This marinade used to be on my blog, but somewhere along the way I guess it got deleted so I'm re-posting it. I'm not sure if soy sauce is technically "real food", but so many of my favorite recipes use it that I decided not to examine that too closely. I've used this with chicken breast, chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in), flank steak, and even shrimp. I have the best results when I pat my meat dry and allow it to come to room temperature before I grill it. Squeeze a lime wedge over it right after you pull it off the grill. Delicious every time!
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
Mix all ingredients together. Pour over chicken or steak in a bowl or ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Grill your meat and have at it!
Showing posts with label Real Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Food. Show all posts
May 16, 2012
May 12, 2012
Hearty Man-Pleasing Lasagna
Earlier this week my husband requested lasagna. I haven't made it in a long time because of the time required; plus, the calorie count is not exactly weight-loss friendly. Since he's been a good sport about Project Real Food I decided yesterday morning to pick up a few things at the grocery store and make a lasagna for dinner. He just finished his semester at school with two good grades, and I felt like he deserved a little something special. I figured I'd just sub whole wheat noodles for regular noodles and replace the pork sausage with chicken sausage. Everything else should work, right? Ahem...
I realized once I got to the store that my typical lasagna recipe was not going to work. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list for ricotta cheese? Ruh roh. So right there in the aisle at SuperTarget I put my thinking cap on and came up with this. I served it with homemade garlic popovers, a tossed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and finished it up with a dessert that I'll blog about later.
Anyway, this was a huge hit! Such a hit, in fact, that while we were at Costco today I noticed he was lost in thought and when I asked him what was going on he said, "I'm just thinking about having leftover lasagna for lunch...". Wife of the Year! Yesssssss!
No, it is not low fat. No, it is not simple and easy. It's a special occasion, lazy rainy day kind of recipe. And I think it's worth every calorie, fat gram, and dirty dish.
For the tomato sauce:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage (I used Isernio's chicken sausage)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup red wine
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
For the béchamel
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt
Dash of nutmeg, to taste
Freshly grated pepper, to taste
For assembling the lasagna
whole wheat lasagna noodles (mine were oven-ready)
freshly grated mozzarella cheese
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Brown the meat, drain, set aside. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the meat and the wine. Cook on medium high for a few minutes until the wine reduces a little bit. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the flavors have melded. If the sauce gets too thick add a little chicken broth. About 15 minutes before assembling the lasagna stir in the parsley and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it sizzles. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer over low heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly, 8-10 minutes.
To assemble spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Then layer as follows: pasta, tomato sauce, béchamel, mozzarella. Finish with pasta, tomato sauce, and béchamel.
Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, top with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling, and the noodles are tender. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
I realized once I got to the store that my typical lasagna recipe was not going to work. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list for ricotta cheese? Ruh roh. So right there in the aisle at SuperTarget I put my thinking cap on and came up with this. I served it with homemade garlic popovers, a tossed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and finished it up with a dessert that I'll blog about later.
Anyway, this was a huge hit! Such a hit, in fact, that while we were at Costco today I noticed he was lost in thought and when I asked him what was going on he said, "I'm just thinking about having leftover lasagna for lunch...". Wife of the Year! Yesssssss!
No, it is not low fat. No, it is not simple and easy. It's a special occasion, lazy rainy day kind of recipe. And I think it's worth every calorie, fat gram, and dirty dish.
 |
| This is pre-baked. (ie. pre-cheese on top). I was so excited about eating this that I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. I was also distracted by the raging thunderstorm outside and the wimpy terrier that had taken root on my lap because of said storm. Oh well... |
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage (I used Isernio's chicken sausage)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup red wine
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
For the béchamel
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt
Dash of nutmeg, to taste
Freshly grated pepper, to taste
For assembling the lasagna
whole wheat lasagna noodles (mine were oven-ready)
freshly grated mozzarella cheese
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Brown the meat, drain, set aside. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the meat and the wine. Cook on medium high for a few minutes until the wine reduces a little bit. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the flavors have melded. If the sauce gets too thick add a little chicken broth. About 15 minutes before assembling the lasagna stir in the parsley and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it sizzles. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer over low heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly, 8-10 minutes.
To assemble spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Then layer as follows: pasta, tomato sauce, béchamel, mozzarella. Finish with pasta, tomato sauce, and béchamel.
Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, top with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling, and the noodles are tender. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
May 5, 2012
Lemon-Thyme Chicken with Garlic Rice Pilaf
One of my favorite blogs is Annie's Eats. Her food is delicious and simple, and her photography is beautiful. Last week I discovered two new recipes on her site and - lo' and behold - a new meal was inducted into the Dinner Hall of Fame. I made two tiny tweaks to these recipes. Here are my versions with links to the original below the titles. I served this with Oven Roasted Parmesan Green Beans. The memory is making me drool. Please forgive my badly lit photo, and make this soon!
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Lemon-Thyme Chicken
from Annie's Eats
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 handful white whole-wheat flour
1½ tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp. butter
Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, and dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off the excess. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute until lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes per side, and an instant-read thermometer reads 160˚ F in the thickest part of the chicken. (Keep in mind that pieces of different sizes will finish cooking at different times to avoid overcooking.) Remove the chicken pieces to a plate, tent with foil, and set aside.
Add the garlic and thyme leaves to the pan and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If necessary, add an additional small drizzle of olive oil if most of the oil was absorbed by the chicken.) Off the heat, add the wine to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the chicken broth. Reduce until the sauce has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan. Add in the butter and whisk until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, spooning the sauce over the chicken.
Garlic Rice Pilaf
from Annie's Eats adapted from What's Cooking in the Orange Kitchen
1 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup brown white rice
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a covered casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth and bake, covered, for another 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
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Lemon-Thyme Chicken
from Annie's Eats
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 handful white whole-wheat flour
1½ tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp. butter
Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, and dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off the excess. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute until lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes per side, and an instant-read thermometer reads 160˚ F in the thickest part of the chicken. (Keep in mind that pieces of different sizes will finish cooking at different times to avoid overcooking.) Remove the chicken pieces to a plate, tent with foil, and set aside.
Add the garlic and thyme leaves to the pan and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If necessary, add an additional small drizzle of olive oil if most of the oil was absorbed by the chicken.) Off the heat, add the wine to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the chicken broth. Reduce until the sauce has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan. Add in the butter and whisk until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, spooning the sauce over the chicken.
Garlic Rice Pilaf
from Annie's Eats adapted from What's Cooking in the Orange Kitchen
1 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup brown white rice
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a covered casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth and bake, covered, for another 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
April 28, 2012
Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps
One thing I am going to have to work out while on Project Real Food is tortillas. I love hot tortillas with butter, salsa, and cheese. I love wraps. I love breakfast tacos and burritos. I love tortillas. When we started thinking about making these changes to our diet I thought, "No problem! We'll just eat whole wheat tortillas and corn tortillas." Ummmm...problem. I started trying to find a brand of tortillas that doesn't have sugar, enriched flour, or a list of ingredients I can't pronounce. I looked at Sprouts, Kroger, and Target (the three stores within a reasonable distance from my house). There was nothing - not one option. Sprouts has some sprouted grain tortillas that might be a possibility, but they cost $4 per package and that's just not feasible for us. I've decided to learn to make my own corn and whole wheat tortillas, but it's going to take some practice. In the meantime, I'm trying to get used to the idea of lettuce wraps. I'm resistant. My brain doesn't want to acknowledge this new form of sandwich delivery. But this afternoon I made myself do it, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good these were. The Man-Verdict is still out, but as far as I'm concerned these can be a regular addition to our lunch rotation.
Ingredients
2 (6 ounce) cans chunk white tuna in water, drained well
(press most of the water out for best results)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped calamata olives
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 Tsp lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 romaine lettuce leaves
Directions
Mix the tuna, parsley, olives, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Serve in lettuce leaves.
I topped ours with a little sprinkling of feta cheese.
Makes 2 servings
Adapted from Ellie Krieger (So Easy)
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