Cajun Shrimp and Rice

January 1st, 2009 by Erin

Happy New Year!  Have you guys heard about this apparent tradition of eating black eyed peas on New Years?  I have never heard of such a thing… in my house growing up, it was always saurkraut, which is not my thing.  I’m pretty sure black eyed peas aren’t my thing either.  Maybe refried beans.  Do you think that counts?

Anyway, this is a super easy recipe from Cooking Light.  I doubled the amount of seasoning called for in the original recipe (my changes are reflected below) and found it to be just right.

The husband has taken to very carefully aranging food for pictures.  In this particular instance, he pulled out individual peppers and shrimp and placed them carefully on the rice, making sure not to get anything out of place.  Quite amusing.  Normally, I just dump everything in a bowl, and it looks like this.  (That’s a recipe I’m still tweaking, and um, it’s gross looking but really tasty.)

Cook 3/4 c. rice and 1 1/2 c. water 12 minutes, or until done.  Set aside.

  • 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
  • 2 Tbs Cajun seasoning (preferably salt free, but I couldn’t find that)
  • 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
  • 3 cloves finely chopped garlic
  • 1 1/2 c. mixed, sliced bell peppers (I used a stir fry mix and just thawed it out)
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 c. Italian stewed tomatoes, crushed and not drained (I just mash them up with my hand as I add it to the pan)

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Add shrimp and Cajun seasoning, stir to coat.  Allow to cook until opaque on both sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep warm.  Add onion and garlic to pan with another spray of cooking spray.  Allow to cook one minute.  Add peppers and thyme, sautee 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, add shrimp back in, and heat through.  Serve over rice.


Posted in fast, healthy, rice, shrimp || 1 Comment

Orange Glazed Tofu with Sesame Rice

December 21st, 2008 by Erin

A Cooking Light recipe.  The husband wanted to try out some new vegetarian meals, so this was on the list as something I’ve wanted to try for awhile but hadn’t gotten around to.  I thought the tofu could use some extra jazzing up, but it’s tofu so… I’d probably add some black bean paste or some extra soy sauce or teriyaki sauce to the marinade.  The rice was surprisingly delicious, though!

  • 6 oz. extra firm tofu (a regular block, cut in half, saving half for another time)
  • 2 Tbs orange juice
  • 1 Tbs soy sauce, divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar (I didn’t have this, so I used slightly diluted white wine vinegar)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic chili sauce, divided
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh ginger (or a sprinkle of dried)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 c. frozen green peas, thawed
  • 1/2 c. grated carrot
  • 1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions
  • 1 c. cooked rice
  • 1 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

Cut tofu into 6 large triangles, and layer in between some paper towels, and weight with a cutting board.  Let stand 15 minutes.

Combine juice, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, vinegar, honey, 1/4 tsp. chili garlic sauce, and ginger in a shallow dish, whisk together.  Coat tofu in sauce, and marinate for 30 minutes, turning once.

While tofu marinates, place peas, carrots, and onions in a nonstick skillet lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Cook over medium high heat 2 minutes.  Add reaming soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.  Add rice, and cook 2 -3 minutes, or until thoroughly browned.  Stir in sesame seeds.

Heat a grill pan (or your countertop grill) and drain tofu.  Grill until lightly browned (about 2 minutes.)  Serve 3 slices tofu with about 1 cup of rice.


Posted in healthy, rice, vegetarian || No Comments

Provencal Style Salmon

December 3rd, 2008 by Erin

This recipe came from a vegetarian cookbook that apparently includes fish recipes.  Wonderful!  It’s also totally low fat (including only the fat in the salmon) and surprisingly tasty and filling.  I was doubtful at first that it would taste good because it smelled a little… strange but the flavors combined nicely in the oven.  Ours is garnished with orange segments, but I don’t think they’re particularly necessary.

Marinate 4 salmon fillets for 30 minutes in

  • 1/4 c. white wine
  • 1/4 c. lemon juice
  • 2 cloves pressed garlic
  • salt and pepper

While fish is marinating, make the sauce.

  • 1 leek, chopped (cut into rounds first, soak in cool water, and then pull the leeks out to get rid of the grit)
  • 1 c. chopped fresh fennel
  • 1/2 c. white wine
  • 1/2 c. orange juice
  • Healthy pinch saffron
  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds (also called caraway seeds, if I’m not mistaken)

Place leeks, wine, thyme, and fennel seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a boi.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Add fennel and orange juice, and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Add saffron, and cook for 2 minutes.  Place salmon fillets into a small baking dish (glass, preferably) and pour sauce on top.  Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350 for 25- 30 minutes (or until fish flakes easily with a fork.)  Serve over couscous (as we did) or rice.


Posted in fish, healthy || No Comments

Scallion Chicken Noodles

December 3rd, 2008 by Erin

This dinner came together in the amount of time it took the pasta to finish cooking.  It was super simple, and really delicious!

  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 Tbs lime juice
  • 1/2 lb linguine, cooked to package directions
  • 1 c. scallions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
  • 2 Tbs soy sauce
  • 1 Tbs sesame oil
  • Generous pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Cut chicken into small, thin strips.  (This will be easier if your chicken has been hanging out in the freezer for about 10 mintues before you try and cut it.)  Cook in a non-stick skillet with a little vegetable oil until cooked through.  Remove from pan, sprinkle with lime juice, and keep warm.  Add another tablespoon or so of vegetable oil to the pan and let it warm up.  Add scallions, galric and ginger and cook about 1 minute (until fragrent.)  Add everything but the cilantro (including cooked chicken and noodles) with a little ground pepper, and toss to coat.  Let cook another minute or so.  Stir in cilantro.


Posted in chicken, fast, healthy, pasta || No Comments

Chili Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

November 13th, 2008 by Erin

This recipe came from somewhere, so it is not mine originally, but I made so many adaptations and it was really simple to begin with, so I don’t feel bad as saying the original recipe was simply inspiration and nothing else.  On another note, I’ve had quite a few chatters using the feature at the bottom of the page.  If you like what you see, drop me a line if I’m around and say hello!

Salsa

  • 2 cups canned pineapple chunks, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced finely
  • 1 jalepeno, chopped as tiny as you can get it
  • 1/2 small red onion, also chopped fine
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, set aside for about 30 minutes to let flavors combine.

Salmon:  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, a little olive oil, a little corriander, and some chili powder.  Cook in a nonstick skillet, skin side first, for about 4 minutes over medium high.  Reduce heat to medium, flip, and continue cooking until cooked through.  If it starts to brown too quickly, flip it back over to the skin side (we don’t eat those in my house anyway) reduce heat to low, and put a lid over the pan.

For rice:  The recipe said coconut rice, but I didn’t have coconut milk around, so I used this combo and just cooked the rice as regular, about 15 minutes of simmering.

  • 1/2 c. rice
  • 3 Tbs shredded coconut
  • 1 Tbs soy sauce
  • 1 c. water

Posted in fish, healthy, rice || 2 Comments

Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate

October 20th, 2008 by Erin

I think this recipe calls for a bit too much sugar, so I’d probably back off the next time.  I didn’t wimp out too much on the chili powder, and actualy ended up adding regular chili powder about halfway through.  The result was a great, slightly sweet, smoky, complex chili that was really enhanced by the chocolate flavor.  Don’t be afraid of chocolate!  This was really good too, during our first real cold snap of the season.  Look for some new vegetarian recipes this week!

  • 2 c. diced onion (1 large)
  • 1 c. chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
  • 3 Tbs brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs chipotle chili powder (or back off on that if you’re a wimp like me, and add more later)
  • 1 Tbs chili powder (just the regular kind)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 30 oz. canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 c. chicken broth
  • 2 chiotle chilies in adobo (canned) minced
  • 2 oz. unsweeted chocolate, chopped (I used a really good, super dark chocolate)
  • 1 Tbs cocoa powder
  • Cheddar cheese, sour cream, or lime wedges for garnish

Heat a large Dutch oven and spray with cooking spray.  Add onion, red pepper, garlic, and turkey, and saute for 8 minutes or until turkey is browned and veggies are tender.  Add sugar, chipotle powder, cocoal, cumin, pinto beans, tomatoes, chopped chiles, and broth, and bring to a boil.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted.  Serve with cornbread :)


Posted in healthy, soup, turkey || 1 Comment

Raspberry Onion Chicken

September 25th, 2008 by Erin

I stole this recipe from my newlywed friend Kiija over at Pleasant Eats who stole it from Cooking Light.  I did make a few adaptations, and this recipe turned out surprisingly well.  We served it up with some peas and pearl onions, and some oven roasted potatoes (with onion soup mix on top.  Onions all around!  No kissing tonight… bet that’s not going on over at the Pleasant household…)

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breast, sliced into bite sized pieces
  • 1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam
  • 1 Tbs each of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger (or 1/2 tsp fresh, but I didn’t have any)
  • 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

Sautee onion over medium high heat  with a little olive oil for 6 minutes, or until they start to turn golden.  Add chicken and cook through (about 8 minutes.)  Remove and keep warm.  Add remaining ingredients to pan and whisk until blended.  Cook 3 minutes or until thickened.  Add back chicken and onion and continue cooking 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.


Posted in chicken, fast, healthy || 2 Comments

“Baked Cod with Tangy Dressing” or, Glorified Fish Sticks

September 13th, 2008 by Erin

Now, don’t get me wrong.  This title is not meant to be a knock on this recipe.  Regular fish sticks that you buy frozen cannot be as healthy for you as these, which are baked in the oven with a crunchy breading.  But fishsticks these are.  Delicious, healthy for you fish sticks.  The “tangy dressing” is also totally cheating, as it is Thousand Island salad dressing with some extra stuff thrown in.

Dressing:

  • 1/2 c. reduced fat Thousand Island dressing
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbs Cajun seasoning
  • Dash of cayenne pepper

Mix all of that together, cover, and let it hang out in the fridge for an hour or so.

Breaded Cod

  • 1 c. panko bread crumbs (I cannot explain to you how much I love these things)
  • 1/2 c. egg substitute (or 2 eggs, beaten)
  • 3/4 c. self rising flour
  • 1 Tbs Old Bay (or more, if you like that sort of thing)

Isolate your ingredients into a little breading station.  One bowl for flour, one for egg, and the last for your panko mixed with Old Bay.  Dip fish first into flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.  Lay in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes, or until your fish is cooked through (we had thin fillets, and they were done in 7 minutes.)  Top with dressing.  Enjoy your glorified fish sticks.


Posted in fast, fish, healthy || 1 Comment

German Apple Pancake

September 12th, 2008 by Erin

This made for a great “breakfast for dinner” alternative food… normally we do regular pancakes, and by “we” I once again mean “my husband” because I can’t flip a pancake to save my life.  Well, maybe actually to save my life, but when it’s just dinner as usual, I don’t do the flipping.  This does have a very eggy taste, and I’d reccomend using the called for egg substitute to alleviate that.  (I didn’t have any egg substitute, so I used 3 large eggs.)  It makes almost a custard like filling, with a thin crust.  Cut thick slices of apple and you’ll have a great texture and flavor balance.  This recipe originally came from Cooking Light.

Batter:

  • 1/2 c. flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 c. egg substitute (or 3 large eggs, but be warned!)
  • 1 c. skim milk
  • 2 Tbs melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients, let stand 30 minutes

Apple Filling:

  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 c. Granny Smith apples (or other tart, firm apple)

Preheat oven to 425.  Spray an 10″ ovensafe skillet with cooking spray.  Sprinkle pan with 1/4 c. sugar, and a little bit of the nutmeg and cinnamon.   Arrange apples in a circular/fan pattern, overlappng slightly.  Cover with remaining sugar and spices.  Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until the juice and sugar come together and start bubbling.  Pour batter over.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and continue cooking another 10-13 minutes, or until center is set.


Posted in breakfast, healthy, sweets || No Comments

Corn Chowder

September 11th, 2008 by Erin

I’m trying to find new vegetarian recipes that I enjoy that don’t involve meat substitutes.  Those were a staple of mine when I lived as a vegetarian for three years or so… I just used Boca crumbles and Quorn chicken.  This soup, adapted from Simply Recipes, makes use of the Eastern shore’s abundance of corn this time of year.  While some people in the house were not too fond of this, I certainly liked it, and froze a portion of it to see how well it will hold up, and to have this really light summer taste sometime when all of this great produce has gone the way of the frost.  That sounds grim.  This is un-grim food.

  • 1 Tbs butter
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 carrot chopped (about 5 baby carrots, I figured)
  • 1 chopped celery stalk
  • 3 ears corn, kernels removed, cobs reserved
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 1/2 c. milk (I used 1%)
  • 1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add onion and sautee 4-5 minutes.  Add carrot and celery and continue cooking another 4-5.  Break the corn cobs in half and add them to the saucepan.  Add milk and bay leaf.  Recuce heat to prevent scalding, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occaionsally to prevent the milk from scalding.  (Use the lowest heat you can but keep it simmering.)  Discard corn cobs and bay leaf.  Raise heat, add potatoes, red pepper, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost fork tender.  Add thyme and corn kernals, let cook 5 minutes and serve.  Remove about 2 cups of the soup and blend with an immersion blender, add back to main pan.  Garnish with cilantro and sour cream, if desired.


Posted in healthy, potatoes, soup, vegetarian || No Comments