Broiled Scallops with Miso Stuffing

April is going to be an amazing month. I'll be dining not only in NYC and NOLA, but also at some of my favorite places in DC. So needless to say, consumption will be at a high, so in times like these, I find it important to eat as healthy as possible when cooking at home. Last weekend, Easter would bring a healthy dose (read: large) of chocolate as well as sugary and salty dishes shared with friends. Don't get me wrong, I love all of those things, but this weekend was the first of many where I wanted to try some lighter meals at home.

We had some Miso that we wanted to use and found this great recipe in "How To Cook Everything." We served these scallops on a bed of greens with an Asian dressing. A wonderfully light meal and very easy to make!

Broiled Scallops with Miso Stuffing (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops
• 1/3 cup plus 1 TB peanut oil.
• 1/2 cup white or yellow miso
• 2 TB mirin
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Chives

Directions:

Make a paste by combining the miso, mirin and light sprinkling of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and the peanut oil.

Make a deep horizontal slit in the side of each scallop, but don't cut all the way through. Fill each scallop with 1/2 teaspoon of the miso mixture, and close. Pour the remaining oil onto a plate or pan and turn the scallops in it. Let them sit while you heat a broiler until very hot (500 degrees) and put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source.

Put the scallops under the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes per side. Serve immediately, adding a little dollop of the miso paste/oil to the top if desired. We also added some chopped chives.

Artichoke and Spinach Orzo

Spring is just around the corner. I can feel it. The tourists are flocking to DC in droves, crowding our metro platforms and asking asinine questions like "what is there to do on the Mall?" or "wait...I thought I was going to a Mall...where are the stores?" Seriously...I've had to answer these questions multiple times over my years working near the Smithsonians.

But it's not just the tourists! My allergies have started to become a daily annoyance. My pale legs are blinding everyone around me as it's becoming warm enough to go without tights. And then there there is the inevitable shedding of the winter comforts...big sweaters and for most, the move from filling your belly with amazing amounts of winter comfort food to opting for lighter fare that won't put you into a food coma once the humidity arrives. Plus there is outdoor dining to look forward to. Who doesn't love a good beer garden?

I find that vegetarian side dishes with a little bit of carbs are my typical "go-tos" during this time of year. Orzo and/or couscous provide a great base. I tried this recipe recently, which is from a post back in 2013 on my friend Nick's blog (www.macheesmo.com). This was a great side dish with fish, and I think it would also go well with other Mediterranean-flavored main courses.

Artichoke and Spinach Orzo (serves 4-6 as side dish)

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. orzo pasta, cooked and rinsed
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 bunch spinach, washed well
• 6 oz. marinated artichokes, drained
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), diced
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 cup grated pecorino cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook orzo according to package instructions. Once cooking is completed, be sure to drain it and rinse quickly with cold water to stop the cooking.

In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and the red onion and cook over medium-high heat for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until onion softens. Then add a pinch of salt.

Add artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. 

Add washed spinach to the skillet, along with 2-3 TB of water to help the spinach steam. Add more water if needed. Cook until spinach is wilted, just a minute or two.

Stir in orzo and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.  This salad is good both warm or cold, with grated cheese. Because cheese.

Tempeh Spring Rolls

As I posted earlier this month about the wonder that is prime football watching food for the Super Bowl, I was actually making something quite different for the Super Bowl Party I attended. It was requested that I bring a healthier side dish to offset all the chili, wing dip, and cookies you could imagine (and believe me, they were all amazing). After attending a party last summer where my friend Scott deftly made these healthy little bundles of goodness, I figured it was time for me to not only work with tempeh for the first time, but to also make my first spring roll. These were not that difficult to make, and I got the hand of wrapping them pretty quickly.

Were they the prettiest spring rolls ever made? Probably not, but they were tasty! This recipe is courtesy of my buddy Nick's awesome blog, http://www.macheesmo.com.

Tempeh Spring Rolls (makes 8-10 spring rolls)

Ingredients:

• 1 8 ounce block of tempeh
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1 cucumber, sliced thin
• Bean sprouts
• Pea shoots (I couldn't find any so I used watercress)
• Spring roll wrappers 

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Sriracha sauce, to taste
• Sesame oil, to taste
  

Directions:

Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha and toss in tempeh block. Cover and shake well to coat tempeh. Let rest for 15-20 minutes to marinate.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Remove tempeh and sear on both sides for 4-5 minutes per side.

Remove tempeh and slice thin. Also grate carrots and slice cucumbers into sticks.

To make a spring roll, put some warm water in a large plate. Take one rice paper wrapper and submerge it in the water. Let it sit for 5 seconds. It should be flexible but not soggy.

Move wrapper to a clean surface. Add a few tempeh slices and veggies to the middle of the wrapper. You can fill them pretty big.

Roll wrapper up, pulling on the wrapper as you roll to keep it nice and tight.

Slice each roll in half and repeat until you use all your tempeh or veggies.

Serve with dipping sauce!

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

It started with a sniffle, and then manifested into something far worse...a complete loss of voice. This is what I experienced over the holidays and I'm just now starting to feel more like myself.

From what I hear in the hallways  at work and amongst others in the area, this nasty bug has been hitting everybody. When you're sick, you often crave comfort food. For some people, that is the types of foods mom would make you when you were sick as a child. Peanut butter toast or grilled cheese were my go-tos. Nowadays, I tend to gravitate more to the exotic and I like to think that spicy food will cure what ails me most of the time. Unfortunately, when I was told I had a mild form of laryngitis, I was advised to avoid spicy foods and to focus on hot liquids and soups to nurse my way back to health.

When I'm not feeling well, the desire to cook anything that takes longer than 30 minutes is completely lost on me and when you don't have your mom around to make you that toast or soup, you have to cook through your Sudafed haze. So quick and easy is the way to go.

So I made the simplest, quickest soup I could come up with that included protein and vegetables: chicken noodle soup. Like most soups, this freezes well so I will continue to experience this soup's healing powers throughout this winter. But let's hope I don't need it!

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup (serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken thighs, diced 
• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• Salt and pepper
• 6 cups chicken stock 
• 1/2 lb. wide egg noodles

Directions:

Place a large pot over moderate heat and add olive oil. Add diced chicken thighs and cook for 5-6 minutes until the pink is gone. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add bay leaves to the pot. Then add carrots, onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Add diced chicken, return soup to a boil, and reduce heat back to moderate. Add the noodles and cook soup an additional 6 minutes or until noodles are tender and remove soup from the heat.

Remove bay leaves and serve with saltines, if you desire.

Citrus Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Quinoa

I spent the past week in Pittsburgh where I ate my way around the various food spots in Oakland, but I'll cover that in my next post. The real reason I was in Pittsburgh was to be supportive to my family following my mother's breast cancer surgery. Everything went well with the procedure and the prognosis is excellent.

My mother spent most of the week in the hospital and between the pain meds and the effects of coming back from anesthesia, food was the farthest thing from her mind. But we knew that once she got home, it would be important for her to keep her strength up. I wanted to be sure that I helped out in one of the best ways I know how--cooking something she could not only eat, but perhaps even enjoy. So once my mother was discharged, I hit the grocery store, scoured the latest issue of Cooking Light, and found something mild in flavor and high in protein to cook.

This may not be the most exciting food to look at (though with my parents' large plates, everything looked uber sophisticated and petite) but my mother ate every last bite. This was the first meal she had that didn't consist of  bananas and bread, so I consider it mission accomplished. If you know someone with a sensitive stomach and/or recovering from surgery, this is a good option.

The sauce didn't glaze as I expected it to, making it more runny than expected, but the flavors were solid. I served the chicken and quinoa with coriander carrots.

Citrus Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Quinoa (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. grated lime rind, divided
• 3/8 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 TB olive oil
• 4 (6-oz.) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 TB lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 TB butter

Directions:

Combine 1 1/4 cups chicken stock and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cilantro, 1/2 tsp. rind, and 1/8 tsp. salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.

Add remaining 1/2 cup stock to pain; cook for 1 minute and scrape pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. ring, orange juice, lime juice, and honey; simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in butter. Return chicken to pan; turn to coat. Serve chicken with quinoa.

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp and Kale

Like most people I know in DC, I have a weakness for great Asian takeout. I'm fortunate that there are a good number of places for Thai and Vietnamese in my neighborhood, and a new Laotian restaurant is going in right around the corner from my condo.

Not only do I like to order from any number of these places, I like to make my own Asian takeout. Because I cook with Asian flavors a lot, I usually have a stockpile of the ingredients necessary to whip up a dish pretty easily. As mentioned in previous blog posts, my neighborhood CSA presents me with a regular opportunity to support Pennsylvania farmers, while enjoying great seasonal vegetables. This week's offering included baby kale so this recipe was a no brainer.

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp and Kale (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. dried rice noodles
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1 TB chopped fresh garlic
• 1 TB chopped fresh ginger
• 2 TB Thai green curry paste
• 1 1/4 cups matchstick-cut carrots
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 1 13.5 oz. can light coconut milk
• 6 cups chopped kale
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. grated lime rind
• 1 1/2 tsp. lime juice

Directions:

Cook rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions,garlic, and ginger. Saute 1 minute. Stir in curry paste, saute for 30 seconds. Add carrots, chicken stock, and coconut milk, stirring well to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Fold in kale, sprinkle with salt. Cook 3 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, top with cilantro, lime rind and juice. Serve over the rice noodles. 

Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia

Tilapia is the type of fish that by itself, doesn't really have a lot of flavor. It will take on the flavor of the seasoning you place on it, and is a really nice accompanying fish to more dominant ingredients. If you're not into fishy fish, it really is a good option. Or if you're trying to get picky eaters on board with increasing their weekly fish intake.

This dish is a pretty basic marinade and if you're looking for something quick, mildly flavored and simple, it's a good fit. But for me, I need a bit more oomph. Give this light recipe a shot and you be the judge. I served it with a side of squash and zucchini from the farmer's market.

Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 4 (6-oz.) tilapia filets
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 TB lime juice
• 1 TB brown sugar
• 1 TB olive oil
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• cooking spray

Directions:

Arrange fish in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice and next 9 ingredients (through garlic); pour over fish. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler and prep your side dish.

Sprinkle fish with paprika; broil 15 minutes. Serve.

Orzo with Chickpea Salad

Summertime in DC means countless of opportunities to picnic outdoors. From the Sunday drum circles in the park near my condo to the outdoor movie nights throughout the city, I regularly have picnic food on the brain. A few weeks back I went to the first Screen on the Green of the season. This annual tradition features four weeks of free movie classics on the National Mall. This year's offering included The Karate Kid, so it was a no brainer that I would attend for some Wax On/Wax Off action.

We had beautiful weather for it and I decided to make one of my favorite picnic side salads, an orzo with chickpea dish. I've posted about this dish before when I first started this blog, but it's so nice I'll post twice. This holds up really well in the heat and makes for a great lunch for work as well. So the next time you are asked to bring a side for a picnic outdoors, consider making this!

Orzo with Chickpea Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 3 TB fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 TB cold water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. bottled minced garlic 

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine pasta, onions, cheese, dill, and chickpeas in a large bowl, tossing gently to combine.

Combine juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat.

Nutty Almond-Sesame Red Quinoa

As I mentioned earlier this month, I have a few friends who decided to go vegan for the month of February. They all continue to do well on their cleanses, and I've tried to be supportive in making vegan dishes this month for our various dinner get-togethers. Quinoa has become a regular fixture as a result, and here is another great quinoa side dish...this time of the red variety!

Nutty Almond-Sesame Red Quinoa (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups water
• 1 cup red quinoa
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Bring water and quinoa to boil in a medium saucepan. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Drain if necessary.

Stir in almonds, juice, oils, salt and onions. Serve warm.

Brown Butter Balsamic Roasted Asparagus

I think it is only appropriate to start off this post with an apology, because I've been slacking on posting for the last two weeks. I can blame the holiday madness and while I didn't log on to record all my cooking adventures, I was cooking up a storm over the holidays. I made a few different dishes for my family and have made different dishes for holiday shindigs. So I'll recap these bites over the next week or two to catch up.  The first of which is a simple asparagus side dish that I made for Christmas Eve dinner. And we even served it on my mom's asparagus platter.

Brown Butter Balsamic Roasted Asparagus (serves 8)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs asparagus spears, trimmed
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TB butter
• 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tspbalsamic vinegar
• Cracked black pepper
• Grated lemon rind (I used 1/4 tsp)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until tender.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Garnish with cracked pepper and rind, if desired.

Tabbouleh with Chicken and Red Pepper

In my continuing effort to pack healthier lunches more often, and my propensity when I'm busy to buy pre-cooked rotisserie chickens and find ways to repurpose the meat, I tried this out a few weeks back. Flavor wise, it's pretty tame...probably could use more pepper, or perhaps even some red pepper flakes. But as far as healthy goes, it hits the mark. I've never cooked with bulgur before, but because you can't ever seem to buy a small amount of anything at my grocery store, I have plenty to cook with again at some other point. How do you like to cook with bulgur?

Tabbouleh with Chicken and Red Pepper (makes 3 lunch-sized portions)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups diced plum tomato
• 3/4 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
• 3/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced English cucumber
• 1/4 cup minced fresh mint
• 1 1/2 TB fresh lemon juice
• 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine bulgur and 1/2 cup boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 15 minutes or until the bulgur is tender. Drain well; return bulgur to bowl. Cool.

Add tomato and remaining ingredients; toss well.

Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary Orzo

In keeping with the theme of simple meals and those that require rosemary (seriously, I had a ton of rosemary to go through) I found this recipe on epicurious. Even though I cut the recipe in half, I managed to eat this three days in a row. While fish can sometimes be tricky as leftovers, this turned out to be just as good the next day. This is a great option when cooking for one.

Tuscan Salmon with Rosemary Orzo (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. orzo
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
• 1 TB chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 salmon fillets (5 ounces each), skin on
• 1/4 cup plus 1 TB chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 TB chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Cook orzo as directed on package until al dente.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 1/2 cup onion and rosemary until onion softens, 9 minutes. Combine with orzo in a bowl.

Season salmon with 1 tablespoon basil, salt and pepper. Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook salmon until golden, 5 minutes per side, flesh side down first; set aside.

Add garlic and remaining 1 cup onion to skillet; cook until soft, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and olives; cook until tomatoes break up, 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in parsley and remaining 1/4 cup basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve fish over orzo; top with tomato mixture.

Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

At my new office, there is a team weight loss program that many of my co-workers (and myself) signed up for. There are three teams in total and we're hoping that this inner-office competition will push for better results. So this of course will impact how I'm eating so you'll probably see some healthier meals in the coming weeks (at least that is the plan). This recipe is super easy and relatively healthy. I served it with steamed asparagus.

Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts (serves 3-4, depending on the size of the breasts, I cut them in half)

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 oz feta cheese (1/4 cup) crumbled into tiny pieces
• 2 TB chopped fresh parsley (can use dried parsley, just use less)
• 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves)
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 14.5 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 2 TB ripe olives
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice a 3 inch slit in meaty side of each breast to form a pocket.

In a small bowl, combine feta cheese, parlsey, oregano and oil. Mix well and spoon into each pocket. Place on ungreased baking dish.

In another small bowl, combine tomatoes, olives and cornstarch. Mix well. Cover the chicken with this mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes.