Fried Rice

It's delicious, fast, and very easy, and a whole meal by itself (or a great side-dish). In other words, this is one of the most versatile recipes out there. I love this fried rice as a lunch, and so do my kids! I make at least a double batch every time I cook it, and we still gobble up the whole pan full. For vegetarian, substitute shrimp for the ham--or just leave it out entirely. This is meant to be a use-up for leftovers, so you can use cooked chicken or any vegetable medley you have on hand.
Ham Fried Rice

1 cup calrose rice, uncooked*
2 cups water*
2 tsp chicken bouillon (optional)*
*OR: 2 cups cooked rice
2 TBSP olive oil
1 cup cubed ham
1 cup frozen peas, frozen peas & carrots, OR frozen vegetable medley
2 eggs
2 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1) Cook rice in a pot or rice cooker with water and chicken bouillon until done, according to package directions. *If using leftover cooked plain rice, omit this step, since--hey! it's already cooked.
2) Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium high heat with olive oil. Add ham and let cook for about 1 minute.
3) Add cooked rice and toss to combine, then let it sit and toast for about 3-5 minutes, turning only occasionally. You want some little brown bits to form, but don't burn it.
4) Add frozen vegetables and toss to combine. Let cook for another couple of minutes until vegetables are hot.
5) Beat eggs with soy sauce, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.
6) Pour eggs over the cooking rice mixture and stir well for 2 minutes, or until eggs are fully cooked and incorporated (like scrambled eggs).
7) Enjoy! Makes about 4 servings, or if you've got my kids in the household, only 2. :)

Note: if you are making this for someone who needs gluten-free, make sure you check your ham, soy sauce, and bouillon for wheat in the ingredients. All of these things can easily be found GF, but you just need to double check. Also remember that you can always change out the ham for some other type of protein, like edamame or chicken or shrimp to fit your needs.

Coconut Cream Pie

This was just one of those random things walking through the grocery store... I thought, "Hey, Coconut Cream Pie sounds Heavenly!" So I made one. Here's my recipe. Also--the coconut filling would be great between layers of cake, in a trifle, or just plain for gluten-free coconut pudding.

Coconut Cream Pie

Filling:
1 (13 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup *shredded coconut

Crust:
8 Graham Crackers
5 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger

1) Mix coconut milk and regular milk together in a saucepan, whisking until smooth. Put over medium-low heat and swirl it occasionally just to warm it gently.
2) In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, corn starch, and salt. Whisk for 2 minutes, or until light yellow and it falls in ribbons from your whisk.
3) While whisking constantly, pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Whisk for 10 seconds. Pour in a little more milk. Continue until all the milk is mixed in. This is called "tempering," and prevents the eggs from curdling. It will make your filling nice and smooth.
4) Return the whole mix to the saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to steam and thickens. It will truly become noticeably thicker right before it boils--you don't actually want it to boil, though.
5) Once it is thick, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and shredded coconut. Cool in an ice bath or in the refrigerator.
6) Now make the crust: Crush the graham crackers either in a bag or in a food processor until coarse crumbs. Melt the butter and mix in well, along with the spices. Pour crumbs into a pie pan and push into the bottom until it is an even layer that pushes up the sides as well.
7) Pour coconut custard into the pie pan and chill. Top with whipped cream or more shredded coconut, if desired.

*An optional step: toast your shredded coconut before mixing it in. All you have to do is put your coconut in a dry sautee pan and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until brown edges start to appear on the coconut. It really brings out the flavor and adds a nice nuttiness.

"Thai" Peanut Noodles

Fast, easy, delicious, healthy, affordable, and unique. Seriously, what more can you ask for in a meal? (And the "Thai" is in quotes because I made up the recipe myself. It's Thai inspired, but I'm not sure how authentic it really is.)

"Thai" Peanut Noodles

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 TBSP olive oil
12 oz linguini
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 fresh lime
1 TBSP fresh grated ginger (or dried)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup honey
1 big handful fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1) Cut the chicken into 1" cubes. Season with pepper and the zest from the lime (grate off the outside green part, but don't go so deep it turns white.) Heat a large skillet or wok. Add oil, and then add the chicken. Let cook for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
2) Meanwhile, boil a big pot of water. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3) Add the vegetables to the chicken and toss to combine. Let cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, to cook vegetables.
4) Mix together remaining sauce ingredients: Soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and honey. It may be a little gloppy.
5) Pour sauce over vegetables and chicken and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and hold it there until the noodles are done cooking.
6) When noodles are done, drain them and toss them in with the peanut sauce, chicken, and vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes:
-For Vegetarian, use frozen, shelled Edamame or even little shrimp.
-For Gluten-Free, use a good rice pasta fettucini.
-Buy your favorite bag of stir fry mix. My favorites have carrots, snow peas, onions, peppers, water chestnuts, and mushrooms. Of course you can chop fresh veggies instead of frozen. I just like the convenience of frozen in this dish.

Oven Fries

This is one of those dishes that is a staple in our home. Why? Because it is fast, easy, superbly delicious, and a wonderful healthy substitute for standard deep-fried french fries. Not to mention these are amazingly cheap! I often make these instead of chips with lunch, and they go great along with anything grilled.

Oven Fries
6-10 potatoes (I make 6 for my family of 2 adults and 2 kids)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBSP garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper
1 TBSP smoked paprika
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning (or mixed basil, thyme, and oregano)

1) Scrub potatoes and slice into small sticks about 1/4" thick. I find that is normally about four or five slices in two directions, leaving them your desired thickness of french fry. My husband likes them super thin; I like mine a little chunkier. There is no need to peel!
2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3) Lay fries out on a sheet pan with sides (jelly roll pan) and drizzle with the olive oil. I usually don't measure, just give them a healthy drizzle. Toss gently with your fingers, so all the potatoes get oiled.
4) Sprinkle potatoes with all the seasonings, making sure each one gets a little of everything. Again, toss gently with fingers to ensure even coating.
*Or, if you prefer, put the potatoes, oil, and seasoning in a large bowl or a plastic zip-lock bag and toss or shake to combine, then spread out on the sheet pan.*
5) Bake at 425 for 30-45 minutes, until they reach the desired crispiness. Serve with mayonnaise or ketchup or fry sauce, whatever you love!

New ingredient of the day:
Smoked Paprika. One of my favorite ingredients in my spice cabinet. It rich and smokey, but not spicy at all. It adds beautiful color and aroma as well. Of course you can use regular paprika if you're not in the mood to buy a new spice. But I promise, you won't be disappointed if you do buy a jar of the smoked stuff. Use it instead of regular paprika in all your meat marinades, on deviled eggs, or anywhere you might use paprika!

Vegetable Soup

One of my favorite lunches is a nice bowl of soup with a piece of garlic or cheese toast. After inspecting the ingredients list of my favorite can of vegetable soup, I realized just how simple it really was, and decided to try my hand at it. This big pot of soup was fast and easy to make, and is really cost efficient. When I let my 4 year old son taste test it, I asked him if it needed anything, and he replied, "Yes. Ice." Leftovers can be poured into freezer bags or containers and frozen in the sizes you need for your own lunches, then just warmed and served. Goodbye, canned vegetable soup; hello low-fat, healthy, and delicious homemade Vegetable Soup at a moment's notice!

Vegetable Soup

4 medium potatoes
4 carrots
4 ribs of celery
1 bell pepper (I like red)
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 large can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen corn

1) Wash and dice the potatoes, carrots (peel first, if desired), celery, and red pepper. Go for a smaller dice, so that they'll be roughly the same size as the beans.
2) Mix together all ingredients except the corn in a 6 quart slow cooker (Crock Pot). Lid it up, then cook on high for 4-6 hours.
3) Stir in corn shortly before eating. Then, enjoy! Remember to freeze the leftovers in smaller portions to make easy lunches.

Easy Lentil Dip

This easy dip is tasty and high in fiber and protein. Lentils are a great product that will last for months (or years!) on your shelf, but cook up fast. They are a great addition to any food storage, because of their versatility and nutrition.

Lentil Dip

1 cup (dry) lentils
about 4 cups water
8 oz cream cheese (use low-fat!)
1 cup salsa
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can green chiles
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1) Rinse the lentils well. Pour into a pan and add the water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and boil for 30 minutes. Drain.
2) Pour cooked lentils, cream cheese, salsa, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic into a blender. Blend on high for about 20-30 seconds, or until thick and smooth. You can leave it chunkier if you like. Stir in green chiles.
3) Pour into a crock-pot, or into a baking dish, or even just a microwavable dish. Cover with cheese. Heat until hot through (crock pot: high for about 1 hour, baking dish: 350 for about 30 minutes, microwave: 5-7 minutes on high). Serve with corn chips or in a tortilla. Enjoy!

Note: If you don't have lentils and aren't yet convinced that you should have lentils, you can use 1 big can or 2 small cans of refried beans instead of the cooked lentils. Cooked beans, like pinto, black, kidney, or red, would also be a great substitute for the lentils.

Smoothies: the breakfast and dessert King

I adore making smoothies! They are so delicious, nutritious, and one of the first things I ever got really creative with. With lots of fruit, yogurt, and very little sugar, how can you go wrong? If you are a beginner in the kitchen--or even an expert--making smoothies is a very low-risk way of learning how flavors go together. There's no heat or chopping required--just a good blender.

Super Smoothies

2 cups frozen fruit
1 (6 oz) container yogurt (my favorite is Yoplait Key Lime)
1/2-1 cup of milk, depending on preferred thickness (or if you get really excited, coconut milk)
2 tablespoons sugar or honey (depending on sweetness, I usually taste before adding sugar)

Put all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend! You might have to pulse a few times until the fruit is broken up. Let whir on high for about 30 seconds to make sure the smoothie is really smooth. Sip slowly to prevent a headache.

Okay, you might have noticed the "frozen fruit." This is the exciting part: it can be any kind of fruit you like! Here's my most successful smoothie fruits:

bananas
raspberries
strawberries
blueberries
peaches
pears

The fruit doesn't necessarily need to be frozen. But by freezing the fruit, the smoothie ends up really really thick and cold, without needing any ice. Ice can make your smoothie watery, which I really don't like. If you're freezing fresh fruit for smoothies, peel them, core them, make sure it's washed. Cut into 1" cubes or so, lay out on a tray lined with wax paper, and freeze. When frozen solid, transfer fruit into bags marked with the date and what it is (you can even portion out your 'smoothie mix') and store back in the freezer for the long haul.

Note--you can make the smoothies even healthier by adding a tablespoon or two of ground flax-seed or other types of protein powder. Some people like to put a handful of spinach leaves in theirs. I've made mine with cucumber in it as part of the fruit, with great success (I didn't freeze the cucumber). Really people, the sky is the limit!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Tips and Tricks

I once tried dipping some biscotti in chocolate. It was a disaster. After just a few minutes on the double boiler the chocolate seized up, burned, and I had no idea what I did wrong. It was several years before I worked up the courage to try dipping anything in real chocolate again. But recently I did, and had a lot of success. Here are my tips and tricks to making perfect chocolate dipped strawberries--not the cheapest treat in the world, but still not $20/lb, which is a pretty fair price at a chocolate shop. If you follow these instructions well, you should be able to avoid major chocolate disasters, and hopefully end up with something amazing to indulge yourself upon.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2 lbs strawberries
1 (12 oz) bag *milk chocolate chips--high quality (I like Ghirardelli)
2 Tbsp shortening

Before you start, please take a moment to read the instructions carefully and prep all your ingredients and tools. You will need 2 bowls, plenty of paper towels, and a tray lined with parchment/wax paper/silicone baking mat for cooling.

1) Boil 2 quarts of water. Meanwhile, wash strawberries and lay out on paper towels to dry thoroughly. Dry very, very well.
2) find 2 bowls, one that is glass or metal and can fit in the other comfortably without much wiggle room around the top, but still some space at the bottom for hot water to fit. I like to use a tall, deep bowl on the botttom and a shallower, wider bowl on the top. It allows plenty of space for lots of hot water without a lot of space for water to splash out.
3) Pour the boiling water into the bottom bowl and place the other inside (the inside bowl should be the glass or metal bowl with little to no wiggle room, but it should make contact with the water.)
4) Please, Please, PLEASE be careful to not allow even the tiniest drop of water into the inside bowl. Water will ruin the chocolate.
5) Add the chocolate chips and the shortening to the inside bowl, again being careful that no water gets in the bowl. Stir well and constantly until the chocolate melts.
6) Just when the chocolate is melted enough to be smooth, take off of the hot water. You don't want it to get too hot--it burns very easily--just hot enough to be liquidy. Keep the water standing by so that you can warm the chocolate a little more if it starts to cool down too much.
7) Hold the dry strawberries by the leaves and dip in the melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat that is on a cookie sheet. Once all the strawberries are dipped, put in the refrigerator to harden for at least fifteen minutes.
7 part 2) If you want a decoration on the strawberries like nuts or drizzled dark/white chocolate, you can sprinkle nuts on to the chocolate before it goes into the fridge, or even do a double dip--dip strawberry first in the chocolate of course, then dip in chopped nuts or sprinkles before setting on the cooling surface. Drizzled chocolate is easy: just put about half a cup of dark or white chocolate chips into a zip-lock bag and place in the hot water, kneading it gently every minute, until it melts. Snip off a corner and squeeze the hot chocolate over the strawberries in a quick zigzag pattern. Then cool in the fridge.
Enjoy!

*If you want dark chocolate or white chocolate dipped strawberries, the method is exactly the same. You simply use dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips instead of the milk chocolate.

Note: I've tried dipping other fruits in chocolate. Strawberries always work the best because the juice is well contained inside the berry. Other berries like raspberries or blueberries are also very good, but are a little harder to dip because they're small. Wetter fruits, like sliced apples or pineapple, tend to be too wet and the chocolate doesn't adhere well. Strawberries are the classic for a reason! But I'll bet kumquats would be phenomenal...

Lisa's Soap Box: Don't be afraid to get in the kitchen and make yourself something spectacular, like these chocolate dipped strawberries! It really is not that difficult; it simply requires a steady hand and self-confidence. Chocolate strawberries are a delicacy few of us ever purchase, let alone try to make--but we can enjoy delicacies like this a lot more often if we're willing to try making it ourselves. There's no need to pay the exorbitant service fees when you make your own food, and then you get to make it just the way you like. My husband loves the dark chocolate strawberries. I like mine with two kinds of chocolate. Don't even get me started on steak and how I think a restaurant's medium rare is really well done... By cooking the food myself, at home, I get exactly what I want at a phenomenal price. It's definitely worth the time and effort to learn for the great benefits!

Whipped Coconut Sweet Potatoes

My friend Melanie requested this recipe, so here you go! Sorry I have no picture today. :(

Sweet Potatoes, also known as "Yams" in the United States (though they're not actually yams), are one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. They're packed with all kinds of wonderful vitamins and minerals, are fat-free, and taste delicious. However, you overcook them, or boil them to death, and they get mushy, bland, and brown. yuck. If all you remember from childhood was the brown and sticky mess covered with burnt marshmallows on Thanksgiving, you should really give sweet potatoes another try--I think you'll be surprised that you really do like them. This recipe is fast and plays on the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes.

Whipped Coconut Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1) If you have a steamer, put the potatoes in that. Fill steamer pot bottom with 1" water and bring to a boil. Put sweet potatoes on top and cook for approximately 20 minutes, until tender. If you do NOT have a steamer, cook in a regular saucepan with about 2" of water on the bottom and covered with a lid. You don't have to cover all the potatoes with water. Just bring to a boil and again, cook for about 20 minutes.
2) Once sweet potatoes are soft and fall apart easily with a fork, drain well. Add other ingredients except for pecans. Mash with a potato masher or whip with an electric mixer. They won't get gooey like regular potatoes, so whip away!
3) Check for seasonings, add more if you like more. Sprinkle on pecans at service time. Enjoy! Serves 4 easy.

Chi Chi Dango Mochi

I've worked hard to make sure all my recipes on this blog are originals, so I can proudly put my name at the bottom of each of them. This recipe isn't exclusively mine, but I am afraid I might lose it in the abyss of the internet if I don't publish it. I am publishing it with my own little twists, so there's still some Lisa in there.

"Mochi" is a sweet rice flour treat that is popular in Hawaii and Japan. My husband, Cody, was introduced to it when he served his mission in Japan, and once tried to replicate it by grinding cooked rice in our food processor. Not too successful. But today when discussing Japanese desserts I randomly looked it up and found a recipe. And even better, all the ingredients can be purchased right here in my local grocery store! The one semi-specialty ingredient is Mochiko Rice Flour, which I found in the Asian section right along with the soy sauce, coconut milk, and chopsticks. It comes in a white box. You need this brand, though, because of it's glutenous properties.

If you've never had mochi before, it is supposed to be stretchy and a little gooey, and quite sticky. After it has been cut into little bites and rolled in the starch, it can be frozen or stored in the fridge or even at room temperature. At room temp they could potentially spoil faster. I'm a big fan of trying new and adventurous things. This is a pretty good place to start if you are stuck in your same 5 dinners over and over. It's sweet and very tasty, but the texture is a little different. Also, it is super easy to make if you follow the directions exactly. It might just be the thing to jump-start your international food tour!

Chi Chi Dango Mochi

• 1 pound mochiko (glutinous rice flour) (that's a whole box)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon red food color (optional)
  
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
  
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1/2 cup corn starch or potato starch
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Whisk together the rice flour, sugar and baking powder; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the water, vanilla, coconut milk and red food coloring. Blend in the rice flour mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely.*Tent the foil so it is an inch or two higher in the middle than on the edges. This will allow the steam to run to the edges and prevent a soggy center. When done, the mochi will be kind of springy and stretchy all the way through.
   
4. After it has cooled for about 3 hours, sprinkle the top with the sesame seeds. Pat them in gently. cool even more if necessary.
   
5. Turn the pan of mochi out onto a clean surface that has been dusted with the powdered sugar/corn starch mixture. Cut into bite size pieces using a plastic knife. The mochi does not stick as much to plastic knives. This recipe makes about 40 or 50 little candy-sized bites.

Most of this recipe, with the exception of the sesame seeds, and a few tips on my part, was taken from this site.

Homemade Lime Ice Cream

I helped my husband Cody come up with this last night when he wanted to make lime ice cream and couldn't find a recipe. It turned out really yummy--nice and soft, refreshing, and pleasantly sour.

Lime Ice Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks (save whites for later in the recipe)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
juice of 2 limes (fresh!)
3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

1) In a medium sized saucepan, beat egg yolks well for about 1 minute. Add cream, milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and salt. Mix well.
2) heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until egg mixture begins to thicken (right before a boil...a couple of little bubbles breaking the surface is perfect. Try not to boil). Remove from heat and cool well in an ice bath or in the refrigerator, until it is very cold. Add the lime juice and vanilla.
3) In your favorite ice cream maker, churn the ice cream base for 20 minutes or until firm.
4) Whip the egg whites with the 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks. After the ice cream has frozen, fold in the whipped egg whites.
5) Freeze in the freezer until firm-solid, about 1 to 3 hours. Try not to devour too quickly, or else you might get a headache! Makes about 1 quart.

Smoked Trout; Tahini Pasta Salad

We just ate this amazing meal, and it is ranking in the top 5 best meals I've ever created. The fish was lightly smoked, and the Tahini in the pasta had a nice nutty, distinctive flavor that was unique and beautiful. I understand that smoked fish isn't the easiest, cheapest, or even most convenient of dishes, but if you want to make a special occasion even better, try this most delicious menu!

Smoked Trout

2 pink trout filets (about 1 pound total)
1 tsp ginger (fresh grated is awesome, dry is fine)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp brown sugar

1) Mix together all ingredients except the trout. Pour the marinade (aka soy sauce mixture) over the trout and put in the refrigerate to soak for 20 minutes to 2 hours.
2) Heat your smoker (can be done on a grill, see note for instructions) to 200 to 300 degrees. Add a hardwood wood chip like oak, maple, apple, or chestnut. Prepare smoker according to the regular directions.
3) Place the fish in the smoker, skin-side down, again according to directions. Smoke for about 1 hour, or until the fish reaches 150 degrees. Serve immediately.

*Note: If you don't have a smoker, never despair! Heat your grill with only one burner on. Prepare yourself a "smoke bomb" by placing a few wood chips in aluminum foil and sealing all edges except for a teensy tiny hole. Remove the grate from above the one burner that is on. Place the smoke bomb directly on that flame, then place the fish on the other side of the grill. Turn the flame down to the lowest level, then keep the lid shut as much as possible. The rest of the directions should be about the same. Please, DO NOT SMOKE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! NEITHER FISH NOR CIGARETTES!

Tahini Pasta Salad
(*A quick note about Tahini. Tahini paste is a sesame-seed butter, similar to peanut butter, only with sesame seeds. Its flavor is mild and nutty, but it doesn't actually contain nuts. I found it in the olive oil section of my grocery store, but it might be hard to find. If you don't have tahini, or don't feel like buying a big jar for just one thing, you can substitute peanut butter or sunflower butter.)

1 cup shelled edamame (usually in frozen goods)
1 cup whole kernel corn
1/2 cup acini de pepe OR orzo pasta
2 tbsp tahini paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 lime, zest and juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp ginger (fresh if you can!)
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
3 tbsp olive oil

1) Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain when done, but RESERVE 3 tbsp of the cooking water.
2) Mix the pasta, the edamame, corn, and all other ingredients and heat through. *If your edamame or corn was frozen, thaw before putting in the pasta salad. Makes about 2 adult servings, so make more if you need.

To make Gluten-Free substitute cooked rice (brown rice would be phenomenal!) for the pasta, or use a GF pasta.

Eggs Purgatory, Lisa Style

My mother-in-law introduced me to Eggs in Purgatory, a simple breakfast dish of eggs poached in tomatoes or spaghetti sauce. They were good, and after bottling tomatoes yesterday, I had to try my hand at it. This is a great meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and is one that most people have all the ingredients for at any given time. It's super simple and really tasty.

Eggs in Purgatory on Cheesy Garlic Toast
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups bottled tomatoes (1 big can or most of a quart)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dry
4-6 eggs

4-6 slices of bread
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp mayonnaise
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic

1) Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and oregano. Bring to a bubble.
2) In a small bowl, mix together the butter, mayonnaise, cheese, and garlic. Spread your cheese mixture on the bread. Put the bread on a sheet tray. Preheat your broiler or toaster oven.
3) Carefully break the eggs and drop them into the tomato sauce so that each stays individual and separated, and try not to crack the yolks. Cover with a lid. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the eggs are white and the yolk is firm, but still slightly runny (unless you like a firmer egg).
4) Put the bread under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese is melty and the bread starts to toast.
5) Serve with the garlic cheese toast on bottom, then a scoop of the tomato sauce with the egg in it. You can shred fresh basil or Parmesan Cheese over the top if you like. It's also good with a little splash of hot sauce.

Note: For Gluten-Free, you can serve the eggs over instant grits with cheese, or hashbrowns.

Stuffed tomatoes

I went on vacation and came home to find my tomato plants so loaded with red tomatoes that they had knocked over their tomato cages and were lying on the ground. I'll be making salsa later this week, consequently, but today I enjoyed making these tasty stuffed tomatoes. Because store bought tomatoes can be expensive, this might not be something you want to make unless tomatoes are in-season.

Stuffed Tomatoes
4-6 beefsteak tomatoes
2 cups of cooked rice
1/2 lb of ground beef or bulk (no casings) sausage
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a skillet, cook the ground beef of sausage with the onion until the meat is browned completely. Turn off the heat and drain off any excess liquid. Add everything but the tomatoes and stir to combine. Set meat mixture aside.

Take your tomatoes and cut off the tops. If they roll around a lot, you can also cut a shallow slice from the bottom to stabilize. Take a spoon or a knife and gently cut out the seeds from the inside, leaving the sides about 1/2 inch thick. Stuff the now hollow tomatoes with the meat mixture. Place stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until the outside of the tomato is wilted and they are hot completely through. Serve as a complete meal, garnished with shredded basil leaves, if desired.

Variations: You can stuff nearly any vegetable with the same meat mixture listed above. Hollowed out peppers, acorn squash, zucchini, or eggplant would be fantastic here. You will need to modify the cooking time. Peppers are about the same, but squash and eggplant need to be cooked until they are soft. Cover the dish in foil first, and then bake for about an hour or even longer, until a knife inserted in the flesh of the vegetable is soft. If you want to get even more adventurous, try stuffing apples. Make the same mixture, but make sure you use sausage. Then hollow out your apples just like the tomatoes and bake them for about an hour, again until they are soft.
You can also try topping the stuffed tomatoes with cheese before they bake.

Note: This makes a lot of the meat mixture, so you can save leftovers the freezer or the fridge for a different dinner. I've found that filling vegetables with yummy stuff is a fun way to get your family to eat more healthy foods.

Amazingly Easy Fish Recipe

My friend Lydia requested this recipe, and it is a good one for the summer especially. I use this recipe for nearly any type of fish, any size, any shape, and it always comes out beautifully.

Fish-in-a-pouch

Fish, any type (for starters try trout or salmon; they are very mild)
a handful of fresh basil, parsley, or oregano (or 1 or 2 tsp dry)
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, sliced

1) Make sure your fish is cleaned and if you like, filleted or boned. When cooking a whole fish, it is often much easier to remove the bones when it is done than before, so I typically keep my fish whole. You may remove the head and fins if you like, but it isn't necessary.

2) On a large piece of aluminum foil, place the fish. Stuff the cavity, or just lay on top, all the herbs, butter, and seasonings. Top with pretty slices of lemon.

3) Fold and Seal up the aluminum foil so that no juices can get out.

4) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-30 minutes. Timing here is hard to guess, because it greatly varies between fish types and sizes. You're looking for the fish to be opaque all the way through and a little flaky. Temperature to shoot for is about 150-160 degrees. You can also put your pouch on the grill if you prefer. Start checking when you start smelling the fish. If you have no sense of smell, start checking after about 15 minutes, or less, if the oven temp is hotter.

5) Serve with more fresh lemon slices to squirt over the fish.


This recipe is fantastic because it is virtually fool-proof. By cooking the fish in the pouch, it prevents any sticking, reduces the risk of over cooking, and can be done anywhere--in the oven, on the grill, or even in a campfire. You can get really creative with the herbs you put in your pouch, and can really change things up by adding cherry tomatoes or other vegetables like asparagus.

Cheesy Grits Cakes with Bacon Chard

When it comes to eating healthy, something that is really important is to not be boring in your cuisine. Something I like to do to keep my food interesting is to seek inspiration from different cultures. Mexican, Italian, French...my husband goes nuts for anything Asian, especially Japanese. Today's inspiration is from the deep American south. By finding lots of variation (I'm talking LOTS of variation) in your food, you'll introduce yourself and your family to new flavors that can hide healthy ingredients, as well as being a lot of fun.

Cheesy Grits Cakes

1/4 sweet yellow onion, chopped fine
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn (or 1 can, drained well)

1) In a 2 quart or larger saucepan, cook the onion in the olive oil for 2 minutes over medium high heat.
2) Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Season with the salt and pepper.
3) Pour in the milk and the water, then turn the heat to high. Whisk occasionally, and watch carefully so it won't boil over. Bring all the way to a boil.
4) Turn the heat down to medium. SLOWLY pour in the cornmeal, stirring constantly with a good whisk.
5) Whisk constantly for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture gets really thick. Once it's hard to whisk, you've made it. Remove from the heat.
6) Fold in the cheese and the corn. (You can eat the grits right here if you like.)
7) Grease a 13x9 baking dish (or a small jelly roll pan) very well. Line with parchment paper or wax paper if you desire. Pour the hot grits into the pan and spread out thin. Sprinkle with a little paprika if desired. Put in the refrigerator to chill and set up, until totally firm--at least 1 hour.
8) Take the grits out and turn onto a cutting board. Cut into 2 or 3 inch squares (or cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters for the kids).
9) heat a sautee pan or griddle to medium hot. Give the pan a little oil or butter. Cook your grits cakes for 1 or 2 minutes per side, just until it gets toasty brown.

Note: this may look like a lot of steps, but they're very simple, and the recipe tastes great. Grits are a great thing to learn how to make, because once you master the basic recipe (1 quart of liquid, boiling, stir in 1 cup of cornmeal), you can put all kinds of things in it. Try adding mushrooms, peppers, different kinds of cheese. It is perfectly fine to eat it as soon as it's done cooking on the stovetop--no need to chill. I just like mine in cakes, though in a liquid form, it's equally delicious.

Bacon Swiss Chard

1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1" pieces
2 lbs swiss chard (looks like a lot, but it cooks down)
1/4 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp red wine vinegar

1) In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium high heat until it starts to get crispy. Pull out the bacon onto a paper towel to drain. Keep the fat and drippings in the pan.
2) Add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
3) Slice the swiss chard into about 1" strips. Add into the onion and bacon drippings. Toss with a pair of tongs or a good spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes until the chard wilts nicely.
4) Season with the salt and pepper, splash on the vinegar, and add the bacon bits back in.
5) Serve over the grits cakes, if desired.

Notes: Swiss Chard is a great vegetable. It's a dark leafy green--the kind the doctors beg us to eat more of. If you've never eaten it before, don't be scared. It is slightly bitter and really earthy in flavor, but really tasty. Unlike collard greens or mustard greens, the stem is totally edible and has beautiful flavor of its own. This recipe is a great place to start if you're new to Swiss Chard, because it is simple, and the bacon makes it super friendly.

Granted, this meal has cheese and bacon in it, but in small amounts, fats like these can make the difference between being bored and grumpy and being happy and satisfied. Try varying your cuisine to discover just how many choices there really are.