This is one of my go-to slim down dishes; it's vegetarian but is a complete and satisfying meal.  It makes quite a bit and can be eaten for dinner over several days. 
Source: Rachael Ray Mag
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1 1/4 cups israeli couscous

  • 1 14 ounce can  vegetable broth

  • 2/3 cup golden raisins

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 bunch swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped separately

  • 1 15 ounce can  chickpeas, rinsed

  • 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

  1. In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add half of the garlic and the couscous and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth; bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the broth has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins; season with salt.
  2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and the swiss chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the swiss chard leaves, chickpeas and 1/2 cup water, cover and cook, turning, until the chard is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Serve on the couscous and top with the feta.
 
This is my first post in a while!  Matt has been away on medical rotations so I have definitely been cooking less and I've been making some meals I've already posted.  I won't be posting at all this week but hope to get back on track soon after that!


We wanted something very light for dinner tonight so we turned to the dinner salad chapter of Eating Well in a Hurry.  (I love this book by the way!)  This tastes so fresh - I love the combination of cilantro, lime juice, red onion,  and fresh corn!  We used romaine lettuce instead of cabbage.
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 large ears of corn, husked
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage, (see Tip)
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup minced red onion

PREPARATION
  1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add corn, cover and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife.
  2. Meanwhile, place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
  3. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
 
Yum!  Loved this!  The amount of breadcrumbs is off in this recipe - you'll need about 1/3 of this amount.  I thought that potatoes in a salad was kind of strange but it paired with well with the creamy goat cheese :-)
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
  • 3 large red potatoes (about 1 pound)
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 twelve-ounce log fresh goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon grainy or Dijon mustard
  • 8 ounces mesclun or mixed salad greens
Directions
  1. Heat the broiler. Brush a baking sheet with oil; set aside. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Rinse potatoes under cold water until cool enough to handle, and cut into 1-inch chunks.
  2. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Slice goat cheese into 8 rounds, and pat each into a disc about 1/2 inch thick. Dip disks in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs, coating evenly. Place on prepared baking sheet.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Slowly add 1/4 cup oil, whisking to emulsify. Set aside.
  4. Brush disks lightly with remaining 1/4 cup oil, and broil until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
  5. Toss mesclun and potatoes in the dressing. Spoon salads onto plates, and top each with two cheese disks.
 
After the gluttony that was Richmond Restaurant Week and my birthday it was time for something extra light and healthy.  This was delicious!  It made me wonder why I don't eat more salads for dinner.  This has quinoa - an ancient grain that is a complete protein (meaning it has all of the amino acids you need to build protein) which is rare to find in any one single vegetarian source.  In this recipe, it is coupled with the healthy fats of extra virgin olive oil and avocado and finished off with fresh vitamin rich tomatoes and greens.
Source: Shine 
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Spinach leaves (I used mixed greens)
  • 2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
  1. In a 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
  2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl. Add tomato, spinach, and onion; stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat.
  3. Place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Arrange avocado slices on spinach leaves. Spoon quinoa mixture over avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
 
Happy Monday!

Source: Rachael Ray's Thirty Minute Meals (With Changes)
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for the bread)
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 pounds chicken tenders or breasts cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 cup half and half 
  • 1/4 cup grainy, stone-ground mustard (it's worth it! just buy it!)
  • 1 1/2 cups, about 1/2 pound, seedless red grapes, halved
  • 1 box of couscous
  • 1 loaf of ciabatta bread
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat; add olive oil. 

Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper then dredge the tenders in flour and add it to the pan. Cook chicken 7-8 minutes until browned. Add wine and scrape up browned bits as wine cooks down and bubbles, 30 seconds. Combine cream and mustard and add to stock. Add grapes to the pan and turn chicken and grapes to coat and combine with the sauce. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous.  

Slice bread into thick slices and brush with olive oil.  Grill over high heat for about 5 minutes.

Serve tenders and grapes on couscous along side bread.


Source: http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com 

Dressing
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine, such as pinot grigio
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard 
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, wine, honey, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth. 


Salad
Two 8-ounce heads radicchio, halved and chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 cups baby arugula 
2 ripe but firm Asian or Bosc pears, cored, halved and cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
¾ cup chopped walnuts
To toast the walnuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using. 


Place the raddichio, arugula, pear slices, and walnuts in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss until coated. 
 
Frico Salad Shells
Source: Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (with changes)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon of flour
Salad with dressing (I used romaine with a lite peppercorn dressing)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix together cheese and flour. Spread half of the cheese mixture onto a baking sheet covered in foil, sprayed with cooking spray.  Repeat onto a second sheet.  Bake for 6-8 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Quickly remove carefully and lay over a bowl turned upside down.  Allow to cool then carefully remove and fill with salad.  Makes two shells.

This is tough but worth the effort!  
Tenderloin with Red Winy Gravy and Cracked Garlic Jumbo Shrimp
Source: Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (this recipe is for one person - adjust portions as needed) 

Ingredients:
1 tenderloin steak (I wrapped mine in bacon)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of flour
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of dry red wine
1/4 cup of beef stock
2 large garlic cloves, cracked and peeled
2 jumbo or colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined
A couple spigs of fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat a small skillet over high heat.  Preheat oven to 400F.

Drizzle the meat with a little oil and season it liberally with salt and pepper.  Sear the meat in the skillet for 2 minutes on each side, then transfer to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 8 minutes for medium rare.  Cool the skillet for 1 minute, then return to the stovetop over medium heat.  Add a drizzle more oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and, when it melts, add the shallots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the flour to the shallots and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and red wine.  Stir for 30 second more, then whisk in the stock and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

While the meat cooks, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the cracked garlic and toss around the skittle for 1 minute. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add the shrump to the skillet, sprinkle in the thyme and hot sauce, and cook for 3 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque.  Douse the shrimp with the juice of 1/2 lemon and remove to plate.   

Spoon gravy over meat before serving.
Carytown Cupcakes!

These delicious little pieces of heaven are made fresh daily.  They have a few flavors on the menu but each week also offer specialty cupcakes and we were lucky to snag some Valentine's Day treats.  
 
Did you know avocados are in season in January? I love their mild taste and creamy texture.  They are high in fat, but they have "good fat" and have been shown to actually reduce cholesterol.  This menu also features other seasonal vegetables and fruits.  We paired this with grilled salmon drizzled with mustard and honey and finished it off with a spicy Malbec.    

Avocado Citrus Salad
Source: Everyday Food (with changes) Ingredients
  • 1 grapefruit, peel and pith removed
  • 1 large navel orange, peel and pith removed
  • 3 ounces baby arugula (3 cups) - (I used baby spinach because I had it on hand)
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 2 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced (I omitted  this - I can't stand them!)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 2 scallions (white and light-green parts only), thinly sliced
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
  1. Working over a medium bowl, cut out grapefruit and orange segments, then squeeze juice from membranes.  (I didn't quite understand the reason at first but I think it's because the fruit would be too juicy if you don't do this.  I just squeezed most of the juice out with my hands into a bowl).  

  2. Place arugula on a platter and top with avocados, radishes, and citrus segments with juices. Drizzle with oil, top with scallions, and season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Acorn Squash
Source: Everyday Food Ingredients
  • 1 large acorn squash, seeded, cut into 8 wedges (I just cut mine in half) 
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme) 
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss squash with olive oil and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Roast until squash is browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add raisins to a small pot with vinegar. Bring to a boil, then drain and sprinkle over squash along with almonds.