Lettuce |

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Kaitlin

It’s funny how you can go years, even decades, thinking that you don’t like a certain food only to find you can’t get enough of it when you’re older. Fish tacos is one of those foods for me. They pack a ton of flavor but are a healthier option than other proteins (as long as the fish isn’t fried, that is). I also love how quickly you can cook them up, perfect for a weeknight dinner! Cooking Light always has the best taco recipes so I naturally went in search of a fish taco recipe there. I found this recipe in the myrecipes.com new cookbook: Myrecipes’ America’s Favorite Food Cookbook, which you can win by entering below! Ingredients Crema: 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream 1 teaspoon grated lime rind (I just used the zest of one lime) 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (I used the juice of one lime) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 garlic clove, minced Tacos: 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1 1/2 … Continue reading →

Egg BLT with Avocado

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Kaitlin

When I came across this recipe, my first thought was “why don’t people make Egg BLTs more often”? Why is this not a common brunch menu choice? Egg sounds like a logical upgrade to a traditional BLT. The addition of avocado to this just takes it over the top. I found this recipe on myrecipes.com and switched it around a bit, but the general idea is the same. Ingredients (makes two servings): 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes 1/2 avocado, diced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, divided 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons mayonnaise 2 pieces of ciabatta bread (or 2 ciabatta rolls) 1 cup firmly packed arugula 4 thick bacon slices, cooked I bought one of those “bake at home” ciabatta breads that you pop in the oven for about 10 minutes. I thought some “freshly baked” bread would be nice with this dish. You can use whatever bread you happen to find if ciabatta is not available. Cook the bacon according to package directions. Transfer to a paper towel to drain excess fat. Combine the tomatoes, avocado, basil, garlic, olive … Continue reading →

Garlicky Meatball Pasta with Avocado-Butter Lettuce Salad

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Kaitlin

Despite having an Italian mother, I have never made meatballs before. I’m almost embarrassed to admit it. Whelp, at the age of 26, I believe it is time to finally get my hands dirty and make some meatballs. One of Cooking Light’s 40 Fast Menus in Under 40 Minutes had a recipe for meatballs, so I used it as my base for this recipe. For the Pasta: 9 ounces refrigerated fettuccine 12 ounces ground sirloin 2 sausages, removed from their casings 1/2 cup panko 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 2 garlic cloves, minced 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 3/4 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated For the Salad: 1 cup chopped red onion 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 cups torn butter lettuce 1 cup sliced avocado Because this is a very simple sauce, I’d suggest going for a premium high-quality marinara sauce, like a Pomi or a Muir Glen Organic. Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, combine the beef, sausage meat, panko, basil, … Continue reading →

Lamb Wraps with Tzatziki Sauce

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Kaitlin

I love a good gyro. I never considered even trying to make one because, this may come as a surprise, but I don’t have a spit in my tiny apartment. I know, a huge oversight. So I was really excited to find this recipe, (no spit required), especially because it takes 25 minutes to make. Woo hoo! (If I haven’t convinced you to pick up the Cooking Light Fresh Foods Superfast cookbook yet, you must not be reading my posts this week). Ingredients: Cooking spray 2 lamb sausages (or 1/2 lb ground lamb) 1/2 cup chopped onions Pepper and salt, to taste 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce 2 pocketless pitas or other flat bread Tzatziki sauce: 1/4 cup plain reduced fat Greek yogurt 1/2 a cucumber, seeded, peeled, and finely chopped 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint the juice from 1/2 a lemon Salt, to taste 1 garlic clove finely minced Heat a saute pan sprayed with cooking spray over medium high heat. While the pan is heating up, chop your onion and remove the lamb from the casing. Note: I used lamb sausage because my butcher was out of ground lamb. It was seasoned with some salt, pepper, and parsley, … Continue reading →

Black Bean Tostadas

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Kaitlin

Tostada normally refers to any meal in which a tortilla is deep fried or toasted. They were originally in response to tortillas that had started to get stale but could still be eaten. The toasted or fried tortilla is topped with beans, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, onions, salsa and then topped off with chicken or pork. Today, you can find all types of tostadas: seafood, vegetarian, vegan, etc.I found a recipe for a quick tostada in the Cooking Light Fresh Foods Superfast cookbook and altered it a bit to remove most pre-made products (I don’t usually get to supermarkets). The result was still a quick and really delicious weeknight meal. Ingredients: 1 can of black beans 5 tablespoons fresh salsa 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1/8 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1/8 cup chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 8-inch flour tortillas Cooking spray 3/4 cup shredded Romaine lettuce 1/2 an avocado, sliced Preheat the broiler. Drain and rinse the black beans. Add to a saute pan coated in cooking spray. Heat on medium heat, pressing on the black beans so they mush a bit. Add the salsa. If you do not have time to make your own … Continue reading →

Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Crisp Panko Chicken

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Kaitlin

My fridge looks like a forest. I kid you not. I have two of my three shelves of my refrigerator filled with leafy greens. I didn’t want to have just a plain old boring salad, so I decided to try this recipe from Cooking Light (April 2006). Ingredients for chicken: 1/2 cup panko 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound chicken breast tenders Cooking spray Ingredients for salad: 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 spring garlic, minced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions) 1/4 bunch of romaine lettuce 1/4 bunch of red leafy lettuce Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To cook chicken, add first 4 ingredients (panko through pepper) to a bowl. Mix to combine. Add chicken one at a time, tossing to coat. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is done and lightly browned. To prepare salad, combine vinegar and next 7 ingredients (through … Continue reading →

Summer Garden Salad

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Kaitlin

When I usually make salads, I tend to just throw in there whatever I happen to have in my fridge. I received romaine lettuce and radishes as part of my CSA this week, so I thought it was time to explore new salad recipes. I found one on myrecipes.com, originally from the May 2008 Cooking Light magazine. This one caught my eye immediately; look at those colors! Ingredients: 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons honey ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce 1 container grape tomatoes, halved 1 sliced peeled cucumber 1 chopped orange bell pepper 2-3 larger, thinly sliced radishes 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 1 avocado, mashed Combine the first five ingredients (lime juice through black pepper) in a bowl. Gradually add the oil, mixing with a whisk. Prepare all your veggies. Combine the lettuce and the next 6 ingredients (all but the avocado) in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the mixture and toss to coat. Top with avocado. I somewhat unjustifiably feel like I’m eating healthier when there are a bunch of colors in … Continue reading →

Mexican Night

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Kaitlin

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I need to clean out my fridge to make room for all of the leftovers I plan on hoarding from my relatives. (I love that they end up feeding me for the whole weekend) The best (and tastiest) way to do this is to make tacos for dinner. Ingredients Chicken Taco Seasoning (recipe below) Yellow Rice Lettuce Tomatoes Onions Green Pepper Guacamole (recipe below) Cheese (I used pepper jack and cheddar) Taco shells or soft tacos I usually have most of the above lying around, which is why this is my favorite recipe to get rid of a bunch of ingredients. As a side note: I live alone, so I just buy a bunch of chicken on sale, put the pieces in individual freezer bags, and pull them out the day before to defrost in the fridge. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the rice according to directions. While the rice is cooking, put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan on medium heat. While that warms up, season the chicken with the taco seasoning. Taco Seasoning Recipe Taco Seasoning 4 parts chili powder 4 parts ground cumin 2 parts paprika 2 parts … Continue reading →