Miso Cod on Garlic Roasted Bok Choy with Tangerine Butter

This amazing dish was the follow-up meal to my Red Quinoa and Veggies Spring Rolls from last weekend when my kiddos were away camping. Funny, it seems so long ago now, especially since I haven't been able to get back into the kitchen since they got home. I'm not blaming them for my absence from the kitchen. Rather, I'm taking a slow approach to summer using this first full week to hang out with my kids. We went to the movies, the park, a few days of swimming, a play date, a birthday party, and a whole lot of doing nothing. But mostly, if I were honest, I've been waiting for a little summer inspiration and it finally came today in the form of Corn Cakes. I found a new recipe that I'm dying to try from a new App called, All the Cooks. I just joined on my phone and it's a really cool app. It's a cooking platform for home cooks to share their recipes and then others can make the recipes and post snapshots of their attempt at the recipe. So far I haven't made or shared anything yet. But I definitely found a promising recipe that will kick off this year's summer vegetable...Corn!
Each summer, I showcase a summer vegetable. Last year it was zucchini. The year before tomatoes. This year I have 3-4 corn recipes to share that are absolutely perfect for summer. 
In the meantime, as I prepare these amazing corn dishes, enjoy this easy Miso marinated Cod over Garlic Roasted Bok Choy. 

Miso-Marinated Cod over Garlic Roasted Bok Choy with Tangerine Butter
(marinade recipe from foodgal.com )

4 cod fillets
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirrin or vodka
3 T white miso paste
1 T sugar
2 T toasted sesame oil

3 Bok Choy, quartered
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
2 T unsalted butter, melted
zest/1 tsp of tangerine juice
Garnish: sliced green onions and/or sesame seeds

Heat sake and mirrin in a small sauce pan until boiling and boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat.  Add miso, sugar, and sesame oil until melted and combined. Let marinade cool. In a ziplok bag add marinade and fish and marinate over night in the refrigerator.  

 
Mince garlic and add olive oil. Let sit for a 15 minutes.  
Line roasting pan with the quartered Bok Choy and baste the bok choy with garlic infused oil. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Not too long, I like it crunchy. :)

Melt butter and add Tangerine juice and zest. Set aside.

Pan fry or grill fish over medium-high heat about 4-5 minutes on each side.
Serve Cod over Roasted Bok Choy and then drizzle melted tangerine butter over the fish and Bok Choy. Enjoy!

I forgot to add sesame seeds before. Delicious!

Other recipes to try:
Red Curry Tilapia with Vegetables     Shrimp Poboy Lettuce Wraps                 Grilled Halibut Tacos

Red Quinoa And Veggie Spring Rolls

I made these Veggie Spring Rolls last weekend when my kids and husband were away on a camping trip. I had the house to myself for two whole days! Yippee! I can't even remember the last time I had time alone. Not just time to do nothing, but time completely alone with no obligations, no pressing itinerary and nobody around to interact with. No small talk, no chit chat. I didn't even have to listen politely to someone else talking. I was completely alone and it was exactly what this weary introvert needed to recharge from a very stressful first half of 2015. :)
I got up early each day and sipped coffee while I sat in my favorite chair by the window and drank in the solitude. I went for long walks in the cool early morning hours enjoying being up before the world got busy and loud. I got reacquainted with my kitchen, where I planned some blog dishes and cooked food that I wanted without worry that the kiddos wouldn't like it. I took my time with my alone time, there was no urgency to be anywhere than where I was and it was amazing. I ate healthy food, read a book, and took naps. It was better than any vacation I could've taken. I felt totally recharged and ready for a fun summer with my mind peaceful and calm once again.
These Red Quinoa and Veggie Spring rolls were one of two dishes I made during my "alone time" weekend. Perfectly lite and flavorful and packed with summer veggies and topped with two spicy sauces, a Spicy Peanut Sauce and Spicy Soy Sauce. I couldn't decide which one I like best so I alternated sauces with each bite. Delicious! Give them a try. Enjoy!

Red Quinoa and Veggie Spring Rolls
(Inspired by Naturally Ella)

1 cup Red Quinoa
2 cups Water
1 T Simply Asia Sweet Ginger Garlic Seasoning
Spring Roll Wrappers
Red Leaf lettuce
Asparagus
Cucumber
Clover Sprouts
Green Onions
Cilantro Leaves

Prepare Quinoa according to package directions. I used chicken broth instead of water and I added 1 T of Simply Asia- Sweet Ginger Garlic Seasoning to give the quinoa added flavor. Set aside to cool.

Prepare all veggies.
Place Spring roll wrapper in water to soften and then place on cutting board. Add veggies and quinoa to middle of wrapper and then fold edge of the wrapper over the veggies. Then fold the two sides and roll like a burrito. Cut in half with a sharp knife and serve.


Spicy Peanut Sauce
2 T peanut butter
1T garlic chili sauce
1 T low sodium soy sauce
3-5 T hot water (add until desired consistency)
1 t sesame oil
chopped peanuts (garnish)

Spicy Soy Sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 T garlic chili sauce
1-2 T honey
Green onions and sesame seeds (garnish)

 

Other recipes to try:
Shrimp w/Chili Garlic Cream Sauce      Sweet Chili Lime Tofu                  Simple Sesame Noodles

Spicy Carrot and White Bean Hummus

I was inspired to make a version of Spicy Carrot Hummus after I grabbed this small snack from the store one day. (see picture below) I was hungry but didn't want too much to eat and it sounded amazing...Zesty Sriracha Carrot Hummus! What's not to like, right? I was super excited to try it. 
It had great texture and the carrot flavor was prominent but overall it was a bit too sweet for my taste with very little "zest". I wanted more zest from the Sriracha. Anyhoo, all was not lost to the experience because I was inspired to make my own and spice it up.

For my taste, it definitely needed some heat but it also need a strong flavor to complement the sweetness of the carrots so I added Garam Masala to give the carrots some depth and let me tell you it was amazing. 
I've made this a few times now, the first run through was great with layers of flavor, from the carrots, tahini, lime, cilantro and the Garam Masala with a little heat at the finish. My husband LOVED it.  
The next time, I jacked up the heat by not only adding Sriracha, but also cayenne and red pepper flakes. Amazing! The hotter the better I say. This recipe is really great hot but you can adjust to your taste if you prefer it milder.

Spicy Carrot and White Bean Hummus

1- 1 1/2 cup cooked carrots
1- 14 oz can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Tahini, sesame paste
1 T water
1 clove of garlic, chopped
juice of one lime
1/2 cup of cilantro leaves

1-3 T Sriracha sauce (to taste)
1/8 tsp. Garam Masala
red pepper flakes (to taste, I used about 1/4 t) 
cayenne pepper (to taste, I used about 1/8 t)
kosher salt (to taste)
Garnish with chopped cilantro

In a food processor, combine Tahini, water, garlic, beans, cooked carrots, lime juice and blend on high until smooth. Add Garam Masala, cilantro, Sriracha to boost color and add spiciness, add cayenne, red pepper flakes. Add salt to taste. Garnish and serve with pita chips or fresh veggies. Enjoy!
 
Other Appetizers to try:
Homemade Hummus and Pita Chips           Fried Chickpeas                          Moroccan Carrot Dip

Spicy Carrot and White Bean Hummus would be great on my Veggie Sandwiches too!

Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice

 

Summer vacation is finally here, and what better way to kick of the steamy summer months with an amazing grilled chicken dish! This recipe has got to be my new favorite recipe! It's INCREDIBLE tasting and super easy to make.
The chicken is marinated in pineapple juice, lots of garlic and lemon zest/juice and then it's grilled. Which in itself is pretty delicious, but then you top the whole kit and caboodle with big rustic chunks of pineapple and red bell peppers that have been sauteed in...wait for it...brown butter, honey and Dijon mustard! To. Die. For. It is really that delicious!

I love the look of this chicken dish with its rustic chunks of pineapple and red pepper served family style on a big platter! But I imagine this would be equally amazing as kabobs, brushing on the browned butter mixture after grilling, just like BBQ sauce...yummy.  Sounds perfect to me, I'll give the kabobs a try this summer!  Hope you will too, enjoy!

Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice (adapted recipe from Diethood)
Serves 4

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 20-oz can of pineapple chunks, juice reserved
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper

Topping
3 T Brown butter (from ~4T unsalted butter)
2 T Honey
1 T Dijon mustard
Reserved pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces

Coconut Rice
1 3/4 cup Jasmine Rice
1-14 oz. can low sodium chicken broth (~1 3/4 c)
1-14 oz. can lite coconut milk (~1 3/4 c)
1-2 T Canola Oil

Marinade: 
Combine pineapple juice, minced garlic, salt & pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice, paprika and cayenne pepper into a Ziplock freezer bag and add chicken breasts. Zip bag closed and allow chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. 

To make Coconut Rice:
Over medium heat, add canola oil into large saucepan and then add Jasmine Rice. Toast rice, stirring often for about 4 minutes taking care not to burn the rice. Then a add coconut milk and chicken broth and stir well. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and then let sit for 15 minutes.

Grill the chicken, wrap with foil to keep warm. 

To make browned butter: (or substitute with regular melted butter)
In a small skillet, heat 1/4 cup butter and allow the milk solids to brown to a dark golden color. Pour off the liquid portion of the browned butter into a clean large skillet, leaving behind the browned solids in the smaller skillet to discard.

Stir the Dijon mustard and honey into the melted browned butter and then add the pineapple chunks and red bell peppers. 
Over medium high heat, saute until bubbly and fragrant about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Pour the sauteed pineapple over your grilled chicken and serve with Coconut Rice. 
Garnish with sliced green onions.

Other Chicken recipes:
Chicken Florentine                            Easy Ranch Chicken                      Honey Butter Chicken

Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara

When I'm in the kitchen and I don't have anything in particular in mind to cook, inspiration usually comes from the necessity of needing to cook something for dinner. Trying to make something out of nothing or in this case what I had on hand. This red pepper marinara sauce is one of those creations that came about from a bag of frozen peppers and onions in the absence of fresh produce and jarred tomato sauce.
I've made this sauce numerous times since then and each time I marvel at how delicious it is. It varies just a bit depending on weather I have Anaheim chilies or not but it is basically the same with a solid base of bell peppers and onions and the natural sweetness from the carrots and stewed tomatoes. Yum!

The idea for the Baked Ravioli however, came after I spent a Sunday with girlfriends wine tasting at a few local wine bars. Our first stop was a wine bar that also served small plate appetizers and I ordered a delicious fried ravioli appetizer with a red pepper cream sauce. It was delicious but the ravioli were very deeply fried. It was great to curb my hunger after a glass of wine but I felt like it was a bit too fried, so I decided to try my own version of it here at home. Especially since I already had the perfect sauce for it. So here is my lighter version of Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara. Enjoy!

Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara Sauce

Red Pepper Marinara
1 bag of frozen Peppers and Onions
2 Anaheim chiles seeded and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 14 oz. can stewed tomatoes with Italian Seasonings
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp marjoram, dried
red chili flakes (to taste, I like it spicy)
salt and pepper (to taste)

If you don't have frozen peppers and onions, by all means use fresh ingredients. This is just what I used because it's what I had on hand. The beautiful thing about this sauce is that you literally throw all the ingredients in a large skillet, cover, and simmer for about 30-35 minutes. Once the carrots are soft, transfer the cooked veggies to a food processor and blend on high until smooth. Add the blended sauce back into the skillet and heat, uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside as you prepare the ravioli.  

This sauce is made more decadent when you add a touch of cream to it. It's great tossed with some Penne Pasta and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Yummy!
Baked Ravioli

1 bag of frozen ravioli
1 egg, beaten with 1 T milk
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t dried basil
salt and pepper
non-stick olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Thaw ravioli.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and then generously coat parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.
 
In shallow dish, add egg and milk and beat until incorporated and set aside. In another shallow dish, mix Panko flakes, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Dip thawed ravioli in egg mixture first then the bread crumb mixture. 

Place coated ravioli onto the prepared parchment in a single layer. Generously spray the top of each ravioli with cooking spray. This is an important step to ensure the coating crisps up. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm Red Pepper Marinara and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Enjoy!

 
 

Other pasta recipes to try:
Turkey Sausage and Peppers Pasta





 

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter Sauce

Confetti Salad with Honey Champagne Vinaigrette

After a bumpy start to the new year, Spring has come just in time to give me some much needed peace and time for renewal. Friday was my first day off and I was in the kitchen ready to make something delicious. I'd planned to make some Picadillo Stuffed Pobano Peppers with a  Tomatillo Cream Sauce...which sounded like a great plan if it hadn't been 90 degrees. It was crazy 'summer hot' here in Southern California last Friday!  
Instead, I opted for this delicious and decidedly cooler, Confetti Salad with the amazing Honey Champagne Vinaigrette. I know a salad is far cry from a satisfying main dish but you'll see the stuffed Poblanos in the near future. I promise. I made this salad dressing and salad a few weeks ago for a friend and I loved the dressing so much I decided to blog it. The recipe is actually an adaptation of the dressing I had at the Chef Tech Blogger/Cooking Workshop event back in February. I took their basic vinaigrette recipe and changed it up a bit. This salad is not only delicious but festive and beautiful. Use any vegetables you like, just cut them up real small so that the dressing coats every nook and cranny.  I especially like this salad because it's perfect to use up those bags of mini bell peppers. Most of the time it's hard to find uses for all those mini peppers before they get mushy. There is a limit on how many bell peppers one can eat in a week.
Anyway, chop up your veggies and whip up a batch of this delicious Honey Champagne Vinaigrette. You'll end up putting it on everything! Enjoy!

Confetti Salad with Honey Champagne Vinaigrette

Mixed greens (I used romaine, spinach and kale)
Red, yellow and orange baby bell peppers, small dice
3 mini Persian cucumbers, quartered and sliced
1 cup shredded carrots 
1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Chop, rinse and spin salad greens.
Cut mini bell peppers into thin match sticks and then dice.
Cut Persian cucumbers in half and then into quarters lengthwise. Then slice into small pieces. Finely slice green onions. I used pre-shredded carrots but if you have whole carrots, finely dice them or shred them with a box grater.

Add all vegetables to the salad greens and set aside. Prepare Vinaigrette.

Honey Champagne Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Champagne Vinegar (can substitute with white wine vinegar)
1/3 cup honey
3 T shallots, finely minced
2 T Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Canola oil
3/4 cup Sunflower oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste


Finely mince a small shallot and add 3T to food processor. Add 1/2 cup champagne vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard to the shallots. Process on high until fully incorporated. In a measuring cup, combine the oils and set aside. 
With your food processor on high, add the oil to the round insert in the lid of your processor. The round insert has a small hole at the bottom of it that will slowly add the oil so that it is emulsified. This will be good for about a week in the refrigerator. 

I didn't toss the dressing with the salad in these pictures, so that the lettuce would keep for dinner later that night. Normally, toss with the vinaigrette before serving. :) Enjoy!

Other salad recipes to try:
Caprese Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
Sunflower Sprout Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Roasted Baby Carrot Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing