Spicy, Smokey Sweet Potato Hash.

 Because I have been on a black bean kick lately this sounded amazing to me when I spotted it in Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it. I love how hearty it is without meat. I tweaked the original slightly just portion wise to round it out. The queso fresco on top adds a nice brightness to it. It's a must try.

 Spicy, Smokey Sweet Potato Hash.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups diced peeled sweet potato (this is usually about one big one)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (fresh is important here)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne red pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can)
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 large tomato diced (or two smaller ones)

1. Heat oil in a skillet (that has a lid). Add potato, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add cumin, cinnamon, red pepper, and garlic; cook a couple of minutes until garlic starts to soften. Add 1/2 cup water; cover, reduce heat, and cook 5 minutes.
3. Uncover; cook 2 minutes.
4. While the sweet potatoes cook, in another pan, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil . Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and green beans; cook 4 minutes until they cook a little but are still crisp. Stir in adobo sauce, garlic salt, and black beans, remove from heat.
5. Also during this time, toast the pepitas. I throw them on a baking sheet in my toaster oven for about 5 minutes on 350 until you hear them start to pop. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. 
6. Place 1/2 cup potato mixture in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each with 1/2 cup bean mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon pumpkinseeds, and 1 tablespoon tomato.

**Makes 4 servings
**2 on Bryce's dish scale. pot, skillet, cutting board.

Wild Mushroom Pasta with Ricotta

I'm sure you can tell from past posts that I love an easy to throw together pasta without meat. These are my go-to weeknight meals. And adding mushrooms makes recipes so hearty you don't miss the meat. We spotted this Wild Mushroom Farfalle in a Cooking Light magazine and adapted a few things to make more leftovers. The richness of the mushroom mixed with herbs and the creamy ricotta makes this a GREAT weeknight pasta where you won't miss the meat. 

Wild Mushroom Pasta with Ricotta

 

• 1lb farfalle or bowtie pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lb exotic blend mushrooms, roughly chopped or sliced - If they don't have it make sure you get some shitakes and a couple different other varieties like baby bellas
• 1 cup unsalted vegetable stock
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or dill
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar (I used a combo of red and champagne vinegar the first time because I couldn't find this)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• About 1/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. While the pasta sits - toss with a dash of olive oil so it doesn't stick together.
2. Heat one tablespoon oil over medium heat in a non stick skillet.  Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender and starting to brown
3. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Add stock and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.
5. Stir in 1/3 cup reserved cooking liquid, dill or thyme, butter, lemon zest, vinegar, garlic salt,  lemon pepper and pepper. Add pasta; toss to coat.
6. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

**Makes 4 servings
**3 on Bryces dish scale, pot, colander, cutting board, knife, non stick skillet

TACO NIGHT: Fast Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Sauce

We came up with this recipe combining about 30 different ideas I found on Pinterest while shopping at Whole Foods one night. I knew we wanted to do fish tacos, but the sheer number of recipes out there was overwhelming. So I picked favorite parts of ones that sounded good and this is where we ended up. We were shocked how easy and quick it was and even though we made it as a weekend meal we realized it could easily be whipped up for a fast weeknight meal. It made about 3 servings for us.

 

 

Fast Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Sauce

• About 3 Mahi Mahi filets (I bought a frozen package that was about 12 oz and thawed them)
• 1 teaspoon ground Cayenne Red Pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt 
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 ripe Avocado
• 1 cup Cilantro chopped, divided (1/2 in the avocado sauce and half in the slaw)
• 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek Yogurt
• Juice of one lime
• zest of one lime
• olive oil pam
• 1/2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 1/2 of a bag or container of Cabbage slaw mix (I found one with red and green cabbage and carrots)
• Corn Tortillas, heated according to package

 

1. In a small bowl Mix together the dry seasonings from cayenne to chili powder.
2. Coat each side of the Mahi filets in the seasoning. 
3. Coat a skillet in some olive oil Pam, and heat to medium.
4. Throw the fish in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes a side.
5. Use a blender or magic bullet or food processor like thing to mix together the avocado cream. Mix in the avocado, 1/2 cup of cilantro, Greek yogurt, lime juice and zest. Blend until smooth. I then put it in a Ziploc bag and cut a tip of one corner off to make it easier to top the tacos in a smooth and uniform way.
6. Toss together the cabbage slaw, vinegars and honey.
7. Once the fish is cooked, cut into strips or chunks to fit the tacos better. I just did this with the spatula because it easily  fell apart.
8. Top each corn tortilla with a few pieces of fish, a little slaw and the avocado cream.

 

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry

This take on curry is so easy, healthy and filling. This is adapted from an Eating Well recipe that focused on how to make curry fast and easy. What makes this REALLY easy, is using the precut butternut squash cubes you can find in most grocery stores in the produce section. If they are ever out, it takes a little longer because you have to peel and dice a butternut squash. 

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons curry powder 
• 1 20-ounce package cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 cup red lentils
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups water
• 1 14-ounce can "lite" coconut milk
• 4 lime wedges
• 1/4 cup Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
• Basmati or jasmine rice to serve (we love the Uncle Ben's 90 second pouches and break it up into 4 servings)

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. This is a one pot meal so make sure you get a big enough one. Add onion, garlic, ginger and curry powder. cooking until onion is starting to soften.
2. Add squash, lentils, tomato and salt; cook, stirring, for 1 minute to get it coated and heating. 
3. Add water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. 
4. Reduce heat and let simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and the lentils are mostly broken down. This takes about 20 minutes.
5. Stir in coconut milk and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute. 
6. Serve over a small bit of rice, with lime wedges and cilantro on top. 

**Makes 4 servings

**2 on Bryce's dish scale. One pot. Very little cutting board usage. 

Healthy Homemade Pizza Ideas

I love making homemade pizza. It allows so much creativity, and can be super simple. If you make your own crust it can be SUPER healthy. This night I didn't have time. And I love the Mama Mary's Thin and Crispy Crusts. They crisp up nicely, and are not that bad for you calorie, sodium and fat wise, if you eat in moderation. They can hold a lot of toppings. Plus they come in two packs so you can try a couple of different things out.  Below are two ideas. One we make all the time, use it for parties etc. You can find it on my Master's Party spread (that blog here)  It's nice and light. The other was a new idea, and adaptation from one we saw in Cooking Light. I took a few short cuts but it was DELICIOUS.  Have fun with the homemade pizza idea and let me know your favorite ideas.

Blue Cheese Spinach and Caramelized Onion Pizza

• One thin pizza crust (pre-baked)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 one red onion very thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup blue cheese ( I use reduced fat)

1. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté until caramelized
2. Brush the pizza crust with one tablespoon olive oil.
3. Sprinkle crust with onions and half the blue cheese.
4. Top with spinach and then other half of the blue cheese.
5. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese just starts to get gooey and spinach wilts.

Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Pizza with Balsamic Glaze

• 1 pounds mushrooms, sliced (I used a combo of baby bellas and button)
• 1 small red onion cut into small wedges
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into thirds
• 1/2 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce, divided (I love Dellalo)
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces - If you cant find fresh mozzarella, I've
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine mushrooms and onions on baking sheet; Toss with olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes. Add asparagus to pan; bake for another 10-15 minutes.
3. Spread sauce over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with vegetable mixture, cheese and red pepper flakes. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until cheese melts.
4. Drizzle with balsamic as soon as you take it out of the oven. 
5.  Sprinkle with basil and salt.

New favorite Pasta: Bucatini Puttanesca

 Bucatini is one of my new favorite pastas. It's hearty and takes flavors really well. When I was searching for new ideas for it, recipes for the classic Italian dish Puttanesca  kept coming up, so I decided to try one. This has quickly become a favorite recipe we have added to our rotation. Our recipe is actually a combo of one that was in Eating well a while back and one that was in the new Cooking Light magazine. It's salty, bright, and yummy. To me, the pasta is plenty on it's own, but servings it with a nice salad would be great as well.

 

 

Bucatini Puttanesca

 

• 5 anchovy fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 28 oz can coarsely chopped canned no-salt-added whole peeled tomatoes, and their juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces bucatini pasta
• 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan

 

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in anchovies and stir around to break them up. When the anchovies begin to dissolve, add garlic and stir for about a minute.
2. Add tomatoes and season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes; cook until the tomatoes are no longer watery and have separated from the oil, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. When the sauce starts cooking,  cook the bucatini.
4. When the pasta is halfway done,  stir in the olives, capers and oregano.
5. When the pasta is done, drain well and toss in with the sauce.
6. Top with Parmesan

**Makes 4 servings

**3 on Bryce's Dish Scale, pot, skillet, strainer, knife and cutting board

 

 

 

Orzo Soup with Kale, Mushrooms and Butternut Squash

This soup popped up in a Real Simple magazine at just the right time for me. I was looking for a way to use up a little leftover orzo, and this has all of my current food obsessions. In the winter I love hearty soups with mushrooms, throw in some butternut squash and kale and I'm sold. We changed this up a little and did a few shortcuts. The day we decided to make it our store had an awesome selection of wild mushrooms including trumpet and oyster and using a mix of those really livened up the flavor. The next time I went to make it, there were only the basics. That time we made it with shitakes, baby bellas and a wild mix that had a few cremini's too. So, mix it up when it comes to the mushrooms, but I recommend a variety to help with the texture.

 

 

Orzo Soup with Kale, Mushrooms and Butternut Squash

 

 

•  1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms (use a mixture for texture), cut the big ones into quarters or halves
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 12 ounces precut and cubed butternut squash (they sell this in pre-packages)
• ⅓ cup orzo
• 4 cups loosely packed baby kale
• ½ cup chopped fresh dill

 

1. Heat the oil in a medium pot . Add the onion, garlic salt and a lemon pepper. Cook over medium high heat stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
2. 
Add the mushrooms and lower heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released their juices. This takes about 6 to 8 
minutes.
3. Stir in the broth, squash, and orzo and bring to a boil. Reduce heat 
to medium-low and simmer until the squash is tender and the orzo is cooked, about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the kale until just wilted. 
Season with regular salt and pepper and stir in the dill. Serve topped with more dill.

**Makes 4 servings

**2 on Bryce's dish scale. one pot! cutting board and knife.