Doh!  Just when you think you’re done posting all of your recipes for Christmas, a little birdie chirps and tells you…”Hey!  When the heck are you gonna post your recipe for that pumpkin lasagna you made?”  I totally forgot!  I blame it on the cookies…

When it’s time for the holidays, all I can think of is food.  And the more, the better!  It’s not like anyone in my family is going to go hungry if a certain dish isn’t present at the table, but for whatever reason, I just feel better knowing it’s there.  Call it what you want (insanity, cray-cray, loca, nuts, bonkers, lights are on – nobody’s home), but it’s just how I roll… For that reason, I decided we needed to have a lasagna at Christmas dinner.  Even though I knew there was already going to be a turkey and a roast beef and all the fixings present, I just couldn’t resist bringing a pasta dish.  But instead of going the traditional route, I decided to spice things up a bit and put a new spin on the ordinary lasagna.

Pumped-Up Pumpkin Lasagna
Inspired by Food Mayhem and Taste of Home
Makes a 13 x 9-inch tray

• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 TSP of olive oil
• 1 lb. of Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage, chopped (I used Trader Joe’s brand, about 7 links)
• 1 pound 5 ounces (or 21 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
• 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 TBSP of buttery spread (or butter)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 15 oz. cans of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 3 TBSP of light brown sugar
• 1 TBSP of agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)
• 1 TSP of  cinnamon
• 1/4 TSP of nutmeg
• 1 TSP of dried sage leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch white pepper
• 8 regular lasagna sheets (I used Barilla brand, NOT the no-bake kind)

1) In a large skillet on medium-high heat, sauté the mushrooms, onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt in olive oil until tender, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Then, add the chicken sausage and cook until the sausage starts to brown a little (the sausage is already fully-cooked, so you are just heating up).  Turn the heat down to medium and heat everything together for another few minutes.  Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and 12 oz. of the mozzarella cheese.  Set aside.

3) In a medium-sized pot, melt butter on low heat.  Add garlic and brown lightly.  Stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, agave nectar, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried sage, salt and pepper.  Stir until it’s all warm.  Remove from heat and set aside.

4) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4) Spray your baking dish with cooking spray.  Smear a thin layer of the pumpkin mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

5) If you’re not good at eyeballing things (like me), divide your remaining pumpkin mixture, your ricotta cheese mixture and your meat mixture into two equal portions.

6) Top the thin layer of pumpkin mixture with 3 lasagna noodles going lengthwise and 1 going widthwise (you’ll have to break/shorten this in order for it to fit).  Using one of the reserved portions of the ricotta cheese mixture, smooth it over the noodles.  Using one of the reserved portions of the meat mixture, top the ricotta cheese.  Repeat this process again starting with one of the reserved portions of the pumpkin mixture, then the noodles, then the ricotta cheese mixture, then the meat mixture and then end with the pumpkin mixture.  Top the final layer of the pumpkin mixture with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.

7) Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

One word for this dish.  OK, maybe two words.  Delicious and hearty.  I think some of my family members were a tad concerned when I told them what was on the dining room table was a pumpkin lasagna.  I’m not sure if they envisioned a dessert-like version of the multi-layered noodle treat or if they just thought it was weird that I would change up a classic and add something as odd (to them) as pumpkin.  But their faces definitely expressed some doubt and hesitation until they took a chance and finally took a bite.  Once they tasted this dish, they were pleasantly pleased (as was I).  One of my relatives actually said, “this tastes just like a regular lasagna, but only spicier and better.”

In fact, this recipe does taste very similar to a traditional lasagna, except not as acidic and a bit sweeter.  The dried sage definitely gave this lasagna a nice kick in flavor and complimented the subtle sweetness of the pumpkin.  All of the rich flavors and layers helped to make this recipe quite the filling one.  Just a tiny piece was enough to make a meal (even though I had a big piece along with turkey, roast beef, caesar salad, stuffing…but heck, that was so last year!).  And while this dish tasted great with the flavoring from the sweet Italian chicken sausage, it could easily be made without meat or with meat-free sausage.  As a side note, I used the regular lasagna noodles in this recipe.  I just put them in the recipe uncooked and baked them.  They turned out great, and not hard at all.  Actually, the noodles were perfectly al-dente.  I have found that boiling the noodles and then baking can sometimes produce a mushy lasagna.

I will definitely make this recipe again.  However, next time I’m going to make a mental note to make more than the suggested amount of pumpkin purée mixture.  Or, perhaps I will try to thin out the mixture a bit?  It seemed that I had trouble evenly spreading the pumpkin during the layering process and felt as if I was going to run out.  But if you’re a fan of this fibrous orange gourd like I am, then lather it on thick and make this dish pleasantly plump and you’ll be pumped to have this grace your dinner plate.

***And if you need another reason to try out this recipe, just check out what’s #11 on this list (thanks Kevin!)!***

After baking my cookies the other day, I noticed there were slight stains left on my baking sheet.  I didn’t spray any cooking spray or use any grease on my sheet before baking and the cookies had no problem sliding off.  Anyone know why this would have happened?  The baking sheet is pretty good quality, too. Your thoughts?

Namasté,
Nicole

Do you ever just go on a tear when you’re shopping, whether it be at the mall or at the grocery store, and you start buying things you don’t need, but at that instant, you’re convinced life would be so much better if you bought it?  Well, this happens to me quite often and especially when I’m at the grocery store (cough, cough, Trader Joe’s).  I see things that look interesting and if they’re reasonably priced, I convince myself that I must buy them.  And then I come home, unload my bags and stare at my new products with delight, envisioning what I can make with them.

The hands on the clock go flying around and the pages on the calendar turn…(do you like the drama?)

Image Credit - guardian.co.uk

About a few months go by and my excitement for the new products dwindles.  For whatever reason, these products get pushed to the back of the fridge and the cupboard (to make room for more new products) and the expiration dates that seemed to be light years away, are now just around the corner.  All of the sudden, it becomes a do or die situation – meaning I either eat the food or I dump it.  Sound familiar?

The other day, I was faced with the aforementioned situation (no, not that ‘Situation’.  Just a regular situation).  I looked in my fridge and I saw that I had a package of Trader Joe’s Organic 3-Grain Tempeh that expired was about to expire and a bag of Shirataki fettuccine noodles that had about a week of life left.  I knew I wanted to have some sort of pasta dish (I guess I really had no choice) and wanted the tempeh to accompany it (again, I wasn’t left with much of a choice).  But they really don’t go together and the thought of combining them didn’t sound too appetizing.  And then it hit me!  The light bulb went off.  I started rummaging online for some tips and in a short time, dinner was served!

Meatless Meatballs and Fake Fettuccine
Inspired by Soap and Chocolate

For the meatballs (makes 12 meatballs):

• 1 8 oz. package of tempeh (I used Trader Joe’s Organic 3-Grain Tempeh)
• 1 TBSP of grated parmesan cheese
• 2 TBSP of ground flax in 3 TBSP of water (I used Trader Joe’s Golden Roasted Flax Seed, ground)
• 1 1/2 TBSP of pesto (I used Classico brand, but your own homemade version would be even better)
• 7 oz. can of mushrooms, chopped (yeah, I’m not sure why I had these in my kitchen, but they’re gone now!)
• 1/4 cup of onion, minced
• few shakes of garlic powder
• few shakes of dried oregano
• few shakes of dried basil
• few shakes of dried parsley
• s&p

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a small cup, add your flax to your water and let it sit for about five minutes.

3) Crumble your block of tempeh into a small bowl.  I steamed mine for about 6 minutes on each side in the microwave to soften before crumbling.

4) When your tempeh is the consistency of chunky rice, add your parmesan cheese and flax mixture.  Give it a little mix.  Then add your mushrooms, onions, pesto and seasonings.  Mix everything around until it all gets sticky.

5) On a foil lined rimmed baking sheet covered with cooking spray, shape the tempeh mixture into about 12 balls.

6) Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes, until beginning to brown.

For the fettuccine:

• 1 8 oz. bag of Shirataki fettuccine noodles
• 1 TSP of pesto
• few shakes of parmesan cheese

1) In a colander, wash your Shirataki noodles thoroughly (rinse for a few minutes).  If you can still smell them, keep rinsing!

2) Microwave the noodles in a bowl for about 1 minute.  Drain the water from the bowl.  Microwave for another minute or so.  If the noodles are still wet, microwave again or pat dry with some paper towels.  You want dry noodles.

3) Once dry and hot, add the pesto.  Stir until the pesto is well-blended into the noodles.

4) Serve with a few of the ‘meatballs’.  Top with parmesan cheese and eat!

WOW!  These meatballs weren’t missing the meat (TWSS…it’s been awhile!) and neither was I (tee hee).  The distinct tempeh flavor that most know and not everyone is a fan of, totally disappeared in this recipe.  With the parmesan cheese, onions, mushrooms, pesto and seasonings, these meatballs tasted just like traditional meatballs.  The only thing that was a tad different was the consistency.  I think the initial steaming of the tempeh made the ‘meat’ in the meatballs too wet and adding the canned mushrooms contributed to the wetness.  Thus, the meatballs crumbled a little too easily.  Next time, I am going to add more flax, use fresh mushrooms and not steam the tempeh.  Hopefully, the meatballs will hold their shape better.  However, the taste of this recipe more than made up for the crumbliness (a word?).  In addition, eating these meatless wonders with my ‘not-so’ noodles, made me think I was having a real Italian-inspired meal.  I would have never guessed in a million years that I was really eating soybeans in cake-like form along with more soybeans combined with some yam flour.  HA!

So, I’m still not sure why I decided to wait so long to use these grocery goodies.  It’s not that I all of the sudden have a change in heart and in taste buds.  I just seem to forget that I bought these foods.  Not good. I guess the lesson here is to be happy with what you have (or at least make use of what you have) before deciding that you need more.  This is a lesson that doesn’t have an expiration date and is something I going to try my hardest to keep fresh in my mind.

Have you ever had your ‘15 minutes’ of fame?  If so, what was it?  My sister and I were in the play, The King and I, with Yul Brynner when we were eight years old.  That was my 15 minutes.  Do you ever wish you were famous?

Namasté,
Nicole

I can remember a few (OK, it was more like a couple) years back, when I never used to cook or bake or really make anything in the kitchen at all.  Whenever it was time to go to a family gathering, I would bring flowers, wine, a dessert from the bakery or even a tray of pasta purchased from a restaurant.  While the friend or family member who was hosting the party would be grateful for whatever I would bring to their party, I always felt as though some of the party attendees would throw me some weird and crazy looks.  I think they thought it was funny (or sad) that I, a grown adult, wasn’t ashamed to admit that I didn’t cook and that I worked hard for the money I used to buy the food I brought to the party.  I often times would just brush off those looks by making a joke about having no interest in cooking and deep down inside, I would feel a bit embarrassed.

Now, I love to cook! I love finding new recipes, learning new tricks in the kitchen, trying out ingredients I’ve never used before and of course, tasting my latest creations.  And when someone now invites me over to a party, I jump at the chance to bring something.  And now, that something is homemade!

A couple months back was my brother-in-law’s welcome home party.  While my sister-in-law to be (the one throwing the party) insisted that I didn’t need to bring anything, I didn’t want to show up empty handed.  So, I began looking through my recipe collection and found one I had made previously and brought to a dinner party.  It was a hit the first time I made it, so I figured the second time around would be just as fabulous.

Potato and Sun-Dried Tomato au Gratin with Spinach and Cannellini Beans
Adapted recipe from Cooking Light

10 Servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

• 1  cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 2 ounces)
• 3 pounds of peeled baking potato, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups of chopped frozen spinach (I used a 16 oz. bag from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 cup of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 TBSP Smart Balance Light
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1/2 TSP  dried oregano
• 1/2 TSP  sea salt
• 1/2 TSP  cracked black pepper
• 2 TBSP of cornstarch
• 2 TBSP of warm water
• 2 cups of lowfat milk
• 2 cups (8 ounces) of grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 TSP of white pepper
• few sprinkles of crushed red pepper
• few dashes of cayenne pepper
• few dashes of paprika

1) Place your sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them.  Cover the bowl (I used a large plate) and let them sit for 30 minutes.  Once they have softened, pour out the water and chop the tomatoes into long strips.  Set them aside.

Before                                                                                      After

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3) Place the potato slices (make sure your slices are uniformly cut) in a large pot, and cover with water.  Bring the potatoes and water to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat.  Let the potatoes simmer for 15 minutes or until they are fork tender.  Once tender, drain your potatoes in a large colander and rinse with cold water.

4) Arrange the potato slices in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

5) Microwave or steam your frozen spinach.  Once thawed, wring out as much water as you can.  You want the spinach to be completely dry.

6) Layer the dry spinach on top of the potato slices.

7) Layer the drained and rinsed cannellini beans over the spinach and potatoes.

8 ) Melt your Smart Balance Light in a large sauce pan on medium heat.  Once melted, add your onion and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion gets tender.  Then, add your sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, sea salt and cracked black pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.  Spoon your cornstarch into a cup filled with 2 TBSP of warm water.  Mix until smooth.  Add your cornstarch mixture to your pot, stirring constantly.

9) Slowly add your milk (I added it in increments of 1/2 cup) and stir with whisk until well blended.  Take your pot off the heat.  Then, begin adding your cheese (again, using increments of 1/2 cup).  Make sure the increments of cheese have melted before adding more.

10) Once all the cheese has melted and the sauce is well blended, pour the sauce over the potatoes, spinach and beans.  Gently toss to make sure everything is covered and well integrated.

11) Sprinkle the potato mixture with white pepper, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper.  Gently toss again.  Top with paprika and bake for 20 minutes or until the dish starts getting bubbly and the potato edges begin browning.

The first time I made this dish, I followed the recipe exactly.  This time, I substituted the all-purpose flour for cornstarch, used lowfat milk versus skim milk and added frozen chopped spinach and cannellini beans.  The results were amazing! I used cornstarch because the flour never seemed to blend entirely the first time around and I used lowfat milk to give the sauce a creamier texture.  In order to ‘bulk up’ the dish and to add some protein and vegetables, I added the chopped spinach and cannellini beans.  The added ingredients also gave my dish a boost of color.  It looked like Christmas!

Not only did this dish look pretty, but it was delish! I know it wasn’t the healthiest or ‘Cooking Light-est’ recipes, but I kept in mind that this was being brought to a party for a crowd to share and not for one person to have as their entire meal.  Not only was this recipe easy to make, but it traveled well and was easy to prep when I arrived at the party.  All you have to do is heat for a bit until bubbly and hot.  And, this recipe can be assembled up to 24 hours before cooking.  The chopping/prepping of the potatoes and tomatoes (I chopped and chopped while watching Chopped – no lie!) took a little bit of time and effort, but was well worth it.  It’s a great side dish to bring to a holiday or dinner party and definitely a crowd pleaser (who doesn’t like cheesy potatoes?).  So instead of getting a jeer for bringing something store bought, you can get a cheer for bringing something deliciously divine and incredibly hot!

What’s your ‘go-to’ dish to bring when attending a party?  Do you usually bring something you’ve made in the past or do you like to test out new recipes?

Namasté,
Nicole

Back for some more New York City action, huh?  Well, I can’t blame you!  In yesterday’s post, I gave you the lowdown on our first day and night in the big city.  Boy, did we have a great time!  We checked into our lovely and fabulously located hotel, we had a quick and delicious lunch at Cranberry Café, we witnessed the grandeur that Times Square has to offer and we enjoyed a laugh-filled dinner at Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant.  But that was just the tip of the iceberg! Thank goodness, we all got our much needed beauty rest.

After getting a good night’s sleep in preparation for our Sunday celebratory festivities, we were refreshed and had a full tank of gas, just rearing to go.  With our breakfast scheduled at 9:30am, I knew we had to be up by no later than 8am to get our day started.  However, I’m not sure if it was the cool temperature in our hotel room or the fact that I was electrified by the fact that we were in the New York, but I was wide awake at 7am (that’s not a normal thing without an alarm clock for Healthy Chow).  Patrick must have been on the same sleeping pattern as me, because he was also ready to greet the day before the alarm went off.  That said, we jumped into our workout clothes and made good use of the hotel’s fitness center.

The Millennium Broadway Hotel’s fitness center was pretty impressive.  There were two separate areas to work out in: one was for weights and weight training and the other was for cardio.  The gym was clean and had multiple televisions available for use.  Other than two other people, Patrick, David and I were the only ones in the gym.  It was great! No lines and no incessant yapping from other guests.  Plus, I got to stare at the tops of the New York City buildings as I was speedwalking and working up a good lather.  With a few yoga stretches, 25 minutes of speedwalking and regular walking on the treadmill and some cool down stretching, I was completely energized.  While I got a good workout in, I probably could have pushed myself further.  But, I also didn’t want to be tired (or sore) for the rest of the day.  My quick cardio session was just enough to get my blood pumping and to do some much needed detoxification.

Wow, it looks like we both worked up a good sweat!

After quickly showering and getting dressed, we only had a few moments to spare before it was breakfast time.  And this wasn’t just any ordinary breakfast, it was a special breakfast for a special girl.  In addition, breakfast wasn’t going to be served at just any ol’ restaurant, it was being held at a place that is undeniably, a little girl’s fantasy.  For Casey’s 5th birthday party, Lisa and David planned a breakfast at none other than American Girl Place.  I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but when we arrived, I was blown away.  To be able to see all the children so giddy with excitement and joy was truly endearing.  Plus, this place was amazing and huge! There were about four or five floors filled with shopping, activities for girls and their dolls, a restaurant and more shopping.  I could not believe how popular this store was – it was filled to the brim with families and dolls! Crazy!

Our breakfast destination!

Not only did the guest of honor, Casey, have a blast at her birthday party, but we all did as well.  The staff was hospitable, friendly and prompt.  In a large restaurant with so many customers, one usually expects and receives less-than-stellar service and not-so-great food.  This was the complete opposite!  Our main server, Anthony, couldn’t have been more accommodating and polite.  Plus, the menu offered more than ‘kid friendly’ options and everyone seemed quite pleased with their selections and the quality of the food.  The decorum of the dining area was also fantastic.  I felt like a doll living in a dollhouse or at least, a big (but not that big) little girl having her dreams come true.  As the conversation flowed, the coffee flowed and the good times and laughter were continuously being rolled out much like our hot breakfast entrées.  There were even souvenirs (a hair elastic with a hot pink bow) for all the guests and fun little conversational question cards available at the table.  It’s truly a blessing to be able to spend time with your family and to be able to be in the presence of such wonderful company.  I can only imagine the greatness that both Dan and Ellen felt just watching their family interact and have such a joyous time and knowing that this all stemmed from the love they created 40 years ago.

The guest of honor with her dolls

Taylor with her Papa

Taylor with Grammy

Who’s the bigger doll?

Everyone smile for the camera and say, “Healthy Chow!”

How’s that smoothie?

The American Girl Breakfast Menu

My Breakfast: Eggs Benedict Florentine - poached eggs served with wilted spinach and English muffin topped with hollandaise sauce (I had mine on the side) and accompanied by home-style potatoes and fresh fruit

Flower Power Pancakes with Fresh Bananas and Whipped Cream – served with fresh fruit and sausage links (and some Country Breakfast Eggs)

Country Breakfast - scrambled eggs with home-style potatoes, onions, sausage and peppers topped with cheddar cheese and served with a side of avocado, salsa and sour cream

Classic French Toast – topped with warm apples and cinnamon fresh fruit kabob, served with a side of apple wood smoked bacon and maple syrup

Chocolate Mousse Flowerpot with Butterfly Cookie

The whole gang

Question: Who would you want to trade places with for one day?  Why?

Taylor’s Answer: “I pick you, Nicole, because you’re a lot of fun and you look like a teenager.  For real!”

Too much!

Once breakfast was over, the gang broke free to explore the rest of American Girl Place.  While the little ladies got their shopping on, I managed to check things out and get a lay of the land.  Holy moly, words can’t describe the magnitude of this place.  If you have an American Girl doll, this is the place to go for your doll.  There is everything and anything you could possibly want or need here for your American Girl.  I think both Taylor and Casey were more than happy with their purchases.

An hour and a half?!

The Doll Hair Salon

After getting back to the hotel to drop off our purchases, we freshened up and decided to make a trip to the Empire State Building.  While most of the group was in on visiting this tourist attraction, some decided to make good use of the amazing weather and make a visit to Central Park.  Since my MIL and I love shopping and enjoy each other’s company (we share the same sense of humor!), we decided to branch off from the group and have some mother-in-law and daughter-in-law time.  We ventured off and hit some of the nearby shops as the rest of the group made the trip to the top of the Empire State Building.  Patrick was in the Empire State Building group and thus, became the interim photographer for my blog.  He did a pretty fancy job snapping some great pics.  Thanks Patrick!

By the time all of our tours were over, it was late in the afternoon.  But with our dinner reservation at 6:30pm, we had only a few moments to rest and recharge.  But when you’re in New York, who needs to rest, right?  For our final dinner and celebration in the big city, we decided to have dinner at the Italian restaurant, Becco (thanks for the recommendation, Billy!).  Becco was about a ten minute walk from our hotel, which was key since it was about 6:15pm by the time we left.  We made it just in time and with even a few minutes to spare! While we all congregated in front of the restaurant, we decided it was the perfect time to take a group photo. Don’t you love it when you can grab a complete stranger off the street and ask them to take a picture and it actually turns out well?

What a night to remember!

Becco’s menu was incredible! There were so many delectable sounding choices and quite fairly priced for a New York City restaurant.  After much deliberating both to myself and out loud, I finally chose the Pesce Spada (grilled swordfish paired with spaghetti squash, stewed cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin seeds & pumpkin seed oil).  It was divine and certainly had its fair portion of both vegetables and fish.  Not to mention the swordfish was grilled to perfection and the stewed cherry tomatoes were deliciously sweet.  While I originally thought I had ordered ‘the best’ entrée on the menu, I soon questioned my belief after sampling some of Patrick’s Sinfonia di Paste (Becco’s renowned unlimited table side service of Becco’s Chef’s Three Daily Pasta Preparations) and David’s Costolette di Maiale alla Maniera dello Chef (brined double cut pork chop grilled, topped with figs poached in Apianae & roasted fingerling potatoes), I soon realized that there was just more than one ‘best’ entrée at Becco.  Actually, everyone was more than thoroughly pleased with both the food and the service at this restaurant.  You really could not go wrong with any item ordered off the Becco menu.  Our waitress, Anne, was a pleasure and was gracious throughout our entire meal.  And while the food was excellent, the restaurant itself was quite charming as well.  It had a rustic feel and almost felt like a North End restaurant with it’s exposed brick and close fitting dining area.

Our coat check tag and table reservation number from breakfast- both were 40, like Dan and Ellen’s anniversary!

Fresh mozzarella with roasted red peppers, toasted pine nuts & golden raisins

Fresh prosciutto

Caesar salad – very tasty but way too much dressing for my liking…

Now that’s a meatball!

Pesce Spada – Grilled swordfish paired with spaghetti squash, stewed cherry tomatoes, roasted pumpkin seeds & pumpkin seed oil

Costolette di Maiale alla Maniera dello Chef - Brined double cut pork chop grilled, topped with figs poached in Apianae & roasted fingerling potatoes

Sinfonia di Paste - Becco’s renowned unlimited table side service of Becco’s Chef’s Three Daily Pasta Preparations

Trancio di Salmone – Pan-seared salmon with braised cauliflower & extra virgin olive oil

Bistecca – Grilled Black Angus rib eye, dry-aged & rubbed with porcini mushrooms
with garlic mashed potatoes & seasonal vegetables

Of course, we had to have dessert!

Happy 40th Anniversary!

Once dinner was over, we made our way through Times Square once again to get one last look at the the city lights.  They were as bright as ever and the city was even more jammed with people than when we last saw it.  I saw a bunch of cameras and even brighter lights at the center of Times Square and people clamoring around as though there was something being filmed.  As we made our way over, I realized that it was Entertainment Tonight’s The Insider being filmed.  With my MIL, Ellen, being a huge fan of The View, as soon as I realized it was Star Jones sitting on stage, I just knew this would be one of the highlights of her trip.  Not only was Ellen excited to see Star, but she was even more thrilled to see that the guest anchor was none other than Levi Johnston! Ellen, I will have to admit, Levi was pretty cute!

Hey there!

Our trip to New York City was certainly a memorable one.  We shared as many laughs and smiles as we did bites of food and dessert.  When you’re in a special city celebrating occasions such as a wedding anniversary and a birthday with your entire family, everyone is lucky enough to receive a gift.  I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and to have been able to be a part of the New York trip.  It is sure to go down as one of my favorite family vacations.  And while we were able to see so many sights and do so many things in the city, there was one common theme that remained throughout and that was love.  Like the lights in Times Square that brighten up the sky morning, noon and night, and guide the city’s people, it is the love of family and the love between an extraordinary couple, like Dan and Ellen, that remains a constant and continues to fuel the fire of life.

What’s your favorite city you’ve ever visited?  Do you wish you could live there or would you rather keep it as a favorite vacation spot?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Happy Veterans Day to all of our troops and veterans.  Thank you for keeping us safe and for preserving our nation.***

***Thank you all for your well wishes and emails.  I’m feeling a little bit better today and thankfully, it wasn’t the flu of a pig-like nature.  I’m pretty sure it’s just the common cold.  But thank you so much for caring about Healthy Chow!***

Bet you’d never thought you’d hear those four words together, huh?  Well, I didn’t either until I decided after my previous posts on the kabocha/buttercup squash that my desire to cook more with this little blogosphere famous gourd just wasn’t satisfied yet.  And thus began my hunt for another recipe.  I saw many online for soups, purées and roasting and stuffing, which all sounded delicious, but didn’t really knock my socks off.  Finally, I stumbled upon a recipe for kabocha pie.  It looked just like a pumpkin pie (I guess it really is a pumpkin pie), but instead of it being sweet, it was savory.  I just had to give this a try.  I love quiches and pies, I love any kind of pumpkin and I love eating, so what other reason did I need to make this little yummy recipe? None.

That said, I began studying the recipe to see how I could ‘Healthy Chow-ify’ it.  When I say, ‘Healthy Chow-ify’, I mean make any substitutions that I’d prefer, do anything that would make the recipe simpler and use any ingredient that I have on hand versus having to buy new ones.  Why?  Because that’s how this girl rolls…

The kabocha pie recipe I found online called for a traditional pie crust.  Being that I’ve never made a real pie crust and those frozen ready-to-use ones sorta freak me out, I decided to make my own healthier version.  I figured since the kabocha would be pretty sturdy and not really watery/liquidy, the crust didn’t need to be too thick or ‘crusty’.  It just had to have some sort of a crunch and serve as a base for my beloved kabocha.  Sounds easy enough, right? Well, it was and it was actually one of the tastiest and easiest recipes I’ve made in quite some time.

Kabocha Tofu Zucchini Pie
Adapted from TheKitchn.com
Serves 6

For the crust:
From Bitsys Kitchen

• 1 3/4 cups of cooked brown rice (I used Lundberg’s Short Grain Brown Rice)
• 2 egg whites (or 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites)

1) Preheat the over to 350 degrees.

2) In a bowl, mix the cooked brown rice with the egg whites.  Then press the brown rice mixture into a pie plate that has been coated with cooking spray.

3) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the rice starts getting crispy at the edges.

For the filling:

• 2 lbs. of kabocha, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 4 cups)
• 1 TSP olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 TBSP of garlic, minced
• 12 oz. of  firm tofu, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 small-medium zucchini, sliced into half moon shapes
• 1 TBSP of fresh or 2 TSP of dried rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• few dashes of salt
• few dashes of white pepper
• few dashes of adobo powder
• few dashes of dried parsley
• 2 TBSP of cornstarch or arrowroot powder dissolved in 1 TBSP water (if necessary – I omitted this)
• 2 TBSP of agave nectar mixed with 1 TBSP of water (optional – I omitted this)

1) Keep the oven at 350 degrees after you’ve finished baking the crust.

2) Steam the squash until soft (about 15 minutes, you can do this while the crust is baking) and mash with a fork until you get the consistency of mashed potatoes.

3) In a large saucepan, begin heating the olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes or until the onion has softened and is translucent.

4) Add the steamed squash, tofu, zucchini, rosemary, adobo powder, dried parsley, salt, and white pepper and cook until heated through.  If you want your filling to be thicker, you can now add the dissolved arrowroot or cornstarch.

5) If you want a smoother texture for your filling, feel free to add the filling to a food processor or blender and purée.  I preferred a more rustic feel to my pie, so I left it as is.

6) Pour the filling into the pie crust.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the top of the pie starts to brown.  Optional: after 15 minutes in the oven, brush agave nectar and water mixture over the top of the pie to glaze.

7) Serve hot or warm.  But right out of the fridge isn’t so bad either!

Holy yum! This was ah.may.zing!  While this was supposed to be a savory dish, the kabocha kept this pie sweet, but definitely in a favorable way.  The tofu added some heft (and protein) to the recipe without adding any grease or an excess amount of fat.  I added the sliced zucchini because I wanted to add some vegetables to this recipe and because I thought it would taste and look good…and I was right on! However, the highlight of this dish had to be the rosemary.  While I used dried rosemary, the flavor was still quite apparent and paired ever so wonderfully with the kabocha.  It truly made the recipe!  I also used white pepper because I like the unique spice it brings to food and also because I didn’t want black specs in my pie (hey, presentation is key, right?).  The brown rice pie crust was a great complement to the kabocha tofu filling.  While a traditional pie crust would have been thicker and flakier and would have given the pie a more buttery taste, I liked the brown rice because it was heartier and gave the recipe an earthier feel.  And of course the brown rice was a healthier and lighter option.  The brown rice crust also held up quite well in the oven and didn’t break when I sliced the cooked pie.  Now that I know a brown rice crust is a great substitute for a savory pie, I can’t wait to do some more experimenting.  *Hint – look for more recipes like this on my blog in the near future

I’m so glad I decided to give another kabocha recipe a try.  This surely was a winner and came together quite easily.  The flavors from the various ingredients and seasonings played together so well and resulted in a great comfort food meal.  In addition, this pie was even better as a leftover as the flavors seemed to sink deeper into the kabocha overnight.  I almost forgot to mention that one slice was pretty filling (no pun intended) and was a nice quick dinner paired with a side salad.  Can you tell that I’m really digging this recipe?  Whenever I can find a recipe that’s healthy, inexpensive to make, delicious and unique, it’s truly a keeper. Now that’s truly a slice o’ heaven!

What’s your favorite spice or seasoning?  And how do you store your fresh herbs?  I love them but I can’t seem to use them fast enough before they go bad – any suggestions?

Namasté,
Nicole

I’m a sucker for a sale.  And this is especially the case if that sale is happening at the grocery store.  It’s like the stores know I am coming and know what to advertise or promote in order for me to buy (it’s not like it’s that difficult).  I walk in and immediately, I’m tempted by their ‘buy one, get one free’ or their ‘10 for $10′. I try to hide my eyes, but I just can’t deny it.  I want in on that sale!

A couple of weeks ago, because it was a day that ended in the letter ‘Y’, I was at the grocery store.  As I was breezing through the produce aisle (I was actually in a rush that afternoon and had only a few minutes to grab a few items), I saw one of my favorite snack foods, baby carrots.  And of course, those crunchy little orange delights had to be on sale and naturally, I had a 85% full bag just sitting in my fridge.  Immediately, I was caught in a big conundrum.  Should I buy the carrots?  If I buy one bag, I obviously have to get another since it’s free.  But then again, I know I won’t be able to eat that many baby carrots before they start getting all slimy slimerson (you know what I mean) and smelling less than good.  But then again, it’s such a good buy, how could I pass it up?  Then all of the sudden, a light bulb went off (it doesn’t happen too often, kiddies, but when it does, look out!).  I realized I could buy the carrots and keep them both in the freezer until I needed them.  I could get my great bargain and I could escape the slime factor.  Problem solved.

Image Credits – WiseGeek.com

Not so fast.  When I finally finished the 85% full bag of baby carrots that was sitting in my fridge, I dove into the freezer to find my frozen babies and then quickly tossed them into the fridge to defrost.  I’m not quite sure what I thought the carrots would be like once they thawed.  I guess I assumed (you know what that means) that they would be like the snappy mini veggies I normally bought and dipped into hummus.  To my disbelief, the usual crisp and hard baby carrots had now been reduced to a limp and lifeless mess (I’m not even going to say it…).  What was I going to do? Not only did I have one bag of orange mush, but I had two.  Not good.

Then, another light bulb went off.  Can you believe it? If I wasn’t going to eat the thawed baby carrots in their mushy state, then why not enjoy them in a ‘mushy-er’ state?  Why not mash them up so much that they no longer resemble carrots and no longer remind me of the silly goof-up I made?  That said, I salvaged my purchase and turned it into what I consider a stroke of luck.

Carrot Ginger Potato Soup
Adapted from AndreasRecipes.com
Serves 6

• 1 1/2 TBSP Smart Balance Light (feel free to use butter or your choice of buttery substitute)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup peeled grated fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (I used a heaping tablespoon of minced jarred garlic)
• 4 cups chicken stock (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Low Sodium Chicken Stock – you could use vegetable stock)
• 1/2 chicken bouillon cube (I only had one carton of TJ’s chicken stock on hand, I probably needed 2 more cups)
• 1 cup cooking wine (I used Goya Dry White Cooking Wine)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (mine were mushy, but feel free to use non-mushy)
• 3 small white potatoes, cubed
• 1 TSP cornstarch
• 2 TBSP of honey
• dashes of curry powder
• dashes of cinnamon
• dashes of nutmeg
• dashes of dried parsley
• juice of half a lemon juice
• s&p
• chopped chives for garnish (optional)
• Greek yogurt for garnish (optional, but highly recommended)

1) In a large pot, melt the Smart Balance Light on medium heat.  Once warmed, add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onion starts getting translucent and your kitchen smells unbelievable (about 5 minutes).

2) Then add the chicken stock, wine, carrots and potatoes to the pot.  Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Stir.  Add the bouillon cube.  Stir again.

3) Reduce the heat back down to medium and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and can be easily broken up with a spoon.

4) If you are lucky enough to have an immersion blender (I am not), this is the time to purée the mixture in your pot.  If you are using a regular blender, be sure to let the mixture cool down a bit first before dumping the mixture in batches into the blender (you don’t want to overfill your blender).  Blending hot items can be dangerous; take precaution! I blended my cooled down mixture in three different batches.

5) Once all of the mixture has been puréed, add it back to the pot.  Turn the heat back on to medium/medium-high and let the mixture get hot.  In a small cup, mix the corn starch in a tablespoon of warm water until well dissolved.  Add the corn starch mixture to the pot.  Stir the mixture.

6) Add the curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper to the pot and season to taste.  Give it a good stir.  Then add your honey and lemon juice and give your soup a thorough stirring as it heats up.

7) Once hot, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish (if you wish) with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of dried parsley or chives.   Voilà!  Soup’s on!

Not only did my kitchen smell heavenly with the scent of warmed onion, ginger and garlic, but my belly was pretty much on cloud nine, too.  Not only is this quite the hefty soup (it’s actually more like babyfood consistency), but the curry, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon warmed me from the inside out.  And while a cup of a regular broth-like soup would not normally fill up Healthy Chow, this one kept me from raiding the kitchen cupboards for at least three hours.  The Greek yogurt may have also helped to fill the usual insatiable hole that is my stomach.  I also like being able to swirl the yogurt into my soup.  The color of the stark white Greekness against the vibrant orange of the carrot was like having art in my bowl.  And the sprinkling of the green parsley just made me want to take pictures (hey wait, I always take pictures of my food ).

I was so pleased with this recipe.  It was easy to make, I pretty much had all the ingredients on hand and I managed to save my carrots on clearance from going into the trash.  Ahhh, what’s there to complain about?  When life hands you lemons, you need to make lemonade.  And when your weakness for produce bargains hands you mushy carrots, make carrot soup!

Are you a sucker like me for bargains?  What’s your favorite thing to stockpile?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Awesome Giveaway Alert! – Shannon at Tri to Cook is celebrating her blogiversary by giving away a Cuisinart ice cream maker!  If you’re interested, go to Shannon’s blog for further details…***

***It’s week two of Project Feed Me!  Please go to Natalie’s blog to see what to buy for this week.  And if you haven’t signed-up yet, you can still do so by going here.  And if you want to see how photogenic canned chili can be, please go here.***

I have so many apples in my house and have eaten so many apples that I think I’m going bananas (hehehe – sorry, I couldn’t resist that one).  Remember my adventure at the apple farm?  Well, I’m a complete slacker! Just check out Lauren’s amazing apple creations here, here, here and here, as well as Shannon’s sweet and savory apple pie.  Those fab ladies are making great use of their fresh crop and me?  Not so much.

Well, to be honest with you, I had all these recipes containing apples lined up and ready to go but for some reason, I just can’t seem to execute! I want to make something hot, cinnamon-y, nutmeg-y and buttery, but I keep coming up short (I am only 5′1!).  Maybe it’s just that I want to save my apples for the ‘ultimate’ recipe.  But just what is the ultimate recipe?  After all, I have about 6-8 recipes bookmarked and I keep finding more every time I surf online, which is pretty much 50% of my day.  Perhaps I’m just afraid my apple cooking/baking won’t live up to my expectations? Or maybe I’m just lazy (Hey! Nobody’s perfect!)?  Whichever the case may be, I decided to finally bite the bullet (or apple) this past Saturday and whip out an apple dish that I just conjured up in my head.  And if I don’t say so myself, it came out pretty dang good!

Apple, Sausage & Broccoli Frittata

Serves 6-8

• 5 eggs (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Cage Free eggs, large sized)
• 2 egg whites (I used 1/3 of a cup of carton egg whites)
• 1/4 cup of reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of nonfat cottage cheese
• 2 roasted garlic chicken sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces ( I used Trader Joe’s brand, feel free to use any flavor)
• 1 small-medium apple, skin on (any kind, I used McIntosh), chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of lowfat milk
• few dashes of adobo powder
• few dashes of dried rosemary
• few dashes of dried parsley
• few dashes of garlic powder
• s&p

The members of the cast

Easily the star of the show…

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Crack eggs into a mixing bowl, add egg whites, milk, adobo powder, parsley, salt and pepper.  Then add the cheddar cheese and the cottage cheese.  Mix with fork to get everything well-blended but be careful to not over mix.  Set aside.

All in the mix…

Eggy…

2) Coat a medium-sized frying pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Heat on medium-high.  Add the onions and apples to the frying pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions and apples begin to soften.

Apples + onions sitting in a tree…

3) Add the broccoli and sausage to the frying pan.  Then add the rosemary and garlic powder.  Cook for another 5 minutes until the sausage has browned and everything has been well-blended.

Everyone get in!

4) Pour the apple and sausage mixture into a greased (I used cooking spray) 11 x 7 baking dish.

All warm and toasty…

5) Then pour the egg mixture over the apple and sausage mixture.

Getting a nice soak…

6) Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges turn crispy and brown and the eggs are firm to the touch.

7) Serve immediately and enjoy!

This was the ‘ultimate’ brunch dish this weekend.  It was fast and easy (NOT like me ) and tasted wonderful.  I chose the roasted garlic flavored chicken sausage over the apple flavored chicken sausage because I didn’t want the apple flavoring in the frittata to be overpowering.  It was perfect! There was just enough sweetness from the McIntosh apple to take on the savory from the sausage, cheddar and seasoned eggs.  The soft pillows of melted cottage cheese gave the dish a richer taste and texture, without having to add too many extra calories or fat.  I also really enjoyed the dried rosemary against the eggs and chicken sausage; it certainly kicked up the taste of the frittata.

While most recipes I have seen online for frittatas use only whole eggs, I decided to reduce the amount and substitute with a couple of egg whites.  While the number of whole eggs were cut down, the taste definitely was not.  In fact, the egg whites gave the frittata a ‘lighter’ and ‘airier’ texture.  Plus, there wasn’t a whole lot of grease and you didn’t feel as if there was a brick sitting at the bottom of your stomach once you were done eating.  Also, the apple pieces seemed to freshen up the dish and eliminate the heavy taste that one often gets with eggs.

The sole drawback to this dish was that I only used one apple.  I really wish I could have added another, but one was plenty.  While my first instinct was to make a sweet recipe with my apple crop, I decided to mix it up a bit by seeing if I could incorporate the fruit into a savory dish.  It was the perfect combination! Patrick seemed to agree as he had about 2.5 pieces that early afternoon.  He said my frittata tasted so good, it didn’t even need ketchup! Now that’s saying a lot! I guess that’s why he’s the apple of my eye…

This picture was taken inside my homemade lightbox…

And this picture was taken by the window…
Which one do you like better?

What is your favorite dish to make for brunch?

Namasté,
Nicole

Are there any foods out there that you’ve seen thousands of times and have considered trying millions of times and yet still have not eaten?  Well, there are many foods that fit that description in my life but one in particular is falafel.  I know, I know!  Can you believe it?  Up until the beginning of this year, I had never had falafel.  It’s not as if it doesn’t sound appealing to me or as if I don’t ever go to Middle Eastern or Greek restaurants.  For some reason, when I am having Greek cuisine, I tend to lean towards the salad with grilled chicken or the rotisserie chicken with the hot sides (I don’t know why, but that term always cracks me up!).  I think I order the grilled or rotisserie chicken because it usually is accompanied by vegetables and/or a salad.  For years, all I ever ordered was grilled chicken with a salad because to me, that was what I considered ‘healthy’.  Don’t get me wrong; I know that it is healthy.  However, after many moons of ordering ‘the usual’, I would end up feeling unsatisfied after my meal was finished.  I would start picking at Patrick’s plate and wishing that I ordered something a little more fun or just something different from poultry and leafy greens.

About a week or so ago, while trying to figure out what we wanted to eat, we ended up driving right outside the Boston area.  You see, for Patrick and me, it’s seldom that we have an actual specific place in mind at which to dine.  We usually end up driving around until one of us shouts out the name of a place the other agrees to, or we end up just going to one of our favorites.  That afternoon, we decided to pay a visit to one of our favorites.

Esperia Grill is a Greek restaurant located in Brighton, MA.  It’s owned and operated by a lovely family and that’s just the feeling you get when you’re dining at Esperia Grill – family.  Tim manages the restaurant and does everything from take food orders, prepare the take-out/delivery meals, clean tables, walk the entrées from the kitchen to the tables and of course, schmooze with the guests.  Tim’s wife, Georgia, is the head chef and can also be seen making everything from the fresh Greek salads to the delectable moussaka.  When you walk into the restaurant, you are immediately greeted by either Tim, or one of his sons and the wafting smells from the meat roasting on the tall vertical spit.  Esperia Grill is a place where when you walk up to the counter to order your meal, you immediately start second guessing yourself because everything looks and sounds so wonderful.

Instead of ordering my usual, I decided to mix it up and order something a bit uncharacteristic for Healthy Chow.  When I was dining at another Greek restaurant earlier in the summer, I had tried the falafel and was impressed by just how tasty and filling this vegetarian dish could be.  After seeing the fresh components for pretty much all of the meals housed in the hot and cold cases at the front of the restaurant, my mind was made-up and the deal was sealed.  I just had to try the falafel wrap (plus, it even said so on the chalk board!).

There are about 12-15 tables at Esperia where guests are able to seat themselves.  Once your food is ready, it is brought over to you by Tim or one of the friendly servers.  Usually at restaurants where you don’t have a designated waiter/waitress, in my experience, the tables are usually left a bit dirty and the dining area itself is a bit unkempt.  However, at Esperia Grill, you could literally eat off of the floor (not that I would have, but I was pretty hungry).  The tables are constantly being maintained and the guests are constantly being catered to.  Plus, the atmosphere is quite eye catching.  The restaurant is well lit and has some unique decorum that will keep you interested until your meal arrives (which is not very long).

My falafel wrap was fala-nomenal (hehehe)!  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but from my previous experiences there, it was sure to not disappoint.  And, I was far from being disappointed!  Just check out those sexy grill marks on my wrap:

Talk about being hot off the press!  My wrap was filled with a thick and creamy garlicky hummus and falafel so rich in flavor, that I wouldn’t even be able to begin to guess what was contained in it.  I’m assuming it was the usual ground chickpeas, breadcrumbs and garlic but everything else I can only conclude as being ‘magic’.  The actual wrap was soft and thin and was the perfect vehicle for my Greek deliciousness.  I really wanted to save the other half for my lunch the next day, but I just could not stop myself.  I savored every last bite!

Patrick ordered the gyro on pita and while his looked as equally as divine as mine, my fork never wandered over to his plate.  I was so completely happy with my meal, that I never once wished I had ordered something else or longed for more food.  I guess it goes to show that when you order something you want versus something ‘you think you should order’, you end up being more fulfilled and simply more full.

I’m so glad that I ventured from my norm and ordered the falafel wrap.  It was such a fantastic treat for me and while it was rich and indulgent, it was exactly what my body wanted that day.  And when you listen to your body and allow it to speak, instead of always letting your mind get the first word, you might just learn something.  I certainly did that night at dinner and to that, I say “opa!”

Random question: Do you ever crave something sweet to eat after having a meal that is loaded with onions?

Namasté,
Nicole

If you go to stores like Walmart or Target or Bed Bath and Beyond right now, I’m sure the back-to-school aisle(s) are still filled to the brim with shoppers with their inventory quickly diminishing, if not gone.  If you go to any clothing store at the mall, you’ll see the bikini and tank top racks have now been replaced with long-sleeved button down shirts, khaki pants and other ‘transition wear’.  And if you go to stores like Staples or OfficeMax, people are still rummaging around trying to find their school supplies like pens, calculators, notebooks and Trapper Keepers (oh wait, do they even make those anymore?  Maybe I just like reminiscing…).  In other words, fall is on its way in and summer is on its way out…

Image Credits – ladybugbkt

If you live in the New England area like me, you know that there’s a definite crisp in the air.  While it’s still warm out (especially today in Boston) and technically, it is still summer, we all know the tide is turning.  That said, I know my cravings for cool foods like juicy watermelon, grilled corn on the cob and icy cold sorbets have pretty much ended and my cravings for hot chocolate, hearty casseroles and chunky stews are slowly beginning.  Similar to the long-sleeved button shirts and khaki pants that clothing stores are using to transition to our next season, I’m making my transition by merging my foods.  Just like I’m not wiling to give up my flip flops and t-shirts just yet, I’m still also holding onto my summer produce.  But, with an autumnal twist.

What better way to transition to fall than with a warm whole wheat pasta dish infused with the light flavors of yellow squash, zucchini, lemony thyme and creamy goat cheese? Healthy Chow says, “right on, sistah!”

Say ‘Farewell to Summer’ Zucchini and Yellow Squash Pasta

Serves 4

• 1 medium sized zucchini, cut into half moon shapes
• 1 medium sized yellow squash, cut into half moon shapes
• 3 cups of whole wheat pasta (I used Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Rotini)
• 1/3 cup of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I used canned)
• couple handfuls of baby spinach
• 1/3 cup of chopped onion
• 2 TSP of chopped garlic
• few shakes of dried thyme (fresh would be even better here)
• 1 1/2 TBSP of fresh lemon juice
• 1.6 oz. of goat cheese (I used Trader Joe’s brand, about a 1/3 of the 5 oz. tube)
• olive oil (enough to brown the garlic and onion)
• s&p
• chopped walnuts for garnish (chopped almonds or toasted pine nuts would be swell as well)
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1)While your pasta is cooking (make sure to cook it al dente, you don’t want it to end up mushy) in a large pot, sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil (I used a little less than a tablespoon) on medium/medium-low heat in a medium sized sauté pan.  This should take a few minutes.  Be careful that your garlic does not start to burn.

2) When your onions start getting soft and translucent, it’s time to add your zucchini and yellow squash.  Stir and let that cook together for a few minutes and then add your salt, pepper, dried thyme (or fresh) and lemon juice.  Don’t let your veggies get overcooked – you want them softened, but still a little crisp.

3) When pasta is done cooking (al dente), drain, rinse and reserve about a cup of the pasta water (Healthy Chow must have been daydreaming because once the pasta was completely drained, she remembered the water – rats!)

4) Put the pasta back into the pot and turn the heat onto low.  Add your goat cheese (you might want to break it up into little pieces with your hands before throwing it into the warm pasta.  Let the heat from the pasta start to melt the goat cheese.  Mix together the goat cheese and pasta.  If your pasta looks a bit stiff or dry, add some of the reserved pasta water (do it in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time).

5) Once you’ve mixed around the pasta and the goat cheese and it has a creamy consistency, add the veggies to the pot.  If your pasta/veggie mixture is dry again, add some more of the reserved pasta water (in the same increments as previously mentioned).  Stir that all together until well blended.

6) Then, add your baby spinach to the pot and gently mix until your baby spinach begins to wilt.

7) Finally, add your cannellini beans and gently mix in (you don’t want to mash your beans).

8 ) Plate your dish and sprinkle with chopped walnuts (or your nut of choice) and crushed red pepper, if desired.  Serve immediately.

There you have it!  You now have a dish that can successfully transition you into fall, without completely letting go of summer.  The crisp summer vegetables can remind you of the hot weather we enjoyed (briefly, if you live in New England), which are highlighted by the buttery goodness of the cannellini beans and the silky goat cheese.  Coupled with the comfort of a whole wheat pasta, this pasta dish can prep you for the chill in the air that’s headed our way.  This recipe is simple and is ready in no time.  So give it a try and if you like it, you can file it in your Trapper Keeper.

Are you looking forward to fall?  What’s your favorite food/recipe to make in the fall?

Namasté,
Nicole

BTW, if you attended the Healthy Living Summit, check out SillyTaterTot.com.  Katy added a page that lists the blogs of all the attendees.  What a great idea!  Thanks Katy!

People always ask me what it’s like to have a twin sister.  They want to know if I like being a twin.  My answer has never been simple.  I actually don’t know what to say since my twin sister is the only sibling that I have and thus, it’s all that I know.  When people used to ask me this question when I was a little kid, my answer would depend on how I was feeling about my sister at the moment.  Being that we were our parents’ only children, shared a room and did every activity together, we had a tendency to fight with each other.  They were never serious arguments.  Just your usual, “shut your mouth”, “you’re dumb”, “I hate you”, and “stop looking at me”.  It was all silly kid stuff.  We were each other’s best friend but also each other’s worst enemy.

Now that Michelle and I are mature adults (ok, that one can be debated), we no longer bicker (as much).  Because I no longer live with my sister and see her on a daily basis, I look forward to the time we spend together.  She’s really the only person that knows exactly what I’m thinking before I can even utter a word.  And I know what her mood is going to be just by listening to her walk.  We can spend hours chatting over coffee about absolutely nothing.  No matter if I saw her an hour ago or a month ago, we still manage to talk to one another as if we were just reunited after a 50 year hiatus.

So when it was our birthday earlier this week, we decided obviously to spend it together.  We didn’t have any particularly special plans or elaborate reservations made.  We just wanted to spend the day together – the only way we know how to be and the only way we, as twins, know how to celebrate our special day.

At noon, Michelle and I met to get pedicures at a local nail salon.  We both were overdue for a good soak, scrub, cut and paint so this was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.  Because it was midday on a Tuesday, the salon was empty so the nail technicians were eager to wait on us and have something to do.  After studying the many wheels of Essie and OPI nail polish, I finally selected Marabou.  I wanted something light and feminine and not too ‘pink’ so this was the perfect shade.  Michelle opted for a light shade as well but wanted something a little more purple.  She chose Violin.  We both giggled at the names and giggled even harder when they scraped the bottoms of our feet (goodness, that is such a weird and ticklish feeling at the same time…TWSS)!

After our pedis, we were famished and decided on Thai for our birthday lunch.  Tantawan in Watertown is a cute little spot that has great prices with friendly and quick service.  We were immediately served glasses of iced water as we studied the menu.  We finally decided to split two lunch entrées: the yellow curry with chicken and the pad-si-ew with beef.  As a complimentary appetizer, we were both served a small cup of vegetable broth soup that had bits of string bean, carrot and baby corn.  It was a good way to settle my growling stomach.  Our entrées were pretty tasty and did the trick.  I wouldn’t say it’s exceptional Thai cuisine but it suited our taste buds just fine.

Free soup

Birthday lunch

Yellow curry with chicken, onion, pineapple, potato, green pepper and carrot – creamy & coconutty!

Pad-si-ew with beef, wide noodles, broccoli, carrot, celery & bits of egg

Healthy Chow’s healthy portion…she was hungry!

After lunch, we headed over to the mall and did a little bit of shopping.  Michelle bought a few summer tops while I opted for a new handbag.  The Chow sisters like to eat but they LOVE to shop!  By this point in the afternoon, we both need a little boost so we decided that iced coffees were a necessity.  They were refreshing and the perfect way to end our birthday afternoon together.  It was a simple, fun and relaxing day.  I’m so glad that Michelle was able to take the day off from work and spend the day with me.  We really do enjoy each other’s company and it’s the best birthday gift I could ask for – any year of my life.

It’s like looking in a mirror…

hugs

Thank you, Michelle!  Thank you for always being there for me.  I love being your twin.

What’s your fondest memory of your sibling?

Namasté,
Nicole