Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If ten years ago you had put a plate of Brussels sprouts in front of me, I can guarantee I would have turned my nose up at them.  My family never ate them growing up and I remember one aunt boiling them and the smell alone made me cringe.  But since then, I've dabbled in vegetarian life and have really opened up my mind to try new things.  I tried these little green delights for the first time in my college dining hall and who would of thunk it, they were actually pretty good! 
Roasting vegetables in the oven enhances the flavor and gives a sort of earthy-nutty taste.  If you are skeptical, even more the reason to try them!  They are loaded with fiber and actually have 3 times the vitamin C of an orange, and for only 10 calories a pop that is a very nutritious bang for your buck!!  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (serves 2)
1 heaping cup brussel's sprouts
1 tbsp olive oil
a generous sprinkle of garlic powder... the fresh stuff is even better! 
a light dash of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Start by trimming up each sprout.  Peel back the dark outer leaves and trim the stems with a small paring knife.

When you buy them, it'll look like this

After you trim it, it should look like this.

  Then score them buy cutting an "X" on the leafy tops.  Give them a good rinse, there might be some dirt wedged in the tight leaves. 

Place them in a baking dish and drizzle them with oil, give the pan a shake to spread the oil on all sides... If you have the time and patience, you can use a basting brush to oil each one.  Sprinkle them with salt and garlic powder.  Fresh garlic will add a stronger flavor, just use crushed or finely mince your own with a knife or garlic press.  Roast them in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until they've softened up and the outer leaves brown up.

cous cous with crunchy roasted chick peas

This recipe is a product of scouring my cabinets and throwing together some hodge-podge ingredients to make a quick and simple meal... I was in a dinner pinch, I was pressed for time and definitely would have settled for a baked sweet potato for a quick dinner but I was ridden with guilt because my last blog post was well over a week ago.   So desperate to create a blog worthy recipe without going to the grocery store, I gathered some classic staple ingredients and got to work.  I just chopped up some veggies in my fridge, including some garden grown zucchini squash from a family friend, whole wheat cous cous, and roasted chick peas.

Cous Cous with Crunchy Roasted Chick Peas (serves 5)
1 cup plus 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (use veggie broth to make this vegan)
1 cup dry whole wheat cous cous
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 large vidalia onion
1/4 red pepper
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup zucchini
1 can chick peas, drained
2 large garlic cloves
salt, garlic powder, paprika to taste
fresh basil to garnish

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees.   Spray a baking sheet with a little cooking spray and spread out the rinsed and drained chick peas in a single layer.  Sprinkle the peas with the salt, garlic powder, and paprika.  Shake it around a little to coat all the peas.  Place in the oven and bake approx. 30 minutes or until the peas brown up and get crunchy.  

 Meanwhile, start chopping the veggies.  You can really add any veggies you like... I just happened to have the onions, pepper, mushroom and zucchini in my fridge.  Add the olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat.  Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and add the smashed garlic to the oil (crushed garlic also works).  Next add the veggies and cook until the veggies soften, then reduce to low heat.  

While the veggies are cooking, add the broth to a small sauce pan, boil on high covered.  When the broth is boiling, remove from heat and add the dry cous cous.  Leave covered for 5 minutes.  Now if you've timed everything just right your chick peas should be just about ready and look like this...

 

 After the five minutes, fluff the cous cous with a fork then add it to the skillet of veggies.  If it looks a little dry, add more broth just a few tablespoons at a time.  

Lastly, add the roasted chick peas to the cous cous.  The chick peas add a nice texture and add enough protein to make a balanced vegetarian meal.  These roasted chick peas make a great substitute for nuts... season with any flavor you like (curry is really good!).   Add a bunch of fresh basil to garnish and even slice up a little more for extra flavor.   

Cooking vegetarian meals every now and again is great for the wallet as well as the environment.  If you can, try to cook at least one meatless meal a week.  If nothing else, it'll force you to think out of the box when planning your meals :)

tipsy quinoa salad

I had a veggie burger tonight with grilled eggplant and zucchini for dinner and I had some leftover veggies, so I decided to whip up a quick pasta salad to pack for lunch this week.  Drunken noodles are made with alcohol, right?  Well I added just a little bit of white wine to the quinoa...not quite drunken, but tipsy at best.   
I think this recipe makes a great lunch or as a side dish too (paired with grilled shrimp, mmmm).  I think I'll probably cut up some left over fajita chicken from last night for tomorrow's lunch.  This salad has tons of veggies and even some fresh basil--remember my Earth Day herbs?!  They're growing beautifully :)
While we're on that topic, I just acquired some eggplant and pepper plants from a neighbor, I'll be transplanting later this week, watch for a post on vegetable gardens soon!  

Tipsy Quinoa Salad 
Ingredients:
3/4 cup dry red quinoa, rinsed 
1 1/2 cup water or broth
1/4 lg. eggplant, sliced & grilled 
1/3 lg. zucchini, sliced lengthwise & grilled 
1/4 lg. vidalia onion
1/4 red pepper
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
about 10-15 small, fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white wine 
a shake of paprika
garlic powder, to taste (there is no such thing as too much garlic)
salt & pepper, to taste (but go easy with that salt shaker)


I started by drizzling the eggplant and zucchini a little bit of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cooking on medium heat on the grill (about 10-15 minutes).  You could skewer the onion, pepper, and mushrooms and grill them too, but I just cooked those in a pan after dinner.   When the veggies are done, chop them into bite size pieces and set them aside.

If you didn't grill the onions, peppers, and mushrooms, chop them and cook them on medium heat in a skillet with another small drizzle of olive oil.   

Once the veggies start cooking, add the grilled eggplant and zucchini to the pan too.  Add the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper now. 

While the veggies are cooking, prepare the quinoa.  Just rinse it, put it in a pan with the water/broth on high heat until it boils, cover and reduce it to a simmer until the water/broth is absorbed, it'll take about 10 minutes.  When the Quinoa is done, add it to the big pan of veggies.  Next add the white wine and basil leaves.  Stir for a minute or too and it's ready to go! 

 Like I said before, this makes a great side dish, or a light lunch meal.  Quinoa is rich in protein and the veggies add a ton of vitamins too.  The olive oil has healthy unsaturated fat which is great for skin and hair, and the wine... well that's just for fun ;)    Enjoy!

10 grocery staples I can't live without

Sure, I love to cook but do I have time to prepare a meal from scratch all the time, of course not, I think there are few people out there that still do.  So for that reason, I like to make sure I have some easy standbys when I just don't have the time, energy, or creativity to prepare a meal.  So here goes, 10 things I like to have stocked at all times, my list of 10 grocery staples I can't live without:

(1) Dr. Praeger's All Natural California Veggie Burgers--  These burgers get my RD approval.  As an ex-vegetarian, and now self proclaimed flexitarian I have sampled my fair share of veggie burgers.  I've always favored the vegetable style over the faux-beef varieties and these veggie burgers are unlike most others because you can clearly see all the different vegetables in the burger, so good!  If you haven't tried them yet, you need to pick them up next time you're at the grocery store --seriously!


(2) Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk-- I had been drinking soy milk for a few years now and on a whim I decided to stray from my norm and try the almond milk.  This stuff is great!  The almonds give the milk a great nutty flavor that is just lovely in cereal.  And as an added bonus, this nutty treat has half the calories of skim milk.  If you are lactose-intolerant or just want to try something new, it's definitely worth a shot.


(3) Eggs-- You cant go wrong with this inexpensive, protein rich staple.  With a little cheese and some veggies, you've got a well-balance, healthy meal.  Omelets take no time at all to make and you can keep things interesting with changing up your fillings using different cheeses, vegetables, and toppings.  And this simple meal shouldn't be reserved soley for breakfast, eggs make a great lunch or dinner too. 

(4) 1 Minute Quick Oats-- Now that summer is here, this staple isn't quite as important in my kitchen.  However, in the winter I eat oatmeal for breakfast most days of the week.  I prefer it cooked in the microwave with water, over the stove-top method; I think the oats get softer quicker.  Most of the time, I make my oatmeal with frozen blueberries and strawberries, or canned pumpkin and raisins, or peanut butter and bananas...  all topped with almond milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

(5) Sweet Potatoes-- I know I've mentioned this already in a post, but I have a soft spot in my heart for these orange rooters.  Sliced into fries and baked in the oven, these make for a perfect side to veggie burgers or even as an afternoon snack (a great alternative to a bag of chips).  These are also great baked or mashed and a much better alternative to their white counterparts.

(6) Wheat English Muffins-- Since it's now a little unseasonable for oatmeal, English muffins have taken over for my standard breakfast of choice.  Either with peanut butter and a little honey or with a Laughing Cow Original Swiss cheese wedge and a little strawberry jam this makes for a great portable light breakfast. 


(7) & (8) Pizza Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese--Paired with #6 these three make a delicious kid-friendly trio.  No matter your age, how can you go wrong with an English muffin pizza, that's right, you can't.  'nough said. 


(9)  Hummus-- Great for snacks and sandwiches, this spread is perfect when you want to take a break from your usual lunch sandwich rotation.  Hummus is made from chickpeas and tahini and makes a great wrap with lots of veggies or as a dip for crackers, pita bread, or tortilla chips.  And it comes in so many different flavors!


(10) No Pudge Brownie Mix-- This is the best culinary creation since sliced bread.  The day is not complete without a little chocolate in your life.  No Pudge has really stepped out of the box by creating a microwavable, single serving brownie mix.  By simply mixing two tbsp of brownie mix and 1 tbsp of vanilla yogurt in a microwavable dish, you now have a fresh hot brownie just waiting to be topped with a scoop of light vanilla ice cream!

winner winner (orange) chicken dinner!

This is a super healthy dish and it's full of summer flavors, you just HAVE to try it!  Tonight I made orange teriyaki chicken thighs with vegetable quinoa pilaf.  In all honesty, even me, the girl who eats "weird food" has been skeptical of this funny sounding grain.   But the fact of the matter is, everybody should be eating this stuff!!  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a SUPER grain.  It's packed with protein, with eight grams of protein per serving-- that is double the amount of protein in other grains.  Quinoa is also rich in other vitamins and minerals including zinc, vitamin E, and selenium.  

Orange Teriyaki Chicken thighs (serves 4)
Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs (I bought boneless/skinless just to make things easy)
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tsp crushed garlic
~2 tbsp grated orange peel
juice from 1/4 orange
orange slices from 1/4 orange 
2 tsp canola oil


Vegetable Quinoa Pilaf (serves 2)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 large white mushroom, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, grated and chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp ginger root, freshly grated
1 tbsp grated orange peel


First, trim the chicken thighs of most visible fat.  If you bought chicken with the skin on, remove the skin before marinating.  Place the trimmed chicken thighs in a ziplock bag.  

 Next, add the teriyaki sauce, honey, and garlic to the bag.  If you have a zester then great, but if not you can use a knife to peel back the very first layer of orange peel.  Don't cut too thick because the white of the peel gives off a bitter flavor.  You'll use more orange zest in the quinoa so take off more than you need, about 1/2 of a large orange.  Once you've removed the top layer, chop it into smaller pieces and add it (approx. 2 tbsp) to the bag. 

Cut the orange in half, and then cut one half in half again.  squeeze 1 quarter into the bag, and slice the other quarter and put it in the bag.  Now, seal it up and mix the contents by massaging the ingredients into the chicken.  Let it marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.  

If I had a grill, I definitely would have grilled this, but alas I made due with what I had and used a large skillet on the stove top.  I heated 2 tsp canola oil in the skillet and dumped the entire contents of the bag in the pan, orange peels and all.  

While the chicken is cooking, you can prep your vegetables for the quinoa.  Using a spoon, peel back the tough skin of the ginger root, then thinly slice & dice (sorry I didn't take any pictures of this!) The mushrooms and carrots should look like this... 

Place the chopped mushroom, carrots, onion, ginger, and orange peel in a small bowl and set aside.  


If you don't already have a metal strainer, it'd be a solid investment... I am not sure how else you could rinse the quinoa... And I'm not exactly sure what you're rinsing off, but I just do what the box tells me!  Some quinoa comes pre-rinsed, just make sure you read the box.  Add 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 cup vegetable stock to a tall-sided pot and cook on high until it comes to a boil.  I use vegetable stalk to add more flavor.  You could also use chicken or beef broth or even bullion, just be aware that some of those are REALLY high in sodium.  Add the bowl of veggies, cover and reduce heat to low until water is absorbed (about 10-15 minutes).

Meanwhile, check your chicken.  When it starts to turn from pink to white, it's ready to flip.  My chicken thighs were all different sizes so I decided to cut them into smaller chunks to make it easier to split the portions evenly, but if yours all look about the same, leave 'em whole if you so choose. 

Once the chicken is no longer pink, it's all ready!  By now, the quinoa should be done too.  You'll know the quinoa is done because it changes it's appearance from little round balls to translucent circles with a little opaque ring on the outside.  Scoop the quinoa onto a plate and pour the chicken right on top... If you are feeling fancy, garnish with a fresh orange slice :)

And remember, if you have a recipe you'd like to share or if you'd like me to try to put a healthy spin on a not-so-healthy favorite, email me at jillianpollock87@gmail.com!

greek pasta salad, opa!!

Today is marathon Monday and my girls at University Road (on the race route) are having a cook-out :) And for my contribution to the party, I decided to make pasta salad. The possibilities with pasta salad are endless--and you can load it up with all your favorite veggies! I was inspired by the feta cheese in my fridge to go with a Greek style salad. Its a really simple recipe, just a handful of simple ingredients.

Greek Pasta Salad (makes ~16 heaping 1/2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 box Barilla Plus bow-tie pasta
1/2 cup fat free feta cheese
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1/3 medium red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup Kraft Greek Vinaigrette Dressing (the one made with olive oil, 60 calories per 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
a generous shake dried oregano
coarse sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste

Boil a large pot of water on the stove top. As the water boils, chop your veggies. Add the veggies to a large bowl. When the water gets to a rapid boil, add in the pasta, stirring so it doesn't stick. Cook the pasta to al dente (on the firm side). Strain the pasta and run it under cool water to stop the pasta from cooking. Add the pasta to the bowl of veggies. Pour in the dressing and mix well. Add the feta cheese, dried oregano, and salt and pepper. Lastly, sprinkle on the parmesan cheese.

I would've added sliced black olives to this, but I went to two different grocery stores with no success so I did without. And if you wanted to make a meal out of this, you could add a little grilled chicken, shrimp, or chick peas for protein. Pasta salad is best to cook the night before so the flavors really come together.