Greek Style Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops

Happy Saturday!  Last night I didn't need to cook because we had leftovers to finish up for dinner.  I finished my leftover chicken scampi-ish for lunch yesterday and then ate the other half of my calzone for dinner.  Not cooking gave me the time to make my weekly Costco run after dinner last night instead of this morning.  Costco is usually such a zoo on Saturdays and Sundays -- but it is a ghost town on Friday evenings (guess that isn't how most people choose to spend their Friday nights).  I was hoping to find some fresh wild caught fish but all they had last night was farmed, so I passed on fish.  However, they did have some really beautiful loin lamb chops (they look like miniature porterhouse steaks), so I picked up a 2-lb package of them to grill for tonight's dinner.  I ran a few errands this morning and picked up what I needed to make the Greek style marinade for them.  I prefer to use fresh herbs if I have them and the only herb I couldn't find that looked good fresh was oregano...so I just substituted dried oregano instead.  I marinated my lamb chops for about 4 hours.  This marinade intentionally does not have a lot of volume -- basically just enough to coat the chops with the herbs, lemon and garlic and not have them swimming in it.  Lamb chops are usually very tender and don't need a lot of acidity or tenderizing.  I like to marinate them before grilling to give them a punch of flavor.  I used fresh rosemary, Italian parsley, dried oregano, black pepper, sea salt, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest and...garlic, of course -- 4 cloves!!!   If you don't care for lamb, you could also use this marinade for chicken too (either boneless or on the bone).  I am going to make my Rich & Thick Parmesan Mash to go with them with some fresh green beans that I also picked up at Costco last night (the haricots verts french beans).  I love those beans -- they are thin, crisp and fresh.  The lamb chops were unusually beautiful so I snapped a picture for you to see them before I placed them in the marinade.  I also snapped a few photos of the finished meal for you to see as well as my marinade recipe.  Enjoy!

Greek Style Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops


INGREDIENTS:

Marinade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon
Zest of the large lemon used above (about 2 teaspoons)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon if fresh)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 lbs loin lamb chops (or chicken, if preferred)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Place lamb chops (or chicken) in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and pour marinade over them.  Close bag, removing as much air as possible.  Marinate in the refirgerator about 4 hours or longer, if desired.  Grill to desired doneness. 

Thursday's Calzones

This evening I decided to make calzones for dinner.  In order to try and make the dough a little less sticky to work with, I added 1 teaspoon of psyllium powder to the recipe hoping it would make it easier to flip the dough circle over in half to make the calzone -- and it did!  I filled my calzone with sauteed red, yellow and orange bell peppers and sliced mushrooms -- and mozzarella cheese too, of course!  I dipped my calzone into some DelGrosso pizza sauce which is one of my favorites.  I snapped a few photos and also added a copy of the recipe I used below (as well as the link to the first grain free calzone I ever made).  Enjoy!

BOOM!

Before going into the oven to bake

Low Carb Calzones (Wheat/Grain Free)

INGREDIENTS:

Dry Ingredients:

1/2 cup golden flax seed meal (organic golden flax has a milder taste than brown)

2/3 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)

3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
Dash cayenne pepper, optional

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more or less, to taste)

5 - 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Wet Ingredients:

1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute such as Egg Beaters)

1 tablespoon olive oil (a little more, if desired)

2 tablespoons water

Calzone Filling:

Favorite shredded cheese (Italian blend, mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, etc.)

Favorite pre-cooked toppings (pepperoni, sausage, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc.)

Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix dry ingredients together; make a well in the center of the bowl and add wet ingredients; mix well until a dough forms.  If your dough is still too wet, add additional grated Parmesan cheese until dough is stiffer (it will be a bit sticky).  Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. Place dough on a baking sheet or cookie sheet lined with greased parchment paper or foil (I use either Reynolds non-stick foil or parchment paper, lightly brushed with olive oil).  If you use parchment paper, it will make it easier to flip the dough over to make the calzone. 

Press the dough out with a rubber spatula (to keep it from sticking) into an approximate 10-11" circle (try to make the circle on one side of the baking pan so you can flip it over towards the center of the pan).  Sprinkle shredded cheese of your choice evenly over the top of 1 half of the dough; top with pre-cooked toppings, a little more shredded cheese and red pepper flakes (optional).  Carefully slide your hand under the parchment paper under the half of the crust nearest the outer end/edge of the pan and gently but quickly fold over the dough towards the center of the pan.  Lay the parchment paper or foil back down and press the edges of the dough to seal so filling ingredients won't melt out while baking.  If desired, lightly brush top of calzone with egg wash to help brown the crust and sprinkle with additional shredded cheese.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until calzone looks and feels done.  Remove from oven and let cool about 5 minutes.  Serve with pizza sauce on the side for dipping, if desired.

Note:  If desired, spread a very thin layer of pizza sauce on the crust before topping with cheese, toppings and folding over (do not add too much or it will make the dough soggy when it bakes).

Calzone Recipe & More Pictures

      

"Chicken Scampi-ish" over "Rich and Thick Parmesan Cauliflower Mash"

This evening I was in the mood to make something using chicken since I had a few packs of boneless chicken breasts in the fridge.  I decided to make Chicken Scampi (most people are more familiar with shrimp scampi).  Since I sort of went a little out of the normal boundaries for traditional scampi, my recipe is for "Chicken Scampi-ish" -- mostly like scampi, but with a few little additions. Scampi is traditionally served over angel hair pasta.  I considered making my yellow squash angel hair "pasta" but decided instead to think out of the box a little tonight.  I just happened to have a couple heads of fresh cauliflower in my fridge, so I decided to serve my "scampi-ish" over "Rich & Thick Parmesan Cauliflower Mash".  I have to tell you...this was not just good...it was outstanding -- another "top 10" meal in my opinion.  Hubby really loved it too and said he felt like he was dining in a fine restaurant.   If you read my blog regularly, you probably have already figured out that I prefer foods with lots of color since I taste with my eyes before tasting with my mouth.  Since I love colorful food, I added sauteed diced red, yellow and orange bell peppers and sliced fresh mushrooms to my "scampi-ish" to give it not only a little pop of color, but also a little pop of flavor as well!  This is not an exact or precise recipe.  You can alter it to suit your tastes.  You can increase or decrease the garlic...or omit the veggies that I added in...or omit the little bit of dry white wine or increase or decrease the fresh lemon juice.  You can make it suit your own taste very easily.  You could also be more traditional and use shrimp instead.  I served it over a couple large dollops of the Parmesan Cauliflower Mash and then sprinkled with some shredded Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley.  Below are a few photos as well as the recipe that I put together.  Enjoy!

Chicken Scampi-ish

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, sliced crosswise into approximate 1/4" thick slices
1/2 cup diced red, yellow or orange bell peppers, sauteed until crisp tender
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, sauteed until tender
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

In a medium to large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high; once the pan and oil are hot, add chicken and saute quickly, stirring frequently and cook for a few minutes, just until chicken turns white and is cooked (do not overcook).  Remove chicken and place in a bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and the minced garlic, cooking on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until garlic is almost tender.  Add additional tablespoon of butter to the pan with the cooked garlic along with the dried oregano and basil.  Add the lemon juice and white wine and simmer lightly for a couple minutes, stirring constantly.  Season with salt, pepper and cayenne; stir in the fresh parsley and cook about one minute.  Add the cooked chicken with their juices back into the skillet along with the cooked diced peppers and sliced mushrooms.  Toss until everything is combined and heated through; taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary. Serve Chicken Scampi-ish over a couple large dollops of Rich and Thick Parmesan Cauliflower Mash.  If desired, sprinkle with shredded Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese.

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Rich and Thick Parmesan Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients:

1 medium head of fresh cauliflower, broken into 1-inch florets (about 2 pounds)
1 cup chicken broth or stock
2 ounces brick style cream cheese (1/4 of an 8-oz brick)
3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
3 to 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, place cauliflower and chicken broth; bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until cauliflower is very soft and tender and chicken broth has completely cooked into the cauliflower (about 20 to 30 minutes).  Make sure there is no liquid left at all in the bottom of the pan (remove the cover, if necessary and cook until any remaining liquid is gone and the cauliflower is no longer wet looking). Remove pan from heat; add cream cheese and heavy cream.  Using an immersion blender stick, blend or puree the cauliflower until the cheese and cream are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Add grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, to taste.  Blend another minute.  Adjust seasoning and add additional cream, if necessary, to thin out a little bit, or additional cream cheese or Parmesan if additional thickening is desired.  The cauliflower mash should be thick and not runny.

Cinnamon Spice Muffins

Today it's an ugly day outside and it has been raining non-stop since we woke up.  It was a great day to play around in the kitchen and do a little bit of baking.  I've been wanting to make a muffin recipe to give me another breakfast alternative to choose from -- one that was portable.  I made a quick and simple "not too sweet" basic muffin that could easily be modified to change the flavor by adding nuts, fruits, etc.  I originally planned to use some unsweetened applesauce in them but since I had some buttermilk that I needed to use, I added that to my batter instead for moistness.  I didn't want them to be too oily or rich...I wanted them light and moist and I accomplished that.  I ate one with a cup of coffee for my "lunch" this afternoon.  Hubby (who is not wheat free) had two of them and really liked them too.  Below are a few pictures as well as the recipe.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Spice Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

Muffin Batter
1 cup ground golden flax seed
1 cup blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon psyllium powder
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
3/4 cup Swerve sweetener (or sweetener of choice equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar)
1 cup Egg Beaters (or 4 large eggs)
1/2 cup buttermilk (or almond milk, unsweetened applesauce or other pureed fruit or berry)
1/2 cup "extra light" olive oil (or preferred oil of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla

"Cinnamon-Sugar" Topping
1 tablespoon Swerve sweetener (or granular sweetener of choice)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients together (first 9 ingredients) to ensure breaking up any lumps.  Add eggs, buttermilk (or fruit puree), oil and vanilla and mix until batter is blended well.  Using a retractable ice cream scoop, divide and spoon batter evenly between 12 paper lined muffin cups (approximately 3/4 full).  In a small bowl, make cinnamon sugar by mixing 1 tablespoon Swerve (or preferred granular sweetener) and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together.  Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the "cinnamon sugar".  Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 22 minutes or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of largest muffin comes out clean.  

***Note:  If you add fruit to the muffins instead of buttermilk, you may want to reduce the amount of sweetener a bit.  Also, if you prefer "not very sweet" muffins, reduce the amount of sweetener to about 1/2 cup.  I made them both ways (I preferred the muffins that used 1/2 cup sweetener and hubby liked those with 3/4 cup sweetener a little more but thought both were good). 

     

New Year's Eve -- Delicious Beef Fajitas

Happy New Year's Eve!!!  This evening I decided to make beef fajitas for dinner.  I didn't want to use a pre-made seasoning packet or marinade so I decided to make my own so I would know exactly what was in it.  Beef fajitas are frequently made using flavorful, but sometimes tougher skirt steak.  Since I only planned to marinate my beef for a couple of hours rather than overnight, I decided to use sirloin steak instead since it's also very flavorful as well as much more tender than skirt steak is.  It was a simple marinade to put together and the meat turned out so tender and flavorful.  These were the best fajitas I have ever had, hands down -- even better than Mexican restaurant fajitas.  Tonight's meal will go down as one of my top 10, most delicious meals of 2012.  I decided to use a mixture of several beautiful colorful sweet peppers for my fajitas along with some sauteed onions.  I sliced orange, red and yellow bell peppers and a dark green and mildly spicy Poblano pepper to give it a little zip -- I sauteed the peppers in a little olive oil.  We grilled the marinated sirloin steak to give it that delicious char-grilled flavor that fajitas are famous for.  The one thing I needed to create though was a grain free fajita wrap to hold all the delicious fajita meat and veggies.  I would like to report that I successfully did so!  I wanted it to be flexible and not crack when rolled around my fajita filling -- and they turned out beautifully flexible and flavorful -- "mission accomplished".  I served the beef, pepper and onion fajitas with fresh salsa, tomatoes, sliced avocado and fresh queso fresco white cheese that we crumbled on top.  The fajitas were "out of this world" delicious!  :-)   I snapped a few photos below for you to see as well as the recipes for my marinade and fajita wrap.  Enjoy!

BOOM!

Maybe these should be called "rainbow fajitas"   :-)

Tex-Mex Fajita Wraps

Voila!

First side down

Flipped -- side two cooking now

Ta-da!

These were as delicious as they were beautiful!

Fajita Marinade

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of steak or boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 3 limes
1 tablespoon Tamari sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Chili powder
1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a gallon-size Ziploc bag; add steak or chicken.  Refrigerate and marinate 2 hours or overnight.  Grill until done; cover and let sit about 10-15 minutes to allow juices to absorb back into the meat.  Slice into thin strips.

***Note:  The Chipotle Chili Powder and Smoked Paprika help add a smoky flavor to the marinade and both really compliment the fajita's flavor.  

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Tex-Mex Fajita Wraps

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup golden flaxmeal
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon psyllium powder
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Chili powder
2 tablespoons salsa
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 2 whole eggs)

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients together; add salsa and eggs and mix until a somewhat sticky dough forms.  Let the dough sit and rest for about 3-5 minutes.  Lightly spray a piece of parchment paper with olive oil.  Divide the dough into 4 even pieces and roll into 4 balls.  Place ball of dough on the greased parchment paper; top with another lightly oiled piece of parchment paper and begin pressing with your hands to flatten the dough into a hamburger shaped disc.  Using a rolling pin, begin rolling the dough out until it's thin (about 1/4 inch thick).  Carefully remove the top parchment paper and set it aside.  Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high and lightly spray with oil.  Carefully pick up the flattened dough circle along with the parchment paper and flip over into the skillet; using a rubber spatula, gently edge the wrap off of the parchment paper into the pan.  Your first couple of wraps might not be perfect, but it does get easier to do once you get the hang of it.  Cook for a few minutes until lightly browned and then flip and cook the other side until lightly browned.  Slide the wrap off onto a plate and repeat the process with the remaining dough balls.  Makes 4 8 to 9-inch wraps.  

***Note:  I made my wraps a couple of hours before using them and reheated each one for about 15 seconds in the microwave before using.  They remained flexible and rolled beautifully.  My wraps were not 100% perfect circles but each one I made looked better than the one before and they all worked well, imperfections included.  (Only a couple bad words were uttered while making these wraps)   :-)

        

Tonight's Wacky Dinner!

Today was my daughter's birthday, so we took her out for lunch today to celebrate since she was having dinner with friends.  We ate at a place she wanted to go where you select from a large variety of raw meats, raw veggies, sauces, spices and  a "starch" and then they stir fry it for you while you wait.  I reviewed the menu before we went and decided I would eliminate the "starch" as well as take my own sauce -- so I took a little container of organic Tamari sauce so I didn't have to chance consuming either wheat or fructose that might have been in some of their sauces.  I explained to the guy cooking my meal that I was allergic to wheat and instead of rice or other starch, I wanted to substitute shredded cabbage instead and have them use the sauce I brought with me -- he was more than happy to accommodate me.  I was able to enjoy a delicious plate of beef, chicken and fresh veggies with no worries.

Since we ate late and it was more than we typically ate for lunch, we weren't very hungry for much of a dinner tonight.  I also had 5 eggs that I needed to use up because when I was making my cookies yesterday, I happened to drop 1 dozen organic cage free eggs all over the floor!!!  :-(   I felt like such a dummy.  Several of them surprisingly didn't break...a couple of them were a total loss and the 5 that were broken but still salvageable, I cracked into a bowl to save to use today.  Because I needed to use up the eggs, I decided that hubby and I would have scrambled eggs w/ cheese, uncured bacon and the leftover brussels sprout hash w/ shallots that I made a couple nights ago.  I know -- its a pretty weird dinner, but it made me feel better using up the eggs I dropped as well as the leftover brussels sprouts.  I added a piece of Asiago bagel toast that I made a couple days ago as well as a few fresh blackberries and raspberries to our plates to make it a REALLY weird dinner!  :-)   I snapped a picture below so you could see how weird it really was!   P.S. -- Happy Birthday to my daughter!!!  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies w/ Toasted Walnuts & Ricotta

Happy Saturday!  It's a gray, damp and overcast day here and only 37 degrees outside.  It looks and feels like snow, although I believe we only have some cold rain in our forecast.  I decided it was a perfect day to finally bake some cookies.  I've been wanting to bake some for a while now but unfortunately got the flu and missed out on 10 days of my usual holiday baking time.  So, I decided that today I would take a stab at making grain free cookies.  Since I couldn't find a recipe that really suited me, (although many I reviewed looked pretty good), I decided to create a new one.  I have made my share of traditional chocolate chip cookies over the years and for the most part they are pretty similar with only minor differences.  Chocolate chip cookies are one of those kind of treats that people usually have strong personal preferences about -- some like them crispy, some like them chewy...but I prefer mine soft and moist with the chocolate a little gooey like they are when they first come out of the oven.  Some like them with nuts and some without nuts.  I prefer mine with walnuts that are lightly toasted to bring out their flavor as well as make them crispy -- I like my cookies soft and my walnuts crispy!  To further moisten and produce a tender cookie, I added some whole fat ricotta cheese to the cookie dough batter.  I intentionally did not over sweeten the cookie dough because my sweet tooth is now significantly blunted after 5-1/2 months of not eating sugar or grains.  If you prefer your treats a little sweeter or are making these for kids, I would probably increase the sweetness just a little bit.  For my taste though, these are perfectly sweetened and delicious with a cup of hot coffee.  For the chocolate chips, I chopped an 85% cacao chocolate bar to use as my chips, but if you prefer yours a little sweeter, you may want to bump that up to a 70% cacao chocolate bar instead.

I would also like to share with you that I have now lost a total of 52 pounds in just 5-1/2 months simply by eliminating grains and sugar.  I have eaten extremely well during this time and have not been hungry whatsoever while following Dr. William Davis' Wheat Belly program.  I can't say enough about how awesome and effortless this plan has been to follow.  I have made it a point to celebrate the foods I can eat rather than to dwell and pine for the foods I can no longer eat.  I have re-learned how to cook delicious meals without using grains or sugar as well as adapt old recipes that used to be favorites to allow me to still enjoy them.  I can honestly say that I want for nothing and my hope is that by posting my meals that it might help inspire others to see that their days of eating delicious foods are not over -- but instead, have really just begun.  Rather than eat foods that are delicious but not good for your health, it is possible to enjoy foods that are both delicious AND good for your health too and to be able to do so shamelessly and without any guilt.  Below I snapped a few photos of my Chocolate Chip Cookies w/ Toasted Walnuts & Ricotta as well as the recipe.  Enjoy! 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies w/ Toasted Walnuts & Ricotta

Ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)

1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1/4 cup butter, softened (1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Swerve sweetener (add additional 1/4 cup if more sweetness is preferred)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted in a 350 degree oven
3/4 cup 85% cacao chocolate bar (3.5 ounces), chopped (or use 70% cacao for sweeter chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream butter, ricotta and Swerve sweetener in a medium mixing bowl using a hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes).  Add egg and vanilla extract and beat another minute or so.  Add almond flour, baking powder and salt and mix into wet ingredients using a rubber spatula, stirring until the dough is mixed well.  Fold in toasted walnuts and chocolate pieces and mix just until blended.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet; and very lightly tamp down -- the cookies do not spread much while they bake.  Bake at 350 F for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on wire rack. Makes about 20 cookies.

       

Grilled Steaks & Brussels Sprout Hash w/ Caramelized Shallots

This evening we decided to grill steaks for dinner.  Hubby ran to the store and picked up a couple of filet mignon steaks that I lightly seasoned with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper before grilling them.  I also sauteed some fresh sliced mushrooms to top my steak with (hubby is not a mushroom fan).  For our sides, I made 2 different veggies.  I halved some ripe cherry tomatoes and marinated them in extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate vinegar and salt and pepper.  I also had a bag of rather large brussels sprouts that I wanted to make, so I looked for a different recipe to use them in.  I found a delicious sounding recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine's November 2007 issue.  It was for Brussels Sprout Hash w/ Caramelized Shallots and the recipe looked and sounded really good.  It called for thinly sliced brussels sprouts that were cooked with caramelized shallots along with a little sugar and apple cider vinegar.  I substituted 4 teaspoons of Swerve sweetener for the 4 teaspoons of sugar called for in the recipe.  It turned out really good and it was a great way to use the larger brussels sprouts. Below are a couple of pictures as well as the easy brussels sprout recipe from Bon Appetit. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Hash with Caramelized Shallots

Bon Appétit | November 2007

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, divided

1/2 pound shallots, thinly sliced

Coarse kosher salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons sugar (I substituted Swerve sweetener)

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar. Stir until brown and glazed, about 3 minutes.

Halve brussels sprouts lengthwise. Cut lengthwise into thin (1/8-inch) slices. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sprouts; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown at edges, 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons butter. Sauté until most of water evaporates and sprouts are tender but still bright green, 3 minutes. Add shallots; season with salt and pepper.

Thursday Night's Big Fresh Chopped Salad Bowl

This evening I was ready for something totally different for dinner.  We have eaten lasagna for the last 3 nights and I am so over it!  :-)   Don't get me wrong, it was really good...but I just couldn't handle the thought of having it one more night!!!  While watching "The Chew" on television this afternoon...they made a main dish salad that looked really delicious -- it had chicken, candied walnuts and apples in it and was tossed in a fresh honey mustard vinaigrette.  Mine isn't exactly the same as theirs, but it is really close!  For whatever reason, a big colorful crisp salad just sounded really good after all that lasagna.  I poached some boneless chicken breasts and sliced them.  I had a bag of Asian chopped salad mix that I dumped into a huge salad bowl and then added a chopped head of romaine lettuce in as well.  I diced some cherry tomatoes and 1/4 of a Fuji apple for a little sweetness.  

To make it similar to the salad I saw on The Chew...I made some candied spiced pecans to toss into the salad.  I melted a few tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small pan on the stove and then added about 1/4 cup of Swerve sweetener and stirred until the Swerve melted and dissolved into the butter.  Then, I added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, a few shakes of cayenne for a little spice and about 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt and then tossed in about 1-1/2 cups of lightly toasted pecans and stirred until the nuts were evenly coated with the spicy sweet butter.  I poured the pecans out and spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick foil to let them cool and allow the coating to harden. 

The vinaigrette was almost identical to the one they made as well, except I substituted "sugar free" honey for the regular honey that they used.  In my little Magic Bullet, I added 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, 1/2 of a finely minced shallot, 2 tablespoons of sugar free honey and a pinch of salt and few good grinds of black pepper and then whizzed it for a minute until it was well blended and emulsified.  I tasted it for seasoning and then poured it into a small bowl to drizzle over the salads.  I topped the salad greens with the sliced chicken breast, diced tomatoes and apples, spiced candied pecans and then drizzled the vinaigrette over our salads.  It was fresh tasting and really good with the different combination of flavors and textures.  It was just what I needed after a 3-day long lasagna marathon.  I snapped a few photos to share below.  Enjoy!

Voila!

So fresh, colorful & pretty

BOOM!

Christmas Eve Dinner 2012 (Re-posted)

Tonight is Christmas eve and I am making my traditional Christmas eve dinner of lasagna along with fresh green beans w/ toasted almonds and diced red bell peppers to make sure we get our annual dose of red & green.  I prepared my lasagna last night because the homemade meat sauce I make takes a couple of hours to cook.  I used both hot Italian chicken sausage and ground sirloin in my meat sauce.  I made 2 casseroles of lasagna; one with traditional noodles as well as one using zucchini noodles instead of wheat for me and anyone else that wants it.  The only difference between the two lasagnas is the noodles (one with wheat and one with zucchini) -- everything else is exactly the same.  I also baked some cookie bars and picked up some chocolate cheesecake for the rest of the family.  For myself, I made some small individual no-bake cheesecakes using Swerve Sweetener (instead of sugar) and put them in lightly baked hazelnut cinnamon crusts that I made.  I bought some beautiful fresh raspberries that I sweetened with a little Truvia to top the little cheesecakes with.   Unfortunately, I lost about 8 days of holiday preparation while being down sick with the flu this past week, but I worked extra hard these last couple of days trying to make up for lost time.  This is the first real meal that I have prepared and will eat since the flu struck over a week ago.  Christmas is one of my absolute favorite holidays.  I love the decorations, the cooking, the gift giving...but most of all I love having my family around and being able to just sit back and relax and enjoy each other.  I am happy to be back here posting again too!  I want to wish all of you the Merriest Christmas and most joyous holiday season.  I am truly blessed...sometimes more than I probably deserve to have health, happiness and my family and friends.  May there be peace, love and joy throughout the world.  I've posted the lasagna recipe as well as a few photos.  Enjoy!

World’s So Much Better than Best Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pound Italian sausage (use sweet, mild or hot depending on preference)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-oz can) crushed tomatoes

1 (12-oz can) tomato paste

1 (15-oz can) tomato sauce

1/2 cup water (or dry red wine)

1 tablespoon sugar or Truvia, optional

1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced (or substitute 1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil)

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

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2 boxes Barilla no boil lasagna noodles (extra to accommodate your pan size)

   OR 6-8 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/4” slices, baked until done

1 16-oz bag fresh spinach, wilted and coarsely chopped (can use frozen)

2 pounds ricotta cheese (2 16-oz containers)

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced in 1/4-inch slices

1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (or Parmesan cheese)

Extra fresh parsley and fresh basil for garnishing, optional

Directions:

1.    In a Dutch oven, remove sausage casings and brown sausage and ground beef; add onion, and garlic and continue to cook over medium heat until meat is well browned and onion and garlic are tender. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water (or optional red wine).   Add: optional sugar or Truvia, basil (fresh or dried), fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley.  Bring to a slow boil, and simmer on low, covered, for approximately 1-1/2 hours to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  (If preferred, sauce can also be cooked in crockpot on low for 4-8 hours).

2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, and optional 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray baking dish or pan with cooking spray or oil.  While you can use a 9x13 inch baking dish, it is likely to bubble over because it isn’t quite deep enough to hold all the ingredients.  I actually use a 3-inch deep lasagna baking dish that I bought just for making lasagna.  You could also use a stainless steel roasting pan that is approximately 9x13, but much deeper than a traditional 9x13 glass casserole dish.  (Either of these might work better and spare you extra time cleaning out your oven)!

 

4.  To assemble the lasagna, see the easy to follow layering order below:

§      Spread 1-1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of your baking dish or pan;

§      Arrange 1 layer of noodles lengthwise over the meat sauce (approximately  

     6-8 noodles or zucchini noodles), slightly overlapping depending on the size  

     of pan/dish);

§      Layer with half of the ricotta cheese mixture;

§     Top with a third of the shredded mozzarella cheese;

§     Spread half of the fresh mozzarella slices next, breaking them up

     with your fingers as you spread them out and scatter;

§      Scatter all of the squeezed and well drained spinach next (make sure   

                     excess liquid is squeezed out so it doesn’t make the lasagna soggy);

§   Spoon another 1-1/2 cups meat sauce on top of the ricotta, mozzarella and spinach and spread out;

§      Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.   

     Next, repeat layers as follows: 

a)    Noodle layer (6-8 noodles or zucchini noodles, overlapped slightly);

b)    Layer with remaining half of the ricotta cheese mixture;

c)    Top with another third of the shredded mozzarella cheese;

d)    Spread/scatter remaining half of the fresh mozzarella slices (breaking up

with your fingers as you spread);

e)    Spoon another 1-1/2 cups of meat sauce over the ricotta/mozzarella layer;

f)     Add final noodle layer (6-8 noodles or zucchini noodles, overlapped slightly);

g)    Spoon 1 cup of sauce on top of noodles; spread to cover noodles;

h) Top with the remaining third of the shredded mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

5.  Cover lasagna with parchment paper and foil to prevent sticking (either spray foil with cooking spray, or use Reynolds non-stick foil).

6.  Bake covered in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove foil and parchment paper, and bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until heated through and lightly golden brown and bubbly.  Cool for at least 20-30 minutes before serving to allow cheeses to set before cutting.

*Optional: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and fresh basil to garnish before serving.