Tomato Mozzarella Skewers

Tomato Mozzarella Skewers are one of my favorite no-cook appetizers. They are quick and easy to pull together and they make an elegant and delicious small plate. No muss, no fuss. They're perfect for a Memorial Day cookout or if you just want to snack on them around the house. 

All you need are a few simple ingredients:

• fresh organic cherry tomatoes
• fresh organic basil
• marinated cherry size mozzarella balls
• balsamic vinegar
• skewers (you can find at almost any market)
• sea salt
• fresh cracked pepper

I picked up these marinated mozzarella balls at Whole Foods but also saw the same ones at several other markets. They are fabulous. They're marinated in Italian herbs and olive oil and you can just drizzle a bit of the oil over the finished skewers for added flavor.

To make the skewers:

1. Thread the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil onto the skewers alternating as you go.
2. Arrange the skewers on a plate and drizzle some of the oil from the marinated mozzarella balls over the skewers.
3. Then drizzle the balsamic vinegar - I highly recommend any of O Olive Oil's Balsamic Vinegars - they are fabulous and healthy.
4. Last, sprinkle a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper atop.

Delicious (and addictive)!!!!

"Kale Caesar!" Spaghetti (inspired by Rachael Ray)

"Kale Caesar!" Spaghetti (inspired by Rachael Ray)

I happened upon an episode of Dr. Oz recently where Rachael Ray was guest appearing. She demonstrated her lightened-up version of "You Won't be Single for Long" Vodka Cream Pasta which she dubbed "Now You'll be Living a Lot Longer Spaghetti". Essentially it's a lightened up Caesar dressing tossed with good-for-you kale and whole wheat spaghetti - YUM-O!

Seriously quick-n-easy to make, and seriously good! In my opinion, the anchovies are the key to the well-rounded flavor of this dish, so don't leave them out. You'll end up with a dish that's lacking - one that seems like it's missing something but you just can't put your finger on what it is. It's anchovies! If you've cooked with anchovies before, you know that there's no fishy flavor or odor, and they definitely impart a saltiness that you can't get from salt. If you haven't, I encourage you to try it and let me know what you think.

"Kale Caesar!" Spaghetti

inspired by Rachael Ray

Serves 2 (recipe easily doubled)

Ingredients:

8 ounces organic whole-wheat spaghetti (1/2 of a 1 lb. box)

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

3-4 anchovy fillets, drained (I used Bellino Anchovies that I picked up at my local market)

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 - 1 bunch of fresh organic kale, stemmed and chopped

fresh cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 organic egg yolk

1/4 cup reserved pasta water

3 ounces freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

sea salt (optional)

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. When oil is warmed add anchovies and garlic and stir until anchovies melt and garlic is fragrant - about a minute or two.

anchovies and garlic

anchovies are broken down and garlic is fragrant

Next add the Worcestershire and stir, then add the kale and turn to coat. I used half the bunch of kale but later wished I had used the entire bunch.

kale

Add fresh cracked pepper to taste, nutmeg and lemon juice and turn to coat. Let set over low heat while you prepare the rest of the sauce.

Take the reserved pasta water and add it a little at a time to the egg yolk beating it as you go, to temper the yolk without cooking it. Next add the drained spaghetti to the skillet, the pasta water/egg yolk mixture, and the Pecorino Romano cheese. Toss to coat and remove from heat.

toss with kale mixture, pasta water/yolk mixture, and cheese

Taste for seasoning and add sea salt and additional fresh cracked pepper if desired. Top with fresh grated Pecorino Romano before serving.

Pecorino Romano Cheese

Delicious and light!

Filet of Cod Vera Cruz

I've been traveling a lot for work lately which I enjoy, however it does make it a little tough to blog, especially when your blog is all about cooking! But it also makes the times I get to cook and photograph and share, all the more special to me.

After eating out meal after meal, day after day, it starts to take its toll on me and it's always great to get back home where I can prepare things the way I like them and eat healthy.

So tonight I enjoyed a nice baked filet of cod topped with a fresh, tangy Vera Cruz style sauce - light and delicious!

While the filets baked in the oven (which only took about 10 minutes), I made the sauce and dinner was on the table in well under 20 minutes.

Filet of Cod Vera Cruz

Serves 2 (recipe easily doubled)

Oven 425 degrees F

Ingredients:

2 4-ounce cod filets (I used Whole Foods frozen wild caught, all natural cod thawed according to package directions)

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little to coat fish

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup organic grape tomatoes, halved

3 Tablespoons diced red onion (or yellow or white)

3 Tablespoons diced green olives

sea salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Coat filets lightly with olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper and place in shallow baking dish. Bake in oven approximately 10 minutes or until opaque and fish flakes easily with a fork.

simply seasoned filets about to go in the oven

While fish is baking, prepare Vera Cruz sauce. Place olive oil in saucepan over low-medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Next add tomatoes and a dash of salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add onions and olives and cook for another few minutes or until onions are soft but not mushy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Top fish with Vera Cruz sauce and serve immediately with couscous, or brown rice, or a simple salad for a light and healthy meal.

Filet of Cod Vera Cruz

Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Roasted Sweet Peppers and Tomatoes

I love colorful dishes. Often times, when I'm thinking of what things I want to add to a dish, I think in terms of color first. Take this dish for instance - I saw these beautiful red and yellow sweet mini peppers at the market and decided I couldn't leave without them. At that moment in time I wasn't sure what I'd make but I knew I wanted them.

Mini Sweet Peppers

Roasting them sounded good because I love how it brings out the natural sweetness as they caramelize. Same with cherry tomatoes. Yum.

To Roast: Toss with olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, then roast in oven at 450 degrees F
until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.

So I had decided to roast the peppers and tomatoes but then what? Well, I've had this whole wheat pearl couscous sitting in my pantry for quite awhile just waiting for the right accompaniments to bring it to life. This round-shaped couscous once cooked, is tender like pasta. It's hearty, nutritious, and simply delicious. And it cooks pretty quickly, too.

Now, I was still thinking in terms of "color", so in my mind of course it needed some green. I was thinking some nice Italian parsley would be wonderful but the only thing I had on hand was cilantro. No problem! It worked perfectly.


Lastly, I just topped it with a little Greek feta (goat cheese would have been lovely, too) and I was in business. The best impromptu lunch in a long, long while.

Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Roasted Sweet Peppers and Tomatoes

Serves 2-3 (more as a side dish)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pearl couscous, prepared according to package directions

1 5-ounce package sweet mini peppers, stemmed and split

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt

fresh cracked pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese to garnish

crushed red pepper (optional)

Toss peppers and tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, then roast in oven at 450 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.

Toss roasted peppers and tomatoes with cooked couscous, then gently mix in cilantro. Top with crumbled feta cheese and crushed red pepper, if desired. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold. It's equally delicious both ways.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

From looking at this sandwich, would you think it was healthy?

How about tasty?

I have to tell you that is was absolutely both!


Who knew a "regular old chicken sandwich" could taste so good? Tender, juicy chicken breast with a crispy coating topped with a lemon dill yogurt sauce, and layered with sweet and tangy roasted bell peppers, crisp cucumbers, and sharp watercress on a multi-grain bun...yummmmm. I could not get enough of this sandwich.


I saw this in the March issue of Clean Eating magazine. This was the first time I've picked up this magazine and there are several things from this issue I'd like to try. I totally identify with their philosophy - "consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible..it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to an improved life - one meal at a time".

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 4-ounce thin all natural organic chicken breast cutlets (see Cook's Note)

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

sea salt

fresh cracked black pepper

1 Tablespoon canola oil

Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce:

1/3 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt (I use Fage Total 2%)

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Toppings:

2 cups fresh watercress, stems trimmed

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

2 roasted bell peppers (jarred or see Cook's note)

4 thin whole-grain sandwich buns (I used Orowheat Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins)

I prepared the lemon dill yogurt sauce and toppings in advance so that once the chicken was ready the sandwiches were quick to assemble.

To make Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce:

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

lemon juice, yogurt and fresh dill

prepare toppings in advance

To make Crispy Chicken Cutlets:

Gather 3 shallow bowls. In 1st bowl place flour. In 2nd bowl place egg whites and Dijon Mustard and whisk together. In 3rd bowl place Panko bread crumbs. Season all 3 bowls with a small amount of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and mix each.

Seasoned whole-wheat flour, seasoned egg whites, and seasoned Panko bread crumbs

Dredge each chicken cutlet first in flour, then in egg white mixture, then in Panko crumbs and press to coat completely. Place coated cutlets on a plate. Next heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high and add oil. Gently add coated cutlets to skillet and cook for approximately 3 minutes per side or until browned and fully cooked (no longer pink) on the inside. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.

coated chicken cutlets before and after

To build sandwiches:

Spread lemon dill yogurt sauce on both sides of multi-grain buns, then place one crispy chicken cutlet on each bottom bun and top with watercress, cucumber and roasted peppers. Cover with top bun and serve immediately.

sooooo delicious!!!!

Cook's Note re: Chicken Cutlets - If you cannot find chicken cutlets, just purchase boneless skinless chicken breasts and slice each horizontally into 2 thin pieces.

Cook's Note re: Roasted Bell Peppers - You can easily use jarred roasted bell peppers but if you have an extra bell pepper or two laying around, why not roast yourself? To roast, heat oven to 425 degrees F, place sliced bell peppers with stem and seeds removed on parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Roast in oven until tender and caramelized, approximately 30 - 45 minutes. There's nothing like fresh, warm roasted bell peppers all tangy and slightly sweet from the natural sugars caramelizing in the oven. Yum!

Spicy Sumo Chicken

At Gelson's earlier today, they had these funny looking oranges to sample which were actually Sumos, or Sumo Citrus.  They are a blend of orange and mandarin with the most unbelievably easy to peel skin and they're also seedless. They're sweet like an orange with just a little extra tang. If you find them in your local market, you should definitely give them a try. They're easy to take in your lunch or for a quick snack because they're so quick and easy to peel.

I chose to use the juice and some of the flesh in this quick marinade and it was delicious. You could easily use regular oranges or mandarins instead, though.

Spicy Sumo Chicken

Serves 2 (easily doubled)

1 lb all-natural organic chicken breast, cubed

1 Sumo Citrus or 1 large orange, juiced

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 Tablespoons honey

1 Serrano pepper, minced (less for less heat)

dash Himalayan pink salt

couple of turns of freshly cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons cooking oil

2 green onions, sliced

Marinade: Serrano pepper, Sumo Citrus, honey and soy sauce

Place all ingredients except peanut oil and green onions in bowl and mix together, then cover and place in refrigerator to allow to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight. You could also use a zip top plastic bag instead of a bowl.

marinating

Heat a wok or non-stick skillet to medium heat and add oil. Carefully add the chicken a few pieces at a time and then turn to coat and begin cooking. Next slowly and carefully add the marinade to the wok or skillet, mix with the chicken and bring to a boil. Continue cooking until the marinade is reduced by half and the chicken is cooked through, at least 3 minutes or more. Add green onions and turn to coat. Remove from pan and serve over brown rice with additional green onions to garnish, if desired.

cooking the chicken and reducing the marinade

Havana Mojo Steak

Havana Mojo Steak

This Cuban-inspired citrus and herb marinated flank steak topped with caramelized onions and drizzled with some of the reserved marinade was simply delicious.


The yellow rice was a nice accompaniment but the particular recipe I tried was not as great as I would have liked, so I'll continue researching it. In the meantime, you could put this steak atop a salad or your own favorite rice recipe.


I'm a sucker for Cuban food and where I live in Southern California I don't know of any Cuban restaurants. I also don't come across very many Cuban recipes, which makes it a little difficult for me to cook it for myself. So when I saw this recipe card at Sprouts Farmers Market, I grabbed it so fast it would've made your head spin.


The fresh-squeezed citrus juices and fresh herbs made for quite a delicious marinade and dressing.

Havana Mojo Steak

Serves 4

1 pound grass fed organic flank steak

Marinade:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Caramelized Onions:

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 teaspoon butter

In a small bowl, mix lime juice, water, orange juice, salt, pepper, and oregano and set aside.

lime juice, water, orange juice, salt, pepper, and oregano

Heat olive oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat, then add garlic and cumin and saute until garlic is golden. Slowly add juice mixture and bring to a boil.

Heat olive oil, garlic & cumin, then add juice mixture and bring to boil.

Remove from heat and let cool, then add cilantro. Pour half of the mixture into a bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator to be used as a dressing/sauce when served.

Reserve half the marinade to be used as a dressing/sauce.

Place flank steak in a large zip-top bag and pour the rest of the mixture over. Seal, turn to coat, and place in refrigerator to allow to marinade overnight.

marinade the steak

To caramelize onions, heat a cast iron or regular skillet to medium heat and add butter. Then cook the onions until they are soft and lightly browned.

caramelizing the onions

Meanwhile, bring steak to room temperature and heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high. Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade. Grill steak for approximately 4-5 minutes per side for medium to medium-rare.

grilling steak on indoor grill

Remove steak and place on cutting board and allow to rest for a few minutes before thinly slicing against the grain and serving with caramelized onions.

Havana Mojo Steak...the only thing missing is a Mojito!