Chicken Teriyaki Salad

Yum! I made this salad for a picnic I am going on tomorrow. I did not expect this salad to be nearly as tasty as it was. I am almost disappointed I have to wait until tomorrow to have more than a bite or two. I stumbled upon the original recipe while searching for kid friendly picnic dishes as it is for a 14-year-old. I made a few changes. I used more chicken. I used green beans instead of edamame, less broccoli slaw and nixed the almonds.

Ingredients
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
2 Tbs of olive oil 
1 cup green beans
8 oz broccoli slaw
1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce which was really good!)
1/2 cup rice vinegar

1) Saute the chicken breasts in olive oil, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Set aside.
2) While the chicken is cooking, fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil and then add the green beans. Cook for about 3 minutes, and then transfer them to a bowl filled with ice water. Let them cool off.
3) Chop up the chicken into bite sized cubes and cut the green beans into bite sized pieces
4) Mix the teriyaki and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Add the chicken, broccoli slaw, pineapple and green beans to a medium sized bowl and pour the dressing over it. Cover and let it chill in the fridge. Overnight is best.

*This recipe is gluten free as long as you make sure the teriyaki is gluten free. The Soyaki sauce from Trader Joe's is not gluten free.

Quick & Easy Vegetable Soup

This recipe was inspired by this one from Giada de Laurentis. I doubled it, skipped the crushed red pepper, the beans, and added a lot of vegetables. I made a double batch and froze some of it. I know it is summer, but this is such a quick and easy meal to take to work and if your office is anything like mine, it is frigid in the summer! Feel free to add your own veggies--even frozen ones! It is supposed to be quick and easy. You could also make this meal super inexpensive by using just the marinara, the chicken broth, 1/2 a bag of mixed frozen veggies and the pasta.

Ingredients
1-2 Tbs of EVOO
1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms
2-3 carrots, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 cup chopped green beans
1/2 cup corn
1 cup frozen pearl onions
2 jars of marinara sauce (I use classico)
4 cups of chicken broth
3/4 cup small pasta (I used piccolini spinach and zucchini wheels)
salt & pepper to taste

1) In a large soup pot, heat the EVOO on medium heat. Add the garlic and stir. Quickly add the onion, mushrooms, carrots, celery, green beans and corn. Heat until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are no longer steaming.
2) Add the pearl onions, the marinara sauce and the chicken broth, until simmering.
3) Add the pasta and cook until soft, about 6-7 minutes.

And you're done! Top with Parmesan cheese if you would like. 

Green Eggs & Ham

Actually, they are deviled eggs made with avocado and topped with proschiutto crisps. Happy Easter everyone!

Five Questions to Help You Make Healthier and More Nutritious Food

Do you ever look at a recipe and wonder how you can make it healthier? Do you have an old favorite that you know is just not that awesome for you, but you really want to eat it anyways? Ask yourself these five questions, follow some of the tips I offer, and your favorite recipes could become a lot better for you!

1.      First look at the protein. Can you substitute something leaner?

I have never had an issue subbing ground turkey for ground beef. It is much leaner and you are not going to sacrifice much flavor. Another good substitution is chicken Italian sausage for pork Italian sausage. I recently made that switch in the Martha Stewart recipe. I purchased chicken Italian sausage at Trader Joe’s and just cut it into in half and sliced it. I felt like the soup would have been really greasy had I used Italian sausage, and I don't know about you, but I do not like greasy soup!

Also, do not discount non-meat sources of protein such as nuts, beans and eggs.

2.      Look at the fat used in the recipe. Is there a healthier fat you could use?

Olive oil is almost always better than vegetable oil. Other options are coconut oil and grapeseed oil. The concern with olive oil, especially extra virgin, is that you can’t use it at high temperatures. Buy the light version or non-extra virgin and it can withstand higher temps. Olive oil is full of good healthy fats that are good for your hair and skin.

Another oil that is not so great for you is mayonnaise. Use avocado on your sandwich instead of mayo. Avocado is another food that is full of good healthy fats. If you want to go the fat-free option, you can always check out Rocco’s recipe for “mayo” made of yogurt. I love it and it is such a great option for chicken salad or tuna salad.

Plain Greek yogurt is always a good sub for sour cream and it can be used in a ton of other recipes to make things creamy. Think twice about using heavy cream, half and half and butter and give Greek yogurt a shot.

3.      What kind of veggies does the recipe call for? Are there healthier veggies you could substitute or veggies you think you could add?

Not all vegetables are created equal. Potatoes are really not that awesome for you and I consider them a starch, not a vegetable. Are the potatoes mashed? Maybe try this recipe for mashed cauliflower instead. Another option is replacing them with sweet potatoes which are much healthier for you. Sweet potatoes will change the flavor of the recipe since they are so sweet, but they also might satisfy a craving for starch.

Iceberg lettuce is mostly water and is actually very hard for you to digest. Would romaine, spring mix or spinach work instead?

Can you add a vegetable? Cooked spinach does not have a ton of flavor and can be added to egg dishes, soups and even potatoes for some added nutrition. Why not turn chicken soup into chicken vegetable soup? Is there another vegetable that seems like it would be really good in the salad you are making?

4.      Is there ways to cut sodium in the recipe?

Usually I add about ½ as much salt as the recipe calls for. I figure if I am serving it to anyone else, they can add it themselves. I try to make up for the sodium, by adding spices. If I am making something Mexican, I might add a bit more cumin. If it is Italian I up the garlic and Italian seasoning.

I also avoid store-bought items while cooking. Rather than use store-bought salad dressing, which is full of sodium, sugar and who knows what else, I make my own. Just remember for any vinaigrette, the oil to vinegar ratio should be 3:1. I also make creamier dressing by using Greek yogurt and vinegar. You can add garlic, dried onion, parsley, and parsley to make your own ranch dressing. You can add a bit of lemon, some dill and feta cheese and you have a fantastic Greek style dressing.

You can make your own breadcrumbs, barbeque sauce, teriyaki sauce (I cannot wait to try my friend Robin’s featured here), croutons, spaghetti sauce,  and taco seasoning and you will greatly cut down on the amount of sodium you consume.

5.      Is there a healthier starch to use?

All starches are not created equal. Refined flour is not very good for you. Whole wheat flour contains much more fiber, iron and other good nutrients. So rather than white bread, use whole grain wheat. Use whole wheat pasta rather than the kind made with refined flour.

Brown rice is superior to white, and also contains more fiber and good nutrients. If you are really partial to white rice, they do make a fortified kind, but also remember that it is more processed and I know I prefer food closest to its natural state.

A good rule of thumb is that the deeper in color something is, the better it is for you.

Quinoa is another whole grain alternative to rice and if you live in Minnesota, you can luckily easily purchase wild rice in the grocery store, which is awesome for you!

Salmon with Lemon Zest & Thyme

Brace yourselves, I have an abundance of both salmon and walleye in my freezer, so there is going to be a lot of fish recipes coming up. In an effort to add more fish to my diet, I gladly accepted some walleye that my dad, brother and boyfriend caught while ice fishing and I also split a wholesale share of wild sockeye salmon with my cousin. In this post, I am focusing on salmon.

I love salmon, but eating it regularly is hard on the budget since I do not eat farm-raised salmon (PCBs, unnatural dyes, etc). My parents order salmon from a fisherman who spends part of his year commercial fishing in Alaska and the other part of the year in Duluth, Minnesota. I decided to see if my cousin wanted to order a wholesale share and split it with me, since I do not have room for 22 lbs of salmon in my freezer. I ended up taking 7 lbs of it, and at about $10 a pound, I am saving nearly $5 a pound, as the very same fisherman also supplies the co-op down the block from me, but it is more than $15 a pound!

The salmon comes in huge fillets, which are all over a pound each. It could easily feed a family of four, but since I was sharing it with only one other person, I needed to figure out what to do with the leftover salmon. I ended up baking the whole fillet and then using the rest to make salmon chowder. Both recipes are below.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Lemon Zest & Thyme from Epicurious

1 fillet of salmon (over a pound)

1 ½ Tbs of EVOO

Zest of one lemon

1 Tbs of fresh thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

1)      Preheat oven to 275. Cover a baking sheet in tin foil and spread ½ Tbs of EVOO on the foil. Lay the salmon fillet on the foil.

2)      Combine the lemon zest, thyme and remaining EVOO in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Spread the mixture on the salmon and let it bake for 15-20 minutes in the oven.

Spicy Salmon Chowder from an Alaskan friend

3 Tbs. of butter divided

2 Tbs. of flour

2 1/2-3 cups of milk

2 ½ cups shredded sweet potatoes

¾ cup half & half

½ bag of frozen corn

1 bag of chopped frozen broccoli

One yellow onion, chopped,

2 carrots, chopped and peeled

2 stalks of celery, chopped

About ½ pound of cooked salmon (I used the leftover fillet)

1 Tbs of chopped fresh dill

1 jalapeno, chopped and sautéed in a bit of EVOO (you can do this separately or with the other veggies, but if you do it with the other veggies, the whole soup will be spicy)

1)      In a large stockpot, melt 2 Tbs of butter and then add the flour. Blend together well, until the mixture is golden and bubbly (use medium-low heat). Slowly add in the milk and half& half, whisking regularly. The mixture should get nice and thick. Add the sweet potato and let it simmer.

In the meantime, sautee the remaining vegetables in 1 Tbs of butter. Once they are soft, add them to the milk/half & half mixture. Add the salmon and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Right before it is done, add the dill. Garnish with the chopped and sautéed jalapeno (if you did not cook the jalapeno with the other veggies).

Lifehacker Salad

Do any of you read Lifehacker? It not, they often have great tips on shortcuts you can take in organization, eating and just life in general that save time and make you more efficient.  I got this idea from Lifehacker and it really is a good one.

I love taking salad to work for lunch; however I do not love taking the time to chop veggies and find ingredients the morning before work or the evening before. Additionally, if you do it the evening before, there is a good chance your salad will be wilted and soggy. Following the Lifehacker method, you can make 3-4 days of salads at once and they do not end up soggy and gross. The key is to use a jar and to layer your ingredients correctly. The jar seems to seal better than tupperware and keeping the dressing as far from the lettuce is possible is key to having a fresh salad.

The dressing goes on the bottom. I make my own dressing by using a 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio, and adding flavor enhancing ingredients like salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic, shallots or my favorite herb. Next you want to pick a hearty veggie that can withstand sitting in the dressing such as onions (the dressing will actually take the bite out of the onion), beets, or mushrooms. Oh, and if you use beets, there is a good chance every ingredient in your salad will turn pink/purple. The order of the middle ingredients is less important, but your lettuce should be at the very top, as far from the dressing as possible. I also like to put the protein closer to the top as the dressing can break down the proteins, which will effect taste and appearance. It also looks like I don’t have a lot of spinach, but you can really pack it in there and it actually is a lot of spinach as you can tell from the salad in the bowl. When you want to eat your salad, just turn it upside down. The dressing will come down, coating your ingredients. You may need to use a fork or knife to ease the salad out. If the salad is going to be my entire lunch, I make sure to add some protein like hard-boiled eggs or quinoa.

Anyways, the Lifehacker method to making salads is a clear winner in my book. I do not get sick of them because I can make a different salad each week. I do all the veggie chopping at once, so it does not have to be a daily chore. It also is incredibly healthy, especially if you make your own dressing. I can’t wait to have my Lifehacker salad for lunch.

Meatball Stew

Well, lucky cable-free me had the opportunity to get a Food Network fix this weekend. After watching Rachael Ray, Barefoot Contessa and Pioneer Woman, it was Giada de Laurentis' cooking that caught my eye. She made this delicious looking meatball stew and I could hardly wait for the opportunity to make it for myself. It tasted just as good as it looked.  Verdict: Definitely something I will make again.

Here is my take on the recipe:

Ingredients for the Meatballs
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
4 Tbs of water
8 oz of ground turkey
2 Italian sausage links (casing removed)
1 egg
1 Tbs of Italian parsley
1/4 tsp of Kosher salt
1/4 tsp of ground pepper
1/4 cup of flour
2 Tbs of EVOO


Ingredients for the Stew
2 Tbs of EVOO
1 small onion, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, cut into slices
1/4 tsp of Kosher salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
8 oz mushrooms, quartered
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper
1 russet potato, cut into chunks (or a sweet potato)
1 cup of frozen green beans

1) In a medium sized bowl, take the bread crumbs and water and stir together until well-mixed. Add the other meatball ingredients, mixing well. As gross as it might be to you, I recommend using your hands. It worked much better than the fork I was attempting to use.

2) Sprinkle flour on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Form meatballs with the mixture--they should be slightly smaller than a ping pong ball (about 3 Tbs each). Place the meatballs on the baking sheet. You should get about 12-16 meatballs. Roll them in the flour until they are covered.

3) In a large skillet, heat the EVOO. Add the meatballs spacing them around the pan and cooking until they are browned on all sides. When they are browned set aside.

4) Add 2 Tbs of EVOO to the skillet and then the onions and the red peppers.  Cook until they are soft and then add the salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and the mushrooms.  Cook about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are no longer steaming.

5) Add the potato, green beans, the tomatoes and the chicken broth. Simmer about 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.

If I were to do this recipe again, I would definitely use sweet potato in place of the russett potato. I also would consider serving over a smaller pasta like shells or macaroni and using artichoke hearts in place of the potato.  Nevertheless, this was the perfect meal for a cold winter evening. Thanks Giada!