Avocado Pesto Grilled Cheese with Bacon, by Diane

I was watching an episode of Eat Street, and a segment of a food truck called Food Farm making this amazing grilled cheese sandwich came on. This is the exact sandwich I saw, and I immediately got up to make it. Not only is it quick, easy, and filling, but it is really one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever tasted. I would never think to put these ingredients together, and yet they work perfectly with one another. I'm not even a big gouda fan, but I wouldn't replace it for anything else! Craving another tonight!!


Ingredients:

2 slices thick whole wheat bread
Arugula walnut pesto (see below)
2 slices gouda cheese
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 slices bacon


Pesto (makes more than one sandwich):

1/2 cup walnuts
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
900 grams arugula
1/2 cup basil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup olive oil
Salt


Directions:

1. Fry the bacon until crispy.

2. While the bacon cooks, combine walnuts, lemon zest, garlic and cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add remaining pesto ingredients, and process until smooth. 

3. Spread the pesto on each slice of bread, top with one slice cheese each. Place face up onto griddle/pan and cover until cheese is melted and bread is toasty.

4. Remove the sandwich from the pan, add bacon and avocado slices to one side and close. Press together until the cheese seals the sandwich.

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos, by Diane

Lately with trying to eat healthier and include dishes that are nutrient-rich, I've come up with a lot of spins on my regular dinner favorites. Mexican is my favorite food, but many dishes are fried or laden with fat and flour and red meat. So I found this recipe on Cooking Light (http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/blackened-tilapia-baja-tacos-50400000110429/) as part of an article for healthy fish tacos. I've actually never had a fish taco before, despite all my time in California where they are hugely popular and my love for mexican. I only recently attempted to try fish other than canned tuna fish for the first time. But this recipe had enough spices and flavors that I figured the taste of the fish wouldn't be a problem for me! Plus, it used tilapia which is a very mild fish that I've tried once before.

Typically fish tacos on the east coast (and even some on the west coast) are battered and fried, and topped with some sort of chipotle aioli (mayo sauce). With this cooking light recipe, I seared and blackened the fish, had a sauce of reduced fat sour cream but loaded with cilantro, red onion, and lime juice (I omitted the jalapeno), and swapped high cal low nutrient flour tortillas for corn ones, all of which increased the flavor so much that you could never miss the fat and calories. Overall, I was really surprised at how the flavors compensated for the light nature of the taco, and how well those flavors blended together! This was a great weeknight dinner, took under 15 minutes total, and was both satisfying and delicious without making you feel that fullness you typically get from tacos. Plus the toppings have so many good nutrients for you that you feel good eating it too!

Ingredients:


1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced
4 lime wedges (I omitted these because there was so much lime already in the sauce it was perfect!)

*We also added 3 color cabbage mix for a crunch as typically found in fish tacos- highly recommended!


Directions: 

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine jalapeño sauce and onion in a small bowl. (Note: I wound up doubling the sauce as I typically do from experience with CL recipes, and it was a perfect amount!).

2. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, and avocado evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

Thai-Style Green Beans, by Diane

This photo clearly goes back to our old standards of picture-taking :)

When I lived in California a few years ago I became obsessed with Trader Joe's like the rest of my fellow Californians. One of the dishes they made that got me hooked was Pad Prik Khing, green beans cooked in a Thai chili sauce. They stopped making this dish a year or so ago, and I was crushed (as were the rest of it's followers, looking it up online there were so many posts trying to get Joe's to bring it back!). Ordering it at Thai restaurants was not the same. Then it occurred to me that I could attempt to recreate the dish, and this recipe is the final product.

It does not have the Thai chili sauce (called Prik Khing) because I thought I'd see what happens if I mixed a few Asian ingredients together on my own (this blog has taught me SO much about Asian sauces!). I got it right on the first try, and I can literally eat an entire bowl of this for a meal and be content. Plus, as I learned in my nutrition class, it is great for digestion and the immune system because of the spices and chilis in it!


Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans (I love the fresh steam in bag ones!)
4 tbsp. soy sauce (I used low sodium)
2 tbsp. honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sambal oolek (chili mixture- use more if you like it really spicy or less if you don't like spice)
3 tbsp. hoisin sauce

Directions:

1. Steam the green beans until just tender.

2. While the beans are steaming, heat a large saucepan over medium-high and add remaining ingredients stirring with a whisk until honey is blended.

3. Add in the green beans and toss to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the beans can evenly cook with the sauce.

Eggplant Curry, by Cheryl

Not the most appetizing shot... but it was delicious!

The first week we were in Italy we met our friends Ashley and Kamalan. Kamalan is Sri Lankan so when they have us over for dinner their meals usually consist of Sri Lankan cuisine made by Ashley. The food is so delicious and SPICY! Ashley gave me all of their recipes and I've tried making some of them. While the meals generally don't take that long to make, it's very hands on using a lot of spices that were a little foreign to me. I've made this dish twice and both times it came out very well... although the second time was a little better since I knew what to expect. I highly suggest giving it a try since this can be a side dish to any meal you make, not just when the whole meal is Sri Lankan. Yum!

Ingredients:

- one eggplant
- 1 can coconut milk
- oil (to fry)
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- spices: anise, cinnamon, chili powder, tumeric, curry powder, black pepper, salt, crushed fenugreek (I didn't use this), cumin powder, and curry leaves (about 6). Use more curry powder than the other spices.

Directions:

1) Cut eggplant into small pieces. Toss with red chili powder, salt, and tumeric.

2) Heat oil in a pan and fry the eggplant. Remove once eggplant has browned and dry on a paper towel.

3) Add a few tablespoons of oil and saute the onion and garlic. Add the spices and saute until the onion is cooked.

4) Add the can of coconut milk, more tumeric and red chili powder to taste.

5) Mix well, add the eggplant, and let simmer until the curry sauce has thickened.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad, by Diane

I had lunch at Nordstrom's Cafe the other day, and the salad I ordered was fantastic. It was a southwestern type of salad with a cilantro lime vinaigrette. What I loved most about it was the details of the ingredients- the corn was grilled, the red peppers were roasted, and they added freshly toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). I decided to recreate it at home for an easy lunch/dinner, and when I looked up a recipe online for the dressing I found the salad itself had quite a following! I actually found the original Nordstrom recipe, so this is what I used.

The dressing in the Cafe was pale with lots of cilantro in it, but the recipe online called for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I was skeptical because I knew that would make the dressing spicy and red, and sure enough I was right. I made a second batch of dressing without the peppers it was spot on to what I had in the restaurant. This vinaigrette is so easy, stores well, and really could pair well with chicken, fish, and other seafood for grilling, tacos, or even a ceviche type dish! Overall, I'll be making this salad and the vinaigrette a lot more without the chipotle peppers (although it did add a lot of smoky heat which was kind of nice!).

The table- everyone was in a frenzy building their salads!
This is a shot of mine, premixed, with the chipotle version of the dressing!

Ingredients (serves 4):

Salad:
5 thin grilled chicken breasts, sliced
2 red peppers
2 ears yellow corn
2 avocados, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 sprigs green onion, sliced
Raw pepitas
Shredded monterey jack cheese
Mixed greens

Dressing:
2 chipotle peppers in adobo
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
3/4 cup canola oil (I only used about 1/3 cup, and that was plenty)
1 cup cilantro


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 and place the red peppers whole onto a baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning twice. Remove from oven and immediately cover with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and slice peppers, discarding stems ribs and seeds.

2. Grill corn on a outdoor/indoor grill or grill pan, turning occasionally until all sides are slightly charred. Cut kernels and set aside to cool.

3. To make the dressing, add ingredients through honey into a food processors and blend until honey is combined. Slowly add in oil while blending. Finally, add in cilantro and process until blended well.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili, by Diane

Last week I attended a seminar on nutritional approaches to dealing with fatigue. It was really interesting to learn what happens to the body if any of the essential vitamins, minerals, or amino acids aren't eaten in proper amounts, and how much damage it can do- not to mention deplete you of energy. As a part of the seminar, the instructors cooked whole food recipes that were packed with the nutrients addressed in the lecture. This is the first recipe they made, I'll be posting the rest soon.

This chili was so simple to make, and was very good and filling. I personally might have cut down on the cayenne, because it was pretty spicy. I also think it would be great chilled as a substitute for salsa with some homemade chips! There were many other additional health benefits to this chili, such as healthy fats from EVOO and avocado, immune boosters from spices, etc., but the main benefit of this recipe was described as "creates warmth (good for blood flow and circulation) and stimulates digestive properties." You are definitely warmed when you eat it! We also learned that the more surface area garlic has, the more nutrients are absorbed (why you mince it instead of rough chop it) and that the darker the bean = the more nutrients (why black beans are used).


Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium coarsley chopped red bell peppers
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
1 16 oz. can chunky tomato sauce
1-2 medium avocado, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped


Directions:

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook until golden, then add bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add in garlic and cook altogether for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Mix in spices, stir and cook for 2 minutes covered.

3. Mix in beans and tomato sauce, bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, simmering and stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add in water if you want it thinner and cover, or if you want it thicker cook uncovered.

4. Ladle into bowls and top with avocado and cilantro.

Red Hot and Blue Potato Salad, by Diane

If you have ever dined at the restaurant Red Hot and Blue and have had the privilege of eating their potato salad, you know what I'm talking about when I say that this side dish is A-MAZING!! We had one right next door to my grad school, and my classmates and I would always bring massive sides of this to class. At one point we discussed the ingredients in it and someone suggested there might be crack in it, because it is so addicting and just makes you happy when you eat it.

I went online the other night looking for sides to go with my pulled pork sandwiches (see previous post) and lo and behold someone actually published the recipe (apparently directly out of the store manual too)! And what's more, it's like the simplest recipe ever (no crack). I was doubtful that such a small amount of ingredients could produce the taste of this dish, especially because it seemed like the recipe for almost any other potato salad I've had in the past. But, I tried it and OMG it was the EXACT recipe! I will absolutely be making this again, it's perfect for potlucks and BBQ's too. Plus, the flavors seem to magnify with each passing day.

One note on this- it took me a while to figure out how to steam the potatoes (the trick to the texture, otherwise the potatoes would be mushy if boiled). I wound up using a double boiler covered with foil and rotating them throughout cooking. Also, I think in the future I would cut the mayo by at least 1/3 as it's unhealthy as it is (even thought I used light mayo) and really was a bit too creamy. I also increased the eggs to 6 because they're my favorite part!

The recipe is from here: http://www.food.com/recipe/red-hot-blue-potato-salad-the-original-436757


Ingredients:

4 lbs Red Bliss potatoes

4 large eggs

1/2 cup finely chopped green onion tops

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I used light)

1 3/4 teaspoons celery seeds

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1. Steam the potatoes skin-on for approximately 45 minutes, set aside until cool enough to handle. Boil your eggs, then do the same. When cool enough, peel the eggs ONLY (do NOT peel the potatoes -- the skin gives it part of it's unique texture and taste).

2. In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together until thoroughly mixed. Chop the potatoes and eggs into bite-size pieces and add to bowl. Mix gently until blended. 

3 Serve at room temp for up to 2 hours after making and refrigerate leftovers. It tastes best when room temp, but is delicious cold too so if you are making this in advance, it's fine to chill it.

Slow-cooker Pulled Pork, by Diane

This recipe could not have been simpler, and was the perfect meal to come home to after a long day because everything was already waiting to be assembled into a sandwich and eaten! For me, I would have liked some spice in it. But overall, a great dish. I served it with potato rolls, pickles, coleslaw, and of course, lots of extra BBQ sauce. I also served it with a side of amazing Red Hot and Blue Potato Salad (see above post!).

The recipe is from here: http://www.food.com/recipe/pulled-pork-crock-pot-131018

Ingredients:

4 lbs. pork roast (shoulder/butt)
2 large onions
1 cup gingerale
1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

Directions:

1. Slice the onions, putting one on the bottom then the meat and then covering that with the second one. Add gingerale.

2. Cook on low for 8 hours.

3. In the last 2 hours, shred the meat and disgard the fat and liquid. Add the BBQ sauce, stir, and cook for the remaining time.

Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Rolls), by Diane

We have the most amazing maids from Brazil, Maria and Monica. Every other time they come over they bring something really cool to eat or drink from their country! I've had passion fruit mousse, crazy fruits I've never heard of, exotic cheeses, and much more. Two weeks ago they brought these frozen pre-made cheese rolls called Pao de Queijo (pronounced kay-zhyo). We popped them in the toaster and 30 minutes later I was tasting one of the most amazing rolls I've ever had. The taste is cheesy and something else I've never had but I would describe it as salty, bready, and very comforting. But the texture is the cool part. It's hard to capture on film, but the outside develops a thin crust while the inside is a gooey cheesy starchy masterpiece. Not solid cheese that oozes out, either, it bounces back when you bite it but still pulls apart with strands like melted cheese. It's kind of like how Italian pizza is crusty but gooey or how fresh baked bread in France is crunchy yet soft.

I loved these things so much that when Maria and Monica came this week they taught me how to make them from "scratch". It turns out that the secret is in the "flour" mix- it's made of cassava root and sweet manioc. Both ingredients are root starches abundant in Brazil, which is what makes the texture gooey but still bouncy. A ton of fresh cheese is mixed straight into the mix (which already has cheese and salt added), and eggs tie it all together. Here is the mix, which I'm told you can get at European and South American grocers:

And here is a shot of the center:

Looks like normal bread but that's actually cheese!!

Gooey!!

I'll be making these a million times over. Maria and Monica say they are great for parties, and they actually love dipping them in milky coffee which I can't quite wrap my head around but I will certainly try it! One word of caution: eat too many and you will feel like a cheese roll! They are deceptively heavy!! Also don't burn yourself eating them straight from the oven (which I do every time because I can't wait!!).

Ingredients:

1 bag Pao de Queijo mixture (I don't know how to get cassava milk into a flour so I don't even attempt to do this from scratch!!)
8 eggs
2 cups queso fresco or fresh grated mozzarella
3/4 - 1 cup water

Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until it forms a slightly sticky consistency but doesn't stick to the bowl any longer.

3. Form 1.5 inch balls by flattening and squeezing the dough while making circles in your palms and then loosening the pressure to form a ball. The ball should be completely compact and smooth when you are finished, and your hands should be sore!

4. Bake for 30 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet (they don't rise a lot so they can go closer together) and enjoy!!

Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant, by Cheryl

This is such a delicious and healthy dish. The eggplant here is so tasty so I went searching for a recipe on Cooking Light's website and found this. When I told Jon what I was making for dinner he said, "Where's the rest of it?" But as he was eating it I knew it would be enough. The flavors of the vegetables make this a scrumptious meal, while the vegetables are quite filling. I've made it twice in one week already. Yum!

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 3 medium eggplants
• Cooking spray
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine - I didn't use this and it came out fine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 6 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 medium summer squash, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell, and reserve pulp. Place eggplant halves, skin sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
3. Chop the reserved eggplant pulp into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved eggplant to pan, and sauté 8 minutes or until eggplant begins to brown. Place eggplant in a bowl. 
4. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. 
5. Stir in red and green bell peppers and the next 7 ingredients (through squash); sauté 6 minutes. Return eggplant to pan. Stir in 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and black pepper; sauté for 5 minutes. 
6. Remove from heat; stir in feta cheese and 1/4 cup panko. Cool slightly. Spoon about 1 cup eggplant mixture into each eggplant shell.
7. Combine remaining 1 cup panko, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle panko mixture evenly over stuffed eggplants. Lightly coat with cooking spray. 
8. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated and tops begin to brown. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.