Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

This may be the quickest, easiest recipe I've ever posted. Such a nice change to long lists of ingredients and kitchen gadgets I had never heard of. (But now proudly own and store somewhere between the food processor, dehydrator and immersion blender.) This recipe is especially tasty with homegrown tomatoes so for all of you who have posting pictures of your bumper crops online now you have a way to keep them from spoiling!

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, tops sliced off
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 mins. That's it. Seriously.

Kale and Grapefruit Salad

This salad is perfect for a summer day and couldn't be easier!

Ingredients:
1 Ruby Red grapefruit
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, center stems and ribs removed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup hazel or macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup Romano cheese

Directions:
Working over a small bowl to collect juice, carve out segments from between membranes; set segments aside. Toss onion with 2 tbsp grapefruit juice; set aside to soften.
In a large bowl gently toss grapefruit segments, grapefruit juice and onion mixture, kale, nuts, salt and pepper until well combined. Top with Romano.

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole

I very rarely post pictures of my dishes "in progress" but as this one looks like a big mess of deliciously calorie laden gluttony I had to prove that it's actually very healthy!

As you can see from the pic below the bottom layer is 90% squash with peppers, onion, and a sprinkle of cheese. The topping is salsa, onion, and more cheese.

If you follow my blog you know cheese is the one indulgence I'm not willing to give up. Grain? Sure, no prob. Cheese? Never!!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups)
2/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
1 4.5 ounce can chopped jalapeños
2 1/4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 mild salsa
1/2 tsp salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 in baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine squash, onion, chiles, jalapeños  salt and 3/4 cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour; toss to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the squash is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Spoon salsa over the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake, uncovered, until golden and heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and red onion.

Vegetable Stuffed Portobellos

If I've said it once I've said it a million times. I LOVE portobello mushrooms. It's not just the taste, it's the versatility. You can put a mushroom in between two slices of bread to make a meatless sandwich, a burger patty in between two mushrooms to make a grainless hamburger or top it with cheese, veggies, seafood etc. to create a stuffed mushroom.

In honor of "meatless monday" I prepared the below vegetable stuffed portobellos. I can honestly say it's one of the tastiest meals I've ever shared on this blog. It's either the garlic, the cheese or the combination of the two and it's AMAZING.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
1 15 ounce can small white beans, rinsed
2 small bell peppers, quartered and seeded
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise, in 1/4 inch slices
1 cup shredded fontina cheese

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium high (I used the stove top grill, two burners on medium.)
Combine lemon juice, oil, dill, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add mushroom caps and turn to coat. Remove the mushrooms from the bowl. Add white beans, stir to coat.
Place the mushroom caps gill side up on the grill with peppers, onion and zucchini. Grill the vegetables, turning once, until they start to char and soften, about 8 minutes for the mushrooms and 6 minutes for the rest. Turn the mushrooms gill side up again. Fill each with 1/4 cup cheese and grill until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute more.
Chop peppers, onion and zucchini and add to the bowl with the beans, toss to combine. Top each mushroom with about 1 cup of the grilled salad.

Seven Layer Salad

I fell in love with these salads the minute I laid eyes on them. Very little lettuce and lots of "stuff" just the way I like them!

I assumed that's the way everyone likes them until a friend who is just starting to eat grain free asked for salad recipes. I of course sent her recipes with lots of toppings and very little or no lettuce. She responded "hmmm, do you have any with more lettuce?" Ha.

So *warning* this recipe falls under the "very little lettuce" category. You could even make it with none (gasp!)

Ingredients: (Serves 2-4)
Mixed greens
2 yellow bell peppers, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

Dressing:
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tsp cider vinegar
1-2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Directions:
Place a handful or two of lettuce in each bowl. Layer peas, bell pepper, tomatoes and scallions.
Whisk yogurt, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour the dressing evenly over the top of each salad. Sprinkle with cheese, bacon and basil. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Thai Red Curry with Tofu and Vegetables

If you follow my blog you know I'm not a big fan of Thai food. (And that is a HUGE understatement.) But every so often a Thai-ish recipe comes along that sounds ok and sometimes even wonderful.

Such was the case with these bell peppers. I took one look and decided I had to make them if for no other reason than they looked beautiful. But I also detected some of my favorite things like mushrooms, and zucchini.

If you're anti-soy you can substitute chicken for the tofu. Also feel free to ditch the pad Thai noodles for   zucchini noodles, perhaps left over from this anti-pasti recipe, or just make a bit more filling.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 oz white and/or crimini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz organic medium or firm tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup light coconut milk or water
2 tbsp rice vinegar
4 red or orange bell peppers, tops trimmed and reserved
1 cup cooked brown rice pad thai noodles
Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saute pan on medium high heat, heat oil. Add onion and saute for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently until tender. Add curry paste and saute for 1 minute stirring frequently. Add mushroom and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and tofu and cook, stirring gently for 2 minutes. Add milk, vinegar, salt and black pepper and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place bell peppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add noodles into the bottom of each, dividing evenly. Divide tofu mixture evenly into each bell pepper. Pace reserved bell pepper tops over top. Bake until bell pepper is tender but still holding shape, about 30 minutes.

Roasted Chicken with Strawberry Relish

Ahhhhh....meat and fruit. If you follow my blog you know this is one of my favorite parings. Second only to vodka soda and yellow mustard + anything.

The most time consuming thing about this recipe is taking the skin off the chicken so if you want to save time use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Ingredients:
4 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 1/2 tbsp chopped chives, divided
2 cups strawberries, chopped
2 tsp freshly grated lime zest
1tsp sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Combine chicken in a bowl with oil, oregano 1 tbsp chives, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place in a small to medium roasting pan.
Roast the chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the thighs.
Meanwhile, combine strawberries, lime zest, sugar, vinegar, the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp chives and the remaining pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Let stand at room temperature until the chicken is done.
Just before serving taste the strawberry relish and adjust the amount of sugar, vinegar and/or salt. Serve the chicken with the relish.

Anti-pasti with Zucchini Noodles

Also known as "anti-pasti anti-pasta." Hehe. I saw the original recipe which called for bow tie pasta in a "health" magazine. Grrrr. But with a few tweaks I was able to clean it up :)

To make zucchini noodles carefully run a Julienne peeler from one end of the zucchini to the other. which will create a half dozen long "noodles." (You can also start from the middle and work outwards to make shorter noodles.) When you get 1/4 way through the zucchini (when the noodles start to get soft) flip it over and peel the other side. You will end up with the middle of each zucchini left over which you can chop and steam or use in a smoothie like I did this morning.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
5-6 zucchini peeled with Julienne peeler
2 cups chopped fennel bulb
1 cup quartered artichoke hearts
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 cup salami, sliced
1/2 cup panchetta, cubed (TJ's)
1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons pepperoncinis, sliced

Dressing:
Whisk 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of oregano

Barbequed Lime, Coconut and Chile Beef

We felt a little guilty after using, and posting about, our neighbors' BBQ a week after we should have given it back. But it turns out they've been back east since we borrowed it. So the BBQ'ing continues!

The tortilla bowls are optional here. I probably wouldn't have included them but I knew I would get a better picture if I did:) The recipe calls for whole wheat but I used flax seed and quinoa to make myself feel better about the grain....

Ingredients: (serves 4)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and Juice of 1 lime, divided
1/4 cup light coconut milk, divided
1 tbsp chile powder, divided
Pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
1/2 lb outside round steak, sliced into 4 1/4 inch thick steaks
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut lengthwise into 4 slabs for even thickness
4 8-inch wholewheat tortillas
1 tsp olive oil 1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets

 Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat grill to medium-high and lightly oil grate with cooking oil. In a large bowl, combine garlic with a third of lime zest and juice, 1 tbsp milk, 2 tsp chile powder and pinch each salt and black pepper. Add steak and potato and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Lightly warm tortillas in the oven by wrapping the stack in foil for several minutes.
*The original instructions say to press tortillas into heat proof ramekins but how many people have those lying around? I made my own molds out of aluminum foil.*
Bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool and, once cooled, remove from molds.
Add steak and potato to grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning halfway until steak is cooked through and potato is tender. Allow steak to rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice steak and potato and set aside.
In a saute pan on medium-high, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli and remaining 1 tsp chile powder and saute for 1 minute.
Add 6 tbsp water, cover and cook for about 2 minutes, until broccoli is tender-crisp. Add remaining lime zest and juice and 3 tbsp milk and stir to combine.
Add beef and potato, tossing to coat in sauce, until heated through. Season with additional salt and black pepper. Divide mixture among tortilla bowls.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Foil Packets

After more than two months of "living" (out of boxes, without any art on the walls, decorative pillows etc.) in our new place Dave and I finally threw a house warming party last weekend.

It was so fun showing off our new place, especially after putting a ton of time and energy into it in recent weeks. But one of the coolest things was being able to wheel our neighbor's BBQ over for a "cook out" as Dave calls it.  I have never owned a BBQ (I still don't technically) and though I have become quite the expert at using the stove top grill, it's not the same.

We decided to take advantage of still having the BBQ last night (yeah, we're "those" neighbors) so we whipped together some chicken foil packets.

The most time consuming thing about this recipe is preparing the sauce so if you can do that in advance you'll be in great shape.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

Olive oil cooking spray
12 oz green beans, trimmed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch chunks
1 red onion, sliced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces

Sauce: 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup light coconut milk 2 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional of course!) 1 tbsp raw honey 1 tbsp fresh lime juice 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger 1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat oven to 450.

In a medium bowl whisk together all sauce ingredients (peanut butter, milk, vinegar, 2 tbsp cilantro, honey, lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, pepper flakes and garlic. Set aside.

Cut 4 12x16 inch pieces of foil and mist with cooking spray. Divide green beans, potatos and onion evenly into the center of each piece of foil. Divide chicken and peanut butter mixture between foil pieces, over top of vegetables. Bring the edges of the foil together and fold to seal.

Place foil packets directly on the grill or on a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Grill or bake for 25 to 39 minutes until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
Transfer content of packets to plates and garnish with additional cilantro...or not:)