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Lighter Sesame Chicken

February 16, 2012 ·
This Lighter Sesame Chicken recipe is an easy-to-make, healthier version of a take-out favorite. Lean chicken breast is coated with a light sesame and honey sauce, and served over rice and steamed broccoli. 
 Lighter Sesame Chicken | alidaskitchen.com

This Lighter Sesame Chicken dish has been a staple around our house for years and is truly one of our favorite chicken dishes.  It is easy to make, using ingredients you most likely already have at home.  The recipe also halves easily, making a nice dinner for 2….

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Filed Under: Favorites, gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Four Cheese Lasagna

January 24, 2012 ·
lasagna quattro formaggio from America's Test Kitchen

If we were ranking dinner favorites in our household, this Four Cheese Lasagna would be #1 without question.  There is cheese, cheese, cheese and more cheese.  And if you’re so inclined, the potential for even more cheese.  Yes.  Yum.  Amazing.  In fact, I had an entirely different recipe planned to share with you today, but……I decided it would be wrong of me to keep this from you any longer. It is so good!

lasagna quattro formaggio from America's Test Kitchen

I made very few changes from the original recipe, because frankly it’s darn near perfect.  A few items of note:  I have used light butter and regular butter – either one works fine.  I always use skim milk and low fat ricotta cheese, yielding fabulous results.  I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it vegetarian.    The first time I made this, I added gorgonzola, the optional fifth cheese, and prefer it without.  It adds an interesting dimension to the dish, but I realized I’m not really a gorgonzola fan.

There is a little extra time involved in making this lasagna, but every second is worth it.  This lasagna can be served as an elegant dinner for company or as an incredible treat for a lazy Sunday, and the leftovers heat up perfectly!

lasagna quattro formaggio from America's Test Kitchen
Four Cheese Lasagna
 
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Yields: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 1½ cups)
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated finely (about 1 cup), divided
  • 15 ounces low fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2½ cups skim milk
  • 1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 15 no-boil noodles
  • 8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 3 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about ¾ cup) (optional, see note)
Instructions
  1. In a large glass bowl, place Gruyere and ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, black pepper and parsley. Set both bowls aside.
  3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to foam. Add shallots and garlic, stirring frequently until soft (about 2 minutes). Stir in flour until thoroughly combined, about 1½ minutes (mixture should not brown). Gradually whisk in milk and broth; increase heat to high, cover and bring to a full boil, whisking frequently. Add salt, cayenne and bay leaf, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until sauce thickens (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove saucepan from heat and discard bay leaf. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup sauce into ricotta mixture. Pour remaining sauce over Gruyere mixture and stir until smooth; set aside while softening noodles.
  5. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place noodles in a 13-by-9 inch baking dish and cover with very hot tap water; soak 10 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from dish and place in a single layer on kitchen towels and pat dry. Wipe out baking dish and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  6. Pour ½ cup sauce in the bottom of baking dish. Place 3 noodles in a single layer over sauce. Spread ½ cup ricotta mixture over noodles and sprinkle evenly with ½ cup fontina. Drizzle ½ cup sauce over cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta, fontina and sauce 3 more times. Place final 3 noodles over the top and cover with remaining sauce, spreading with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
  7. Spray large sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover lasagna; bake until edges are bubbling, about 25-30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Remove foil and turn the oven to broil. * Broil until surface turns spotty brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley, cut into pieces and serve.
Notes
* If your dish is not safe under the broiler, turn oven up to 500 degrees and cook for 10 minutes, or until spotty brown on top.

Note: If you want to include gorgonzola cheese, sprinkle it on top of the fontina on each layer.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen

 

Filed Under: main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , ,
mixed green salad with roasted sweet potatoes and tangy yogurt dressing

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

January 17, 2012 ·
mixed green salad with roasted sweet potatoes and tangy yogurt dressing

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes is all things good wrapped up in a salad.  You have your roasted sweet potatoes and red onion, green beans and pepitas, all on a bed of red leaf lettuce and topped with a tangy yogurt dressing.  Sound good?  Umm..yeah, I thought so too!  Mike and I don’t typically put dressing on our salads, but the first thing that he commented about this dish was ‘how good is that dressing!’  The dressing has some zip, so a little goes a long way.  It goes perfectly with the sweetness of the roasted sweet potato and onion.  There are so many yummy vegetables in this dish, I would happily eat it every day of the week.

mixed green salad with roasted sweet potatoes and tangy yogurt dressing

I made a couple changes of note from the original recipe.  First, I used nonfat Greek yogurt instead of low fat regular yogurt.  The Greek yogurt adds a nice little protein boost, and frankly is what I always have on hand.  I’m sure regular yogurt would work just fine.  The other change I made was using pepitas, in lieu of walnuts, due to my tree nut allergy.  Pepitas are always tasty and added a nice little crunch.  However if you are a walnut fan, I suspect they would also be quite delicious in this dish.  Frozen green beans worked really well, but I look forward to using fresh green beans when the season hits.

Mike and I were talking in terms of ‘next time we have this’…which tells me there will definitely be a next time.  This salad is a keeper!

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3-4 cups sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 10 ounces frozen cut green beans, thawed (or 1½ cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • ⅓ cup pepitas
  • ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 head (10 ounces) red leaf lettuce (or spinach or mixed greens)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  2. Place sweet potato and onion on baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender, approximately 30 minutes. Add green beans and pepitas and roast another 5 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, vinegar and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Place lettuce on bowl and top with sweet potato mixture. Drizzle dressing on as desired and serve.

Slightly adapted from Everyday Food Light

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, salad, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
vegetarian black bean tortilla soup with corn that is vegan and gluten free

Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

January 12, 2012 ·
vegetarian black bean tortilla soup with corn that is vegan and gluten free
We have had the good fortune of enjoying unseasonably warm weather over the past few weeks, and it has been fabulous.  In fact, I even considered firing up the grill.  Of course a brisk, windy day, along with temperatures in the single digits, set me straight.  I went back to craving wintery comfort foods, and this Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans is the epitome of wintery comfort food.  It’s warm, a little spicy and filled with vegetables.

From the original recipe, I used tomatoes with chiles, added more vegetables and increased the chili powder.  This soup reheats beautifully, though over time the broth gets absorbed making it almost like a chili.  I like it that way, but if you prefer your soup more soupy, I recommend adding some broth or water when reheating.  Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans is a healthy and delicious soup, and perfect to enjoy this winter!

vegetarian black bean tortilla soup with corn that is vegan and gluten free
Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans
 
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Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced (or grated)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 cans (14½ ounces each) diced tomates with green chiles, including juices
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4-6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 10 ounces frozen corn
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
  1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
  2. Add tomatoes (with juice), beans, broth, spinach and corn; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips, cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Serve soup with lime wedges and more chips.
Notes
Adapted from Everyday Food Light
Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, soup, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegetable and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

October 19, 2011 ·
Back when I was working outside the home, I brought my lunch every day.  I usually brought a peanut butter sandwich, pizza or leftovers from dinner the previous night.  Occasionally I brought an organic microwavable meal.  While not an ideal option, I could prounounce all of the ingredients, it was quick and convenient.  It was also pretty tasty too.  One of my more recent favorites was Black Bean Tortilla Casserole.  

I don’t have much of a need for microwaveable meals these days now that I stay at home with Adam. So when I saw a recipe for Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole, I was pretty excited to recreate the convenience food I enjoyed and make it a healthier option. 

The original recipe looked like it could use a little sprucing up, so I added spinach, onion, used more garlic and changed up the spices.   I love the additional vegetables in this dish.  It’s a lighter and healthier option, and is also quick and easy to prepare.  Leftovers reheat nicely…which I guess sort of makes it a microwavable meal, only better!  

Vegetable and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Yields 6 servings
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 corn tortillas, warmed and halved
2 cups salsa
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until browned (about 7 minutes). 
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and chili powder, stir for 1 minute. 
  4. Add black beans and spinach and stir to combine.  Cook until beans are warmed through (about 2 minutes).  Remove from heat.
  5. Arrange 5 tortilla halves in baking dish.  Top with half of the bean mixture and 1/2 cup salsa, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat with another layer of bean mixture, salsa and cheese.  Top with remaining tortilla halves, salsa and cheese. 
  6. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes or until center is hot and cheese melts.  Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbling, 5 minutes OR if your dish is broiler-safe, put under the broiler until cheese is bubbling and browned.

Adapted from Everyday Food, January/February, 2011

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone

October 7, 2011 ·
Years ago, I aspired to make risotto for the first time.  But I hesitated, because it was a little intimidating and seemed quite difficult.  Coincidentially, around the same time, I happened to catch a cooking show about risotto.  The chef explained step-by-step how to make it and alleviated any uncertainty I had.  Armed with a recipe from Cooking Light, I was bound and determined to perfect the art of making risotto!
Fortunately, risotto was just as easy to make as the professionals on television led me to believe.  Years later, we are still enjoying that same recipe, however since then I have incorporated a few changes to the original recipe.  I swapped oregano for thyme, added lots of fresh spinach and used vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian dish.
While we enjoy this risotto as a vegetarian entree, it of course makes for a wonderful side dish.  Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone is a household favorite, suitable for company, and a definite crowd pleaser.
Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone
 
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Ingredients
  • 1½ cups boiling water
  • ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 14 ounces vegetable broth
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice (or other short-grain rice)
  • ¾ cup chopped shallots
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine boiling water and mushrooms; let stand for 10 minutes. Drain through colander over a bowl. Reserve 1¼ cups soaking liquid, and chop mushrooms.
  2. In a small sauce pan, bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer (do not boil), keeping mixture warm over low heat.
  3. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots and garlic; saute 5 minutes, or until the rice gets browned and toasted.
  4. Add wine and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
  5. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture and cook until liquid is nearly absorbed (about 5 minutes); stirring frequently.
  6. Add remaining broth mixture ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently, until each portion of the broth mixture is nearly absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
  7. Remove pan from heat. Add mushrooms, cheeses, oregano, spinach, salt and pepper, stirring gently until combined and cheese melts. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4 servings
Adapted from Cooking Light
Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, sides Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Spicy Beef and Zucchini Pasta

October 3, 2011 ·

When I was flipping through a recent magazine for the second time, I was a little surprised to see that I flagged something called ‘Stovetop Chili Mac.’  It’s not something that I would typically make, based on title alone.  After a quick glance, I could definitely see the potential in this dish – increase the veggies, give it some kick,…and we find ourselves with the delicious Spicy Beef and Zucchini Pasta.

The beef and zucchini sauce was a spicy and flavorful topping on top of pasta, which is a nice change from your every day bolognese.  The preparation of this sauce reminds me of my go-to taco recipe though.  This recipe makes plenty, so enjoy pasta for dinner and then tacos for lunch the next day.  That’s what we did!

Spicy Beef and Zucchini Pasta
Yields 4 servings

3/4 pound (12 oz) short pasta, such as rotini or rigatoni
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 green and/or red bell peppers, chopped
1 pound extra lean ground beef
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with chiles, including juices
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, for topping

  1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain and return to pot.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium.  Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until onion is translucent and peppers are soft (about 5 minutes).
  3. Increase heat to medium high, add beef and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Cook until no longer pink.  Add chili powder and cumin, and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add zucchini and cook until tender.  Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook until mixture is thickened and heated through. 
  5. Divide pasta among 4 bowls, top with meat sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Portobello and Zucchini Tacos

August 25, 2011 ·
As Mike was sprinkling cheese on his Portobello and Zucchini Tacos, he could see it in my eyes and knew what I was about to do.  I couldn’t help myself – I had to do it!  I stole his dinner so I could plate it for pictures.  Who knew he was such a food stylist!  In all fairness, as I ran away with his dinner, I told him to take mine.  Off I went to snap away and he got to enjoy a warm dinner.
Portobello and Zucchini Tacos
So is the life as a husband of a food blogger. He sometimes gets cold dinner. He sometimes loses his dinner to pictures.  But there are some perks, with the most obvious being…actually getting to have dinner (or lunch, or muffins, you get the idea).  Mike is definitely a good sport…even if sometimes he has to give up his tacos for the craft.

Portobello and Zucchini Tacos
Now about the tacos. These tacos are fun, tasty and super easy! First you prepare your veggies, toss them in olive oil and seasoning, then throw it all in the oven to roast. In the meantime, heat up the tortillas and get the toppings ready. Serve. See? Simple, easy and so good!
Portobello and Zucchini Tacos
Portobello and Zucchini Tacos
 
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Yields: 4 servings (3 tacos per serving)
Ingredients
  • 5 medium portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced ½ inch thick
  • 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 4 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
  • 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with roasted red peppers*, shredded, for serving
  • ½ cup fresh salsa, for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a 13 x 9 baking dish (or rimmed baking sheet) toss mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil, 1½ teaspoons oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. In a separate 13 x 9 baking dish (or rimmed baking sheet) toss zucchini and red onion with remaining oil, oregano and garlic; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Place both dishes in oven. Roast, tossing approximately every 10 minutes) until vegetables are browned and fork-tender (about 30 minutes).
  5. Meanwhile, stack tortillas and wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds.
  6. To serve, fill each tortilla with mushrooms, vegetable mixture, cheese and salsa.
Notes
You can substitute plain Monterey Jack cheese if you are unable to find Monterey Jack cheese with roasted red peppers.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ravioli with Roasted Zucchini

August 23, 2011 ·

For the second recipe of ‘Zucchini Week,’ I am very excited to share this Ravioli with Roasted Zucchini recipe.  This dish has immediately vaulted its way into our rotation, and frankly we have been trying to find excuses to make it again and again and again.  It’s that good and easy too!

We are huge garlic fans, so I thought slices instead of crushed would be a nice change.  The garlic pieces become a little crispy, which adds nice texture to the dish and the flavor is incredible.  The crushed red pepper gives this dish a little kick as well.  All together, this becomes the perfect topping for ravioli, or any pasta really.

Ravioli with Roasted Zucchini
Yields 4 servings

4 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh cheese or spinach ravioli
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

  1. Preheat oven to 400.  Spray baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  Set aside.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil
  2. In a small bowl, mix olive oil and crushed red pepper. 
  3. Add zucchini, garlic and 3 tablespoons cheese to oil mixture and toss until thorougly coated.  
  4. Place zucchini mixture in a single layer on a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and golden brown.
  5. Meanwhile, within the last 5-10 minutes of baking time, add ravioli to boiling water and cook per package directions (or 3-5 minutes until they float).  Drain and place in large bowl.
  6. Toss ravioli gently with roasted zucchini and garlic, half the parsley, and half of the remaining cheese.  Serve immediately, topping with remaining parsley and cheese.

Adapted from Real Simple

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

Magic Burgers

August 19, 2011 ·

We don’t eat a lot of meat in this house, but it’s been a while so why not, right?   Mike is a huge burger fan and often gets a stuffed burger of the day from a local restaurant.  Even though he loves to get those burgers out, he has been requesting I make Magic Burgers for some time now. I’m not sure where the term Magic Burgers came from…actually I remember years ago I made these and after one bite somebody said they’re like magic. 🙂  So anyway…

I like my burgers plain or with cheese,  maybe even potato chips.  But absolutely no ketchup, no bacon, no pickles, you get the idea.  Since I don’t like relying on toppings to flavor my burgers, I add flavor to the patties.

  
This is a basic recipe and very easy to put together.  I usually just eyeball the ingredients, but have listed below the approximate amounts for what I use.  Sometimes I sub green onions for the red onions, which is really good too.   Quick and easy to make, these burgers are a perfect last minute dinner just in time for the weekend.

Magic Burgers
Yields 4 burgers

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground pepper
Salt
Onion buns
Toppings (as desired) 

  1. In a large bowl, mix beef, onion, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper until blended (do not over mix).
  2. Divide mixture into 4 patties (a little larger than the size of your buns) and shape them thinner in the center so they don’t puff up.  
  3. Put patties onto grill heated to medium high heat.  Cook until juices appear on the top of the patties (approximately 4-5 minutes).  Flip and cook on other side until done (about 4-5 minutes). 
  4. Place on top of bun and serve with desired topping.
Filed Under: main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,