Asian Noodle Veggie Bowl

A few months ago, I stumbled across the Minimalist Baker (thanks Pinterest!) and fell in love with her recipes, her photography, and the good food. I don't love everything - she's vegan and I am most definitely not - but I do like that her goal is to use as few ingredients as possible and I appreciate the effort she puts into creating really great, healthy, filling food. This recipe popped up a few months ago, and it joined the many other recipes of hers on my pinterest page, until I decided to try it this week. Holy Deliciousness, Batman. This is going in the permanent rotation!

Ingredients:
Thin rice noodles*
1 chicken breast
green onions
1 med-lg carrot
several basil leaves**
2 tsp sesame seeds
(Dressing Ingredients)
1 Tlbs black sesame oil
1 Tlbs honey
1 Tlbs peanut butter
2 tsp tamari soy sauce
1 tsp-ish of lime juice
1/4 tsp chili sauce
1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger

*I bought these at Uwajimaya. I can't read the instructions. But it's cool. =) These would work too, and you can get them at most traditional grocery stores. Use about a handful.
**I have a deep and abiding love for basil, and I usually triple it, at a minimum. I used probably 10-12 large leaves for this recipe.

Directions:
Heat up the grill, and put the chicken on it when it's hot. While it is grilling, boil some water and put the rice noodles in a dish that is deep enough for them to be covered. When the water is boiling, pour the water over the top of the noodles and without stirring, let them sit for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the carrot into matchsticks and chop the basil. Then whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside. By this time the chicken should be done, so let it rest, then cube it. By this time the noodles should be cooked, so rinse them with cold water and let them drain. This recipe makes two servings, so split the noodles, carrots, basil, chicken and green onions between the two bowls. Drizzle the dressing over the top of the ingredients and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

This is DELICIOUS and super fast. If I hadn't had to cook the chicken, it would have come together in ten minutes, a lovely end to a really busy day. In addition, it was really filling and tasted great. I didn't deviate much from the original recipe, but it would be delicious with edamame or fresh snow peas. In addition, I added sesame seeds to the recipe above because I thought it sounded good, but it wasn't part of the original recipe and I didn't put them in this time.

Rating? 5/5
Why? Fast, healthy, and delicious. Perfect.

Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Alfredo

I'm still not sure how I feel about goat cheese, but this type of recipe leans me in a more positive feeling direction. And, it is really, really fast, perfect for days like today when your staff meeting runs long. Original recipe here, but I did make several changes.

Ingredients:
whole wheat linguine*
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
4-5 small cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 cup non-fat milk
4 oz herbed goat cheese
2/3 cup grated parmesan
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small jar artichoke hearts**, rinsed and drained
1 cup peas**
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken**

Directions:
Cook the linguine to al dente, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a non-stick pan, and saute the garlic and onion for 5 minutes or so. Mix the Greek yogurt and milk together to the texture you want, then add the yogurt mixture and goat cheese to the pan. Turn the heat to low, and toss until everything is smooth and melted. Put the yogurt and onion mixture in the food processor, along with the parmesan and red peppers, but put the pan back on the stove, and turn the heat back up to medium. Saute the peas, artichoke hearts, and chicken for a few minutes while you process the yogurt and onion mixture until it is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste (it took about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper for me). Toss it with the linguine and artichoke hearts, peas, and chicken, and garnish with basil before serving.

* I used between 1/3 and 1/2 of a box and it was enough for half of this recipe. I like my pasta pretty saucy (ha!), so make more or less as you desire. I am guessing this sauce would freeze really well also.
**these are optional ingredients

I really liked this, and will probably make it again, for several reasons. I think this could be really versatile, for one. It seems like any soft cheese would work well in this recipe, so if goat cheese isn't your thing, try something else. Secondly, you could add any vegetables you like. I bet this would be really good with asparagus. Also, it is really fast. It took me 15 minutes from start to finish (although my chicken was already cooked). In addition, while I really don't use a lot of canned foods anymore, this recipe lends itself to using healthy canned foods like roasted red peppers (a giant pain to make on my own), and asparagus hearts (also a giant pain to access from a raw asparagus). And finally, this is a large recipe, so it would be easy to cut in half, or freeze for later. As is, it made enough for my dinner and probably 3 lunches, and I only used half of the sauce.

Rating: 4.5/5
Why? I think the sauce needed basil, which I guess would make it closer to this red pepper pesto, but I just think it needed something. Next time!!

Creamy Garlic Pasta

This pasta should be called "Holy Cow Amazing Garlic Pasta" but that's a bit of a mouthful, although very descriptive. This will definitely be made again and again. But how could it not be amazing when the original recipe comes from a blog called the cheese pusher? I did make some tweaks to her recipe, as I'm pretty sure it would have been approximately 1000 calories per bite, but still.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
4-6 garlic cloves
1 tlbs butter
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 box whole wheat linguine
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1-2 Tlbs chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Mince the garlic cloves while warming the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic cloves for 1-2 minutes, then melt the butter in the pan. When the butter is melted, add the salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Turn the temperature up to medium-high, then bring it to a boil. Add the linguine, and let it boil until it is cooked. Keep a close eye on the pasta, as it can easily burn with this little liquid. When the pasta is cooked, turn the temperature down to medium-low, and stir in the parmesan until it's totally melted. Take the pan off the burner and stir in the Greek yogurt and the parsley.

Seriously, this is amazing. My cats BOTH came and whined by the kitchen wanting some of this, and it's unbelievable. I did cut her recipe in half, changed the heavy cream to Greek yogurt, changed the regular pasta to whole wheat pasta, reduced the salt, doubled the garlic, and increased the chicken broth.

Rating - 5/5
Why? Super easy, super tasty, and keeps the vampires away. ;)

Chicken Pasta with Buttery Lemon Sauce

I tend to like slightly tart food more than really spicy food (although I will NEVER turn down good Mexican food...) but I wasn't sure about this recipe at first. I was wrong. This is really good, and better than that, really fast. Original recipe here, but I've made several changes.

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
1 cup whole wheat rotini pasta
1/3-1/2 lb asparagus, 1.5" lengths
1 cup frozen peas
1 Tlbs butter
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1.25 cups chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
juice of half a lemon (1-2 Tlbs)
dash of salt
1/4-1/2 tsp ground pepper
dash of red pepper flakes

Saute the chicken in a skillet (or grill it if you are lucky enough to have one of those), then set it aside. Meanwhile, boil the pasta. During the last two minutes, toss in the asparagus and the peas, then drain and set it aside. When the chicken is done, put the butter in the pan and saute the garlic for a minute or so. Mix the chicken broth and cornstarch together, then add it to the pan. Bring it to a boil, then let it thicken, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Take the mixture off the heat, and mix the yogurt, lemon, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes together. Add the yogurt mixture to the garlic/broth mixture, and stir to combine. Pour the sauce over the pasta, peas and asparagus. Top with grated parmesan and serve with chicken (this makes two servings).

This was really good and definitely kicky. Also, it is ridiculously fast. Including grilling the chicken, it took me about 20 minutes from prep to serve....just the kind of meal I like after a day of school and meetings. Changes I made were to change the heavy cream to Greek yogurt, increase the amount of sauce and decrease the amount of pasta, increased the amount of pepper and decreased the amount of lemon and salt, and dramatically increased the amount of garlic (although I did have small cloves...there was probably 1 Tlbs chopped).

Rating - 4.5/5
Why? Despite all the changes (I made this on Saturday night with a friend too), I still think it is a little too lemony (I reduced the amount of lemon above). However I do love that it is sooooo fast and easy, relatively healthy, and very filling.

Roasted Red Pepper Penne

I may have mentioned my love of basil here before, but seriously, I LOVE basil. I don't have much planting space - just a little balcony - but I am planning on planting only basil this year. Otherwise, I spend $4 a week on a 6 oz box of organic basil at Safeway, and I use all of it each week. So this recipe has become an instant favorite, as it incorporates a full cup of basil as well as another favorite, red peppers. Original recipe from here (via pinterest, of course), but I have changed it a bit to make it a little healthier.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups penne pasta
1/8 cup olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves
1/3 cup pine nuts
2-3 chopped roma tomatoes
1/3 cup grated parmesan
1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the pine nuts and heat for another 1-2 minutes. Put the oil, garlic, and pine nuts into a food processor, then toss the tomatoes into the warm pan and let them break down just slightly (1-2 minutes, tops). Back at the food processor, pulse the warm oil mixture. Then add the parmesan and pulse again, then add the bell peppers, basil, salt and pepper and pulse until smooth. I like mine a little creamy, so I add a little Greek yogurt and milk, then pour it over the cooked and drained pasta. Stir it all together, then stir in the chicken and tomatoes. Top with chopped basil and parmesan cheese and serve.

Seriously, this stuff is awesome. And if your chicken is already cooked, it comes together in about 20 minutes. I love how much basil is in this (of course) and since I use whole wheat pasta, it is really filling. In the original recipe, she used cream instead of Greek yogurt and milk, and used 1/3 cup of oil, but I hate oily pesto and so I cut it down significantly. I also sometimes throw in a dash of hazelnut oil just for kicks, but that isn't really necessary.

Rating? 5/5
Why? It's simple, delicious, and filling.

Three Cheese Stuffed "Shells"

Today it was supposed to snow, but didn't, but it will be Snowmageddon tomorrow, or something...anyway, it's cold and what was on the menu for tonight didn't sound appetizing, so I made something more cheesy. I had to modify several things, but the original recipe is from Clean Eating. Sorry for the crappy picture.

Sauce Ingredients:
3 cups chopped tomatoes
12 oz roasted red bell peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed whole parsley, roughly chopped

Shell Ingredients:
2 cups of corn, divided
9 whole wheat lasagna noodles*
1.5 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
4 oz goat cheese**
2 Tlbs chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated mozzarella

Directions:
Mix all the sauce ingredients except the parsley in a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, then toss it into the food processor and puree it. Spoon one cup or so into the bottom of a 9x9 pan, then set the rest aside. Meanwhile, boil the noodles until al dente, then set them aside as well. Mix 1.5 cups of corn, the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, parsley, egg, and black pepper in a bowl. Lay out a noodle, and spoon about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture on it. Roll it up, then put it in the pan. Repeat until you have 9 rolled packets. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the top, then the rest of the corn, and top with the mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.

*This is supposed to be stuffed shells, but whole wheat shells are impossible to find, even here in Seattle. The only place I could find them was on amazon.

**I accidentally got peppadew, having never had goat cheese before. I figured it would go well with this recipe so I didn't really worry about it.

The original recipe called for mint in the cheese filling, which was just weird, and I didn't feel like buying it just for this recipe, so I skipped it. Other than that I followed the recipe pretty closely, except for replacing the shells with lasagna noodles and the plain goat cheese with peppadew. Also, I finally figured out where the roasted peppers are in the store (with the condiments??), so I can use them in other recipes that call for them. They gave a different taste to the sauce, that's for sure.

Rating: 4.5/5
Why? This has the cheesy comfort-food taste that I crave sometimes when it's cold outside, but with a definitely spicy twist that is a little unexpected. I wish that I could find the shells though.

Sauteed Chicken and Tomato Linguine

I think basil might be my favorite flavor. I generally put 3-4 times as much as the recipe calls for and just love it. I originally saw this recipe on pinterest (or internet crack, as I like to call it), and followed the original pretty closely. I think I might try smashing the tomatoes next time, but other than that it was pretty good as-is.

Ingredients;

3 ounces whole wheat linguine
1 chicken breast, cubed
dried oregano
dried basil
pepper
1.5 cups grape tomatoes, halved*
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
10-15 leaves of basil, chopped
grated parmesan

Cook the linguine, then set it aside. Meanwhile, season the chicken with the oregano, basil, and pepper, then saute it in a pan on medium high heat. When it is done, set it aside, then saute the garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then turn the heat to medium low, add the tomatoes and saute for 3-4 minutes more. When they are done, turn off the burner, add the chicken, fresh basil, and linguine, and toss it together. Top with grated parmesan and serve.

I really liked this. It is (of course) strongly flavored with basil, and I really like the simplicity of the sauceless linguine. In the original recipe, she added a little bit of salt, and I did too, but I think I will leave it off next time (which is why it isn't listed above). In addition, she used spaghetti, which I didn't have, but I like linguine better anyway, so that's ok. Also, she cut the tomatoes in half, and I think I might try smashing them next time, there's something about the texture that I like.

Rating 4.5/5
Why? It's easy to make but I wish there was a way to avoid cooking everything separately.

Chicken Carbonara

This is suprisingly easy to make, and has some surprising (for me) ingredients. The original recipe is from Clean Eating, but I have modified it.

1 chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 cloves minced garlic
2-3 oz whole wheat spaghetti
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 egg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a medium skillet, cook the chicken and minced garlic until it's finished, then set it aside in a covered bowl...it needs to stay warm. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water and steam the carrots and broccoli until the color gets bright, but they are still crunchy. When the pasta is almost done, add the peas and peppers for the last couple of minutes. While you are waiting, add the egg, parmesan and black pepper to the bowl with the chicken and stir to combine. Add the steamed vegetables, drain the pasta, and add the pasta as well. Toss everything well and serve immediately.

I had no idea that the magic ingredient in Carbonara was raw egg, although the heat of the cooked vegetable and chicken cooks the egg enough to be safe. The original recipe called for a package of frozen mixed vegetables, but those always have way too many mushrooms and not nearly enough peppers, so I make my own vegetable mix, and add more than the recipe calls for. It also called for 1/4 cup of the pasta water to be added to the mix, but I forgot to do it. When I have made this prevously and remembered the water, it makes it just slightly more creamy.

This comes together incredibly fast, so I recommend making sure everything is cut and measured ahead of time. It is important that the chicken and vegetables are hot when you add the egg, so cover them until you are ready to add it. Also, this does not microwave well as leftovers, so try to make it work for the number of people you are feeding. I haven't managed to make it work for one person yet, so I deal with slightly scrambled eggs mixed in with my leftovers.

Rating - 4/5
Why? I can't make a one serving portion. But it's easy to make and tastes delicious.

Cod Manicotti Wraps

This was on the front cover of the latest Clean Eating magazine and it looked so good I knew I would be making it. The problem was finding whole wheat lasagna noodles, I ended up going to three stores before finding some. This is messy to make but is really good, so it's worth it.

olive oil
3-4 green onions
8 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 carrot, peeled and grated
8-10 oz cod*
4 oz neufchatel cheese
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp chopped dill
1/8 tsp salt
2 oz shredded mozz

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 9x9 cooking pan with olive oil and set it aside. Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of water. While they are cooking, rinse the onions, then slice them LENGTHWISE, to make long strands. Make sure you have at least 8 long strands. During the last 90 seconds of cooking, add the onion strands. Take the noodles and onions off the burner, drain, and set aside to cool. Cover the pot with a lid to keep the noodles pliable. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, mist with olive oil, then cook the fish until opaque and flaky. Set it aside to cool slightly. In a medium saucepan, mix the neufchatel cheese, skim milk and dill. Heat over low heat, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the mozz, and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and bechamel is smooth. Take it off the burner and set aside half of the cheese mixture. Shred the fish with a fork, then add the fish and the carrots to the remaining cheese mixture and mix together. Take one of the lasagna noodles, put about 2 Tlbs of the fish bechamel sauce mixture on one end, and roll it up gently. Tie one of the green onions around it to keep it closed. Continue doing this until all the mixture and noodles are used. As you wrap them, place them in the 9x9 pan close together. Pour the remaining bechamel sauce over the top, and add the rest of the mozz. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly toasted.

*I use cod because I like it and it is one of the few white fishes I can find that is caught wild. The magazine recommends tilapia, but ever since I saw 40 tilapia jammed in a tank at a local store, I can't bring myself to buy farmed fish.

This was a bit of a process to make, but really didn't take that long to put together. In the future, I will probably not use the green onions as I really didn't care for the texture when they were cooked. You could probably use a toothpick or something to keep it together, although they were close enough together in the pan that you really wouldn't need it.

Rating: 4.5/5
Why? Although it is messy to assemble, it is really good and very filling.

Shrimp Amatriciana

To say I've recently fallen off the healthy eating train would be the equivalent of saying that teenagers are occasionally obnoxious - a shocking understatement. This recipe is the perfect step to get back on the train. According to tradition, it is an ancient Roman recipe created by poor shepherds, and has only 4 ingredients, although this history is hotly debated. Wherever it came from, it is incredibly simple and extremely delicious. The original recipe is from allrecipes.com, but I changed several ingredients.

2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can stewed tomatoes
10 medium shrimp, roughly chopped
2-3 oz pasta
3 leaves chopped basil
grated Parmesan

Spray a skillet or flat saucepan with olive oil. Saute the onions and bacon together for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for about a minute, then add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then add the shrimp. Simmer for 7-8 minutes. While it is simmering, cook the pasta. Drain, then top the pasta with the tomato mixture, then garnish with the basil and Parmesan.

In the original recipe, there was no shrimp, less red pepper, and the basil was mixed in with the tomato sauce. I felt the need for more protein, so I added the shrimp, and I forgot to add the basil until the dish was already plated, so I just tossed it on top. The original recipe also called for the bacon to be raw, cooked in the pan, and use the grease to cook the onions. I cook an entire package of turkey bacon at a time and keep it in the freezer and I also shred and freeze Parmesan, so I changed that part of the recipe as well.

Rating: 5/5
Why? This was filling, delicious, nutritious, easy and tasty. A complete winner!!

Saffron Rotini

I have to admit, there is a lot of new ingredients for me in this recipe, but I wanted to be brave. In addition, someone gave me some saffron, which was nice, and I had some goat cheese left over from a different recipe that I wanted to use, so it worked out well. I am not normally a fan of cooked carrots (although I love them raw) but I have been trying to eat them occasionally. The original recipe is from Clean Eating.

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tsp arrowroot

1/4 tsp crushed saffron threads

1/2 Tlbs olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

8 oz whole wheat rotini

1 cup peas

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/2 Tlbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

Put the chicken broth, arrowroot and saffron together in a small bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Shake it up and let it sit until you are ready, but shake it up again before using it. In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and let it cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often. Shake, then add the chicken broth mixture and turn the pan up to high(ish). Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring often, and it will also thicken slightly. Take it off the burner, cover the pan and let the mixture sit for ten minutes or so. While you are letting the sauce rest, boil water and then add the noodles and the carrots. Add the peas with just a couple of minutes left to cook and when the noodles are done, drain everything. Toss the sauce and the goat cheese in with the pasta. Garnish with parsley before serving.

I like goat cheese but am still getting used to the stronger flavor. Also, this didn't look quite like the picture, the cheese in the picture remained crumbly, whereas when I mixed the cheese in tonight it melted. This was also good, but changed the texture. It was easy and came together quickly, which is always a positive.

Rating: 4/5

Why? goat cheese is a strong flavor and I am not sure how I feel about it yet.

Beef Stroganoff

You may have noticed that I do not cook any proteins other than chicken and fish. I grew up eating beef more than any other meat, but in college mostly stopped eating beef, and other than the occasional hamburger, I haven't returned to the Land of Beef. However, this recipe in Clean Eating for beef stroganoff reminded me of some things I used to like about it, so I decided to give it a shot.

1.5 cups whole wheat egg noodles
4.5 tsp evoo (divided)
2 Tlbs whole wheat flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup Greek yogurt at room temp
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp low-sodium Tamari soy sauce
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley
4 oz filet mignon, cut into chunks
1 shallot, chopped

I prepped everything ahead of time for this recipe because it comes together really fast. Cook noodles according to directions. While they are cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. In a pan, heat 3 tsp of oil over medium heat. When it is warm, stir in the flour, whisking constantly. After a minute or so, slowly pour in the broth, while continuing to whisk. Bring the broth/flour mixture to a simmer, then turn it down to low, still whisking until it thickens. Remove it from the heat, and stir in the Greek yogurt, mustard, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and parsley. Then cover it and set it aside. In a non-stick skillet, heat the remaining 1.5 tsp of oilve oil over medium heat. When it is hot, toss in the shallot,  and let it saute for a couple of minutes. Then toss in the beef and let it cook. When the beef is done, put it in the sauce, then pour it over the noodles.

The sauce is completely amazing. I love the sauce. However, the beef was extremely tough. I totally failed on that front. I did notice when I read the recipe again that I was supposed to cut it into strips instead of chunks, so maybe that would help. Also, I have no idea how to pick out beef, so that could have been the problem as well. Or possibly it would have helped to cook it low and slow. I honestly don't know. I will try this again because the sauce is delightful.

Other changes - the original recipe called for beef broth but they didn't have low-sodium beef broth at the grocery store so I used chicken instead. I also didn't include the mushrooms because I hate them, and I cut the salt in half.

Rating: 4/5
Why? The AMAZING sauce mostly made up for the tough beef, and I only have myself to blame for the beef, so I gave it a higher score. It is good enough to try again.

Asian Pasta Vegetable Salad

Alternative title: In Which I Learn My Lesson About Tight-Fitting Lids.

I love crunchy food, or food with lots of texture. I also love Asian food, bell peppers, and pasta, so basically this is the perfect recipe. I used this recipe from allrecipes.com as a place to start, but did make several changes based on the comments attached to the recipe. This is an excellent recipe to make and leave in the fridge for a super easy lunch.

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup low-sodium tamari soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp black sesame oil
3 Tlbs sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Salad:
4 cups of whole wheat spirals
1-2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 small carrot, julienned
3/4 cup green peas
2 Tlbs sliced green onions
1/4 cup cilantro

Mix all the salad ingredients together in a bowl with a TIGHT-FITTING LID. This is important. Very important. Then mix all the salad dressing ingredients together in a jar or something else with a tight-fitting lid. Again, quite important. Shake the salad dressing thoroughly until it is all mixed together very well, then pour the dressing over the salad. Seal the bowl and shake it well to coat the salad thorougly and mix all the ingredients. You can eat it warm, but it is pretty awesome cold.

In case you haven't gathered, it is very important to have a container with a tight-fitting lid. I know this, since mine was not, and when I shook the bowl, I decorated my kitchen with a large collection of spots. The oil-base of the dressing will get everywhere if you aren't careful. Other changes...the original recipe recommended using pasta bows, but I couldn't find a whole-wheat pasta version of this so I used spirals instead. You do need a pasta that will hold the dressing. One reviewer recommended adding water chestnuts, and I meant to do that, but forgot, so I would like to try that next time. Also, I seasoned the chicken slightly with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper before I baked and shredded it.

Rating 4.5/5
Why? It is a little oily, I want to cut down on the dressing-pasta ratio next time. Also there are a LOT of sesame seeds in this. But it is super easy to make and quite delicious as a left-over.

Four Cheese Ravioli

When I was growing up, ravioli was one of the things that we got as a treat on special occasions. My mom would get one of the giant cans from Chef Boyardee, add some cheese, and bake it in the oven. When I got older, I realized how unhealthy that stuff was, and what was more, how slimy the pasta was, and stopped eating it altogether. Then while reading a book called Cook This, Not That I found a recipe for ravioli and realized how easy it would be to make my own. This recipe is loosely based on that recipe.

1 package round wonton wrappers
16 oz ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated mozzarella
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg white
1 Tlbs milk

In a bowl mix the ricotta, mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, and garlic powder together. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and milk together. Take one of the wonton wrappers and put a small amount of the cheese mixture on one half of the wrapper. Make sure to leave 1/2" or so of free space around the edge of the wrapper. It takes some practice to get the amount right. I would say 2 tsp or so of the mixture, or an amount no larger than the size of a small super ball. Form it to make a half circle shape within your wonton wrapper. Then, using a small paintbrush, paint the edge of the wonton wrapper with the egg white mixture and fold over the wrapper so that you now have a closed half circle. Press the two edges together, using the egg white mixture as the "glue" that holds the two halves together. Make sure to press firmly and seal it completely from end to end. Then repeat until either your cheese mixture or your wonton wrappers are gone.

This is the perfect recipe to make and freeze. There is a bit of work that goes into assembling the ravioli, but to make it from frozen takes me exactly 5 minutes from freezer to plate. To freeze the ravioli, spray a cookie sheet with olive oil and lay the finished ravioli on the pan as you make them. Freeze them for half an hour, then lift them off the sheet, throw them into a ziploc bag, and put them in the freezer. To cook them, slide the desired amount into boiling water for about 2 minutes, then top with your desired sauce. Including the time to boil the water, it takes no more than 5 minutes. Perfect. It is important not to overcook the ravioli or the edges will come unsealed and then you have a mess, so keep a close eye on them. I would say between 1.5 and 2 minutes at the outside, if you put them into boiling water.

Although I haven't yet done it, I think this would be a great recipe to easily modify. It would be really easy to disguise steamed cauliflower (which I hate) or mushrooms (ew) or even good stuff like broccoli in these babies and no one would be the wiser. I do wish I could find whole wheat wonton wrappers, but this is still so much healthier and delicious than the canned version that I really don't mind.

Rating: 4/5
Why? This is a time-consuming recipe to put together. It takes about an hour or so, depending on how fast you are, to make an entire batch. However, when you are done, you have a large amount of ravioli that will last for months in the freezer, and if you keep the pasta sauce on hand, you have a dinner that takes less time than ordering a pizza and is far healthier. I think 4-5 of these would make one serving, topped with 1 cup or so of the tomato pasta sauce.

Cheese and Corn Lasagna

I think lasagna is one of the most comforting of comfort foods. And living in Washington, it can get pretty cold and dreary, one of the main causes of needing comfort foods in the first place. Being a teacher provides the rest of the motivation. =) This recipe is my own, very loosely based on what my mom used to make when I was little.

This is the recipe for an 8x8 or 9x9 pan

6 whole wheat lasagna noodles
8 oz low fat ricotta cheese
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese
1.5 cups fresh or frozen corn
1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

Prepare the noodles according to the directions on the package. Make the sauce by combining the tomato sauce, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. If desired, you can do this over medium heat for 15 minutes or so. Spray the pan with olive oil. Spread 2 of the noodles with the ricotta cheese and lay them in the pan. There should be some extra of each of the noodles, cut it off and use it for the third row in your pan. Spread a thin layer of the sauce on top of the noodles, then 1/3 of the cheddar cheese. On top of that, put 1/2 cup of corn, then 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the process twice more, for three total layers. On top of the last layer, sprinkle the parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

I love this recipe but have to be careful not to eat the entire pan in one sitting. =) I have tried to clean it up with the whole wheat noodles, corn and low-fat cheeses, but it is not entirely healthy even so. I do not use the pre-cooked noodles for this reason, even though they are easier, they are not nearly as healthy as the whole wheat ones. I also make my own sauce to cut down on the not-so-great stuff, but you could use jarred pasta sauce if you wanted to. It would also be easy to add ground turkey, steamed broccoli, or other additions if you wanted to do so.

Rating: 5/5
Why? It's the perfect comfort food. 'Nuff said.

Chicken Alfredo

I love cream sauces, but try to stay away from them as they are generally full of fat. But in the September/October 2010 Clean Eating issue there was a recipe for Alfredo Cream Sauce, so I decided to give it a shot.

2 handfuls of whole wheat pasta (I used spirals)
1 chicken breast
1.5 cups non-fat milk
3 tsp arrowroot
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions and grill the chicken (I did mine on the stovetop on medium heat). When the chicken is about halfway done, start the sauce. Whisk together the milk and the arrowroot and warm it over medium heat until it starts to thicken. It took me about 5 minutes or so. Then turn the heat to medium low, add in the nutmeg and the pepper and stir to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and continue stirring until it is mostly melted. Add the yogurt and continue stirring for 1-2 minutes more until everything is smooth. By this time the chicken should be done. You can either add the chicken into the sauce, or put the chicken on top of the pasta. Also, you can stir the sauce and the pasta together or you can pour the sauce over the pasta.

I had some trouble finding arrowroot, so the first time I made this I used cornstarch instead. I like it a little better with the arrowroot, but the difference is minimal. It works just fine with cornstarch. although you may need to adjust the amount a little bit. This recipe starts out a bit oddly, since the milk and the arrowroot frothed up as I stirred it. But as soon as I added the nutmeg it calmed right down. Which brings me to my next comment...I never knew that nutmeg was the flavor in Alfredo sauce!

Rating - 4.5/5
Why? This tastes pretty close to the real thing, in my opinion, although the texture is just a little different. Good with chicken, and would also be really good with broccoli.

Baked Mac & Cheese

Sorry for the lack of posting over the last week, it was Homecoming Week at school and I didn't cook so much as forage.

This recipe is one from Clean Eating that I make at least 2-3 times a month. It takes only slightly more prep time than traditional boxed mac and cheese, is super easy and is amazingly delicious. I will never make mac and cheese from a box again.

2 cupped handfuls of whole wheat pasta, something like shells, elbow macaroni, or spirals

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 pinch of sea salt

1.5 cups milk

grated sharp cheddar
grated low-fat Swiss
1/8 cup dried breadcrumbs

1/8 cup grated parmesan

Cook the pasta, drain it and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 375 and spray olive oil in a medium size casserole dish. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm the milk, flour, and oil. When the milk mixture is warm, add the Swiss cheese and stir until smooth (1-2 minutes). When the Swiss is completely incorporated, add the cheddar cheese and stir until smooth (30 seconds-1 minute). It is really important to stir the sauce constantly, and it comes together really fast, so don't try and cook the pasta at the same time. When the sauce is done, add it to the pasta, and mix it together. Put it in the casserole dish, mix the parmesan and breadcrumbs together, and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the pasta mixture. Bake it covered for 10 minutes, remove the top and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.

In the original recipe it calls for panko breadcrumbs and brown rice flour, but I only had regular breadcrumbs and can't find brown rice flour, so I replaced them.

Rating - 5/5
Why? Once I tasted these, I will never eat boxed macaroni and cheese again. This is almost as easy to make, tastes better, has so many fewer calories and a tenth of the sodium, and no chemicals.

Penne with Chicken in Lemon-Cheese Sauce

Holy Moley, I want to put this sauce on EVERYTHING. I don't remember where this recipe came from, I got it from a roommate's cookbook in college I think.

3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/8 cup non fat sour cream
1/8 cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 tsp dill
a little pepper
olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cupped hands of penne
1 chicken breast cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 small yellow squash, sliced about 1/4" thick
2 cups green beans (original recipe called for asparagus, but I didn't have any)
1/4 cup chicken broth

In a food processor (or blender), blend the cottage cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream, parmesan, lemon juice (then pick out all the lemon seeds your dropped in it....oh....that's just me?), lemon zest, dill and black pepper and process again until it's smooth.

In a saute pan, saute the onion on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken and saute for another 4-5 minutes. Then add the vegetables and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender (5 minutes or to taste).

Add the pasta and lemon cheese sauce to the chicken and vegetable mixture and toss to coat.

rating - 4.5/5
Why? only because I think it would have been better with asparagus rather than green beans. The sauce is like 18 stars out of 5. Holy cow,  I want to put it on everything. Seriously, I may be putting it on my cereal in the morning.