Category Archives: week day dinners

I Spy Quinoa Burgers

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As we sat down to eat these delicious veggie burgers, I started laughing. I have a knack for turning all things vegetarian into some form of non-vegetarian dish.  This dish can (and probably should) be made into a vegetarian dish. However, I choose to cook the quinoa in chicken broth. You know, for the sake of deliciousness.

While I was making these burgers, I was also planning my grubHub order just in case this dinner was an epic fail. It actually turned into one of the most amazing dishes I’ve cooked in a long time. The most plesant surprise, it saves well for lunch the next day too!

I found this recipe on Pintrest a while back, but I amended it based on the ingredients of my kitchen. As long as you keep the “base” ratio the same you can adjust how to spice up your burger.  This recipe will make four burgers.

Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers

Quinoa sweet potato burgerBurger ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup quinoa
  • 3/4 cup liquid (I used chicken broth)
  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato
  • 1/2 cup canned white kidney beans (or kind of white bean will work, I think chickpeas would be delicious)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 TBS of seasoning (I used my Napa Valley Rub I purchased at the most beautifully displayed spice market in Napa. It is a blended seasoning that consists of: sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, lemon peel, fennel, black pepper, chili, garlic, citric acid and sea salt).
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • olive oil
  • whole wheat hamburger buns

Toppings:

For the toppings, I whipped up some guacamole and fried shallots

Guacamole

  • 1 ripe avocado cut into chunks
  • 1 tbs of salsa
  • small handful of ripe cherry tomato cut in half

Crispy Shallots

  • 1 shallot
  • 1 Tbs olive oil

How to:

  1. Start by boiling water for the sweet potatoes
    1. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into chunks
    2. place into boiling water and cook until soft (10 minutes depending on size of the potatoes)
  2. Start the shallots: Thinly slice up shallots and place in non-stick pan over medium heat w/ oil. Stir every so often until you notice the onions turning golden brown. As you are preparing the rest of the meal, keep an eye on shallots, stirring more frequently as they brown. Remove from heat when they are all dark golden brown (this takes about 15 minutes under low heat) — set aside
  3. In a small sauce pan, cook quinoa for 10-5 minutes (1/3 grain + liquid, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer)
  4. While the Quinoa, shallots and potatoes are cooking, in your food processor (or by using a potato masher by hand) roughly chop 1/2 cup white beans and garlic. You do not want this to look like baby food.
  5. Once the potatoes are soft, gently pulse through food processor and mix into bean mixture
  6. Add seasoning and quinoa
  7. Shape into patties and coat with breadcrumbs
  8. Cook patties in a little bit of oil for 4-5 minutes on each side. They should look crispy and golden brown on each side.
  9. Start the Guacamole: While the patties are cooking, gently combine the avocado, salsa and tomatoes.
  10. Assemble and serve
Quinoa Burger!

Quinoa Burger!

 

 

I Spy Vegetable Corn Chowder

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During my domesticity bake-off a month ago I made a huge batch of vegetable corn chowder soup to freeze. This chowder was so delicious, it has turned me on to a flurry of other potato chowder based recipes.

My corn vegetable chowder pre-freezer

One thing I really appreciate about this chowder is how the ratio is just right. You can substitute veggies for what is already in the fridge and it will still turn out (as long as you include the potatoes and corn).

These are the sweet peppers I used, straight from my local produce box

Ingredients:

3 tbs butter

1 large onion (diced)

2 medium bell peppers

1/2 tsp thyme

4 medium baking potatoes (pealed and cut)

8 ears of corn

3 cups milk

5 cups liquid (I used 4 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water)

Directions:

1) In a soup pot, melt butter of medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, carrots and thyme. Cook until soft (about 5 min)

2) add in 1/2 cup white wine and stir into the veggies. Slowly pour in milk and liquid/broth then add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft

3) While the soup is simmering, cut the corn . After 10 minutes, stir in corn, salt and pepper, let simmer about 3 minutes.

4) Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture together so that it creates a creamy chowder.  (optional)

Before I froze the whole batch of soup, I set aside a bowl for lunch…

Serve soup immediately or keep in freezer for about 3 months. One last comment, it is surprisingly hard to find vegetarian freezer meals. As long as you substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth, this is a great vegetarian option!

I Spy Easy take-to-work breakfast burritos

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Recently, I looked at my bank account and I noticed a pattern: public transit, breakfast sandwich, coffee, beer/happy hour with friends, repeat.

Not a typical happy hour, but a really fun way to taste beer at Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa.

Clearly the only subtraction is the breakfast sandwich. So instead of indulging in my delicious morning bad-habit, I decided to make my own breakfast burritos that I can bring to work. It actually saves me a ton of money because they are so filling I do not feel the need to eat a huge lunch.

These are super easy to make ahead and freeze. You can also vary the recipe so it is healthy or moderately gluttonous.  When you are ready to eat, microwave for about 2 minutes.

What you will need:
10 whole wheat tortillas
1 package of frozen hash-browns
9 eggs and a couple tablespoons of milk/soy
Sausage, bacon, veggies, or beans
Salsa
foil

Directions

Cook the sausage, scramble the eggs, grill up those hash-browns!

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a cookie sheet, lay out a sheet of foil and arrange the chicken sausages or bacon . If cooking sausages, remember to rotate so all the sides get golden and crisp.

2) cook hash-browns per the directions on the package

3) While the hash-browns cook, arrange squares of foil and the tortillas, put a tiny handful of cheese and about a teaspoon of  salsa on each tortilla.

4) Distribute the hash-browns between the tortillas

5) scramble up the nine eggs and milk salt/petter to taste and distribute.

6) add the cooked sausage, bacon and eggs, then wrap up the burritos and freeze!

Assemble as you go, this allows you to use only one pan for the hash-browns and eggs.

I Spy Fan Potatoes

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August has been a busy month full of company, birthdays, family and work. On one of the few Saturday mornings where I was left to my own devices, I turned on PBS and found myself enthralled with a low-budget cooking show. Between testing emersion blenders and marinating steak, this quirky public broadcasting introduced a new way to bake a potato.

Fan Potatoes

What you will need: 

Russet Potatoes
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
How to: 
1) Wash and dry the potatoes
2) Identify the flattest end of the potato and slice off the skin so the potato will lie flat on the cutting board

Slicing off the bottom. Step 2

3) Sandwich the chopsticks parallel with the potato (hotdog bun style). The chopsticks will provide a sort of guideline to prevent you from chopping the potato in half rather than the intended fan sliver.

Cutting the fans, step 3 & 4

4) Using a knife, carefully cut the potato to make a fan, use the chopsticks on either side to prevent the knife from cutting through the entire potato.
5) Wash out the starch between the fans. If you skip this step the potato will look shriveled, sticky and sad.
6) Microwave the potatoes for 7 minutes and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
7) Once the potatoes finish in the microwave, brush olive oil all over including the fan portions and salt. Bake on a baking sheet for 20 minutes.

The finished product with homemade breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese and paprika topping.

Optional:
Make toppings! I used breadcrumbs, shredded cheese and paprika. It makes a delicious potato with a little dollop of sour cream.  If you add toppings, turn on broil for a couple of minutes at the end.  

 

 

I Spy Pesto Pasta

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My two basil plants are dear to my heart. They combat my kitchen with their fresh smell, they are great at communicating when they need water, and they provide some much needed shelter from my neighbors.

Basil!

As a good basil owner, occasionally I trim back the leaves and create something delicious. Often, I make pesto.

Easy-Peasy Pesto

Basil leaves (about two cups packed)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
squeeze of 1/2 a lemon 
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, blend the pine nuts and olive oil together. Then add garlic. Slowly add basil. Blend in freshly grated Parmesan the squeeze in the lemon to preserve the color.
Use pesto for dip, chicken, pasta etc… Or pesto will freeze/keep in the fridge for up to a day.

View from the Giant’s game!

Between a Giant’s game and a work picnic, I completely overdosed on meat; or more specially, sausages.  I usually chop up Adele’s chicken apple sausages to add a delightful sweetness to pesto pasta. However, last night the thought of another sausage was repulsive.

Thus, I substituted with edamame.  It was a wonderful discovery and one I will repeat.

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

Pesto (see recipe above) 
Bell pepper (chopped) 
yellow onion (chopped)
handful of sweet tomatoes 
handful of edameme 
Pasta (fusilli, bow tie or similar pasta)

1) Set water to boil, add pasta when water is ready.

2) Meanwhile, saute chopped veggies, adding the onion first and the tomatoes last.

3) Right before the pasta is ready, mix in pesto with the veggies.

4) Drain pasta and toss with pesto/veggies. Finish with parmesan cheese.

I Spy a Healthy Working Lunch

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Working in the city makes it very easy to get caught up in the hussel of life. Forgetting breakfast, lunch and morning coffee, while fun to retrive between the endless nooks and crannies of San Francisco corners, is also expensive and can be very unhealthy.

Last Sunday, I cooked up a batch of quinoa salad to serve cold over a bed of lettuce. I divided the batch into four containers and took it to work (where I often house vinaigrette and can easily access salad bar spinach for under 2 dollars).

 

Quinoa Salad:

1 1/2 cups of quinoa
1 can of chicken broth (or 2 cups) 
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
chopped yellow, red and orange bell peppers
1 can of rinsed black beans
1 handful of largely chopped cucumbers and shredded carrorts
For the dressing: 
2-3 Tbs of Olive Oil
1/3 of a cup of red wine vinegarette
salt, pepper and chopped fresh basil

Instructions:

1) Cook the quinoa in a small pot over medium heat. To cook quinoa rinse grain (or don’t), and pour the liquid into the pot with the grain. Stir occasionally until the liquid has absorbed. About 20 minutes
2) Chop veggies, wash beans, set in medium size bowl.
3) In a smaller bowl mix together the dressing. Taste as you go, more vinegar may be needed for people who enjoy a tangy experience.
4) Stir quinoa in and service over a bed of spinach. Add some salad dressing for a little extra flavor!

Quinoa Salad

 

I Spy Easy Quinoa

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Looking for an easy dinner? Make Quinoa with veggies! Makes 2-3 large portions, serve with a side salad.

I love making Quinoa because you can intentionally purchase veggies for the dish OR just used the ones that are near expiration in the fridge.

Super Easy Quinoa:

1 Cup Quinoa
1 can low sodium chicken broth
A splash of white wine
1 chopped bell pepper
1/2 chopped onion
2 sliced chicken apple sausages

In a pot, cook quinoa uncovered in chicken broth and wine. Stir occasionally and cook until the liquid has been absorbed/evaporated (about 15-20 minutes)

Meanwhile, saute onions and veggies. In a separate pan saute sliced sausage. Combine and serve. ETA 20 minutes.

**Other successful veggie and quinoa combinations: brussel sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus and snap peas.

I Spy Salmon

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Almost every time I visit Costco, I purchase a giant package of fresh wild Alaskan salmon. A Costco size portion of salmon either takes six hungry guests or multiple two-person meals to devour. This post includes two dinners created from my most recent salmon purchase. Some other ideas for salmon use include Quiche, omelets and a salmon-melt.

On the purchase day, I prefer to make a simple meal of baked salmon, quinoa and roasted vegetables. For my recipe for roasted vegetables see the link to my previous post here.

Baked Salmon: 

Salmon! I usually cook up 2-3 lbs
1/2 a lemon
1/4 Cup(ish) olive oil
Salt
Chopped basil, rosemary or thyme to taste
Crushed garlic

Instructions: Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel about an hour and a half before dinner.  Combine seasoning ingredients, brush onto salmon. Let salmon marinate for about an hour before baking (on a foiled cookie tray) at 350 degrees for around 15-20 minutes. If you have a finicky oven, cover with foil for 1/2 of baking time. Adjust baking time for smaller salmon fillets.  Do not over-bake!  Salmon is done when the fish is light-pink and flakes with the fork.

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Photo Credit: Google Images

Easy-delicious Quinoa:

1 can chicken broth (low sodium)
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup Quinoa (found in the rice/grain section of most super markets)
Sautéed veggies (I like onion, bell pepper, asparagus, whatever you have extra in the fridge works!)

Instructions: In a small-medium pot combine chicken broth (2 cups), wine and quinoa. Let simmer while stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Once liquid is absorbed, stir in sautéed veggies. Start to cook this dish after you put the salmon in the oven.

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Thank you Google Images for providing lovely documentation of Quinoa. Quinoa is also a great quick meal for chicken apple sausage!

This week, for my second meal o’ salmon, I made salmon cakes with purred sweet potatoes and brocoli. 

Crabby-Salmon Cakes: 

3 slices of bread (run in food processor to make bread crumbs OR 1 C bread crumbs)
1 C Panko Bread Crumbs
Left-over cooked and chilled salmon (about 3 fillets OR 1 1/2 Cups)
1/2 C mayo
2 tsp mustered (I used yellow, but dijon would be good too)
2 eggs (beaten)
salt
2 tbs worchester sause
1 small can crab meat
2 tbs olive oil
onion
1/2 C chopped celery
red and yellow peppers

Instructions:

1) Cook and cool salmon. See above for instructions.

2) Chop veggies, Sauté in pan with olive oil and a dash of salt. After about 5 minutes, add worchester sauce, crab meet and 1/2 of crab meet juice. Let simmer until veggies soften. Cool — the freezer is pretty effective for a quick cool-down.

3) While the mixture is cooling off. Shred the salmon into a medium sized bowl. In a food processor, make bread crumbs. You should have about 1 Cup.

3.5) If you are feeling extra ambitious and/or making this for company, bake bread crumbs in the oven until crisp (about 5 mintes). OR skip this step — everything will turn out just fine.

4) Combine bread crumbs, salmon, whisked eggs, mayo, mustard and sautéed veggies in bowl.

5) Create salmon pattys and roll in panko bread crumbs. Put in fridge to cool for about 30 minutes – this will help the patties stay together when they cook.  **While the salmon cakes cooled, I made the sweet potato dish listed below.

6) Heat about 3 tbs of olive oil in large skillet. Cook each patty about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Pureed Sweet Potatoes with Ricotta Cheese: 

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This recipe originally came from the Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe from the Food Network magazine. The ingredients are essentially the same.

4 sweet potatoes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp nutmeg
1 bunch of brocoli florets
Shiitake mushrooms (about 10)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
garlic (optional)

Instructions:

1) Microwave sweet potatoes until a fork can easily go through. Microwave time really depends on size, usually between 10-20 minutes.

2) While the potatoes are cooking, saute the broccoli, mushrooms, red pepper flakes and seasoning to taste — Set aside

3)  Once potatoes are soft, using a large spoon, scoop out the insides of the sweet potatoes into a medium bowl.  Add 1 cup ricotta cheese and a 1 tsp of nutmeg. Using an immersion blender or a mixer, blend the sweet potatoes, nutmeg and ricotta.  Add some butter if you want a richer-tasting potato.

4) Serve and top with veggie mixture

Enjoy!

I Spy Chicken Pot Pi

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For the sake of story telling, let’s pretend I baked this pie today. One of my all-time favorite subtleties of the calendar occurs on March 14th, known by the mathematically aware as Pi Day.

Although this pie was inspired by a story I heard on NPR driving home from Yosemite National Park on Sunday, ever so serendipitously, I baked chicken pot pie on the week of Pi day.

Upper Lake Hike at Yosemite National Park

In the process of cooking a chicken pot pie with very little planning, I realized this is the perfect left over/end-of-the-week meal. You can literally put any vegetable or pre-cooked meat into a pie crust.

Like most people, I don’t have the luxuries of the day to be snobbish and make my own pie crust. However, Trader Joe’s has a great frozen crust, and if you feel like a health-nut, whole foods even has gluten free crusts in their freezer section. For my crust, I picked up whatever I could find in Target grocery section.

My easy-peasy Chicken Pot Pie

What you need:

Frozen or refrigerated pie crust (try to thaw in advance, if not place in watertight baggie in bowl of hot water for 10 minutes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 egg
Veggies! (I used sweet snap peas, potatoes radishes, carrots and onion) 
Chicken breast or chicken scraps from leftover dinner (cooked & chopped)
A little bit of olive oil for sauteed onions

To make this pie, I literally opened my fridge and pulled out everything that was on the verge of wilting. Other idea: Mix pesto with chicken soup.

Instructions:

1) Butter/grease pie pan, put first pie crust down.

2) Saute chicken (if raw) in one pan

3) Saute onion and garlic until translucent

4) If you are using potatoes or carrots, boil water and cook for 5ish minutes. I used finger potatoes. I do this because my oven cooks so poorly, if you have a rockin’ oven, you can omit this step.

5) Throw the veggies and chicken into the pie pan

6) Top off with second pie crust, pinch sides. Brush whisked egg over the top. Cut slits to avoid an explosion.

7) Follow directions on pie crust, I baked mine at about 350 for 20 minutes, turned the over up to 400 for about 10 minutes, to reduced heat to 350 until golden brown. Again, I have a funky oven —

Happy Pi Day!

I Spy Roasted Vegetables

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In an effort to prove that I do in fact cook things unrelated to sugary doughs and frosting, here is my all time favorite staple side.  For a quick and healthy dinner I like to serve roasted vegetables with salmon.  I use this recipe often when I have company because it is so simple and delicious.

You can also make this recipe quick and speedy by purchasing pre-cut vegetables. Trader Joe’s has pre-cut brussel sprouts and cauliflower, butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

Chopped potatoes waiting to be roasted

Roasted Vegetables:

Pick the ones in season!

Brussel sprouts
cauliflower
finger potatoes (I cut in half, sometimes if I am in a hurry I will boil the potatoes for 5 minutes before placing them in the oven)
onions
bell peppers
butternut squash
Chopped sweet potatoes
carrots or any root vegetable

Dressing:

1/4 C Olive Oil
1/4 C Balsamic Vinigar 
Herbs: Pick and choose: basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
 salt & pepper to taste

Directions: 

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and chop vegetables. Try to cut the vegetables to optimize the surface area for roasting.  Place veggies in a large mixing bowl.

2) Mix dressing in a small bowl or cup

3)Poor dressing over vegetables and toss so everything is coated

4) Spread veggies over a cookie sheet

5) If the cookie sheet is layered with vegetables, cooking time will take about an hour. If you are roasting a smaller quantity cooking time will vary from 20 minutes to an hour.  Remember to stir every 15 minutes!  If the vegetables are cooking too fast, add a couple tablespoons of water and reduce heat to 350 degrees.