Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup dry white vermouth
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Ingredients

1. Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel.
2. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. 
4. Add the butter to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, raise the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. 
5. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. 
6. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
7.  Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more.
8.  Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.
9. Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the vermouth and lemon juice. 
10. Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.
11. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
12. Stir the zest and parsley into the sauce. 
13. Pour the sauce over the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

Cheese Stuffed Salmon

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) center-cut boneless, skinless salmon fillet 
• 1 cup ricotta cheese 
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
• 1 cup packed baby spinach, divided 
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Chopped dill 
• Chopped oregano

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 
2. Butterfly salmon fillet through the center so that it lays open flat in one large piece like a book. Turn salmon over so gray underside is facing up and arrange on a clean work surface. 
3. In a bowl, mash together ricotta and feta until well blended then season with salt and pepper. 
4. Season salmon with salt and pepper then spread fillet with mustard and arrange half of the spinach over the top, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. 
5. Evenly spread cheese mixture on top of spinach then top with remaining spinach.
6.  Starting from one of the long sides, gently roll up salmon and tie snugly with cooking twine at 1-inch intervals. 
7. Gently transfer salmon to a greased baking sheet then brush top and sides with oil and season outside with salt and pepper.
8. Scatter dill and oregano over the top and sides and roast until just cooked through, about 20 minutes.
9. Set aside to let rest for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to a serving platter, remove and discard twine and serve.

Butternut Squash Gratin with Le Gruyère

Ingredients

• 1 large (about 3 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices, divided
• 3 shallots, chopped 
• 2 cups shredded Le Gruyère cheese (about 7 ounces), divided 
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and arrange half of the squash slices in the bottom. 
2. Sprinkle with shallots and half of the cheese. 
3. Cover with remaining squash and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together cream, salt and pepper; pour cream mixture over squash. 
5. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake until browned on top and bubbling, about 1 hour. 
6. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 2 bags of cauliflower (24 oz)
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Heat up cauliflower either in microwave or steam. If in microwave, keep in bag, cut hole in corner, and squeeze out as much water as possible. If steamed/cooked in another way, press out as much water as possible wih paper towels. 
3. Put it in a food processor and blend. 
4. Crack and beat egg, mix in with cauliflower, add cheese, and mix all ingredients together well. 
5. On PARCHMENT PAPER, put out "dough" and spread extremely hin. If you want, sprinkle a little extra parmesan on top. 
6. Bake for 22 minutes or until crispy brown.

Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear
2. Drain and transfer to a medium pot.
3. Add water and salt and bring to a boil.
4. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
5.  Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork.
6. Serve.

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• spray-on olive oil
• 1 spaghetti squash

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Cut off stem end of squash with a large knife by sticking the knife in tip first and then moving the knife around the tip of the squash clockwise.
3. Then stand the squash vertically and then cut it in half. 
4. Take a large cookie sheet ad spray olive oil on it. 
5. Lay the squash halves face down on the cookie sheet.
6. Once the oven is heated, place the squash in the oven for fifty minutes.
7. After fifty minutes, take the squash out and scrape out the insides with a fork into a bowl. This should make three to five servings depending on the size of the spaghetti squash.

Burger

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound 90% lean ground grass-fed beef
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 
• 2 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/2 cup shredded peeled Granny Smith apple 
• Canola oil cooking spray (optional)

Method

1. Combine beef, onion, cheddar, mustard, salt, pepper and apple in a large bowl and form into four (4-inch) patties. 
2. Grill over medium heat or broil, flipping once, until done to your taste, 6 to 8 minutes. Or, spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes.

Linguine with Spinach, Artichokes, and Red Lentil Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3/4 cup dried red lentils
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 pound whole wheat linguine*
• 1 bunch spinach, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 4 artichoke hearts*, rinsed, drained and quartered

Method

1. In a medium pot, heat mustard seeds over medium heat until they begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Carefully add broth, 1 cup water, onion, lentils and garlic and bring to a boil.
3.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lentils are very tender and falling apart, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and stir until lentils break apart to make a sauce. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
5. Add linguine and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain and return to pot.
6.  Immediately add spinach, artichoke hearts and lentil sauce to hot pasta, toss well and serve.

Irish Cheddar Potato Bites

Ingredients

• 12 small organic red or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated Kerrygold Kilaree Cheddar, divided
• 3/4 cup (about 4 ounces) finely chopped ham
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Kerrygold Unsalted Pure Irish Butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.  Arrange potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet or in a muffin tin and bake, flipping halfway through, until just tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
3.  Carefully halve potatoes, arrange on baking sheet; cool briefly for handling.
4. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the middle of each potato half, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges and bottom.
5.  Transfer potato flesh to a large bowl and mash roughly with a fork.
6. Add 2/3 cup cheddar, and the ham, yogurt, butter, salt, pepper and onions.
7. Stir well.
8. Scoop some of the potato mixture into each potato half.
9.  Scatter remaining 1/3 cup cheddar over the tops.
10. Bake until golden brown and hot throughout, about 15 minutes more.

Vegan Tofu Lasagna

Ingredients

• Natural cooking spray 
• 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained 
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 
• 1 teaspoon garlic granules 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 2 (25-ounce) jars vegan marinara sauce 
• 3 bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped 
• 12 no-boil dried lasagna noodles

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.  Lightly grease a (9- x 13-inch) baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. 
3. Wrap tofu in 3 or 4 layers of paper towels and gently press out as much water as possible, changing the paper towels once or twice as needed. 
4. Transfer tofu to a large bowl and add yeast, garlic, salt and pepper and mash with a fork. Set tofu mixture aside. 
5. Put marinara sauce into a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Add peppers and continue simmering until tender, about 10 minutes. 
6. Spoon enough marinara sauce into prepared dish to cover the bottom and then arrange 4 noodles on top. Spread one-third of the tofu mixture over the noodles and then spoon more sauce over the tofu. 
7. Repeat the process 2 more times, ending with sauce. 
8. Cover with foil and bake until noodles are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes and then serve. 

Side Note: My boyfriend and I prefer using vodka sauce instead of marinara sauce. That means our version is not vegan. And this recipe was one my boyfriend found on the whole foods website. Check their website out. It has some nice stuff.

Veggie Fajitas

I make these on a regular basis. If you love vegetables, you will love these.
 

Ingredients

• 2 zucchinis
• 1/2 red bell power
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 2 avocados
• virgin olive oil
• whole wheat tortillas
• re-fried beans (optional)
• 16 oz baby bella sliced mushrooms
• salsa (optional)
• Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean the mushrooms
2. Pour about one-third of cup of the virgin olive oil in a frying pan
3. Put the mushrooms in the frying pan and cook until  they are nice and brown
4. Put heat on medium
5. Slice the zucchini and red bell pepper
6. Throw the sliced vegetables into pan and cook until also nice and done
7. Put the heat on low
8. Microwave the re-fried beans (this step is optional)
9. Put the tortillas between damp paper towels in the microwave for thirty to forty-five seconds
10. Slice the avocado
11. Take out the Greek yogurt and salsa
12. Fix he fajitas as you like

Spinach-Avocado-Chocolate shakeology smoothie

This an extremely easy recipe. I know that it sounds weird. My boyfriend and I were really goofing around when he added avocado. I expected it to be gross. It actually got rid of that bitter taste that I hate about dark chocolate and it made the smoothie creamier. It is amazingly delicious. Chocolate shakeology  is a protein powder that can be bought at stores like GNC.

Ingredients

• half an avocado
• 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk
• 1 scoop of chocolate shakeology
• 1 cup of spinach

Instructions

1. Put all of the ingredients into a food processor.
2. Process the mixture until it is creamy.

Butternut Squash Pasta

This pasta is like a butternut squash version of macaroni and cheese and it is insanely delicious. The squash sort of melts into the dish and becomes the sauce. The only downfall is that the dish takes approximately an hour to make, so you have to be slightly patient.

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen butternut squash
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• olive oil (for non-stick purposes)
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup small whole wheat bow-tie pasta

Instructions

1. Thaw and drain the frozen butternut squash. By the way, the squash should be pre-sliced.
2. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Pour a little olive oil into a frying pan (you will want this to be a large frying pan for later steps) and sautee the onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes.. Add the dried sage and sautee for another minute or so.
3. When done with step two, add the vegetable broth straight into the pan. Also add the dry white wine, whole wheat pasta, and butternut squash.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer covered for about thirty five to forty minutes. This dish is kind of liquidy at first, so it could take extra time to simmer.  Overtime, the liquid should reduce and the butternut should have semi-melted into a sauce.
5. Add Parmesan cheese to taste and enjoy.

Plum Pierogi

Them Polish ladies must be tough as nails and as brawny as body builders to make pierogi dough so often. I must admit that it takes a little muscle and slightly tuckers me out. Just so you know, pierogi is extremely delicious with plain yogurt (which is how it is commonly eaten in Europe). Sour cream is an okay substitute, but I suggest you use Greek yogurt because it is a healthier route. Pierogi can also be filled with other things: potato, cheese, sauerkraut. etc. You are not likely to find the plum version in the frozen section of the grocery store, but you might find potato or onion pierogi. This is a recipe that could be either dinner or dessert.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 table spoons truvia
• 2 cups pitted prunes

Instructions

1. Mix together the flour and salt. Beat the egg and add it to the mixture. Add the Greek yogurt and the canola oil. Knead the dough until it loses most of its stickiness.
2. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 20 to 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and, while waiting, chop the prunes finely. Add the truvia and the lemon juice to the water, then boil the prunes for about twelve minutes or until  tender.
4. Now, take the dough out of the fridge and flatten it. This is where the muscle comes in. We use a pasta maker and a nice rolling pin to flatten it. Just do your best to get it as thin as possible, about 1/8th inch. If the dough is cracking, then just dab your finger into some water and knead a chunk of the dough until it softens up without being sticky. Cut the thinned dough into circles with a really large cup or a Tupperware lid and a butter knife, they should be about 4 1/2 inches in diameter.
5. Now place a rationed amount of "plum" filling into the center of the dough circles and fold the dough over it. Tightly seal it (a fork may help).
6. Boil another large pot of water. Place the pierogi in the boiling water (three or four at a time) and boil them until they rise to the top.
7. Set them aside for cooling on a paper towel until done.

Fresh Whole Wheat Bread

Alright, first off! Kuddos! This is the first blog post. This blog is for my webmastering class, but I am also using it to push myself to take pictures our food for a cookbook that my boyfriend and I are making. He is health obsessed and I enjoy food, so I suppose it is a bonding activity for us. Anyways, I love this recipe. It is extremely simple and I make it on a weekly basis. I like to feel as though my bread is really part of my sandwiches rather than just being a holder for the rest of the ingredients. Making bread at home takes a small amount of patience, but not a significant amount of effort.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of water

Instructions:

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add one and a half cups of water and stir until blended. The dough should be firm, but wet. Add small amount of water if necessary. (Look! The dough is done already!)
3. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and let it sit for twelve to twenty four hours. The dough should have small air bubbles when it is ready for the next step.
4. Oil a nine by five inch loaf pan.
5. Scoop the dough into the pan.
6. Use a brush or a rubber spatula to set the dough evenly and to brush or drizzle the top with olive oil.
7. Cover the dough with a towel and let (yet again) sit for one to two hours until the dough is at or close to the top of the pan. When it is almost done rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
8. Bake the bread until deeply brown: about forty five minutes. The internal temperature should be about 200 degrees farenheit and the center of the loaf.
9. After removing the loaf from the oven, turn the loaf out of the pan onto a wire rack and let cool without slicing.