Hot Pepper Pasta Salad

Okay, so I borrowed this recipe from knuckle salad (hot pepper pasta salad w/ roasted corn and cilantro)because it just sounded wonderful. Alright, alright, it's pasta and it's true, I'm a pasta freak! But I decided to tweak it a bit by adding lots of healthy, colorful stuff. On this particular occasion, I served it with honey citrus grilled salmon and steamed broccoli.
So here goes............

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• ¼c red wine vinegar
  
• 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (approximately)
  
• 1 pound elbow macaroni (whole wheat or Dreamfields)
  
• 2 ears sweet corn, husked and cleaned
  
• 1 poblano pepper
  
• 1 jalapeno pepper
  
• 1 tomato, cut into small chunks
  
• ½ each red and yellow bell peppers, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
  
• ½ red onion, chopped
  
• whatever raw, fresh veggies you have on hand! (ie., broccoli, cauliflower, shrooms)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

1. Combine oil and cilantro in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, raise oven rack to highest position, ideally no more than 4–5″ from broiler. Set broiler to high.
4. Remove the stems from the peppers and slice the peppers lengthwise. Place pepper halves cut-side-down on a sheet of aluminum foil, along with both ears of corn, and place on oven rack under broiler. Keep an eye on the peppers: when the skin begins to brown and bubble, they’re done, and need to be taken out. They may take less than five minutes, but the corn will take longer (as much as 10–15 minutes), and will need to be turned several times. The goal is to get some kernels on every side of the ear of corn to roast to a dark brown.
5. When the peppers and corn are cool enough to touch, slice the poblano into thin strips. Chop the jalapeno into very small pieces. Cut the kernels off both ears of corn.
6. Prepare the rest of your veggies.
7. Toss all ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. This dish can be served at any temperature (which makes it perfect for potluck). 
   
   
   
   
   
    
   

The Right Stuff

As we try to shed the extra weight, we often get sucked into the idea that food is our enemy. Well I'm here to tell you this: STOP THAT! The fact is, if you befriend the right foods, the pounds are much more likely to melt away than if you just cut calories across the board. Here are just a few of those foods known to boost your body's fat-burning potential.

• Almonds and Almond Butter. I know what you're thinking: hey, wait a minute! Aren't nuts and butter supposed to be incredibly fattening? Well, almonds are calorie-dense, but they also pack a nutritional punch and they're effective in counteracting cholesterol and triglycerides. In fact, a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating almonds was as effective as taking a statin (cholesterol lowering drug)! So spread a little almond butter on your morning toast. It'll give you a nice protein boost while preventing the carbs in the toast from spiking your blood sugar.
• Apples. An apple-or two- a day will keep the pounds away! Several studies have found that eating an apple 30 to 60 minutes before a meal helps to cut the calories of the meal. Simple put: the fiber in the apple makes you feel full, so you eat less, duh! Also, recent research suggests eating apples may prevent metabolic syndrome. And, as you may know, apples are high in pectin. But, did you know pectin binds with water and limits the amount of fat your cells can absorb? Yeah baby! So what do you get when you have an apple and a handful of almonds? Why, a healthy snack idea of course!
• Cinnamon. According to a USDA study involving diabetics, cinnamon appears to have the power to help the body to metabolize sugar. In fact, eating ¼ to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon a day was found to reduce blood sugar levels and cut cholesterol from 10-25%. So add cinnamon to smoothies, sprinkle it on your cereal, or flavor your coffee with it.
• Eggs. You heard me the first time. I said EGGS. Their reputation has been dragged through the mud long enough! Let's look at the the facts: (a)eggs contain a different type of cholesterol than that in humans, so it is no longer the cholesterol boosting baddie we were once led to believe; (b) eggs are a concentrated form of animal protein without the added fat that comes with meat, and (3) several studies have found that when people eat an egg in addition to (or instead of) toast or cereal, they lose twice as much weight as those who eat a breakfast dominated by carbs.
• Skim Milk. I drink almond milk (back to the almond thing!), but if cow's milk is your preference here's a few facts: reputable publications such as the Journal of Obesity (in addition to the controversial ones funded by the National Dairy Council) show that the combination of calcium, vitamin D and the low fat protein in skim milk (and nonfat yogurt) trigger weight loss and help to build and maintain lean muscle.
• Oats. I already know your first question: aren't oats a carb? Yes and no. Oats are a whole grain so they make you feel full, which is what nutritionists call the “satiety index”. Not only that, they’re also high in soluble fiber, so they cut cholesterol and blood fat. Also, oats digest slowly, so they don’t raise your blood sugar, and they keep you feeling filled up well into the late morning. Of course the best oats, with up to 5 grams of fiber per serving, are the steel-cut and rolled oats, but even instant oatmeal has 3 to 4 grams of fiber per serving. So, try a yummy bowl of oatmeal made with water or skim milk (or almond milk!) and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. It's a wonderful way to start your day!

 

House Quinoa Fried Rice

  

I call this House Quinoa because I use whatever veggies I have on hand. Fresh or frozen. It doesn't matter 'cause it will be yummy no matter what and  I didn't have to make a grocery run in order to make it! 

Ingredients

• 1c quinoa
• 1-1/2c water or broth
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
•  4tsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1c fresh or frozen veggies (onions, peas,carrots, snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms, edamame, whatever!)
• 2 egg whites
• olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

 Preparation

1. Rinse quinoa in a sieve or mesh strainer & let it dry for a good 15 minutes.
2. Toast guinoa in a pot on medium heat for a few minutes, stirring to keep it from browning too much.
3. Add the 1-1/2c of liquid (I used chicken broth this time), bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover & simmer for about 12-15 minutes.
4. While that's cooking, get the veggies ready. If you're using frozen veggies (I used snow peas), prepare according to microwave instructions. I had onions & peppers on hand, which I diced and sauteed in a bit of olive oil until translucent, then I added the garlic.
5. Scramble & cook the egg whites in a coated pan. If you use a large enough pan, you can saute your veggies, push them to one side & scramble the eggs in the other side. 
6. Add the cooked quinoa to the pan along with the soy sauce, salt & pepper to taste & toss to coat.
7. Enjoy! 

Quinoa Pilaf

Quinoa (keen-wa) has so much going for it! It's healthy, contains more high quality protein than any other grain. In fact it provides all the essential amino acids. It's gluten free and its light & easy to digest. It's also quick & easy to prepare. But most of all it's yummy!

Ingredients

• 1/2c fresh carrots, diced
• 1/4c fresh celery, diced
• 1/2c fresh peppers, diced (red, yellow, green, hot)
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1/4c butter or olive oil (I used a little of each)
• 6c Quinoa, cooked using basic recipe
• 1/4c green onions, diced
• 1c almonds, slivered
• 1/4tsp oregano
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, saute the diced carrots, celery, peppers & garlic in butter or olive oil until crisp.
2. Stir in the oregano & green onions.
3. Add the cooked Quinoa & salt/pepper to taste.
4. Add almonds & serve.
5. Enjoy!

PS.....Serve with the Honey Citrus Grilled Salmon and your favorite veggie or a side salad for a truly delicious and healthy dinner.

Honey Citrus Grilled Salmon

This is actually several different marinades that my Mother combined to make what I think is the absolute best-est and tastiest ever. It's best with a hearty fish like salmon fillet or tuna steak but I've also used it on tilapia and it was just as good even though the fillets fell apart a bit!


Ingredients

• 1/2 fresh lime, juiced
• 1/2 fresh orange, juiced
• 2tbsp honey
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 3tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4tsp black pepper

Preparation

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl.
2. Add fish fillets and marinate at least 6 hours or overnight.
3. Remove from refrigerator and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Place fillets on preheated, medium high grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until a deep brown color; flip to cook other side and pour marinade over top.
5. Remove from heat when salmon flakes.
6. For tuna, remove from heat when meat thermometer reads 140 degrees.
7. Enjoy!

PS.....The Whole Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms makes this a really nice meal.

Veggie Pizza

I call it veggie pizza but junior says it sorta looks like Piadina. All I know is Granny loves it and it's super healthy!
Ingredients

• pizza dough
• 1box frozen spinach, thawed & well drained
• sliced white mushrooms
  
• fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
• 1 medium red onion, slivered
• red, yellow & orange bell peppers, julienne
  
• fresh broccoli florettes
• fresh garlic, minced
• 1 can cut asparagus
  
• 8oz fat free ricotta cheese
• shredded mozzarella cheese, part skim
• grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil
  
• pizza spices: parsley, oregano, basil, garlic power, etc

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. If you have a bread machine or a favorite recipe, make your pizza dough. If not, you can pick up pizza dough at the Publix bakery. Either way, roll your dough out and place on pizza pan.
3. Scatter all of the spinach and about 1/2 of the ricotta cheese randomly over pizza dough.
4. Add sliced mushrooms, onions, peppers, garlic, broccoli and asparagus.
5. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
6. Top with mozzarella & parmesan cheeses.
7. Sprinkle with pizza spices.
8. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.
9. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
10. Enjoy!

Soy Citrus Scallops with Whole Wheat Pasta

If you love scallops & pasta like I do, you'll love this dish! I increased the amount of sauce-except for the oil- since the original recipe seemed a bit skimpy. Also, a side salad or some steamed snow peas and/or sugar snap peas round this dish out nicely.

Ingredients

• 1/2c low sodium soy sauce
• 3tbsp fresh orange juice*
• 3tbsp rice vinegar
• 3tbsp honey
• 1-1/2tsp ground ginger
• 1-1/2tsp asian chili sauce, hot**
• 1tbsp minced garlic
• 3tsp olive oil***
• 1lb large sea scallops
• 6oz whole wheat spaghetti, cooked
  
• 1/2c thinly sliced scallions

Directions

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients and 1tsp olive oil in a shallow baking dish; add scallops to dish in a single layer to marinate for approximately 10 minutes on each side.
2. Heat the remaining 2tsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove scallops from dish, reserving marinade. Add scallops to pan; saute for about a minute on each side or until almost done. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm.
3. Place remaining marinade in pan; bring to boil. Return scallops to pan; add scallions & cook for about 1 minute.
4. Place about 1 cup of pasta on each of 4 plates. Drizzle sauce over pasta & top each with scallops.
5. Enjoy!

Notes
*Just about any citrus juice you have on hand will do. I used pineapple juice.
**If you are a wimp, you can use a mild asian chili sauce!
***The original recipe called for dark sesame oil, but I prefer using olive oil.