Tag: dinner

Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

brussel sproutsDinner is going to be good when there are roasted Brussels Sprouts as a side dish!

Ingredients:
4 cups of Brussels Sprouts, rinsed, ends cut off, cut in half
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line cookie sheet with #parchment
3. After cutting the Brussels Sprouts, place in bowl. Toss to coat with the olive oil then spread evenly on parchment lined cookie sheet.
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. If you really wanna kick in the pants, add a little Ghost Pepper salt (like a tiny teensie weensie sprinkle. Seriously.)
5. Bake for 30 minutes, checking at 15-minute mark. Rotate cookie sheet if your oven heats inconsistently.
6. Eat as soon as they come out of the oven.
Enjoy those little bites of roasted heaven!

I’ll see you at the table!

Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper and Steamed Asparagus

17438080_494117124045466_2501886692655366144_nHealthy veggie based meal: stuffed bell pepper and steamed asparagus.
Ingredients:
4 yellow bell peppers, tops cut out and seeds rinsed out
1 package of saffron rice, prepared per package directions
1 roma tomato, small dice
1 zucchini, small dice
1 small yellow onion, small dice
3 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook saffron rice per package directions
3. On medium heat, saute onion and zucchini in olive oil or water for 5 minutes, then add tomato and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
4. Add cooked rice, parsley to zucchini mixture and stir to combine. Using a tablespoon, scoop rice mixture into bell peppers.

Note: You can use other bell peppers, but I prefer the mild, sweeter flavor of yellow.
5. Place 4 stuffed bell peppers into 8×8 glass baking dish. Add water around the outside of peppers, 1/3 the way up the pepper.
Note: If you’re preparing ahead of time, store in refrigerator for up to 2 days, covered in plastic wrap. Add water when ready to bake.

6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the skin of peppers begins to wrinkle. If your peppers are really thick, you may need 5-10 more minutes. Better to over bake than under bake.
7. Serve with steamed asparagus.

For a more robust meal, serve with crusty bread and large green salad.
I’ll see you at the table!

Easy Chicken Tika Masala for Dinner

Working full time out of the house and raising a family has it’s own challenges. One of those challenges is meal preparation. Wherever I can cut corners to save on time – but still provide healthy and yummy food – I take those opportunities! This dinner is super easy to make because the hardest part of making the Chicken Tika Masala is already prepared for you. I’ve made Tika Masala from scratch before – several hours of prep and cook time – but my family loves this ready-made version from Costco more… win for Costco!

For an easy dinner for 4 people (2 adults, 2 teenagers) try this menu for Easy Chicken Tika Masala:

Sukhi’s Chicken Tika Masala from Costco
Basmati rice
Stonefire mini naan from Costco
Vegetable
1 cup cilantro, rough chop for garnish

 

Directions:

1. Use your rice cooker to prepare 1.5 uncooked rice.

2. While the rice is cooking, start a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, carefully drop in one of the bags of Sukhi’s Chicken Tika Masala. Don’t open the bag, keep it sealed to boil. You can start from frozen if you forgot to take out of the freezer earlier, it’ll just take a few minutes longer. I usually let it boil for about 8-10 minutes. You can microwave the Tika too, but I try to avoid microwaving food as much as possible so that it’s not rubbery. The boiling doesn’t take that long anyhow.

3. Prepare your vegetables while the Tika Masala is boiling. We prefer steamed broccoli or roasted Brussels sprouts. You can make a green salad too, but with this yummy masala sauce, I think you’ll enjoy having some warm veggies to dip into it.

4. The Stonefire Mini Naan is a great way to enjoy the Tika Masala. Keep it in the fridge to last longer. Just as you’re about to eat, toast the mini naan to heat it up. Stack on a plate to keep warm. Be careful, the bread will be hot out of the toaster.

 

To put on the table:

1. Put cooked rice in big bowl with serving spoon.

2. Carefully remove the Tika Masala package from the boiling water. Cut the edge with scissors and pour into a serving bowl – careful of splatters because it’ll be hot from the boiling water. Provide serving spoon.

3. Veggies in a bowl with a serving spoon.

4. Fresh chopped cilantro in a small bowl as a garnish for the Tika. This adds a wonderful extra layer of flavor.

5. Plate of toasted naan.

To plate from the table:

Each person will want a heaping scoop of basmati rice, then scoop the Tika Masala on the rice – add a sprinkle of cilantro! Scoop of veggies on the side of the rice. Break off a third the naan and scoop up some of the Tika Masala sauce, chicken and rice. Yum!

Leftovers make for a great work lunch the next day… if you have any left overs. Enjoy!

I’ll see you at the table!

 

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

I could probably eat soup everyday of my life! Creamy soups, broth soups, stews and chilis… doesn’t matter what type of soup it is, I just love them!

Here’s a favorite soup from Taste of Home that everyone enjoys in our household, the Creamy Cauliflower Soup. Not cheesy like the Cream of Broccoli version, rather healthier with more veggies. Also, this recipe is easily doubled and makes great left overs.

image

Ingredients:

 

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
2 medium side Russet potatoes, cubed (Jen’s Note: I’ve also added roasted parsnip before and that was a hit with the family!)
1 large yellow onion, small dice (Jen’s Note: or use 1/2 cup dehydrated onion and add 1 cup additional water for broth)
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces (Jen’s Note: or use 1 cup dehydrated carrot and add 1 1/2 cup additional water for broth)
6 celery stalks, cut into half-inch pieces (Jen’s Note: I love celery, so often I use 10 stalks and use the leafy tips)
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 cups chicken broth, may substitute vegetable broth
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
Fresh tarragon, optional (Jen’s Note: I never use this)

 

Directions

  1. In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in 1/4 cup butter until tender. Add cauliflower, potatoes, broth, parsley, salt and pepper, basil and tarragon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the remaining butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk and whipping cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add to cauliflower mixture. Cook for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream. Garnish with tarragon if desired. Yield: 8 servings (about 2 quarts).
  3. If you want a creamier version, remove 1/3 of the mixture and blend until creamy in a high powered blender. Just remember that hot soup will explode easily in the blender, so cover tightly and only pulse blend.

Serve with rolls and a leafy green salad for a healthy meal. Looks great in bread bowls for a more robust dish. Enjoy!

I’ll see you at the table!

Restaurant Review: Taco Janes – California

taco-janes-san-anselmoTaco Janes in San Anselmo!

I’ve heard great things about Taco Janes in San Anselmo for years, so I was pleased to join my mom her long time BFFs for dinner. While the menu sports plenty of meat lover Mexican dishes, I was delighted to find several veggie based dishes too. I enjoyed the veggie burrito (with optional wheat tortilla). Easy to request no cheese or sour cream for vegan dish. chips and salsa was rockin’ good! Other ladies really enjoyed the salmon on salad and fish tacos. Looked great! This is a great place for family dinner, date night, gathering of friends. If you have opportunity to meet the restaurant owner Matthew, take the chance to ask him about his photography on the walls – he has an eye for capturing Cuban culture in photography.

Restaurant Review: Gingers – Utah

gingers-springvilleLooking for a healthy dinner out and kid friendly? Check out Ginger’s Cafe in Springville. The #vegan nachos are the best I’ve ever had! The falafel wrap and veggie wrap are really good too. For kids, the chik’n nuggets that come with almond milk and lollipop are a hit!

Restaurant Review: Oasis Cafe – Utah

oasiscafeDinner at Oasis Cafe in SLC. Wonderful vegan, vegetarian and meat eater options. Always great service. Udon tempeh with peanut sauce… Grilled salmon… Mediterranean Salad. Great way to follow-up an event.

Recipe: Lentil Soup

lentil-soupDinner is served! Lentil soup is a healthy, easy dish to make. Bonus is that lentils are found all over the world! So wherever your travels take you, you’ll have a nutrient packed meal ready in 20 minutes.

Recipe:
1/2 lb. small potatoes boiled for 10 minutes, or until fork soft, drained and set aside.
Using same pot, water saute 1/2 medium size white onion, diced, with 3 cloves garlic, minced, and 1 carrot cut into rounds.
Add 1/2 teaspoon oregano and black pepper. Continue cooking on medium high heat for 2 minutes.
Add 20 oz cooked lentils (I found a jar of precooked lentils at the local Mexican tienda).
Turn heat down to medium until heated through, add potatoes-cut into bite size pieces-to soup and turn down to low.
Stir occasionally and served hot with crackers or bread and a green salad for a great vegan dinner!