Getting Caught Up

Life has finally slowed down enough for me to get blogging again (on both my personal blog and this blog). I'm trying to get caught up because I have lots of fall seasonal recipes I'm dying to share, but I hate to go out of order and miss some other great recipes that I haven't posted. I've posted 5 recipes (and many more to come!) but back dated them to the beginning of November so I have room on here for all of the others I'll be getting up soon. I'm excited and no more blog procrastinating! :)

Salmon with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce + Red Pepper Coconut Rice

I love any semblance of a tzatiki sauce and this was a great one. It paired really nicely with a simple fish and the rice was a great accompaniment. Remember how I LOVE coconut rice? This one is no different. 

1/2 c 2% Greek Style Yogurt (we use Chobani)
1/4 c peeled, finely chopped cucumber
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
4  (6 oz) artic char or salmon fillets
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Combine first 5 ingredients; chill.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fillets with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Add fillets to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Serve fillets with sauce and lime wedges, if desired.

Red Pepper Coconut Rice

1 c Jasmine rice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 can light coconut milk.
1/4 c diced red bell pepper

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in red bell pepper. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Both recipes from Cooking Light.

Spicy Chicken & Black Bean Fettucine

This a great recipe and literally one of my favorite. It's not what you would expect in a typical pasta dish. We took this to some friends who had just had a baby and they loved it too. It's a great recipe and not too difficult either.

1/2 c EVOO
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2-3 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 small roma tomatoes, chopped
1 lb fettucine, cooked al dente
1/2 c fresh cilantro

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Saute until cooked through, but not browned. Remove chicken and set aside and keep warm. Return skillet to heat. Add jalapenos and green onions; saute 3-4 minutes. Stir in black beans; heat about 3 minutes. Add feta and chicken, and heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Toss pasta gently with sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.

Tostadas

Tostadas are a really easy weeknight go-to meal. My mom likes to buy the hard crunchy tostadas that come pre-made, but I've never been a fan of hard tacos so I decided to toast some tortillas

Ingredients: tortillas, shredded cheese, corn (I used frozen), black beans (canned), chopped cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and diced avocado.

I first sprinkled the tortilla with cheese and put it in my toaster oven. This creates the harder, crunchier base, especially at the edges. After the cheese is just beginning to melt, I load the corn and black beans on and let it heat up a little more. After, I sprinkle the remaining ingredients on and dig in!

There is really no set way to make this recipe; just add what you've got in the fridge and what you feel like. This version is vegetarian, but chicken or any other meat could be added if you're looking for extra protein.

My attempt at the Mediterranean Burger

We all know I love Busboys and Poets. It's a must-stop in DC for me. So when I loaded up on grass-fed ground beef (on sale for $2.99/lb) at Whole Foods in September, I knew the first thing I wanted to do with it: recreate the Mediterranean Burger from Busboys.

I chopped up some onion and some parsley and mixed it with a 1/2 pound of ground beef. I had Aaron throw it on the grill while I smeared some goat cheese on a some sandwich thins (Busboys uses pita pockets) and sliced up some lettuce and tomato. Voila! Of course, it's never as good as the real thing, but it's pretty dang close.

Side Note: these were accompanied by Alexia Sweet Potato Fries. My mom introduced me to their oven fries and I was so excited when I found the sweet potato version. They pair perfectly with the Mediterranean burger and are an easy side to any meal involving a burger or the like.

Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp

This is from Cooking Through the Seasons. My favorite cookbook of all time. This was really delicious and a great grilling recipe. It will definitely be one of the first that I whip out next spring/summer. This recipe really turned me on to coconut rice as I am NOT a coconut lover but coconut rice is great.

1 tbsp minced fresh garlic

1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

4 tsp curry powder

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

1/8 tsp ground cumin

1.5 lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups water

2/3 c light coconut milk

1 1/4 cup shredded carrot

2 c diced peeled mango (about 2 mangoes)

1.5 c diced red bell pepper

1/2 c sliced green onions

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp chopped fresh parlsey

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Cover and chill1 hour.

2. Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Add carrot and next 7 ingredients; toss gently to combine.

3. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

4. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 12 skewers. Place skewers on grill rack or grill pan coated until shrimp are done. Serve kebabes over salad and garnish cilantro springs if desired.