Tenderloin Medallions Marsala with Mashed Cauliflower

 

 

 

This is a lighter version of a classic "comfort food" dish.

Ingredients: 

Pork Tenderlion

 Cauliflower

Salt and pepper

Fresh garlic paste

2 tablespoon’s butter

Marsala sauce:

½ cup Marsala wine

Shallots

1/3 cup tomato paste

Dash of cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

Boil cauliflower whole in a large pot on the stove top.  It should be tender and ready for mashing within 15 minsutes or so.  Drain and remove hard stems.  Add in butter and spices and mash with potato masher until smooth.  Rub tenderloin with a salt and pepper and cut into 1 inch thick medallions. Stove top- Cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side of the meat.   Make sure you do not overcook the pork.  Remove from pan, then add in your shallots with a little bit of olive oil.  Sautee one minute and then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil to reduce.

Tip:  For a more gourmet looking presentation, fill a large soup ladle with mashed cauliflower and plate.  Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig.

Cashew Chicken

I grabbed a green pepper and some green onions from my little garden for this recipe.  It's the first time I've ever grown vegetables and nothing beats fresh veggies.  When I order Chinese I always pick the Chicken with Cashew Nuts so I thought I'd try to make my own.  I substituted the celery for crunchy pieces of carrots, and shallots in place of white onions.  I marinated the chicken after pounding, trimming and cutting. 

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenderloins

1 green bell pepper

unsalted cashews (about 1 cup or more)

green onions

1 shallot

baby carrots (chopped)

Marinade for chicken:

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon sriracha-gives it a little kick

1 teaspoon  garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

Over med-high heat saute chicken in peanut oil  for about 5 minutes or until you don't see any pink.

Remove from pan.  Add another drizzle of peanut oil and saute veggies for about 2 minutes.  Put your chicken back in the pan and pour in remaining sauce from your marinade as well as the cashews.  Continue to cook for 3 more minutes and set aside to cool.



Creamy Chicken and Quinoa Bake

Quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor.  I have used a box of it that was mixed with brown rice and seasoned with garlic and rosemary.  I made a crust on the bottom of my pan first with a mixture of panko and Italian breadcrumbs.  Spray the bottom of the skillet and then add the breadcrumbs for baking.  I bake the crust alone first in my cast iron skillet for 3- 5 minutes until golden brown.  Follow instructions on Brown Rice and Quinoa box and then cook the chicken(ground) while waiting for Quinoa.  I cooked my chicken on the stove top until brown and then drained the remaining juices.  Stir in cooked rice and Quinoa into the ground chicken and add 2 tablespoons mayo, a dash of cayenne pepper and a splash of white wine.  Mix well and pour over crust.  Top with Swiss cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

 

Let stand for 5 minutes and serve. 

 

Summer Salad with Candied Hazelnuts

This is another recipe containing my new favorite snack, Green Snap Peas.  This time I've used them in a salad which is what they were intended for. 

Ingredients:

Romain Lettuce


Dried Blueberries


1 Shallot-diced


Balsamic dressing


Candied Hazelnuts-(I roasted mine in the oven with brown sugar and butter for 4 minutes)


Green Snap Pea Crisps


salt and pepper to taste

Egg, Cheese and Pickle Pressed Panini's

Thank goodness for Pinterest!  I reached into the very back of my cabinet the other day and caught a glimpse of my waffle iron.  I think I've only used it once in the 4 years I've had it.  I'm not too big on making fresh waffles so I thought I'd see if there were other foods to make on a waffle iron.  I have a whole section on Pinterist now dedicated to foods on the waffle iron.  The best thing about not making waffles on the waffle iron is the clean-up.  No more gooey batter spilling out and no mess to clean.

Spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and turn up to med-high heat.  Butter or spray the outside of the bread that will be directly on the heat.  I used egg white, swiss and pickles in my panini, but you could put just about anything on it.  When the bread is slightly brown and crisp, remove and serve. 

Tuna Noodle Fake Out Casserole

 

 

 

 

This is a skinny version of an old classic. It's still rich in flavor but much easier on the hips! This was my mom's quick go-to meal when I was growing up.  I  have often have it's ingredients on hand in my pantry, but I try to stay away from high calorie pasta's.   My "skinny" version replaces the carbs and and the cream without ditching that "comfort food" taste. 


Ingredients: 

2 packages of Tofu Shirataki Noodles  (rinsed and patted dry or microwaved)

1 cup green peas

1/3 cup mayo

4 Slices of Golden Swiss (I got the lactose free kind for my hubby)

1/2 cup (crushed) green pea snap chips

salt and pepper

dash of cayenne pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all ingredients except the snap pea chips and swiss in a bowl or the casserole dish your using.   Top with swiss, then crushed chips.  This week I've been experimenting with "Green Snap Pea Chips.  I just can't get enough and I'm trying them out wherever I see fit.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Artichoke Hearts

 Ingredients:

Brussel Sprouts

Dried cherries

Chopped hazelnuts

Artichoke hearts

Salt, pepper and olive oil to taste

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.