Stovetop Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese

To me, macaroni and cheese is one of the most comforting foods ever.  I can (and do) eat it year round.  I try and switch it up a bit by adding different spices to the sauce or using different cheeses.  Since it's fall and there is an abundance of butternut squash, I decided to add some to my mac 'n cheese.  Also, I made this on a weeknight and I had dinner on the table in about 20 minutes.

Since I don't have the actual recipe that I used (I pretty much wing it when I make macaroni and cheese), I provided a recipe I found on Pinterest (shocker!).  This recipe inspired me to go home and make this dish immediately!  Here are some things I did differently from the recipe:

I omitted the cream cheese
I used half milk and half chicken broth
I used Parmesan and cheddar cheese
I added sage
I used butternut squash puree in place of pumpkin
I used Trader Joe's pre-cooked frozen pasta (which is how I had this meal done in around 20 minutes!)
I also served mine with a few dried cranberries sprinkled on top for a nice touch of sweetness

This recipe is so simple and delicious!  If you like your macaroni and cheese a little less soupy, place the mixture in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with a handful of cheese.  Bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top has browned and the edges are bubbling.

This dish pairs nicely with a spinach salad.  We all know that spinach makes anything healthy, so you don't have to worry about carbs and fat since the spinach cancels that out!  :)

The recipe can be found here.

Enjoy!

Summer Shrimp Scampi

I guess I'm trying to hold onto summer and it's wonderful produce for as long as I can.  We have less than two weeks left of "official" summer (seriously, where did the summer go?) and I wanted to be able to enjoy my summer veggies while they lasted.

This past week, I visited a local farm stand and picked up some local summer squash and a pint of adorable little orange cherry tomatoes.  I decided to roast the squash and tomatoes and add them to my standard shrimp scampi recipe.  It was a great way to amp up the nutritional value of just shrimp and pasta - Plus, it's a delicious way to use up some summer veggies you may have sitting around waiting to be eaten.

This recipe is pretty versatile when it comes to what kinds of vegetables you can use.  I happened to have summer squash and tomatoes on hand, but any veggies you like would work - I wanted to add the corn from a leftover ear I had in the fridge, but totally forgot until I sat down to eat!  Another ingredient I forgot?  Lemon!  I usually squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the shrimp when cooking, but I forgot to pick one up at the grocery store tonight.  The scampi was still delicious - even without the lemon!

This meal came together in about 30 minutes which makes this a great option for a weeknight meal.  I did use a shortcut when preparing the scampi tonight.  I used precooked pasta which really cut down the prep time.  This dish really is a great way to enjoy what's left of summer's flavors!  I hope you make it soon.

Summer Shrimp Scampi
Serves 2-3

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
2 medium summer squash, sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Clam juice
Garlic, about 1 clove finely diced
Salt and pepper
Cooked pasta (about half a pound)
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425.  Prepare pasta as directed on box.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Add squash to the pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper, and toss to coat.  Roast the squash for 15-18 minutes.  After 15-18 minutes, remove squash from the oven, toss so that both sides brown.  Add in the tomatoes, return baking sheet to the oven and continue to roast for another 15 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to burst and the squash is fork tender.

While the tomatoes and squash are cooking, add olive oil to a pan and preheat.  While pan is warming, salt and pepper the shrimp.  Once you see ripples in the oil, add the shrimp and cook a few minutes.  Turn the shrimp, add in garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of clam juice.  Cook two more minutes (or until the shrimp is just pink) and add pasta.  Toss to coat pasta with the oil and clam juice and turn off heat.  Squeeze half a lemon over the shrimp and pasta and give it a stir.

Once you've plated the shrimp and pasta, top with a bit of Parmesan cheese (freshly grated is great!).

Enjoy!

Spinach and Basil Pesto with Lemon

St. Patrick's Day is less than a week away so I decided I would share a few recipes inspired by the holiday.  While pesto doesn't tend to come to mind when you think of traditional St. Patrick's Day fare, the color is definitely on point!  Also, with spring right around the corner, this is a great recipe that pairs well with seafood and chicken as well as pasta.

I'm always looking for easy weeknight meals and pesto comes together really quickly so it is a great option for those nights you need something fast.  It also freezes well so you can always double the recipe and put any unused portion in a zip-top bag and freeze for another meal.

Since I was serving this with pasta and shrimp, I decided to add lemon zest to the mix.  That's one of the great things about pesto - You can add in anything from cilantro to sundried tomatoes.  I also added spinach to increase the nutritional value - Any way to fit in a veggie!  This recipe is super simple because you toss everything in a food processor and let it whirl (I made mine in a food processor but you can easily make it in a blender).

 

Spinach and Basil Pesto with Lemon
Serves: 4

3 handfuls of fresh spinach
2 handfuls of basil
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

Add everything but the olive oil into a food processor.  Cover and begin blending while streaming in the olive oil.  I like my pesto a bit on the thicker side if I'm serving it with pasta.  I'll use the pasta water to thin it out some.  If I am serving this over chicken, I'll add a bit more olive oil so it's slightly thinner.

Comfort Food 101: Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

For any Bostonians out there, you'll remember the icky, non-August like weather we experienced early last week.  It was cold and raining - RAIN two weekends in a row!  I don't know about you, but that kind of weather makes me want to flip it the bird stay in bed all day and eat high carb comfort foods!  I was at work and my mind kept wandering to homemade meatballs and sauce.  I decided I must have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner!  I stopped at the supermarket on my way home to pick up the necessary ingredients I didn't already have on hand.
I was a bit giddy when I got home and assembled all of the ingredients for the meatballs and sauce.  Both the meatballs and sauce came together fairly quickly and I was sitting down to a delicious, comforting meal in about an hour.  The recipe makes about 20 meatballs, so this is a great make ahead and freeze option.  I've already pulled out a few meatballs to slice and use for a pizza.  I've also had just the sauce with some pasta and leftover veggies.  Meatballs and spaghetti sauce are so versatile - I'm almost looking forward to a semi cool night soon so I can heat up a big bowl of pasta with sauce and meatballs!

Meatballs and Sauce
Yields: ~20 meatballs and a whole lot of sauce
Servings: One About 8-10

Meatballs
1 1/4 pounds of lean ground beef (I used 97% lean since the pork would add some additional fat and moisture)
1/2 - 3/4 pounds of ground pork
Two eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 - 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (I used a mix of unseasoned panko and whole wheat)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I used the kind in a shaker can because I think it distributes better throughout the mixture than freshly grated)
1 T dried parsley
Salt & pepper
1/2 medium vidalia (or yellow) onion
1 T garlic (I used the pre-chopped garlic in oil because I forgot to buy fresh garlic.  You can also use 1 clove of fresh or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
Olive oil

Place the ground beef and pork in a bowl large enough to combine when all ingredients have been added.  Add in the eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.  Start out by adding only 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs.  You may need to add more if the mixture is too sticky or wet after all the ingredients have been added.
Finely chop or grate the onion and add to the bowl.  I find by grating the onion, you add better flavor and moisture that you wouldn't get from just finely chopping the onion.  If using fresh garlic, grate the clove into the bowl.  This way, you don't bite down into a large chunk of garlic and the flavor blends nicely into the mixture.
Preheat a skillet large enough to brown your meatballs as well as big enough to fit the sauce and meatballs.  Add a small amount of oil and keep the pan on medium heat.
Gently combine all the ingredients.  Don't over mix or the meatballs will end up being tough.  If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.  If you added too many breadcrumbs, you can add in any of the following, 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten the mixture: unflavored seltzer, egg whites or broth.
Form the meatballs and place directly into the preheated skillet.  I used a spring-loaded cookie scoop to form evenly sized meatballs.  Brown the meatballs on all sides - This should take about 12 minutes.  Keep in mind that you will finish cooking the meatballs in the sauce, so you want to just brown them to add color and flavor.  Take the meatballs out of the pan and place on a dish.
NOTE: You can skip this step and just drop the meatballs directly into the sauce to cook.  They won't be browned but you will save a few calories and some fat by omitting this step.

Spaghetti Sauce
Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 T garlic (about two cloves)
1 small can tomato paste (I used about 3/4 a tube because that is what I had in the pantry - More may be needed depending on how thick/thin you like your sauce)
1 magnum 1/2 cup red wine (I used Ravenswood Zin)
About 1 tablespoon each of: dried parsley, dried oregano and dried basil (If using fresh, add a bit more of each)
Salt & pepper
1 large can crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (preferably no salt added)
Water
1 T sugar (if needed)

In the same skillet you used to brown the meatballs, add a small amount of olive oil and preheat.  Once heated, add in the onions and saute on medium heat until translucent.  Add in garlic (good idea to grate here too!) and cook for about 30 seconds to bring out the flavor.  Make sure the heat isn't too high - There's not much worse than burned garlic to make a sauce bitter!  Add in the tomato paste and combine with the onions and garlic.  Add in the whole bottle wine and the spices and cook for about two minutes.  Add in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Fill the smaller can with water and add about 3/4 of the can to the pan to start.  You may need to add more later if the sauce is too thick.  Cover and let simmer for about five minutes.  Taste and add salt, pepper and sugar if needed.  Additional water and or tomato paste may need to be added at this time.  I prefer a thicker sauce, so I didn't add any water, but I did add some more tomato paste.  Cover and continue to simmer for another five minutes.  Once the sauce has the right seasoning, add in your browned meatballs.  Keeping the heat on medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 - 25 minutes.  Every 10 minutes or so, turn the meatballs to make sure they're cooking evenly.

Serve the sauce and meatballs with your favorite pasta or enjoy with a nice piece of fresh Italian bread!  I served mine with nice, hearty bucatini - No whole wheat pasta this time!  Throw a straw in the bottle Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

Shrimp Fried Rice for Under 500 Calories per Serving!

One of my favorite indulgences is Chinese food, but it's loaded with fat, calories and sodium.  I can't remember the last time I ate Chinese food but I was craving it the other night.  I decided to peruse my pantry, refrigerator and freezer and found all the makings for shrimp fried rice.  The good thing is I tend to have all the ingredients on hand at all times which is perfect to toss together this quick and healthy weeknight meal.  This one pot (well, skillet) wonder contains all the components of a well-balanced meal  - Vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.

Recipe (Serves 2 - 1.5 cups of rice and veggies and 4 oz shrimp)

1t canola oil (or any light oil)

8 oz raw, peeled shrimp

2 cups of cooked, brown rice (or whichever type of rice you prefer.  I used Stop & Shop's Steam Ready pre-cooked frozen brown rice)

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3/4 cup snow peas cut in half

1 T crushed garlic

1 t crushed ginger (fresh can be used but I always have jarred crushed ginger on hand)

1 - 2 T reduced sodium soy sauce

1 t teriyaki sauce

2 t dried red pepper flakes (adjust to taste.  I like mine on the spicier side)

1 whole egg and two egg whites, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

NOTE: Any veggies can be used.  I've used frozen corn and peas in the past.  Basically, use any combination of veggies you like.

Prepare rice according to package directions.  Salt and pepper the shrimp and set aside until ready to cook (not too much salt as both the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce are loaded with sodium).

Add oil to the skillet and preheat on a medium flame.  Begin preparing the veggies - cut the carrots, celery and onions into a small dice.  Cut the snow peas in half.  Once the oil is warm enough add the carrots, celery and onions.  Cook for about 3 minutes then add in the snow peas.  Cook until soft, about 3 - 4 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and cook until just pink, about 4 minutes (It's important not to cook the shrimp too long at this point as you still need to cook a few more minutes after adding the eggs).  Add in the cooked rice, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes and ginger and combine.  NOTE: I added in 1 1/2 T of soy sauce but you may want more or less.

Make a well in the center of the skillet and pour in the eggs.  Let sit for about a minute then begin to scramble then combine the eggs with the rice, veggies and shrimp.  Cook for another minute or until the eggs are completely cooked.  Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Nutrition info:

1 cup brown rice: 140 calories, 1g fat, 2g fiber, 3g protein

Veggies, 4 oz shrimp and seasonings: 265 calories, 6.5g fat, 4.8g fiber, 34.2g protein

Cate's Lemon Dijon Chicken

I resolved to post healthier recipes this year instead of the high fat and sugar (but oh so delicious!) recipes I've been posting.  So, here's another - Cate's Lemon Dijon Chicken.  I can't take full credit for the recipe.  I just pulled together parts from some of my favorite recipes and rolled them into one.

This dish comes together quickly which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal.  It's tangy and light, which is just yummy to me!  It would be great served over egg noodles or polenta.  I served mine with a medley of roasted veggies - Carrots, parsnips, potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

Here's the recipe:

1t oil (I used canola but any light-tasting oil will work)

4 - 4 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of one lemon (about 2 T.  I like my chicken a bit lemony.  If you like less, start with 1/2 a lemon and increase the juice to taste)

1T Dijon mustard

1 t garlic, diced (fresh if you have it.  I only had it in a jar)

1t fresh, chopped thyme (dry will work too, but use about 1/2 t)

1t unsalted butter

Salt & pepper, to taste

Prep:  Sometimes chicken breasts are not even and need to be pounded out to even thickness.  If necessary, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer, rolling pin or a small frying pan until the chicken is even in thickness.

Preheat a nonstick skillet with oil on medium-high heat. While the pan is heating up, salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Once the skillet is hot enough add the chicken.  Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken and cook another 4 - 5 minutes until browned and just undercooked (the chicken will finish cooking later when you return it to the pan after the sauce is made).  Remove chicken, put on a plate and cover loosely in foil.

Turn the heat up high and add the chicken broth to the pan.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits left from the chicken.  After the broth simmers for about a minute, add the lemon juice.  Keeping the flame on high, simmer the juice and broth until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.  Whisk in the Dijon and simmer for one minute. Turn down the heat to medium and add in the garlic, thyme and butter.  Once the butter is melted add in the chicken and the juices that gathered on the plate.  Finish cooking for about five minutes or until the chicken is done.

Nutrition info (1 chicken breast and 2 T of sauce): 246 calories, 11g fat, 1.6g carbs, 34g protein

Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Turkey Burgers

One of my favorite foods to eat during a football game is a good, juicy burger...  And spicy buffalo fingers...  So, why not combine the two?  Of course the thought of combining beef and buffalo sauce was not too appetizing to me.  And, I am trying to eat more healthily.  Beef?  No.  Turkey?  Yes!  To me, turkey and chicken are so versatile and are a great base for adding spice.  This turned out to be yet another meal I could make immediately as I had every ingredient on hand.  Well, almost immediately.  I did have to wait for the turkey to defrost.  I used one pound of 99% fat free ground turkey.  Into the turkey went hot sauce (lots of it!), worcestershire sauce, diced scallions, a bit of Panko bread crumbs and a pinch of salt.  Oh, and of course - Blue cheese!!!

I'm sorry - I don't have exact measurements since when I cook, I tend to throw in a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  My friend Michaela is always asking me for recipes and I find myself having to almost make up measurements.  She hasn't complained yet, so I think I'm doing okay.  :)  Since the turkey is so low in calories (120 calories per four ounce serving), I decided to go big and make only two burgers.  What the heck?  I was watching a football game, so I decided to splurge.  The turkey, however is not where the splurging comes into play.  The splurge is the delicious, creamy, tangy, Maytag blue cheese that filled these half-pound burgers.
I made four patties, piled the blue cheese on top of two of them and topped each of those with the remaining patties.  Sinful, I know.
Because these burgers were so thick I didn't want to risk burning them on the outside before they were done instead - Especially being turkey!  I browned both sides of the burgers in an oven-safe pan then finished cooking them in a 350 degree oven.  I let them sit for 10 of the longest minutes of my life!
I didn't bother to top the burger with anything since my mouth was watering as I was taking the pictures. I wanted to eat the burger right away and didn't have time to search my fridge for accompaniments.  Next time I make this - and there will be a next time - Maybe I'll be more creative and think of some fancy toppings.  In my opinion, the burger was perfect as is.  But who knows, I may be able to improve on perfection!  And by the way -  the game was not nearly as perfect as this burger.  In fact, it was the exact opposite!

Ginger Beef Stir Fry

As many of the recipes I've been trying lately, I had to make this as soon as I found the recipe online.  This came together really quickly.  I made the sauce and prepped the veggies and beef while the rice cooked.  Once everything was in the pan, it took about 15 minutes to cook which makes this a great weeknight meal option.

Although the recipe sounded delicious to me when I first read it, I did make a few changes.  I'm not a huge fan of ginger, so I cut the amount in half and it was just enough.  I also like a little heat, so I about doubled the amount of red pepper flakes.  Since I don't eat peppers, I omitted them and just increased the amount of broccoli and carrots as well as added in snow peas.  Lastly, I opted to use filet as opposed to sirloin as it is a leaner cut of meat and that's what I had in the fridge!

I highly recommend making this if you're craving Chinese food and would like a quick and healthier option than take out.  This is definitely going into my recipe rotation!  It would also be a great meal for entertaining.  It's easy to double or triple the recipe and you won't be stuck in the kitchen cooking instead of visiting with your guests.

Enjoy!

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
1 tsp. cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
3 tbsp. plum sauce
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1½ cups small broccoli florets
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
4 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. salted peanuts, chopped (optional)
Rice, for serving
Sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions: 
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water; whisk until smooth.  Stir in the plum sauce, ginger, soy sauce and red pepper flakes.  Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, cook the steak strips until no longer pink.  Remove to a plate and set aside, draining the excess fat from the skillet if necessary.  Add the oil to the pan and heat through.  Add the red pepper, broccoli and carrot pieces to the skillet and stir fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the green onion and garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Return the steak pieces to the pan.  Add the sauce to the pan, stirring well to coat everything.  Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes more.  Stir in the peanuts.

Serve the warm stir fry over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish, if desired.