Broiled salmon with Mexican salsa verde + corn salad

Salmon is such a great fish and it is so easy to cook (not too mention oh-so-good for you). The options are endless. Furthermore, it's also good just plain and broiled. This makes for an easy weeknight meal.

I went ahead and paired it with Mexican salsa verde and a corn salad as adapted from Mighty Spice. Normally, I might just buy some good green salsa from Trader Joe's, but I'm on a roll with making most things from scratch. I've also discovered the endless opportunities for using my Cuisinart food processor (thank you, Ron). It has a new, permanent place on my kitchen counter. And we all know how I love corn, so this corn and tomato salad appealed to me.

Mexican salsa verde

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove

1 green jalapeño chili

6 scallions

1 tomato (or a couple small tomatoes)

2 large handfuls cilantro leaves

1 large handful mint leaves

2 large handfuls parsley leaves

juice of 3 limes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make salsa verde, put all ingredients into a food processor with a scant 1/3 cup of water and blend until smooth.

Corn salad

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup corn kernels

1 scant handful mint leaves, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a mixing bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, corn, mint, lime juice, and oil and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Mighty Spice actually calls for broiled red snapper for this meal, which I think would be good with the salsa and corn salad. However, Zack is not a big fan of snapper, so we opted for salmon but I think a whiter fish such as halibut could be good as well.

This was definitely better the next day, so really, the salsa and corn salad could be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. All in all, a pretty simple but good meal.

Roasting my first whole chicken (amateur, I know) as I write, so I better run. More recipes to come soon! Cheers!  

Indian chicken and spinach curry + herb and spice quinoa

Do you ever see a recipe and you are oh-so-excited to make it, but then as you realize you are not even a quarter of the way through cooking, you realize this meal is going to be a bit of an ordeal? Let's just say, it's always good when such recipes turn out well. And delicious. Especially on a weeknight. Because if they don't, doing dishes afterwards is enough to undo you. That is, if eating the meal hasn't already.

I love when cookbooks include a "goes well with" note at the end of a recipe. It's like free, professional help with food pairing. It's nice. Just remember not to bite off more than you can chew on a weeknight. This is more of a reminder to myself than anything.

All that being said, this curry and quinoa creation was pretty tasty. Maybe try it on a weekend.

Indian chicken and spinach curry

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients for the curry:

10 oz. baby spinach

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 large tomatoes (or a few small ones), quartered

4 garlic cloves

1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 jalapeño, sliced lengthwise and seeded 

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 lb. 2 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Bring large saucepan of water to boil and add spinach. Cook briefly, just until wilting, then strain, reserving cooking water. Put spinach and a scant 1/2 cup of the cooking water into a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer pureed spinach to a bowl and set aside to cool. Using the same food processor (don't worry about washing), blend garam masala, salt, onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and a little water until smooth. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and throw in cumin seeds. Wait a few seconds until they start crackling, then pour in tomato mixture. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip in spinach, chicken, and cream (if using), and stir well. Turn up heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, 12-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Herb and spice quinoa

As adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh, and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

This side dish recipe actually calls for basmati rice, but I decided to try quinoa. The quinoa was great, but be warned - it definitely does not look as pretty as the pilaf rice.

Serves 4.

Ingredients for quinoa:

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup cashew nuts
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken stock
1 large handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 large handfuls cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toast cashew nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Shake pan constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add almonds and continue shaking pan 1-2 minutes longer until nuts are golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Split open cardamom pods on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife. This helps release their flavor. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add split cardamom pods and cumin seeds. Stir-fry 10-20 seconds until seeds start to crackle, then add onion, cooking 3-4 minutes until soft. Bring chicken stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, and onion and spice mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed all liquid, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff quinoa with a fork and toss together with toasted nuts, parsley, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

First of all, cumin seeds. They are so fragrant, not to mention the way they crackle in the pan. They are the epitome of the word "crackle." Even more so than Rice Krispies. For real. If you haven't cooked with them, you should give it a try. They're fun. Secondly, cardamom pods - at first I thought I was just going to take the easy way out and use the ground cardamom I had on hand. But then I thought, "No, this is Explorations of an Amateur Cook; I should be willing to try anything!" So I did. The funny part is that I snatched two cardamom pods out of a loose leaf tea I also had on hand to use in this recipe. No judging. Ha ha.

It was also quite humorous that the chicken thighs I had purchased for the curry went missing. Not quite sure where they got left or ended up. But Zack, being the wonderful husband and sous chef that he is, picked up some more for me on his way home from work making this meal possible.

This curry and quinoa was a little ambitious for a weeknight, but it was very tasty. Lots of steps, but satisfying in the end. And I cooked with cardamom seeds for the first time, not to mention putting my own spin on the herb and spice pilaf rice (quinoa, in this case). Plus, mixing up my own garam masala spice mixture (follow the link to it as seen in my ingredient list). An Explorations success if I do say so myself.

The recipes are coming at full force, so don't be too long before you check back here again. Cheers.

Pumpkin pecan granola

I've never made granola at home. But now I know why people do. I'm starting to hesitate more when it comes to buying pre-made salad dressings, croutons, granola, etc. at the store because I know I can make it homemade. And what's better? I mean, really. You know what's in it. It's fresher. It's better for you. And a good recipe helps...

Zack and I eat a lot of Greek yogurt. It's the perfect thing to dive into when I don't have much time for lunch at work. Or when I want something different from my usual (and I mean, very usual) weekday-morning cereal. And when I saw this pumpkin pecan granola recipe, I knew it was the perfect thing to spice up my yogurt. Plus, we all know I love pumpkin. No secret, right?

Now about the recipe. It comes from The Sprouted Kitchen, as did my recent Greek chicken with tzatziki. The author points out that she uses extra-virgin olive oil as a healthier alternative to melted butter to ensure that the granola turns crisp. I like that. Speaking of crisp, keep a close eye on your granola. I think I baked mine for 4-5 minutes too long and it was very golden as a result. Although, it's not too bad on the toastier side, I look forward to making a more perfectly baked batch of this granola. I did use Grade A maple syrup instead of the recommended Grade B; I wonder if this made a difference.

Pumpkin pecan granola

As adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen - A Tastier Take on Whole Foods

Makes about 3 cups.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)

1/3 cup Grade A maple syrup

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup raw pecan pieces

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree; whisk to combine. Add oats, pecans, and sesame seeds; stir until evenly coated. Spread mixture on a baking sheet, keeping some clusters of oats and nuts intact so that finished granola has some chunks (don't be too rough spreading). Bake granola, stirring every so often until dry and light brown in color, 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool, then add raisins and toss to mix. Add a little more salt if needed. Cool before storing. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I'm still enjoying this granola. You should enjoy this granola. Cheers.

Shredded beef tacos

Creative tacos and quesadillas have become one of my favorite go-to meals. I think it's because there is so much you can do with them. And soft tortillas are the way to go with tacos, I think. A nice, soft tortilla toasted up in the oven or in a hot pan. It's just right. I like to buy a variety of 6-inch tortillas such as multigrain, corn and whole wheat blends, etc.

I was so excited to open up Might Spice Cookbook, a gift from my mother-in-law, this Christmas. The pictures are beautiful. And the shredded beef tacos from this cookbook are beautiful.

Shredded beef tacos

Adapted from Mighty Spice Cookbook - Fast, Fresh and Vibrant Dishes Using No More Than 5 Spices for Each Recipe

Serves 4. 

Ingredients:

1lb. 2 oz. skirt steak

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 green jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

a pinch of sugar

8 6-inch tortillas, heated

scant 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (optional)

1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded

4-6 radishes, thinly sliced

3 oz. feta cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Add beef, turn heat down to low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until beef is cooked through. Remove beef from water and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes, or until onion is golden. Add tomatoes, oregano, thyme, jalapeño, vinegar, tomato paste, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes, or until mixture gets thick. Flake cooked beef and add to pan with tomato sauce. Turn up heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes until beef is hot. To assemble tacos, place heaping tablespoon of beef into middle of tortillas with a bit of Greek yogurt. Scatter on lettuce, radishes, and feta, and enjoy.

I used some skirt steak I had leftover and frozen from another recipe. I also opted to top my tacos with some Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, as the recipe suggests. 

The beef and tomato mixture was so delightful. This sounds kind of funny to say, but Zack and I thought it almost tasted like beef bolognese. Must have been the oregano and thyme that gave the dish this influence? That being said, these were delicious. The beef is so flavorful, the lettuce adds crunch, and the radishes give it a slightly bitter bite that is really growing on me. "Mighty Spice" was mighty good. You'll be seeing more recipes from this cookbook in the near future.

You regular readers may have noticed that I am now including the recipes, typed-out, in my actual post. That way, you can see adaptations I have made to the recipes. Exploratory, right? And here is a link to the original recipe, for your convenience: Shredded beef tacos.

See you back here, soon. Cheers.

Greek chicken with tzatziki

Cookbooks just might be one of my favorite presents to receive. Especially if they are wholesome and healthy with beautiful picture spreads throughout. I can read about recipes for days, but it's those pictures that spike my appetite and make me cook after a long day at work. So. Thank you, Mom, for The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook.

Today wasn't too long of a day (although, it was my first day back after a nice, long Christmas vacation). I've got some spiced quinoa cooking for tonight's dinner, so I thought I would do some blog catch-up. I still have recipes from last week to share!

I've grown to love tzatziki. Which is saying a lot. Because this girl used to not even like yogurt. Not to mention Greek yogurt. But I love it now, and that is all the matters. When you see this tzatziki, you will understand why I chose to make it. It's actually almost like a salad. Or a cucumber salsa (is there such thing...?). Whatever you prefer. Anyways, it is so cool (in a "taste" sense of the word), but so zippy as well. The combination of fresh mint and dill is fabulous. 

Furthermore, the chicken marinade, which has a lot of the same ingredients used in the tzatziki, is great. Awesome, fresh recipe that I think will be even better in the spring or summer (I want to try this chicken grilled as the recipe recommends).

Greek chicken with tzatziki

Adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen - A Tastier Take on Whole Foods

Serves 4.

Ingredients for the marinade:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness of 1/2 inch)

Mix all the ingredients together in a shallow baking dish and toss chicken breasts. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes or for several hours in the fridge.

Ingredients for the tzatziki:

2 English cucumbers

¼ red onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1 garlic clove, minced

⅓ cup Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make tzatziki, slice cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out seeds in the center. Slice each half lengthwise into four or five long sticks, then dice. You should have about 3 cups. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cucumbers, red onion, mint, dill, and garlic. Add the yogurt, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. (Stir in yogurt and salt at last minute to prevent watery tzatziki (cucumbers release water a soon as they are mixed with salt).)

The recipe suggests grilling, but it's kind of chilly. So I simply sautéed the marinated chicken breasts in a pan and finished off in the oven until they reached an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F. Let rest and serve with a large scoop of tzatziki and some warm brown jasmine rice.

Enjoy.

Week nine + a blog update

This last week has been rejuvenating. Do you ever have that kind of week? Maybe you got outside and felt immersed in nature, or you were inspired by something you saw or read. They're the kinds of experiences that bring back an element of peace and calm, and remind you of what's really important.

I'm glad that I started this meal planning gig nine weeks ago because it has sort of forced me to keep up on the blog, despite a busy schedule and busy life. Really, I just want to say I made it to Week 25, and then Week 50, and Week 75 not long after that. That's a lot of weeks! Ultimately though, Zack and I have tried an abundant number of recipes from a multitude of sources. And we've had a lot of good food. But where is this blog going?

I can find recipes, cook, write about them, and give you recipe links. But I want to do more than that. I'll still be meal planning for 3-4 recipes per week (usually 3 weeknight dinners with leftovers for lunch the next day), but I'm going back to one recipe per blog post. Remember, this blog is exploratory. You never know what might happen.

And what this is all leading up to is, yes, I did get a Pinterest account (I know, you guys didn't see that one coming...ha ha), so follow me! (I've transitioned from underground Pinterest creeper to a legit account-holding "pinner.") I'll be pinning my recipes, in addition to other amazing foodie finds that I am addicted to discovering. Not to mention non-cooking-related pins.

All in all, I've been inspired creatively and in the culinary sense. There are some wonderfully wholesome and fantastically flavorful foods ahead, so stay tuned.

Week Eight: Green Quesadillas, Winter Greens and Mushroom Pasta, and Nut and Pretzel Mix

Week eight was the week before Christmas, so I wanted to do a couple lighter recipes, keeping all the wonderful holiday food and treats we would be indulging in in mind. These recipes were very green, fresh, and vegetarian. There is actually a sort of grassroots movement going on known as Meatless Monday. Apparently, going meatless just one day a week can decrease your risk for cancer and other major health issues. Not a bad thing to keep in mind when you are doing your meal planning.

Winter greens and mushroom pasta.

Now. Do take note. If you are cooking for a man (or for people who just like meat in general), pick your meatless Monday recipes wisely. Make sure your dish has something hearty like mushrooms, lentils, sweet potatoes, tofu, etc. to substitute your meat lover's appetite. You'll find these dishes are more satisfying than, let's say, an entree salad.

This week also includes a wonderful nut and pretzel mix that I wanted to try out for the holidays. Chex mixes are such a great kid- and adult-friendly appetizer or snack, and I had never made one homemade, so I took this Christmas as an opportunity.

Sweet and spicy nut and pretzel mix.

Green Quesadillas

I love quesadillas. And I like making unusual quesadillas. So when I stumbled upon this recipe from Whole Living, I had to try it. Plus, it was perfect for my healthy eating plans for the week before Christmas.

Essentially, this recipe has you make an avocado mixture or guacamole. You then sauté leeks and red onion, stir in green lentils - and you have your lentil mixture. To assemble your quesadillas, lay one tortilla in a warm pan, top with some of the lentil mixture and havarti cheese. Then, spread another tortilla with the avocado mixture and lay on top to create your quesadilla. Carefully, flip and heat through until cheese melts and tortillas brown slightly.

Avocado mixture.

These quesadillas were really good. Zack and I are calling them "French" quesadillas. After all, you are using French green lentils, European-derived cheese, and leeks. But then the recipe has you throw in guacamole, red onion, cilantro, etc. - flavors that make me think Mexican. It really is interesting. I mean, who would have thought, right?

Find this delicious and unique recipe here: Green Quesadillas.

Winter Greens and Mushroom Pasta

with Toasted Croutons

This recipe was a tear-out from the January 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine. Find the recipe here: Winter Greens and Mushroom Pasta. Again, like the green quesadillas, this recipe was a little unusual, but so delicious.

First of all, I made the croutons with some cracked wheat sourdough bread I had on hand that was drying out a bit...perfect. I wasn't really sure how one makes a proper crouton, so I turned to Ina Garten (who I usually turn to when I want to make something in particular that I want to be sure will be particularly good). Find her instructions at the following link (scroll down a bit as these croutons are included in a recipe for lemon chicken with croutons): Ina Garten's Croutons.

Homemade croutons.

Next, the mushrooms. I was a little nervous about this because I am kind of a mushroom amateur. I'll be honest...the last time I sautéed mushrooms, they turned out rubbery and gross. However, with some good mushrooms and the instructions from this recipe, I ended up with some perfectly browned mushrooms. I mean, it was like heaven was shining down into my kitchen straight onto these mushrooms. So relieved. 

Next, leeks (I know, I know...I can't seem to get enough of leeks and lentils lately).

As far as the greens, the recipe calls for a bunch of dandelion greens and radicchio. I couldn't get my hands on some dandelion greens, so I used an organic mixture of various leaves that also included radicchio. Lastly, I used whole-wheat angel hair pasta.

I really loved this recipe. The mushrooms added the heartiness I was looking for and the multitude of textures was so great. You have the tenderness of the mushrooms and greens, the crunch of the croutons, the bite of the whole-wheat angel hair pasta, and the ricotta. The ricotta. Is ricotta not the most incredible, velvety item there ever was? I've fallen in love with it because it happens to come on the Hudson pizza from Brooklyn Bros. Pizzeria in Everett (a.k.a. the best pizza you will ever have). I have a feeling that ricotta will continue to appear in my cooking; that is, if I can figure out when and how to properly use it.

Sweet and Spicy Nut and Pretzel Mix

It's sweet. It's spicy. And it has fresh herbs. But it's also kid-friendly?

This nut and pretzel mix may be one that can satisfy both kids and adults, make a great "bar snack" to enjoy with friends while having beer, and it makes your kitchen smell cozy and warm like the holidays. If it's possible for something to smell cozy and warm, that is. I think it might be.

Find the recipe for this great mix at the following link: Sweet and Spicy Nut and Pretzel Mix.

New cookbooks for Christmas means new recipes to try. Tune in soon for my next weekly post! Cheers.