. The meal was absolutely delicious.
Try this recipe for your next grilling party…
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Chicken Cheese Steak
I made this sandwich after I reviewed a local eatery in Maplewood- Maplewood Deli and Grille. My friend and I had a quick meal including a chicken cheese steak sandwich and an order of fries. I love eating fries but never end up ordering them- too much fat. These fries were incredible with some kind of a flour coating- oh my, talk about carb heaven!
The sandwich was delicious as well. One of the best things about it were the crispy potatoes topping the chicken and the green peppers.
As I thought of replicating this sandwich, I knew I would make it healthier, but how? I used white meat chicken pieces for the filling and paired fresh green peppers and onions for the sandwich. To replicate the potatoes I diced them up small and roasted them in a very hot oven with a bit of olive oil. You can also cook them on the stove in a skillet- as shown below. It resulted in really crispy potatoes- yum!
The sandwich was delicious- a whole meal. It had the meat, veggies and potatoes- what more do you want? It was fresh tasting and crispy and crunchy. I served it for dinner with beer for my husband and wine for me. That’s right, I had a glass of wine with the sandwich- I like my wine and it was delicious!
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Brie and Fig Grilled Cheese served with Sweet Potato Fries
I made this dish after eating at Food restaurant in Summit, NJ. I took a friend out for lunch and ordered a brie and fig grilled cheese with sweet potato fries.
Before going there I spoke to the summit patch editor to see if she would be interested in a recipe replication with an article. She was fascinated and said yes.
As I looked through the menu, this particular dish stood out to me. I love sweet flavors mixed in with savory. I also love any kind of fries- especially sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are extremely healthy and I try to incorporate them into my diet as much as I can.
The original dish was good but a bit too rich for my taste. It was clearly cooked it butter and had too much fig jam in it. I started with whole wheat sour dough bread and added a fig compote instead. The fig compote is less sweet and a bit more savory. I also added peppery arugula to the mix.
Overall, I ended up with a delicious, healthy sandwich and fries. I of course made the sweet potato fries in the oven and added my favorite ingredient- smoked paprika.
Try the brie and fig grilled cheese with sweet potato fries for lunch next time…
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Healthy Indian Style Hamburgers with Caramelized Onions and Zucchini served with Sweet Potato Fries
Once in a while I come up with a fabulous meal- it is tasty, healthy and very good looking. This is one of them. One of my favorite things to eat is a good hamburger- especially at our local pub. Since watching Food Inc, I have been off hamburgers especially at restaurants.
So, I decided to make turkey burgers but with a twist. I love ground turkey for a lot of things but when I have a regular turkey burger I always compare it to a beef burger and it just doesn’t stand up to it’s competitor. To avoid the comparison I decided to use my seekh kebab mix. It is extremely flavorful loaded with aromatics- perfect for a juicy burger. Now, what about the toppings? I didn’t want to use mayo since it is loaded with calories. I had cilantro chutney in the fridge that I normally serve with seekh kebabs- perfect. I also thought of the delicious tomato chutney from Trader Joes- that would pair up really well with the cilantro chutney. I needed to incorporate vegetables in this meal and so I decided to caramelize onions and saute up some zucchini and use them as toppings for the healthy burgers. Of course, I bought the soft whole-wheat hamburger buns from Trader Joes and while I was there, I also picked up sweet potatoes. They are super healthy and I wanted to incorporate them into the meal as well- I cut them up into wedges and made oven fries- they were delicious- especially paired with garlic powder and smoked paprika. The sweetness in this orange vegetable was wonderful with the savory garlic powder and smoky paprika.
Overall it was a fabulous meal- I did an article about this healthy, delicious meal on the New York Times, The Local.
Try the healthy Indian style hamburgers with the veggies and sweet potatoes next time you want to eat a hamburger.
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Ten Healthy Eating Tips..
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…
- Eat a good breakfast- consisting of fiber, protein and fruit- Whole-wheat toast with one egg and some strawberries on the side.
- Eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism high.
- Snack on non-fat Greek yogurt, fruit with raw honey and walnuts.
- 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.
- 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.
- Substitute evaporated cane juice for white sugar.
- Cook with extra light olive oil and use extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings and topping pasta dishes.
- Drink eight (8 ounces) glasses of water.
- Have an ounce or two of dark chocolate.
- Have a dinner consisting of fish, shrimp with lots of vegetables.