Tag: bell peppers

Couscous, Recipes, Sides

Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Sarah

Okay, continuing on the CSA post trend… Sorry. [Not really. They’re  yummy, and half the veggies we have in the fridge at any one time.] So far, my favorite item that I’ve received in my CSA basket has been freshly picked sugar snap peas. Ohmygoodness, they are so great, so sweet, so crunchy. I’ve been eating them by the handful straight out of the fridge. Yum.

Since my husband isn’t much of a fan of very many raw veggies, I decided it would be nice to share some sugar snap peas with him. 🙂 Hence, this dish–Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous. I’m so nice, right?

This lovely little salad combines roasted tomatoes, peppers, and sugar snap peas, sweet raw corn, black beans, and tender, fluffy Israeli couscous. A simple lemon-basil marinade tops it all off and brings the flavors altogether in one refreshing bite. Though the veggies and grain can be swapped around, be sure keep the lemon-basil theme going on, because that is what makes the dish! This dish can be made ahead, but for best presentation, wait to stir in the black beans until serving because after a day or so they started to spread the love of their color all around. 🙂

This chilled couscous is fabulous for a lunch or as a side dish for a summertime BBQ. Just be sure you make enough to share!

Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cups red, orange, and yellow sweet peppers, cut into thin, long slices [I used mini peppers but bell peppers would work too.]
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, stems removed
  • 2/3 cup fresh, raw corn kernels, cut from one ear of corn
  • olive oil
  • freshly ground lemon pepper
  • 1 cup Israeli couscous
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup [canned] black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of half a lemon
  • handful fresh basil, sliced thin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking sheet, spread the tomatoes, peppers, and peas out in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil [maybe a tablespoon or so], then season with freshly ground lemon pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes or until tomatoes burst and peppers begin to blacken. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepot, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Pour in couscous and saute for 2-3 minutes until grains are lightly toasted. Then, pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Next, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet set to medium. Add black beans and onions and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until onions are crisp-tender and beans are heated.

Finally, in a large bowl, stir together roasted vegetables, raw corn, couscous, and black beans. Mix in lemon zest and juice, then top with basil. Serve chilled.

Recipes, Soups

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup

Sarah

I know spring is here… but that doesn’t mean it is the end of soup season! Rainy spring days are just as a much a call for a hot bowl of soup to warm you up [perhaps while watching some March Madness, as we have been doing a lot lately] as cold winter nights are, especially when said soup is light, flavorful, and filling. This Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup fits the bill perfectly. It’s full of sneaky nutrition as it packs in fresh vegetables peanut souplike peppers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes under the guise of rich peanut butter, spicy cayenne pepper, and a hint of ginger. We enjoyed munching on a grilled provolone cheese sandwich alongside this spicy soup, but I could also see it pairing well with a big green salad, a light pasta dish, or even served chilled gazpacho-style, if cold soup is your thing.

I prepped everything the night before and threw it in the crock pot in the morning to cook all day long, but the original recipe calls for making it on the stove-top in less than an hour. If you do the latter, saute the onions, peppers, and carrots with garlic to soften everything up and release some of the flavors a little before throwing everything in a big stockpot, bringing to a boil, and then simmering away until soft and blend-able. And be aware if you have an aversion to spicy food like me that this soup is HOT! Ben loved it, but next time I make it I am going to tone down the cayenne pepper initially for more control. Definitely didn’t think that one through too well… Regardless though, this is one flavorful soup that has earned itself a place in my soup repertoire, and I hope you love it as much as we do!

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup [adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger]

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup sweet or white onion, diced
  • 15 ounce jar roasted poblano peppers [could substitute 2 cups fresh red bell peppers or roasted red peppers]
  • 1 cup carrots, diced [about 3 medium or 2 large carrots]
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced [about 2 cups]
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 – 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with their juices [I prefer no-salt-added]
  • 2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot and stir to mix well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, then puree with an immersion blender [or carefully blend in batches in a food processor or blender]. Serve garnished with sour cream and/or cilantro.

*Note:

This soup is spicy… so I would recommend decreasing or eliminating the cayenne pepper altogether so you don’t spice yourself out like I did. I can’t wait to make a less spicy version of this again.

Click here for the printable version: Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Sarah

Poor, poor husband. My poor meat-lovin’ husband has been subjected to meatless recipe after meatless recipe. Last week, I think Ben only got meat for dinner once… and he had to make it himself. See, the more I run as I’m training for this marathon, the more I crave vegetables. [And funfetti frosting and brownies, but that’s another story.]

The good news though, is all these veggie cravings have resulted in some pretty good meals, like this one. I am not one to like mushy, cooked vegetables, which is why I chose to roast sweet bell peppers, savory mushrooms, and luscious, juicy tomatoes. Roasting these veggies adds another level of flavor and texture to this creamy, cheesy lasagna. It’s filling but not heavy, and bakes up bubbly and brown. A perfect dish for a cold Friday night–and a great way to carb-load on the night before an 18 mile run. Or, y’know, do whatever normal folks do on their Saturday mornings.

P.S. And if you’re worried about Ben and his lack of meat, I bought him a big hunk ‘o pork and cooked it in the crock pot yesterday. Recipe to come. For now, enjoy this veggie-friendly dish!

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna [based off of these recipes from Cooking Light and For the Love of Cooking and my mom’s]

Ingredients:

  • 3 bell peppers, diced [I used red, yellow, and orange]
  • 4 roma tomatoes, quartered
  • 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic [keep the skins on for roasting]
  • black pepper
  • salt
  • dried basil
  • nutmeg
  • 16 ounces fat free cottage cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano + additional for roasting
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups fat free half and half, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 9 lasagna noodles
  • 8 ounces Italian cheese blend [I used Sargento’s]
  • 3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
  • olive oil
  • cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray, then spread peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms in a single layer. Place the garlic cloves in one corner, for easy access after they are roasted. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and season as desired with black pepper, a little bit of salt, basil, and oregano. Toss gently to coat. Bake for 20 degrees, flip, and return to oven for another 10 minutes. Let cool.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together flour and half and half. Cook until thickened, about 7-9 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg and a generous amount of black pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.

When vegetables are cool enough to handle, crush tomatoes and cut into bite size pieces. Then, peel skin off garlic cloves and dice. Return vegetables to pan and stir together.

Finally, in a medium bowl, stir together cottage cheese, eggs, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer a 1/3 of the white sauce, 1/3 of the vegetables, 3 noodles, 2 ounces Italian cheese, and 1 ounce Parmesan cheese. Repeat twice, then top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle basil on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes, then turn on broiler and bake for another 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

Click here for the printable version: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Main Dishes, Recipes, Tofu

Balsamic-Honey Couscous Salad

Sarah

couscous saladSo, last Monday, January 10th, I began training for my second marathon. I’m running the Cleveland Marathon on May 15th [eeeek!]. I ran my first marathon, the Cincinnati Flying Pig, in May 2008 with a time of 4:07:27. While it was a great experience, I definitely have room for improvement. Over winter break, I worked hard on putting together a training schedule that would work with my schedule and provide me with challenging workouts so that I can run my best in May. I also made a few nutritional goals to help power me through to a great race.

  1. Cut out soda during my training week. My training schedule has me working out Monday-Saturday. I love Diet Coke and though I am not a huge soda drinker [usually I will drink a can 4-5 times/week], I know it’s not good for me. It’s easy for me to replace water with soda and to ensure that I drink enough water everyday, I decided to cut out soda during the week. After my long run on Saturdays [and on Sundays] I can drink some soda–provided I get enough water first! I used to do this during cross country and track seasons in high school and college and found it helpful.
  2. Eat protein at lunch. It can be really easy for me to just eat a lot of carbs for lunch [pasta or a bagel, anyone?] or to just eat a lot of side dishes. Consequently, I have resolved to make one special lunch entree each week that contains protein. So far, I have enjoyed new varieties of tuna and egg salad that I hope to post soon!
  3. Eat more veggies. I love eating fruit and I like eating veggies. But it’s easy for me to eat a lot of fruit because it’s sweet–I’ll even eat it as dessert sometimes. Veggies though? Not so much. You can only eat so many raw carrots. So I’ve decided to make our Mondays meatless! Yes, I know I’m jumping on the meatless Monday bandwagon pretty late, but eating a meatless meal one day per week is a) not that hard; b) forcing me to be a bit more creative; and c) pretty tasty. Here’s the latest!

bowl of couscousThis Balsamic-Honey Couscous Salad is a great main dish for a lighter weeknight meal or a quick side dish that is nice enough for company. I love how bright and flavorful it turned out. The dressing definitely makes the salad go from bland to a-m-azing! Although I used broccoli and a pepper/onion mix, any vegetables could really be used, so pick and choose amongst your favorites. Tofu is a suggested addition to this salad and really does make it very filling; even my meat-lover of a husband agreed with that! Enjoy!

Balsamic-Honey Couscous Salad [a Pajama Chef original]

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole wheat coucous
  • 2 cups broccoli, chopped
  • 10 ounces frozen chopped peppers and onions [or fresh–all the peppers at the store looked blah so I used frozen]
  • 1 pound tofu, optional
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes

Directions:

If desired, begin by cooking the tofu. I like using Emily’s method at the Daily Garnish. Then, steam the broccoli and peppers/onion mix over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Finally, prepare couscous according to package directions [usually combine 2 cups of water and  1 cup of couscous; bring it all to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes or until water absorbs]. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss to combine.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Stir together olive oil, honey, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Add the garlic, sesame, and chili flakes and whisk until emulsified.

Pour dressing into couscous and veggies in a slow steady stream, and then toss once more until dressing is fully incorporated. Serve warm.

Click here for the printable version: Balsamic-Honey Couscous Salad

Question of the Day: What goals are you shooting for this year?

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Hawaiian Chicken

Sarah

Hawaiian chicken When my husband and I first got married about a year and a half ago, I wasn’t a bad cook. I grew up cooking and baking a lot at home with my family, and living on my own for two years post-college gave me time to experiment with new recipes and figure out things in a grown-up kitchen. Problem was, I married a meat-lover and so in the early days of our marriage, I quickly realized I needed to expand my cooking repertoire to make Ben happy. Because I did want to make him happy… and I still do. 🙂

That first summer of marriage, I wasn’t yet working or in school so I had a lot of spare time [after all the wedding gifts were unpacked, I was settled into our new apartment, thank you notes written, etc.]. One day, I was flipping through one of my new cookbooks looking for some recipes I could try out. I knew Ben liked meat and Asian food, and when I saw the recipe for Hawaiian Baked Chicken, I was sold. It wasn’t exactly Chinese food, but it had a bit of Asian undertones, if only in the fact that it was chicken and veggies with a sauce served with rice. We didn’t have all the ingredients, but I improvised and by the time Ben arrived home that night, had dinner prepared.

wedding day
5/23/09--I love you, Benny.

This sweet and savory chicken dinner was a winner and was quickly proclaimed a keeper. There’s some mustard and spice for a savory, tangy kick, and honey and pineapple for sweetness. Served atop a bed of rice, this will make any hungry man happy. Now, it was what I make for my husband when I know he’s had a hard week or to celebrate an accomplishment at work. I like to make it for him when we haven’t had it in awhile just so he knows I remember how much he enjoyed it. I look forward to making it for my Ben in the years to come, so we can be in our 60s and look back to remember our early days of marriage in our tiny apartment in Bloomington, Indiana.

Hawaiian Chicken [from The Taste of Home Cookbook]

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound raw chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
  • 16 ounces pineapple chunks in pineapple juice, undrained
  • 1 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • cooked rice prepared with chicken broth instead of water
  • cooking spray

Directions:

Grease a shallow baking dish with cooking spray and then place chicken in dish. Pour green pepper and pineapple [and its juice] over chicken. In a large measuring cup, whisk together chicken broth, mustard, honey, olive oil, and paprika. Pour mixture over chicken and pineapple, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours for best results. Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Serve over rice.

Notes:

I’ve also used Dijon mustard and chili powder in lieu of brown mustard and paprika with excellent results. I’ve also added carrots before, but would recommend very small pieces so they cook and/or pre-cooking the carrots prior to baking. Also, this dish doesn’t have to marinate over a long period of time but it does get more flavorful the longer it sits. I like to prepare this the night before or morning of, but do what works best for you.

Click here for the printable version: Hawaiian Chicken

Question of the Day: What dish do you like to make for a special person in your life?