Category: Main Dishes

Pita Flatbreads

An easy dinner to use up all the odds n’ ends sitting in your fridge! We had these with some leftover gazpacho that was great for dipping (recipe to come!).

Pita Flatbreads

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat pita pockets

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp hummus

2 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese (about a fourth of one package)

2 tsp refrigerated pesto

1 tomato, sliced thinly

Black olives, sliced

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed

Veggies of your choosing (I used some leftover carrots, peas, and cauliflower)

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a large cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Drizzle about 1/4 tbsp olive oil on each pita and rub thoroughly until the entire top face is lightly coated. Spread with a small amount of minced garlic (I used about 1/8 tsp for each flatbread).

Heat a small skillet on medium high and swirl in about 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or cooking spray). Saute onion and mushrooms until soft, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and pesto until smooth. Microwave for 15 seconds to soften if necessary. Spread mixture on 2 of the pitas. On the remaining two, spread hummus thinly. Top each pita with sautéed spinach and onion mixture. Add tomatoes, black olives, and remaining veggies (as desired). Top with seasoning and cheese (I chose feta for the hummus-based pitas, and mozzarella for the cream cheese ones). Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

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White Bean and Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

A yummy spring recipe revisited, perfect for a light dinner on a warm day in April! Feel free to experiment with the filling and toppings- switch up the peas for lentils, the white beans for garbanzos, etc. I used fresh tomatoes from the Durham Farmers’ Market that Ben and I biked to yesterday morning. Not really tomato season, but these were still sweet and delicious!

Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes

1 can albacore tuna, in water

2 tbsp Italian dressing

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup peas

1 cup canned white beans, rinsed

bread crumbs, for topping

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Slice off the tops of the tomatoes with a serrated knife. Cut into the tomato, around the border so as to loosen up the seeds. Carefully scoop out the insides of the tomato.

Drizzle each tomato with about 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice, swirling each to coat completely. Turn upside down and allow to drain on a paper towel.

Open and drain tuna and beans. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, salad dressing, balsamic, mustard, garlic, remaining lemon juice, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Add peas and white beans, mashing the beans slightly for a creamier texture.

Spoon tuna filling into each tomato. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and mozzarella. Place on a tinfoil lined (and greased) baking sheet about 2 inches apart, including the tops of each tomato. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Turn broiler to high and broil for 30 sec to 1 minute, watching closely, until cheese is nicely browned and bubbly.

Serve over brown rice or spinach.

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Crock-Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

**Disclaimer** Because I was making this for my husband (who could eat pulled BBQ chicken by the truckful) and wanted to have a good amount of leftovers, I used 4 chicken breasts and added in a big can of white chicken meat right before shredding. You really can’t tell, and it’s a quick way to stretch the original recipe! OK, disclaimer is over now. And now he knows my secret too. Well… we’ll see if he really reads this 😛

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup BBQ sauce (any flavor!)

1/3 cup Italian dressing (I used lite)

2 tbsp packed brown sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup water

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp chicken broth

Smoked paprika, to taste

Cheddar cheese slices

Hamburger buns

Place chicken in crock-pot. In a separate bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Pour over the chicken and set on low for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken. To remaining sauce in the crock-pot, add corn starch and chicken broth and whisk to combine. Cook on high for 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and get even more delicious. Meanwhile, shred chicken using two forks.**

Return shredded chicken to pot and cook on low for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with smoked paprika, to taste.

Top buns with chicken and a slice of cheddar cheese. Serve with crinkly sweet potato fries and green beans!

BBQ Pulled Chicken

 

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Honey Teriyaki Salmon

I made this last Saturday night after a loooooong week of school. Nothing like some fresh salmon fillets from Whole Foods and some yummy teriyaki-marinated veggies over a bed of brown rice to relax!

I adapted this recipe from Skinny Taste, one of my favorite food blogs!
For the original recipe, click here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/02/honey-teriyaki-salmon.html

2013-02-15 20.20.41

Ingredients:

3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar (the original recipe called for rice wine, but I found this to work just fine!)

2 tbsp honey

1 lb fresh wild salmon fillet, cut in 4 pieces

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 cups cooked brown rice

3 whole carrots, sliced lengthwise

1 cup broccoli or cauliflower florets (I just used frozen), cooked

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and honey in a resealable bag. Add the salmon and mix to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 8 hours).

Remove the salmon from the bag, reserving the marinade. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, swirl in oil. Sear the salmon- 2 minutes each side. Turn heat to low and pour the leftover marinade over the salmon. (The marinade will probably bubble a bit and might even stick to the pan. Just make sure to scrape it up occasionally- and don’t worry- it adds a nice crusty texture to the fish!)

Cover and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat, until salmon is cooked through. 

Remove salmon from pan and serve over bed of brown rice. Drizzle some of the sauce over the rice and fish.

In the same skillet, add vegetables and cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Serve with salmon and rice. (I drizzled some of the teriyaki sauce over my veggies, too!)

 

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Sweet Potato Lentil Curry

Felt like trying something new tonight… I had all the ingredients for this one and it was easier than I expected to make! Since we are expecting snow tonight, I decided a hearty lentil stew was the perfect choice. Serve with toasted pita points and plain yogurt!

Sweet Potato Lentil Curry 2

Sweet Potato Lentil Curry 3

SWEET POTATO LENTIL CURRY

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp paprika
1 or 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes
3 cups frozen cauliflower
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed, picked over, and drained
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 1/2 cups water
Salt, to taste
1 cup frozen cut leaf spinach
Plain low fat yogurt

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil on medium. Add onions and celery and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the curry, chili powder, cinnamon and paprika and stir continuously for 1 minute. Add sweet potato, cauliflower, and carrots. Add lentils, tomatoes (with their juice), and 1 1/2 cups water. Season with salt, to taste.

Sweet Potato Lentil Curry 1

Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender. When the stew is almost ready, throw in the frozen spinach and stir until it turns bright green. Garnish with plain yogurt and serve with toasted pita bread or pita chips!

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Greek Chicken Gyros w/ Spicy Yogurt Dressing

GREEK CHICKEN GYROS W/ SPICY YOGURT DRESSING

Inspired by “The Med” salad and pita sandwich at Noodles & Company, I decided to make these Greek Chicken Gyros last night for dinner. Serve with the spicy “Med” yogurt dressing, adapted from a copycat ‘Noodles & Co.’ recipe I found online, which interestingly includes a dash (or a few of ’em) of hot sauce!

Ingredients:
4 whole wheat pitas (without pockets), about 9″ in diameter
1 lb chicken breast
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
1 tbsp Greek seasoning
Prepared tzatziki sauce or greek veggie dip
2 tablespoons black olives, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup feta cheese

For the dressing:
3 tbsp hot sauce
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
dash of salt and pepper
1 tbsp feta cheese
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
Combine balsamic vinaigrette and greek seasoning in a large ziplock storage bag. Add chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least one hour, flipping bag halfway through.

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend on low until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

When chicken has marinated, cut into strips about 1/2″ in width. Heat a skillet or grill pan on medium high. Add chicken to pan and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center (time will depend on the thickness of the breast). Remove from pan. While still hot, add a bit more cooking spray or olive oil and cook peppers until soft- about 5 minutes.

Spoon about 1 tbsp tzatziki sauce on each pita, leaving about an inch around the border. Cover with black olives, tomato, red onion, green pepper, cucumber, and spinach. Add a few strips of chicken to each pita and sprinkle a bit of feta over top. Loosely wrap in tin foil and place in a warm oven at about 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until warm. Alternatively place each pita on a preheated George Foreman grill at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drizzle with spicy yogurt dressing.

Greek Chicken Gyros

Look at that handsome husband of mine!

Ben with Greek Chicken Gyros!

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