this was the dish i was most excited about though…

poke-poke.

we recently scarfed this at poke-poke while in venice beach, ca.  so.   yummy.  and oh so healthy.

my version sort of combines a few of their signature dishes and has kale, carrots, ginger, sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, tuna (duh), white onion, scallion, macadamia nuts and avocado.  yummy!!!!

dinner in ten minutes?  sure!  this recipe couldn’t be simpler, it’s super yummy and perfect for summer.

• 1/2 mango, chopped
• 1 kiwi, chopped
• 3 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbs onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
• splash of white wine vinegar
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast

combine all ingredients in a bowl (except chicken obviously) and set aside.

season your chicken with salt and pepper and place under the broiler.  cook about 4 minutes on each side.

serve chicken with a generous dollop of salsa.

this salad is nice and hearty due to the black beans.  the corn and apple impart a hint of sweetness while the radishes lend a nice pungent bite.

preheat oven to 350.  keep your corn in the husk and place directly on the oven rack.  roast for 30 – 35 minutes. allow to cool for a few minutes, peel away the husks and using your knife, remove the kernels from the cob.

• 2 ears of corn
• 1 fuji apple, peeled, and chopped
• 2 tbs sun dried tomatoes in herbs, drained and chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tbs champagne vinegar
• 3 medium sized radishes, chopped

combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve along side your protein of choice.  we had ours with some yummy flat iron steak.   this would also be great served on top of chicken or fish, or even solo if you’re not feeling the meat.  the beans are a great source of protein.

• 1 cup shredded chicken
• 2 tbs fat free, shredded cheddar cheese (you can substitute w/ reduced fat if you like)
• 2 tbs onion, chopped
• 1/2 fuji apple, chopped
• 2 wedges laughing cow light, french onion flavor, room temperature
• 2 low calorie/carb, whole wheat tortillas, like the kind by
• salt and pepper

spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and over medium heat, saute onions and apples down about 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.  transfer to a bowl and mix in cheese wedges. 

wipe the pan out and spray again with nonstick spray.  lay your first tortilla down in the pan, add your filling on top and spread out, leaving about a 1″ border.  top with your second tortilla and cook about 2 -3 mins per side, or until nice and brown.  cut into wedges serve em up with fat free sour cream and salsa.

this recipe is perfect if you’ve got leftover rotisserie chicken!  i’m a huge fan of them!  see my post here.

PS – sorry these pics are so dark!!

the jam is what makes these burgers so fantastic.  it’s sweet, spicy and tangy all at once and takes a plain old turkey burger over the top!

for the burgers:

• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• salt and pepper

preheat your oven to 400.  form into four patties and brown in a pan that’s been drizzled with olive oil over medium-high heat about 4 minutes per side.  then finish them off in the oven for about 6 minutes more, being careful not to overcook.

for the jam:

• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1  tsp minced fresh ginger root
• 3 tbs packed brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
• pinch of salt

soak the strawberries in red wine for 20 minutes, then add to a pot along with ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, crushed red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat.  stir mixture every few minutes until it thickens.  be careful not to let it burn!  mine took about 18 minutes total.  remove the cinnamon stick before serving.  store any leftovers in tupperware, in the fridge for up to a week.

serve your burgers with a generous dollop of jam and whatever else floats your boat.  we had ours with some yummy caramelized onions and lettuce on whole wheat english muffins.

so i’m generally not a huge fan of indian food since a lot of it is either fried or drenched in cream based sauces.  too.  fatty.

that being said, i do love me some indian spices.

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 1/2 tsp dried mustard
• salt and pepper

form into four patties and place on a foil lined dish.  broil 5 minutes each side.

chutney:

• 1 mango, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 apple, peeled and roughly chopped (i used a braeburn apple)
• 4 tbs malt vinegar
• 1/4 tps crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• salt and pepper

combine all ingredientes in a non reactive pot, simmer about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  mash with potato masher.

serve with a few slices of onion and lettuce.  YUM!

james and i have a tradition.  a hangover tradition.  if we’re feeling yucky the day after a booze binge, bring on the grease!  usually it’s wendys burgers, fries and frosty but today i decided to make burgers for us –  using bison and bleu cheese.  HEAVEN.

if you’ve never had bison, it’s like ground beef but BETTER.  it’s insanely moist and delicious.  bleu cheese and red meat are besties of course but something about bison and bleu cheese takes it to another level.  you must try this!

• 1 lb ground bison
• salt and pepper
• hamburger buns
• crumbled bleu cheese
• your condiments of choice

i’m a purist when it comes to bison.  because it’s already so flavorful, salt and pepper are all you need to make a great burger. so season and form into 4 patties.  place them on a foil lined baking sheet under your broiler.  5 minutes each side. 

serve with a tablespoon of bleu cheese on top and go to town!

with these super, awesome, fantastic vietnamese style tacos

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs ginger, grated
• 1 tbs lemongrass, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• salt and pepper

preheat oven to 400.

add about 1/2 cup sugar to a large plate and set aside.

combine chicken, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix to combine.   moisten your hands a bit to make the process easier, and form into about 1″ balls.  then, roll them in sugar to coat.

add your meatballs to a cookie sheet that’s been lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

cook your meatballs for about 8 – 10 minutes or until no longer pink inside.  be careful not to overcook or they’ll end up dry!

now to assemble your tacos!  you’ll need the following:

• pickled daikon (can be found at asian markets)
• pickled radishes/carrots (can be found at asian markets)
• cilantro
• corn tortillas
• hoisin sauce
• asian chili sauce
• scallions
• black sesame seeds

simply lay your tortillas flat and add all of your yummy ingredients!

being the greedy pig that i am, i couldn’t decide if i wanted steak tacos or fish tacos.  so, i made both!

steak tacos with roasted tomato salsa, avocado and red onion and salmon tacos with orange habanero salsa, white onion and shredded cabbage.  

for the roasted tomato salsa:

• 4 romas
• 1/2 red onion
• bulb of garlic
• 1 jalapeno

preheat oven to 425.

slice your veggies into about 2″ chunks and place in a casserole.  spray with non stick cooking spray, add a generous coating of course sea salt and a bit of black pepper.

slice the top off your garlic bulb, spray with non-stick spray and wrap in foil.  place directly on rack, next to your veggies.

roast about 35 minutes.

place all ingredients in food processor.   to remove garlic cloves, just squeeze the bulb and they’ll come right out.  add the juice of 1/2 a lime, and some fresh cilantro and pulse to combine.  season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

orange habanero salsa:

• juice of 2 oranges (should yield about 2 cups)
• 1/2 habanero pepper (no seeds)
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• dash of salt

put oj and pepper in a small pot over high heat and let it go about 20 minutes or until it reduces down to about 1/4 cup.  then add agave and salt and simmer a few minutes more.  place in a bowl and set aside.

for your tacos, you can use corn or flour tortillas.  we used corn.  warm tortillas in a small skillet, about 1 minute each side.  no need to add any oil.  keep tortillas warm by wrapping them in foil until ready to use.

for salmon tacos:

• 1 large salmon filet about 1″ in thickness
• salt and pepper
• white onion, chopped
• purple cabbage (buy the pre-shredded kind)
• cilantro
• habanero salsa

keep the oven at 425.  place filet in small casserole that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  cook about 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

to assemble fish tacos:   lay your tortilla out and add a piece of salmon, a bit of cabbage, some onion, your habanero salsa and a bit of cilantro.

for steak tacos:

• 1 lb flat iron steak
• salt and pepper
• 1 avocado, cubed and drizzled with fresh lime juice (to keep it from oxidizing)
• red onion, chopped
• cilantro
• roasted tomato salsa

generously season steak with salt and pepper and broil 5 minutes, flip and broil the other side another 5.  let the steak rest about 10 minutes and slice it against the grain.

to assemble steak tacos:   top your tortilla with a bit of steak, some avocado, red onion, roasted tomato salsa and cilantro.

now EAT UP!!

inspection pre-bite

yummy!

• 1 whole wheat pizza dough *
• 1/2 pint blueberries
• 1 package of pre-sliced pancetta
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbs balsamic
• 1 tbs cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 16 1″ chunks of brie **
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• good quality french sea salt (fleur de sel), pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Line a baking sheet with foil and add your pancetta slices.

Bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until it crisps up.  Remove from oven and place on paper towels to drain.  Crumble up and set aside.   Leave the oven on as you will bake the pizza at the same temperature.

Add blueberries and just enough water to just cover them to a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Add in your cider and balsamic vinegar, thyme and a bit of sea salt and pepper.  Break berries with the back of a fork, remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, get a skillet going over medium – high heat and coat it with non-stick spray.  Add your onions and cook down for about 5 minutes, add your garlic and cook down about 10 minutes more or until onions are nice and caramelized.

Flour a work surface and roll out your pizza dough to a large square shape with the dough being about 1/2″ in thickness.

Transfer dough to a cookie sheet and reshape if needed.  Top with blueberry sauce, onions, pancetta and brie.

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Just before serving, finish off with a few more sprigs of thyme and a bit more sea salt.

* Get the soft dough that you roll out, not that Boboli crap.  You can find it in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores these days.  Or, if you’re feeling really adventurous, make your own!

** We used one with mushrooms in it… so good.  But you could substitute with plain brie or an herb brie if you can’t find one with mushrooms.

I love the real deal carbonara that you can get at Italian restaurants.  So rich and decadent, yet terrible for your waistline.  My version swaps out the pasta for rice — just because – and slashes calories and fat while still keeping it flavor packed.

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2 cups reduced sodium, low fat chicken stock
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 3 T real bacon bits (like the kind by Hormel)
• 1/4 cup Egg Beaters
• 3 T fat free grated Parmesan topping
• 1 T fat free cream cheese, room temperature
• salt and pepper

Prepare rice according to package instructions for regular rice, not risotto.   Substitute water for chicken stock.

While your rice is cooking, spray a skillet with non-stick spray and saute your onion over medium heat with a bit of salt and pepper.

Once your rice is finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in Egg Beaters, bacon, onion, cream cheese and parmesan.  It’s important to do this while the rice is still hot so that the heat from the rice cooks the egg.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  To serve, top with a bit more bacon and cheese if desired.

Residing in Northern VA, we have access to some of the most amazing Vietnamese cuisine you could ever imagine.  I’ve been introduced to so many wonderful dishes thanks to all of the local restaurants in the area.  Most people are familiar with Pho, the traditional Vietnamese soup that is known for it’s aromatic broth.  The broth begins with marrow rich bones and includes spices such as cinnamon, clove, anise and ginger.  It is then simmered for hours to achieve just the right balance of flavors.   My version calls for beef broth and a heaping teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice which hits all of these notes but doesn’t require hours to achieve an intensely flavorful broth. 

For the broth: 

• 4 cups of reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice

 Ingredients for your Pho:

• 1 bag Shirataki noodles *
• bunch of cilantro,
• bunch of mint
• bunch of basil
• handful of bean sprouts
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 tbs white onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• Sriracha to taste
• Hoisin to taste
• Lime wedges for garnish

Begin by putting your broth over medium – high heat.  Add in Chinese Five Spice, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Allow to simmer while you ready the rest of your ingredients.

Drain and rinse Shirataki noodles and cut them a bit with kitchen shears to make them more manageable.  Add them, along with the rest of your ingredients to a large bowl and pour broth over top.  Add Sriracha and hoisin to taste and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.  YUM!

*  Shirataki Noodles a great pasta substitute that are made from tofu and are lighter than regular pasta.  They’re also ridiculously low in calories and fat and taste amazing.  You can read a bit more about them and find out where to purchase here.

This is a pretty straight forward version of Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)  but feel free to switch it up by adding shrimp, more veggies, whatever.

James and I are huge fans of Thai food and we have a regular place that we order from.  I always get their Thai style salmon wrapped in banana leaf and I absolutely love it!  So, I decided to give it a go at home….

• 4 salmon filets
• 1 tsp kafir lime leaves*
• 1 tsp thai basil*
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp Sriracha*
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbs rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbs tamarind chutney*
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tbs minced lemongrass **
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• 1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
• 2 banana leaves***

Combine all ingredients and pour over salmon to coat.  Stick it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to marinate.  Don’t go much longer than that or the fish will get mushy.  

While your fish is marinating, take a few banana leaves out of the freezer to thaw.  

Preheat oven to 400.

Banana leaves tend to be rather large so you’ll probably only end up using about a quarter to a half of one for each filet.  Place your leaf on a flat work surface, unwrap and place filet in the center.  Season fish with salt and pepper.  Next, wrap the leaf around the filet, burrito style.    Once all your filets are wrapped, place them in a baking dish, seam side down, and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.

Serve with rice.

* Can be found in the international food aisle at most grocery stores.

**  I love using Gourmet Gardens.  You can find them in the produce section at most grocery stores these days.

***  Can be found in the freezer section of your local grocery store, or at international food markets.

This is the ultimate vegetarian burger!  It’s so hearty and satisfying that even you die hard carnivores won’t miss the meat.

Start by preheating your oven to 400.

• one 15 ounce can black beans – rinsed and drained
• one pack of frozen spinach – drained very well
• 1/2 pack of Lightlife Smart Ground Veggie Protein Crumbles(equivalent to 1/2 lb ground beef)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed
• 1/2 cup egg beaters (or substitute two eggs)
• 1/4 cup Fiber One Cereal
• 2 tbs katsu sauce*
• salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together, scraping down the sides as needed with a spatula.  Form into 4 patties and set aside.

Topping for veggie burgers:

• 1 nectarine, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 tbs melted butter
• 1 tbs Vigo & Alessi Fig Infused Balsamic Vinegar **
• salt and pepper

Arrange nectarine and pepper slices in a large casserole and add butter, vinegar and salt and pepper.  Toss to coat and roast on 400 for 20 minutes.

While these are roasting, grill your burgers.  We grilled ours on the Foreman for about 8 minutes total but you could use a grill pan, or since the weather is so nice, grill em outside!

To serve, top each burger with a few slices of nectarines and peppers and a tablespoon more of katsu sauce.  Serve on an English muffin as we did or on your favorite roll.

Yummy!!!

*Japanese barbecue sauce that can be found in the International aisle at most grocery stores.

**You can buy this online of course but check your local grocery store first.  That’s where I got mine!

Gnocchi is one of James’ favorite dishes but on a busy weeknight, making fresh gnocchi just isn’t an option.  Luckily, there are a ton of great prepared ones on the store shelves these days.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the awesomeness that is gnocchi, they are basically little potato filled pasta pillows of yumminess.  If you’ve never had it, or even if you have, go pick yourself up a bag and try out this easy, deliciously satisfying meal tonight!

• 1 bag of store bought gnocchi
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup red wine
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• handful of flat Italian parsley, chopped

Add olive oil to a hot pan and saute onions and garlic a few minutes on medium heat.  Let the onions go a few minutes more and when they begin to stick to the pan a bit, add in a bit of wine.  The wine will deglaze the pan and allow the onions to continue caramelizing without burning.  Keep repeating this process until your onions are a deep shade of brown – about 15 minutes give or take.  I used about 1/2 cup of red wine however, you may end up using a bit more or less.

While your onions are browning, get a large pot of water boiling and cook your gnocchi according to package instructions.  Be careful not to overcook!

Use a slotted spoon to transfer your gnocchi to the pan with your onion mixture.  Also add in your asparagus and peas along with a bit of the pasta water.  Allow to cook about 5 minutes or until peas and asparagus are tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and finish by adding in parmesan cheese and parsley.