Tag: Healthy

Salads

Recipe—Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad

Diva di Cucina

Cucumbers are one of my all time favorite summer veggies. I just slice them up and eat them plain. There are also lots of other wonderful healthy ways to enjoy the fresh veggie. This is one of my new favorite ways to prepare cucumbers. The dressing makes your taste buds come to life. It is tangy and very refreshing. Perfect for a warm afternoon! This recipe pairs great with pretty much any protein and is a fabulous addition to your summer cookouts. You can whip this salad up super quick and it is incredibly healthy all around. Low cal, low carb, and delicious! What more could you want in a recipe?

INGREDIENTS
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced (peeled is optional)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 c plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

  • In a medium bowl combine the cucumbers and onions.
  • In a small bowl mix together the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, dill, sugar, salt, and pepper.
  • Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and toss to coat.
  • For a nice presentation sprinkle with a little extra chopped dill.
  • Place in the fridge and chill until ready to serve.
Side Dishes

Recipe—Baked Sweet Potatoes

Diva di Cucina

I know many people think that sweet potatoes are a fall dish but why should we limit ourselves to only eating the sweet root vegetable during the cooler months? I am still getting sweet potatoes almost every other week in my produce box and have had fun getting creative with them. The other day at the grocery store I saw some turkey breast tenderloins on sale and I decided to cook a mock Thanksgiving dinner. A Thanksgiving feast once a year is not nearly enough! These potatoes are sweet, tangy, and even had a little hint of spice. They will really get your taste buds going. I’m so glad I made these because they were the perfect side dish for our citrus grilled turkey tenderloins.

Note: I used Hannah sweet potatoes but this recipe works with any type of sweet potato. That is why these are lighter in color than the typical orange sweet potato you may be used to seeing.

INGREDIENTS
4 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 3/4” medallions
1/2 c fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/3 c maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c dried cranberries
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and add the orange juice, zest, syrup, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and cranberries. Toss to coat evenly.
  • Transfer the sweet potatoes along with all the juices to a baking dish.
  • Slice the butter and place the pats over the top of the sweet potatoes.
  • Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes lift the foil and using a baster or a large spoon, pour some of the liquid from the baking dish over the top of the potatoes.
  • Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
  • Remove the foil and turn on the broiler for 3 minutes to caramelize the top.
Dinners

Recipe—Buttery Lemon Dill Salmon

Diva di Cucina

A couple times a year I like to complete an 11-day cleanse. It is just a way to flush out all these impurities and reset my digestive system. The weight loss is a huge perk too (Down 8 lbs! Wahoo!). For some reason during this last round I was craving salmon! And I mean REALLY craving it, like every day! I was daydreaming about a big slab of salmon covered in butter, lemon, and dill. I knew that would be one of the first dinners I would prepare for myself once I was done with the cleanse. This recipe did not disappoint. The fish was super moist and all the flavors and buttery goodness really seeped into the meat. I was shocked when even my 3-year old son devoured a huge chunk of the tasty fish. This recipe for oven baked salmon is ridiculously easy to make and super quick to get on the table. It also makes for a beautiful presentation. This may just be on the menu at my next dinner party.

INGREDIENTS
1 salmon filet (1 1/2–2 lbs)
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 c white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp dried dill
lemon slices (optional)

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • Pat the salmon dry and place it in a greased baking dish.
  • Rub the butter all over the fish.
  • Combine the wine and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir.
  • Pour the liquid over the fish.
  • Sprinkle the salt, lemon pepper, and dill over the fish.
  • If you are using the lemon slices place over the top of the fish.
  • Bake the fish for 20–25 minutes or until the fish flakes off easily with a fork.
Salads

Recipe—Mango and Bok Choy Salad

Diva di Cucina

My produce box was filled with lots of fabulous goodies this week. I had almost all the makings for a delicious tropical salad, bok choy, mango, and cilantro. Yum! While many recipes that include bok choy have you cook the leafy green it is also great for salads or slaws. Bok choy is light, sweet in flavor, and has a nice crisp texture. The nutritional value is also a huge plus. It’s high in Vitamins A, C, and K as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and it is low in calories. The dressing for this salad is sort of a citrusy vinaigrette that keeps the salad light and refreshing. This salad was the perfect cooling component for the spicy prawns I served with it. With all these bright colors I can’t help but think that this is the perfect dish for the coming spring and summer seasons.

Note: You can use a regular head of bok choy or about 4 baby boy choy. Baby book choy has a milder flavor but both will work well with this recipe.

INGREDIENTS
4 c bok choy, mostly greens with some stalks thinly sliced
1 1/2 c red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 mangos, diced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp limejuice
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt

STEPS

  • Combine the bok choy, cabbage, mango, celery, green onions, and cilantro in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the rice vinegar, limejuice, sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and salt until most of the sugar and salt are dissolved.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Appetizers

Recipe—Garlic Parmesan Wings

Diva di Cucina

 

Recipe—Garlic Parmesan WingsSo I am totally on a low carb kick right now. I am determined to loose this extra weight in preparation for summer and just to feel better overall. A lot of people ask me, “How can you do low carb? Don’t you miss all the good stuff?” My response is, “Uhhh…NO!” One of the reasons I love low carb is that you still get to eat really good food. Look at these garlic Parmesan wings, NO CARBS! Zero! Zilch! And while they are short on carbs they are most certainly not short on flavor. I actually made these for a party last weekend and they were a hit! When I told my husband what I was making for the party he told me he probably wouldn’t eat any. Well, guess who was standing over the kitchen sink chowing down on these wings? He just could not resist them. They smelled so incredibly good! And tasted just as scrumptious. I highly recommend these wings even if you aren’t watching your carbohydrates. They were super easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. By the end of the night several people had asked for the recipe. That my friends, is a very good sign.

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried cumin
3 lbs chicken wings & drumsticks
4 tbsp olive oil (I used some roasted garlic flavored that I had on hand. Delish!)
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, finely grated

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • In a small bowl combine oregano, rosemary, salt, and cumin. Stir to combine.
  • Place the wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture. Toss to coat.
  • Place all the wings in a single layer in a baking dish.
  • Bake for 23–27 minutes or until the wings just start to turn a golden brown.
  • Place the cooked wings in a large mixing bowl.
  • Drizzle the wings with olive oil and toss to coat.
  • Season the wings with the basil, garlic, and Parmesan and again toss to coat, making sure they all have an even coating of all the flavorful goodness.
Side Dishes

Recipe—Rice Pilaf

Diva di Cucina

How many times have you bought a box of quick and easy rice pilaf at the store? I think we all have at some point or another, I know I’m guilty of it on numerous occasions. Ever since having my son I have become much more aware of what I am serving up at the dinner table. One night I actually looked at a box of rice pilaf as I was making it and realized that there were over 25 ingredients (none of which were veggies like this recipe has) and I didn’t even know what half of the listed ingredients were. (Scary!) This recipe for homemade rice pilaf has 10 ingredients and a third of those are veggies. (Yummy!) This recipe actually ends up being really quick and easy and tastes way fresher than the stuff you get in a box. It is super simple and yet a great side dish for almost any dinner.

Note: Be sure to taste it before serving, I noticed once I added in a little more salt the flavors suddenly really popped. The salt really helped to highlight the flavor of the turmeric.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c long-grain rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped into small pieces
1 carrot, chopped into small pieces
1 c frozen peas
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

STEPS

  • Cook rice per package instructions.
  • While the rice is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the carrot and cook for another 5 minutes or until tender.
  • Stir in the peas, turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
  • After the rice has sat covered per the package instructions transfer it to the skillet
  • with the veggies.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Taste and add additional salt as needed.
Dinners

Recipe—Honey Pecan Crusted Salmon

Diva di Cucina

I remember when I was younger going to a restaurant with my dad and ordering the honey pecan crusted salmon. It was one of those dishes you never forget. It was unlike anything I had ever had before. The pecan crust brings a wonderful texture to the salmon filet, just the right amount of crunch. And that nutty pecan flavor with the sweet honey mustard glaze turns the ordinary salmon filet into something truly wonderful. While this dish may look more complex it actually is a really easy way to prepare salmon. Between prep and baking you are looking at no more than 30 minutes. Thirty minutes for a spectacular dinner, you can’t beat that! I served this with a really simple salad of butter leaf lettuce and red onions and some honey mustard dressing. It was really light and the simple salad was a perfect complement to the savory fish. Even if your family members aren’t big fish fans I’m sure they will love this.

INGREDIENTS
2 salmon filets
salt and pepper
paprika
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c pecans, finely chopped
1/4 c fresh parsley chopped

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Rinse off your fish filets and pat dry.
  • Season your filets with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Place skin side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Whisk together the mustard, honey, butter, and Worcestershire.
  • In a small bowl combine the pecans and parsley.
  • Spoon a tablespoon worth of the sauce in with the nuts and stir to combine.
  • Brush the remaining sauce onto the salmon filets.
  • Press the sticky pecan mixture to the top of your salmon filets.
  • Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 15–18 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish flakes off when tested with a fork.
Snacks

Recipe—Valentine’s Day Snack Mix

Diva di Cucina

If you are on Pinterest then you have probably seen one form or another of “Puppy Chow” snack mixes. (Basically a super sweet treat made from chocolate covered Chex cereal and tossed with other tasty goods.) These snack mixes are popping up everywhere! I saw one the other day for Valentine’s Day that looked super cute. I liked the idea of doing something like this for my son and all his little classmates at school but thought his teacher’s may not appreciate it if I get a classroom full of 2 and 3 year olds all hopped up on sugar. I decided to create this lower sugar version snack mix that is great for people of all ages. Have fun mixing any and all of your favorite bite size snacks!

Note: This recipe makes enough to fill 24–26 snack size Ziploc bags or 1 large bowl.

Here are my final goodie bags. I made some cute tags that I folded in half and stapled over the top.

INGREDIENTS
15.5 oz box Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats
10 oz box Honey Teddy Grahams
2 c yogurt covered raisins
2 c raspberry yogurt covered pretzels
1 1/2 c dried cranberries
1.25 oz yo’ drops crunchable yogurt

STEPS

  • Combine all ingredients and one large bowl and use a large serving spoon or scoop to mix together gently.
  • Divide mix into snack size bags or serve in one large bowl.
  • Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Dinners, Soups

Recipe—Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl

Diva di Cucina

This is one of those dishes that you look at and think, “It must have taken forever!” Wrong! This dish was on our table in less than 20 minutes from the time I started, and it was so simple. Those are some of the many reasons I love it! I first tried this recipe because I happened to have some bok choy on hand from my produce delivery and some shrimp in the freezer. It was just meant to be! This recipe is packed with wonderful Asian flavors but none of the ingredients are exotic or hard to find. I’m not typically a huge fan of ginger but in this recipe it is what takes it from ordinary to extraordinary so don’t leave it out. This noodle bowl ended up being really filling. My son is a big fan of pot stickers so I fried up a couple of those while this was coming to a boil. They were a great addition to the meal.

Note: For a vegetarian option substitute some tofu for shrimp. 

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2–1 tsp crushed red peppers (depends how spicy ou like your meals)
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 c shitake mushrooms, sliced
4 baby bok choy chopped
salt and pepper
4 c chicken broth
1.42 oz pack Swanson’s seafood concentrate or 1 c seafood stock
1 1/2 lb medium shrimp, deveined and peeled
6 oz pack chow mein noodles
4 green onions cut into three pieces, then cut lengthwise into thin “sticks”

STEPS

  • In a large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the crushed red peppers, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and bok choy.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the chicken broth and seafood concentrate.
  • Put the lid on the pot and bring to a boil.
  • Add the shrimp and the noodles and cook for 3–5 minutes or until the chow mein is tender and shrimp cooked through.
  • Add in most of the green onions reserving some for garnish.
  • Cook for another 2 minutes, turn off stove and allow pot to sit for another 2–3 minutes.
  • Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining green onions.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.

Side Dishes

Recipe—Garlic Roasted Mushrooms

Diva di Cucina

How many times have you had mushrooms on hand and you just sautéed and served them up as a lackluster side dish? Never again! Okay, I’m sure we will do it again, but after having these flavor packed oven-roasted mushrooms my eyes have been opened to a whole new super easy way to prepare the fabulous fungi. I won’t deny, I have simply sautéed mushrooms an abundance of times myself but mushrooms deserve so much more than that! These roasted mushrooms are so simple and the flavors come together very nicely. This dish really has an elegant flare to it, perfect for a romantic dinner night. I served it with sliced tri tip and some crusty bread to sop up all those yummy juices. Can’t let wine go to waste after all!

Note: Chop any large mushrooms in half so that they all cook evenly.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb mushrooms (cremini or white)
2 tbsp capers
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 c white wine
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter, sliced into pieces
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c flat leaf parsley, chopped

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 450º F.
  • In a small baking dish toss together the mushrooms, capers, garlic, olive oil, wine, salt, and pepper.
  • Top with sliced butter.
  • Roast stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
  • Remove mushrooms from oven and stir in the lemon juice.
  • Top with parsley and serve immediately.