Black Bean and Salmon Tostadas

Mexican food, while it is my true love, is not particularly healthy. Cheese and fried tortillas, beans made with lard and bell peppers glistening with oil. But these tostadas...wow. The black bean part really satisfies that frijoles refritos craving. Omega-3s from the salmon (canned salmon is also a very sustainable fish source) and healthy fats from the avocado. I was even impressed with how the tortillas baked up nice and crisp. It's also insanely quick to make since you barely even have to cook anything; it's really more assembly. In other words, even my parents could make these. However, they don't necessarily keep well for leftovers, so I would recommend having 4 people to eat them or halving the ingredients.

Black Bean & Salmon Tostadas
source: Eating Well via Cara's Cravings

Ingredients

• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 6- to 7-ounce can boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeños, plus 2 tablespoons pickling juice from the jar, divided
• 2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons prepared salsa
• 2 scallions, chopped
• Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375°F.
2. Coat tortillas on both sides with cooking spray. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until light brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
3. Combine salmon, avocado and jalapeños in a bowl. Combine cabbage, cilantro and the pickling juice in another bowl. Process black beans, sour cream, salsa and scallions in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High until hot, about 2 minutes.
4. To assemble tostadas, spread each tortilla with some bean mixture and some salmon mixture and top with the cabbage salad. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Nutrition
Per serving (2 tostadas): 319 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 0 g added sugars; 16 g protein; 12 g fiber; 352 mg sodium; 670 mg potassium.

Jerk-Rubbed Catfish with Spicy Cilantro Slaw

Slaw is one of those things that I associate with heavy mayonnaise-laden picnic foods, and I often forget what a great light accompaniment it makes for a whole host of things. With just a bit of mayonnaise to cool things down, this slaw is a perfect complement to the spicy fish. We love our spicy food, and I was happy to get to use my jerk seasoning from Penzey's. This meal couldn't come together any faster. Just be careful chopping up the pepper!

Jerk-Rubbed Catfish with Spicy Cilantro Slaw
source: March 2010 Cooking Light
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
3 cups cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw mix
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp canola mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped habanero or serrano pepper (I went with serrano. Habanero would be hotter.)
Cooking Spray
4 6 oz catfish fillets (I used swai.)
4 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing well to coat.
2. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle jerk seasoning evenly over fish. Add fish to pan, cooking 3 minutes on each side or until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork. Remove from heat. Serve fish with slaw.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 256
Fat: 12.6 g
Protein: 26.6 g
Carb: 6.2 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Sodium: 426 g

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Edamame

I meant to post this before Spring Break and our trip to Puerto Rico, but I was heavily distracted by the impending sun and warmth after two days of icy, sleety stuff falling from the sky. So I figured I should post it now before I get back into my normal routine and face the papers and sermons I have to write.

Another (somewhat) exciting development in our household: we joined Costco. We are now officially smug marrieds with a condo and a Costco membership. But seriously, I was very impressed and surprised with the good deals I found on foods that I try to make a healthy part of my diet: Greek yogurt, nuts, sweet potato fries, fish, and feta cheese, which features prominently in this dish. Between the chickpeas and the edamame, it's full of protein and fiber, which I've found help keep me full and satiated even when I'm going meatless. It's also quite tasty and could function as a main course or as a side dish. Plus, healthy one-skillet meal! Joe had his with a side of chicken sausage.

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Edamame
source: Serious Eats
Yields 5 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/4 cups water, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 2 tsp dried basil.)
1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup coarsely chopped green onions (about a bunch)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add edamame, red pepper, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water, basil, chickpeas, and tomatoes; simmer 15 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and salt; bring to a boil. Gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in onions and feta; toss well.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 454 (28% from fat)

Fat: 13.9g (sat 5.4g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.6g)

Protein: 20.7g

Carbohydrate: 62.4g

Fiber: 11g

Cholesterol: 27mg

Iron: 4mg

Sodium: 990mg

Calcium: 307mg

Tortellini Primavera

When I realized that my Cooking Light magazine subscription had lapsed and I went to Amazon to renew it, they also had an Eating Well subscription for $5. I use the Eating Well website frequently to plan meals and decided that $5 for a year's worth of issues was a pretty good deal. Unlike Cooking Light, Eating Well deals almost exclusively with food. While I enjoy the other articles about fitness and travel in Cooking Light, I appreciate Eating Well's focus on food-related issues like seafood sustainability. It's a much smaller magazine than Cooking Light, but I still found several recipes I look forward to making.

This recipe came from the most recent issue of Eating Well, under their quick meals section. And wow, was this fast! Frozen tortellini and frozen vegetables came together under a creamy sauce in mere minutes. The lengthiest part of this recipe was waiting for the water to boil for the pasta. In addition, it was flavorful and cheesy but still light. Serving it with a side salad adds even more veggies to the meal!

Tortellini Primavera
source: Eating Well March/April 2010
5 servings

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, dill or chives or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (I used 1 tsp dried dill)
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and snap peas, or 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables (I used an Italian vegetable blend.)
  
• 1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

Preparation

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, tarragon (or dill or chives) and salt.
3. Add vegetables and tortellini to the boiling water; return the water to a simmer and cook until the vegetables and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain; add to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

Nutrition facts can be found at the link above.

Crispy Skin Salmon with Fiery Asian Slaw

I'm back! My absence was due to something very exciting: purchasing and moving into our first house. I'll take pictures of the kitchen once it's a little more set up, but it's got a lot more counter and cabinet space than the house we were renting. The downside is that I'm back to using an electric range instead of gas. We also were without internet for about a week, so I actually had to draw on my cooking magazines and cookbooks for meal planning, which ended up being an unexpected boon and something I hope to do more often.

Cooking Light recently re-designed their magazine, and it looks amazing. I love the changes, and this month's issue has a bunch of recipes that I look forward to trying. This one was very fast and full of flavor. The slaw was quite spicy, and if you are sensitive to spicy foods, decrease the amount of Sriracha. I made the full amount of slaw and served it with the next night's dinner. It makes a lot though.

Crispy Skin Salmon with Fiery Asian Slaw
source: Cooking Light, September 2009
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
• 1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (16-ounce) package cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt and pepper over salmon fillets. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add salmon, skin-side down, to pan and cook 4 minutes. Turn salmon and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add orange juice to the pan, cooking until it almost evaporates and fish flakes easily with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, combine rice vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add remaining salt, cilantro, and coleslaw, tossing well to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3. Serve salmon with slaw.

Turkey, Apple, and Brie Panini

My goal lately has been to make flavorful meals that a) don't heat up the kitchen and b) come together very quickly. I kept running into the turkey-green apple-Brie combination. Initially on a sandwich at Bread & Company I believe, and then on a flatbread at Urban Flats. One morning while I was making pancakes, I discovered I had yet to use the panini plates for my George Foreman and an idea was born.

I've noticed now, that when I eat at restaurants, I am much more attentive to flavor combinations as influences for meals I might make at home. I think it is so frustrating to go to a restaurant and only find things on the menu that you could make yourself! Like a chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and sundried tomato is not exactly a ground-breaking flavor combination.

Because there are so few ingredients, the quality really matters. The tartness of the apple plays against the bite of the Dijon mustard beautifully, and the creaminess of the Brie ties everything together. I served these with sweet potato fries for a quick, satisfying dinner for two!

Turkey, Apple, and Brie Paninis
High-quality bread (I used homemade.)
Sliced turkey breast deli meat
Thinly sliced green apple
Dijon mustard
Thin slices of Brie

Spread a thin coat of Dijon mustard on each slice of bread. Layer turkey, Brie, and then apple. Heat George Foreman with panini plates or panini press. Spray with cooking spray and cook until bread is browned and cheese is melted. Cut diagonally in half and serve.

Chicken Piccata

Why hasn't anyone told me how easy and quick chicken piccata is to make? My absolute favorite dish at Damian's in Houston, the Italian restaurant Joe took me to the night we got engaged, is veal piccata. (Yes, I know. Tortured baby cow.) But I don't often have veal in my freezer the way I normally have chicken. So when I kept seeing recipes for chicken piccata, it looked like something I could do on a weekday, even a Wednesday when I have to scoot off to choir rehearsal by 6:40.

This is definitely a dish I will be making again. The flavors are nice and light for a summer evening. If I was making this for a special occasion, I would serve it with a side of freshly homemade pasta to soak up the extra sauce. Since it was just a weekday, I steamed some broccoli with a little seasoning to go with the chicken.

Chicken Piccata
source: Closet Cooking

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4" thick
salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 splash dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/2 lemon (sliced)
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Preparation

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge the chicken in the flour.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a pan.
4. Add the chicken and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side and set aside.
5. Place the wine, stock, lemon juice, lemon slices and capers in the pan and deglaze it.
6. Simmer until the liquids reduce by half.
7. Stir in the butter and pour over the chicken and garnish with the parsley

Rotini with Broccoli and Chicken Sausage

Trader Joe's various varieties of chicken sausage make weeknight meals so easy and flavorful with a minimum amount of effort. The broccoli bulks up the pasta and adds a veggie so that you have your starch, protein, and vegetables all in one bowl! I think broccoli is my favorite vegetable to add to pasta dishes though red peppers are also delicious.

Rotini with Broccoli and Chicken Sausage
Yields 3 servings

Ingredients
8 oz short pasta like rotini or penne
4 links flavored chicken sausage, sliced into rounds (I used spinach, fontina, and roasted garlic)
2 cups broccoli, chopped into florets
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Heat a large pot of salted water over medium-high heat for the pasta. When it reaches a rapid boil, put pasta into the water.
2. In a large skillet, heat the sausage over medium heat, flipping until lightly browned. Add onion, sauteeing until translucent. Add broth, scraping up anything stuck to the pan. Turn down the heat when the broth comes to a boil.
3. For the last few minutes of the pasta cooking time, add the broccoli, cooking until they turn a vibrant green. Drain broccoli and pasta in a colander.
4. Toss the pasta with the sausage mixture, red pepper, and Parmesan cheese to coat. Serve warm.
   

Roasted Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Two things I always have in my freezer are corn kernals and peas. My personal belief is that frozen vegetables are seriously underrated, especially since they are flash-frozen at their freshest. For people on a budget who cannot always afford what's in the produce section, frozen vegetables offer a great healthy alternative.

In this recipe, roasting the corn brings out the natural sweetness of the corn by caramelizing the sugars. With the addition of the goat cheese, these quesadillas definitely don't skimp on flavor. I had some tomatillo salsa from Trader Joe's to use up, which was the perfect complement to the quesadillas, offering a light acidity to offset the tanginess of the goat cheese. Plus it came together very quickly! These could also make a delicious appetizer.

Roasted Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Tomatillo Salsa
source: Cooking Light
Yields 4 quesadillas

Ingredients
1 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen
2/3 cup (5 oz) goat cheese, softened
8 corn tortillas
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
10 tablespoons bottled salsa verde, divided
cooking spray

Preparation

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add corn, sauteeing for several minutes or until brown spots appear. Place corn in a small bowl with goat cheese and combine until well-blended. Divide corn mixture between four tortillas and spread thin, topping with 1 tbsp green onions and 1 1/2 tsp salsa. Top with the remaining four tortillas.

Spray nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat. Place quesadillas in pan, one at a time, until they are browned on both sides. Remove from pan and keep warm until all quesadillas are cooked. Cut each quesadilla into four wedges and drizzle with remaining salsa.

Quinoa Soup with Avocado and Corn

Well, I think Joe would've liked this soup, but I gobbled it all up before he could even try it. This is chock full of protein from the quinoa, healthy fats from the avocado, and veggies from the salsa. This meal is also very pantry-friendly for me, at least. All I needed to buy specifically for this dinner was the avocado. I followed Erin's lead and added some black beans for some extra heft.

I love lighter meals that still satisfy my tastebuds and leave me feeling full, and this falls perfectly into that category. It was also came together very quickly and made great leftovers. This will definitely be on the meal rotation again, particularly as we move into summer.

More information about quinoa (pronounced "keen-wa") can be found here and here. You can probably find it in your local grocery store in the organic/natural foods section or near the rice and couscous. Even my regular grocery store carries it, though appropriately, on the opposite side of the store from the buckets of chitterlings.

Quinoa Soup with Avocado and Corn
as seen on Erin's Food Files and Cheap Healthy Good

Ingredients
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I used veggie to keep it vegetarian.)
1 cup quinoa
1 cup corn (or hominy)
2/3 cup chunky salsa, to taste
1 ripe but firm Hass avocado, diced
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges, for serving (optional) (I used a squeeze of lemon just to brighten up the flavors a bit.)

Preparation
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-high, and continue boiling, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Stir in the corn and salsa, then return to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the avocado. Season with salt and stir in the cilantro. Ladle into large bowls, accompanied with lime wedges.

Black Bean Burgers

Before Lent started, I wanted to be prepared for going pescatarian so I went to Epicurious and searched for easy vegetarian dinners. The funny thing is that I've hardly made any of the ones I tagged because I've had so many options! I went back this week for some ideas and found these burgers, involving Mexican flavors, always a hit in our house.

When I was at boarding school, we had very limited appealing options in the cafeteria, but oddly enough, there are some things that I still find myself craving. One of those things being black bean burgers. So not only were these a quick weeknight dinner, but for me, they were also nostalgic.

This quick dinner was made even faster because I had made the patties before going to work. When I walked in the door at 7:30, Joe was cooking the patties, had the coleslaw made, and the steak fries in the oven. He hadn't even seen the recipe, but I think he's watched me cook enough that he knew exactly what to do!

I served these on Arnold's Sandwich Thins, which are 100 calories a bun and were recommended by my mom, with a little sharp cheddar cheese and salsa. With coleslaw and steak fries on the side, I don't think Joe even minded that they were vegetarian. And, for my taste, they were a lot more flavorful than a regular meat burger.

I had a little trouble getting these to stay together and might add an egg to the mixture. I also pureed more of the beans because the whole beans were not incorporating well into the patties.

Black-Bean Burgers
source: Epicurious

Ingredients

3 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 soft hamburger buns
Accompaniments: sour cream; salsa; lettuce

Pulse 2 cups beans in a food processor with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano, and cayenne until a coarse purée forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining cup of beans. Form mixture into 4 patties.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook burgers until outsides are crisp and lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Serve on buns.

Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

It's been a pretty crazy week with Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday services, oh, and midterm exams. So when this gnocchi didn't get made for dinner on Wednesday, I ended up making it for lunch on Thursday because I really didn't want the spinach to go bad. This was an incredibly delicious meal full of flavor. I could have eaten much more of it, but I stopped myself.

For Lent, I've chosen to go pescatarian. It's something I've been tending towards more and more, and being mindful of how animals raised for food are often treated, not to mention the meat industry's impact on the environment, I want to keep that in mind and tread lightly on God's creation. So my blog will have many more pescatarian/vegetarian-friendly meals coming soon! It will also be a good challenge for me culinarily as I try to keep both Joe and myself interested and not revert to pasta every night.

Anyway, whether or not you're pesca-/vegetarian, I think you'll love the flavors in this dish. The lemon gives it a light, bright taste, and the cream makes it silky on the tongue. The crushed red pepper gives it a little punch that contrasts nicely and adds some excitement to the dish. Plus, did I mention it's really easy to throw together?

Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas
adapted: Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen baby peas (not thawed)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 cups packed baby spinach (3 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• lemon juice from half a medium lemon
  
• 1 pound gnocchi
  
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Preparation

Simmer peas with cream, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add spinach and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain gnocchi.

Add gnocchi to sauce with cheese and some of reserved cooking water and stir to coat. Thin with additional cooking water if necessary.

Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, and when I saw it was on-sale last week, I made plans for a meal based around it. Usually, I roast it because that's how Joe likes it best. In fact, roasted asparagus was one of the first vegetables that Joe admitted he liked. However, it isn't usually very cheap, so it seems like a special occasion when I get it.

This pasta is deliciously simple and surprisingly flavorful. It really lets the flavor of the asparagus shine through. You can adjust the amount of red pepper to your liking, and the parmesan cheese is crucial, so use the good stuff. If you wanted to, you could also add grilled chicken, though I might suggest adding more pasta because the vegetable to pasta ratio is pretty high.

Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms
source: Cheap Healthy Good

Ingredients

1 to 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used baby portabellos.)
8 ounces thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Salt the water and cook pasta according to package instructions.

2) Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Saute asparagus in the pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and mushroom slices; cook 4 minutes more.

3) Drain pasta, and transfer to a serving dish. Gently toss pasta with asparagus mixture, parm, and crushed red pepper. Flavor with salt and black pepper to taste.

Pasta with Hot Sausage, Peppers, and Broccoli

Somehow I ended up with a bunch of pasta in my pantry, probably from buying it on-sale, but since we don't eat a lot of pasta, it sort of piled up. I was browsing through Mary Ellen's pasta tag for something that would be quick and flavorful for a solo Friday night dinner, and this caught my eye. I multiplied the original recipe by 1.5 so I could use the whole box of pasta and have some left over for weekend lunch.

I also got to go grocery shopping at the brand-new Publix that opened up near my part of town since I was over that way for an interview. I love their produce, their service, and their meat. This turkey sausage was delicious, and this is the kind of meal where you want to use the best ingredients because there aren't very many of them.

Pasta with Hot Sausage, Peppers and Broccoli
source: Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb short pasta
  
• 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed and chopped into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 c dry white wine
• 1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 3/4 c low sodium chicken broth
• Approximately 1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

• Put water on to boil for the pasta.
  
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan
• Add sausage and start to crumble it with your spoon as it cooks; about 10 minutes.
• Add onions and garlic, stir
• Deglaze pan with white wine, scraping up brown bits
• Add broccoli and red peppers; stir
• Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and let sit.
  
• Add chicken broth and stir; let simmer for about 8 minutes
• Add some of the cheese
• Add pasta and the rest of the cheese; toss to coat

Black Bean Burrito Bake

I'm thinking about giving up meat for Lent this year, so I'm trying to work up a repertoire of vegetarian meals that won't bore me to death. Mexican dishes are always fine by me, and this has been in my recipe queue for about a month now. This was good and simple to throw together. You will most likely have these ingredients at home (or at least I do!), and I always appreciate recipes that don't have ingredient lists a mile long.

The filling is a little bland. Next time I'll add a little cumin or garlic powder. The quality of salsa that you use will also affect this recipe. I prefer spicier salsa, so I used Trader Joe's Chipotle Salsa. If you like things on the more mild side, you might only use half a chipotle en adobo pepper.

Black Bean Burrito Bake
source: Cheap Healthy Good

Ingredients

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided (I used 2 cups of soaked and cooked dried beans.)
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

1) Preheat oven to 350°.

2) Remove one chile from can. Chop chile. Reserve remaining adobo sauce and chiles for another use. Combine sour cream and chile in a medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes.

3) Place half of beans in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add chopped beans, remaining beans, and corn to sour cream mixture.

4) Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; place, seam side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread salsa over tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Soba Salad with Feta and Peas

As a 21st-century woman living in the South, my life is often a study of contrasts. I lift weights while listening to gospel bluegrass, and last night I realized I was eating soba salad with feta and peas while listening to Merle Haggard and writing a paper on the impact of the Black Plague on personal piety. I had also been in quite a funk, and this dish may have actually lifted me out of it since it seems to have restored my appetite and mood.

I kept returning to this recipe on Bridget's blog, and I finally put it on my meal plan for this week. It is so good and takes practically no time to make. I could and will be eating this for days. The taste of the soba noodles and the feta and the lemon and the soy sauce is so interesting and complex that I completely forgot to add the green onions. I don't think I'm going to tell Joe how good it is because I want all the leftovers for myself! I just cannot say enough good things about this. Go make it for yourself!

Soba Salad with Feta and Peas
source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1 (10- to 12-ounce) package soba noodles
1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby peas
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
6 oz feta, crumbled (¾ cup)
4 scallions, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Cook noodles and peas together in a 6- to 8-quart pot of lightly salted boiling water until noodles are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

2. While noodles cook, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

3. Drain noodles and peas well in a colander, then rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well again, then add to dressing along with feta and scallions. Grind more black pepper to taste over salad.

Cornmeal Crusted Catfish Sandwiches with Lime Butter

I absolutely love sandwiches. In fact, I would even say that a good sandwich ranks highly on my list of all-time favorite foods. When my parents informed me that they were coming over for dinner on Wednesday before the Vanderbilt basketball game, it was easy for me to double the amount I was planning to make.

These sandwiches turned out deliciously. The catfish had just enough crunch and spice while still being healthy. I have to admit that I couldn't taste the lime butter and would probably just use light mayonnaise on these next time. The original recipe calls for tilapia, so any mild white flaky fish would work. I just love the taste of fried catfish without all the calories!

I served these with roasted sweet potato rounds, but Joe was asking for coleslaw, which would go great with these sandwiches.

Cornmeal Crusted Catfish Sandwiches with Lime Butter
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) catfish fillets
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole wheat hoagie rolls
  
• 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
• leaf lettuce for 4 sandwiches
  

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish or pie plate, stirring to combine. After coating both sides of fillets with cooking spray, dredge them in the cornmeal mixture.
3. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray and place fish on the pan. Broil fish for 10 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
4. Combine butter, lime rind, and lime juice in a small bowl, stirring well.
5. Spread butter on top half of rolls. Place fillet, tomato slice, and lettuce on the bottom half. And close sandwiches.
   

Ma Po Tofu

I've been wanting to make Ma Po Tofu for quite some time now, and when I realized I had both ground pork and tofu in the refrigerator waiting to be used, I knew it was the perfect time. Because Joe had started the tofu draining while I was on my way home and because I used leftover rice from another dish, I had dinner on the table within 30 minutes, just in time for our favorite (and only) TV show, Scrubs.

And it was SO good. I love how the texture of the meat off-set the creamy texture of the tofu. I added in some broccoli for some color and as a vegetable. I will definitely be making this again.

I'm also submitting this dish to Joelen's Wine & Dine: Chinese New Year Adventure.

Ma Po Tofu
adapted from: Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) package reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 6 slices
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (You can moderate the heat to your own taste.)
  
• 4 ounces lean ground pork
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups hot cooked long-grain brown rice
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 2 small heads of broccoli
  

Preparation

1. Drain slices of tofu between paper towels, pushing down occasionally or weighting down with a dinner plate for 30 minutes. Discard paper towels and slice tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Combine broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chili garlic sauce and whisk together.
3. After heating a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground pork and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add tofu and broccoli, cooking until tofu is golden-brown and broccoli is bright green, stirring frequently. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
4. Serve over rice and sprinkled with onions.

Yield: 4 servings

Easy Sausage "Gumbo"

One of my favorite ways of making sure we get all of our vegetables in the winter without it costing an arm and a leg is to use packages of frozen vegetables. Often they are flash-frozen at their peak without a lot of additives like sodium and other preservatives. At our Kroger, they also conveniently have packages called Recipe Beginnings with frozen stir-fry vegetables, mirepoix, and vegetable soup vegetables. When I saw this Recipe Beginnings with gumbo vegetables, I immediately picked one up knowing it would be a super-easy weeknight meal with the addition of some pre-cooked sausage.

Easy Sausage "Gumbo"

Ingredients

1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
16 oz pre-cooked sausage, sliced (I used Hillshire Farms Spicy Chipotle Sausage)
1 package Recipe Beginnings Vegetable Gumbo Mix (contains okra, corn, onion, celery, and red bell pepper)
Cajun seasoning and Tabasco Sauce to taste
2 cups cooked brown rice

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Cook sausage in pot until heated through and browning. Add the tomatoes and vegetable mix to the pot, adding Cajun seasoning to flavor. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 25-30 minutes. Taste occasionally and add Cajun seasoning or Tabasco sauce as desired. Serve over brown rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach

This meal was so easy even Joe was amazed and so good that the 4 servings turned into two. I put the chopped up prosciutto in with the garlic to allow it to heat up and crisp up a little bit. If you're looking for a < 30-minute meal, this is the ticket. I also omitted the pignolis because I failed to pick them up at the store. I'm sure they would add a whole other dimension to the dish!

The other bonus was that I used the rest of the prosciutto to make a prosciutto and Brie sandwich on homemade French bread for lunch the next day.

Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach
source: Sweet Savory Southern

Ingredients

1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese tortellini (such as DiGiorno)
1 tablespoon pine nuts (I omitted)
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add nuts to pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Add nuts to bowl.
3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach to pan; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Add spinach mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients to bowl; toss well.