Herb-Rubbed Salmon with Savory Oat Groats & Kale (gf)

2 Comments December 18, 2013 Lauren

My next stop on the one-way kale train I’ve been lately on was a tasty and versatile savory grain recipe. It was a win-win because of the kale and because I heart savory cooked grains. We were given a generous amount of groats from my husband’w coworker, who bought them by mistake. After Dave made them for breakfast several times with milk, cinnamon, and berries, I thought to myself “self, I bet we could get rid of these more quickly if I paired them with dinner.” And guess what? Well, there were still a LOT of groats left and we’re not quite through them and there are only two of us for Pete’s sake, but the new dish helped us slog through.

I served this with salmon rubbed with my favorite herb rub and cooked in cast-iron. The fish can be grilled or broiled, so cook it however you’d like. The rub takes well to each of those cooking methods. If you don’t have kind coworkers to bless you with a windfall of oat groats, you can find them in the dry goods sections of health food stores or in larger grocery stores. You can usually buy them loose. Also, the groat recipe is vegan!

SAVORY OAT GROATS AND KALE (v, gf)
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 leeks, sliced into matchsticks and rinsed well in a colander
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, diced
1 cup oat groats
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup water
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 large bunch kale, deveined and chopped into ribbons
cracked black pepper
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, the leek matchsticks, and 3 cloves of garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the carrot and the groats, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the stock, water, and salt and bring to a boil; when boiling, reduce heat and cover, cooking for 25-30 minutes.

before….

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium in a deep saucepan. Add the kale and garlic and saute about 3-4 minutes, until the kale has wilted. When the groats have cooked their 25-30 minutes, stir in the kale and garlic, cracked black pepper to taste, and the crushed red pepper. Voila! All done! I like to serve this dish with lemon wedges on the side.

….after!

HERBED SALMON RUB

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp dried minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
salmon fillets, 1-inch thick, skin on
olive oil

Directions:

Okay, now for the fish! Heat your skillet over medium and add a teaspoon of olive oil. Add all rub ingredients in a food processor and blend well. This makes enough rub for a few go-rounds, so save what you don’t use in the fridge. You’ll be glad you did, this is good stuff right here.

Rub the salmon on both sides with olive oil. Take 1-2 tsp seasoning per filet and rub that onto the salmon flesh. Place the fillets in your skillet, skin side down, and cook 3-4 minutes, until about halfway done (you’ll see the color changing from dark pink to light). Flip over and cook an additional 3 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flaky. If you’re grilling or broiling, prep the same way but don’t flip. This rub is so flavorful, surprisingly so. It’s almost the only way i make salmon at home- I hope you like it! What rubs do you use on fish? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

kale. it’s so hot right now.

Where Soul Meets Body: Green Soup For What Ails You (v, gf)

Opa! Greek Burgers! (gf option)

2 Comments July 8, 2013 Lauren

Readers! It’s been far, far too long since I posted any tasty treats! I’ve gone back to school, and between work, schoolwork, and life, have neglected to post. I must say that I have deeply missed blogging. So, welcome back to all of us! Welcome! Welcome! Make yourself at home. Shake your neighbor’s hand.

I’m coming back with a bang (or an Opa?) with these Greek burgers, though. We summered-it-up yesterday by grilling out and these healthy, mouth-watering burgers were the headliner. Lean beef, aromatics, feta cheese, cucumbers- wait, cucumbers?! Yes, cucumbers, and they were delicious. Check it out.

OPA! GREEK BURGERS

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef (as lean as you can find)
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, minced
1 beaten egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried, ground allspice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
canola oil for brushing
1 cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
reduced-fat Feta cheese
fat-free Greek yogurt for spreading
hamburger buns (recipe is gluten-free when you go bunless or use a gf bun)

Directions:

Grab a large glass mixing bowl and put the beef in it. Just throw it right in there. Season with salt and pepper, then add the minced parsley, mint, and garlic. the allspice, the Worcestershire sauce, and the beaten egg. Mix it very well with your hands, until all seasonings are evenly distributed. Patty into 5-6 burgers. I divide my beef evenly, roll into large meatballs, and patty them down from the center out on both sides with my hand- this helps keep them pretty uniform.

Don’t forget make the meal a global affair by whipping up Caiprinhas or mojitos with the remaining mint.

viva!

Place those gorgeous burgers on a plate and brush both side of each burger very lightly with canola oil. Preheat your grill and cook 4-5 minutes per side for medium- the burgers I made were pretty thick and this timeframe was just right. Slice your cucumbers while the burgers cook.

When the burgers are done, prep the toppings while they rest: grab a bun and spread both sides with Greek yogurt, place about a tablespoon of Feta on the bottom half of your bun, then fan out cucumber slices on top of the Feta. Top with a burger and the other yogurt-spread bun half.

These burgers are incredibly juicy and burst with flavor. I had one today for lunch, and it was even better than last night. Enjoy! Opa!

Trader Joe’s Upgrade: Channa Masala with Chicken & Peas (gf, v option)

1 Comment March 24, 2013 Lauren

The second best thing to cooking meals from scratch is doctoring ready-to-go options, don’t you think? I think this is called “faking it” in the real world, but hey- you do what you gotta do when you’re low on time and need to eat. This week, I fell in love with a frozen meal that will become a staple in our household: Trader Joe’s Channa Masala. It’s a Punjabi Indian chickpea dish with a tomato base and coriander, cilantro, mango powder, onion, and garlic. It’s incredibly, incredibly aromatic, it’s low calorie, and vegan. And cooks in four minutes.

Trader Joe’s was giving out samples the last time I was there, and I followed the intoxicating aroma across the store like a cartoon character floating by its nose. I grabbed two out of the freezer before I had swallowed my first bite. It’s that good. And $2.99. Cheap and delicious- two of my favorite adjectives!

Lauren goes to Trader Joe’s

It’s snowing in St. Louis today, and Dave ventured out to the International grocery store before the weather got too bad. He came back with a surprise- freshly made Afghan bread. Two large circles of light, bubbly, pita-like bread, meant to be torn in chunks and used to scoop up saucy foods… Saucy foods like channa masala. Aaaand the post comes full circle. Here’s how we prepared today’s channa masala and Afghan bread for lunch:

CHANNA MASALA WITH CHICKEN & PEAS

Ingredients:

2 packages Trader Joe’s Channa Masala
1 cup frozen peas
2 chicken breasts, optional- I listed this as vegan because the chicken can be left out
Afghan bread, pitas, or naan, or brown rice for gf (Trader Joe’s sells frozen naan next to the channa masala, but if you have a local international grocery store, you’ll be able to find an interesting middle eastern, Indian, or African bread there.)

Directions:

THIS IS SO EASY. Boil two chicken breasts in salted water for about ten minutes or until cooked and chop, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Heat the channa masala trays one at a time, for three minutes each. Add the chopped chicken back into the saucepan you cooked it in (water drained, of course), add the contents of both channa masala trays.

Add the reserved cooking water and the frozen peas. Cook for about five minutes, uncovered, until the mixture is well combined and the peas are hot. Serve with Afghan bread and enjoy the fun and sensual experience of eating with your hands. We enjoyed the scooping and the messiness- it seems natural! What are some of your favorite ready-made foods to doctor up??

Quickie: Peanut Butter & Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Dip (veg, gf)

20 Comments March 11, 2013 Lauren

Pretty simple entry- this is a healthy and delicious dip for apples, bananas, and probably anything else you can slather it on. It’s a quick and easy snack you can make a large batch of and keep in the fridge for a fast and filling and high-protein accompaniment to fruit. Here it is!

does a body good

PEANUT BUTTER & CINNAMON GREEK YOGURT DIP

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups fat free Greek yogurt
3 tbsp natural peanut or almond butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp- 1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon (two large dashes)

DIY Chocolate Brownie Protein Bars (veg, v, gf)

2 Comments March 4, 2013 Lauren

Hey, all! Disclaimer: I’m pretty much stealing the credit for this, as it was Dave’s project. Couldn’t resist, though, it’s a great recipe!! Dave’s an active guy and puts back a lot of protein, often supplementing and snacking during the day on packaged protein bars. I can’t stand eating those, and I don’t like the idea of the preservatives and binders, etc. that must go into making them.

eat chocolate, get lean

I recently started making DIY energy bars, or what I call “bird seed bars,” using a recipe from the Wassner twin’s blog (I’ll post a Quickie on those the next time I make a batch- they’re divine). Anyway, we thought trying a recipe for at-home protein bars would be cost-effective and more nutritious, and our confidence was bolstered coming off of the successful energy bar project. And speaking of being on a bar-making kick, find the paleo lemon bars we made here. Here are the fudgy, tasty protein bars we made! There are about 15 grams of protein per bar, and they can be made vegan with two simple twists.

DIY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PROTEIN BARS

Adapted from the Fit Bottomed Eats formula

Ingredients:

1 can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup almond butter (you can use PB)
1/4 cup pourable honey (brown rice syrup or agave for vegan bars)
1/2 cup natural applesauce
1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (or use instant coffee)
1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats (gluten-free) or regular oats
2 cups chocolate whey protein powder- use Vega or vegan protein source for vegan bars
1 cup total mixed stir-in options: we used shredded unsweetened coconut, chia seeds, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries. you could add flax, other chopped nuts, other dried fruits, etc.- use whatever you have hanging around in your cabinets. But not more than a cup total.

Directions:

Easy-peasy throw-in-your-blender recipes… gotta love them. This is one! Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 pan. Coconut oil on a paper towel worked well for this. In your blender or food processor, puree the black beans, almond butter, honey, applesauce, vanilla or coffee, salt, and water. Scrape down the sides, if necessary, pureeing until smooth.

the goods

Add the oats and protein powder and pulse until combined (you may need to stir again). Add your mix-ins and pulse again until combined, stirring if you need to. Spread the batter into the baking dish and bake for 16-20 minutes, until the center is set and firm. Let cool completely and cut into bars (we cut into 12 bars). Keep on the counter for a couple of days, then freeze the leftovers… if there are any. Enjoy! Get your protein on! Look at those muscles…. they’re growing as you read this recipe! Daaang!

Quickie: Broccoli Slaw, Grilled Bok Choy, and Rice Noodle Salad with Salmon and Avocado (pes, gf)

Leave a comment February 21, 2013 Lauren

We had about an hour to buy and make dinner last night, before my beloved and long-lost husband was shipped out again ahead of a winter storm for work. I felt obligated to fill him with omega-3s and veggies before he left, really laying down HARD the enticing groundwork to get him to come back. I like the guy! Hang out with me and eat delicious dinner salads! Come back! Here’s what my feminine wiles and I came up with:

BROCCOLI SLAW, GRILLED BOK CHOY, AND RICE NOODLE SALAD WITH SALMON AND AVOCADO

Ingredients:

Lemon-sesame vinaigrette recipe below.

1 bag broccoili slaw (we bought our ingredients at Whole Foods; their version is julienned broccoli, carrots, and red cabbage)
1-lb salmon plank
1 1/2 tsp jerk seasoning or other all-purpose seasoning or 1 tsp soy sauce mixed with 1 tsp honey
1 tsp honey (no need to add this if you used soy sauce)
1 bunch green onions, sliced and a few inches of green tops discarded
3 oz cooked or uncooked vermicelli rice noodles (you could instead use 1.5 cups of cooked brown rice)
handful shredded carrot, optional
1 head bok choy, washed and root cut off
1 avocado, sliced
sesame oil

Directions:

Disclaimers: This is mostly a quickie entry because I was cooking like the wind and neglected to take any step-by-step photos. So this is where your spectacular imagination comes in!! Really. Right now. Another note- I labeled this a vegetarian entry because the salmon could easily be left out or replaced with tofu or edamame. Here’s what we’re doing: MAKE NOODLES, MAKE SALMON, TOSS VEGGIES, DRESS AND SERVE. Let’s get started.

Boil water and cook rice noodles according to package directions. Rinse and pat salmon dry. Top salmon with 1 tsp honey and sprinkle with jerk seasoning; set aside. Drizzle or brush the bok choy leaves with a small amount of sesame oil. Heat a well-oiled grill pan or saute pan over medium-high. Once hot, grill or wilt the bok choy leaves about two minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board and cut into pieces. Alternately, you could cut and saute in a saute pan for 3-4 minutes.

Turn the heat in the grill pan down to medium. When it has cooled a bit, place salmon in pan skin-side down and cook for 5-6 before flipping. Since you have a few minutes now, you can whip up and dress the salad base. Toss the broccoli slaw, green onions, carrots if you’re using them, cooked noodles or rice, and bok choy in a large bowl. Drizzle with your dressing of choice and toss. Set aside.

When the salmon is done, serve dressed salad in bowls and top with the lovely fish. Garnish with a few slices of avocado. This would be great with: cilantro, other salad greens, chicken, well-marinated flank steak, bean sprouts, more red cabbage or green cabbage… the list goes on and on. Just use what you have in the fridge. It will all work. This is man-hooking salad!

LEMON SESAME VINAIGRETTE: 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp sesame seeds, juice of 1 lemon, pinch of kosher salt, 1 tsp honey. Whisk together. Drizzle in olive oil as desired until emulsified. De. Lish.

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Shrimp (pes, gf)

Leave a comment November 16, 2012 Lauren

I am so excited to share this recipe!! The photos I took are few, due to my hurry to get on with the process and eat already! This was nutritious, unbelievably tasty, and reheated really well. The sauce is a no-cook sauce that’s whipped up in a food processor and poured over hot noodles before serving. Simply put, this recipe is a stellar example of the so many dishes I like. Let’s do some math, shall we?

whole grain + lean protein + veggies + spicy, exotic sauce+ cilantro and/or scallions = yumyumlove&happiness.

Everything you need in a meal in one pot, great for leftovers. Can it be topped with Sriracha? Yes. And avocado? Yes. FANTASTIC. Leave the shrimp out for a vegetarian or side dish; leave the crushed red pepper out for a mild one. Here you go:

a familiar sight in the Cruse household

SPICY PEANUT NOODLES WITH SHRIMP

Sauce adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients:

1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
1 box brown rice or whole wheat linguine
1 onion, sliced into thin half-moons
2 cups shredded carrots
1 tbsp canola oil
3/4 cup natural peanut butter, chunky or smooth
6 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (available in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores)
6 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup pasta cooking water, reserved
2 tsp crushed red pepper
2-3 inch piece of ginger, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped, or 1 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 bunch scallions, sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Sriracha and sliced avocado, for serving (optional, but why not?)

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. In the same pot (yessss!), heat the canola oil over medium-high. Add the onion and carrots, stirring to cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and stir frequently until it’s no longer pink. If you used previously frozen shrimp, the mixture may need to be drained.

we eat so many shrimp, I got iodine poisoning

Guess what? You’re almost done!! Toss all of the sauce ingredients into a blender: peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, water, crushed red pepper, garlic, and ginger pieces. Blend until smooth, about one minute.

blended

Add the pasta back into the large pot with the veggies and shrimp and pour the sauce on top. Add the sesame seeds (you may toast if you like, I was lazy and trying to eat) and gentlytoss to combine and fully coat the noodles and toppings. Top with cilantro and scallions, serve with Sriracha, and enjoy!

This is how I feel when I eat noodle bowls: