Menu: Week of 10.24

It has been way too long since I have posted. But with school starting back, I haven't had as much free time to write. I have decided to make this a bigger priority in my time, especially because I love sharing recipes so much. So look forward to no more long periods of silence from the Cory kitchen.

Well, fall has arrived, and with it my intense love for anything and everything pumpkin. I have a pumpkin muffin mix in my cabinet, pumpkin butter in the fridge, and a fresh pumpkin on the kitchen table that will be transformed into pumpkin pie this afternoon. What I am most excited to try this week is Rachael Ray's Pumpkin Pasta.

Here is the line-up for this week...

Sunday: Vegetable Lentil Soup (Ina Garten)

Monday: leftovers of the soup with Tiffany Pizza

Tuesday: Chicken Cheese Steaks with sweet potato fries (yours truly)

Wednesday: Pumpkin Pasta (Rachael Ray)

Thursday: Left overs

Friday: something from Busch Gardens for Howl-O-Scream

Click the following links to find the entire recipes:

Vegetable Lentil Soup

Penne-wise Pumpkin Pasta

Tiffany Pizza

Grocery List:

Ingredients for Vegetable Lentil Soup by Ina Garten

• 1 pound French green lentils
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
• 3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta by Rachael Ray

• Salt
• 1 pound whole-wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup cream (I am going to replace this with Almond Milk...very thick but way fewer calories and much better for you!)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• Salt and black pepper
• 7 to 8 leaves fresh sage, thinly sliced plus more, for garnish
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Ingredients for Chicken Cheese Steaks

* 1 to 2 pounds of chicken breast tenders

* 2 green peppers, sliced thin

* 2 onions, sliced thin

* 2 tbsp olive oil

* Italian hoagie rolls

* Provolone cheese

* 1 tbsp butter

* 1 tbsp flour

* 1/2 cup milk

* salt and pepper

Things you might find in your pantry (and if you don't, you should buy them and keep them around because they make life easier every day):

• hot sauce
• nutmeg
• cinnamon
• thyme
• cumin
• sea salt
• coarse black pepper
• Grated Parmigiano
• Pasta (one box/bag of penne and one box/bag of spaghetti)
• Olive oil
• chicken stock
• garlic
• onions
• working bottles of Reds and Whites to use in cooking

Look forward to pictures later this week and updates to let you know how the meals turned out.

Mini Breakfast Quiches: Quick, easy and delicious!

I love eggs. From head down to my legs. It's true. I could eat eggs every single morning for the rest of my life and I don't think I would ever get tired of them. I used to eat plan old egg and cheese omelets as a kid. When I got to William and Mary, Phyllis made the best omelets in the UC every weekday morning--I was a regular. When I went to work after graduating I tried so hard to make an omelet each day, but you know that 5:00am comes early most days and sometimes there just isn't time for a red pepper/green pepper/onion/bacon/cheese omelet. This summer I had so much free time I came up with this brilliant idea to make mini breakfast quiches that I could freeze and throw in the microwave each morning for less than 2 mins. I tested this theory last week with spinach, mushroom, tomato and onion quiches. This Sunday I worked hard to cook up a batch of turkey bacon, red pepper, green pepper, and onion quiches AND OMG THEY ARE SO GOOOOOOD!

Okay so here is all you need:

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow or sweet onion, chopped

8 slices of turkey bacon, cooked, patted with a paper-towel and crumbled into 1/4 inch chunks

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

4 eggs and 5 egg whites, beaten into submission with a whisk

1/4 cup almond milk (or any milk will do)

I didn't even add salt and pepper and they were perfect

Okay and all you have to do is:

preheat oven to 350F

In a medium mixing bowl:

combine green and red peppers, onion, turkey bacon crumbles, and cheese

In another medium mixing bowl:

whisk the eggs, egg whites and milk

In a greased (with olive oil spray) muffin pan:

Add the pepper, onion, bacon and cheese mixture to the muffin cups

Using a small ladle pour in the egg mixture so that it fills up about 3/4 of the muffin cup

Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the egg is cooked all the way and they quiches are golden on top

Let them cool and remove from the muffin pan

When they are room temp, put two mini quiches into a plastic bag and label them with the date and throw them in the freezer. Basically when you are ready for breakfast, heat them in microwave for about 1min 45secs and enjoy.

It just can't get any easier than that.

And...may I also add that just in the last 2 weeks since eating these for breakfast and eating the snacks and lunch from my last post...I have lost 3 pounds.

Let me know if you try this recipe and how it turns out for you!

Back-to-School: Snaz-up Your Breakfast and Bagged Lunch

One of our pictures from vacation..early morning surfing at milepost 14.5.

Summer is coming to a close, and with it my freedom to grocery shop early in the morning, spend hours cooking over the stove, and more importantly the freedom to decide what lunch will be five minutes before I eat it. Now I have to plan out meals well in advance. I normally prepare breakfast and lunch for the next day the night before so I can sleep as late as possible. I have to admit I really resent having to spend about 35 to 45 minutes each night taking care of this routine, but it definitely saves money and is a much healthier option than grabbing breakfast or lunch on the go.
Here are a few things I do to help save money and time when it comes to my homemade lunches.
1. a bag of fruit like gala or fuji apples, or enough nectarines or oranges to have one piece of fruit as a mid afternoon or mid morning snack each day
2. Trader Joe's pre-packed almonds and/or Omega 3 Trail Mix (10 pre-packaged baggies per pack)
3. a variety of yogurt flavors (I tend to buy light and fit...80 calories, 0% fat), but greek yogurt is awesome too
4. tupperware and plastic baggies in a variety of shapes and sizes
5. baby carrots
6. laughing cow light cheese (creamy swiss) or string cheese (low-fat part skim)
7. napkins
8. a few sets of old silverware
9. a few ice packs (rotate them so that you always have one that is well frozen and will stay cold all day)
10. a snazzy lunch box

The other morning I woke up around 4:30am and couldn't go back to sleep. After forcing myself to stay in bed until 5am I woke up and spent some time calculating the calories for a typical school day breakfast, mid-morning snack. lunch and mid-afternoon snack. Below are the results that I found. I used calories as a basis to see just how many I generally consume on a daily basis, but as always you should read everything on the package: fat, saturated fat, trans fats, sodium, sugars, protein, fiber, etc. Know your foods in and out so that you can make good decisions about what you put in your body. Realize that a lot of companies put labels on products like Natural, Healthy, Low Fat, Sugar Free, etc. Read the fine print because that is just a marketing technique. Don't be fooled, do your research and make good decisions based on your particular needs.

Breakfast Omelet

1 Mushroom, sliced: 8
2 egg whites: 32
4 grape tomatoes, sliced: 7
1 tbsp chopped onions: 4
EVOO 1 tbsp: 120

Total: 171 calories

Breakfast Toast

1 slice Cinnamon & Raison Ezekial Bread: 80

1/2 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter: 47.5

1 tbsp Organic Sugar Free Blackberry Preserves: 35

Toast: 165 calories

Coffee

1 8 oz mug: 5 calories

1/2 tsp agave sweetener: ~10

2 tbsp Almond Milk: ~10

Total: ~25

Breakfast total: ~435 calories

Mid-Morning Snack

10 carrots: 40

1 laughing cow light cheese (swiss): 35

Total: 75 calories

Lunch

Salad:

1 cup spring mix: 7

4 grape tomatoes, sliced: 7

1/4 cup sliced cucumber: 7

2 slices of Boars Head Classic Chicken breast (deli meat), chopped up: 100 calories

1 tbsp feta cheese (basil and tomato): ~20 calories

French Dressing 1 tbsp: 45

Total: 186 calories

Yogurt: 140

Lunch Total: 326

Afternoon Snack

1 nectarine: 60

1 pkg Trader Joe's Omega 3 Trail Mix: 170 calories

Total: 230 calories

There are so many options to change this daily routine around. You can substitute grape tomatoes or cucumber slices for the carrots or you can try a different flavor of light cheese.

At lunch you can ditch the deli meat and add tuna one day a week or a hard boiled egg. It is important to make sure you get some protein at lunch, so don't cut it out all together. You can change the veggies or type of greens in your salad as well as the dressing. Just make sure to use light or fat free dressings. I actually love Kraft's Balsamic Vinaigrette, but I am trying to get rid of the Fat Free French in my fridge.

For the afternoon snack you can switch out the trail mix for a bag of almonds or a kashi granola bar (the Dark Chocolate Cherry one is awesome) and you can use seasonal fruits. In the fall apples are great, during the winter I go with oranges, tangerines or nectarines, in the early spring I take a cup of mixed berries, and all summer I eat a cup of watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew.

Most importantly be creative so you don't get bored with your routine. If you get bored, you will be tempted to grab something from the vending machine or toss out your bagged lunch and grab lunch out with friends. Save your money and most importantly eat healthy by planning ahead and eating meals you prepare yourself!

Cooking in August

Little Miss Cora came to visit Auntie Megan's kitchen. Even though she can't eat any of my goodies just yet, I'm sure one day she will be so excited to visit Casita Cory for a delicious meal made just for her by her Auntie Megan!

Wheat Allergies...No problem! This past weekend, I had a great time hanging out with my family. Mom, Dad and Jen all came and stayed a few days, and Reba and lil Cora made their way down for a day trip. And of course I had so much fun playing in the kitchen making meals that keep bringing my family back to visit! My younger sister has a wheat allergy, but I was dying to try this Shrimp and Pesto Pasta recipe from the Bride and Groom cookbook she and my older sister gave me as a shower gift. So I went to Trader Joe's and picked up a package of the brown rice spaghetti. This recipe was really easy, delicious and perfectly light for dinner on a hot summer's day!

Shrimp and Pesto Pasta

1 lb brown rice spaghetti

1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 tsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

Casita Cory Pesto Sauce

Cook the brown rice noodles in about 1 1/2 qts of water with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Once noodles are cooked to al dente, strain and set aside.

In a skillet head the olive oil to medium heat. Add in the shrimp and add salt and pepper. Let them cook on one side for one minute, then flip them. Add in the garlic. Cook until the shrimp are opaque.

Toss in the strained noodles, the sliced tomatoes and the pesto sauce.

Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 4.

The only way to make a baked potato even better is to bake it twice. Below is a recipe that I served up with Giada de Laurentiis' Pork Loin with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette. I will definitely be making these potatoes again. I mashed the potatoes by hand, but you could purée them in a food processor or blender to make your twice baked potatoes really smooth. Depends on the texture you are looking for.

Twice Baked Bacon and Cheddar Potatoes

4 large Russet baking potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup fried bacon broken into small bits

2 scallions, diced

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees

Rinse the potatoes, pat dry.

Rub them with a little bit of butter and sea salt.

Wrap in aluminum foil and poke with a fork to help them cook through.

Bake for about an hour or until the potatoes are soft when you stick them with a fork.

Once the potatoes are ready to be removed from the oven, set them aside and let them cool for about 8 to 10 minutes.

When they have cooled enough that you can touch them to work with them, cut the potatoes in half and then spoon out the insides of the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Be careful not to spoon out so much that the skins collapse.

Add about 3/4 of the chopped bacon, and 3/4 of the diced scallions.

Mix in the sour cream, butter, and milk.

Finally add salt and pepper to taste and mix them in with 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Using a large spoon scoop the filling back into the potato skins and place them on a large baking sheet.

Top the potatoes with the remaining bacon and cheese and return to the oven for about another 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Remove and top with the remaining of the chopped scallions and serve!

Lunch Time Grilling!

One day Forrest was home for lunch, so I grilled up some kabobs on the grill. I used yellow and green peppers, red onion, squash and zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and chicken. I made a quick marinade of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, about 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary and thyme and some ground Italian seasoning. They were delicious!

Midday Seafood Bash!

Another day when Forrest was home, I cooked up Giada de Laurentiis' Mussels, Clams, and Shrimp with Spicy Broth. Here are the pictures of that meal!

The following was my favorite!!!!

Bacon Cheddar Burgers with Grilled Onions!

1 large yellow onion

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

3 slices medium sharp cheddar cheese

lettuce

3 slices of tomato

3 slices of bacon

3 hamburger buns

Preheat a grill pan to medium high heat.

Slice the onions into 1/4 inch slices, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Place the onions on the grill pan and cook on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until they are tender grill marks appear. Remove and set aside for later.

Preheat a skillet to medium heat and cook the bacon on each side for about 5 minutes or until nice and brown and crispy. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel to drain off excess grease and cool.

While the onions and bacon are cooking, in a large bowl combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and worcestshire sauce. Make three 1/3 pound patties.

After you remove the onions, add the three patties to the grill pan and grill on each side for about 4 minutes or until your desired internal temperature (I generally go for medium well).

Pile up your burgers with the cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, patties, bacon and onions.

Slather on some ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise if you like and enjoy!

Serves 3 burgers.

Casita Cory: Menu 8/1 - 8/7

When it comes to having healthy, delicious meals the most important part is planning ahead. Each week I sit down and plan out the meals we will have that week and then I make my grocery list. I also check all of the local weekly ads and map out a few specials that I'd like to take advantage of. Then I set a time limit and head off to gather up my goods trying to get back to the house as soon as possible. (I could hang out in grocery stores forever) Sometimes I have to make a trip back later in the week when I am in need a fresh ingredient that buying ahead might spoil.

This weeks menu:

Monday: Spaghetti w/ Turkey Meatball Sauce and a salad

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: Florentine Chicken Meatball Calzones w/ Creamy Tomato Dipper (Rachael Ray) and a salad

Thursday: Chicken Cabobs on the grill

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Mussels, Clams and Shrimp in Spicy Broth (Giada De Laurentiis)

Food Lion:

Almond Milk ($1 coupon off 1/2 gallon)

watermelon ($3.98)

Frozen jumbo shrimp (13.99 buy one get one)

Bluberries ( 2 or $5)

Trader Joes:

2 dozen cage free eggs ($2.79 each)

OJ w/ Calcium ($1.99 half gallon)

1 bag red onions

1 bag yellow onions

1 pkg basil

Farm Fresh:

2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breast ($1.98 / lb)

Ground Chicken (2 for $6.00)

2 Cantaloupes (2 fo $4)

2 8 oz pkg mushrooms (2 for $3.00)

Organic Salad ($3.50)

Sweet Grape Tomatoes ($2.00)

garlic

Fire Roasted tomatoes (2) and Diced (2) (5 for $5 14 oz cans)

1 Red pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

2 green peppers

2 lbs frozen spinach

2 pkg mozzarella cheese (Sargento 2 for $5.00)

Grated Parm cheese

2 pkg pizza dough refrigerated

1 pint heavy whipping cream

deli meat

bread

On Saturday I will pick up the mussels and clams for the seafood dinner and another pkg of basil

Now I'm off...plan is to be back in 1.5 hours

Battle of the Cornish Hens

Okay so today was day 2 of Be Courageous in the Kitchen where I did battle with the cornish hens. Besides the fact that I roasted them upside down (I know rookie mistake) they cooked up perfectly.

I actually used Giada deLaurentiis's recipe for Roasted Citrus-Herb Game Hens. I followed the recipe and baked them according to her directions and they turned out great. Forrest complimented me on how perfectly the chicken was cooked, but he wasn't a fan of the citrus flavor. I personally liked the kick of citrus.

Not so frightening after all. Here are a few battle images:

Fresh Ingredients

My grandma's juicer

Bird Bath

Finished Product

Perfecting the Pesto Sauce

I tried making pesto sauce a few weeks ago. Forrest thought it was delicious, but I knew something about it wasn't just right. This time though, I think I got it spot on. You can do so much with pesto sauce once you make it. You can spread it on some toasted bread and top with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, you can use it as a sauce on pizza (like the Tiffany pizza mentioned in an earlier post) or you can toss any kind of pasta in it to get a nice change from tomato-based sauces. All you really need to make pesto is food processor and a few essential ingredients.

Also as a side note: My mom asked me the other day where do I get all of the recipes I post on my blog. In case you are wondering the same thing...almost all of my recipes are original. However, I do give credit where credit is due to chefs I borrow recipes from. I try to post a link to their recipes or give the title of the cookbook. If I don't mention another chef's name, or provide a link, then the recipe comes from my own experience and creativity.

Pesto Sauce

2.5 oz of fresh basil (I used a package of Infinite from Trader Joe's b/c my basil has burned up in the Virginia Heat)

2 cups fresh spinach

The juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

3 cloves garlic, roasted

olive oil

To roast the garlic:

Preheat the oven to 400-425

Cut off the top 1/4 inch or so of a whole garlic head

Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper

Wrap in aluminum foil and roast for about 15 to 20 mins until tender

(I used a small head of organic garlic...if you use a larger head it will take longer)

Remove and let cool

In the food processor:

Add the basil and about 2 tbsp of olive oil and process

Add 1 cup of the spinach and 2 tbsp of olive oil and process

Add the 2nd cup of spinach and 2 tbsp of olive oil and process

Add the toasted pine nuts, the roasted garlic cloves, and the lemon juice, salt and pepper and 2 more tbsp of olive oil and process

Continue adding olive oil until the sauce is more saucy and less leafy and until all of the ingredients are well processed

Now if you want to make this in larger quantities go right ahead. I have a very small food processor (but very mighty) so I can only make smaller portions, but make a bigger batch, freeze half and save it for another day!

So for last night's dinner I used this pesto sauce with Trader Joe's Cheese Tortellini, but you can use any kind of pasta for this dish. I always add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and the following recipe for sautéed mushrooms. You will love it!

Sautéed Mushrooms:

1 large package of button mushrooms or baby bellas

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup Marsala wine (or any wine you have around the house)

2 tbsp olive oil

First remove the stems from the mushrooms and either wipe with a paper towel or remove the outer skin

Then preheat a large skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil to medium heat

Add shallots and garlic, cook until tender

Add mushrooms and toss with shallots, garlic and olive oil

Add the wine and cook until tender

Be Courageous: Battle of the Spare Ribs

Hello readers!

I have been out of town on a much needed vacation with the hubby. One night I made the Fish Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa (this time I used Grouper and grilled after marinating it in Tequila Chili Lime marinade and I added back in the avocado for the tomatillo salsa). These were a huge hit! I also made the Three Amigos Casserole and after feeding four for dinner 5 people enjoyed left overs in the days following.

Now this week's theme in the kitchen is Be Courageous. I am taking on two recipes this week that I have tried so hard to avoid in the past few years because I am a bit of a perfectionist and I really HATE screwing things up...especially in the kitchen. So instead of running the risk I have run in the other direction from these two ingredients: Spare Ribs (or any ribs for that matter) and Cornish Hens.

Today's Battle: Casita Cory vs. Spare Ribs

Winner: Casita Cory

Okay, now maybe you are not afraid of ribs and have cooked them a billion times, but for me this was more of a mental challenge. I thought ribs were only for men with smoker-grills and hairy chest. But today with neither a smoker-grill nor a hairy chest I mastered the art of cooking ribs...my style...oven style.

I used Tyler Florence's Ultimate BBQ Ribs.

I pretty much followed it spot on except that I used Spare Ribs and his recipe calls for Baby Back Ribs. I wanted to get a picture for the blog and to document my first ever attempt at making ribs, but Forrest and I flew into those bad-boys so fast they didn't stand a chance. If you follow his recipe it is so easy and that BBQ sauce could go on anything..pork chops, chicken, chicken wings, or pulled BBQ sandwiches.

You will love it! And be courageous in the kitchen :)

Throwback: My First Original Recipe

When I first moved out into my own apartment I decided to really commit to cooking my own food. For the first few months I followed many recipes very strictly, never straying from the directions. One day in the spring I decided to make my own recipe using some of my favorite ingredients. I have worked on it over the years and it really is a big hit with my family. You can add other ingredients you might like to it as well.

Also while making this dinner at my parents house after my mom's last surgery I got to use her awesome camera to get the pics. For Christmas I think Santa is going to bring Casita Cory an awesome camera like that so that the images on my blog can be more professional!!!

Three Amigos Casserole

In cooking I have found that there are three ingredients I use more than anything else: beans, corn, and onions. Expect no less in this recipe.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ear of corn, shucked, slice kernels from the ear

2 cans of either diced tomatoes with green chilies or fire roasted

1 package of Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, or 1 bag of 10 min brown rice (in a bag)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large skillet add 3 tbsp olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

In another deeper skillet at 2 tbsp olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

Grease a clear baking dish with a spray oil or rub olive oil on the inside of the pan

Pat down the chicken breast with a paper towel.

Cut them into 1 inch cubes and season with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin.

Place in the first skillet and cook, rotating occasionally until all of the pieces are cooked through.

Remove and let cool, about 10 minutes.

Cut into smaller pieces and set aside.

In the deeper skillet add the onion and green pepper and cook until they start to become tender.

Add the fresh corn kernels and cook until they become tender.

Add in the the black beans and the tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper.

(if you want to kick it up a notch add in tsp cracked red pepper)

Lower to a simmer and cook for about 7 minutes.

Cut off the heat and mix in the chicken.

Prepare your rice...however it is you need to do it just follow the box directions. (I cheat here and use TJs frozen rice because it is so much easier)

Mix the rice into the deep skillet with all of the other ingredients then transfer to the baking dish.

Top with the cheese and bake at 425 until the cheese starts to brown and form a delicious crust.

You will love it!

Berry Delicious Smoothie

Smoothies are just plain awesome. I love having them for breakfast or after a workout. Primarily I should say that if you enjoy smoothies or think that you might enjoy smoothies you should invest in a Magic Bullet. You get about 6 individual cups that attach to the blender-piece and make it so much easier to clean. Also it is much smaller than a traditional blender. For about 50 dollars you just can't beat it.

Berry Delicious

1 scoop Aria Women's Soy/Whey Protein Powder (Trader Joe's) You can replace this with one tbsp almond or peanut butter

1 tbsp old fashioned oats

1 cup frozen berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)

1 cup rice milk (or almond or soy milk)

1 large spoonful of plain nonfat greek yogurt

Blend until smooth and enjoy :)

Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Summer Quinoa Salad

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. We have been running around like crazy enjoy the beautiful outdoors...waterskiing, wakeboarding, surfing and sunsoaking. I must admit it has been awesome, but I am glad to get some time this week to get back into the kitchen! Last night's dinner was super delicious and also very healthy.

I got the recipe for the Summer Quinoa Salad from a friend who found it on the NY Times online Health section. I am not a member so I can't access it anymore, but I remember it. Also I changed quite a few things in this recipe because it just so happened to be what I had around the house. I used red quinoa, persion cucumbers, lemon juice (instead of lime), cherry tomatoes and white wine vinegar because it was what I had on hand. Also for the avocados for garnish I doused them with lemon juice to keep them beautifully yellow-green longer.

Summer Quinoa Salad

1 cup red quinoa

2 cups water

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 avocado sliced (for garnish)

Cook the quinoa according to the directions: rinse and strain the quinoa until the water runs clear, add to water and bring to a boil. Lower temp to a simmer and cover. Cook until all of the water has been absorbed by the quinoa and they have broken open. Set aside and let cool.

In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Set aside.

Place the diced cucumber into a colander, add salt and toss. Let sit for about 3 minutes then rinse with cold water.

Add the diced cucumber, minced onion, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro to a large bowl.

When the quinoa has cooled add it to the bowl and mix with the lemon juice dressing.

Garnish with avocado slices.

What's so great about that dish is that you can take it to an outdoor BBQ and because it has a vinaigrette style dressing you don't have to worry about it like you would a mayo based dressing. Plus SOOO much healthier for you than a pasta salad or potato salad :)

Grilled Pork Loin

Marinade:

1 cup red wine (you choose a flavor you like)

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

salt and pepper

2 tsp Italian season mix

1 tbsp vinegar

Add the above ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag and shake until well mixed. Add in the loins and put in the fridge for about an hour.

Preheat the grill to medium heat and take out the pork loins and let them sit at room temp until the grill is ready.

Grill the pork loins for about 5 minutes on each side or until an internal temperature of about 150 to 160 F.

Remove and cover with aluminum foil and let stand for about 5 minutes.

Slice the tenderloin and serve with the Summer Quinoa Salad.

The tenderloin was perfectly tender!

I hope you enjoy!!!

Put Your Man (or Teenager) to Work in the Kitchen :)

Tuesday is a very busy day for me. I start off at 6:30 in the morning with my bootcamp class, then I pass a few hours at the pool, spend some time working on homework, catch a nap, then off to the gym to teach my step class. After that I shower quickly at the gym and head straight to church for my women's Bible study. I get home way too late in the evening to cook dinner. And let's be honest, I'm not giving up my nap time or pool time to make dinner in advance. Also Forrest and I really try to avoid buying prepared foods or anything prepackaged or over-processed. So, the wonderful husband that I have has offered to cook dinner on these hectic days...under one condition...that I make sure we have the ingredients and leave him some pretty easy to follow directions. Last week he actually picked up chicken and asparagus and grilled them and baked up some delicious sweet potatoes. He is becoming quite the sous-chef.

Anyhow this week I had an idea for a Southwest Pizza so I left him the following directions and we had a super healthy and delicious dinner...and I didn't have to make it...which sometimes is just awesome :)

Southwest Pizza

1 can black beans

1 ear of corn

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 red onion, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

2 tsp cracked red pepper

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 large whole wheat pizza crust

1 1/2 cups Lite Mexican Cheese (Trader Joe's)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat

Shuck the ear of corn and remove any "hairs", drizzle with olive oil and place on the grill pan, rotating until all sides are slightly charred

Remove and let cool, then cut the kernels off

Rinse the can of black beans and drain them. Gently roll them in a paper towel to make sure they are dry.

Place the whole wheat pizza crust on a pizza stone and drizzle 2 tbsp of olive on the top and spread evenly

Add salt, pepper, and cracked red pepper

Pile on the black beans, corn, green pepper, red onion, and tomato

Top with the cheese

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned on top (light brown...no burning here)

Remove and let cool a bit before slicing and serving.

Chop up the cilantro and top the pizza with it for extra flavor. Scallions would work well here too.

If you want to make sure your sous-chef is successful in the kitchen leave them these directions, and probably pull out all of the tools they will need. If you have time you can pre-chop the onion, green pepper, and take care of the corn earlier too. If you leave them the chopping to do....some directions like "remove the skin from the onion" might also be helpful.

This pizza was fabulous. You could serve it with guacamole, sour cream or for a healthier dish with pico de gallo (Trader Joe's has an awesome pre-made Pico that is a big hit!) We ate it straight up and loved it!

Let me know how you like it.

P.S.: This is all that remains....

Grocery must-haves

I really enjoy grocery shopping. Most women head off to their favorite retail store to grab a new bag, some stylish shades, or a sexy pair of heels. After a rough day at work you can find me wandering through the aisles at Trader Joe's. Sometimes I worry they are going to ask me to leave because I have spent around an hour and a half there on numerous occasions.

Food comforts me. I grew up in my grandmother's kitchen helping her cook my grandfather breakfast, preparing lunch, getting the supper ready, and almost every holiday and Sunday I would put in extra hours learning to cook like her. I know it may sound cliché, but ever since she passed in 2007 I cook more often because I feel connected to her when I am in the kitchen. My grandma was allergic to milk products and I think now about how I use almond milk to make so many delicious desserts and how she could have enjoyed food so much more if I had known about it then.

Anyhow back to the shopping, something about looking through foods, touching and smelling fresh produce and imagining what amazing meals the raw ingredients can turn into really inspires me. Sometimes I think I enjoy the grocery shopping almost as much as I do the actual cooking.

Today I thought I might let you in on a few things I almost always include on my weekly grocery list. Also as a side note...Forrest is a human garbage disposal, so all of the things I will list here I usually buy in doubles and sometimes triples. For example: there are 2 1/2 dozen eggs in our fridge right now...we will clear through them in approximately 6 days (and that is if I do no baking...which I cannot promise!)

I am a huge bargain shopper...so I do compare prices between stores, but some ingredients I can only find at Trader Joe's.

The Casita Cory Grocery Favorites:

cage free eggs (sometimes Organic)...like I said, when you go through 2 dozen in a matter of days organic starts to get a bit pricey so I try to alternate weeks...one week organic the next simply cage free...and check out this note on eggs

almond milk here are two articles: the first is a comparison of soy, almond and rice milks the second is about 10 Benefits of Almond Milk

almond Butter we here at Casita Cory really use both peanut butter and almond butter...so here is a comparison...I actually prefer the taste of almond butter with my mom's homemade strawberry preserves :)

almonds are you starting to notice a trend? haha Almonds are my mid morning snack and here are some of the many health benefits of adding almonds to your diet

onions I usually buy a bag of sweet red onions and a bag of yellow. Onions add so much flavor to everything and also are good for your health...read here about how

garlic again an ingredient I add to tons of dishes to add flavor and see how it works for you

spinach we add spinach to our omelets in the morning, salads or sandwiches at lunch, and often add them to pasta dishes or serve sautéed as a side for dinner...now here is what spinach can do for you...

tomatoes I always buy a few vine tomatoes and then a pint or quart of grape or other miniature tomatoes. Here are 10 Health Benefits of Tomatoes

mushrooms Throw them into an omelet, a salad or a pasta dish and find out how they are good for you here...

greek yogurt We started replacing our regular yogurt with greek yogurt just recently. Read why you might want to here...

frozen berries Forrest makes a PowerSmoothie every morning. Frozen and fresh berries work hard to fight those free radicals reducing your risk of cancer and other diseases...read here about it

frozen yogurt Forbes.com writes about how it is all the new rage in desserts...Trader Joe's has a great nonfat plain frozen yogurt...just add your favorite fresh berries and some melted dark chocolate for a delish and healthy dessert...

honey add to a hot mug of green tea or a peanut butter or almond butter sandwich...or top some of that greek yogurt with it for a snack...and while you are at it read how it's working for you!

avocados Obviously this is a guacamole staple, but slice it up into salads or on a sandwich, or take that guacamole and slap it on a turkey sandwich...and here is why the avocado is making a comeback...

Well I think that is it for now. Believe me...that's never all I buy at the grocery, but those are some of our favorite things to throw in the cart :)

Healthy Cooking that Tastes SOOO Good!

Today a Calphalon store opened in the outlets. Who is in love? This girl. My sweet friend invited me in for the friends and family sneak peak...AWESOME! I picked up a grill pan and a stock pot. Of course it's just like when I buy a new piece of clothing...I HAD to cook using at least one of them tonight. I picked up some tuna steaks at the grocery and headed home. Here is how my imagination ran with a few random ingredients I had around the house.

Here are the recipes:

Grilled Sweet Onion Vinaigrette (Bobby Flay's Grill It)

2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Preheat the grill (or grill skillet) to medium high heat

Brush the red onion slices with olive oil and then salt and pepper

Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until slightly charred

In a medium sized bowl whisk the balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil and thyme

Once the onions are charred, set them aside to cool

Roughly chop the onions and add them to the sauce and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving on top of the tuna steaks

Tuna Steaks

2 tuna steaks

salt and pepper

olive oil

Preheat grill (or grill skillet) to medium high heat

Brush the tuna steaks with the olive oil

Season with salt and pepper

Cook on the grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they are well browned on the top and bottom, but still pink in the middle

Tomatoes Stuffed with Spinach and Feta

1 bag of organic spinach

2 shallots, chopped

1 clove organic garlic, chopped

2 tbsp organic olive oil

1/4 cup organic low sodium chicken stock

salt and pepper

1/8 cup of Feta cheese

2 tomatoes

Preheat a large skillet to medium heat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Add the garlic and shallots and cook until tender

Add the spinach and the chicken stock and cook until the spinach is dark green and tender

Cut a small circle on the top of the tomato (where the stem attaches to it) and use a spoon to remove the seeds and insides

Layer in the feta and spinach until the tomatoes are full then top with the feta

Bake for about 12 minutes

Rosemary and Garlic Infused Organic Red Quinoa

1 cup organic red quinoa

2 cups organic low sodium chicken stock

2 sprigs rosemary

1 clove garlic chopped in half

salt and pepper

In a medium sauce pan add the quinoa, chicken stock, rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover

Cook until there is no more liquid and the quinoa grains fall apart

I hope you enjoy this meal. It is super healthy and comes from mostly organic and locally grown ingredients (minus the tuna). Forrest and I both loved it!

Holy Guacamole!!!!

My brother-in-law, sweet man that he is, believes that his gaucamole is better than mine. Here is my recipe for guacamole...and I would wager that my experience with guacamole in Spanish-speaking countries is my automatic trump card, but we will see if this recipe out shines his.

The Best Dang Guacamole Out There

2 ripe avocados (these are the key..but them about 3 or 4 days early you want them to be slightly tender..but

not too mushy...if you are making this for other people and you cut open an avocado with brown spots...throw it out!)

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1 jalapeño, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

salt and pepper

Slice the avocados in half and pop out the seed (whack it with your knife and pull it out)

Then use a spoon or an avocado peeler to pull the meat out of the shell

Pour the lime juice over the avocado hunks

Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper

Using a knife, roughly chop the avocado hunks while mixing in the other ingredients

Add the chopped tomatoes and mix in with a spoon

Serve with tortilla chips (I really like the jalapeño scoops or the hint of lime chips)

Enjoy :)