Tag: tomato paste
Bulgur Pilaf with Red Pepper and Eggplant
This is a perfect accompaniment for the kebabs from yesterday’s post. I added delicious red pepper and eggplant to the grain and included harissa which is a Moroccan spicy condiment. It was a delicious dish!
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 1 small eggplant, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1½ cups bulgur wheat, washed and drained
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 to 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the harissa and tomato paste. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red pepper, eggplant and jalapeno. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mix well and simmer on a medium low heat, covered for about 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add the bulgur and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the hot water, bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the bulgur rest for 20 minutes. Take the lid off, fluff with a fork. Add salt and dried mint. Check for seasonings. Serve warm.
Cauliflower & Chickpea Stew with Olive, Raisin and Cilantro Gremolata
This is a fabulous dish to impress your vegetarian friends. I made this Moroccan style stew with delicious quinoa. I also topped the goodness with a mixture of green olives, raisins and cilantro.
- 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons roasted cumin seeds, crushed
- 1 cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil
Preheat oven to broil.
Place the cauliflower florets onto the cookie sheet. Add the oil, salt and cumin. Mix well and roast for 30 minutes till the florets are golden brown. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onions, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Salt
- 2 cans chickpeas, washed and drained
Heat a large saucepan with olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the chicken broth and chickpeas. Bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Check for seasonings and add salt as necessary. Garnish with gremolata and serve with quinoa.
Olive Gremolata
- ½ cup green olive (I used the ones that are stuffed with garlic), chopped
- ¼ cup golden raisin, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Mix the olives, raisins and cilantro in a small bowl. Sprinkle on the stew and serve.
Mushroom Turkey Swiss Chard Whole Wheat Lasagna
This is a great, delicious recipe I came up with. No one could tell it was super healthy. I bought whole wheat pasta sheets and layered them with mushrooms and ground turkey. I bought a big bunch of Swiss chard which I sautéed it up and added the greens to the ricotta filling. The lasagna was yummy and it was gone in no time…
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, greens and stalks separated and chopped
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup shitaki mushrooms, chopped
- ½ pound dark meat ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- Salt
Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for a minute on medium heat. Add the Swiss chard whites and sauté for a minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat. Add ground turkey and separate with the back of wooden spoon. Stir and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings and let the mixture cool off.
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Heat a medium frying pan with the olive oil and add the greens from the Swiss chard. Saute on high heat, stirring consistently till the greens have wilted. Add salt and let the mixture cool off.
Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- ½ cup Mozzarella, grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
Transfer the ricotta cheese, garlic, Parmigiano, mozzarella, salt and the egg to a medium bowl. Add the Swiss chard greens and mix well.
- 6 to 8 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked
Start to layer the lasagna by starting with a small ladle of the turkey mixture at the bottom. Add the noodles on top and spread a third of the turkey mixture on top. Add half of the ricotta filling. Repeat the process and top with noodles and then the last third of the turkey mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Rice and Beans with Chorizo
This is a fabulous one pot meal just on its own. I made it with the fish. I made it with brown rice and you couldn’t tell the difference!!!
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup cured chorizo, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cubanelle pepper, finely chopped
- Sprig of fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can kidney beans, washed and drained
- 1 cup brown rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the chorizo and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, cubanelle pepper and thyme to the pan. Add the salt and smoked paprika. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and rice and sauce for another minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook for 40 minutes or till the brown rice is cooked through. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Lamb Loin Chops with Smoked Paprika and Wine Sauce
This is a very flavorful and delicious dish. I decided to mix the flavors of a typical wine sauce with smoked paprika. I marinated the lamb in a mixture of garlic, cilantro and smoked paprika. The meal was simply scrumptious. I served the chops with some creamed spinach and sweet potato fries.
- 6 to 8 lamb loin chops
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Add the garlic cloves into a mortar and pestle. Add the salt, smoked paprika and cilantro and pound down to a paste. Add the oil till emulsified.
Rub the chops with the garlic mixture and marinate for 4 to 5 hours. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup orange juice
- Salt
Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Brown the chops on both sides on high heat for 2 minutes each. Take out of pan and add the tomato paste and cook for a minute on medium heat. Add the flour and cook for another minute. Deglaze with red wine and pickup the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the broth and orange juice- whisk to make smooth. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Add the lamb chops and cook till desired. Add salt to taste. Serve with creamed spinach and sweet potatoes.
Pulled Chicken Quesadillas
Quesadillas are very popular in our household. My daughter absolutely loves them. I don’t have a problem making them for her as I use whole wheat tortillas and low fat cheese. I usually pair them with snow peas or a salad on the side and we are both happy.
My daughter loves to take them for lunch to school.. I guess she doesn’t mind eating cold quesadillas. I also make them for dinner and try to change them up a bit. This particular one, I made with pulled chicken. I started with chicken thighs and marinated them with some smoked paprika and chipotle pepper. If you don’t want to put in the work, you could buy rotisserie chicken and doctor it up.. but nothing like making the pulled chicken at home.. it is delicious. I bought chipotle lime tortillas from Trader Joes. They have a wonderful flavor and a nice kick. I filled the tortillas with some low fat mozzarella cheese and the pulled chicken. I served it with rice and peach salsa… recipes to follow. It was a delicious meal…
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Linguini with Shrimp and Sausage
Another delicious pasta. Shrimp and sausage is a great combination..
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 chicken sausage links, sliced
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- Salt
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 to 3 cups cooked pasta
Heat a wide frying pan with olive oil. Add the sausage and brown on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Take out and keep aside. Add the shallots, garlic and rosemary. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and add the sausage. Cook with the lid for about ten minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 4 to 5 minutes making sure not to over cook. Add salt and parsley. Serve with pasta.