NOT A HEALTHY RECIPE (but a great one!): Ziti a la Vodka

I have made this recipe several times recently for friends and it always kills.  I've seen people go back for - not kidding - 4th helpings.  I cautiously get asked for Tupperware so folks can take some home.  I get told I should open a restaurant.  I hate to say it, but it's better than the Italian recipes I got from my Italian Grandma (love you, Grandma, and your lasagna rocks!)  Like all Italian food, it reheats marvelously, though it is slightly better on the night it's cooked.  It may look like you have too much sauce vs. pasta, but you should absolutely err on that side of the equation because the sauce is AMAZING.  Serve it with a little bread (because you needed more carbs, I know) to sop up the extra.  

A few tips I do to zazz this up a bit.  I usually end up adding more vodka and more red pepper flakes than this recipe calls for, because I like the extra flavor.  If I want to lighten it up, I sometimes use just a quarter cup of heavy cream and substitute the other quarter cup with almond milk / coconut milk unsweetened creamer or fat free half and half.  Regardless, with both a pasta carbo bomb and some cream in there, it's not going to end up being THAT healthy.  So, pair it with a lean protein and a hefty serving of vegetables, to keep the portion sizes light.  I like either sautéed broccoli or roasted cauliflower with this dish, and a grilled chicken thigh.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup store-bought grated), plus more for serving, if desired

1 medium sweet onion

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup double concentrated tomato paste (from a tube)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

1/2 cup vodka

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

1 pound dried penne rigate or penne pasta

4 sprigs fresh basil

1/2 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, finely grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (1/2 packed cup), or measure out 1/2 cup store-bought grated. Finely chop 1 medium yellow onion (1 1/2 cups) and 3 garlic cloves. Start cooking the sauce.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to turn golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup tomato paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

Add 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes and its juices, 1/2 cup vodka, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, break up the tomatoes into small bits. Bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1 pound penne pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until just al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain. Meanwhile, pick the leaves from 4 fresh basil sprigs and thinly slice.

Scrape the sauce into a blender. Blend until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and pulse until just combined, about 10 (1-second) pulses. (Alternatively, blend the sauce directly in the skillet with an immersion blender, then add the cream and stir until just combined.)

Return the sauce to the skillet. Add the pasta, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until the penne is coated with sauce, about 4 minutes. Add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed if the sauce is too thick.

Turn off the heat. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Serve topped with the basil, more grated Parmesan cheese, and a few grinds of black pepper or red pepper flakes if desired.

Makes 6 Servings, 505 calories, 15g fat, 70 g carbs, 6g fiber, 15 g protein

One Pot Chicken Meatballs With Greens

 I was trolling around NY Times Cooking's recipe app this week, looking for a new healthy recipe and boy, did this one deliver!  I zazzed it up from the base recipe, using some of the suggestions in the comments and I'm glad that I did.  Some of the extra stuff I added really gave it extra flavor.  My recommendations are included here in italics as well as the original recipe.  This was not that hard to make, is extremely healthy and, in this day and age of high price groceries, doesn't cost very much.  A pound of ground chicken is $5-6 at my local grocery store, one of the least expensive proteins you can buy right now.  Also, it reheats pretty darned well, too.  All around, a winner, winner chicken dinner.  (you see what I did there?)

Ingredients

• 1cup panko bread crumbs
• 2/3 cup full-fat thick yogurt (preferably Greek or Icelandic)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 4 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper - I added more
• Salt
• 2 pound ground chicken
• ¼cup olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1pound rainbow or Swiss chard (1 large or 2 small bunches), tender stalks sliced and leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons
• 1lemon, thinly sliced
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 egg - I added to meatballs for stickiness and moisture
• 1/4 cup white wine - I used this to deglaze the pan and give the sauce some bite
• 1/8 cup Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce - I added this to the meatballs to give them some additional flavor
• 1 can cannelini or butter beans - I added this to the pot for additional protein and heartiness

Directions:

1. Step 1

   In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, yogurt, garlic, scallions, oregano, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt and eggs and wing sauce. Add the chicken and gently mix until fully combined.

2. Step 2

   Coat your palms in olive oil, then shape the meat into medium meatballs (about 2 inches each), making sure each is lightly coated with oil by refreshing the coating on your hands. Set the meatballs directly on a sheet pan or on parchment paper.

3. Step 3

   Heat a 12-inch Dutch oven (or other heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat for 2 minutes until hot. Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, tilting the pot to coat the surface, then add the meatballs. Let cook until they are golden halfway up the sides, occasionally turning them when they easily release, adding extra oil if needed, about 7 minutes.

4. Step 4

   Meanwhile, to another large bowl, add the greens, lemon slices, cumin and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with salt; toss to coat the leaves, scrunching them up as needed.

5. Step 5

   Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the browned bits. Smother the meatballs with the beans first then the greens and lemon slices. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens tender, 12 to 13 minutes.

6. Step 6

   Use a soup ladle to scoop up the meatballs, resting them on the greens, browned-side up and ladling any juices on top of the meatballs and greens. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges for serving, if desired.

7. Makes 4 servings

8. Calories: 527, Fat: 28.4g, Carbs 28.7 g, Protein 56.2g

Instant Pot Saag Chicken

I go through a process when I contemplate buying a new appliance for the kitchen - I ask myself whether I will use it at least once a month.  If not, I won't make the purchase.  With my Instant Pot, I've had to make a bit of an effort to make that stick, but I do find myself using it pretty regularly, especially for Indian curries.  There's something about the way it cooks the food that really does well with Indian flavors, and I've struggled to make great curries without the Instant Pot.

I've seen a lot of incredibly complex recipes for my favorite curry, Saag Chicken, which involve making some kind of extra second mixture ahead of time, or pre-boiling the spinach, etc.  This recipe is healthy, delicious, and relatively simple - it only involves one pot.  I do tend to go on the lighter side with the chiles (wimp!) and I like to sear the chicken on the Instant Pot's Saute setting briefly before cooking, but otherwise, I follow this recipe pretty much to the letter.  A note on Garam Masala - it sounds mysterious and you can't buy a bottle of it in the grocery store usually.  But, you can buy it on Amazon or from an Indian grocery store or - in a pinch - you can make your own.  There are loads of recipes out on the internet and it doesn't contain anything unusual - it's just a particular mix of common spices that is often used in Indian food.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken thighs or breasts, cut into cubes.  You may also add paneer.
• 1 pound spinach
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger piece or pre-minced ginger
• 1 white onion chopped
• 1-3 green chilies - you can use thai chiles (spicier!), but I usually use jalapenos and only use one or two
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons garam masala powder
• Water
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions:

• Heat up Instant Pot in saute mode and add ghee.
• Saute cumin seeds, ginger & garlic pieces, onions and green chilies.  (I also saute the chicken / paneer briefly at this point to brown the outside a bit.)
• Sprinkle in coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt.
• Pour about ½ cup water.
• Add alternating loads of spinach and chicken pieces into the pot. Make sure to separate the chicken pieces, they will stick to each other when you pressure cook.
• Close lid and cook for 8 minutes in “pressure cook” setting.
• Once cooking time is over, manually release the pressure in the pot with a kitchen towel in your hand. Be careful, the liquids may splutter out while releasing pressure.
• Remove chicken pieces out in a bowl. Blend rest of the ingredients using stick blender into a smooth sauce.
• Add chicken pieces back.
• Sprinkle garam masala and yogurt.
• Simmer for 2-3 minutes with a glass lid to cover (curry sauce will splutter).
• Serve hot with basmati rice or naan.

Nutritional Information (for chicken only, additional calories if you add paneer): 4 servings

Calories: 328, Fat: 19g, Carbs 13g, Fiber 6g, Sugars 3g, Protein 29g

Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary, Tomatoes, Shallots and Polenta

I made this Ellie Krieger recipe for my son and myself this week and DAMN.  It is good.  And, easy for cleanup, as a single sheet-pan meal.  The herbs with the beef are truly kick-butt and, since my son ate all the meat immediately, I’ve been loving the veggies & polenta as a standalone leftover.  I will say the polenta was even better after I pan sautéed it to put a slight crust on it.  Good tenderloin isn’t cheap, but this is a good way to use it if you feel like investing a bit in a great dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 large clove of garlic, finely minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ pound beef tenderloin roast
• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 4 medium shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• One 1-pound tube of prepared polenta, sliced into 8 slices about ¾-inch thick
• 1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the broiler to high. Take the garlic and chop extra finely. Place the garlic paste into a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the rosemary and ½ teaspoon of the pepper and stir to combine. Rub the mixture all over the meat.

Place a metal rack on top of a sheet pan; place the meat on the rack and broil about 2 inches from the flame until the top of the meat is browned, about 3 minutes. Turn off the broiler and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Transfer the meat to a plate and remove the rack.

Place the tomatoes and the shallots on the pan. Drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss them with tongs, then push them over to one half of the pan. Place the meat, browned side up, in the center of the pan. Brush the polenta slices with the remaining tablespoon of oil and place them on the other side of the meat on the pan.

Cook for 15 minutes, then stir the tomatoes and shallots and flip the polenta slices. Return to the oven and continue to cook until the meat is reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees for medium rare, 10-15 minutes more. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices. While the meat is resting, drizzle the tomatoes and shallots with the balsamic vinegar.

Makes 4 servings

Serving size: 3 slices of meat, 2 polenta rounds and 2/3 cup tomatoes and shallot

Per serving: Calories 420, Total Fat 22 g; (Sat Fat 6 g, Mono Fat 11 g, Poly Fat 2 g); Protein 33 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 75 mg; Sodium 610 mg, Total Sugar 7 g (Added Sugar 0 g)

Blue Cheese Lemon Green Beans

 Now, I like green beans, don’t get me wrong, but it can be really hard to make them anything more than “pretty good.”  Sometimes, a large pat of butter, salt, and pepper is just not enough to make veggies awesome.  This is one of the first recipes that makes the vegetable course the absolute standout of the meal.  I have made this a dozen times now, and it is a beautiful thing every time I make it.  I do use Frank’s Wing Sauce instead of sriracha sometimes, and that is just as good, so feel free to experiment.  Big fan of Cholula or Crystal hot sauces?  See if they work just as well.  Anyway, thanks Ree Drummond, you know how to zazz up green beans pretty darned well.

Ingredients:

• 1 TB Olive Oil
• 8 oz green beans trimmed
• 1 TB Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TB sriracha or other hot sauce (I maaaay have used more)
• Fresh lemon juice as needed
• 2 oz crumbled blue cheese

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When hot, add the green beans in one layer. When the beans are just beginning to color, stir them around and add the Worcestershire, sriracha and lemon juice. Cook until the beans are crisp-tender, a few more minutes. Transfer them to a plate, crumble over the blue cheese and serve.

Serves 4

Calories: 152

Carbs: 13.7 g

Protein: 5 g

Grape Jelly Crock Pot Meatballs

 This was another appetizer I made for a party I held last night and people were raving about these meatballs.  They kept saying the flavor was so unusual, like nothing they'd had before.  What I did not tell them was that this was 1000% the easiest recipe I've made in forever, because it did not taste "easy."  That's my favorite kind of fancy food!  These soak up more sauce overnight and reheat extremely well.  

Ingredients:

• 2 packages, about 32 oz, pre-cooked frozen turkey meatballs (yes, you can make your own meatballs if you're feeling fancy, but these are really good and a whole lot easier!)
• 1 jar, 15 oz, grape jelly
• 1 jar, 12 oz, Heinz chili sauce

Instructions:

• Put the meatballs, grape jelly, and chili sauce in your crock pot.
• Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2 hours.  Stir every so often.

That is literally, it. 🤩

Serves 10 - 235 calories, 6 g fat, 733 mg sodium, 33g carbs, 1g fiber, 22g sugar, 10g protein

Crab & Cheese Stuffed Mini-Peppers

I made these for a party last night, and MAN, were they good!  Not that hard to make either - the toughest part was slicing & de-seeding all the little peppers.  I did these with dairy-free Boursin cheese, which was kind to my lactose-intolerant guests and had the bonus of giving the peppers a nice roasted garlic flavor.  I might add either a little tabasco to the filling or top the peppers with parmesan before cooking them next time - those feel like they could be fun experiments.  I suspect these will not reheat well, but I'll letcha know because they will be part of dinner tonight.  I'll make these appetizers again for sure.

Ingredients:

• 12-14 sweet mini-peppers
• 1 TB olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 5 oz scallion or garden flavored cream cheese
• 8 oz lump or jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• Cut the peppers lengthwise and remove the stems, seeds and ribs. If needed, trim a small amount off the bottom of each pepper half so that it will lie flat when cut-side up (making them steady is important so the filling stays intact during baking). Chop the trimmings into small pieces and set aside.  
• Toss the pepper halves in a medium bowl with the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Set aside. 
• Stir together the softened cream cheese and reserved pepper trimmings in another medium bowl until smooth. Gently fold in the crabmeat and season with salt and pepper.
• Fill each pepper half with about 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture so it comes over the top of the pepper slightly. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is beginning to brown, about 18 minutes. Serve warm.  

Serves 6 - 173 cal, 13g fat, 600 mg sodium, 6 g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugar, 9g protein

 Chipotle Beef Portobello Mushrooms

This is another Ellie Krieber recipe and, like her others, this is easy, uses easy-to-find ingredients and is really, really good.  It’s just a little bit spicy/tangy but not crazy and all the vegetables in it means it’s pretty low calorie.  It takes less than 30 minutes to cook, and stores & reheats really well.  

Ingredients:

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps (about ¼ pound each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• ½ small canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 pound ground beef (90% lean or higher)
• One 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• One 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 2/3 cup corn kernels, from 1 ear fresh or thawed frozen corn
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 thin slices extra-sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces total)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Brush the mushroom caps lightly with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil total, then sprinkle with a total of ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet, gill side up, and cook until tender and juicy, 7 to 8 minutes. When the mushrooms are done, remove them from the oven, keeping them on the baking sheet.

Meanwhile, chop the onion and finely mince the garlic and canned chipotle chile. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking the meat up with the spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, corn, chipotle, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. While the mixture is simmering, chop the cilantro.

Preheat the broiler to high.

Stir the cilantro into the beef mixture, then fill each mushroom cap with about 1 cup of it. Top each with a slice of cheese, then broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat source until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Serving size: 1 stuffed mushroom cap

Calories 430; Total Fat 24g (Sat Fat 8g, Mono Fat 9.5g, Poly Fat 2.7g); Protein 31g; Carb 23g; Fiber 5g; Cholesterol 90mg; Sodium 500mg

Carrot-Ginger Vegan Soup with Roast Veggies

I have a friend who is vegan - we all have at least one, right?  And, every time I have him over, I struggle with what to make that is not going to drive me around the bend with complexity or weird ingredients.  This vegan soup is delicious, colorful, healthy, and relatively easy.  And, when I'm not among vegans, I miiiiiiight throw some sausage in there.  Even my picky son went back for seconds when I made this last night - not a vegan in sight, but it felt like great cold weather food.  It's that good.  Thanks Food Network!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling or spraying
• 2 scallions, sliced (this works with shallots too, if you have those)
• 2 TB peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped
• 5 whole carrots or 25-ish baby carrots, chopped
• salt and peper
• 1x 14 oz can light coconut milk
• 1x 15 oz can cannellini beans, undrained
• 3c of water or veggie broth
• 1 tray full of veggies you like to roast, cut into 1" chunks or florets - they recommend acorn squash, but I usually do broccoli & cauliflower, and that's great
• 2 slices crusty bread, cut into 1-in cubes, and more bread to serve with the soup

Put roasting veggies on a cookie tray, spray or drizzle with olive oil, then add salt & pepper.  Put in the oven at 425, and set a timer for 15 min.  Every 15 min, check them and turn them over.  Assume they'll need to cook 45 min, or until they are soft and the edges are a little crispy.  When you hit what will be the last 10-15 min, add the bread cubes, spray with olive oil again, and roast them with the veggies.

Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a dutch oven with the 3 TB olive oil.  Put in scallions / shallots, and cook for a minute, then add garlic & ginger and cook for another minute.  This may spit a little, so be careful.  Then, add the carrots, coconut milk, beans (including bean goo), and water / broth.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 10 min, or until carrots are soft enough to be cut easily with a fork.  

Take an immersion blender and blend this mixture thoroughly, until there are no more carrot chunks in it.  Put in the roasted veggies and bread cubes, and serve.  Yesssss! 🙌🏽

Thai Sautéed Tofu

Tofu can be challenging to cook.  One of the more amusing moments of my adult life was watching a group of native Texans try to describe tofu in a game of charades.  There was a lot of simulated vomiting, let’s just say.  But, if you make it the right way, IT IS LIFE CHANGING.  And, this recipe is one of the all time best I’ve ever had.  It takes some time to prepare, but get ready to change someone’s mind about tofu...

Ingredients:

• 3/4lb. Firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
• 2 TB fresh lime juice
• 1 TB soy sauce
• 1 TB chili garlic sauce (Lee Kum Kee)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TB peanut oil

Directions:

• Cut tofu into 3/4 inch thick slices.  Arrange several layers of paper towels on a plate.  Put tofu on top of paper towels in a single layer.  Put several more layers of paper towels on top of the tofu.  Put something heavy, like a cast iron skillet or a heavy book, on top of the top layer of towels.  Let stand at least 30 min, to drain the water out of the tofu.
• Remove tofu from towels, cut into 3/4” cubes.  Add all other ingredients but peanut oil into a ziplock bag.  Add tofu, seal, and marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours, turning occasionally to coat all sides.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add peanut oil to pan.  Remove tofu from bag, discard all marinade.  Add tofu to pan, and use a set of tongs to gently turn each cube until all sides get crisp and brown.  Remove from heat and serve.

I often serve this with noodles - you can do rice vermicelli with cilantro and fish sauce or green onions and carrots.  Or, you can eat this by itself - it’s that good!  I don’t have calories on this because it’s part of a larger recipe for a noodle salad that I think is unnecessarily complicated and not all that good.

Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef & Pine Nuts

I know I haven't posted any new recipes for a while, but welcome to COVID cooking!  I've not only been making a lot of my old favorites from here, but have been inspired (or forced? LOL) to branch out and try some new stuff.  This recipe from Ellie Krieger's Whole In One cookbook is great.  My son didn't love it, but it's a little off the beaten track (sort of a Moroccan flavor) and he is not super tolerant of foods that wander outside his normal taste profile.  I, on the other hand, was totally into it!  The combination of the sweetly spiced meat with the crunchy pine nuts and smooth hummus was just awesome.  Leftovers have to be separated out into components, since some are hot and others cold.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. pine nuts
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin (Ellie recommends fewer spices but I think it needed more flavor)
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 12 oz lean ground beef
• 1 1/3 c hummus
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 c fresh parsley or cilantro
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)

Toast the pine nuts in a medium skillet over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until brown and fragrant.  2-3 min.  Transfer these to a small dish.  Add the oil to the skillet and heat, then add onions and cook until softened.  Stir in the garlic and other spices, cook for 30 sec, to release the aromas.  Add the meat, and brown it, breaking it up.  

To serve, spread 1/3 c. hummus on each plate.  Mound 1/2c meat on top of that, then sprinkle with tomatoes, greens, and pine nuts.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Serve with pita bread.

Makes 4 servings.  Each serving (without pita bread) 430 cal, 27 g fat, 26 g protein, 23 g. carbs, 7g fiber, 55 mg cholesterol

Erica's Infamous Pecan Pie *not a healthy recipe*

I know, I know, it's hard to find good low-calorie dessert recipes at Thanksgiving.  But, this is not going to be one of them, unfortunately.  Check out my post on Chocolate Toffee Mousse for that - it's a family favorite!  Anyway, this IS a healthy recipe for me, because I don't like to eat pecan pie.  Yes, I apparently make it well and so I get asked to make it every year, therefore I figured I'd better digitize the recipe before my cookbook disintegrates.  But, I still won't eat it myself.   Anyway, it's a very simple, classic recipe, from my 50s-fabulous Culinary Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook.  If you have one you like better, let me know.

Pie Crust Recipe:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 4-6 tablespoons cold water

Put flour and salt in a bowl, then cut in shortening with a pastry blender.  Add water a couple of TB at a time, until mixture holds together but is not wet.  Be careful not to over-mix.  Divide dough into 2 balls.  Roll each ball out on a floured surface to desired width.  Fold in quarters to transfer to your pie plate, then unfold.  Recipe makes two pie crusts.  (Or, if you're making a fruit pie, you may choose to use the second crust as a "top" for one pie.)

Pecan Pie Recipe:

• 1/4c butter
• 2/3c brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 c dark corn syrup
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c pecan pieces
• About 20 pecan halves, preferably well-formed
• 1 uncooked pie crust (note that the crust recipe makes 2 crusts, so you may decide to double the quantity on this filling recipe)

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add salt, corn syrup, eggs, pecan pieces, and vanilla, mix.  Pour into pie crust.  Bake in a hot oven (450) for 10 minutes.  You should have a hard crust on top of the pie.  Place pecan halves in two concentric circles on the top of the pie.  If you need to break through the crust slightly with the pecan to let the liquid filling help hold the pecan in place, that is appropriate.  Reduce oven temperature to 350, and bake another 35 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.  FYI, I find this quite often takes more than 35 minutes, so let the pie tell you when it is done.  Makes 1x 8" pie.

No-Bread Meatloaf

Currently, I'm doing a low carb diet and really trying to stay away from all forms of carbs.  Even though it doesn't have a ton, most meatloaf has some bread crumbs, and sugary ketchup, which are enough to add unnecessary carbs to my day.  This recipe uses no carbey items and tastes AWESOME.  The key is cooking the veggies before putting them in the loaf - adds an extra pan, but YUM.
Ingredients:
 2

2 finely chopped green onions

1⁄2 cup finely chopped green pepper

1⁄3 cup finely chopped celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 

1⁄4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper

1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg 

2 bay leaves 

1⁄2 cup tomato sauce, with no sugar or wine in it (I used a little more than called for, and like Michael's of Brooklyn tomato basil sauce)

1⁄2 cup low fat half-and-half

2 lbs ground beef (or mix with part veal or pork or beef) - I mixed with veal

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1⁄2 teaspoons red pepper / tobasco sauce

Olive oil spray

1. Spray a nonstick pan with olive oil spray.  Add the green onions, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook until softened.
2. Stir in salt, cumin, peppers, nutmeg, and bayleaves and cook 1 minute.
3. Stir in ketchup and half and half and simmer 2 minutes.
4. Cool and remove bay leaves.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Combine meat, eggs (lightly beaten), worcestershire, red pepper sauce in large bowl.
7. Stir vegeable mixture into meat mixture unil well blended.
8. Spoon mixture evenly into a 9 x 5 pan or freeform the mixture 
9. Bake 70 minutes or until temperature of meat registers 160 degrees.  Add a layer of extra tomato sauce to the top part way through cooking.
10. Cool in pan 5 minutes (at least) and drain and unmold onto serving platter.

One Pot Dominican Chicken and Rice

I've made this dish 4-5 times already and it is TERRIFIC.  It's got a great blend of favors.  And, it's nice that you can cook it all in one pan.  It takes a bit of time, but it's totally worth it.  They pretty much had me at "olives."

• 1 small onion
• 1 large green bell pepper
• 1 TB canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 large pimento stuffed green olives (OK, I used more than 4)
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 1/4 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1 c quick cooking brown rice
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)

Thinly slice the onion into half moons and chop the bell pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet that has a tight fitting lid, at high heat.  Add the onion and the pepper and cook until softened and browned around the edges, about 5 min.  Meanwhile mince the garlic and slice the olives.

Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, until it is incorporated and slightly darker in color, 1 min.  Add the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 1 min. Add the broth, rice, olives and then the chicken.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Then, lower heat to medium low, and simmer until nearly all the liquid is absorbed, the rice is soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 min.

Serves 4, serving size = 1cup rice mixture and 1-1.5 chicken thighs.

Calories - 410, Total fat - 18g, sat fat 4g, mono fat 7.7g, poly fat 4.5g, protein - 36 g, carb - 26g, fiber 3G, cholesterol - 110 mg, sodium - 600 mg

Beef Bourguignonne with Egg Noodles

This recipe takes a while to make, but is AWESOME.  Best stew recipe ever, and doesn't taste the least bit "diet-ey."  This is a great Sunday dinner kind of dish to make.  Everyone loves it.  But, as I said, fair warning, it is a lengthy process.

• 1/3 c flour
• 2 tsp salt, divided
• 3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper, divided
• 2 1/4 lbs lean beef stew meat
• 4 bacon slices
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced carrot
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 c dry red wine
• 14 oz low sodium beef broth
• 8 c halved mushrooms (about 1.5 lbs)
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 16 oz package frozen pearl onions
• 7c hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 6c uncooked)
• 3 TB chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Combine flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a zip plastic bag.  Add beef, seal and shake to coat.  Cook half of bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp.  Set aside.  Add half of beef to grease in plan.  Cook 5 min, browning on all sides.  Remove beef from pan, cover and keep warm. Repeat with remaining bacon and beef.  Remove and keep warm.  

Add chopped onion, sliced carrot and minced garlic to pan.  Sauté 5 min.  Stir in red wine and broth, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add bacon, beef, remaining salt & pepper, mushrooms, tomato paste, chopped thyme, bay leaves and pearl onions.  Bring to a boil.  Cover reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.  Uncover and cook1 hour or until beef is tender.  Discard bay leaves.  Serve beef mixture over noodles.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield 9 servings, 447 calories, 14.6 g fat, 5.1 g sat fat, 32.7 G protein, 45.7 g carbs, 3.9 g fiber, 117 mg cholesterol.

Broccoli Bacon Mac & Cheese

OK, people, I am a whole foods kind of eater these days, but - like many children of the 70's - I grew up on that nasty, totally fakey-fake Kraft Mac & Cheese.  And, truth be told, I like it.  I thought that, once I started eating healthy, that I would need to pretty much give that up.  BUT NO!  Cooking Light has come up with a brilliant way to make vegetables taste like Kraft Mac & Cheese.  And, it's easy.  And, it has bacon in it.  Note that this one tastes a bit better the night you make it than via leftovers.  But, that didn't stop me from eating it for several days - grin.  Awesome new find.  Think I'll make it again this week.

• 2 slices center cut bacon
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2c unsalted chicken stock
• 1 cup 1% fat milk
• 1x 10 package of frozen butternut squash puree, thawed (OK, this is tough to find, but is really the magic ingredient in this dish.  I found frozen squash chunks that I had to puree myself, but they say you can also use mashed sweet potatoes if that is easier to find)
• 10 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
• 3 c chopped broccoli florets
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 5 oz (1.25 c) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used a bit more but used 2% milk cheese, tradeoffs!)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon, cook till crisp, flipping often.  Remove from pan.
• Add garlic to drippings in pan.  Sautee 30 seconds.
• Add stock, milk and squash.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Add pasta.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in broccoli.  Cover and cook 3 minutes or until pasta is done and sauce is thickened.  (NOTE: I like my broccoli softer, so I pre-cooked it a bit before cooking the bacon.)
• Stir in salt, pepper and 4 oz cheese.
• Sprinkle bacon and remaining cheese on top.  Cover, let stand one minute, then serve.

Serves 6

Calories: 339, Fat 10 g (sat fat 5.7g, mono 2.8g, poly 0.7g), Protein 18g, Carbs 45g, Fiber 4g, Chol 29 mg, Iron 3mg, Sodium 566 mg, Calcium 267 mg

Blue Cheese Veal Chops and Yellow Rice

This is a recipe I've been making for a couple of years now and it is not only gourmet but very fast to make.  Definitely a must-try!

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 4x 6oz lean veal chops, trimmed (lamb chops work as well if you can't find veal)
• Cooking spray
• Boil in bag rice
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c chopped green onions
• 1/4 c / 1 oz crumbled blue cheese
• 1 TB yogurt based butter spread (e.g. Brummel & Brown)

Preheat broiler.  Combine salt, pepper, paprika and sprinkle over both sides of chops. Place chops on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.  Broil 6-7 min each side.  While chops are broiling, boil water and cook rice to package instructions.  Once rice is cooked, add in turmeric, 1/4 tsp salt, artichokes and green onions.  Combine blue cheese and yogurt spread in a small bowl, spread over chops.  Broil for 20 seconds or until cheese is melted.  Serve chops over rice.

Apricot Teryaki Chicken Thighs

I got this recipe from an Ellie Krieger cookbook, my new favorite chef, since everything she makes is real, delicious and easy.  Try these - they're so simple I was able to make them for 20 people at a Boy Scout campout, and I got rave reviews.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all fruit apricot preserves
• 3 TB reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1TB unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1.5 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs

Instructions:
Put apricot preserves, soy sauce and vinegar into a large microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 sec then whisk until the preserves are dissolved.  Whisk in ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes.  Add chicken and marinate for 15 min.

Preheat broiler to high.  Transfer chicken pieces to a broiler tray.  Broil about 3" from the heat until cooked through and well charred on the surface, about 5 min per side.

I can't find my cookbook at this particular moment, so I don't have calorie counts, but will add those back in once I come across it.

Oh! Oh! Oh! Okonomiyaki!!!

During the two years I lived in Japan, Okonomiyaki became my absolute, positive favorite food to eat, and - other than at a food trailer in a dodgy Austin neighborhood with inconsistent hours (I've been 3 times, and they are never open) - I've never seen it prepared in the US.  So, what is Okonomiyaki?  The recipe in the book is aptly titled, "Japanese-style savory vegetable pancakes with shrimp."  It's better than it sounds, believe me.  The Japanese version is not super-healthy I believe (cooked in loads of oil usually), so when I found a recipe for healthy Okonomiyaki that I could make at home, I definitely had to try it.  There is a lot of upfront chopping on this (though I skipped the carrot shredding and bought pre-shredded carrots), and there were times during the preparation of the recipe, where I said to myself, "This can't possibly be right..."  But, the result was, indeed, more than all right - it was downright delicious!  Just like okaa-chan used to make.  Word to the wise, though - these are best eaten hot out of the pan, and don't unfortunately do so well reheated in the microwave.  Maybe next time I will try reheating them in the pan instead.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 medium head napa cabbage
• 4 large scallions
• 1 large carrot (or 1/4-ish cup pre-shredded carrot)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 TB canola oil

For the sauce:

• 1/4 c ketchup
• 1 TB Worcestershire sauce
•  1 tsp low salt soy sauce

Directions:
Chop the shrimp into 1/2 in pieces.  Thinly slice the cabbage, so you end up with about 3 cups.  Thinly slice the scallions, setting aside 2TB for garnish.  Coarsely shred the carrot.  In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs, sesame oil and salt.  Add the shrimp, cabbage, scallion, carrot, and eggs and mix to combine.

Heat 1 TB of oil in a large griddle or nonstick skillet.  Ladle half cup mounds of batter into the skillet and use the spatula to shape them into 3/4 inch pancakes.  You should have 8 pancakes.  Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 6-7 min, then flip and continue to cook until cooked through, another 6-7 min.  If 2 batches are necessary, heat remaining oil and repeat.

While the pancakes cook, combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir.  Spread 1.5 tsp of the sauce on each pancake, sprinkle with scallions, and serve hot.  Serves 4 (2 pancakes each).

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 360
Fat: 15 grams
Protein - 24g
Carbs - 35 g
Fiber - 6g
Cholesterol - 300 mg
Sodium - 640 mg

Wok-Charred Lettuce and Spinach Noodle Stir Fry with Shrimp

I'll be honest - I wasn't sure about this recipe.  It's from a new cookbook, called Weeknight Wonders by Ellie Krieger, and it's got SAUTEED LETTUCE, for god's sake.  Sounded a little wierd, but I gave it a try, and I loved, loved, loved it.  It's a good, healthy Asian stir fry with just a bit of a bite to it.  Have happily been eating leftovers for days.  I have since made a second recipe from the book, just as good (posting that next), so I think this one's a winner.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz spinach fettucine
• 1 1/2c fish stock or vegetable broth
• 2 TB low sodium soy sauce
• 4 tsp corn starch
• 1 tsp chili-garlic sauce (sriracha)
• 2 small hearts of romaine lettuce (0.25 lb)
• 4c baby spinach leaves
• 1 large shallot (2.5 oz)
• 3 whole cloves garlic (can't use pre-minced)
• 3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 TB canola oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add pasta and cook for one minute less than the directions on the box indicate.  Drain and reserve.

In a small bowl, whisk together fish stock, soy sauce, corn starch, sriracha.  Cut the romaine into 1-inch pieces (including the white portions toward the bottom).  Coarsely chop the spinach if leaves are large.  Thinly slice the shallot and the garlic.  Rinse and pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.

Heat 1 TB of oil in a large skillet or wok (14") over med-high heat.  Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until pink.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and reserve.  Add the remaining 1TB of oil to the pan, add the shallot and garlic, and cook till fragrant, 1-3 min. Add the romaine and cook till the edges are charred, 3-4 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook until just wilted (30 sec).  Return the shrimp & fettucine to the pan, add the fish stock mixture, and cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces and thickens, 1-2 min.

Serves 4, nutritional information:
Calories: 410
Fat - 10g
Protein - 28g
Carbs - 54 g
Fiber - 5 g
Cholesterol - 130 mg
Sodium - 680 mg