Vegetable Bulgur Salad

I was in the mood for a light, healthy lunch and ended up making this salad. I started out with this recipe and just tweaked a few things. I adjusted the dressing (upped the lime and used less oil), nixed the shrimp, and added a bunch of colorful vegetables instead. It tasted so good and is packed full of good stuff!

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1/8 cup canola oil

Salad:
1 cup uncooked bulgur
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
1 English cucumber, diced
1 cup matchstick carrots
2 scallions, chopped
1 avocado, diced

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Cook bulgur according to package instructions. In a large bowl, toss together cooked bulgur, red pepper, cucumber, carrots, and scallions. Add dressing and toss. Top with diced avocado.

Stuffed French Toast

This is a recipe that Tyler saw on a TV show and was dying to make. He made it for brunch for all of us last sunday. It was SO good! I usually am not a big fan of breakfast food but I loved this. Tyler did a really good job making it and all the different flavors worked so well together. He doubled the recipe to make 8 servings but it ended up making a lot of the egg mixture. Also, we didn't use thick bread like the recipe calls for, so we ended up needing less of the egg mixture. So if you double the recipe, you probably don't need to double the egg mixture unless you use really thick bread slices.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/8 t ground nutmeg

1/4 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t vanilla extract

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

8 (2-inch thick) slices of bread (**we just used regular, thin white bread)

2 bananas, very thinly sliced

1 cup strawberries, very thinly sliced

4 T butter

1/4 cups powdered sugar

maple syrup

Directions:

Combine milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Set aside.

For assembly, spread a thin layer of the cream cheese onto 1 side ofthe bread slices. Top half the slices with the fruit. Place another piece of bread on top, cream cheese side down, creating a sandwich.

Preheat a griddle to 350 degrees. Lightly brush with the butter.

Give the milk mixture a quick stir, and dip the sandwiches into the batter, coating all sides.

Place on the griddle. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then turn on the edges and cook to brown evenly.

To serve, slice sandwiches in half on the diagonal and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Quinoa Salad With Lime Ginger Dressing and Shrimp

I've been making an effort to look for healthier recipes lately and I came across this one from NYTimes.com(their healthy recipes section is awesome by the way!) I made a full recipe, enjoyed some that day, and put the rest into 3 containers so now I have healthy lunches for the next few days! This salad tasted so fresh and had so much flavor and wasn't too hard to make! Oh and apparently quinoa is pretty expensive so I swapped it out for some bulgur, but I'm sure you could use any sort of healthy whole grain. I also left out the buttermilk in the dressing because I didn't have any, and it tasted fine to me. You could also make this vegetarian by leaving out the shrimp and substituting avocado instead. SO good and SO good for you:)

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (more to taste)
1 small garlic clove, minced
Salt to taste
Pinch of cayenne
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil or walnut oil
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk (** I left this out)

For the salad:
3 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup uncooked) (** I used bulgur instead)
4 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced thin
1 small cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 to 16 cooked medium shrimp, peeled (**I tossed the raw shrimp with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and then roasted them for 5 min. in the oven at 400 degrees)

Directions:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, cayenne, sesame oil, canola oil, and buttermilk.

In a salad bowl, combine the quinoa, scallions, cucumber, and cilantro. Toss with the dressing and divide among salad plates. Top each portion with 3 or 4 shrimp, and serve.

Yield: Serves 4

Advance preparation: The cooked quinoa will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. You can make the dressing and prep the ingredients for the salad a few hours ahead.

Baked Orzo With Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers and Zucchini

I came across this recipe in the healthy recipe section of NYTimes.com. It was super easy and it was so nice that I could make it all ahead of time and then just stick it in the oven before dinner. It was so flavorful and packed with vegetables. It tasted healthy but was still warm and comforting at the same time. I served it with a green salad dressed with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound orzo (about 1 1/8 cups)
Salt to taste
1 large red pepper, roasted and diced (I followed these instructions for roasting peppers)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced; or 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 or 2 plump garlic cloves (to taste), minced
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan or 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese (1/2 cup, tightly packed)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the orzo. Cook eight minutes, or until it is cooked through but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the diced roasted pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet. Add the zucchini and cook — stirring and turning over the slices, or tossing them in the pan — until just cooked through and lightly colored, about five minutes. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo.

Return the pan to the heat, add the final tablespoon of oil and the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo, add the Parmesan or goat cheese, and mix everything together. Add freshly ground pepper to taste, and adjust salt. Transfer to the baking dish.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is just beginning to color. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: Serves six

Advance preparation: You can assemble this several hours, even a day, before baking.

Greek Dressing

The night I was making the greek nachos, I wanted to find a recipe for something to serve with them that would not be too overpowering. I decided to make a greek salad. I just chopped up some lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and black olives. Added some thinly sliced red onion, a sprinkle of feta, and used this recipe for the dressing. I loved the flavor of the dressing. It might be one of my favorites. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the dressing but I did get one of the salad.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/4 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

Directions:

Mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour in the vinegar and mix vigorously until well blended. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Tomato Lemon Feta Pizza

For some reason Callie and I have totally been into pizzas lately. One night we were craving pizza and came up with this recipe. Honestly, it is one of my favorite dinners now. It is light and healthy but still warm and filling.

We just used this recipe for the dough. (One batch makes enough for 2 thin crust pizzas) We only let the dough rise for about 15 minutes instead of the full hour. Then we pressed the dough onto a baking stone and prebaked the crust for about 10 minutes at 425 degrees.

We brushed it with some garlic infused olive oil, sprinkled it with the zest of 1 lemon, then topped it with some thinly sliced roma tomatoes, chopped red onion, a little mozzarella and feta cheese, and some dried cilantro. Then we baked it until it was crispy and slightly browned. After we took it out of the oven, we topped it with the juice of 1/2 of a lemon.

Tomato Focaccia

I love focaccia and have always wanted to learn how to make it. I had no idea it was so easy! I found this recipe for a tomato focaccia, but I'm sure you can change it and add whatever toppings you like (I used dried basil instead of fresh and added a sprinkle of parmesan cheese). Perfect with a soup or salad!

Ingredients:

1 package Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. olive oil
3 roma tomatoes, sliced
dried basil
shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 C. of the warm water, and let sit 10 minutes until bubbly.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, yeast mixture, and remaining water. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon and then your hands. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes or until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Punch down dough and place on an oiled baking sheet, forming into an oval or circle. Space the tomato slices across the surface of the focaccia, then sprinkle with dried basil and parmesan cheese. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

We got this recipe from The Simple Soups Deck my mom got for Christmas. It's a deck of 50 cards each with a different recipe for soup. This one was so good and had so much flavor! Homemade soup is always so warm and comforting! My mom made it and she said she didn't follow the recipe exactly (I think she added a little extra potato, onion, and broccoli and I don't think she pureed as much of the soup as it says to). We served ours with the homemade Tomato Focaccia.

(serves 4)
Ingredients:

4 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large russet potato (about 3/4 lb.), peeled and sliced
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Combine the broccoli, onion, celery, garlic, potato, and stock in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree. Return to the pan and add the milk, cheese, seasonings, and parsley. Heat gently, stirring, until the cheese melts and the soup is hot.

Green Lemonade

This recipe comes from a book I ordered a few months ago called The Raw Food Detox Diet. It was a really interesting book and I took alot of really good information and tips from it. Although I don't think I'll be eating completely raw from now on, I have incorporated some of the recipes into my diet, one of them being this Green Lemonade. Ashley and I have been trying to drink it most mornings (it's an acquired taste I think haha) and now I actually crave it and feel so energized and good after drinking it! The boys (including Spencer) actually like it too and drink it when they can:) When we make it, we get all the ingredients from Sam's Club (so much cheaper to buy the heads of lettuce, lemons, and apples in bulk!) We just substitute the kale with more lettuce or spinach and we also don't add the ginger.

Ingredients:

1 head romaine lettuce
5-6 stalks kale (we just use another head of romaine or spinach)
1-2 apples (we used Fuji apples because they are really sweet)
1 lemon (we cut the peel off)
1-2 inches fresh ginger (optional)

Directions:

Process the vegetables in a juicer. Pour into a large glass and drink!

Hot and Sour Soup

Callie and I found this recipe a few years ago and it has become a staple in our house. The original recipe (I don't remember where we got it from) called for chicken but we liked it better as a vegetarian soup. Not the prettiest soup but it does taste good! I love how the ground red pepper gives it a little extra heat. So good for lunch on a cold day!

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup cole slaw mix
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
chopped green onion (optional)

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine broth, water, mushrooms, colesaw, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and red pepper. Boil, then reduce to low and cover.

In a separate bowl stir together cornstarch and vinegar. Return to a boil, then drizzle in egg while stirring. Stir in vinegar and cornstarch. Simmer until thickened. Garnish with green onion.

Serves: 4

Crunchy Noodle Salad

I actually made this recipe a while ago after seeing it on an episode of Barefoot Contessa, and I just realized I had never posted it. It was so good! The sauce has a really good flavor and I love the crunchy vegetables. I had forgotten about it, but I think I'll be making it again soon:)

(serves 6)
Ingredients:

Kosher salt
1/2 pound thin spaghetti
1 pound sugar snap peas
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
4 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain.

For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

Combine the spaghetti, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.

Pecorino Romano with Apples and Fig Jam

We also made these for New Year's Eve. We actually made them for the first time about 3 years ago, when we really started getting into cooking. They are so good. I love the combination of the salty cheese, sour apple, and sweet fig jam on the crunchy bread. Definitely one of my favorites! Oh and we ommitted the brandy and it didn't really seem to mess up the consistency or anything.

Ingredients:

6 dried figs, halved
1/2 cup simple syrup, (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
24 baguette slices
Olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 large apple (Granny Smith or Braeburn), thinly sliced into 24 slices
1/4 pound chunk Pecorino Romano, for shaving 24 pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the figs, simple syrup, and brandy. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Place the fig mixture and the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend, pulsing a few times, until pureed. Set aside.

Place the baguette slices on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Top each slice with 1 teaspoon grated Pecorino Romano. Bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and golden, about 7 minutes.

Top each slice of toast with 2 teaspoons of fig jam, a slice of apple and a piece of shaved Pecorino Romano. Transfer the toasts to a serving platter and serve.

Simple syrup:

1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar

In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Triple Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

We also made these for one of our New Year's Eve appetizers. So good and super easy!

Ingredients:

48 medium (2-pounds) white mushrooms
1 package (10-ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
Salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Using damp paper towels, wipe mushroom caps clean; remove and discard stems, or save for another use. In colander, squeeze liquid out of spinach until dry.

In large bowl, mix spinach, feta, cream cheese, green onions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Fill each mushroom with heaping teaspoon spinach mixture; top with Parmesan.

Line baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Transfer mushrooms to baking sheet; bake 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and filling is golden brown.

Baked Lemon Pasta

I found this recipe one night when I felt like making dinner but didn't feel like going to the grocery store:) There are just a handful of ingredients and most of the stuff you probably already have in your fridge.

Ingredients:

1 pound thin spaghetti
4 Tbsp. salted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole lemon, juiced and zested
2 cups sour cream
½ teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
plenty of grated parmesan cheese
flat-leaf parsley, chopped
extra lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Sauteed Zucchini and Yellow Squash

We were trying to think of a side dish to go with the Pesto Chicken Sandwiches that was light and not too overpowering... and we came up with this.Ingredients:

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 clove garlic, minced

olive oil

pinch of dried oregano

pinch of dried basil

salt and pepper, to taste

.

Slice zucchini and yellow squash. Heat olive oil and garlic in pan for 30 seconds, careful not to burn the garlic. Add zucchini, yellow squash, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender.

Southwest Mac and Cheese

I saw this recipe on one of my favorite recipe blogs, The Pioneer Woman. I love that blog. She always posts such great recipes and photos. When I saw this recipe, I was dying to try it. Since its pretty heavy and rich, when I made it, I served it as a side dish with a grilled chicken breast and some cut up fruit to the side to lighten it up a bit.


Ingredients:
4 cups macaroni noodles
1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion, diced
equal amount of red bell pepper, diced
1 4oz. can chopped green chiles
1 cup frozed corn
1 finely diced jalepeno pepper
1 heaping cup grated pepper jack cheese
2-3 cloves garlic
1 cup heavy cream
olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (*I only added half the butter)
salt and pepper

Directions:
Boil pasta until al dente.

In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute onions, bell pepper, jalepeno (de-seeded), garlic, and corn over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chiles and stir in, then turn off heat.

Drain pasta and add it to the skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir again. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pad Thai

I made this Pad Thai recipe for dinner a couple of months ago and it has become a family favorite! So I thought I would share! If you don't like tofu I'm sure you could substitute chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients
2/3 cup chili sauce (such as Heinz)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chopped seeded serrano chile
1/2 pound wide rice stick noodles (bánh pho)
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 (12.3-ounce) package extrafirm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
3/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, divided
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
6 lime wedges
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients; set aside.

Cook noodles in boiling water 5 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan.

Combine egg whites and egg, stirring well with a whisk.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and sauté for 10 seconds. Add egg mixture, and cook for 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly. Stir in chili sauce mixture and noodles; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tofu, bean sprouts, onions, and 1/4 cup cilantro, and cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro and peanuts evenly over each serving of noodle mixture. Serve with lime wedges.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups noodle mixture, 2 teaspoons cilantro, about 1 teaspoon peanuts, and 1 lime wedge)

Penne with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

Last night Ashley and I made this pasta for dinner. It was SO good! It was so fresh and light and super easy to make! Best of all there were leftovers for lunch today(the rest of the family is out of town for the weekend in Moab:)

Penne with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes (Spring)
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008

Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes
1 cup shelled fresh peas
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.