The Cat's Away

When my husband goes out of town, I make the most indulgent, creamy, cheesy meals in my repertoire. I swear I gain five pounds in five days, but I just can’t seem to control myself! I’ve really been trying to stick with healthy meals lately so when Elliott left on Sunday for a weeklong conference in Marco Island, I was determined not to fall off the wagon. Lucky for me (and for you!) I found a delicious compromise, Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce. This dish gave me that creamy sauce I love, but since its tomato based I don’t get all the calories and fat from a typical cream and cheese laden sauce. The sauce was rich and creamy with a lovely tomato flavor and it coated the pasta like a dream. I will definitely be making this again! Serve it with some homemade basil and garlic bread twists and a side salad and you’ve got one fabulous meal.

Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

penne pasta (I use Dreamfields brand. It is a low-carb pasta and is delicious)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, depending on how spicy you like it

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup vodka

½ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

¼ cup whipping cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced (using fresh basil is important in this dish so don’t skimp on it)

parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; season with salt and pepper; sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté one minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add vodka; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half (note: this happens quickly!). Stir in chicken broth and tomatoes, season with more salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of your blender to allow steam to escape and cover with a paper towel. Process until smooth (note: I tried using my immersion blender and it could not give me that perfectly pureed sauce I needed so definitely use your blender or food processor for this step). Return tomato mixture to pan; stir in cream. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta and fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately and sprinkle each individual bowl with a couple tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Easy Homemade Garlic and Basil Bread Twists

one package refrigerated breadstick dough (opt for low-fat if available)

¼ cup olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

fresh basil, thinly sliced (you can substitute dried basil if necessary)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

parmesan cheese

Preheat oven according to package directions for your breadstick dough.

Coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Open the package of breadstick dough and separate the pieces, laying them flat on your baking sheet. Brush each breadstick with the garlic-infused olive oil (it’s okay if bits of garlic get on the bread – it just adds more flavor). Sprinkle each breadstick with the fresh basil, a little bit of parmesan cheese, some freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt. Grabbing both ends of the breadstick dough, twist in opposite directions two or three times. Let your kids (or significant other!) twist the breadsticks to get them involved. Bake according to package directions.

 Enjoy!

The (not-so-classic) Classic

What is more classic than a couple of slices of delicious, ketchup-covered meatloaf served up with some green beans and a fluffy baked potato? Not much! My version is a healthier, somewhat funky, interpretation of the traditional meatloaf and veggie sides. Try switching it up with this spicy turkey meatloaf, steamed green beans with red wine vinaigrette and roasted organic white sweet potatoes. This meal looks so homey and comforting on the plate…not to mention in your belly…and it’s also a snap to clean up.

Spicy Turkey Meatloaf

The spicy turkey meatloaf is a Cooking Light favorite of mine – it comes out juicy and full of flavor every time! The sriracha, a Chinese hot chili sauce, gives the meatloaf a little bit of kick and a unique “this ain’t yo mamma’s meatloaf” kind of flavor. If you’re feeding this to kids, I would cut back on the sriracha or omit entirely, unless they like spicy foods.

1 tbs olive oil or butter

1 small onion or ½ of a large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

¼ fat-free, low sodium chicken broth (I use the Swanson organic chicken broth)

small handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbs Sriracha

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 ½ pounds ground turkey breast (you can substitute ground chicken, if you prefer)

cooking spray

½ cup ketchup

1 tbs brown sugar

½ tsp dry mustard (if you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry about it, or substitute with a small squeeze of regular yellow mustard)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter or heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 8 minutes, or until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.

Combine onion mixture, panko, and next 8 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; stir well to combine. Shape turkey mixture into a 9 x 5–inch rectangle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spread ketchup mixture evenly over top of meatloaf; bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Steamed Green Beans with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Now let me tell you about a current obsession of mine – steamed green beans doused in red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and lots of salt and pepper. I make this side dish at least once a week, if not twice, which is really out of food character for me because I’m not really a vinegar person. I typically drown my salads and vegetables in ranch dressing and just prefer the creamier things in life in general.  But these green beans are simple and completely delicious. If you have some fresh grape tomatoes around, throw them in! Try them once and I bet you’ll get hooked on them too.

1 package of fresh steam-in-the-bag green beans (found in the produce section)

red wine vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steam the green beans according to package directions. You can buy green beans by the bulk and steam or boil them yourself but they taste just as fresh and crisp right out of these steam bags so I would take help from the store where you can get it.

Once the green beans have cooked, pour them into a mixing bowl and add about 3 or 4 tablespoons each of red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. I don’t really measure the amount. I just drizzle on as much as it takes to make plenty of vinaigrette to coat the green beans. Add two big, healthy pinches of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Toss together well. Taste for seasoning, enough salt and pepper are key to this dish. If the green beans taste a little bland, add more salt.

Simple Roasted Organic White Sweet Potatoes

As Elliott and I were going through the produce department at our local Publix a few weeks ago we came upon a small barrel of organic white sweet potatoes. They looked a little different than your standard sweet potato – the shape was the same but the skin was lighter in color or less rough looking. We decided to give them a try and change things up a bit. We were pleasantly surprised! The white sweet potatoes are less sweet in taste and have a texture more similar to a russet potato than a classic orange sweet potato. If you are trying to get your kids to expand their veggie horizons, this may be a good option. The white variety still contains a lot of the same great nutrients and vitamins of a regular sweet potato (with a little less beta-carotene) but tastes and looks more like a russet potato. The greatest thing about this side dish…if you can turn on an oven, you can make this.

organic white sweet potatoes

butter for topping

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse potatoes and pat dry. Pierce potatoes with a fork in several places to help the cooking process. Place potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet coated in cooking spray. Bake the potatoes for one hour or until a fork can be inserted into the middle and pulled out easily. Remove potatoes from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Cut a slit down the middle of the potatoes and open them up. Top with a small pat of butter and some salt and pepper.

Quick Week-Night Fiesta

Elliott and I love Mexican food, but unfortunately our waist lines would disagree. It is probably my favorite cuisine, but how could it not be when it typically comes smothered in melty cheese and is full of spicy, delicious flavor? I keep many healthy variations of some Mexican favorites up my sleeve for a quick weeknight meal that will satisfy my cravings. Last night we had Smoky Lime-Chipotle Grilled Chicken Breasts served with some seriously addictive Baked Black Beans with Chorizo and the classic Mexican Rice. I try to follow one rule for my weeknight meals to keep my life as simple as possible – make two homemade items and if I need a third, take some help from the store and buy something that requires little to no effort. The Mexican rice is my easy third dish – we buy Vigo brand Mexican rice from Publix. I also suggest buying some of your favorite salsa and guacamole to serve as dippers with the chips or as toppings for your chicken and black beans. We buy the Wholly Guacamole brand 100-calorie packs and split one so we each end up with about 50 calories of guacamole each – it’s a great way to portion control delicious, but high in fat, guacamole. Give this meal a try next time you have a hankering for Mexican food – I guarantee it will satisfy your cravings and save you some calories too!

Smoky Lime-Chipotle Grilled Chicken

zest and juice of 2 limes

 3 garlic cloves, chopped

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp chipotle chili pepper

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp ground red pepper

½ tsp hot red pepper sauce (I like Cholula or Valentina Mexican hot sauce)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine first 10 ingredients and whisk together until incorporated. While whisking, stream in about a ½ cup of olive oil until combined. Pour marinade over chicken (use a ziplock bag for easy clean up) and let sit for about an hour in your refrigerator. Remove chicken from fridge about 5- 10 minutes before grilling. Taking the chill off the chicken will help keep it tender once it hits the grill.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken breasts 10-15 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Remove chicken from grill and cover with aluminum foil. Let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving – this will help ensure you have a juicy, tender chicken breast. Right before serving, squeeze juice from half a lime over the chicken breasts. Enjoy!

Baked Black Beans with Chorizo

This recipe was in the June issue of Cooking Light and let me tell you – it is a winner! I followed the directions almost exactly, but with a few tweaks. The recipe says to bake at 425 but I thought the high heat dried the black bean mixture out the first time I made it, so I tried baking them at 375 last night and they came out perfect – tender and almost creamy! I also squeeze in some fresh lime juice after its done baking and I omit the cheese since Elliott can’t eat it. I didn’t even miss the cheese – that’s how good these are! Serve these black beans as a side dish or as a dip with some health-conscious tortilla chips. We like Garden of Eatin Mini Yellow Corn Rounds.

½ cup diced chorizo

cooking spray

1 white onion, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, diced

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped seeded tomato

½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper

olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, about a tablespoon. Add chorizo to pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes until it turns slightly golden brown. Remove chorizo from pan and let rest on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra fat/oil. Add the onion, jalapeno and a little dash of salt and pepper to pan and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, red pepper, and garlic and sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the chicken broth, black beans and another healthy dash of salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes and then mash the beans (with a potato masher or a fork) to desired consistency.

Spoon the bean mixture into a small baking dish (like an 8 inch square one or a 2-quart round one) coated with cooking spray. Top with chorizo, tomato and cheese. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Once it’s done, squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top and stir to combine. Taste for seasonings since black beans always tend to need a lot of salt. If it doesn’t taste super flavorful, add a big pinch of salt and that should do the trick. If you’ve got fresh cilantro on hand, definitely chop some up and sprinkle over the top. Enjoy!

Let the fun begin!

Think of your happy place…where does it take you? Is it the smell of farm-stand fresh vegetables as they simmer away on your stove? The crunch of a perfectly fried piece of chicken? The smile on your family's faces as they bite into freshly baked chocolate chip cookies? The taste of something so delicious you break into your own little happy food dance? If you answered yes to any or all of the above, then this is the place for you. Those are just a few of the things this new blog adventure is about for me. 

I have a love affair with food, and yes, my husband is completely aware of my infidelity and he fully supports it....since it tends to lead to delicious home cooked meals night after night. I have no formal culinary training whatsoever and everything i know comes from what I learned while helping my mom in the kitchen growing up and from watching almost every episode of every cooking show on the Food Network. This blog is where I can share my love of cooking and being creative in the kitchen with everyone. My goal is to come up with  healthy, easy and delicious meals for the everyday gal (or guy!) with a focus on creating better-for-you versions of some classic, but unhealthy, favorites.  A huge part of that is finding ways to turn some of my favorite dishes that are typically slathered in cheese, cream or some other magical form of dairy (which my poor dear lactose intolerant husband cannot eat) into satisfying dairy free versions. And since I'm an event planner by profession and simply love entertaining my own family and friends, this blog will see a lot of posts filled with new ideas you can use at your next event whether it be an elaborate party for 100 plus people or an intimate dinner with close friends. I hope you'll join me as I share my creative adventures in the world of cooking and entertaining. Welcome and enjoy!