Beef & Peach Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

There were several days this week where the weather was just spectacular... 80 degree days, bright clear crisp blue skies that make the sprawling green lawns and budding trees look even greener. AHHHH it was just heavenly, and Spring Fever really kicked into high gear for me. Tis the season where I start "jonesin" for summer salads.

This salad was mentioned by one of my favorite new blogs, The Nutritionista. It is a recipe from Real Simple, and it was obscenely good. So good in fact, that my friend and I devoured it like wild animals. I can't wait to make it again!

I made a few adjustments of my own. It calls for watercress, which I love... but couldn't find the day I made it. So I used bibb lettuce and I also used flank steak instead of Roast Beef (it is leaner and I actually enjoy it more).

Ingredients-

makes 4-6 servings

2 bunches of watercress, thick stems removed (or any type of lettuce you love)

2 cucumbers, roughly chopped

4 ripe peaches, cut into wedges

1 lb of flank steak- grilled to your liking and cubed

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 tsp sugar

kosher salt and pepper

1 small close garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp finely grated ginger

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large shallots

- In a large bowl combine watercress, cucumbers, peaches and beef.

- Pour lime juice into a small bowl and whisk in the sugar & 1/2 tsp salt until dissolved. Add garlic, ginger and 1/4 tsp pepper. Slowly add oil in a steady stream whisking constantly until emulsified. Stir in Shallots.

-Transfer the salad to serving bowl or platter and drizzle vinaigrette over the top.

Mushroom Almond Burgers

I stumbled upon this recipe in my trusty ole files, and not only did I have a wave of nostalgia, but my stomach actually growled. This is one of my all time favorite recipes! Originally written by a dear family friend. I have very fond memories of dinners at my friends house, during high school and her mom introducing me to my first homemade "veggie burger". I made a number of changes to make it a tad healthier & also out of my need to get more fiber full grains into my gluten free diet. (That is a tough one, but Quinoa is a great one that fits that bill... it is rich in protein and fiber! ) This is a fabulous recipe, uber healthy and light. They even freeze well too... :)

Almond, Mushroom Burgers -

*Adapted from Stephanie's Almond Burger recipe

-makes 10 medium size patties

3 cups cooked Quinoa

2 cups ground almonds

1/4 cup egg beaters

2 tbsp soy sauce

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup grated, low fat- skim mozzarella

1/2 cup rolled oats or instant oatmeal

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup pealed and chopped zucchini

fresh parsley, chopped (I used Basil as it was what I had on hand)

ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine cooked quinoa, mushrooms, zucchini, basil and almonds. In a blender or food processor, separately process egg, soy sauce, onion, cheese, oats and pepper. Pour blended mixture over quinoa mix. Shape mixture into patties, and cooked in skillet over medium heat until brown, about 5 minutes per side. (can be cooked in Pam or small amount of olive oil.)

Shepherd's Pie

My brother and sister in law just had their 3rd baby a few weeks ago... she is just too cute for words, I managed to still some time with her today and holding her was just heaven! Before her birth, my sister in law asked me to make a meal for them to freeze and have on hand. She sent a few recipes my way and requested the Shepherd's Pie. I have not had it before, really wasn't all to sure how it would turn out... and to be honest I was sort of expecting it to be um ..whats the word, oh yea...it is... um yuk. So when I made it yesterday for them, I was sure to save myself a portion to have for dinner tonight. I am now kicking myself that I didn't save more! It was absolutely fabulous... I will, without question, be whipping this one up again.

Shepherd's Pie-

1 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, quartered and rinsed
1/2 c. reserved cooking water from potatoes or milk
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Ground white pepper
*****
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. carrot, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. beef or vegetable stock
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. rosemary, crushed
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
1/2. c frozen peas
2 tbsp butter

Put potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender. Drain and mash, then add 1/2 cup reserved cooking water or milk, butter, and salt and pepper to taste and stir/mash until smooth. (I imagine you could also use store-bought mashed potatoes instead of making your own.)
While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until softened. Add meat, cook until thoroughly done. Add flour; cook 2-3 minutes. Add stock, spices and peas. Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Place meat mixture in 9-in pie plate or 8 x 8 baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top. Cut the 2 T. of butter into small pieces and scatter across the top. Cover and freeze.
Take out of freezer and thaw in refrigerator 24-36 hours before you plan to eat. Preheat the over to 400. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Gluten-free adaption: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of regular flour.
Dairy-free adaption: Use cooking water or unsweetened soy milk for potatoes. Use non-dairy butter in place of regular butter.

Chili and 17 degree weather...

Ahhhh winter has reared it's ugly head, in Denver today, with a high of 17 degrees! Brrrrrrrr.. (Last week we were so spoiled with 60 degree weather, and I loved it!) So it seemed like a perfect day for chili! I am not sure who I originally got the recipe from...I think my cousin Kara or my sister in law, but regardless I believe it is a weight watchers recipe. It is super simple, hearty and just the right amount of spice. It is great straight off the stove, and freezes well. :) I topped mine off with a few crumbles of white cheddar. It was the perfect way to end a very wintery day. 

Chili

3 14oz cans of crushed tomatoes

4 tbsp of olive oil

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 red pepper

1 red onion

3/4 lb of lean ground beef ( or turkey)

1 tbsp flour (I used GF flour)

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp cocoa

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3/4 of can of chic peas (I left these out... just wasn't feeling them tonight)

Brown meat in skillet. Chop onion & peppers. Add olive oil to large pot, heat up and add onions. Cook till softened and translucent. Add peppers,  cook until soft. Add tomatoes, beef, spices, flour, and vinegar. Stir till well mixed and bring to boil, cover and turn to simmer for 45 minutes. Enjoy. :)

Turkey-Veggie Meatballs

It is that time of year where I start to crave comfort food. Unfortunately, there is that annoying part of my brain that is still determined to TRY to keep it light and healthy. Hmph.. (I wish she would just keep quiet some days. I am kidding..well sorta ;) ) At any rate, I had some ground turkey in my fridge that needed to be used. I went to my trusty friend Cooking Light , and the Turkey-Veggie Meatball recipe popped up. It had very good reviews, but a few said that they were a bit dry. So I switched up the recipe a bit... and they were just terrific. (they freeze well too) * My photos aren't my favorite, please forgive the raw meat one.. but i wanted to show what they looked like.Turkey Veggie Meatballs -
makes 30 -serving size 5

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I used Gluten Free Breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded skim/low fat mozzarella
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup coarsely shredded carrot
1/4 cup coarsely shredded zucchini
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 c. egg substitute
1 tbsp minced garlic
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into 30 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until done.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 228 (29% from fat) Fat: 7.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 1.8g,poly 1.4g) Protein: 30.3g Carbohydrate: 8.5g Fiber: 0.8g Cholesterol: 71mg Iron: 2.5mg Sodium: 399mg Calcium: 166mg

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry

This was a great little recipe I tried last night from Cooking Light. It was very simple, quick to make... I halved the recipe and served it over 1/4 cup of rice. It was incredibly tasty and definitely will be repeated. Also loved the calorie count... 220 calories per serving??? Hooray! *Cooking Light also suggests that this could be used with chicken or steak, too. Shrimp & Broccoli Stir Fry - Cooking Light Jan. 2008
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
* 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil ( I used regular sesame oil, as it was what I had on hand)
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
* 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
* 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups small broccoli florets
* 1 cup vertically sliced onion

Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add shrimp to pan, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan. Add broccoli and onion to pan; stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture and broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Nutritional Information
Calories:v 220 (27% from fat) Fat: 6.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.9g) Protein: 26.2g Carbohydrate: 11.8g Fiber: 2.8g
Cholesterol: 172mg Iron: 3.6mg Sodium: 577mg Calcium: 105mg