DINNER: Thai Yellow Curry Chicken/Tofu - modifying a bottle sauce and making it better

I am a huge fan of yellow curry chicken, in fact. it's probably the only thing I order at Thai restaurants.  I found yellow curry sauce at Trader Joe's, used it by itself once, and wasn't a fan; however, it's pretty fantastic with a bit of flare.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• Thai Yellow Curry Sauce from Trader Joes
• Handful of chopped basil
• 1.5 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tbsp chopped ginger
• 4 small potatoes, cubed (or 1 large potato)
• 1/2 onion, chopped finely
• 1 lb chicken, cubed or chopped in 1" pieces (tofu works equally well)
• 1/2 tbsp sea salt 
• 1.5 tbsp, pepper 

Instructions:

• Pour 2-3 tbsp of canola oil in pan
• Saute onions until translucent/golden
• While you saute the onions, stick the diced potatoes in the microwave for 3-4 minutes
• Quickly saute garlic and ginger 
• Add in chicken or tofu (ensure you are at medium heat)
• Immediately add in salt and pepper (add in a bit of cayenne pepper or parika if you like)
• Pour in about 1/2 of the sauce and continue to let the chicken cook
• Add in 4 tbsp of yogurt (non-fat works) and stir quickly to ensure the yogurt dissolves
• Add in remaining sauce, basil, and potatoes
• Remove mixture from heat 3-4 minutes later
• Enjoy! Brown rice is a perfect side

DINNER: Presto Pesto Sauce

Pesto is one of those food items (like cupcakes and macaroons) that has been the subject of overkill over the last few years; nevertheless, I love this played out ingredient every time I have it.  I finally had to make it for myself, and have to say it was super easy to make.

Serving Size: 1 Pasta Dish

Ingredients:

• 1 whole garlic bulb, pressed
• 2-3 cups of fresh basil leaves (stems removed)
• 1/3 cup of walnuts or pine nuts
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Dash of sea salt
• Note: no parmesan cheese is used - see the recommended preparation below

Instructions:

• Grind nuts, garlic, and 1/2 of the oil in the food processor
• Mix in basil leaves and continue to grind in the processor
• Add in pepper and salt and pulse in food processor until the sauce is smooth
• Recommended Preparation:
• Heat pesto sauce and add in 1/4 tbsp of cayenne pepper and an additional 1/4 tbsp of black pepper
• Add in 16 ounces of non-fat sour cream (try the Trader Joe's version)
• Add in cooked spiral pasta (3/4 to a full standard package depending on how much you would like the pesto sauce to stand out)
• Consider adding seasoned cooked chicken cubes to the pasta

LUNCH/DINNER: Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic Tofu

I recently rekindled my love affair with cherry tomatoes, with a little twist: I try to cook them a bit as recent research indicates that the cooked tomatoes contain more lycopenes than the raw variety. I made this tomato/tofu combo the other day, and served it over a bed of mixed greens - it was a great dinner:

Serving Size: 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 container of extra firm tofu, cubed
• 1/4 pd chopped cherry tomatoes (about 1/3 small basket of cherry tomatoes)
• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed or chopped finely
• 1/4 onion, chopped finely
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp of thyme, cayenne pepper, and coriander

Instructions:

• Coat pan with olive oil
• Saute garlic and onions for 1-2 minutes
• Reduce heat and add in tomatoes and all spices, salt, and pepper
• Toss in tofu
• Let cook for at least 3-5 minutes
• If the pan starts to dry out, feel free to add in liquid from the tofu or a bit of water - this lets you continue to cook your tofu without adding in additional oil
• Serve over bed of greens or brown rice
• Enjoy!

DINNER: Spicy Thai Tofu with Red Bell Peppers and Spinach

I love Thai food, but all too often, I find it to be overly greasy.  I also don't care for all of the fried components, which I often feel add little to taste, but far too much to calorie count.  I came across a very useful basic recipe on Epicurious, but found it to be too bland (and mushy) for my taste.  I added my own spin by adding in additional ingredients, and of course, making it fat-conscious.  I served this with Thai spicy chicken curry (recipe to come) and brown rice  - enjoy:

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 tbsps finely chopped or minced fresh ginger
• 3 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
• 1 14-to 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained well, cut into small cubes (I recommend you make four to five slices from the top and side to make nice sized cubes)
• Small bunch of green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
• 3 tbsps soy sauce
• 1-2  tbsps fish sauce (available in the asian section of any grocery store)
• 2-3 tbsps Sriracha sauce (Thai sauce that comes in a clear bottle or squeeze bottle - people typically identify it by the Rooster on the label)
• 2-3 tbsps lime juice (fresh or bottled)
• 1-2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 6-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tbsps of prepared basil concentrate (try "Herbs in a Tube" - available in the produce section of most grocery stores)
• 1/3 cup lightly salted roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp corn starch 

Instructions:

• Heat oil in wok over high heat
• Add bell peppers, ginger, and garlic; sauté on medium heat for approximately 2-3 minutes
• Mix all sauces and oils (soy, fish, sesame oil, and Sriracha)
• Add tofu, green onions, and sauce mixture to the wok  - stir well and allow to heat for 3-4 minutes
• Add in peanut butter - ensure that it melts and get spread throughout
• Add spinach in three parts,  allow about 1 minute before each addition
• Mix in basil
• Allow ingredients to cook for at least another 15-20 minutes on moderate heat
• Add in cornstarch if mixture is too liquidy (mix first with a few tbsps of cold water prior to mixing in to wok)
• Mix in cornstarch, and allow mixture to cook for another 5 minutes
• Season with salt and pepper. 
• Sprinkle peanuts over finished dish

DINNER: Easy, Low-fat, Spicy Chicken Curry

Paprika is absent -the curry is usually more red

I find Indian food incredibly hard to make successfully - the number of spices and advanced techniques involved can often create an over-flavored disaster.  This recipe is easy to make, the ingredients are accessible at your local grocery store, and it's healthy.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup water - use as needed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 red onion, diced thinly
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (toss the stems)
• 2 tbsp ginger (diced very finely)
• 2 tbsp garlic (don't forget to use a garlic press)
• 2 pds skinless, boneless, chicken thigh filets chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced

Instructions:

• Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a large skillet, add onions and bay leaf - let cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes (or until the onions are golden)
• Add turmeric, chili powder, paprika, ginger, and garlic - add enough water so that the mixture and the onions are moist - reduce heat and stir as needed for 2-3 minutes
• When water has evaporate, add in chicken, tomato,  cloves, and at least 1 tbsp of water
• Cover and simmer for at least 30-35 minutes - if the curry is too moist, feel free to add in bread crumbs or cornstarch as that will help to thicken the curry sauce
• Add in cilantro prior to serving

DINNER: Easy, Fire Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love stuffed bell peppers, but am not the biggest fan of the pan/oven work involved - this recipe skips the oven, is very easy to make, low in fat, and tastes amazing.

Serving Size: 2

Total Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large red bell peppers, cut each bell pepper lengthwise and remove stem and seeds
• 1/3-1/2 pound lean ground beef (ground chicken or turkey work as well, as does tofu)
• 1.5-2 cups mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 2 tomatoes (Roma tomatoes work fine in terms of size), chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4-5 cloves, garlic, crushed
• Spices
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground basil
• 1/4 cup favorite melting cheese - blue cheese is ideal

Instructions:

• Saute onions and garlic in 1-2 tsp of olive oil until lightly browned

• Add in spices, ground beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and an additional tbsp of olive oil

• Once beef is thoroughly browned, move mixture to one side of the pan and place bell peppers in pan with hollows face up (or place peppers in a freshly oiled pan if this is too complicated)

• Lower heat to a simmer and fill bell peppers with beef mixture - cover pan and let sit over heat for 3-5 minutes
• Remove bell peppers from the pan, sprinkle blue cheese over peppers and serve (I also like to serve the peppers topped with my fresh guacamole)
• Enjoy!

DINNER: Easy, Low Fat Fettucine Alfredo

Fettucine Alfredo is my all-time favorite Italian dish, but it has traditionally been on my list of foods to avoid - not so with this super easy, nutritious recipe.

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 package mushrooms (crimini or standard white mushrooms work)
• 10-12 ounces whole wheat fettucine 
• 1 pound sliced thigh filets, fat removed, and sliced into thin pieces (you'll find that this tastes far better than breast meat)
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped basil (dried or packaged works)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (white flour works as well)
• 2-3 cloves crushed garlic (or 1 tbsp garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (Trader Joe's has a good bottled version, although fresh grated is always preferable)

Instructions:

• Boil pasta while preparing chicken - try to time it so that upon straining you can put it straight into the parmesan sauce
• Pour 1-2 tbsp of olive oil into a pan and quickly pan fry chicken, all spices, garlic, and mushrooms
• In a large saucepan - create a roux with the milk (this gives you the thickness of a cream, but without the fat): heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and dust the oiled surface of the pan with whole wheat flour until it browns - pour in the milk and mix well until you have a relatively thick sauce.  Add additional flour as needed (sparingly).
• Add chicken and mushrooms to the heated sauce
• Add in drained pasta and ensure that pasta and sauce are mixed well (make sure all pasta is coated with the sauce)
• Add in parmesan cheese
• Serve and enjoy.

DINNER: Chicken Parm 2

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1.5-1.8 pounds chicken breast, cut into filets
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bottle marinara sauce (or for a spicy kick try Trader Joe's Arrabiata Sauce)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Beat eggs mix in black pepper and set aside in bowl
• Mix parmesan and breadcrumbs and set aside on a plate or bowl
• Spread oil across the base of two baking sheets or bakeware
• Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and then proceed to dip into paremesan/breadcrumb mix and finally onto the baking sheet
• Spoon marinara sauce over breaded chicken
• Bake and enjoy!

DINNER: Stuffed but Skinny Pasta Shells and Sauteed Mushrooms and Tomato over Spinach

Servings: 5 - 6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or ground chicken or tofu)
• 1 large bunch of spinach (try the Trader Joe's bag of spinach - it's pre-cut)
• 1/2 pound of mushrooms (or try one of the small containers), chopped
• 1 box of large pasta shells (try Barolli's)
• 1 container of low-fat/non-fat cottage cheese (Trader Joe's has a good one - but the half or full size container depending on what ratio of cottage cheese/mozzarella you prefer)
• 1 bag of shredded light mozzarella cheese (personally prefer a spicy blend such as Trader Joe's light Mexican blend)
• 1 bottle of arrabiata pasta sauce (Trader Joe's has a great one) 
• 1 small can of tomato paste (Hunts makes small bottles that are perfect for this recipe)
• 3 eggs (substitute: 3 egg whites)
• 1 chopped red pepper
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Oregano
• Cayenne Pepper
• Pepper
• Salt

Instructions

• Boil Pasta 
• Tip: add a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of olive oil to the boiling water prior to adding in the pasta 
• Prepare Meat/Tofu/Chicken Sauce
• Saute garlic with a 1 tbsp of olive oil for at least 2/3 minutes
• Add in ground beef (or alternate)
• Allow beef and garlic to simmer for 3-4 minutes
• Add 1/2 to 1 tsp of black pepper
• Add in 1/2 of bottle of arabbiata sauce and mix the meat and sauce to ensure a uniform consistency - allow the the mixture to simmer for at least 3-4 minutes
• Add in all of the tomato paste and mix
• Add in red pepper
• Add in remaining arabbiate sauce
• Allow mixture to simmer for another 5 minutes or so - toss in a handful of spinach if you like
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Prepare Cheese Sauce
• Mix cottage cheese, mozzarella, and eggs 
• Set aside in the refrigerator until you prepare your pasta
•  Prepare your pasta for baking
• Spread your meat sauce across the bottom of your casserole dishes (use as many as you need to use all of your pasta shells)
• This layer should cover the bottom of your dishes entirely
• Spread out the pasta face up across your dishes - leave them with breathing room
• Fill your pasta (use a spoon) with the cheese mixture
• Drizzle any remaining sauce on top of the pasta
• Bake @350 for 30 minutes
• While your pasta is baking, prepare your saute
• Wash and leave spinach to dry
• Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium size frying pan and add in all of your mushrooms
• Add in a dash of garlic salt (or garlic powder and salt)
• Add in a generous amount of black pepper
• Add in cayenne pepper to your taste
• Allow mushrooms to saute for at least 4-5 minutes
• Add in tomatoes
• Allow mixture to heat for another 5-10 minutes
• Serve the sauteed mushrooms and tomato over the spinach
• Enjoy!

LUNCH / DINNER: Tofu and Kale Delight

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pack (Trader Joe's Firm Tofu), chopped
• 1 bunch, Kale or Spinach, chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp liquid aminos (optional, but this stuff is amazing)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red chili
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

Instuctions:

• In a medium size pot, saute the onion in olive oil until slightly golden
• Add in ginger and garlic and continue to saute for a few minutes
• Add in spices, saute for another few minutes
• Add in tofu, continue to saute (a few minutes should do)
• Add in kale or spinach, and cover pot and let simmer for approximately ten minutes or until done
• Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered in order to let the flavors marry 
• Serve over couscous, quinoa, or brown rice

DINNER: Pasta-Free Eggplant-Chicken Lasagna

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of lean chicken breast filets, sliced
•  keep the chicken filet width and length as is, just thinly slice the chicken breasts as these will serve as layers for your dish
• 1 large eggplant, sliced
• the goal here is to get long and wide slices of eggplant that you will eventually use to serve as the layers of your lasagna - so you want to cut from the top of the eggplant to the bottom 
• slice pieces that are no more than 1/8" inch thick - your pieces should be about 6-8" long x 3-4" wide x 1/8" thick - remember the bigger the eggplant, the larger your layers
• 1/2 cup - 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheese blend (try the Trader Joe's bagged shredded, skim mozzarella or the mexican cheese blend)
• Spinach, leaves (try the Trader Joe's bagged spinach)
• Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper
• Oregano
• Optional: Arrabiata Sauce (Trader Joe's has a great one)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Sprinkle chicken with oregano, pepper, cayenne pepper, and a dash of salt (remember, the cheese has salt - don't over do it) - set aside
• Lightly oil a casserole dish (you may need two depending on the size of your eggplant slices)
• Lay your first level of eggplant slices across the entire bottom of your dish (keep your direction consistent)
• Layer your chicken immediately above the eggplant
• Layer on spinach immediately over the chicken
• Add another layer of eggplant slices
• Layer on spinach
• OPTIONAL: you may add a light layer of arrabiata sauce - don't be afraid to let it spill over the sides
• Layer on cheese
• Dash black pepper across the cheese (optional if using arrabiata sauce)
• Repeat in second dish if you have eggplant and chicken left over
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes

DINNER: Meatballs with Parsley and Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of fresh French breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
• 3 tbs of grated fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tbs of olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbs of fresh chopped parsley
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound of lean ground beef

Instructions:

• Stir egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend.
• Add ground beef and mix thoroughly.
• Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.
• Pour enough olive oil into skillet to cover bottom and heat on medium-low heat.
• Add meatballs and pan fry until cooked through.
• Serve on top of whole wheat spaghetti or mix in sauce and serve.
  
• Delicious!
  

DINNER: Baked Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup of light mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cups of breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  
• 1 tsp of dried basil (optional)
  

Instructions:

• Lightly coat chicken with light mayo
• Mix breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dried basil, salt and pepper together.
  
• Coat chicken with breadcrumbs.
  
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until chicken is done.
• Serve with pasta or salad or brown rice and steamed veggies.
• Enjoy!
  

DINNER: Almond-Crusted Tilapia

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds - cut into thin pieces
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1/2 tsp spice mix
• ground black pepper
• paprika
• ground nutmeg
• ground ginger
• ground allspice
• ground cloves
• crushed red pepper flakes
• ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg 
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1.5 pounds tilapia filets
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. 
• Lightly oil or coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Combine the almonds, bread crumbs, brown sugar, spice mix, and salt in a shallow bowl. 
• Beat egg and water in another bowl. 
• Place the flour on a plate.
• Season the fish with additional salt and pepper. To bread the fillets, coat both sides with flour and shake off excess. Dip in the egg and then coat evenly with the nut mixture.
• Place each fillet on the baking sheet
• Bake at 425 degree until for 15 minutes

DINNER: Steak Burritos

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 pd sliced steak pieces (can use sirloin, top round, or even stewing beef)
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2-3 green chiles (any kind will do - stick to the smaller ones: Serrano, Thai, etc), diced
• 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 large avocado
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Low-Fat sour cream
• Low-fat refried beans (either make them yourself or try the Trader Joe's Jalapeno Refried Beans)
• Whole wheat tortillas (again Trader Joes has some great ones, but any whole wheat, lard-free ones will do)
• Mexican Blend Cheese - try Trader Joe's lite version

Instructions:

1. Marinate the beef with 70% of the lemon juice, all of the salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and chile flakes - let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour
2. Saute 80% of onions, green chiles for 3-5 minutes
3. Stir in red (only 70% of red) and green peppers and 60% of tomatoes and let simmer for 2-3 minutes
4. Add in beef and ensure that the mixture is fairly homogenous
5. While the beef is cooking, prepare fresh guacomole and salsa
6. Guacomole: blend avocado with red peppers, remaining lemon juice, and add in a dash of salt and pepper
7. Basic salsa: mix onions, tomato, and a dash of salt and pepper
8. When the beef is complete, set up a burrito line
9. Heat tortillas straight over a gas oven or flip over a griddle
10. Layer on all ingredients - you may want to layer the cheese first (before beef) or immediately after the beef.  Also - you can use the refried beans as a glue to hold the burrito shut

DINNER: Moroccan Beef

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Top round Beef sliced into pieces that are 1/2" wide and 3" long
• 1 Large Red Pepper (Bell Pepper)
• 4 Green Chiles (Thai or Serrano Peppers should work)
• Handful of Parsley
• 2-3 Tomato
• 2-3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Carrots
• 1/2 onion
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder

Instructions:

• Cut all vegetables, chiles into thin strips
• Saute all vegetables in large pan with a dash of olive oil for at least 10 minutes
• Add in black pepper, salt and lemon juice
• Add in beef and allow mixture to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes
• Serve with Spicy Couscous or other mellow side dish

 

DINNER: "Fried" Chicken

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces (skinless)
• Whole wheat flour (or white if you prefer)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2-4 eggs 
• 1/2 cup milk

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
• Grease and flour a shallow baking dish (should be wide and long enough to accommodate your chicken without layering the pieces - alternatively use two dishes)
• Spread salt and pepper accordingly over chicken pieces
• Crack and beat eggs - mix the egg mixture with milk (ensure that the mixture is a bowl that will allow the chicken to easily be dipped)
• Pour bread crumbs into a bowl (the chicken will later be dipped in this bowl)
• Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and immediately place each side into the bread crumb bowl - the chicken should be coated with crumbs
• Lay each coated piece of chicken into your pan
• Bake @375 for 45-55 minutes