MENU: February 8-15, 2009

Menu
1. Chicken, Pasta, and Chickpea Stew

2. Almond-Crusted Salmon
SIDE: Orzo Pasta in Vinaigrette
SIDE: Broccoli Rabe

3. Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese
SIDE: Buttery Polenta
SIDE: Roasted Root Vegetables


Weekly Shopping
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Ditalini pasta (short tube-shaped macaroni)
1 lemon
1 bunch fresh parsley
2 lbs broccoli rabe
3 oz goat cheese
1 fennel bulb
1 small butternut squash
1 parsnip
2 carrots

Pantry Items
celery
carrots
onion
4 cloves garlic + one whole head of garlic
2 cans fat-free chicken broth
3 cups Basic Marinara sauce (or favorite Italian sauce)
pepper
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup almonds (ground into meal ~1/4 cup)
panko bread crumbs
ground coriander'
ground cumin
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
lemon juice
kosher salt
black pepper
orzo pasta
shallots
orange juice
Dijon mustard
olive oil
cooking spray
crushed red pepper
butter
dry polenta
rosemary
nutmeg

Tasty Tidbit:Basic Marinara Sauce

Basic Marinara Sauce: I like to make large batches and freeze it for use at a later date.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 3 medium)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 (28-ounce) cans no-salt-added crushed tomatoes

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar and next 7 ingredients (through fennel seeds); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 55 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

To store in the freezer: Ladle room-temperature or chilled sauce into plastic containers or zip-top plastic bags. Seal and freeze for up to four months. Consider freezing the sauce in one-cup increments (two servings’ worth). That way, you can pull out exactly as much as you want for future meals.

To thaw sauce - Try one of three methods:

1. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Place frozen blocks in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a low simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Place frozen blocks in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave at HIGH one minute at a time, stirring after each increment until thawed.

To boost taste: Long stints in the freezer can dull the taste of tomatoes. To perk up thawed sauce, add one-half teaspoon finely grated lemon rind or one teaspoon balsamic vinegar while reheating.

Try Basic Marinara in one of these dishes:
Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Cookinglight October 2007

Meal: Shrimp Fra Diavolo and Caesar Salad

Shrimp Fra Diavolo: Italian for “brother devil,” if you want the dish to be spicier you can increase the crushed red pepper to 3/4 tsp.

Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about 10 ounces)
2½ cups Basic Marinara
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
Parsley sprigs (optional)

Caesar Salad recipe

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 6 minutes. Add Basic Marinara, red pepper, salt, and black pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Serve over pasta. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Cookinglight October 2007

Meal: Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions, Basmati Rice and Sauteed Broccoli

Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions: This is a very flavorful vegetarian dish.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 whole clove
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 dried hot red chile
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1 cup dried small red lentils
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 cup Basmati rice, cooked according to package

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until charred. Carefully turn over onion, and cook an additional 4 minutes or until blackened and charred. Remove from heat. Coarsely chop; set aside.

Combine mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and clove in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook 1½ minutes or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Combine mustard mixture, cinnamon, cardamom, and chile in spice or coffee grinder. Pulse until ground.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in spices; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, lentils, and tomato to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover; add onion, and cook 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and juice.

Cooking Light October 2007

Sauteed Broccoli:

Ingredients
1 head broccoli, cut into pieces
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic

Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add in broccoli, garlic and lemon juice. Saute until broccoli is tender but still crisp. Remove from heat and toss in zest. Serve.

Meal: Enchiladas Verdes with Refried Black Beans

Enchiladas Verdes: This meal uses leftover chicken from Double Herb Roasted Chicken but if you don't have any left over just use a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store.

Ingredients
Salsa Verde
1 pound tomatillos (about 15)
1¼ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
¼ teaspoon salt
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

Filling
2½ cups shredded Double-Herb Roasted Chicken (about 12 ounces)
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded asadero cheese or Asiago cheese
⅓ cup finely chopped onion
⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro
⅓ cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
¼ cup fat-free sour cream
Sliced jalapeño pepper (optional)

To prepare salsa verde

Discard husks and stems from tomatillos; cut into quarters. Combine tomatillos, 1¼ cups broth, ¼ teaspoon salt, and chopped jalapeño in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tomatillos are tender. Cool slightly. Place salsa verde in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth or mash with a potato masher. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add salsa verde; cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 1 minute).

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare enchilada filling, combine chicken and next 9 ingredients (chicken through black pepper) in a large bowl.

Spread ½ cup salsa verde in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about ⅓ cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam sides down, crosswise in dish. Pour remaining salsa verde evenly over enchiladas. Cover and bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with sour cream, and garnish with sliced jalapeño, if desired.

Cookinglight January 1999


Refried Black Beans: This is a light version so you can enjoy it without the guilt but all the flavor.

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tbsp corn oil
1 (19-oz) can black beans, including liquid
½ to 1 C water
¼ C chopped fresh cilantro

Cook garlic in oil in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans with their liquid and mash with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to make a coarse purée.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot. Stir in enough of water to thin to a creamy consistency. Add pepper to taste.

Serve warm, sprinkled with cilantro.

Gourmet September 2000

MENU: February 1-8, 2009

Menu
1. Enchiladas Verdes
SIDE: Refried black beans

2. Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions
SIDE: Basmati rice
SIDE: Steamed broccoli

3. Shrimp Fra Diavolo
SIDE: Caesar Salad


Weekly Shopping
1 pound tomatillos (about 15)
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 lemon
10 oz cremini mushrooms
1 small head romaine lettuce
1 head broccoli
shredded asadero cheese or Asiago cheese
1 jalapeño pepper or green chilies
corn tortillas
1 can black beans
red lentils
1 tin anchovies


Pantry Items
1 can chicken broth
salt
black pepper
1 onion
sour cream
lime juice
ground cumin
5 cloves garlic
olive oil
mustard seed
coriander seed
cumin seed
clove
cinnamon
cardamom
fresh ginger
vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
lime juice
Basmati rice
spagetti noodles
2-3 cups marinara sauce
crushed red pepper
1 lb medium shrimp
Parmesan cheese
mayonnaise