Asian Sirloin and Warm Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a delicious grain from South America.  In our quest to eat healthier, I have been trying to figure out how to get out of our dinner rut (pasta, risotto, potatoes, etc).  So I decided to try quinoa, this "super food" everyone has been raving about. Amazingly, my first attempt turned out great and I've been craving that nutty, filling, nutritious grain.  We've had Latin inspired quinoa as a side to our usual fajitas (now with whole wheat tortillas) and in a salad with avocado and chickpeas.  Tonight's attempt is an accompaniment to steak, a little red meat indulgence for the week.  

Asian Sirloin Steak

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. sirloin steak

Directions:

1. Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Place steak in a plastic bag with the marinade and marinate for 4-6 hours.
2. Discard marinade and grill steak on medium-high heat, covered, for 5-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired temperature.  We like ours medium rare, which is 145 degrees on meat thermometer.  

Warm Quinoa Salad with Edamame
Adapted from Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchendaily/

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (toasted and rinsed)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 2 cups edamame (frozen, shelled and thawed)
• zest of one lemon
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp thyme (or any herb of your choice)
• 1/2 cup drained and jarred roasted red peppers
• spinach or greens of your choice

Directions:

1. Toast quinoa in a dry skillet for five minutes, until it becomes aromatic.  Rinse quinoa with water through a fine mesh sieve.  This removes the aftertaste quinoa develops.  
2. Bring two cups of chicken broth to a boil.  Add quinoa and return to a boil.  Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
3. Add the edamame to the quinoa (do not stir).  Cover and cook another 8 minutes.
4. Whisk the lemon zest, lemon, thyme, and olive oil together.  Add dressing and diced peppers to the quinoa mixture.  Serve on top of spinach or greens of your choice.  

Triple Berry Muffins

I have been slack on my blog updates, things have been busy, busy, busy.  It is berry season in Georgia, so every week we have been buying a ton of yummy berries.  Berries as snacks.  Berries in smoothies.  And to help satisfy my sweet cravings without eating a ton of artificial gunk and sugar, berry muffins!  Today we had blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (all on sale!), so I put them all into a yummy muffin.  I've made a few adjustments to the original recipe (http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blackberry_muffins/) to make them a bit healthier.

Triple Berry Muffins Recipe
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour (I use half regular flour and half whole wheat flour)
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
•  2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 Tbsp. melted butter (1 stick)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• zest of one orange
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (cut in half)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a standard muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour through cinnamon).
3. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl (eggs, yogurt, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla and orange zest).
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Do not over mix.
5. Add berries to the batter and lightly fold in.  
6. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cup.  (recipe yields 18 muffins).  Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean.

Seared Sea Scallops with Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Risotto

Seared Scallops.  How did I not discover delectable seafood until I was almost 32 years old?  When made the right way (gently seared, seasoned with just salt and pepper), they can be so buttery and delicious.  I was reluctant to make them at home, but they are super easy to make.  Scallops also pair perfectly with another favorite of mine, risotto.  My friend gave me a risotto cookbook because she knows how much I love risotto and this recipe has elevated my average weeknight risotto.  The roasted garlic adds a depth of flavor, as does the goat cheese. I would probably eat goat cheese every night of the week if I could!

Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Risotto
Adapted from Risotto by Maxine Clark (p. 72)
Ingredients

• 8-10 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for basting
• 2 tbs chopped rosemary
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine (Chardonnay preferred)
• 4-6 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup risotto rice
• 8 oz. soft goat cheese (with no ride) or 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Risotto with garlic and rosemary

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Put peeled cloves of garlic in the middle of a sheet of foil on a baking sheet.  Pour 2 tbs of olive oil over garlic cloves and season with salt and pepper. Fold up the long ends of the foil and fold together the top to create a seal.  Place baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes, then turn over, cut small steam holes in the foil packet, and turn over.  Roast the package another 10 minutes.

Add the wine to the rice mixture until it is absorbed.  Then, begin adding the broth, a ladle at a time, until each ladle is absorbed by the rice.  Do not let the risotto dry out--the process takes about 15-20 minutes, so be patient!  I taste the rice and when it loses it's "bite," stir in goat cheese and remaining rosemary.

Season with salt and pepper, then beat in Parmesan cheese.  Cover and let the risotto rest before serving.

Seared Sea Scallops

Ingredients

• 4-6 large sea scallops
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tbs butter

Rinse scallops in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.  Remove the muscle along the side, if needed (it's a little piece sticking out).  Heat the oil with a pat of butter in a hot saucepan.  Season the scallops with salt and pepper on each side.  Place the scallop in the hot pan and sear on each side, 3-4 minutes on each side.  You should get a nice rich color on each side.  Be careful not to over cook, there is nothing worse than an overcooked scallop!  Serve on top of risotto.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese

Brrrr....it's cold outside.  Well, cold for the South anyway.  And cold weather makes me crave soup.  This recipe has become our go-to winter staple.  It's super simple and easy to make, and it is so good with crusty bread.  Here's what you need:
Ingredients:

• 2-3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• half medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 28 oz. canned plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp. dry basil
• pinch of red chili flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp sugar
• chopped parsley or basil to top
• crusty bread
• goat cheese (we use crumbled)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Heat oil in large stock pot (I use a dutch oven) and add onion and chili flakes.  As onion becomes translucent, add garlic and saute.
Add tomatoes (crush with the back of a spatula), basil, salt, pepper, sugar, and stock.  Simmer half covered for 40 minutes.
Add more stock in needed.  After 40 minutes, add mixture to blender (or use hand blender) until smooth.  Mix in cream.  Spoon in bowls and top with goat cheese.  Serve with crusty bread.

Adapted from Sips and Spoonfuls

Opa! Easy Chicken Gyros

I love Greek food, especially gyros.  It is the perfect combination of juicy meat, creamy and cool tzatzki sauce, and fresh veggies.  While living in Houston, one of our neighborhood favs was Niko Niko's.  On most nights, there was a line going out the door.  I always ordered the same thing there, the chicken gyro.  So when I found this recipe, on Annie's Eats, I had to try it and it has become one our weeknight favorites.  I've modified a bit to fit after a few tries.  We like the veggies grilled rather than raw, must be a Texas thing!  Enjoy!  Opa!


Chicken Gyros with Ttatzki:
Ttatzki Sauce:
All but two tablespoons of 6 oz. plain 0% Greek yogurt (such as Chobani, Fage or Oikos)
Half a seedless (English) cucumber, or seeded cucumber
1 garlic clove, minced
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil


To make the Ttatzki:  
If using the O% Greek yogurt, I've found there is no need to strain the yogurt.  Mix all but two tablespoons of the yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and vinegar together.  Remove seeds from cumber and cut into small pieces.  Using a cheese grater, grate pieces of cumber into the yogurt mixture and combine.   Drizzle olive oil on top.  Let flavors combine for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  


Gyros:
4 garlic cloves, minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
pita bread
onion, sliced thinly
bell pepper, sliced thinly


Whisk together garlic, lemon, vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Add chicken breasts and mix ingredients thoroughly.  Let chicken marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.  If desired, cook the peppers and onions in a skillet with a little olive oil until cooked through (I prefer cooked onions to raw, and this is the way it was done at Niko Niko's).  

Remove, peppers and onions, and cook chicken in the skillet until cooked through and nicely browned on both sides.  

Once cooked, cut chicken into smaller pieces.  Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes on a plate.  Place chicken on warm pita bread with onions and peppers.  Top with tzatzki sauce and enjoy!

Merry Christmas

It's been in the back of my mind for weeks now that I should start a cooking blog, and last night, a good friend suggested that I should start one.  My husband agreed it was a good idea, so here I go, diving into the blogging universe.  I've always had a passion for cooking.  Even as a kid, I used to pretend I had my own cooking show and would make up my own secret ketchup recipe for my chicken nuggets.  My mother is an excellent cook and when I went to college, compared to mom's home cooking, dining hall food was not for me.  So I started to experiment with cooking.  Now it's a full blown obsession.  I love kitchen gadgets and all cooking related shows.  Even my internship essay was about cooking!  My recent discovery of www.pinterest.com has really kicked this obsession into high gear.  So many recipes to try.  So, let the holiday baking commence!  So far, I've discovered how to make sea salt caramels, homemade marshmallows, red velvet whoopie pies, red velvet cupcakes, and my very first cheesecake.  Pictures to come, once I figure out how to do that.  Merry Christmas!