The Way To a Man's Heart....

"Steak and Potatoes" 

Ahi Tuna Steaks with Cauliflower Mash and Vegan Cabernet Mushroom Gravy 

Men are simple creatures (no offense guys), and there is no better way to win over your man than to make him a "man's meal". It's a simple dish, but there is nothing simple about the satisfying reactions you will get from it. As you all may or may not know, I am pescatarian. So my take on this meal is done with hearty Ahi tuna steaks which will be just as juicy, filling and flavorful, but half the calories and no saturated fat. As for the mash, cauliflower cuts your calories into less than half of what a potato based mash would give you. It's also a great way to get some extra fiber! And the rich and creamy vegan mushroom gravy has no cholesterol or heavy fats of any kind. Bet you he'll be following you around like a lost little puppy after you feed him this one...

Ingredients:
-Frozen or fresh Ahi tuna steaks. 6-8 oz. filets per person.
-1 head of cauliflower (you will want to yield about a cup per person of processed cauliflower)
-1 container of whole crimini mushrooms (or portobello) about 10 oz.
-About a tbsp of plain almond milk (unsweetened) per cup of cauliflower
-1-2 Tbsp of parmesan (optional) (or 1 wedge of laughing cow swiss cheese or 1 tbsp of cream cheese/ neufchatel) Leave out to make the mash vegan!
-2 Tbsp of Cabernet
-1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
-1 1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch
-1-2 tsp of fresh or dried rosemary (can use an italian herb blend)
-Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, minced garlic or powdered, lemon juice, truffle oil

Prep:
-Marinate the tuna filets with drizzle of truffle oil and/or olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic (about a tsp per filet) I also added a sprinkle of dried italian herbs that included rosemary, mustard, thyme, etc. If filets are frozen, let thaw fully before pan searing them.
-Steam cauliflower until soft and nearly squishy. (I used cauliflower "rice" leftovers so it was already processed into small rice-like pieces.)
-Chop mushrooms and add to a  low-medium heat pan and sautee with olive oil, garlic (to taste), salt/pepper. After infusing the garlic for 1-2 min add in balsamic and cabernet and bring to a simmer.
-After a few minutes transfer mushrooms and some  of the sauce into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
-In a separate cup or bowl add 1 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch to a tbsp of water and dissolve. Add to gravy pan and stir until it thickens.
-Add back in the blended mushrooms and whisk until evenly incorporated. If necessary, add more water to reach right consistency. Make sure to taste seasonings after you have diluted it with water/cornstarch!
-Blend cauliflower, almond milk, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, and cheese (if desired) until smooth. Can incorporate a drizzle of olive oil to help blend.
-Bring a pan up to high heat and spray or coat pan with oil. When filets are fully thawed and marinated, add to the pan and sear on each side for about a minute or until golden on outside. Best when golden on outside and medium rare to rare on inside.

Plate filet and garnish with a touch of truffle oil and rosemary; serve with warm "mash and gravy", and a green side (I did a simple citrus kale salad to balance the sweetness of the gravy).

I'm drooling all over again... have fun!

Pasta Amore: "Spaghetti and Meatballs"

Spaghetti Squash Pasta Marinara with Mushroom Lentil Meatballs

When I'm drawing blanks for meal ideas I like to turn to my hungry friends who are never lacking in cravings. I asked my friend Matt what nostalgic childhood meals included for him. One of the first things that came to mind was spaghetti and meatballs. I get so excited when I get the chance to take on such a classic meal and give it my own healthy and vegetarian spin on it. I wanted to make sure my "meat"-balls had lots of flavor and heartiness to them so I made sure to make a recipe that was high in protein without the grease factor of most traditional meatballs. For the pasta, I decided to use spaghetti squash because this delicious winter squash is cheap, hearty, low fat and super low calorie (weighing in at only 40 calories a cup!) Well I'm hungry now...

Cook the squash according to general directions. I cut it in half, lay it cut side down on a plate, put a 1/4 cup or so of water on the plate and cover it with another plate. Microwave for around 10-12 min or until soft enough to fork out squash. 

Toss with your favorite sauce recipe! I cook it a little further in the sauce pan with the sauce to get the "noodles" nice and soft! For my sauce, in addition to dried italian herbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper, I like to add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to add a subtle essence of warm holiday flavor that compliments the veggie meatballs fabulously!

Veggie Meatballs:

-1/4 cup crushed nuts (I had cashews on hand but walnuts or pecans would be really delicious too!)

-3/4 cup to 1 cup of parmesan cheese

-1/2 cup of chopped onions

-Garlic seasoning, salt and pepper, Cajun seasoning (or paprika or cayenne...use what you got!) to taste

-Dried Italian herbs, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of cinnamon

-One can of low-fat lentil soup. About a cups worth of lentils. Ladle just lentils...

-2 tbsp of bread crumbs or Panko

-1 egg

For Prep:

-1 egg for coating

-Sprinkle a plate with bread crumbs or Panko for outer coating of meatball

-Sauté onions til translucent and season while cooking. Add chopped mushrooms and cook down with about a 1/4 cup of water or veggie stock. Continue to season as you incorporate each ingredient. Add in lentils and drain excess liquid from pan. If you have any fresh parsley on hand, a little chopped parsley adds a nice fresh layer to the meatballs. Mix in an egg and pour over after all other ingredients are added except panko! Add in panko after egg is incorporated evenly and lightly mix together by hand.

With a light touch roll about 2 inch diameter sized balls and lightly dip in egg then panko. Place on a greased cooking sheet. Spritz with cooking spray once on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 min on 375 degrees until golden and lightly crisped on outside. 

Serve pasta and meatballs with your favorite roasted veggie side or mixed green salad for a well rounded delicious meal! Bon Appetit! 

Healthy Tailgating

Cauliflower "Buffalo Wings" and Portabello Mushroom Fries

With Horseradish Dill Dip and Homemade Ranch Dip

Ahhh, the coveted tailgating tradition. Who doesn't love to cheer on a beloved team with good friends and good food? Shoot, if the food is good enough I might not even care who I'm with or what team is playing! It's been 7 years since I became a pescatarian but to this day the smell of buffalo wings makes me salivate. I stumbled upon an idea the other day to make cauliflower "hot wings" and I couldn't resist the chance to try this out myself. I then decided to make a whole spread of healthy alternatives to some classic finger foods we commonly enjoy. To my delight (and the delight of my friends) I discovered that baked cauliflower makes a brilliant alternative to their greasy inspiration! You definitely won't regret giving these bad boys a try....

Cauliflower "Buffalo Wings" ~360 calories total

serves 3-4 people

Ingredients:

-About 1.5 lbs of cauliflower pieces (24 oz.)

-1/2 cup of flour

-1/2 cup of water

-A couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce

-A pinch of salt

-About a cup or so of your favorite buffalo sauce (or make your own if your up for it!)

Prep:

-Mix together the first 5 ingredients to make a paste-like batter. Dip and coat the cauliflower pieces (I found the smaller pieces cooked better and had a better texture as an end result)

-Place coated pieces into a baking dish (I used a casserole dish) and bake on 450 degrees for about 15 min. or until the batter hardens. 

-Remove from oven and coat with your desired amount of buffalo sauce

-Place back in oven and bake for an additional 5-8 min.

-Serve with fresh veggies and homemade ranch dipping sauce. Recipe below.

Portobello Mushroom "Fries" ~480 calories total

serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:

-2 large portobello mushrooms (whole)

-Plain panko breadcrumbs (The ones in a bag in the ethnic foods section are usually cheaper than the boxed ones)

-1 large egg and 2 egg whites

-About a cup of flour (enough to coat the mushrooms in lightly)

-Balsamic vinegar (optional)

-Salt and pepper and garlic powder (optional)

Prep:

-Wash and clean out the dark underside of the mushrooms

-Cut off stem and slice into medium thickness (about an inch thick) strips

-Marinate the mushrooms in a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

-Set up a batter station with a plate of flour, a bowl of whisked eggs, and a plate of breadcrumbs. (I like to season the panko with some salt, pepper, and garlic powder!)

-Lightly coat the mushrooms in flour, dip into egg batter, then evenly coat in panko. They don't have to be thoroughly covered in breadcrumbs (they CAN get too crunchy with too many crumbs!)

-Place on a baking sheet, give them a quick spray of cooking spray (or even better use a "misto" so there's no added chemicals in the spray!)

-Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 min. or until lightly golden and crispy on outside.

 -Serve immediately with fresh dill horseradish dipping sauce. Recipe below.

Fresh Dill and Horseradish Dipping Sauce ~200 calories total

Ingredients:

-1 cup of non-fat plain yogurt  (or greek yogurt for a tangier dip with extra protein!)

-2 tbsp. of pure fresh ground horseradish

-1tbsp of chopped fresh dill

-1 tsp of garlic powder

-1 tsp of onion powder

-juice of 1/2 a lemon 

-1 tsp of lemon zest (optional)

-2 tbsp of neufchatel OR light cream cheese OR laughing cow cheese

-salt to taste

Prep:

-Blend, process, or hand mix all the above ingredients except the dill until smooth. Add in the chopped dill and salt to taste. Feel free to put more or less of the other seasonings based on preference. 

-This makes a good amount of dip, you could easily cut this recipe in half for the amount of fries made in the above recipe!

Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce ~100 calories total

Ingredients:

-About 1 cup of non-fat yogurt (or greek yogurt)

-1 tbsp of fresh parsley (add in little by little to test for potency of flavor)

-1/2 tbsp of fresh dill

-1/2 tbsp of dried chives (or fresh)

-1 tsp of garlic powder

-1 tsp of onion powder

-Juice of a 1/2 of a lemon (lemon juice acts as a replacement for buttermilk! When milk is mixed with lemon juice, or white vinegar, it simulates buttermilk.)

-A dash or 2 of hot sauce

-Salt and pepper to taste

Prep:

-Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix evenly. Make sure to incorporate the fresh parsley last and a little at a time to taste for potency.

-Serve with fresh veggies! Great to dip the buffalo cauliflower in too!

Happy Tailgating...

Penny Pinching "Spicy Tuna Rolls"

With Cucumber and Sweet Ginger Vinaigrette Salad

Serves 3-4 for less than $15!

This past week my brother came to visit me to celebrate Thanksgiving. As thankful as I was to have him here, it occurred to me my wallet was not suited for restaurant outings. My brother was craving sushi and we all know what those prices look like at most restaurants. So I decided to make a play on sushi by using canned tuna, and instead of rice use cucumber and tortillas as the wrapping. Ideally, the low-carb whole wheat tortillas for the lowest calorie intake, (I used flour for this recipe because I had them on hand) or stick with the cucumber roll-ups for an even lower calorie/carb option. For the filling, feel free to put in whatever you usually like in your sushi. I love sushi that has fruit like mango or papaya in it. But since I'm pinching pennies for this recipe...I used carrot, avocado, and canned tuna with a "spicy mayo" sauce. The best part about this recipe... it's easy to make and involves no actual cooking... no pots, pans, or heat necessary!

Ingredients:
-3 cans of tuna
-About 1/4 cup of shredded carrots (you can shred or chop 1 whole carrot to save $)
-About 3 Tbsp of soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free option) use to your taste, this acts as salt factor.
-1/3 to 2/3 cup of non-fat plain yogurt (use as if mayo)
-A couple tsp. of sriracha based on your heat preference
-A couple tsp. of honey (for the tuna mix) AND 1 Tbsp for the salad dressing
-About 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
-About 2-3 Tbsp of canola oil (or whatever oil you got!)
-1 Large avocado thinly sliced
-2 large cucumbers (one for the salad and one for the sushi rolls)
-3 low-carb whole wheat tortillas (see my breakfast burrito post for a good brand suggestion!)
-1 tsp of Powdered ginger or fresh grated (whatever you can get)
-2 tsp of wasabi paste or powder to mix into soy sauce for dipping (optional)
-1/4 cup of sliced red onion
-1/4 cup of shredded red cabbage

Prep:
-Start by thinly slicing red onion (or white whichever you have handy) and red cabbage into shreds and soaking in rice wine vinegar. Let sit for 30-45 min. at least.
-Mix together yogurt, sriracha, and soy sauce. Incorporate tuna into mixture. Feel free to add in garlic powder. Taste.
-Slice, chop, and shred remaining ingredients for rolls and salad.
-Combine rice wine vinegar, oil, honey, and ginger in a mason jar or container with a lid. Shake vigorously!
-Use a mandoline to thinly slice the cucumber into carpacchio slices. (See my video episode 1 for a visual demo!) In this recipe, I didn't have my mandoline available so instead I cored out the center of the cucumber to stuff with the sushi filling and then sliced them into little sushi pieces... It worked out nicely but the filling didn't stay in as well as it would with the thinner slices individually rolled.
-Fill the tortillas and the cucumber slices with the tuna mix and add the sliced avocado and carrots. Be careful to overfill. You can use a touch of honey or cream cheese on the end to hold the roll ups in place. Slice the rolled up tortilla into sushi sized pieces. Be sure to use a sharp knife so not to smush the filling out. You can also put toothpicks through them for easy eating! The cucumber roll ups take a little more patience but they are totally worth it!
-Pour the dressing over the thinly sliced cucumbers for the salad.
-Plate the sushi and then surround it with the "pickled" onion/cabbage mix which can be used on top of the rolls like pickled ginger.
-Serve with the wasabi spiked soy sauce for dipping

Warm Butternut Squash Harvest Salad

With Dried Cranberries, Raw Cashews, Cotija Cheese, Quinoa, and a Rice Wine Vinaigrette 

Hearty, harvesty, and healthy. Pretty sure harvesty isn't a word but just go with it. This salad is great alone or as an accompaniment to a protein or pasta dish. Get your fill of vitamins, fiber, protein and even calcium in this salad! This is a simple dish with many interchangeable ingredients. Feel free to venture out and try different combos...Shall we get on with it?

Begin by cooking the butternut squash with whatever process you prefer. If you par-cook the squash in the microwave and then finish it off on high heat (400-425 degrees) for 15 min. or so it will have a great roasted flavor in half the time. 

While your squash is cooking, get a batch of quinoa cooking (about 1 cup) and follow box instructions. (You can substitute veggie stock instead of water for more flavor) I used red quinoa for this salad because it has more fiber (and it was on sale!) Don't forget to salt (and any other seasonings you desire) your quinoa during the cooking process (I like onion powder, garlic powder, salt/pepper).

While your warm ingredients are cooking, toss together:

Romaine, dried cranberries, cotija cheese, and raw (or roasted) cashews. 

The ratio for these ingredients is all relative to your personal preference. Feel free to swap out the ingredients. Try feta, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. The possibilities are virtually endless. 

Now for the dressing:

-Olive oil (or canola) 

-Rice Wine Vinegar (or apple cider)....Use approximately 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar

-About a tbsp of honey for every 1/4 cup of oil

-About a tsp of garlic powder

-Salt and pepper to taste

Allow the squash to cool just long enough to handle it. Cut into cubes, slices, slivers, whatever floats your boat. Toss into the salad along with the cooked quinoa. Add dressing and coat evenly. Serve while still warm (NOT HOT), you don't want wilted lettuce. Enjoy. 

Poor Man's Meal

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

With Roasted Red Peppers and Crab Meat

(...For around $12 feeds ~6 people!)

Hey kids, did ya miss me? It has been too long! After my fabulous 2 week excursion to London, moving into a new apt, and getting a new job, it hardly left time to blog.... but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking. I'm so excited fall is here, and you will be too when you see what I have in store! So, in honor of me spending all my money on traveling and buying new furniture, I have dedicated a special post for the poor man... aka ME. I am officially the most broke I have ever been and you wouldn't believe the resourcefulness that came out of it. Just because you've got a small budget, doesn't mean you have to eat ramen everyday. This casserole is packed with vitamins, protein, is naturally gluten free and exploding with gourmet flavor. It serves 6 for around 12 bucks... or you can keep it all to yourself and really stretch your means. Oh, and P.S.... this meal comes out to 787 calories total! If you do the math, 1 serving is 131 calories. So don't tell me eating cheap can't be healthy! Now let's get on with it....

Ingredients:

-1 large spaghetti squash (around 2-3 lbs.)

-2 large red peppers (or whatever color floats your boat)

-1 yellow onion

-1 can of crab meat (6 oz.)

-1 can of tuna (5 oz.) (You can use all tuna if you're really broke and it will save you about 3 bucks)

-3 small-medium garlic cloves

-1/2 cup of your choice of shredded cheese (I used a fontina/mozz/parm blend because the sharpness    balances the crab/tuna well)

-a couple tsp. of fresh grated nutmeg (or use what you got), smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs to taste. (Nutmeg added a great warm flavor that paired well with the crab but don't feel obligated to buy it if it's not in your pantry.)

Prep:

-Follow whatever method you prefer of cooking the spaghetti squash. You can roast it, microwave it, cook it on the stove, do what you gotta do. Cook it fully as the baking process is merely to warm the ingredients and melt the cheese. 

-Once cooked, set aside to cool before you remove the filling.

-Meanwhile, Roast on high heat (425 degrees) the red peppers with a touch of olive oil. I cut them and lay them flat first.

-Chop and combine the garlic onion and tuna/ crab meat in casserole dish (use a 5" by 10" or larger)

-Once peppers and squash have cooled enough to handle, scrape out with a fork the "spaghetti" and dice the red peppers.

-Combine all ingredients in casserole dish with the dried herbs. Make sure to mix well so flavor is evenly distributed.

-Top off with cheese of your choice. (Feel free to use more or less based on your dietary restrictions; it's delicious combined throughout the casserole too!)

-Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 min. or until cheese and edges of casserole are golden brown and bubbly.

As always, remember that I believe in resourceful cooking, especially when you're on a budget. This means, if you don't have a spice, don't fret. You will learn with time that many things work well together and you can swap out seasonings for your own version of a dish. Don't be afraid to take a risk, otherwise you will never learn anything except how to follow a recipe... SNOOZE. Be brave, be curious, and be resourceful. Enjoy everyone....

Video Blog episode 2!

More Please Video Blog

Episode 2: Pesto Zucchini Pasta and Quinoa and Mixed Greens Salad