This is the fourth week of my Weight Watchers Challenge and it was by far the most successful. Every dish was remarkable. Some are a slight variation of the recipe in the cookbook. This is what's on "Marilyn's Table" this week:
Cedar Planked Salmon
Barley, Leek and Rosemary Gratin
Greek Island Salad
Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
This week I tackled new techniques and ingredients. The cedar planked salmon came about through one of the food blogs I follow, "October Farm". I had no idea cooking on a cedar plank could be done in the oven. When the author of this blog did it, I decided to give it a try. The cedar plank is soaked in water for several hours. The seasoning on the salmon is Potlatch; a Pacific Northwest seasoning used by the North American Indians to season salmon nailed to planks and cooked around a fire. There are several variations of the mixtures. I used salt, crushed red pepper, chili powder, oregano, basil and coriander. The result was amazing. The salmon is placed skin side down and cooked slightly rare in the middle. The seasoning and the cedar plank give the salmon an exceptional flavor. Will use the planks again for chicken and other seafood.
The 6 oz piece of salmon is 6 WW points
Barley is a grain I have not ever used, but if this dish is any indication, I will use it again....often. The barley is simmered in vegetable broth until most of the liquid is absorbed. Leeks are sauteed in a separate large skilled in a bit of EVOO and butter until softened. The cooked barley is added to the leeks along with chopped fresh rosemary, salt & pepper. It is poured into a casserole dish and grated Gruyere cheese is sprinkled over the top and baked until the cheese melts. A great dish with lots of flavor and....fiber. WW points 1/2 cup 4 points
Greek Island Salad is a variation of a Caesar salad. I grilled the romaine so my grill pan is sprayed with a bit of EVOO and heated. I cut a stalk of romaine in half lengthwise and grilled until slightly wilted and there are nice grill marks. The lettuce is cut in pieces and topped with a mixture of tomato, English cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion and chopped Calamata olives. A very light dressing of lemon juice, EVOO, garlic, dried oregano and black pepper. A bit of Feta Cheese is also sprinkled on top. A nice mixture of warm and cold crunch. 1 cup is 2 WW points.
The soup for this week is Turkey Mulligatawny. The name comes from the Tamil, a southern India people. It means 'pepper water'. The turkey is leftover from a roasted breast from last week from which I made sandwiches for work this week. Lots of vegetables; celery, carrot, onion, red pepper, tomato, and diced Granny Smith apple are cooked in chicken broth with seasonings. The main seasoning is curry. Not being a big fan, so I cut the quantity back and it was just fine. After the vegetables and seasonings are simmered, chopped turkey is added with salt, pepper and cayenne and heated through. A great soup which I will be happy with this week for lunch. 1 1/3 cups is 3 WW points.
All in all this was one of the most successful menus overall so far. Will be a tough act to follow. Tonight is the finale of 'Worst Cooks' on Food Network and I look forward to it after this fine meal. Have a great week. Strange weather in the Midwest. Hopefully spring is just around the corner.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
A Hint of Spring...
The forecast for the weekend sounded too good to be true. Both days have been sunny and warm enough to open windows. I took a walk this afternoon and the mountains of snow are beginning to melt. I do believe spring will come after all.
Since I knew it was supposed to be nice and I would have a chance to get out I planned my table accordingly. The crock pot came out of hibernation and became the center of my food preparation. Here is what is on the table this week:
Cheese Straws
Tuscan Chicken and Sausage Stew
Watermelon Peach Salad
Brunch on Sunday:
French Toast with Fresh Fruit and Yogurt
The cheese straws were very easy. The flour, butter, seasonings, and cheese all were in the processor until the dough formed a ball. The dough was rolled out and cut into long strips and baked. They were the crunch factor with the stew and the cayenne pepper gave them a bit of a kick. Will do them again. 2 points for 3 straws
The stew was a real winner. Cubed chicken (both white and dark meat) are browned as is chicken sausage cut in 2 inch pieces. The browned chicken is the bottom layer in the crock pot. The rest of the layers are sliced cremini mushrooms, chopped red onion, chopped garlic, and seasonings. A package of thawed artichoke hearts and a chopped red pepper are added. Chicken broth is poured over the top and the mixture is cooked on low for about 6 hours. Lots of flavor and the aroma is mouth watering. Should be a nice dinner with the rest of the cheese straws for most of the week. 1 1/2 cups of the stew is 9 points.
I'm not a fan of watermelon, or any melon for that matter. However the picture of the salad was so colorful I couldn't resist. The watermelon and peaches are cut in bite size cubes. An English cucumber is thinly sliced and added. I had some jicama left from last week, so I cut it in thin strips and tossed it in with the rest. Not much in the way of dressing, salt and champagne vinegar are added and left to marinate with the fruit and cucumber for about 15 minutes. At serving time thin slices of green onion are added and a bit of crumbled goat cheese. I may have changed my mind about watermelon....at least when it's mixed with other fruit. Refreshing and colorful. 1 cup is 4 points
With the stew as the centerpiece, I didn't feel the need for a soup. Instead I tried a simple French toast with fruit for brunch on Sunday. Since the toast is baked in custard cups in the oven, it is necessary to cut an 'X' in the center of the bread before dipping it in a mixture of beaten egg, a bit of water, cinnamon and nutmeg. The cups are sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. The bread is gently tucked into the cup. It is baked for about 15 minutes and cooled for a bit. Removed the cups to the serving dish and fill the center with your choice of berries. I used blueberries, blackberries and sliced strawberries. A spoon of non-fat Greek yogurt (my favorite is Fage) on the berries and just a tiny drizzle of maple syrup over the top. This recipe didn't come out of the Weight Watcher cookbook, but from Food Network. I estimate one serving is about 4 points. It's a very pretty dish and whatever fruit is in season would make it very versatile any time of year.
That's it for this week. Stay dry, since by Thursday the temperature might reach the upper 50's. Bye Bye snow, bring on the spring flowers.
Since I knew it was supposed to be nice and I would have a chance to get out I planned my table accordingly. The crock pot came out of hibernation and became the center of my food preparation. Here is what is on the table this week:
Cheese Straws
Tuscan Chicken and Sausage Stew
Watermelon Peach Salad
Brunch on Sunday:
French Toast with Fresh Fruit and Yogurt
The cheese straws were very easy. The flour, butter, seasonings, and cheese all were in the processor until the dough formed a ball. The dough was rolled out and cut into long strips and baked. They were the crunch factor with the stew and the cayenne pepper gave them a bit of a kick. Will do them again. 2 points for 3 straws
The stew was a real winner. Cubed chicken (both white and dark meat) are browned as is chicken sausage cut in 2 inch pieces. The browned chicken is the bottom layer in the crock pot. The rest of the layers are sliced cremini mushrooms, chopped red onion, chopped garlic, and seasonings. A package of thawed artichoke hearts and a chopped red pepper are added. Chicken broth is poured over the top and the mixture is cooked on low for about 6 hours. Lots of flavor and the aroma is mouth watering. Should be a nice dinner with the rest of the cheese straws for most of the week. 1 1/2 cups of the stew is 9 points.
I'm not a fan of watermelon, or any melon for that matter. However the picture of the salad was so colorful I couldn't resist. The watermelon and peaches are cut in bite size cubes. An English cucumber is thinly sliced and added. I had some jicama left from last week, so I cut it in thin strips and tossed it in with the rest. Not much in the way of dressing, salt and champagne vinegar are added and left to marinate with the fruit and cucumber for about 15 minutes. At serving time thin slices of green onion are added and a bit of crumbled goat cheese. I may have changed my mind about watermelon....at least when it's mixed with other fruit. Refreshing and colorful. 1 cup is 4 points
With the stew as the centerpiece, I didn't feel the need for a soup. Instead I tried a simple French toast with fruit for brunch on Sunday. Since the toast is baked in custard cups in the oven, it is necessary to cut an 'X' in the center of the bread before dipping it in a mixture of beaten egg, a bit of water, cinnamon and nutmeg. The cups are sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. The bread is gently tucked into the cup. It is baked for about 15 minutes and cooled for a bit. Removed the cups to the serving dish and fill the center with your choice of berries. I used blueberries, blackberries and sliced strawberries. A spoon of non-fat Greek yogurt (my favorite is Fage) on the berries and just a tiny drizzle of maple syrup over the top. This recipe didn't come out of the Weight Watcher cookbook, but from Food Network. I estimate one serving is about 4 points. It's a very pretty dish and whatever fruit is in season would make it very versatile any time of year.
That's it for this week. Stay dry, since by Thursday the temperature might reach the upper 50's. Bye Bye snow, bring on the spring flowers.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Snow Storm and the Super Bowl
This week has been a challenge with the snow storm and now the Super Bowl. Just getting out to shop proved a slippery task. This is week 2 of my mission to use the new Weight Watcher cookbook. Here is what is on the table:
Beer Can Chicken
Sweet Potato Wedges with Chipotle Yogurt Dip
Radicchio, Broccoli, and Jicama Slaw
Toasted Coconut Custard
Superbowl Nacho's
Normally beer can chicken focuses on the rub on the skin during cooking. However the skin is to be removed after cooking, so the rub (garlic, brown sugar, paprika, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper) is put under the skin, with only a couple of tablespoons on the skin. The bird is perched on the beer can during roasting. I really liked the rub under the skin. A lot of flavor remains with the meat after the skin is removed. A very successful chicken. 3 slices of chicken are 5 points
I have read a lot about incorporating more color in your food for the best health benefits. I love sweet potatoes and cutting them in wedges and roasting them until crisp was really good. The dipping sauce was made with Greek yogurt mixed with a couple of table spoons of chipotle salsa. A bright flavorful combination. 8 wedges and 2 tablespoons of the dip are 3 points
The slaw provided a crunch to the meal. I used a bag of broccoli slaw mix, shredded radicchio, sliced celery and slivers of yellow pepper and jicama. The dressing is a light mixture of yogurt, pickle relish, lemon zest and salt and pepper. I have made slaw before, but this one is a repeater. I will use some on sandwiches this week with slices of the chicken and the chipotle sauce. 1 cup of the slaw is only 1 point.
The only disappointment of the week was the coconut custard. The flavor was excellent, but the texture was a bit rubbery. I will need to work on that because it should have been better than it was. 1 custard is 3 points
I had planned a soup as I usually do. However, I have a lot of leftover food to use the rest of the week. So some of the chicken is in the freezer and next week Chicken Mulligatawny will be on the menu.
I had trouble deciding on my game food. Wings and nachos are my favorites, but only needed to make one. It became a no brainer since the wing recipe required removing the skin before cooking. Have you ever skinned chicken wings? Not a good time. The nacho recipe is a good one with ground turkey, onion, kidney beans cooked together and spooned over reduced fat tortilla chips. Sliced black olives and pickled jalepenos are put on top and then shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar on top. They are put in the oven until the cheese melts. These are and very tasty. However when I make them again I will substitute a milder jalepeno. This one was spicier than I care for. The points are a bit hard to determine. The recipe says 1/12 of the recipe is 3 points. What the heck is 1/12???
This was a good week in spite of the mountain of snow. A walk today to see the new frosting of snow on the 20 inches we already had was a pleasure. The stillness that comes with a lot of snow is very relaxing. Lots of birds singing in the trees. Not sure what they have to sing about, but they sounded happy.. Have a good week; stay warm and drive carefully.
Beer Can Chicken
Sweet Potato Wedges with Chipotle Yogurt Dip
Radicchio, Broccoli, and Jicama Slaw
Toasted Coconut Custard
Superbowl Nacho's
Normally beer can chicken focuses on the rub on the skin during cooking. However the skin is to be removed after cooking, so the rub (garlic, brown sugar, paprika, poultry seasoning and salt and pepper) is put under the skin, with only a couple of tablespoons on the skin. The bird is perched on the beer can during roasting. I really liked the rub under the skin. A lot of flavor remains with the meat after the skin is removed. A very successful chicken. 3 slices of chicken are 5 points
I have read a lot about incorporating more color in your food for the best health benefits. I love sweet potatoes and cutting them in wedges and roasting them until crisp was really good. The dipping sauce was made with Greek yogurt mixed with a couple of table spoons of chipotle salsa. A bright flavorful combination. 8 wedges and 2 tablespoons of the dip are 3 points
The slaw provided a crunch to the meal. I used a bag of broccoli slaw mix, shredded radicchio, sliced celery and slivers of yellow pepper and jicama. The dressing is a light mixture of yogurt, pickle relish, lemon zest and salt and pepper. I have made slaw before, but this one is a repeater. I will use some on sandwiches this week with slices of the chicken and the chipotle sauce. 1 cup of the slaw is only 1 point.
The only disappointment of the week was the coconut custard. The flavor was excellent, but the texture was a bit rubbery. I will need to work on that because it should have been better than it was. 1 custard is 3 points
I had planned a soup as I usually do. However, I have a lot of leftover food to use the rest of the week. So some of the chicken is in the freezer and next week Chicken Mulligatawny will be on the menu.
I had trouble deciding on my game food. Wings and nachos are my favorites, but only needed to make one. It became a no brainer since the wing recipe required removing the skin before cooking. Have you ever skinned chicken wings? Not a good time. The nacho recipe is a good one with ground turkey, onion, kidney beans cooked together and spooned over reduced fat tortilla chips. Sliced black olives and pickled jalepenos are put on top and then shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar on top. They are put in the oven until the cheese melts. These are and very tasty. However when I make them again I will substitute a milder jalepeno. This one was spicier than I care for. The points are a bit hard to determine. The recipe says 1/12 of the recipe is 3 points. What the heck is 1/12???
This was a good week in spite of the mountain of snow. A walk today to see the new frosting of snow on the 20 inches we already had was a pleasure. The stillness that comes with a lot of snow is very relaxing. Lots of birds singing in the trees. Not sure what they have to sing about, but they sounded happy.. Have a good week; stay warm and drive carefully.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Weight Watcher Challenge
At the beginning of the year I decided it was time to 'lighten up' my menus. This week I joined Weight Watchers at Work and purchased the new cookbook "Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook" It is excellent and will use it exclusively for the next weeks. I plan to visit Hilton Head in June and would rather suffer from sunburn than from being harpooned?! Here is what's on this weeks table:
Pork Roast with Winter Vegetables
Peach Melba
Chinese Noodle Soup
Breakfast Tostada
The pork roast is small, about 2 pounds and rubbed with lemon zest, chopped rosemary, minced garlic and S&P. The very thin layer of fat on the roast virtually disappears while roasting. The rub is very fragrant. The vegetables are chopped into one inches pieces and spread around the meat; Butternut squash, parsnips, carrots and celery. I tossed the vegetables several times during roasting. The pork is flavorful and sliced to 1/4 inch slices.
A simple green salad with EVOO and vinegar dressing is served along side.
Two slices of the pork and 1 cup of the vegetables is 7 WW points.
Later in the afternoon I had the peach Melba. 1/2 cup fat free frozen vanilla yogurt with peaches and mashed blackberries. Just the right amount of sweetness for someone who is not a sweets person. 5 WW points
It turns out the chili I made last week in almost totally repeated in the cookbook. I will have leftovers along with Trader Joe's frozen brown rice this week for lunch. 9 WW points.
This week is Chinese New Year; the year of the rabbit? I didn't care to look for rabbit, but the Chinese Noodle Soup called for thin strips of cooked pork (leftover from dinner on Saturday) In chicken broth, scallions, minced fresh ginger, soy sauce, halved baby bok choy, matchstick carrots, baby spinach and cooked soba noodles are simmered with the cooked pork. A nice light soup. 3 WW points.
Since I was going to meet friends for dinner on Sunday, I made a Breakfast Toastada for brunch. A lightly toasted corn tortilla with a salsa of tomato, onion , jalapeno and lime juice, a poached egg, cilantro and low fat cheddar cheese. Also had orange segments. Filling and will keep me until I leave. 4 WW points.
I look forward to my menu next week. Seafood and Super Bowl salsas are on the menu. Have a great week and stay warm. Lots of snow in the forecast.
Pork Roast with Winter Vegetables
Peach Melba
Chinese Noodle Soup
Breakfast Tostada
The pork roast is small, about 2 pounds and rubbed with lemon zest, chopped rosemary, minced garlic and S&P. The very thin layer of fat on the roast virtually disappears while roasting. The rub is very fragrant. The vegetables are chopped into one inches pieces and spread around the meat; Butternut squash, parsnips, carrots and celery. I tossed the vegetables several times during roasting. The pork is flavorful and sliced to 1/4 inch slices.
A simple green salad with EVOO and vinegar dressing is served along side.
Two slices of the pork and 1 cup of the vegetables is 7 WW points.
Later in the afternoon I had the peach Melba. 1/2 cup fat free frozen vanilla yogurt with peaches and mashed blackberries. Just the right amount of sweetness for someone who is not a sweets person. 5 WW points
It turns out the chili I made last week in almost totally repeated in the cookbook. I will have leftovers along with Trader Joe's frozen brown rice this week for lunch. 9 WW points.
This week is Chinese New Year; the year of the rabbit? I didn't care to look for rabbit, but the Chinese Noodle Soup called for thin strips of cooked pork (leftover from dinner on Saturday) In chicken broth, scallions, minced fresh ginger, soy sauce, halved baby bok choy, matchstick carrots, baby spinach and cooked soba noodles are simmered with the cooked pork. A nice light soup. 3 WW points.
Since I was going to meet friends for dinner on Sunday, I made a Breakfast Toastada for brunch. A lightly toasted corn tortilla with a salsa of tomato, onion , jalapeno and lime juice, a poached egg, cilantro and low fat cheddar cheese. Also had orange segments. Filling and will keep me until I leave. 4 WW points.
I look forward to my menu next week. Seafood and Super Bowl salsas are on the menu. Have a great week and stay warm. Lots of snow in the forecast.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
And the Winner is.....
This week football playoffs were the center of Sunday television. I thought it would be fun to do a sandwich play off. One from Chicago, one from Wisconsin and an unknown. Here is what is on the table:
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Wisconsin beer Brat
Beef Sticky Buns
Three Bean and Beef Chili
This was an interesting project. The Chicago hot dog is built on a poppy seed bun. I discovered there is an order to the how the toppings are added. Steam the bun and pile on the toppings, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish (could not bring myself to buy the neon green relish),chopped onion, tomato wedges, the grilled hot dog, dill pickle spear, chopped jalapeno pepper and celery salt. Don't even think about using ketchup. Lots of good flavor, but it falls apart easily and I had use a fork.
The Wisconsin brat is simmered in butter, beer, onions, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, sauerkraut and brown sugar. The brat is placed on the bun and the simmering liquid is drained and the onion-sauerkraut mixture is spooned over the brat. Grated Swiss cheese is melted over all. I like brats, beer, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese....separately. Did not care for the sandwich. Rather bland looking.
The surprising winner of the day is the beef sticky bun. Ground chuck is browned with sage, garlic and onion powders, salt and red pepper flakes until it crumbles and is cooked through. Diced onions and sliced mushrooms are added. When they are softened, 3 cups of baby spinach are stirred in and cooked until complete wilted. Remove from the heat and cool completely. When cooled, stir in shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. Refrigerated pizza dough is rolled out to a rectangle. The meat mixture is spread over the dough leaving a half inch at one of the short ends. Roll up the dough and seal. Cut in 8 pieces and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden. While they are warm drizzle with heated pepper jelly and cream cheese which has been thinned with a bit of milk. These are incredible. They look much like pecan rolls, but are savory. It expect they would be equally good with other ground meats, chicken or turkey. They reheat nicely.
The chili is a healthy one. Diced onion, red bell pepper and carrots are sauteed with cumin and extra lean ground beef. Crushed tomatoes and water are added along with a minced chipolte chile in adobo sauce. Oregano is added along with one can each drained and rinsed black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. As is the case with most chili's, it gets better with each reheating.
Though the outcome of game was not as I had hoped, the table was great. We shall see what next week brings. Stay warm!
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Wisconsin beer Brat
Beef Sticky Buns
Three Bean and Beef Chili
This was an interesting project. The Chicago hot dog is built on a poppy seed bun. I discovered there is an order to the how the toppings are added. Steam the bun and pile on the toppings, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish (could not bring myself to buy the neon green relish),chopped onion, tomato wedges, the grilled hot dog, dill pickle spear, chopped jalapeno pepper and celery salt. Don't even think about using ketchup. Lots of good flavor, but it falls apart easily and I had use a fork.
The Wisconsin brat is simmered in butter, beer, onions, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, sauerkraut and brown sugar. The brat is placed on the bun and the simmering liquid is drained and the onion-sauerkraut mixture is spooned over the brat. Grated Swiss cheese is melted over all. I like brats, beer, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese....separately. Did not care for the sandwich. Rather bland looking.
The surprising winner of the day is the beef sticky bun. Ground chuck is browned with sage, garlic and onion powders, salt and red pepper flakes until it crumbles and is cooked through. Diced onions and sliced mushrooms are added. When they are softened, 3 cups of baby spinach are stirred in and cooked until complete wilted. Remove from the heat and cool completely. When cooled, stir in shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. Refrigerated pizza dough is rolled out to a rectangle. The meat mixture is spread over the dough leaving a half inch at one of the short ends. Roll up the dough and seal. Cut in 8 pieces and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden. While they are warm drizzle with heated pepper jelly and cream cheese which has been thinned with a bit of milk. These are incredible. They look much like pecan rolls, but are savory. It expect they would be equally good with other ground meats, chicken or turkey. They reheat nicely.
The chili is a healthy one. Diced onion, red bell pepper and carrots are sauteed with cumin and extra lean ground beef. Crushed tomatoes and water are added along with a minced chipolte chile in adobo sauce. Oregano is added along with one can each drained and rinsed black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. As is the case with most chili's, it gets better with each reheating.
Though the outcome of game was not as I had hoped, the table was great. We shall see what next week brings. Stay warm!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Football Playoffs, Worst Cooks, A 3 Day Weekend....Life is good!
Picking a menu and recipes for this week was a bit of a challenge given the events I wanted to watch and still get things done at home. However I think the selections were good ones. On the table:
Pan-Grilled Halibut with Chimichuri
Warm Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese
Moqueca (Moo-KAY-Ka)
Some great seafood at Whole Foods this week and I think the table shows them off. The halibut was a large piece so half is in the freezer for another time. The Chimichuri is made first so it can sit and the flavors can come together. It is a mixture of Cilantro (parsley is a good substitute) basil, shallots, horseradish, EVOO and lemon juice. The herbs and onion are chopped fine and mixed with the horseradish, oil and lemon juice. Set aside while the halibut is grilled. Spray a grill pan with EVOO and pre-heat. Season the fish and grill about 4 minutes each side. Serve with Chimichuri spooned over the top.
The salad could have been a meal in itself. Roast beets with EVOO wrapped in foil until done. Set aside to cool. Peel and cut in quarters. Prepare vinaigrette with sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped fresh thyme, EVOO, salt and pepper. Lentils are cooked in chicken broth with onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and sprigs of fresh thyme. (Sorry Chris, the lentils are in the salad, not the soup, But you would not be disappointed with this.) Remove the vegetables and drain off any broth not absorbed. Set aside the lentils and keep warm. In a large skillet saute 1/4 pound diced Canadian bacon, garlic, and diced carrot. Stir in chopped fresh thyme leaves and some sherry vinegar. Add the lentils and combine. Toss some of the vinaigrette with mixed greens. Spoon warm lentil salad on top. Add the beets and bits of goat cheese and drizzle with more dressing. For those who don't care for thyme, any fragrant herb can be substituted.
Growing up, my Mom was mostly stay at home, so she did the majority of the cooking. However, my Dad had a couple of 'speciality' things he liked to prepare. One of them was fish chowder. He never recorded the recipe because each time it was a bit different from the last. When I came across the soup recipe, I thought about his fish chowder. Moqueca is a Brazilian Seafood Stew that goes back 300 years. Cod is cut in cubes and marinated in lime juice and garlic and chilled while the rest of the soup is constructed. Diced onions, red and yellow pepper and tomatoes are sauteed in oil with paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Half a bunch of chopped cilantro is stirred in and cooked until the vegetables are softened. Half of the mixture is removed, the cod pieces and a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp are spread on top. The vegetables are then used to cover the fish. A can of coconut milk is poured over all. The soup is brought to a simmer, covered and cooked until the seafood is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Seasonings are adjusted and the soup is served over cooked brown rice. This is an incredible soup, however, coconut milk has a very high fat content and veers from my healthy eating challenge for the new year. When I prepare this again, I will find a suitable substitute for coconut milk.
I have not only been able to enjoy football (GO BEARS) and will be able to watch the new episode of Worst Cooks, I have great food. Tomorrow will be devoted to catching up with some other things. Tuesday it's back to school for spring semester!!
Have a great semester everyone!
Pan-Grilled Halibut with Chimichuri
Warm Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese
Moqueca (Moo-KAY-Ka)
Some great seafood at Whole Foods this week and I think the table shows them off. The halibut was a large piece so half is in the freezer for another time. The Chimichuri is made first so it can sit and the flavors can come together. It is a mixture of Cilantro (parsley is a good substitute) basil, shallots, horseradish, EVOO and lemon juice. The herbs and onion are chopped fine and mixed with the horseradish, oil and lemon juice. Set aside while the halibut is grilled. Spray a grill pan with EVOO and pre-heat. Season the fish and grill about 4 minutes each side. Serve with Chimichuri spooned over the top.
The salad could have been a meal in itself. Roast beets with EVOO wrapped in foil until done. Set aside to cool. Peel and cut in quarters. Prepare vinaigrette with sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped fresh thyme, EVOO, salt and pepper. Lentils are cooked in chicken broth with onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and sprigs of fresh thyme. (Sorry Chris, the lentils are in the salad, not the soup, But you would not be disappointed with this.) Remove the vegetables and drain off any broth not absorbed. Set aside the lentils and keep warm. In a large skillet saute 1/4 pound diced Canadian bacon, garlic, and diced carrot. Stir in chopped fresh thyme leaves and some sherry vinegar. Add the lentils and combine. Toss some of the vinaigrette with mixed greens. Spoon warm lentil salad on top. Add the beets and bits of goat cheese and drizzle with more dressing. For those who don't care for thyme, any fragrant herb can be substituted.
Growing up, my Mom was mostly stay at home, so she did the majority of the cooking. However, my Dad had a couple of 'speciality' things he liked to prepare. One of them was fish chowder. He never recorded the recipe because each time it was a bit different from the last. When I came across the soup recipe, I thought about his fish chowder. Moqueca is a Brazilian Seafood Stew that goes back 300 years. Cod is cut in cubes and marinated in lime juice and garlic and chilled while the rest of the soup is constructed. Diced onions, red and yellow pepper and tomatoes are sauteed in oil with paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Half a bunch of chopped cilantro is stirred in and cooked until the vegetables are softened. Half of the mixture is removed, the cod pieces and a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp are spread on top. The vegetables are then used to cover the fish. A can of coconut milk is poured over all. The soup is brought to a simmer, covered and cooked until the seafood is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Seasonings are adjusted and the soup is served over cooked brown rice. This is an incredible soup, however, coconut milk has a very high fat content and veers from my healthy eating challenge for the new year. When I prepare this again, I will find a suitable substitute for coconut milk.
I have not only been able to enjoy football (GO BEARS) and will be able to watch the new episode of Worst Cooks, I have great food. Tomorrow will be devoted to catching up with some other things. Tuesday it's back to school for spring semester!!
Have a great semester everyone!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Healthy Table Challenge
This week at Marilyn's Table is the beginning of healthier menus for the new year. I recently purchased a book 'Super foods; The Healthiest Foods on the Planet' 200 foods are profiled and it should be a challenge to use them in my cooking. I expect I will be using more organics as well. This week at the table:
Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic
Sweet Potatoes Smashed with Steamed Broccoli
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Apples and garlic seemed a strange combination, but I found them to be an excellent compliment to each other. Granny Smith apples are cut in chunks and mixed with minced garlic. The mixture is the base for the chicken thighs which are lightly seasoned. When the chicken is cooked, the apples are mashed with a fork and served with the thigh on top. One apple per thigh worked well. I did leave the skin on the thigh until they were cooked, but served them with the skin removed.
The potato broccoli mash is not new for me, but one of which I am very fond. Sweet potatoes and broccoli are high on the super food list. The potatoes are cut in cubes and simmered in light chicken broth. The broccoli is added and cooked until softened but still very green. The potato and broccoli mix is mashed and some of the broth is added to make the mixture smoother. This was a very colorful plate.
One of my favorite 'go to' foods is rotisserie chicken from Jewel. My soup this week is chicken tortilla with Swiss chard and butternut squash. The squash is cooked in chicken broth with garlic and minced onion. A can of diced tomatoes with green chilies are stirred in as is chopped Swiss chard. At the end 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken is added. The soup is served with corn tortillas which have been cut in strips, sprayed with olive oil spray and toasted in the oven. The soup is filling and has a lot of flavor without salt added.
All in all I am happy with this first 'healthy' meal and look forward to picking my menu for next week. Stay warm and Happy Cooking!!
Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic
Sweet Potatoes Smashed with Steamed Broccoli
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Apples and garlic seemed a strange combination, but I found them to be an excellent compliment to each other. Granny Smith apples are cut in chunks and mixed with minced garlic. The mixture is the base for the chicken thighs which are lightly seasoned. When the chicken is cooked, the apples are mashed with a fork and served with the thigh on top. One apple per thigh worked well. I did leave the skin on the thigh until they were cooked, but served them with the skin removed.
The potato broccoli mash is not new for me, but one of which I am very fond. Sweet potatoes and broccoli are high on the super food list. The potatoes are cut in cubes and simmered in light chicken broth. The broccoli is added and cooked until softened but still very green. The potato and broccoli mix is mashed and some of the broth is added to make the mixture smoother. This was a very colorful plate.
One of my favorite 'go to' foods is rotisserie chicken from Jewel. My soup this week is chicken tortilla with Swiss chard and butternut squash. The squash is cooked in chicken broth with garlic and minced onion. A can of diced tomatoes with green chilies are stirred in as is chopped Swiss chard. At the end 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken is added. The soup is served with corn tortillas which have been cut in strips, sprayed with olive oil spray and toasted in the oven. The soup is filling and has a lot of flavor without salt added.
All in all I am happy with this first 'healthy' meal and look forward to picking my menu for next week. Stay warm and Happy Cooking!!
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