Simple Roasted Broccoli

Running with the theme for tonight's dinner, it just doesn't get much easier than this delicious roasted broccoli. This was a simple concoction that I whipped up on a whim to use up fresh broccoli florets.

Grocery List:

• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 3 tbsp. of olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• Seasoning of your choice
• Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and cover a baking sheet in a little foil to make the clean up as easy as the recipe! Simply toss the florets in a bowl with the olive oil and lemon juice.

Spread out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with your seasoning. I chose to use Tommy's Spices "The Mix" seasoning. I tried it for the first time as a sample with sauteed veggies this afternoon and thought it was amazing, plus it's a Texas-made product!

Next, put in the oven for 20 minutes to let the broccoli roast and caramelize. When the timer goes off, take out of the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let melt and serve!

 Served with lemon-parsley couscous and grilled salmon with mango salsa.

Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa

I have a springtime Sunday evening treat for you tonight that is delightfully easy. The trick for making this simple and less time-consuming is to buy a mango-pineapple salsa from your local grocer. If you have a "health food" grocery store close to you (Whole Foods, Central Market, Market Street, etc.) they will have a fresh, pre-made pineapple-mango salsa available for you in the refrigerated produce section. I compared those ingredients to the one this recipe called for and they were right on target. For the sake of time, I grabbed that instead of making it myself. That's another 20 minute Jillian Michael's Shred workout, instead of the chopping I would have been doing. I will include the ingredients in case you do want to make it yourself!

Taken from Prevention Magazine's Best Weight Loss Recipes, this salmon dish contains 272 calories, 31g protein, 10g carbs, 1g fiber, 12g fat, 68mg sodium per serving (serving size is a 6 oz. salmon fillet with 3 tbsp. salsa)

Grocery List:

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint  
• 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno pepper
• or 1 cup of mango-pineapple salsa
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

for those making their own: toss the mango, bell pepper, onion, lime juice, mint and jalapeno in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover and let chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend (more time.....) - or, here's my pre-made version compliments of Whole Foods.

Combine the lemon juice and paprika in a large shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place salmon in dish and turn to cover both sides of the fillets. Cover and marinate for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator. After 1 hour, remove fillets from marinade and discard.

Place your griddle on the eye of the stove and spray with cooking oil. Grill the fillets for 10 minutes on each side on medium heat. I like to cover with a large wok top to help it cook more evenly.

Once cooked through, remove from heat and spoon salsa to top. Served with Lemon-Parsley Couscous and Roasted Broccoli.

Lemon-Parsley Couscous

This simple side is a perfect segue from spring into summer, a delicious compliment to citrus flavored entrees such as fish or chicken. Taken from the most recent Cuisine Lite magazine, this makes 4 servings with 291 calories, 4g total fat, 2 mg chol, 52g carb, 10g protein, 21mg calcium per serving.

Grocery List:

• 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups plain, dry, quick-cooking couscous
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2 tsp. minced lemon zest

Bring broth, lemon juice, and oil to a boil in a saucepan.

Remove from heat; stir in couscous, parsley, zest and salt.

Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a spoon or fork, then ready to serve!

 served with mango-pineapple grilled salmon

Beef and Pineapple Kabobs

I had every intention of making this recipe from - yet again - the Cooking Light Quick and Easy, Low Calorie recipe book, except their version was for pork and pineapple skewers. For the third time in the last month, my grocery store has not had pork tenderloin when I try to find it. I'm sorry, is there a "season" for pork tenderloin??

I look at my list and think to myself: "self, you have two options. Scratch this dinner and go with your plan B of grilled salmon and salad, or, we take the fateful sign of the petite steaks on sale and make something out of these lemons life handed you..." I went for the latter. I ordered up a pound of these little petite top sirloin steaks that were perfect. The butcher man said this is what he preferred to use when he made their kabobs - the beef kabobs Mr. Max and I looooove. Sold.

I planned to use the same ingredients that the pork and pineapple kabobs called for in my beef marinade, I thought I had those ingredients already at home, meaning I did not pick them up at the store. I think you've inferred that this was not the case. So, I created a hodgepodge marinade instead. Meet my ringer ingredients:

The original recipe included mirin and sake, a little tamari - so, of the Asian influence. I took a look at what I had, pulled out everything that made sense - minced ginger, sweet chile sauce, hoisin, tamari (soy sauce) and of course, can't do beef with Worcestershire sauce. See below for approximate measures, but it was very much some of this, a dash of that, all done by taste so that gives you the freedom to create it the way your heart desires.

Grocery List:

• 1 lb. beef tips, sirloin, whatever beef you prefer, cut into 2" cubes
• 1 tsp. minced ginger
• 1/2 cup Tamari
• 2 tbsp. Hoisin
• 1 tbsp. sweet chile sauce
• 2-3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 cups of pineapple chunks, 1" cubes
• skewers (obviously not an "ingredient" but needed)

Start by combining your saucy ingredients in a bowl. Mix it up and test by taste to see what you think you need. 

Now, add the beef chunks and let them soak for at least 30 minutes, stabbing them with a fork a few times to help the marinade penetrate into the beef (at least I like to think that is what happens).

While your meat bathes, peel a red onion and chop it in half, remove the center. Chop it in half again. You will end up with nice chunks of onion, perfect for skewers. Chop them to whatever size you like - this size is my preference.

Begin pre-heating your grill or griddle at this point, spraying well with cooking spray. I griddled it this time. I had bought fresh pre-cut pineapple at Whole Foods, I highly recommend you go the same route to save a lot of time a trouble. Once the onion was cut and the beef was ready, time to begin the skewering. There's no method to this madness, I kept 2-3 onion "rings" together and thread it in the order: onion, pineapple, beef - then repeated, see! (right side was the beginning of the sequence, left side is the sharp skewering end)

This made enough for 3 skewers. If your griddle or grill is hot and ready, on a medium-high heat setting - for apartment cooks, level 6 on your stove dial, place your kabobs on the surface and let cook for about 8 minutes, then flip. As a little tip from me to you, I like to take my Wok pot top and cover the food as it cooks - it fills with steam and helps create a more even-cook throughout the meat, also speeding the process.

and flip...

Once your meat has reached it's desired "doneness", remove from the griddle and serve! I paired with a Sesame Ginger boxed rice and steamed asparagus.

Make a Meal: Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa and Saffron Rice

I came across this pairing in the Cooking Light Quick and Easy Low-Calorie Recipes magazine and had to share! Making both of these together was a 30 minute process which is always a win on a "school night" (we still call it a school night as working adults now, right?). 

We both really enjoyed this meal and added in a pre-made squash dish from Whole Foods that included corn, red onion, poblano pepper and melted cheese. It was exactly like the sweet potato hash I had made with squash instead of sweet potato. I like to cook to the seasons and this felt very summery, with plenty of flavor and freshness. This was my first time to use saffron in a recipe and it takes very little to create big flavor. 

Nutritional facts for chicken: 289 calories, 13.2g fat, 35.6g protein, 6.6g fat, 3.6g fiber, 94mg cholesterol, 1.6mg iron, 29mg calcium per serving (serving size, 1 chicken breast with 1/4 cup of avocado salsa)

Nutritional facts for rice: 196 calories, 0.1g fat, 287mg sodium per serving (serving size 3/4 cup)

Grocery List:
for chicken and salsa:

• 2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
• 2 1/2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. Adobo seasoning
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (again, I used cutlets, then cut them in 1/2 for 4 thin pieces of chicken)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (recipe suggests Plum, I used grape tomatoes to use up what I had)
• 2 tbsp. onion, minced
• Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp.)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 avocado, peeled and finely cubed

for saffron rice:

• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup, uncooked basmati rice
• 2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp. saffron threads

Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl; toss and let stand for about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade and discard the liquids.

Now for the saffron rice: You will want to start the boiling for the rice as the chicken is marinating to time the end result perfectly. Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the diced onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently to keep from burning.

Add basmati brown rice, chicken broth and the saffron threads.

 the saffron threads

Bring all to a boil then cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for 20 minutes.

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees, then heat a grillet (grilling skillet) over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Place the chicken on the grillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, then place in the oven for another 5 minutes. 

 

While your chicken grills, combine your diced tomatoes, onion, lime juice, salt, pepper and avocado into a bowl and stir gently.

Once chicken is cooked through, spoon your salsa over your chicken, fluff your saffron rice with a spoon and you are ready to serve! Garnish with any additional chopped cilantro.

Max and Cheese

I tried to do a play on words there - I may be the only one who thinks it's cute. I'll take that risk, it is my blog. As mentioned in my before post, Max Man took it upon himself to cook us dinner Sunday night. This recipe slightly compromises the posts I try for because it is just in no way, shape or form what any person would consider "healthy". Unless they are from the land of dairy - oh wait, Max is - so this is just perfect.

If you are looking for a really good mac and cheese, without caring where it will all end up (potentially as an additional dimple on your thigh), Max and Cheese is your version! Just kidding... kinda. I was in and out of sleep on the couch as he cooked dinner, but when I was awake, I tried to snap pictures. I couldn't help but laugh as I noticed the difference between his cooking style and mine; Max Man measures out everything, he is so precise, the "baker-style" cook, total left brain driven. It made me smile, and I'd fall asleep again. 

Grocery List:

• Salt
• 8 oz. elbow macaroni
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup freshly shredded Gruyere cheese
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Start by pre-heating oven to 400 degrees then lightly grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large pot, fill with water and salt well, then bring to a boil. Add the macaroni noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

The recipe called for use of a double boiler to heat and melt the cheeses. We did not have a double boiler so Max Man improvised and used a metal bowl that fit perfectly into a pot, leaving plenty of room to boil about 2 inches of water in. Heat this over medium-high heat. Combine the cheddar, 1 cup of Parmesan, Gruyere and cream cheese in the mixing bowl sitting atop the sauce pan. Once the cheeses start to melt, add the cream and stir gently; about 10 minutes total. Once all melted and blended, remove from the heat but keep warm.

Pour the heated water out of the saucepan, then add the butter and melt that over medium heat. Add the garlic and the shallots, cooking for 2 minutes until softened. Add the reserved pasta cooking water over the macaroni noodles in the colander, to help loosen it. Let drain again, then add the noodles to the sauce pan, stirring to coat with butter. Add the cheese sauce and stir well to incorporate it. Look, so creamy!

Season with salt and pepper - then I also added my favorite, Tony's Creole. Transfer to the casserole dish. In a small bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup Parm and the breadcrumbs, using fingers to mix together.

Sprinkle mixture over the pasta and bake uncovered for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

This was a delicious dish, I'm very thankful to have a Mr. Max to step in when I'm feeling down. He did a great job, I should start letting him take over a little more! Served with a simple beef tenderloin fillet, marinated with Whole Food's Theo's Steakhouse Marinade, and a mixed greens salad.

A somber state...

Well, foodie family, it's been a difficult couple of days. What was set to be a weekend of fun and celebration with wedding festivities and visits with close friends was a bit compromised with a devastation. Late Thursday evening my family learned that a family member lost her life as a result of the Alabama tornadoes. The home and surrounding neighborhood was completely flattened and my second cousin, Jennifer, was a victim of the storm. She was only 25, a newlywed, an unsuspecting individual who tried to take cover and did not make it through. It is so hard to wrap my head around these things: the pictures, the growing number of people who lost their lives, the people that have made it through but lost everything they have. Then it really hits home to have a relative I grew up with and so close to in age... a family losing their daughter, sister, niece, cousin, a young man losing his new bride, it really breaks my heart.

I did have uplifting events take place as I mentioned above with a friend's wedding, which brought great friends to town lending the ability to enjoy time with them. I had the chance to spend an entire day with my parents, just being with them, talking with them. I witnessed two sweet friends say their "I do's" and begin a beautiful life together, now as their own family. I spent a lazy Sunday with my best friend, Paige and my Max Man. With all of these ups and downs, I haven't been feeling 100% - the brunt of it I felt on Sunday with sore scratchy throat and that bone-tired feeling where you lack any and all energy. It's like an emotional hangover, a hangover of the heart's sentiments.

I wanted to use this as a way to grieve for my family in Alabama and for all those effected in the south. We learned about Jennifer late Thursday, more details Friday, even more details Saturday - with each day, more to learn and I feel naive, that I take everything in my own life for granted. I have treasured my time with loved ones the last few days, I wanted to soak that time in. Time is precious - time is ticking - time runs out.

Really not feeling up to par Sunday, Mr. Max decided it was his turn in the kitchen and made us dinner. He decided to make my favorite comfort food from scratch with a recipe used in our Central Market cooking school, paired with a salad and a simple pan-seared fillet of beef tenderloin marinated in a steakhouse sauce from Whole Foods. That boy is taking care of me with our mutual love - food.

This macaroni and cheese is awesome, honestly restaurant quality, but here's the catch: it is not healthy. This uses cream cheese and heavy cream (eek! those two being the worst parts), Parmesan, Gruyere and sharp yellow cheddar. Every now and then, in the name of comfort food, our healthy attempts are broken.... but every now and then, I think I'm okay with that.

For some reason, my camera will not download the pictures so the recipe is coming! Stay tuned for Max's Mac and Cheese, along with my Monday night dinner, a cilantro-lime chicken with avocado salsa, saffron rice and spicy black beans.

I do ask that you please lift up the people effected by this tragic series of storms, say a quick prayer as you sit at the stoplight, wash your hair in the shower or as you fall asleep tonight. Pray for their understanding and strength to move on and rebuild. Pray that our nation will focus on the people who need help right now.