Butternut Squash and Kale Hash

This was the meal that brought me out of my blog sabbatical because I just had to share! One of the fun things about cooking is after you do it long enough, you start to just know how certain tastes are going to meld and blend together. I love how you know you can combine the savory of Worcestershire, tang of champagne vinegar, sweet of agave and the piquant of dijon mustard to create an incredibly tasty glaze, and know that it will all work together. When you can look around your pantry or fridge, then just start mixing, that is when magic happens. And friends, that is the most fun part to reach in your kitchen adventures! 

This meal was inspired by a pinterest post for a sweet potato and kale hash, it was a breakfast dish with a fried egg on top. I have nothing against sweet potatoes, but I do have a love a-ffair with butternut squash so I decided to swap one orange veggie for another, just the way I like it. Mr. Max has been on a big kale kick ever since we did a cooking class in January with a crispy kale dish. I wanted to be able to take his new favorite veggie with my favorite veggie, then add some other stuff and make it a meal. Sounds pretty technical, huh?

I was shooting from the hip with this dish but wrote it down as I went a long so I could remember and hopefully get around to posting.... ta-da! I actually did this time. Nutritional fact breakdown can be found here, calculated at SparkRecipes.com.

Grocery List:
Yields 4 servings

• 10 large Kale leaves, de-stemmed and chopped into large chunks (we operate by, the darker the better! Grab some dino kale to try it out)
• 1.5 - 2 cups Butternut squash, cubed
• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, minced (about 2 tbsp. worth)
• 3 cloves garlic, minded
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tbsp. shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (approximately)

Start by pre-heating your oven to 450 degrees to roast your butternut squash cubes. Toss with 1 tbsp. of olive oil to coat then sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and rosemary.  Set on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (easy clean up process and assists in the crisping), then pop in the oven to roast for 20 minutes. We want these babies to have some brown on them, some color.

When you have about 10 minutes left on the timer for the roasting squash, take 1 tbsp of olive oil and begin to saute your shallots in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once frangrant, add the garlic and saute for about 3 minutes.

Add the kale and the final tbsp of olive oil, tossing in the pan to coat, which will help it cook and crisp. Let it sit for about 2 minutes on medium heat, then move it around the pan again. Right about now, the squash should be ready to take out of the oven. Add it to the pan and combine the two, adding the cumin and chili powder. Turn up the heat to about medium-high (6 or 7 on the dial) and let that kale crisp a little more in all the flavors.

Finally, you will add two large pinches of Parmigiano Reggiano. Give it a stir, fold it together, do what feels right.

Dish it out and serve for a deliciously nutritious, easy weeknight meal!

Served with petite Pork Tenderloin Medallions in a Cider-Dijon glaze

Directions:

Slice a pork tenderloin into 1 inch discs. In a small skillet, mist with cooking oil and set 4-5 slices, not touching one another, on the hot surface. Cover with a lid and let cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Both sides should have a nice brown marks, medium heat should register to 145 degrees.

As the medallions cook, time to whip up an easy glaze. I combined some of my favorite tastes mentioned in the opening paragraph: 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1.5 tbsp. Worcestershire, 1 cup apple cider, 1 tbsp. champagne vinegar, 1 tbsp. agave nectar, 1 tsp. shallots, 1 tsp. rosemary. Place all of this in a sauce pan over medium heat, when it begins to simmer, bring the heat down to low to allow it to thicken, about 10 minutes total. To serve, spoon over top pork medallions. 

Nutritional fact breakdown for pork and sauce can be found here, calculated at SparkRecipes.com.  

One serving yields four small or three large medallions and 1 tbsp. of sauce. 

Tastefully yours, 

Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash

The beginning of June means it's Mr. Max's CFA time again. I'm so proud of him for all the hard work and dedication he puts into studying and preparing for this exam, it's truly beyond what I would be able to do. As I sit her recapping last night's dinner, he has just started the 6 hour test - wow. This year, he requested chicken parm again for his "last supper" - our affectionate term for his dinner the night before this test - but I decided to revamp just a bit. While I still made him some chicken parm, this featured recipe was the star of the night.

I started to think this up a few weeks ago when we did a very simple turkey meatball dish with spaghetti squash. We typically grab a spaghetti squash each grocery run to make once a week on the busiest night in our schedule. However, this time we made it on a Sunday and I had time on my hands so I had decided to roast it in the oven rather than nuke it. This takes quadruple the amount of time, but the result was worth it. Like spinach, spaghetti squash will emit liquids as it heats and cooks. This can sometimes make for a watery dish when combined with sauce, but when I roasted it, I did not seem to have this problem as much. I already knew that roasting will seal in and lock the nutrients of any vegetable, but the watery consistency was greatly decreased with this method as well. After scraping the spaghetti strands from each half, I looked at the hollowed out shells and I thought about twice baked potatoes. I had other plans for that dinner, so I decided to remake this again in the near future, creating a tasty filling with the strands, then re-baking in the shells.

That brings us to this recipe! I wanted to make the red sauce a little creamy and add thickness, just to help with some of the natural moisture that is inevitable with the spaghetti squash. I had some Neuftchatel cheese in the fridge and used it to help make a thicker, creamier consistency without adding in too many additional calories or grams of fat (like using a cream or cream cheese would do). To give some green and more veggie value, I added in some chopped broccoli, then topped the final product with just a little mozzarella and Parm Reggiano. In the end, we both agreed this was our favorite spaghetti squash dish to date!

This dish takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, largely due to the roasting time, not the prep time. Click here for the nutritional facts calculated at SparkRecipes.com; this meal is a total of 7 WW points per serving.

Grocery List:
Recipe yields 2 servings

• 1 small-medium spaghetti squash, cut into 2 halves
• 2 cups tomato sauce (I used a roasted garlic sauce)
• 2 oz. Neufchatel cheese
• 1.5 cup broccoli florets, chopped very small 
• 1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 pinches of Parm Reggiano 
• Roasted red pepper seasoning (optional)

To begin, pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a piece of aluminum foil and set on a baking sheet. Set the 2 halves of the spaghetti squash face up on the foil and place in the oven for 35 minutes.

In a sauce pan, begin to melt the Neufchatel chunk on low heat. This will assist when combining with the sauce. Add the sauce and continue to stir until well combined.

 

To help pre-cook your broccoli just a bit, add the florets into the sauce on medium-low heat and let simmer for about 8 minutes. 

Remove the squash from the oven and you can do one of two things. You can let it cool for about 10 minutes so that won't hurt yourself trying to manage the squash - or, you can be too eager and impatient like me. I did not hurt myself, but I did make it more cumbersome by trying to maneuver with 2 cooking mitts on my hands. It worked, but I should have just listened to Mr. Max's advice to me: "patience darlin, patience." He's been telling me that for at least 3 years now, I think he is patient that one day I will listen :-) When you have the seeds removed, now you can start combing the fork through from top side to bottom side to create the strands, then place them in a bowl and repeat with the second squash half.

  

 

Set the hollowed shells to the side for now.

 

 Add the sauce to the bowl of spaghetti squash strands and mix well.

Now, scoop the strand/sauce/broccoli filling into each hollowed shell until full.

 

Top with the cheeses and place in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned, bubbling.

 

Remove from oven and place in bowls or dishes that will easily hold the squash bowl.

 

 For a little kick, top with crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

 

Tastefully yours, 

Soba Noodles with Sweet Chili Sauce

Catching up on posts, at our March Girls Night In, my contribution was this recipe for soba noodles in a sweet chili sauce. Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made of buckwheat that contains all eight amino acids and complex carbs. I decided to add some pre-chopped veggies including squash, zucchini and bell pepper, to add more to the nutritional value of the dish. I played with the ingredients, greatly modifying the recipe.

This was simple from start to finish, taking about 20 minutes. Click here for the nutritional facts for my recipe calculated at SparkRecipes.com. Makes a total of 5 side portions, 1 side portion is 5 WW points.

Grocery List:

• 9 oz. Soba Noodles
• 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup squash, diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup scallions, diced
• 2 tbsp. cilantro
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 cup Shoyu or Tamari (organic, low sodium Soy Sauce)
• 2 tbsp. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1.5 tbsp. minced ginger

Start by filling a pot of water with 6 cups and bring to a boil. Add your noodles and cook until softened.

In a small bowl, add your honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, cilantro and scallions.

Stir and mix well.

When the noodles are done, drain, place in a bowl, pour the sauce over top and add the veggies. Toss and serve as a side, or you can add chopped chicken, beef or shrimp to add some protein for a full meal.

Tastefully yours,

Quinoa "Mac" and Cheese

It's been a very busy two weeks since the last post. To catch up a little, after celebrating Easter and my parent's 30th Anniversary, the following week was full of spring season events for work. That weekend, Mr. Max lured me to his home state of Wisconsin and asked me to be his Mrs!!! It's been a whirlwind since then and I still have a number of recipes drafted that I haven't been able to get around to - oops.

  

This past Friday, I got to partake in another moment a girl looks forward to, the ability to ask two of my oldest and dearest friends, Amy and Greer, to be my Maids of Honor! These two have been mentioned in several posts, and they are part of our monthly Girls Night In cooking group. We met circa 1988-ish after my family had just joined University Park United Methodist Church. I have very vivid memories of the first time I met both of them and how our friendship grew from there: play dates, family dinners, singing in the church choir together, musicals, mission trips, summer camp, homecoming and prom dress shopping, visiting each other in college and starting our lives post-college in the real world. I feel so blessed to have known these girls and their families for all these years, they are the closest things to sisters to me, and know me better than I know myself sometimes. Greer was coming into town this weekend so I knew it was my chance to get them both together for dinner and the big ask.

As we talked everything wedding, we shared our common love and bond of friendship, food! Greer provided appetizers for us to graze on as we made dinner and caught up, Amy ran point on the quinoa recipe that she found, and I prepared the salmon dish. Due to everything going on, I actually missed the first couple steps in pictures, but still wanted to share because it was so good, applause to Amy for suggesting it! You can add broccoli or spinach to the mix, but we decided to roast our broccoli and eat it as a separate side dish.

Click here to read the nutritional facts calculated at SparkRecipes.com. According to Weight Watchers points, for a 1/2 cup serving, this is 5 points.

Grocery List:
(makes 6 servings)

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup non-fat skim milk
• 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (optional)
• Creole Seasoning (optional - but so recommended!)

To start, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and grease an 8x8 casserole dish. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-strain colander, then lightly toast in a pot on low heat until it smells a little like popcorn, stirring frequently to prevent from burning. Add the water and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Lower the heat and allow the quinoa to absorb the water until it is gone and the curlicue in the grain has popped, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the eggs and milk, mix well until egg is fully beaten. Fold in the quinoa, garlic and half of the cheese, stir well to combine. 

 

Pour the quinoa mac and cheese into the casserole dish, then lightly top with the Panko bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Finally, dust the top layer with Creole seasoning and pop in the oven for 20 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.

 

Remove from oven, dish it out and dig in!

Served with 4 oz. honey-soy glazed salmon and roasted broccoli with garlic

Tastefully yours, 

Lighter Scalloped Potatoes

It's Spring-time y'all! Dad, Mom, Brother - Michael, Brother - Patrick, Yours Truly, Mr. Max

The scalloped look has taken the fashion world by storm the past few months; it's a dainty look with an edge, perfect for the spring! For Easter Sunday and I decided to pair my scalloped hemline Easter dress, with my food contribution for the family Easter dinner - scalloped potatoes.

Really quick though, I have a personal story to share. This Easter was extra special this year, as we were able to give my parents a special gift and lasting memory. They recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary so my brothers and I decided to do something to acknowledge that. For months, we worked on a surprise party with the family but the week before, dad got baseball tickets for the Texas Rangers and we couldn't seem to get around this issue without giving away our scheme. Once my dad decides he's going to do something, you can't really come between it - he is next to impossible to plan for or surprise! Mom then announced that we will forgo the traditional Easter brunch with just our immediate family and do a big family dinner instead, with everyone from both sides of the family, potluck style. The brothers and I decided with our parents unknowingly impeding on our surprise, we would just culminate our efforts into their Easter Sunday plans. There wouldn't be the big SURPRISE! factor as they walked in somewhere, but we had a  few special things that would garner the same reaction.

We contacted members of their wedding party, their college friends that knew them as individuals and later as a couple, their friends that knew them as newlyweds and apart of their lives as they grew a family. We asked them to send us a letter that shared memories or advice for the next 30 years and bound them together as a memory book, with photos from their engagement and their wedding day.

Cutting their cake as Mr. and Mrs. on March 27, 1982

I worked with a baker to do a simplified version of their wedding cake for our Easter dessert! She was so amazing, Dallas area people, go to Rachel Barbosa with Sugar Ray's for any cake or cupcake needs, she is fabulous! I highly recommend the chocolate hazelnut with vanilla cream icing.

Last but not least, we matted a picture from their special day, one taken as they were leaving the ceremony and looking out of the limo heading to the reception, just beaming. The whole family signed and we presented it on an easel. It made for such an incredibly special Easter Sunday!

 

My Precious Parents cutting their 30th Anniversary Cake!

Now for the recipe, adapted from the Skinnytaste blog, here's a lighter version of a potluck favorite without the heavy cream and as much butter. Click here for the nutritional facts calculated at SparkRecipes.com. One serving is equal to about 3/4 cup, for a total of 3 WW points.

Grocery List:

• 6 medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes, sliced into thin 1/8 in pieces
• 2 tbsp. light butter, unsalted
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1 cup fat free skim milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. thyme
• Chives

Start by pre-heating your oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking dish. I knew we didn't have a lot of time before we had to get to my parents and the potatoes would take nearly an hour to cook in the oven. To speed up the process, I took my potatoes and let them simmer on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes to help soften them up. 

As your potatoes are softening, heat a small sauce pan on medium heat and add the milk, paprika, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and butter. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Discard bay leaves.

If you boiled your potatoes to soften, let drain in a colander and cool a little. Begin to stack a thick layer on the bottom, then top with half of the shredded cheese. 

Top with another thick layer of potatoes, cover with the milk and herb mix.

Top with the rest of the cheese and the chives. 

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes if you've pre-softened the taters. If you didn't soften them before, cook for 45-50 minutes.

Let cool, then dig in. Enjoy foodie friends!

Tastefully yours,

Make a Meal: Blackened Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Quinoa

 

In February, we enjoyed a tasty blackened salmon dish so I decided to take that seasoning mixture and apply it to chicken. I chose a colorful quinoa blend at the Sunday grocery store run, after having it at a cooking demonstration event I did for work a few weeks ago.

Eating the blackened salmon, I would come across a few bites that were really hot from the cayenne. I found  an avocado "cream" sauce in a Cooking Light magazine that used one avocado and a small amount of greek yogurt - it was said to cool down spicy foods so I decided to try it with these blending tastes. I am a garlic lover so I added just a bit for the "cream" sauce and proved to be a great addition over top the chicken, assisting with the calming of hot bites.

This is an easy weeknight meal, taking all of 20 minutes from chop-start to seated-finish. Click here for the nutritional facts calculated at SparkRecipes.com. For Weight Watchers, this meal is a total of 7 points: 4 points for a 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 point for 1/3 cup of cilantro-lime quinoa, 2 points for 1 tbsp. of avocado-"cream" sauce.

Grocery List:

• 2 chicken cutlets (already trimmed and pounded thin), halved into four 4 oz. pieces
• 1 tbsp. ground paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried cumin
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 cup quinoa
• Juice and zest from 1 lime
• 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced

Start by preparing the quinoa, adding the vegetable stock to a small pot on medium-high heat. Add the cup of quinoa, bring to a boil and let simmer on low-medium heat until the liquid has been absorbed and the curlicue of the seed is exposed. 

In a small bowl or pinch bowl, combine 1-6 of the herbs and spices for the blackening seasoning.

Rub over one side of the chicken and place on a grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then flip to cook for an additional 5 minutes. 

 

In a bowl, grate the lime zest and combine with the juice from one lime. Add the cilantro.

 

Once the quinoa is done, add to the bowl with the lime and cilantro and toss to coat. Season with any additional salt and pepper, as you see fit.

For the avocado cream sauce, dump both avocado halves into a food processor with one heaping spoonful of fat-free, plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Press the grind button until it is smooth and creamy. Add as a topping or set aside in a small bowl to dip as you desire!

Paired with a side of simple roasted broccoli tossed in olive oil, cayenne and garlic powder

 

Tastefully yours,