Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

I am always looking for new healthy recipes and this one is a winner! I have made it several times since. I love sweet potatoes and black beans (check out the Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Recipe!). I have tried the salad with cilantro instead of mint and adding avocados. It has always turned out delicious! I hope you like it too!

Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad
Adapted from Self.

Cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1/4 cup lime juice, plus wedges for garnish
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs chopped garlic
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced orange or red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
4 cups baby arugula

Heat oven to 375F. On a baking sheet coated with baking spray, place potatoes in a layer; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bake until tender, 20-25 minutes; let cool. In a bowl, whisk juice, vinegar, garlic, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add potatoes, beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions and mint; toss; serve over arugula, and garnish with lime wedges.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

This is a great recipe! It is quite affordable and you can make it healthier by using ground turkey and brown rice. The recipe made four stuffed peppers which meant yummy leftovers. Enjoy!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

1/2 pound ground turkey breast
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles (I use Ro-tel)
1/2 cup brown rice
4 bell peppers (I used green but any color will work)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, cook rice with water as directed on package (I cooked the rice in a rice cooker). Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet over medium high heat, crumbling as it cooks. Add 1/2 tsp cumin, cayenne, and half of chili powder. After about 5 minutes, add diced tomatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Add onions, black beans and corn and simmer until rice is cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare peppers by cutting in half through the top, remove stem, seeds and ribs. Rinse and set in a large baking dish. When liquid has cooked off rice, add remaining spices and fluff with a fork. Stir into turkey mixture. Squeeze juice of half of lime over the mixture and add half the cilantro. Spoon filling into pepper halves. Add a couple tablespoons of water to pan, cover the pan with foil and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Uncover, peppers should be softened. Sprinkle on cheese and return to oven for about another 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with remaining cilantro and sour cream, if desired.

Brussels Sprouts for People Who Think They Hate Brussels Sprouts

I have to apologize for how long it has been since I have posted! We just moved into our new place and been quite busy! But I am back and ready to share some more recipes! Growing up, I never had Brussels sprouts. My mom never cooked them and I never thought to try them. A few years ago I went to a restaurant in Salt Lake City called The Copper Onion and I had the most delicious Brussels sprouts. This recipe comes pretty close to those yummy Brussels sprouts. Give them a try and you will love them too!

Brussels Sprouts for People Who Think They Hate Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts
1 tsp salt
2 tbs EVOO
1 tsp hot pepper flakes, or to taste
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4-1/2 tsp nutmeg, or to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Trim the ends off the Brussels sprouts and remove and discard any discolored outer leaves. If sprouts are large (more than 1 inch in diameter), cut them in quarters lengthwise through the stem end. If smaller, cut them in half.

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil, add salt and sprouts. Boil the sprouts uncovered until they are just crunchy-tender, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook them. Drain the sprouts well.

Wipe and dry the pot and heat the olive oil in it. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Add the sprouts and nutmeg and saute for another minute. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and toss the sprouts until the cheese melts.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This is one of my favorite fall recipes! It is quite simple to make and it smells like fall, which I have been craving since I don't get to experience the fall here in Sunny Florida. I like to bake homemade french bread (earlier post) to dip into the soup. It is so yummy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

For the Soup:
3-4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
2-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp curry powder (I choose not to use the curry)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Divide squash between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until very tender.

Meanwhile, heat chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, coarsely blend in a food processor or blender with some chicken stock. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Taste for seasonings and serve.

*I usually half the recipe if it is just for me and Bubba.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe has a little surprise! The beautiful cheesy color that you see is not actually from cheese...it is butternut squash! It is a great way to camouflage veggies for kids! I like to add a cheers cracker crumble on the top for added texture.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Food Network-Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 pound macaroni such as cassarecci, strozzopretti or ziti with lines
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose four
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg, grated to taste
1 (10-ounce) box frozen butternut squash, defrosted
A few dashes hot sauce
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup extra-sharp yellow Cheddar
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Directions
Bring water to a boil, season with salt and cook macaroni to al dente.

Preheat broiler and place rack in middle of the oven.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, saute onions and garlic until soft, 6 to 7 minutes and stir in the thyme.

Scoot onions off to side of pan and melt butter, whisk flour into butter and combine whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in butternut squash and a few dashes hot sauce. Reduce heat. When sauce comes to a bubble, stir in Parmigiano. Combine the sauce and macaroni, transfer to a casserole dish and top with shredded yellow Cheddar, chopped parsley and paprika. Brown the macaroni under broiler, 4 to 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Ham and Swiss Breakfast Casserole

On weekends, I love to cook special breakfasts, but we have kinda gotten stuck making the same things over and over again-mostly because they are delicious. But I wanted to try something different this weekend and I must say that I am pleased. This casserole is easy to make and I think that it is probably a little more healthy than some of the other more sugary things I usually make for breakfast! Since there is just two of us, I cut the recipe in half and it turned out great.

Ham and Swiss Breakfast Casserole

8 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

8 slices sandwich bread

2 cups thawed frozen spinach

1 roasted red pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz ham, cut into 1/2" chunks

8 oz Swiss cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if you are going to bake right away). Spray a 9x13 casserole pan with cooking spray or grease with butter. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Add salt and pepper and set aside. Cut or tear the bread into about one inch pieces and toss in the pan. Add vegetables, make sure your frozen spinach is well drained - add it to a double layer of paper towels and wrap it up and squeeze out all the water. Add garlic and ham and toss everything together in the pan. Pour egg mixture over the top, pushing everything down if it floats up. Top with grated cheese. At this point, you can cover the casserole with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight if desired.

Bake covered for about 30 minutes, remove foil and continue baking an additional 15 to 30 minutes until casserole is set and golden brown. Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting.

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Basil

This is the perfect dish for fall! I think that butternut squash screams fall and it is wonderful in this risotto! Risotto does take a little bit of time to make, but I think that it is definitely worth it! This can be served as a side dish or you can add a salad for a light dinner. Enjoy!

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Basil

3 tbs olive oil, divided
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 2 1/4 lb. squash)
3 cups 1/2-inch wide slices leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
2 cups arborio rice
4 14-oz cans (or more) vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Heat 2 tbs oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add squash and saute until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to medium bowl.

Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tbs oil, leeks, and thyme to same pot and stir until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Return squash to pot. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (it seemed to take a bit longer when I made it, about 35-40 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in basil and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Beef Stir-Fry

I don't cook with red meat very often, but this is one dish that I love. The recipe comes The South Beach Diet Cookbook and is for shrimp stir-fry, but I like to switch it up sometimes. I like to go to whole foods for the meat. They have stir-fry beef that it is already cut up and ready to go which is great for me because I am not big into raw meat!

Beef Stir-Fry

4 tsp canola oil, divided
2 tbs plus 1 1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1 1/2 lb. beef or shrimp
2 tbs minced fresh ginger
8 oz. white mushrooms, quartered
4 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large bell pepper, any color, cut into strips
8 oz. snow peas, strings removed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Whisk together 2 tsp of oil, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and garlic in a large bowl; add beef and toss to coat. Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add beef and cook until cooked through (if using shrimp, it should only take about 2 minutes to cook). Transfer to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over high heat; add ginger and cook 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, scallions, bell pepper, snow peas and red pepper flakes and cook until vegetables are are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in beef and remaining soy sauce and toss to combine. Serve hot.

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale and Zucchini

This recipe is amazing! It is fresh, tasty and healthy! You can switch up the taste by using different flavors of chicken sausage. I like the spicy Italian sausage. Also, if you have never tried kale, this dish would be a great introduction!

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale and Zucchini
Adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking Through the Seasons

1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
4-5 links chicken sausage, cut into slices
1 zucchini, quartered and cut into (1/2 inch) slices
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 cups chopped trimmed kale (about 1/2 lb.)
1/2 cup water (I use about 1 cup chicken stock)
2 cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Suate onion and sausage 4 minutes or until sausage is browned . (If using uncooked sausage, cook sausage before slicing and then saute with onion.) Add zucchini and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add kale and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Curried-Squash and Red-Lentil Soup

I love cooking with Lentils. They are tasty and quite healthy for you too! The only thing is that they always seem to take longer to cook than the recipe says. But this recipe is worth the wait! The recipe says to make a cilantro oil to drizzle over the finished soup, but I just added chopped cilantro in at the end instead. To serve, I first spoon cooked rice into the bottom of the bowl and then ladle the soup over the top.

Curried-Squash and Red-Lentil Soup
Adapted from Gourmet

For Soup:
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs minced peeled ginger
1 tbs curry powder
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 quarts water (I sometimes use chicken stock as well)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

For cilantro oil:
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Accompaniment: cooked basmati rice

Make soup: Heat oil with butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook squash, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger and 1 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes.
Stir in curry powder and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
Add lentils and water and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 25-40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

For cilantro oil: Puree cilantro, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender. Serve soup drizzled with cilantro.

Linguine with Summer Succotash

I wasn't feeling well the other night, but I had this meal planned for dinner. My sweet husband took the recipe and made a delicious dish! He said that it was pretty easy to make and it didn't take too much time. The blended corn makes for a great sauce! We did make one alteration to the recipe. String beans were less expensive this week so I used them instead of the snap peas and I think it worked just fine.

Linguine with Summer Succotash
Adapted from Bon Appétit.

Ingredients:
8 ounces linguine
2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 3 to 4 ears), divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 cups stringless sugar snap peas
1 6-ounce container assorted bab tomatoes, large ones halved
1 1/4 cups sliced fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Directions:
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Place 1/2 cup cooking liquid in blender. Add 1/2 cup corn; blend until smooth. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add peas and remaining 2 cups corn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add pasta, tomatoes, basil, 3/4 cup cheese, and corn puree. Toss until heated through and sauce coats pasta, adding more cooking liquid if dry, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional cheese.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

This has become a favorite of ours over the years. I often try to cook vegetarian and this recipe is a fabulous vegetarian chili. For added texture, I first put cooked brown rice in the bottom of the bowl and then ladle in the chili. It is delicious!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 sweet potato peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground chipotle chili
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups water (I often use chicken or vegetable stock)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbs chopped cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and potato and cook, stirring often, until onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until potato is tender, about 10-12 minutes.

3. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice. Increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

4. Serve over cooked rice.

Red Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

I know that quinoa is something that a lot of people haven't had before, but it is great! You can use it in place of rice in recipes and it has more protein. This dish is the first quinoa dish that I ever tried and I fell in love. It is easy to cook- just a 2:1 for water and quinoa. If you haven't had it before, give it a try! You will like it!

Red Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

1 cup Red Quinoa
4 tbs + fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tbs chopped cilantro
2 tbs minced scallions
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup red pepper, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
salt and pepper

Cook quinoa in 2 cups water until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Mix all ingredients and toss. Add more lime juice if it seems to dry. Chill until ready to serve.

*I will often add other vegetables that I have on hand such as zucchini or sugar snap peas.

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple-Pepper Relish

I made this for dinner last night and it was so good that I had to post it right away! It is spicy, but the sweet pineapple is such a nice compliment.

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple-Pepper Relish

Adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking through the Seasons.

2 tsp canola oil

1 tsp Cajun Seasoning

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

4 (6 oz. ) tilapia fillets

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple chunks

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped plum tomato

2 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

4 lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle fish evenly with spice mixture. Add fish to pan, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine pineapple and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring gently. Serve pineapple mixture with fish. Garnish with lime wedges.

*I added a little oil to the spice mixture and applied with a brush. I also made the Pineapple Relish before cooking the fish so that it was all ready to go once the fish was done.

Pasta Primavera

This is one of our favorite meals to make during the spring. I think that I have already made it 3 times this year!! I love when spring comes and vegetables start to come into season. This pasta is packed full of all my favorite vegetables and is quite delicious!! (I can't remember where I found this recipe. It was a long time ago.)

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded and cut into strips

1/2 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup sliced button mushrooms (4 ounces)

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup 1% milk (I use almond milk)

1 tbs all-purpose flour, dissolved in 3 tbs water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 large carrot peeled and sliced into strips with a peeler

3/4 lb. whole wheat linguine

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 tbs chopped parsley

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

Directions:

Heat the oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until soft, about 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes and cook until softened, an additional 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrot strips.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with vegetables and sauce. Add pasta water if necessary, to loosen mixture. Serve garnished with Parmesan, parsley and basil.

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Feta Salad

I found this recipe over a year ago and now can't remember where I found it. So forgive me if I am not giving credit. But this is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It is good as a main dish or a side dish. I have started roasting the sweet potato and onion instead of sauteing them. Bake at 400F for about 25-3o min.[Makes 2 large servings as a main dish or about 4 as a side dish]

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Feta Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 cup water
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
1 sweet potato
1/2 onion
2-3 cups spinach
feta cheese

Directions:

1. Put the quinoa, water and garlic clove in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 minutes.
2. While the quinoa is simmering, dice up the onion and cut the sweet potato into small cubes.
3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat with a little olive oil (about 1 tsp). Add the sweet potatoes, stirring every few minutes. Cover the sweet potatoes to trap a little steam and help tenderize them for a few minutes. (I add a couple tbs of water to help make some steam.)
4. When the sweet potatoes are about half way tender, add the onion. Cook until both the sweet potatoes and onion are tender. Add the spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Remove from heat.
5. When the quinoa is finished cooking, smash up the garlic clove, spreading it through the quinoa. Combine the quinoa with the sweet potato mixture.
6. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with feta cheese.

*While I am cooking the sweet potato and onion, I will add some seasoning like Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper. Also, I don't add the spinach to the sweet potatoes until it is off the heat and in a bowl. This way, the spinach doesn't get too wilted and still has a little crunch. Make sure to watch the quinoa and to not over cook. Once all the water is gone, take it off the heat, otherwise it will burn to the bottom.

Last summer Bubba and I went to the Farmers Market at Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City. I was on the hunt for heirloom tomatoes because I had found this Tomato Tart recipe that I wanted to try out and I thought it would be great heirlooms. We found the most beautiful tomatoes. We picked out the ones we wanted and the nice farmer said, "that will be 17 dollars." Bubba and I looked at each other in astonishment (how could a couple pounds of tomatoes cost that much?) paid the kind farmer and went on our way. We couldn't believe that we had just spent so much on tomatoes! Let's just say this one expensive tart, but it turned out delicious and I would say that it was worth it. Maybe just try to find less expensive tomatoes!

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust (I made my pie crust)
• 1 1/2 lb. firm tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbs tapenade or pesto
• 1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped parsely plus extra for garnish
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbs capers for garnish (I didn't use these)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.


2. Layer pie crust with tomato slices, and sprinkle with 2 oz. feta. Beat together eggs and tapenade until well mixed, and stir in mozzarella parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour half of mixture over first tomato layer. Add second layer of tomato slices, and top with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle remaining feta cheese on top.


3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until egg mixture firms and feta browns. Remove from oven, garnish with sprinkles of parsley and capers, slice and serve.

Cooks note: I used a large tart dish instead of a 9-inch pie pan. This meant that I almost doubled the egg mixture. It also too closer to 45 minutes to bake since it was a larger dish.

Roast Chicken with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika

This is such a simple and fantastic recipe! It is one of those no-worries recipes where you put it together, stick it the oven and less than an hour later, you have a yummy dinner! Make sure you don't skip the yogurt sauce...it really makes the dish!

Roast Chicken with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbs smoked paprika (I used regular paprika)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
4 chicken breasts
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1 12-ounce container cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt

Directions

Preheat oven to 450F. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to make spiced oil. Pour 1 tsp spiced oil into small bowl; whisk in yogurt and set aside for sauce.

Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet. Rub 2 tbs spiced oil over chicken. Add beans, tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro to remaining spiced mixture; toss to coat. Pour bean mixture around chicken. Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes. When done, sprinkle chicken with remaining cilantro. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon bean mixture over chicken. Serve with yogurt sauce.

Grits Souffle with Tomato Coulis

This recipe was a lot of fun to make. I have been trying to find more vegetarian recipes and this one is a keeper. This was the first time that I have ever made a souffle and I was a little nervous that it wouldn't turn out, but it turned out beautifully. This recipe does require a bit of strength as you have to constantly whisk the grits for several minutes. I had a willing husband which made the job a little easier for me!

Grits Souffle with Tomato Coulis

Souffle

• 1 cup grits, plus extra for dusting
• 3 cups low-fat milk (I used almond milk)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 lb. steamed asparagus, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Gouda cheese
• 3 large egg whites, plus 1 large egg

Tomato Coulis

• 2 tsp garlic oil (I used EVOO and 1 crushed garlic clove)
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 15 oz. can diced Italian-style tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red peppers
  

Directions

1. To make Souffle: Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 6 8-oz. ramekins with cooking spray and dust with grits.


2. Bring grits, milk and baking powder to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook 8 minutes, whisking constantly. Cool 5 minutes, then stir in asparagus, cheese and whole egg.


3. Beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into grits mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Divided among ramekins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden.


4. To make Coulis: Heat oil in pot over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 6 minutes, or until soft. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper, and simmer 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Puree in a blender until smooth. Un-mold souffles and serve with tomato coulis and asparagus Spears for garnish, if desired.