Work has been more hectic than usual lately so I was trying to brainstorm ways to be more efficient when a light bulb went off and I realized that I could save a bunch of time if I started running home from work a few times a week! Not only do I get a great workout in, but the jog home only takes 10 minutes longer than my usual 45 minute commute. Why didn’t I think of this earlier?!? I’m taking the shortest route home right now, but hopefully will start gaining enough endurance to mix my things up eventually. It’s funny, but I don’t usually have much of an appetite after I run…until the next day that is, when I become completely ravaneous and end up snacking all day. Anyway, one night after my run I decided to get some carbs ready in anticipation of my need to recharge the next day and whipped up this yummy pasta dish.

This spaghetti has a bit of a Greek twist because I made a sauce of pureed spinach, onions, garlic, lemon juice, and oregano. I mixed in some tomato paste to give it some depth and a bit of cottage cheese to add some richness without the heaviness of cream a la Cara. The shrimp and feta rounded out the dish nicely, although next time I may also add in some chopped roasted red peppers!

Spinach Sauce Pasta with Shrimp
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Juice of one lemon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
To prepare the pasta, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the pasta in a colander, return it to the pot, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or under tender; add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Place onion mixture in a food processor and wipe the pan clean with a damp cloth. Add half the fresh spinach to the cleaned pan and place a lid on top. Heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until wilted. Add the remaining half of the fresh spinach to the pan; stir well and repeat, cooking spinach 4 to 6 additional minutes or until wilted. Place spinach in the food processor with the onion; add in tomato paste, cottage cheese, oregano, lemon juice, and salt and pulse until smooth.

Place shrimp and spinach sauce into a large nonstick skillet and cook on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until shrimp are cooked through and opaque. Add sauce to the pasta and mix well. Scoop evenly into 6 bowls and garnish with crumbled feta cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 430 calories, 9.6g fat, 10.6g fiber, 30.7g protein per serving
Cost: $1.75 per serving

The last part of our trip was spent on the Lithuanian coast in several resort towns by the Baltic Sea. We were there pretty early in the season so it was still a bit chilly at the beach and I just got my feet wet, although Apolinaras actually swam a couple of days!

We spent a lot of time exploring Nida, which has gorgeous sand dunes and a lighthouse that can be spotted from all angles. Apolinaras spent many summers here, so it was really fun to see all his favorite spots.

Another one of the highlights was walking through the Hill of Witches in Juodkrante, which is home to hundreds of wooden sculptures carved by Lithuanian artists.

Many were inspired by folklore and fairy tales and several were interactive.

We felt like kids again and had a blast posing with them all!

We also really enjoyed checking out the Devils’ Museum in Kaunas. One of the most popular customs is the use of art to scare away evil spirits. It’s thought that the devil hates being mocked and leaves when people make fun of him. Therefore many people collect devil sculptures and display them in their homes.

After indulging in traditional Lithuanian dishes like those yummy zeppelins and these fried dumplings stuffed with mushrooms and covered in cheese for the majority of our trip, I was ready for some lighter fare once we arrived in Palanga.

After strolling the grounds of the Amber Museum and the boardwalk, I ordered a crispy pan fried chicken breast topped with grilled pineapple, a berry sauce, and whole walnuts for lunch.

I just loved the flavor combination and was inspired to create something similar after we got home. For my version, I coated the chicken with finely ground walnuts and bread crumbs and topped it with a sauce made from berry preserves and lemon juice for a bit of tang. Then I topped the chicken with chunks of fresh pineapple!

So this ends the recap of our trip to Lithuania.  I’m so happy that we were able to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary exploring Apolinaras’ homeland together!

Walnut Crusted Pineapple Chicken
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts, pulsed in the food processor until finely ground
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, pounded flat until 1/2-inch thick
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup of your favorite berry preserves (I used Trader Joe’s reduced sugar blackberry)
Juice of one lemon
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. Mix ground walnuts, bread crumbs, and salt in a shallow pan. Put the flour in a shallow dish and lightly dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour. Place the beaten eggs in another shallow dish and dredge both sides of the flour coated chicken in the egg mixture; place chicken in the walnut mixture and coat well on all sides.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick pan and sear two walnut coated chicken breasts on both sides. Repeat with remaining tablespoon of oil and two chicken breasts. Place seared chicken breasts in a 13×9-inch baking dish and bake at 350˚F for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

Make the sauce by mixing berry preserves and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon sauce over cooked chicken and sprinkle chopped pineapple evenly on top. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 386 calories, 23.8g fat, 2.7g fiber, 9.0g protein per serving
Cost: $1.92 per serving

You may have noticed that I’ve been on a bit of a Mediterranean kick lately – chickpeas, roasted red peppers, and feta have all been making me very happy and this dish is no exception. I wanted to come up with a fun vegetarian main dish to serve at an upcoming dinner party. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s best to practice dishes before the actual event so I spent a bit of time brainstorming and finally decided to stack slices of roasted eggplant in between layers of a roasted red pepper and chickpea spread, feta, and pine nuts. I really loved the contrast of the crunchy pine nuts with the creamy chickpeas and I’m already looking forward to serving these cute little stacks!

Also, I’m working on going through our 2000 (!) pictures from our trip to Lithuania right now and I’ve already whipped up several dishes inspired by our trip, so stay tuned for a recap!

Mediterranean Eggplant Stacks
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, ends trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 1/2-inch thick round slices
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Sprinkle eggplant slices evenly with 2 tablespoons salt on both sides and let stand for at least 30 minutes on paper towels. Rinse the slices with water and pat them dry. Place 1/4 cup olive oil in a small dish and use a pastry brush to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Place eggplant slices on two large greased cookie sheets in a single layer and roast at 375˚F for 22 to 25 minutes or until tender but not mushy.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat high. Add onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute.

Place cooked onions, chickpeas, roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor and pulse until well blended.

To assemble the eggplant stacks, evenly layer a slice of eggplant, approximately 1 tablespoon of the red pepper chickpea spread, 1 teaspoon of feta, and 1 teaspoon of pine nuts. Repeat 2 more times, so each stack contains 3 slices of eggplant. Makes 8 eggplant stacks.

Nutrition: 308 calories, 20.6g fat, 7.3g fiber, 7.3g protein per serving
Cost: $1.11 per serving

We’re back! Our trip to Lithuania was amazing and I’m going to work on sorting through all our pictures this weekend so I can share a recap with you. There were two things I couldn’t wait to do once we returned home though – one was sleeping in our own bed because we splurged on the best mattress ever and I always miss it when we travel, and of course I was also itching to get into the kitchen.

Since Lithuanian cuisine is pretty heavy, I was craving a healthy meal after we had settled in and restocked on groceries. I made this excellent Mark Bittman recipe that I found on Adrienne’s blog a few months ago and was inspired to make a dish of my own featuring chicken sausage, spinach, and chickpeas. I decided on a Mediterranean twist and added in roasted red peppers, feta, pine nuts, and lemon juice. This definitely hit the spot and got high ratings from Apolinaras.

p.s. The winner of my Ad Hoc cookbook giveaway was number 27 – congrats Erin!

Mediterranean Chicken Sausage and Chickpea Skillet
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12-ounce package chicken sausages, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces fresh baby spinach
Juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat and cook chicken sausage slices 5 minutes or until browned; remove from the pan and keep warm. Add onion to the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Place half the spinach in the skillet, cover with a lid, and heat 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted. Stir well and repeat with remaining spinach. Mix in lemon juice and salt. Stir in browned chicken sausages, roasted red peppers, chickpeas, feta, and pine nuts. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 658 calories, 27.4g fat, 16.0g fiber, 38.3g protein per serving
Cost: $2.82 per serving

Get this, my mom told me today that the reason I didn’t remember having mac & cheese growing up is because I didn’t like it! Apparently I always refused to eat it and would push it away and eat cereal for dinner instead! I mean I know I was an extremely picky eater growing up, but what kid doesn’t love mac & cheese?

My parents are visiting this weekend and my mom said she always marvels a bit over the fact that I now enjoy cooking and have a food blog, since she always struggled to diversify my palate. It wasn’t until I went to college that I really started trying new foods, and a trip through Europe after graduation solidified my foodie ways. I actually kept a travel journal during that trip and have a list of 32 new foods that I tried for the first time – things like raspberries, duck, prawns, quiche, lobster, salmon, cherries, mussels, and crepes. How did I go 21 years without thinking I’d like all these things? It sort of makes me sad thinking about it, but I am doing my best now to make up for all that lost time!

One of the 32 items was lamb – I had it twice during our trip and now have finally tackled making it at home myself. I’ve braised it a couple times this year and recently bought a Frenched (bones exposed) rack of lamb at Costco for $18 and crossed my fingers that I wouldn’t mess it up. Thanks to my trusty meat thermometer it turned out wonderfully and for a fraction of the price it would cost at a restaurant! Some of the almonds fell off the crust because I manhandled the pieces a bit while I was trying to figure out how to cut around the bones on the rack, but it was still very tasty and I’ll know how to do things more delicately next time around. I served it over a fennel, artichoke, and chickpea mash that is very versatile and would also be great with chicken – yum!

Roasted Rack of Lamb with a Fennel, Artichoke, and Chickpea Mash
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Fennel, Artichoke, and Chickpea Mash:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 bulb fennel, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-ounce jar roasted artichoke hearts, drained
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
Juice from half a lemon (2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Roasted Rack of Lamb:
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
Juice of half a lemon (2 tablespoons)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 16-ounce Frenched rack of lamb, with 8 bones per rack, trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions:
For the fennel, artichoke, and chickpea mash, heat olive oil over medium high heat and sauté onion and fennel for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add fennel mixture, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor and pulse until smooth, about 2 minutes.

For the lamb, heat oven to 400˚F. Mix mustard, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Pat lamb dry and season with salt. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until hot. Add oil to the pan and brown the lamb on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, for 6 minutes total. Rub seared lamb with mustard mixture and coat with almonds.

Place lamb in a 13×9-inch pan and bake at 400˚F for 15 to 20 minutes or until lamb reaches 145˚F when a thermometer is inserted diagonally into the center of the meat for medium. Tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes and then cut into chops. Serve over fennel artichoke mash. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 492 calories, 21.5g fat, 11.3g fiber, 35.1g fat per serving
Cost: $6.33 per serving

Can you believe I never had mac & cheese growing up? I was actually first introduced to the blue box in college by my good friend Susie. We lived together the summer in between our sophomore and junior years and used to come home from our respective labs during our lunch break to dine on mac & cheese or frozen pizza together (preferably when Change of Heart was on). Our dinners were not much different, although I remember trying to cook once – we somehow butchered a chicken recipe from the Joy of Cooking. From then on our main culinary goal of the summer was to get invited to many BBQs as possible!

Now homemade mac & cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods and I’m always dreaming up new versions to enjoy. I recently bought a huge block of Cabot pepper jack cheese from Costco and knew it was just begging to become part of some cheesy pasta goodness. This particular recipe is about as light as I like to go with homemade mac & cheese. I used milk instead of heavy cream, whole wheat macaroni, and packed it full of flavorful veggies with a Southwestern flare. I always have jarred roasted red peppers in the pantry, but it would certainly be easy to buy fresh ones and roast them alongside the poblanos.

Southwestern Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 poblano chiles
1 pound whole wheat macaroni
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 cups cooked corn

Directions:
Heat broiler. Place poblano chiles on a cookie sheet and char chiles under the broiler for 10 minutes, turning several times with tongs, until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a paper bag and steam 10 minutes; seed, peel, and chop chiles.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Briefly, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender and drain.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add chicken sausage and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until browned; remove from skillet and keep warm. Add onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté one additional minute.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one minute or until mixture starts to brown. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and mix in pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and salt. Heat 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.

Mix pasta, cheese sauce, roasted poblano peppers, browned chicken sausage, onion mixture, roasted red peppers, and corn until well combined. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 668 calories, 21.3g fat, 7.8g fiber, 29.9g protein per serving
Cost: $2.27 per serving

We just got back from our annual lab ski trip, where stayed in a huge house up in New Hampshire and hit the slopes and snowshoeing trails at Mount Sunapee. We all had a great time relaxing, hanging out, and enjoying some incredible meals. Everyone signed up to make a dish over the course of two days and I volunteered to organize our shopping list and go to the grocery store with my labmate Libby. It was quite the adventure navigating an unfamiliar store with a two page list and two full shopping carts, but definitely worth it because everything was so tasty! The first night we had pizzas with crusts made from scratch and the second night I decided to tackle the main course.

I was actually a bit nervous when I first got into the kitchen because I’ve never cooked for 10 people before and certainly didn’t want to disappoint anyone or mess anything up! But, I quickly settled into my groove once I started prepping all the ingredients. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of multitasking in the kitchen and my goal was to finish all the dishes at the same time so nothing would get cold. Luckily, everything came together perfectly, and at one point I had all four burners going, which was a first for me (stirring risotto, cooking asparagus, searing chicken breasts, and keeping my eye on the simmering soup)! My menu included crab bisque (which I will post about next!), gruyere risotto with asparagus and peas, and these lovely stuffed chicken breasts.

I decided on chicken as the protein because everyone likes it and I knew it would be easy to find high quality chicken at the small local grocery store. There was no great inspiration for the filling – I just combined all my favorite ingredients! I mixed together caramelized shallots, garlic, pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese, and then stirred in just enough mascarpone cheese to hold it all together. I think everyone enjoyed the meal and I’m already thinking about menu possibilities for next year!

Pancetta and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup diced pancetta
2/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1/4 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium low heat and sauté shallots for 10 to 15 minutes or until caramelized. Add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl. Add pancetta to the same pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned. Place pancetta in the same bowl with the caramelized shallots and allow ingredients to cool completely to room temperature. Add sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and mascarpone cheese to the bowl and mix until well combined.

Meanwhile, place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Place filling evenly lengthwise down each chicken breast, roll up the sides, and secure with toothpicks.  Mix almond meal, flour, and salt in a shallow baking dish and evenly coat stuffed chicken with the flour mixture.

Heat oven to 350˚F. Heat butter and 1 remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat and place chicken breasts seam side down in the pan. Use large tongs to rotate the chicken and sear it on all four sides. Place seared chicken breasts seam side down in a large baking pan and bake at 350˚F for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Allow to rest 5 minutes, then remove toothpicks, and cut on a bias. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 318 calories, 17.1g fat, 1.0g fiber, 32.6g protein per serving
Cost: $1.56 per serving

The past few weeks have been a bit more crazy than usual because I’ve been working on a grant with my PI while still trying to squeeze in a healthy number of experiments. Our annual genetics department and lab ski retreats have also been thrown into the mix, and I’ve been training for my first 5K! Since all these activities haven’t much time left to experiment in the kitchen, I’ve been whipping up some of my favorite tried and true recipes instead.

This stuffed acorn squash dish was originally inspired by one of my very favorite bloggers, Joanne, whose blog, Eats Well with Others, is always entertaining and filled with mouth watering treats. Last fall she featured 12 weeks of winter squash recipes, which inspired me to stuff some squash of my own. This is a wonderful meal because the veggie, side, and main dish are all combined into one neat little container! I simply filled roasted acorn squash with quinoa, thyme, leeks, and turkey sausage, and then added in cranberries and goat cheese for a little tangy sweetness to balance out the savory flavors. I’ve also made it with ground turkey and pork sausage – you really can’t go wrong. This is truly an easy and tasty dish that never disappoints.

Also, thanks to everyone for your blogiversary wishes and for entering my giveaway! The lucky winners were numbers 12 and 96 – congrats to Sophie and Christine!

Sausage and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 acorn squash, cut in half with seeds and pulp removed
1 1/2 cups quinoa
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 pound turkey sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dried cranberries
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place squash cut side down on a large cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 375˚F for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, place quinoa and chicken stock in a stockpot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Stir in thyme and salt.

Place leeks and turkey sausage in a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is browned and leeks are tender. Add garlic and cook one additional minute.

Stir cooked quinoa, cranberries, and goat cheese in with browned sausage mixture. Pile quinoa and sausage mixture evenly into cooked squash. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 392 calories, 9.7g fat, 6.6g fiber, 20.9g protein per serving
Cost: $1.74 per serving

Anyway, I thought it was a perfect chance to see if we could actually use all the veggies in a farm share every week before getting one for ourselves. Look at the haul – organic red onion, baby spinach, Swiss chard, lettuce, grapefruit, apples, parsley, golden beets, sweet potatoes, Yukon potatoes, and carrots! Apolinaras immediately claimed the grapefruit and sweet potatoes, and then I set about the task of figuring out what to do with the rest of the goodies!

I set the potatoes and golden beets aside so I could make a mash of them to serve alongside Tom Colicchio’s braised short ribs on Valentine’s Day (which the carrots and onions went into). The short ribs were amazing by the way, and I highly recommend the recipe! My next order of business was tackling the Swiss chard, which I was curious about but had never used before. I knew it could be cooked similarly to spinach but tends to a little bitter, so I decided to use it in a quinoa side dish with my sweet leftover sweet golden raisins. Eva also suggested pine nuts went well with the greens, so I tossed some of those in too, along with garlic, onions, and a bit of lemon juice for some acid.

I settled on pairing the quinoa with champagne poached salmon, which was one of the entrée choices at our wedding, because I stumbled upon a super old bottle of sweet champagne at the back of our liquor stash when I was looking for the ingredients for our Valentine’s Day cocktails. I used to like sweet champagne but my tastes have changed and I’m a fan of the dryer stuff now – I think this particular bottle moved with us from Chicago over 2 years ago! This was a wonderful way to finally finish it off. The champagne flavor is subtle, but you can definitely taste it, and the salmon paired well with the quinoa. Thanks so much to Eva for the farm share – I’m already looking forward to picking up next week’s box!

Champagne Salmon with Swiss Chard Quinoa
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2/3 cup quinoa
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
1 bottle sweet champagne
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 dried bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 salmon filets (ours were 7 ounces each)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stem removed and coarsely chopped (2 packed cups)
1/3 cup golden raisins
Juice of half a lemon

Directions:
Place quinoa and chicken stock in a stockpot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, place a lid on the pot, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed.

Place champagne, vinegar, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt in a stockpot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and bring liquid to a simmer. Place salmon filets in the pot and simmer for 10 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.

Meanwhile, place pine nuts in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, or until toasted. Remove pine nuts from the skillet and pour in olive oil. Sauté red onion for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Stir in Swiss chard and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted.

Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl and stir in cooked Swiss chard, pine nuts, raisins, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve poached salmon over quinoa. Makes 3 servings.

Nutrition: 684 calories, 30.1g fat, 7.0g fiber, 50.0g protein per serving
Cost: $5.54 per serving (not counting the champagne)

I apologize if you had trouble with my blog earlier this week. I tried to upgrade my WordPress account and the theme completely crashed – ugh. Luckily, my better half is a computer whiz and very supportive of my blogging. He stayed up until 5am – yes, 5am – to fix it (I know, I know, I’m a lucky girl!)! The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth though and I’m leaning towards changing themes. Perhaps it’s a sign that a blog makeover is in order! Anyway, I really wanted to prepare one of Apolinaras’ favorite dishes this week since he was such a good sport about being my tech support.

I finally settled on this risotto, since he always drools over it (he affectionately calls it his crack risotto), but decided to mix things up a bit by adding gruyere cheese, mushrooms, and asparagus. It turned out perfectly and Apolinaras definitely appreciated my efforts!

Gruyere Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped asparagus
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice from half a lemon)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan and sauté asparagus and mushrooms until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium high heat in a large stockpot. Sauté the onion for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the rice and stir until well-coated and translucent. Reduce heat to medium and stir in 1 cup of chicken stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the stock has been absorbed; add another cup and continue in this way until all the chicken stock has been absorbed, for about 30 minutes. Stir in gruyere cheese, lemon juice, and salt and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Stir in asparagus and mushrooms. Scoop into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 404 calories, 19.6g fat, 1.5g fiber, 14.4g protein per serving
Cost: $2.58 per serving

I just got back from San Diego, where I attended a conference for work. The days were packed with lectures and the hotel was a bit isolated on Coronado Island, so I didn’t actually get to spend any time sightseeing. Good thing I’ve already been to San Diego a couple times! I did enjoy the amazing weather and got to see my friend John, who was nice enough to pick me up from the hotel. We had seafood at Peohe’s, where I enjoyed fantastic coconut crusted shrimp and mahi mahi with a banana and Frangelico sauce – yum! The food at the hotel was actually pretty good too and I’m still thinking about the tempura wasabi tuna wrap I had for lunch one day. I was disappointed that I didn’t get any Mexican food though. After trying tamales for the first time in Phoenix, I really wanted to sample some more authentic dishes!

Since I was still craving Mexican when I got home, I decided to whip up some enchiladas. But, my plans changed when I realized we didn’t have any tortillas! Luckily I had some polenta on hand from Trader Joe’s (I impulsively purchased it a few weeks ago with no plans for it) and decided to top polenta rounds with my shredded chicken mixture. This was a really easy dish and the polenta reminded me of those delicious tamales!

Mexican Polenta Rounds
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 18-ounce precooked polenta roll, cut into 8 round slices
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (I poached mine)
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked
1/2 cup prepared enchilada sauce
1 4.5-ounce chopped green chiles, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet and cook polenta rounds for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, mix shredded chicken, black beans, corn, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and red onion in a medium bowl.

Preheat broiler. Place cooked polenta rounds on a greased cookie sheet and top evenly with chicken mixture (pile them up as high as they’ll go without toppling over – I did have a little extra chicken mixture). Sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese and broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is warmed though and cheese is melted. Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition: 700 calories, 23.0g fat, 11.6g fiber, 48.9g protein per serving
Cost: $2.85 per serving

Some foods are so versatile that they are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Bacon is definitely one of these ingredients, but I just realized that hash browns also fall into this category. Shreds of crispy golden brown fried potatoes just make everything better! I was recently spending a lazy Sunday morning trying to brainstorm a unique way to serve salmon, since we’ve in a bit of a rut with it, and realized over my omelet and coffee that I should try serving salmon with a breakfast twist – over hash browns!

The dish really came together wonderfully. I mixed turkey bacon and onions with shredded potatoes and parsnips and then fried them up in a bit of oil until they were golden brown. While the hash browns were cooking, I baked the salmon filets, which were topped with a quick pear and ginger sauce. The sweet tender salmon was perfectly complemented by the savory crisp hash browns. Mmm, I’m definitely going to be making this again, but with a bit of fresh parsley on top for a touch of color!

Pear Glazed Salmon with a Potato, Parsnip, and Bacon Hash
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
6 slices turkey bacon, chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 parsnip, peeled and shredded
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Barlett pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 salmon filets

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and cook bacon over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Mix shredded potatoes, parsnips, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; mix in cooked bacon. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet and evenly spread half the shredded potato mixture in the pan. Cook 14 to 18 minutes, turning once, or until hashbrowns are crispy. Repeat with remaining potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil.

Meanwhile, place pear, ginger, vinegar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse until well mixed. Evenly spread pear sauce over the salmon filets and bake in a greased pan at 350˚F for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve salmon over the hashbrowns. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 676 calories, 30.4g fat, 6.6g fiber, 47.4g protein per serving
Cost: $4.11 per serving

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I’m in the lobby of the Bright Angel lodge at the Grand Canyon right now sitting next to the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, and taking advantage of the free internet! Apolinaras and my brother Richard braved a snow and ice covered slippery trail down into the canyon today, but since I’m a bit of a klutz, I decided to walk around the South rim with my parents. Talk about gorgeous views! Phoenix was very warm though, and we all had fun hiking up a rocky Camelback Mountain trail, where a festively decorated Christmas tree and bush greeted us at the top of the peak. Richard even left a little ornament on the tree! It’s been so great spending time with everyone!

Food wise, I’ve really been enjoying all the delicious Southwestern flavors, so I was inspired to share this easy and tasty quesadilla recipe. This isn’t an authentic recipe, but it’s still one of my favorites because two types of salsa are involved! The quesadillas are filled with salsa and cheddar cheese and then served with fresh Pico de Gallo on top. So delicious! I did make Christmas dinner (chicken parm and lemon garlic shrimp pasta) and brunch (egg casserole, bacon, and pastries) with a very limited supply of dishes and ingredients in our condo in Phoenix, but I already can’t wait to get back into my own kitchen and work on some ideas that have been brewing on our trip!

Chicken Salsa Quesadillas
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
1 16-ounce jar salsa
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 8-inch whole wheat tortillas
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet and sauté chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, or until no longer pink in the center. Mix cooked chicken with salsa in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, make the Pico de Gallo by mixing chopped tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, and salt in a large bowl.

Preheat broiler. Place 3 tortillas on a large greased cookie sheet. Spread half the shredded cheese evenly on the tortillas; top with the chicken mixture, the remainder of the cheese, and the remaining 3 tortillas. Place quesadillas in the oven and broil for 2 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cheese is melted and quesadillas are heated through. Cut tortillas into 4 wedges and top with Pico de Gallo. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 366 calories, 15.8g fat, 4.5g fiber, 32.5g protein per serving
Cost: $1.36 per serving

Apolinaras insisted I open my gift early so I could figure out how to use it before we visit the Grand Canyon over the holidays. He’s just the best! We don’t know anyone in Arizona, but my parents wanted to spend Christmas someplace warm this year and found a great deal on a Phoenix condo with their time share points. I was actually pretty disappointed that we wouldn’t be spending Christmas at my parents’ house because I love traditions and snow, but I was outvoted by everyone else. Oh well, I’m going to do my best to still get into the Christmas spirit, because it’s not where you are that’s important, but who you’re with, right? My mom did cheer me up when she promised I could make Christmas dinner in our condo. Anyway, I’ve been slowly plugging away at this book, which contains tips specifically for the T1i, but between playing with my new toy, baking Christmas goodies, and trying to wrap everything up at work, I actually haven’t had much time to cook real dinners. Except this one.

I love roasted potatoes and decided to make a meal out of them by throwing in some green beans, mushrooms, and chicken sausages. Then I tossed everything with a flavorful lemon horseradish mustard sauce. This meal comes together quickly and is so healthy that I think it balances out all the Christmas cookies I’ve been indulging in at work!

Roasted Potatoes and Sausages with Green Beans and Mushrooms
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
5 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces fresh green beans with trimmed ends
5 shallots, chopped (1 cup)
1 12-ounce package sliced mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 12-ounce package fully cooked chicken sausages, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
1/4 cup horseradish mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place potatoes in a 13×9-inch pan and toss evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake at 400˚F for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and stir in green beans. Bake for an additional 15 minutes at 400˚F or until potatoes and green beans are tender.

Meanwhile, heat remaining one tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms to the pan and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes or until veggies are tender; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and place in a large bowl. Add chicken sausage slices to the same pan and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and warmed through.

Mix horseradish mustard and lemon juice in small bowl until smooth. Place mushroom mixture, chicken sausage slices, and horseradish mustard sauce in the 13×9-inch pan with the roasted potatoes and green beans. Mix all ingredients in the pan until thoroughly combined. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 309 calories, 11.2g fat, 4.3g fiber, 22.0g protein per serving
Cost: $1.65 per serving

I’ve been looking forward to this week for awhile now, because I get to see my good friend Susie not once, but twice, in two different cities! Susie is one of my best friends from college. We initially bonded as partners in organic chemistry lab, where we amused ourselves (and horrified our TA) by bringing in a CD player and dancing along to Salt-N-Pepa in the middle of lab. She’s been my favorite person to hit the dance floor with ever since! Her hubby Brian had business in Boston earlier this week and she tagged along, so we got to have dinner with them at Giacomo’s in the North End, and then Susie and I had lunch the next day and she checked out our lab. And, to top things off, we’re both going to a wedding this weekend in Chicago, where we still can’t wait to hit the dance floor, 10 years later!

We usually don’t gravitate towards Italian restaurants, since I can cook many Italian favorites decently at home, but Giacomo’s specializes in seafood and everything there is unique and incredible! They don’t take reservations, so you have to wait in line, but it’s so worth it – I always have to stop myself from licking the plate! One of my favorite dishes is an addicting butternut squash ravioli served with a mascarpone cream sauce and asparagus. I was really inspired by the butternut squash and pasta pairing, but wanted to lighten things up a bit, so I made a sauce of roasted butternut squash, spinach, buttermilk, and rosemary, and then tossed it with whole wheat pasta. Mmmm, this was a great way to enjoy butternut squash!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Penne Pasta
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 cup chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Use a pastry brush to evenly brush flesh side of the squash halves with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place flesh side down on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400˚F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Let squash cool for 10 minutes. Remove flesh from the squash halves with a spoon and mash with a fork until smooth (my yield was 2 cups).

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta in a colander, return it to the pot, and keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet and cook shallots for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Add spinach and roasted mashed butternut squash to the pan. Stir in buttermilk, milk, rosemary, and salt and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix pasta and sauce until the sauce evenly coats all the ingredients. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over each serving. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 403 calories, 6.8g fat, 12.6g fiber, 19.1g protein per serving
Cost: $1.05 per serving

You know what else I think about when I look back on the 80s? Baked potatoes! 1983 was a good year for my family, my brother was born, and Wendy’s put baked potatoes on their menu. My whole family always ordered baked potatoes over French fries at Wendy’s since their fries were sort of subpar. A few years later, my very favorite thing to do at the mall was hit the baked potato stand in the food court (which sadly, seem to have disappeared). I think they actually had some pretty decent toppings, like cheese and broccoli, but I was a picky eater and only had eyes for the huge tub of fake butter. I think the butter weighed more than the potato itself, making it oh so good. So, in honor of the 80s, I decided we had to have baked potatoes for dinner tonight!

I actually just nuked my sweet potatoes in the microwave in order to speed things up and then mixed the flesh with shredded chicken and some spices. I was thinking about how I always like having a perfect bite of both stuffing and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving and was inspired to top the potatoes with crumbled cornbread. Then I added a bit of goat cheese because it just makes everything better!

Truly Outrageous Baked Sweet Potatoes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed
2 cooked boneless chicken breasts (I poached mine), shredded
Juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups crumbled cornbread
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute onions for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft; add garlic and saute one additional minute.

Poke sweet potatoes several times with a fork and microwave on high for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh with a spoon. Place flesh in a large bowl with the onion mixture, shredded chicken, lime juice, thyme, chili powder, and salt, and mix until well combined.

Preheat broiler. Place sweet potato mix evenly in the potato shells on a large cookie sheet. Top evenly with crumbled cornbread and goat cheese. Broil for 2 to 5 minutes or until warmed through. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 296 calories, 7.9g fat, 3.5g fiber, 24.4g protein per serving
Cost: $1.19 per serving

Happy Halloween! We’re currently putting the final touches on Apolinaras’ costume and I’m hoping I can convince him to let me post a few pictures, but I don’t want to push my luck too much. I’m very excited that I even convinced him to dress up – this is only his second time doing so in our 8 years together! It rained several days this week and I couldn’t help but think back to the year my brother was a green stegosaurus. Our grandma, who was very passionate about sewing, always made our Halloween costumes, so we were in the fortunate position to be anything that we could dream up. Richard went through a period of wanting to work at a museum and decided to be a dinosaur one year. His costume was adorable, but he had a long tail that was filled with stuffing like a pillow and it rained that Halloween. His entire tail got completely soaked and became so heavy that the poor little guy had a lot of trouble lugging it around behind him, so we didn’t haul in very much candy that year. I’m happy the weather is supposed to be clear tomorrow so all the little trick or treaters can enjoy themselves!

Whenever it’s gloomy and rainy out, I always start craving mac & cheese. I’m a tiny bit embarrassed to admit that I usually just make the stuff from the blue box (in my defense, it’s actually pretty tasty with a few modifications – I use half the amount of butter, add buttermilk, and tons of cheddar cheese). But, I recently made the real deal for the first time and it was definitely worth the extra effort. The caramelized shallots, crispy sage, and buttermilk make this version extra delicious and indulgent, and I love the cute orecchiette pasta.

p.s. I’m submitting this to Natasha’s 5 Star Mac & Cheese Makeover! Be sure to check out her blog soon for the round up!

Caramelized Shallot and Crispy Sage Macaroni and Cheese
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Briefly, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender and drain.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add shallots and cook 15 to 17 minutes, stirring frequently, or until caramelized. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute.

Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook one minute or until mixture starts to brown. Whisk in buttermilk and cream, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and mix in cheddar cheese, gruyere cheese, and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add sage and turn off heat.

Mix orecchiette pasta, caramelized shallots, cheese sauce, and crispy sage in a large bowl until well combined. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 685 calories, 41.2g fat, 2.2g fiber, 24.8g protein per serving
Cost: $1.85 per serving

I apparently have a bit more Martha in me than I’ve previously appreciated because when I stumbled upon some habanero lime flour tortillas at Trader Joe’s the other night, my eyes got wide with excitement and I squealed, “they’re orange, they have bright orange tortillas!!” Before Apolinaras could ask why I was causing a commotion over tortillas, I had already dashed away in search of black beans and canned pumpkin. You see, I’d been mulling over savory Halloween treat ideas and when I saw the tortillas I was immediately inspired to make Halloween pumpkin quesadillas!!

On the ride home I brainstormed a bit and decided that I’d use a cookie cutter to cut little pumpkins out of the tortillas and then carve jack-o-lantern faces into them using a sharp knife. I already knew I wanted to stuff them with the pumpkin and black beans I had picked up, along with some shredded chicken, lime juice, and adobo sauce. But what really make me grin was when I came up with the idea to top the filling with cheese so that the cheese would cause the eye, nose, and mouth holes to “glow”! I got home and immediately went to work “carving” my pumpkins. I had so much fun making these and they’re super cute, if I do say so myself! They are the perfect treat to serve at a Halloween party and I’m already thinking it will be a fun Halloween tradition to make these every year with our (future!) kids too! Oh, and they taste great! Enjoy!

Halloween Pumpkin Quesadillas
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 package Trader Joe’s Habarnero Lime Flour Bright Orange Tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cooked boneless chicken breasts (I poached mine), shredded
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Use a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter to cut tortillas into small pumpkin shapes (I got 3 pumpkins per tortilla). Carve faces into half the pumpkins.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; add garlic and cook one additional minute. Add pumpkin, black beans, shredded chicken, lime juice, adobo sauce, and salt to the pan and stir until smooth and heated through.

Preheat broiler. Place non-carved pumpkin shaped tortillas on a large greased cookie sheet. Spread filling evenly on top of the pumpkins, and top evenly with cheese. Place carved pumpkin tortillas on top and broil for 2 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and quesadillas are heated through. Makes 5 servings (of 3 pumpkin quesadillas each).

Nutrition: 667 calories, 24.7g fat, 6.7, 10.7g fiber, 46.4g protein per serving
Cost: $1.87 per serving

Poor meatloaf. I think meatloaf tends to get a bad rap, but I will always have a soft spot for it because it was the first dish I ever made for Apolinaras. I was a baby of 22 and just starting to get comfortable in the kitchen when I invited him over for dinner. We’d only been dating for a few weeks, but he had actually already cooked for me and made a lovely bacon wrapped chicken, which only made me a bit more nervous about my own culinary skills. I decided on meatloaf and roasted potatoes with green beans because it was cold out and I was craving something comforting. Even though I was living in grad student housing and had a very small kitchen with maybe 3 feet of counter space, I managed to get the meatloaf in the oven in plenty of time, only to make a frantic phone call to my mom half an hour later because I thought I had burned the onions (don’t worry, they were actually just caramelized!).  Much to my relief, everything somehow came out perfectly and Apolinaras was hooked – he still requests meatloaf often to this day!

I’ve experimented with various versions over the years and this is my favorite. It’s very moist and flavorful because it’s packed with cooked veggies and sun dried tomatoes. No sauce is needed – it is absolutely perfect on its own!

Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatloaf
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
4 shallots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 large egg
1/4 cup crushed croutons
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet and sauté carrots for 5 minutes. Add shallots and pepper and sauté 5 more minutes or until veggies are soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute.

Mix cooked veggies, sun-dried tomatoes, ground turkey, egg, crushed croutons, parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, and salt in a large bowl with hands until well combined. Form meat into a loaf and place in a greased pan. Bake meatloaf at 350˚F for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition: 262 calories, 4.0g fat, 2.0g fiber, 27.7g protein per serving
Cost: $1.30 per serving

Dear disappointing Boston restaurant,

My hubby and I can rarely resist ordering crab cakes when we eat out, and I was really looking forward to trying your twist on our favorite appetizer during our recent visit to your restaurant. So, you can imagine our disappointment when we couldn’t see or taste the crab in the 4 bites of our $15 appetizer. Perhaps you should rename this dish to something more appropriate, like tasteless fried breadcrumbs?

Although we won’t be frequenting your establishment again (the meal did not get any better as it progressed), I do have to thank you for inspiring me to make my own crab cakes at home for the first time. Crab cakes are something I’ve been hesitant to try putting together myself, because I was nervous about ruining the expensive lump crabmeat. But after our horrible experience at your restaurant, I realized that I couldn’t do any worse than your chef, so I went ahead and splurged on the one pound $15 tub of fresh lump crabmeat from Costco. I used avocado in place of mayo and crushed plantain chips instead of breadcrumbs, and served the cakes over black beans, mango, and red peppers – yum! They were just as good as any restaurant version I’ve had and I made 3 huge dinner-sized portions for the fraction of the price they would cost at a restaurant! So thank you for pushing me to step outside my comfort zone in the kitchen!

Sincerely,
A Boston food blogger

Avocado Crab Cakes with Crushed Plantain Chips
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound lump crabmeat
1/4 cup mashed avocado
1/2 cup crushed plantain chips
1 egg, beaten
1 lime
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 mango, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped

Directions:
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and sauté onions for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute.

In medium bowl, mix together the lump crabmeat, onions, avocado, plantain chips, egg, juice of half the lime, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Shape mixture into 6 crab cakes.

Meanwhile, mix black beans, mango, red pepper, juice of the remaining half of the lime, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add 3 crab cakes and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 3 crab cakes. Serve crab cakes over the black bean, mango, and red pepper mix. Makes 3 large servings.

Nutrition: 514 calories, 22.1g fat, 14.6g fiber, 24.4g protein per serving
Cost: $6.17 per serving