Tag Archives: easy

One Ingredient Ice Cream

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Veronica

Just on the off-chance that I’m not the last person to try this nifty idea, I thought I’d post it since the heat index makes it relevant. The only ingredient in this “ice cream” is bananas. It’s pretty amazing that frozen bananas mimic the texture of ice cream so perfectly. This stuff is delicious and perfectly sweet, so nothing else is needed, but I can’t wait to try adding chocolate, peanut butter, Nutella, etc. Enjoy!

Banana “Ice Cream”
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Ingredients:
Bananas (about 1 per serving)

Directions:
Peel and chop bananas into 1 inch slices. Place slices in a Ziploc bag and freeze until completely hard. Place them in the bowl of a food processor and process until creamy. You will probably have to stir the mixture to check on it because sometimes the cold pieces look like they’re not mixing, but when you stir it gets creamy. Scoop into a bowl and eat!

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Sweets, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged banana ice cream, easy, ice cream, one ingredient ice cream. Bookmark the permalink.

30 Minute Meal: Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Roasted Garlic Couscous & Zucchini

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Veronica

I do realize it’s sort of ridiculous to be turning on the oven when it’s practically hot enough to bake something on the sidewalk, but I figure I can’t be the only person crazy enough to do it, so I wanted to share this super-easy recipe with the other zany people out there that throw common sense to the wind.

This is a true 30-minute meal. It looks & sounds like you put some time and effort into it, but thanks to a few convenience products & very few ingredients, everything comes together in a snap and you are rewarded with some amazing deliciousness. The chicken is so juicy and flavorful–it will knock your socks off. And while the method of preparation may be a bit foolhardy, it is a light meal that is absolutely perfect for summer.

I received two boxes of Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous from the Near East company and ended up using both of them with this exact meal, twice, because it was so easy and delicious! I am a big fan of their whole wheat couscous (I use it in Orange Couscous with Chicken and Colorful Couscous Salad with Chickpeas) and while my husband and I both liked this preseasoned version, I think you’d get better flavor by adding your own seasonings. However, this is perfect for a night when you need dinner on the table in a jiffy.

Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken
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½ cup grated (not powdered) Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
½ teaspoon garlic powder
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 lb.)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix cheese, salad dressing mix and garlic powder. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish that has been lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (170 degrees). If your chicken is not as golden as you like, you can broil it for a few minutes after it’s done cooking.

Serves 6

Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Couscous
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1 box (5.8 oz) Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous
1 1/4 cups water
1/4-1/3 cup chopped red pepper

Bring water & contents of spice pack inside the couscous box to a boil. Stir in the couscous & red pepper and remove from heat. Cover and let stand five minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve hot. You could also add the red pepper after the couscous is done so that it would be more bright and crunchy, which I think would be better but didn’t think to do that until after we’d eaten it, of course.

Garlic Oven Roasted Zucchini
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1-2 medium or large zucchini
olive oil
garlic salt

Wash and dry your zucchini, then slice into 1/4″ rounds. Slice rounds in half and put into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and stir until all pieces are coated. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the zucchini out on it. Sprinkle with garlic salt and put in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. I stuck mine in on the top rack when there was 15 minutes cooking time left on the chicken so they’d be done at the same time.

*I received free Near East product in conjunction with this blog post. Near East did not influence my opinions expressed here as a result.

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Posted in Meats, Pasta, Side Dishes and tagged couscous, easy, oven roasted zucchini, parmesan garlic chicken, roasted garlic. Bookmark the permalink.

Easy Pickled Beets

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Veronica

Growing up, we ate a lot of pickled okra and pickled beets and I still have a taste for both. I’ve never seen pickled beets for sale in the store like I have okra, but it doesn’t matter because they’re so easy to make. If you’ve never had them, try this simple recipe and see if it suits you. I like eating them pickled so much more than plain!

Easy Pickled Beets
Printable recipe

1 can sliced beets
3 Tablespoons vinegar (I use apple cider or white)
3 Tablespoons sugar (I use Splenda to make them sugar-free)

Drain the juice from the beets into a pint size jar or another container. Stir in the vinegar and sweetener until dissolved. For Splenda, this is instant but you may have to let it sit a while if you use sugar. Add the sliced beets, twist on the lid and refrigerate at least a few hours before eating. These will last several weeks in the fridge if you don’t eat them all within a few days like I do. Enjoy!

Recipe source: Recipe Rhapsody

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Side Dishes, Snacks & Appetizers, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged easy, pickled beets. Bookmark the permalink.

Watermelon & Tomato Salad

Posted on June 7, 2010 by Veronica

I got this recipe from my friend, Pia, who has a wonderful blog with tons of ethnic recipes, particularly Filipino since she is from the Philippines. Now, I know what you were thinking when you read the title of this post. You’re wrong! Watermelons and tomatoes CAN be put together in a salad–and it is delicious! This salad is sweet, salty, acidic, tangy, and is so refreshing. You will love it.

Watermelon & Tomato Salad
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5 cups seedless watermelon, cut into cubes
1/2 lb. tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly julienned
freshly ground black pepper
chopped cilantro for garnish

In a large bowl mix chopped watermelon and tomatoes. Stir in sugar and salt and place in fridge to marinate for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, mix in red wine vinegar, olive oil and onions. Keep chilled.

When ready to serve add freshly ground black pepper and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 106 calories; 7 g fat; 11 g carb; 1 g fiber; 1 g protein

Recipe source: Inato lang Filipino Cuisine and More

24 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged easy, recipe, refreshing, salad, summer, tomato, watermelon. Bookmark the permalink.

Meaty Quesadillas

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Veronica

My friend Suzie shared this recipe on her “Food Fridays” blog a couple weeks ago and I made it immediately. Ground beef, strangely, is the only way I really like beef, and I love simple recipes. Not to mention it’s not completely over-the-top calorie wise. Win-win-win!

Oh yeah, and it’s good. My husband says, “It’s really, really, really, really, really good!” That’s the max amount of “really’s” he’s ever used so it’s gotta be good!

Meaty Quesadillas
Printable recipe

1 lb. lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
6 10-inch flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and pepper jack)
Salsa and/or sour cream, for serving

Cook the beef, garlic, chili powder, oregano, salt & ground pepper to taste over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is no longer pink. Add the green onions and cook a few more minutes.

Heat a large griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and place 2 tortillas on the griddle (or 1 if using a skillet), and scatter ¼ cup of cheese on each. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Put a sixth of the beef mixture on half of each tortilla and fold into a half-moon. Continue to cook until the quesadillas are crisp, turning once. Repeat to make 6 quesadillas. Cut into wedges and top with salsa and/or sour cream.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Info (per serving, without salsa & sour cream): 461 calories; 27 g fat; 29 carb; 1 g fiber; 26 g protein.

Adapted from Food Network

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Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged easy, fast, meaty quesadillas. Bookmark the permalink.

Crockpot Refried Beans

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Veronica

I started making refried beans in the crockpot a couple months ago and I’m so head over heels for this version that I’ve begun eating them 1-2 times per week. I’ve only ordered bean and cheese burritos at restaurants maybe twice in my entire life but making them at home with these beans has made me slightly obsessed . They are so good! I don’t think there’s a week that’s gone by that I haven’t had at least two bean and cheese burritos in the last couple months and I’m still not sick of them.

These beans are a lot better than store-bought–so good that you could just use it as a dip for tortilla chips as-is. I actually just eat them with a spoon sometimes. :) Besides the wonderful flavor & the ease of preparation, they’re also fat-free, high in fiber and a good source of protein. You can’t go wrong!

Crockpot Refried Beans
Printable recipe

3 cups dry pinto beans (rinsed)
1 onion, diced
2 T minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 t ground cumin, divided
9 cups water

Put all the ingredients in a crockpot, using only 1 teaspoon of the cumin, and cook on high for about 8 hours. After they are done, drain all of the liquid out into a bowl. Set the liquid aside–do not discard.

Mash beans and add the reserved liquid, a bit at a time, to desired consistency. They will thicken over time so add more liquid than you think you need, making them a little runny. Stir in the remaining teaspoon cumin and serve.

Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These freeze extremely well, just put them in an airtight container and when you’re ready for them, defrost overnight at room temp or 2 days in the fridge before using. If they get too thick after refrigerating, just stir in some water when you reheat them.

Makes about 6 cups

Nutrition Info (per 1/2 cup): 67 calories; .3 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 704 mg sodium; 13 g carbs; 4 g fiber; 4 g protein.

Recipe source: adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

To heck with fussy bean burritos with rice and all kinds of other add-ins. My favorite bean burritos are the simplest: I sprinkle some mild cheddar in the middle of a flour tortilla, plop some beans on top, roll up and microwave for a minute or until hot. Now that’s the best 2-minute dinner I’ve ever had!

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Posted in Lighter Fare, Mexican, My Favorites, Side Dishes, Slow-Cooker/Crockpot, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged bean burritos, crockpot refried beans, easy, refried beans. Bookmark the permalink.

One Minute Mayonnaise

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Veronica

In the past, making homemade mayonnaise was quite a chore that involved a lot of whisking and slowly, slowly pouring oil into an egg & vinegar mixture. Thanks to my friend, Dewey, who introduced me to the joy of homemade mayonnaise, I’ve discovered that using a food processor makes the task much faster. Less than a minute, in fact. Here, I’ll prove it:

See that? 40 seconds and it’s ready to use. And it’s even better than the best name brand mayonnaise you can purchase. So what are you waiting for? You have nothing to lose!

One Minute Mayonnaise
Printable recipe

1 egg
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups canola oil

Place the first three ingredients in food processor bowl. Measure the oil and have it ready. Turn the processor on and once the egg is mixed, begin pouring the oil through the feed tube while it’s still running. Start with a thin stream and increase the flow until all the oil is incorporated. The mayonnaise should be done by the time all the oil is in, but run it a few more seconds if it’s not thick enough. Store in refrigerator for up to ten days.

Veronica’s Notes: You can use any oil you wish, but you must make sure that it has ZERO bittnerness to it. Any hint of bitterness is magnified 100-fold when you turn it into mayonnaise. Dewey warned me but I discovered it the hard way by making my first batch with just a half cup of the olive oil I had in my pantry. I liked the taste on it’s own, but it was slightly bitter and when turned into mayonnaise, it was terrible. You can also use any type of acid you wish, like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, but I like the taste of it best with white vinegar.

Recipe source: adapted from Dewey B.

I added 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives to make this chive mayonnaise. 2 teaspoons dried chives could be substituted.

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Posted in Condiments & ETC. and tagged easy, homemade, mayonnaise, quick. Bookmark the permalink.

Easy Garam Masala (Indian Spice Blend) Recipe

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Veronica

I have a pretty well-stocked spice pantry but when I wanted to make Mel’s Bean Curry (which is pictured above and crazy super-fabulous, by the way), I realized I have no garam masala on hand. I looked up some recipes for the spice blend and most of them included toasted & grinding whole seeds, which didn’t appeal to me. And I didn’t have whole seeds, anyway. So I went with a recipe that used ground spices and happened to have every one of them on hand. The homemade garam masala was perfect–just how I remembered it tasting last time I used some from a bottle.

Easy Garam Masala
Printable recipe

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix spices in a small bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

Recipe source: Allrecipes.com

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Posted in Condiments & ETC. and tagged easy, garam masala, Indian spice blend. Bookmark the permalink.

Crunchy Dilled Shrimp Salad

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Veronica

I’ve been making this shrimp salad for several years and especially enjoy it in the spring and summer because it is light and bright. I love the crisp crunch from the water chestnuts and the nutty crunch from the cashews. The dill & lemon balance the slightly sweet taste of the dressing and pair perfectly with the shrimp. I usually serve it on a slice of toasted bread as an open-faced sandwich so I can enjoy the visual appeal of the pretty salad while I eat it.

I omitted the cashews from this batch and decreased the dressing to 1/3 cup, which saves 50 calories per serving.

Crunchy Dilled Shrimp Salad

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1 (12 oz) bag frozen cooked shrimp, thawed and tails removed
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained
1/4 c cashews
1/2 c light Miracle Whip
3 T chopped fresh dill or 1 T dried dill
2 t lemon juice
3/4 t garlic powder
1/8 t salt

Roughly chop the shrimp, water chestnuts & cashews and mix in a medium bowl with all other ingredients. Serve immediately. If you will be serving later, omit the cashews and refrigerate. Stir them in just before serving so they will still be nice and crunchy.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 187 cal, 7 g fat, 177 mg cholesterol, 560 mg sodium, 12 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 20 g protein.

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Posted in Burgers & Sandwiches, Lighter Fare, Meats, My Favorites, Salads, Seafood and tagged cashews, crunchy, diet-friendly, dill, easy, healthy, salad, shrimp, summer, water chestnuts. Bookmark the permalink.

Quick Fish Tacos with Baja Cream

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Veronica

I have several magazine subscriptions and the ones that aren’t entirely devoted to food and recipes do include recipes and by the time I’ve gone through them, they are inevitably bristling with pieces of paper I’ve used to mark those I want to try and never do. Every once in a while, however, a recipe jumps out at me and I can’t stop thinking about it until it has been made.

Enter the May edition of Everyday Food. As soon as I saw these fish tacos on the cover, my heart began to sing. They were so colorful and seemed a perfect spring/summer meal. I had to make them.

I mostly followed the recipe except I did something a little different with the sour cream, using a recipe from my friend, Kitty, whom I owe a sincere thanks to. It is the closest thing she’s found to the cream they serve on fish tacos in Baja California and while I wouldn’t have a clue as to whether it tasted the same or not since I’ve never been to California, I can attest that it is delicious on these tacos!

From start to finish, this meal was on the table in fifteen minutes. So easy! So simple! So gorgeous! So light! So delicious! I often forgo simple recipes like this, believing that the more time and effort and ingredients that is involved makes the end product that much better. As this recipe proves, that’s not always the case.

Quick Fish Tacos
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1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper
12 corn tortillas
1/2 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 small white onion, finely chopped
lime wedges, for serving

Baja Cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lime peel
Pinch of salt

Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. Pat fish dry with paper towels and gently coat with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Broil until fish is browned on top and flesh is opaque throughout, 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the Baja Cream ingredients together and set aside. Toast corn tortillas over a kitchen burner using tongs or wrap a stack of 6 at a time in damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 40 seconds to 1 minute. Divide fish evenly among tortillas and top with cabbage, cilantro, and onion. Serve with Baja cream and lime wedges. SERVES 4.

Per serving (3 tacos): 440 cal; 14.9 g fat (4.2 g sat fat); 35.9 g protein; 42.8 g carb; 6.9 g fiber (NOTE: NUTRITIONAL STATS ARE BASED ON THE ORIGINAL RECIPE, WHICH ONLY USES 1/4 CUP OF SOUR CREAM. I know, who could possibly only use ONE teaspoon of sour cream on their taco?! I need at LEAST a tablespoon-hahahahaha!)

Recipe source: adapted from “Fish Tacos with Cabbage & Lime” from Everyday Food, May 2010