Tomato & Avocado Salad

This is a good use of fresh summer vegetables.  If you can still get good tomatoes, this would be a lovely transitional salad to have with grilled chicken or steaks this month.

Recipe Notes

For the champagne vinaigrette, I like Girard's light champagne vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• Large tomatoes (preferably heirloom), sliced
• Grape tomatoes (preferably mixed colors), sliced in half
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced into strips
• Champagne vinaigrette (store bought or homemade)
• Chopped tarragon
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1.  Arrange large tomato slices on a plate, followed by the avocado slices.

2.  Scatter grape tomatoes and red onion slices over plate and sprinkle with tarragon, salt, and pepper.

3.  Drizzle with champagne vinaigrette and serve.

(Almost) Ina Garten's Roasted Eggplant Spread

I don't like eggplant at all....I would never order it in a restaurant.  Somehow, though, I love this dip.  And it is essentially made of vegetables (with very little added oil and no cheese or other added fats) so it's a pretty healthy appetizer.  I have adapted this recipe slightly from Ina Garten's original recipe (found here) that was included in her original Barefoot Contessa cookbook.

Recipe Notes

This recipe takes some time because of the prep time and roasting time, but once the vegetables are out of the oven, the only work is done in your food processor and it is quick!  Serve with Wheat Thins or vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant (peeled and cut into one-inch cubes)
• 2 red bell peppers (seeded and cut into one-inch cubes)
• 1 red onion (peeled and cut into one-inch cubes)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.  Toss eggplant, bell peppers, and red onion in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet.

3.  Roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly charred and soft.  Toss once during cooking.

4.  Cool vegetable mixture slightly and place in a food processor.

5.  Add tomato paste and pulse until blended and chunky.

6.  Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.



Frankie's Topping-for-Anything

I have slightly adapted this recipe, which I found in InStyle Magazine, as noted below.  Credit for original recipe goes to New Yorker Frank Castronovo of Frankie's Spuntino and Frankie's 457 fame.

FRANKIE'S TOPPING-FOR-ANYTHING

Recipe Notes

I modified this from the original recipe by cutting the olive oil in half and swapping red onions for white onions.  I put my tomatoes on small, individual beds of arugula tossed with a little Wishbone balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. pitted Castelvetrano olives, chopped
• 2 tbsp. brined capers, rinsed and chopped
• 1/4 c. finely-chopped red onion
• 1/4 c. loosely-packed small basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 c. loosely-packed flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Sea salt
• Heirloom tomatoes, sliced thick

Instructions

1.  Combine all ingredients through crushed red pepper in a bowl.

2.  Season to taste with sea salt and toss.

3.  Arrange tomato slices on a platter and season with salt and black pepper.  Spoon olive topping over tomatoes and serve.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

This is an old Martha Stewart FOOD Magazine recipe that I'd never gotten around to trying.  These are a little bit sweet and a little bit savory, which is a nice combination.

TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Recipe Notes

These take between 1.5-2 hours start to finish, so make sure to allow for extra preparation time.  I omitted the chives in the version shown above and it turned out great.  If your sweet potato skin falls apart a little bit when you scoop out the sweet potato, you can reshape the skin when you add the contents back in.  The skin will adhere to the filling.  This recipe is easily halved.

Ingredients

• 5 medium sweet potatoes
• 4 oz. fresh goat cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans
• 1/4 c. panko bread crumbs
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Prick sweet potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in foil.

3.  Bake approximately 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a knife.

4.  When cool enough to handle, cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.  

5.  Scoop out all but 1/4 inch flesh from inside sweet potato skins.

6.  Arrange skins in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

7.  Place sweet potato flesh, goat cheese, salt, pepper, chives, and 2 tbsp. butter in a food processor.  Process until smooth.

8.  Spoon mixture into potato skins.

9.  In a small bowl, combine remaining butter, panko, and chopped pecans.  Spoon panko mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes.

10.  Bake at 375 degrees or until topping is golden, approx. 10-12 minutes.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potatoes

Great fall side alert!  I found this while browsing Pinterest and it went great with grilled chicken.  It requires some chopping but otherwise this is a super-easy side.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS & SWEET POTATOES

Recipe Notes

The original recipe includes pecans (which I've included here as well).  I skipped the pecans in the version above and it turned out great without as well.  Recipe credit to www.theroastedroot.net.)

Ingredients

• 4 c. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch to 1 inch chunks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin (go lightly here)
• Pinch of allspice
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 c. raw pecans (may exclude)
• 1/3 c. feta cheese
• 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Mix all ingredients through sea salt in a bowl, stir well to combine.

3.  Turn out vegetables in a glass 8x8 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

4.  Place on center rack in oven and bake for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Stir once halfway through cooking.

4.  While vegetables roast, heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until boiling.

5.  Cook at a full controlled boil, stirring frequently, until vinegar is reduced to between 1/3 and 1/2 of its original volume (approx. 5-7 minutes).

6.  Remove vegetables from oven and sprinkle with feta cheese.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top and serve.

Vegetable-Stuffed Rice Paper Rolls with Curry Peanut Sauce

This is from a VERY old copy of Fitness Magazine.  I had always meant to make this recipe but never found time for all of the chopping (and there is a LOT of chopping involved!).  Corey loved these, and I thought they were good as well.  They are chock-full of vegetables and are easy to assemble after extensive prep work.  

PLEASE NOTE: these are tagged as vegetarian, which is true assuming that you do not pair them with the peanut sauce.  The peanut sauce below is made with chicken broth.

VEGETABLE-STUFFED RICE PAPER ROLLS WITH CURRY PEANUT SAUCE

Recipe Notes

I skipped the small amount of cilantro in the peanut sauce and instead added a little extra cilantro to the rolls themselves.  There were bean sprouts in the original recipe that I omitted, as I really don't like bean sprouts.  You can add 1/2 c. bean sprouts to the vegetable filling if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. crunchy or smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. red curry paste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
• 1/4 c. + 1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro, divided
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 c. thinly-sliced romaine lettuce
• 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1/4 c. chopped basil leaves
• 1/4 c. chopped mint leaves
• Rice paper sheets
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2 green onions, julienned (both white and green parts)

Instructions

1.  In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine peanut butter, chicken stock, lime juice, fish sauce, curry paste, sugar, ginger root, garlic, and 1 tbsp. cilantro.  Stir to combine, remove from heat, and set aside.

2.  Mix lettuce, chopped basil, and chopped mint in a small bowl.

3.  Fill a wide, flat-bottomed bowl with warm water and soak one sheet of rice paper for 30 seconds until pliable.  I used a 9-inch glass pie plate, which was just the right size.

4.  Lay 1/3 c. lettuce mixture in the middle.  Top with a small amount of each of the remaining ingredients (julienned carrots, cucumbers, red bell peppers, and green onions).

5.  Fold front third over the mound and pull filling toward you to compact it into a tight roll.  Roll over once, then fold sides over the middle and continue rolling away from you until secure.

6.  Place seam-side down on a plate or cookie sheet lined with wax paper sprayed with cooking spray.

7.  Repeat with remaining rolls.

8.  Slice each roll in half on the bias and serve with peanut sauce.

Creamed Corn

This Southern Living recipe for creamed corn was easy and really good.  I halved the recipe (13 ears of corn is a LOT of corn!) and still had plenty to spare.

CREAMED CORN

Recipe Notes

This recipe uses a corn reamer.  I would recommend buying one because it makes recipe assembly MUCH easier.  They are not expensive, either.  Mine was less than $10.

Ingredients

• 13 ears of fresh corn, husked
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• Minced chives for garnish

Instructions

1.  Cut kernels off cobs using a corn reamer.  Discard cobs.

2.  Cook kernels in a small Dutch oven over low heat, stirring often, for approximately 30 minutes or until corn is tender.  (Add water as needed, one tbsp. at a time, to keep corn from drying out during cooking.)

3.  Stir in cream and butter.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until mixture reaches desired consistency.

4.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chives.

Baked Zucchini Chips

This Southern Living recipe made for a great, crunchy side.  And my kids could help cook because they were able to dunk the zucchini in panko!

BAKED ZUCCHINI CHIPS

Recipe Notes

I had a good amount of panko/basil/cheese mixture left over after coating the zucchini.  This recipe generally uses one large zucchini.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1/4 c. loosely-packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 c. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 lb. zucchini, sliced thinly into rounds
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Process panko, basil, salt, and cheese in a food processor for 10-15 seconds or until finely-ground.

3.  Pour panko mixture into a medium bowl.

4.  Toss zucchini rounds in olive oil.  

5.  Dredge zucchini pieces, one at a time, in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

6.  Place rounds in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.

7.  Bake 30 minutes or until browned and crispy.  Serve hot.

Sun Dried Tomato Roasted Potatoes

Easy side dish alert!  Jazz up your roasted potatoes with a little sun dried tomato paste.  I like to then roast my potatoes at a low temperature (300 degrees) for longer (between 45-60 minutes) to ensure a soft inside and crispy outside.

SUNDRIED TOMATO ROASTED POTATOES

Recipe Notes

Sun dried tomato paste can be found in the pasta section of the grocery store in a toothpaste-looking tube.

Ingredients

• Baby potatoes (I prefer yukon gold) - approx. 2 lbs.
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. sun dried tomato paste
• Coarse salt and black pepper

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2.  Line a jelly roll pan with foil and spray generously with cooking spray.

3.  Wash and halve baby potatoes.  Toss with olive oil, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.

4.  Turn potatoes out onto baking sheet.  Roast at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until very tender.

Maque Choux Soup

Here is one more soup recipe for you.  Considering the frigid temperatures across the country, I thought it might be warranted!  This Southern Living recipe appears to be quite light.  The recipe is entirely vegetables, spices, and chicken broth with the exception of a small amount of sour cream (and I used low-fat) and a small amount of white cornmeal.

MAQUE CHOUX SOUP

Recipe Notes

I topped this soup with cooked, chopped center-cut bacon.  Southern Living also recommended chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh lime juice.

Ingredients

• 3 c. fresh corn kernels (approx. 6 ears)
• 1 medium-sized orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 32-oz. container chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 3 tbsp. plain white cornmeal
• Assorted toppings (see above)

Instructions

1.  Stir together corn and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Stir constantly for approximately 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to char.

2.  Transfer corn and bell pepper mixture to a 3-quart saucepan.  Add cumin and coriander and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes more.

3.  Add chicken broth and process with a handheld blender or a regular blender until slightly smooth.  Note: if you use a regular blender, you will have to repeat the process at least 2-3 times given the space constraint in the blender bowl.

4.  Return corn mixture to the saucepan and bring to a light boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for approx. 5 minutes.

5.  Stir in salt and pepper.

6.  Whisk together sour cream and cornmeal in a small bowl.

7.  Whisk in 1/2 c. soup to the sour cream mixture.

8.  Add sour cream mixture to soup pot.

9.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened.

10.  Serve hot with desired toppings.

Golden Winter Soup

 

 

More soup recipes!  This was a really excellent and filling Cooking Light soup from a 2008 back issue.  The base of butternut squash, potatoes, and leeks is really delicious.  This is similar to a French potage.

 

GOLDEN WINTER SOUP

 

Recipe Notes

Serve this soup with a green salad and crusty bread.  The original recipe calls to make Gruyere topped toasts to serve alongside it.  I saved the calories from all of that cheese and had a salad and cheeseless bread instead.  I recommend using the pre-peeled and pre-cut butternut squash.  Even if it costs more, it saves you a TON of time.

 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 5 c. cubed and peeled butternut squash (approx. 1.5 lbs.)
• 2 c. cubed and peeled russet potatoes
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 c. sliced leeks (about 2 medium)
• 4 c. fat free chicken broth (approx. 1 box)
• 1 c. half-and-half

Instructions

1.  Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add squash, potato, salt, and pepper.  Saute 3 minutes.

2.  Add leek and sauté until leek begins to soften.

3.  Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.

4.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potato and squash are very tender.  Stir occasionally.

5.  Place half of the potato mixture in a blender or Cuisinart.  Process until smooth and pour into a large bowl.  Repeat with other half of soup.

6.  Stir in half-and-half. 

7.  Cover and keep warm until serving.  Garnish with additional fresh black pepper.

 

 





Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

 

 

'Tis the season for....soup!  Soup is perfect for a cold and lazy Saturday or Sunday when you have some time to make homemade soup.  This soup ultimately takes several hours to prepare, so save it for a rainy or snowy day.  I slightly modified an old Barefoot Contessa recipe from her very first cookbook for this soup.

 

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

 

Recipe Notes

I eliminated about 1/3 of the oil from the original recipe and I think that it still came out great and very flavorful.  For the canned tomatoes, I used San Marzano "chef's cut" tomatoes.

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ripe plum or Campari tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 c. chopped yellow (sweet) onions - approx. 2 medium onions
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 28 oz. canned plum tomatoes with juice
• 4 c. fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quart chicken stock, chicken broth, or water (best with chicken stock or broth)

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Toss tomatoes, 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. 

3.  Spread tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet covered with foil.  Roast for 45 minutes.

4.  In a large stockpot, sauté onions and garlic over medium heat with butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Add red pepper flakes and sauté for approx. 10 minutes or until the onions start to brown.

5.  Add canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken broth or water.

6.  Add roasted tomatoes and pan juices.

7.  Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

8.  Allow soup to cool slightly.  Pass through a food mill or a Cuisinart until well-combined.

9.  Taste for seasonings.  Serve hot or cold with a big salad and crusty bread.



Green Beans with Citrus & Pecans

This festive holiday side was recently featured in Southern Living.  I have two problems with the original recipe: 1) there is waaaaay too much vinaigrette called for in the original recipe (I ultimately used about 1/3 of the recipe) and 2) the original recipe says to chill and serve cold.  I like room temp or hot green beans, so I made mine accordingly.

GREEN BEANS WITH CITRUS & PECANS

Recipe Notes

Walnuts may also be substituted for the pecans.  I had never used cane syrup before.  I think that molasses can generally be substituted for the cane syrup here.

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, diced small
• 3/4 c. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. orange zest
• 1/3 c. fresh orange juice
• 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 c. cane syrup
• 2 lb. green beans or haricot verts (very thin green beans)
• 2 oranges, sectioned
• 1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans

Instructions

1.  Whisk together first six ingredients (through cane syrup) and add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

2.  Cook green beans until crisp-tender and drain.

3.  Pat beans dry with paper towels.  Place beans and orange sections in a zip-top plastic bag.  Add vinaigrette (I would only recommend adding a few tbsp.) and seal bag.

4.  Turn bag several times to coat beans and oranges.

5.  Serve topped with pecans.

Brussels Sprouts & Noodle Stir Fry

This vegetarian entree needs a good dash of teriyaki sauce or soy sauce, but I thought it was a great light meal.  The actual cooking time is quick, but budget in some extra time for all of the slicing and chopping.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS & NOODLE STIR FRY

Recipe Notes

My cooking time was significantly longer than the recipe suggested.  I personally like my brussels sprouts nice and soft (not al dente) and it took a while to get an entire skillet of them that way.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 4)

230 calories - 10 g. fat - 31 g. carbohydrates - 6 g. fiber - 9 g. protein

Ingredients

• 3 oz. dried whole what thin spaghetti
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 12 oz. fresh Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced or shredded
• 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c. finely-shredded carrot
• 1/3 c. fresh chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp. slivered almonds, toasted

Instructions

1.  Break pasta into 1 inch pieces.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

2.  Heat a very large skillet over high heat.  Add onion, oil, and garlic and stir vigorously for one minute.

3.  Stir in Brussels sprouts, ginger, and crushed red pepper.  Cook and stir for one minute.  (This step is where I took more like 10 minutes to let the vegetables cook.)

4.  Add chicken broth and soy sauce.  Cook about 2 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

5.  Remove skillet from heat.  Stir in cooked pasta, carrot, and cilantro.

6.  Sprinkle the top with almonds and serve.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I found this recipe on Pinterest, which originally came from Taste of Home.  It combines some of my favorite fall flavors with chocolate, so what is not to love?!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD

Recipe Notes

Be sure to watch your oven - the recipe calls for 60-70 minutes of baking time, but my convection oven was done in 50 minutes.

Ingredients

• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. canned Pumpkin (approx. one can)
• 1-1/2 c. canola oil
• 1-1/2 c. chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

Instructions

1.  Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until well-combined.  I recommend using a stand-up mixer, because the oil can be difficult to incorporate.

2.  Add flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.

3.  Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula until fully incorporated.

4.  Pour into two greased loaf pans.  

5.  Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and loaves are cooked through.  The recipe suggests 60-70 minutes, but mine were done in 50.

Fall Vegetable Hash

I lightened up this Southern Living recipe a bit.  It's a nice alternative for a starchy vegetable when you are trying to cook healthy and don't want all of the extra carbs from mashed potatoes or pasta.

FALL VEGETABLE HASH

Recipe Notes

The original recipe calls for "thick bacon slices".  I used center cut bacon and it worked great while trimming fat and calories.  The original recipe also called for 2 tbsp. of olive oil.  I eliminated the olive oil and just used the limited bacon drippings in the pan for sauteing the vegetables, which further eliminated fat and calories from the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon (I used center-cut), chopped
• 1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 lb. small fresh Brussels sprouts, halved with bottoms cut off
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

Instructions

1.  Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through but not crisp.  Remove bacon to paper towels and pat dry.

2.  Add onion and sweet potato to hot skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 5 minutes.  Add turnip and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.

3.  Add bacon back to skillet.

4.  Add Brussels sprouts and garlic to skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are softened (5-10 minutes).

5.  Mix vinegar with 2 tbsp. water.  Add vinegar mixture to skillet.

6.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

7.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Asparagus with Lemon & Pecorino

This is a great, simple Cooking Light side dish.

ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON & PECORINO

Recipe Notes

I used shaved Parmesan because I couldn't find pecorino Romano that day.  I recommend a Microplane grater for your lemon rind.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 4)

53 calories - 3.1 g. fat

Ingredients

• 1 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 oz. shaved pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes or until crisp/tender.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to the pan and swirl to coat.  

3.  Add asparagus and cook 1-2 minutes.

4.  Sprinkle asparagus evenly with lemon rind, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)

I have been using Corey as a guinea pig for lots of Pinterest recipes lately.  This recipe for Mexican corn salad looked good and relatively healthy (I made some modifications to the original to skinny it up).  I ran this through the Weight Watchers Points Plus tracker, and I come up with a value of 3 Points+ based on six servings.

ESQUITES

Recipe Notes

The author of the original recipe (the blogger behind Closet Cooking) also posted a version with avocado, which looks yummy but will add to the Points if you are following Weight Watchers.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 4 ears of fresh corn, cut from the cob
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 handful of cilantro, chopped
• Juice of one lime
• 2 tbsp. feta cheese (crumbled)
• Chili powder to taste

Instructions

1.  Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium high.

2.  Add corn, toss to coat, and then let it sit cooking until charred (5-ish minutes).  Mix it up and char it again.

3.  Add jalapeno and garlic, saute for one minute.  Remove from heat.

4.  Mix the balance of the ingredients in and gently toss.

5.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Wilted Spinach & Cauliflower Mash

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and it was quite successful.  I ran it through the Points Plus tracker on Weight Watchers and it looks like the Points Plus value is 6 based on a recipe that serves four people.

 

LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP WITH WILTED SPINACH & CAULIFLOWER MASH

 

Recipe Notes

This recipe essentially has three components: the protein (shrimp) and two vegetable sides (cauliflower mash and spinach).  I have modified the recipe here based on what I found on the blog "Lizzy Writes" (credit to elizabethbryant.blogspot.com).

 

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
• 6 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil (divided)
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (I had the fishmonger leave the tails on)
• Lemon zest from one lemon
• Juice from one lemon
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 4 c. baby spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Toss cauliflower florets, smashed garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp. olive oil with salt and pepper. 

3.  Place florets and garlic cloves on a foil-lined pan and roast, covered loosely with foil.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and roast 15 minutes more.

4.  Place cauliflower/garlic mixture in a Cuisinart.  Blend, adding chicken broth as needed to get it smooth (grits-like texture).  Add Parmesan cheese and more salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Mix shrimp with lemon zest, 1 tbsp. olive oil, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Let stand for 15 minutes. 

6.  Saute shrimp in a large skillet on medium high heat or until pink and cooked through.

7.  Remove shrimp to a bowl and keep warm.  Do not clean out pan, as the pan drippings will be used for the sautéed onion/spinach mixture.

8.  Add spinach, onion, crushed red pepper flakes, and lemon juice to the hot skillet.  Saute until wilted.

9.  Layer cauliflower puree, followed by spinach, followed by shrimp.  Serve immediately.

 

 

Mediterranean Tomatoes

This is a very simple recipe for fresh tomatoes to enjoy while the tomatoes are still good here at the end of the summer!

MEDITERRANEAN TOMATOES

Recipe Notes

None.

Ingredients

• Beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
• Feta cheese (from the deli, such as Murray's Cheese, preferred)
• Kalamata olives, sliced or chopped
• Fresh basil, cut in a chiffonnade
• Fresh oregano, chopped
• Olive oil (use sparingly)
• Good-quality salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Instructions

1.  Arrange tomatoes on a plate.

2.  Sprinkle with feta, olives, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper.  Drizzle sparingly with olive oil.

3.  Chill for 20-30 minutes and serve.