Brown Rice, Asparagus and Salmon with Balsamic Vinegar

This feel good recipe is so healthy, yummy and easy! Try it for your healthy Monday menu! Perfect to bounce back after the weekend!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 salmon fillets, skin on
Dressing:
1 shallot, chopped
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Add the rice to saucepan. Cover with 2 cups cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let sit, covered, about 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

While rice is cooking, preheat grill to high. Oil grill.
Drizzle salmon and asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add salmon and asparagus to grill. Reduce heat to medium high.
Grill salmon until opaque and just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on thickness of fish. Grill asparagus until tender crisp, turning as needed, about 2 to 3 minutes.

ASSEMBLY
To make the dressing: add shallot, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, garlic, honey and olive oil to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning and acidity to taste. Set aside.
Add rice to large bowl, toss with about 3/4's of the dressing.
Cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces and toss into rice. Break salmon into smaller pieces. Delicately, combine salmon into rice and asparagus mix. Drizzle with more dressing.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Giant cookie

Few weeks ago the kiddos stayed overnight and I wanted to make them some nice treats. Something that will make their eyes popped! So, I made them this giant cookies with mixed of M & M candies, almonds, oats, milk chocolate, white chocolate and raisins.. One recipe makes two giant cookies and boy it was gone so fast!
Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature (unsalted)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup each almonds, raisins, white chocolate, milk chocolate, M&M candy, for mixing into cookie batter

PREPARATIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two oven-proof (8-inch) skillets with parchment paper. (Alternatively, cook the big cookies, one at a time.)
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and continue to beat.
Stir in the flour and oats just until combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in almonds, raisins, and chocolates.
Divide dough in half and add each half to a skillet. Garnish top of each cookie with M & M candies.
Bake cookies until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

  

Italian Meatballs

I love Italian food! Have I mentioned that?
Today for dinner I'm making Italian Meatballs..now I just have to decide whether I want to serve it over pasta, rice, or....hotdog buns??? Mmhhhh...

Ingredients:

2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp  salt
1/2 tsp  pepper
1/4 cup  grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb  lean ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped
28 oz  diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1 zucchini, grated
1/2 tsp  dried basil
1/2 tsp  dried oregano

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine fresh bread crumbs with water; let stand until absorbed, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg, 1 clove garlic, salt, pepper, cheese and parsley. Mix in pork. Roll  into balls.
Brush large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil; heat over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs, in batches, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Drain any fat from pan. Add onion and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, chicken stock, zucchini, basil and oregano; simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Puree in a blender until it's rather smooth then return to the pan with meatballs about 20 minutes.

Vegetable Biryani Rice

Ingredients:
Rice:
2 cups basmati rice
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 bay leave
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp kosher salt

Vegetables;
6 cups mixed frozen veggies
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. minced ginger
3 cardamom pods
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large pinch of saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup of warm water

Garnish:
1/4 cup raisin
1/4 cup cashew
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation:
Rinse the rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Cook rice in a pan, add spices and salt. Boil until the rice just tender but still crisp.

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large skillet heat vegetable oil over medium heat.
Cook onion, garlic, ginger, stirring for a minute. Add the spices and stirring for another minute. Add water, vegetables and salt, cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are warmed through.

In a baking dish, pour the rice and vegetables and mixed it. Drizzle the saffron water mixture on top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Serve the rice with raisins, cashews and cilantro on top.

Butter Chicken

BEWARE!!!!
This recipe will cause addiction! The sauce is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
You have been warned!

Ingredients:

2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp  butter
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp  chili powder
3/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp  ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp  ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup  sodium-reduced chicken broth
1/4 cup  almond butter
3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless skinless chicken thighs, quartered
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

In a blender, combine onions, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper and tomatoes.
Whisk broth with almond butter, mixed with the puree and pour into slow cooker. Put the butter and chicken into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low up to 8 hours.
Stir in sour cream. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

 

Quesadilla Pie

This recipe is a show stopper and feed the crowd!

Ingredients:

1 pkg fresh spinach
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 tsp  pepper
1 can  red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup  mild salsa
1/2 cup  corn kernels
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 large flour tortillas
1 large tomato, sliced

Preparation:

Trim and rinse spinach; shake off excess water. In large saucepan, cover and cook spinach over medium heat, with just the water clinging to leaves, for 8 minutes or until wilted. Drain in sieve, pressing out moisture. Let cool slightly and chop.

In food processor or blender, process cottage cheese until smooth. Add egg, 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and pepper; pulse to combine. In bowl, stir cottage cheese mixture with spinach; set aside.

In separate bowl, mash beans with fork; stir in salsa, corn and 2 tbsp of the coriander. (Recipe can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours).

Stir garlic into cheese mixture. Place 1 tortilla on baking sheet. Spread with generous 1/2 cup cheese mixture; cover with another tortilla. Spread with generous 1/2 cup salsa mixture; cover with another tortilla. Repeat cheese and salsa layers 3 times. Spread with remaining cheese mixture; top with remaining tortilla. Arrange tomato on top; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake in 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with remaining coriander.

Lemon Garlicky Chicken

This recipe has enough garlics to kill a vampire..but if you love garlic and lemon like I do, give this recipe a try! It's delicious!

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs with bones and skin, about 3 1/2 pounds
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cups thinly sliced onions
• 30 cloves (about 2 heads) garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound pasta
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the chicken thighs with 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the freshly ground pepper.
Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside.
In a large wide saute pan with 2 to 3-inch sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the thighs and brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions to the oil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the chicken until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf and cook 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and browned chicken thighs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the lid and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.

While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for dry pasta. Drain well and toss in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of the parsley and the butter.

To serve, place a portion of pasta in the center of 4 large plates. Arrange 2 thighs around each serving of pasta and drizzle lemon garlic cooking liquid over the pasta. Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.