Foodie Quote of the Day… February 4, 2010

“I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.”

- W.C. Fields

Why Would Anyone Want to Know… Whatzonmyplate? February 4, 2010

Why did I start the whatzonmyplate blog? Think of it like this… If you are like me and LOVE cooking magazines, cook books, cooking websites and all things Food Network you might often have the same questions… See if any of the following have run through your mind…

- I wonder if the recipe tastes as good as it looks/ sounds

- I wonder if this recipe is truly as easy as they say it is.

- Is this recipe practical for me and my life style or am I going to spend a ton of money on something that just tastes “okay”

- I wonder what it would taste like if I made ‘this’ revision.

- Etc, etc…???

There my friends is the root of why I started to blog about recipes. As I have stated many times over I love to cook. I love healthy recipes and I especially love EASY and healthy recipes. I was at a point in my life where I had a lot of down time and I was cooking A LOT (can we say thank you to the plummeting housing market?). Instead of just e-mailing my friends bits and pieces of recipes which I had tried successfully OR unsuccesfully (something I had been doing for years) I thought let’s streamline this baby and BLOG. That is one of the preferred mediums of our generation, Right? So there you have it. That’s why I share with you what is literally on my plate.

To my loyal family and friends who have continued to support this endeavor please know that you were, are and continue to be the main reason why I write this “little bloggy thing”.

To those of you whom I do not know but have stumbled upon this blog by accident (or by shameless plugs on facebook!!) Thank you for stopping by. The majority of the recipes on this blog are not original (that wasn’t the point) but what they do represent are tried and tested recipes by someone much like yourself. A normal cook just looking for a little foodie inspiration every now and then.

So please enjoy and cook and comment and share. I always welcome suggestions (Yes, yes, pictures are on their way!!)

Cheers & Bon Appetit & Mangia!

Feta Chicken Re-Deux February 2, 2010

In September 2008 I blogged about the following recipe for Feta Chicken w/ Zucchini. As stated in my entry, this dish is a sure fire “go to” dish for me (especially when I am lacking inspiration). It is tasty not to mention fast and easy. Though I do love the recipe as is, I made a few alterations just to mix it up.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 medium yellow crook neck squash
• 1 jar drained marinated artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled Feta

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a roasting pan. Remove the zest from the lemon in thin strips; set aside. Thinly slice the lemon. Place half the slices in the pan.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Place it on top of the lemon slices and season with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt.
3. Slice each squash in half lengthwise, then slice each half into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. In a bowl, combine the squash, artichoke hearts, parsley, pepper, and the remaining oil, lemon slices, and salt; toss. Spread the zucchini mixture around the chicken and sprinkle the Feta over the top.
4. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer it to a cutting board and cut each piece into thirds. Divide the chicken, squash mixture, and lemons among individual plates and sprinkle with the zest.

It still gets a happy 4 out of 5 stars for me!

Follow the link below to the original Real Simple recipe.

http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1192200

Ginger Peanut Noodle Salad w/ Tofu January 27, 2010

ALERT! The following recipe is a work in progress!!! I will welcome any and all suggestions!!!

While I was at Fresh n’ Easy most recently I happened upon an prepared edamame & noodle salad. Okay, okay… I know I just made a tofu & edamame dish last week… but this salad looked so yummy. “I can do that”, I thought as I checked out the ingredients. I decided to use their salad as inspiration for my own dish. As I already stated…  this is a work in progress but I think it turned out pretty tasty.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked whole grain pasta (I used Whole Grain Penne w/ Omega 3)

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and diced into little bitty pieces

Sriracha, to taste

Crushed Ginger Paste, to taste

Garlic Powder, to taste

1 yellow squash, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded & chopped

1 large carrot, peeled & chopped

1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 cups frozen shelled edamame, defrosted

1/4 cup organic creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup Soy Ginger Vinaigrette (I like Trader Ming’s Fat Free version)

Splash of Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar

Directions

- Boil water. Cook noodles, drain and chill with cold running water. Set aside

- While pasta is cooking you can mix your dressing. In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup organic creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup soy ginger vinaigrette, 1 tsp. crushed ginger paste and 1 tsp. Sriracha. Mix together well. If the sauce is too thick add Rice Wine Vinegar (a few splashes) to thin out dressing.  Set aside.

- In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. Olive Oil over Medium High heat. Saute tofu adding Sriracha, garlic powder and crushed Ginger paste to your heart’s content. REMEMBER, tofu will take on whatever flavor you add to it. Don’t overdo it but don’t be chinsy either. I am not a “measurement” gal but I would guesstimate that I used approx. 1 tbsp. Sriracha, a few hearty shakes of garlic powder  and 1 tsp. crushed ginger. Cook until tofu is well cooked (8-10 minutes).

- Add yellow squash to the saute pan and continue to saute with tofu until squash is cooked through but not mushy (Mushy=ICK!!). Remove from heat and set aside.

- Mix red bell pepper, carrots, sugar snap peas, green onions and edamame in a large salad bowl. Add pasta and the tofu/ squash mixture. Toss with Gingery Peanut dressing.

- Chill…

- Serve chilled topped with a little chopped cilantro or basil.

So that’s all folks. Let me know what you think… Does it need a little acid? Do you have any vegetable additions? Welcoming all suggestions! Cheers!

Hearty Chicken & Cannellini Bean Soup January 26, 2010

I am not sure  the following is really an ‘original’ recipe as the flavor combination and profile is not original in itself but I threw this soup together and I have to tell  you… it is YUMMMMY! I hope you enjoy this hearty, filling and low-fat soup perfect for the chilly weather we’ve been having.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 lb. of ground chicken

1 can diced Italian tomatoes

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups frozen chopped spinach

2- 14 oz. cans reduced sodium organic chicken broth

Generous splash of  Worcestershire sauce

Salt, Pepper & garlic powder to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a soup pot and saute onion, carrot and celery until soft. Remove veggies from pot.

Saute ground chicken in soup pot until cooked through.

Add veggies back to pot with chicken in addition to canned tomatoes (with juice), cannellini beans, frozen spinach, chicken broth and Worcestershire.

Season to taste with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15- 20 minutes (until beans are cooked through).

Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese or you could use Galaxy Foods Veggie  Parmesan topping like I did.

So good!

Orange-Miso-Glazed Tofu and Edamame Recipe January 20, 2010

I am a big fan of Shape magazine. I think they have some great ideas for workouts and some super yum & healthy recipes to boot. The following tofu recipe was so incredibly easy and quick to make and it was quite flavorful. I did not make any changes or adjustments to the recipe with the following exceptions… 1.) The recipes says to cook the tofu under the broiler for 1-2 minutes per side until the tofu is lightly browned. I don’t know if I have a lame broiler or what but it took those puppies 8 minutes per side to evolve into a lovely browned state. Word of advice… the tofu might take longer to cook just keep an eye on it! 2.) Before I served the dish (over organic brown rice) I tossed the vegetables in the remaining orange/miso mixture as there was a little left over.

Ingredients

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon light miso
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen shelled edamame
5 scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 14-ounce package light firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 8 slices
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat broiler to high. Whisk together orange juice and miso in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Mix in red and yellow peppers and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add edamame and cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in scallions and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the miso mixture. Toss well and cook for 1 minute more or until scallions are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Place tofu on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush tops with the miso mixture. Place in the broiler 12 to 14 inches from heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip tofu, brush with the remaining miso mixture, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes more. Spoon edamame and pepper mixture on top, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

Nutrition Score per serving: (**Does not include the brown rice which I recommend to compliment the dish)

(2 slices tofu, 1 cup vegetables): 199 calories, 8 g fat (37% of calories), 1 g saturated fat, 16 g carbs, 16 g protein, 4 g fiber, 134 mg calcium, 3 mg iron, 282 mg sodium

Recipe Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Copy and paste the following link into your browser for the actual recipe from Shape magazine.

http://www.shape.com/weight_loss/recipes/low_calorie/orange_miso_glazed_tofu_and_edamame_recipe

Mustard Sauce January 20, 2010

I found the following recipe in Real Simple served with pork chops. If you are not a fan of pork I do think this sauce would go well with chicken or fish. (BTW, this is not necessarily low fat but you really don’t need THAT much sauce per serving)

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp.  heavy cream

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 tbsp. fresh tarragon

Directions (Makes enough for 4 servings)

Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and shallots to skillet and saute until tender, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat.

Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer  until the sauce just thickens. Stir in the mustard.

Before serving (with whatever protein you desire), toss tarragon into the sauce. And Oila!

For the actual recipe with pork chops copy and paste the following link into your web browser.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pork-chops-with-mustard-sauce-recipe-00000000021032/index.html

Seared Mahi Mahi w/ Green Gazpacho Sauce January 14, 2010

Hey folks! Sorry I have been so negligent about blogging! The reason is mostly because I haven’t been cooking anything new lately. When life is crazy busy (as it has been) I usually stick to my old stand-bys.. most of which I’ve already shared with you! Well, this week, I pulled out some new recipes for the making and this one was a winner!

This mahi mahi recipe from Bon Appetit was so super simple, low in calories & fat, plus it was flavorful & colorful (looked purty on the plate!!). I did not do anything different than what the recipe called for except I topped the fish with some sliced avocado along with the tomatoes. I served this with couscous but I’m sure brown rice would work just as well. Two thumbs up!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped English hothouse cucumber (about 1/2 large)<**Note, okay I actually used the whole cucumber which I peeled and seeded even though they didn’t say too. Your choice!**>
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (or more) white balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chopped seeded serrano chiles
• 4 7-to 8-ounce mahi-mahi fillets
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 6 ounces small red and yellow cherry, pear, or grape tomatoes, halved

Preparation

Combine cucumber, onions, cilantro, 4 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, and chiles in processor. Using on/off turns, blend mixture until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl. Season with more vinegar, if desired, and salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle fish fillets on both sides with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook 5 minutes. Turn over, cover, and cook until fish is just opaque in center, 4 to 5 minutes.

Divide gazpacho sauce among 4 plates. Top each with 1 fish fillet. Scatter tomatoes atop and around fish and serve.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Seared-Mahi-Mahi-with-Green-Gazpacho-Sauce-354849

Chicken with Bulgur Pilaf October 31, 2009

The following low calorie and time efficient recipe is from Real Simple. I gave it a go this week and it turned out super yummy! Bulgur wheat is an easy and healthful grain; give it a try and you wont be disappointed. The thing I really liked about this dish is that it was FAST! Dinner was on the table in 30 mins. which is perfect after a long day at work.

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 15m; Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• kosher salt and pepper
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups medium-grain bulgur
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the broth, bulgur, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and bring to a boil.
3. Nestle the chicken in the bulgur, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the bulgur is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken to plates. Add the spinach and basil to the bulgur, stir until slightly wilted, and serve.

 

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chicken-bulgur-pilaf-00000000006984/index.html

Recipe rating: 3.5. out 5 stars

Be strong to the finish… October 31, 2009

Popeye had it right! Spinach does a body good! Seriously there are so many limitless health benefits to eating spianch!

 

Just copy and paste the following link from The World’s Healthiest Foods website into your web browser if you want to read all about them! http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?dbid=43&tname=foodspice

 

I have been adding spinach to everything these days. Who couldn’t use a little more vegetable goodness in their diets? I add fresh baby spinach into my salads, sandwiches and wraps. I have also been putting frozen chopped spinach into almost every meal. I put a generous cup or two into my spaghetti sauce. I also add a hearty helping to the pan when I making ground meat or soy meat tacos. It’s perfect added to an egg scramble. Another easy place to add spinach is in soups (like the Zuppa Osso Buco that I just blogged about!).

 

So think like our beloved sailor Popeye and eat more spinach mateys!

 

If you have any spinach tips, please share!