For some reason, I felt like I needed to try a lamb recipe this year for Easter. I narrowed it down to a leg of lamb, since that was the most cost effective cut that I could find. When I saw this step by step recipe in my April issue of Cooking Light I knew that this was what I needed to make.
Garlicky Leg of Lamb with Yogurt Sauce
From: David Bonom,Cooking Light magazine, April 2011
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 (6-pound) bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed
10 garlic cloves, halved
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup diced English cucumber
1/4 cup diced plum tomato
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
Directions:
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut 20 (3/4-inch-deep) slits in lamb. Press 1 garlic half into each slit. Rub lamb with lemon mixture. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 5 hours.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Sprinkle lamb with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place lamb on a wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Bake lamb at 450° for 20 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 375° (do not remove lamb).
Bake an additional 55 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 130°. Let stand for 15 minutes; cut across the grain into slices.
Combine yogurt and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve with lamb.
The Result:
This was delicious and picture perfect for our special Easter meal. It was fairly easy to put together, however these recipe instructions do not tell you how to trim the leg of lamb beforehand (the magazine had a step by step photo guide). I tell ya, the trimming was probably the hardest part of this whole process. If you can't find detailed help with photos on how to go about doing this, then I would highly suggest having you butcher take care of it for you. Other than that, this lamb recipe was awesome and everyone loved it!
April 27, 2011
April 19, 2011
Jen's Italian Herb-Roasted Chicken & Potatoes
This. was. awesome. Probably the best whole roasted chicken I have ever made. It was seriously delicious, and the recipe was quite a fluke. I knew I wanted to make a whole-roasted chicken for dinner this evening, so I just started throwing stuff together like a mad scientist. The result was post-worthy, and this version is something that I will duplicate again. The recipe takes some time, but it is worth the effort. Did I mention the gravy??? Oh yes, there is gravy. Yum!
Jen's Italian Herb-Roasted Chicken & Potatoes
Ingredients:
grapeseed oil
1 whole chicken (mine was about 4 pounds)
1 onion, cut into large diced
2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
6 small potatoes with the skin left on, scrubbed clean, & cut into quarters(I used regular baking potatoes)
1 cup of water
2/3 cup of white wine (I used a chardonnay I had already opened)
For the gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
cooked chicken drippings
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse chicken and thoroughly dry inside and out with paper towels. Sprinkle salt inside the cavern of the chicken. Tuck wings behind the bird and truss the chicken. (If you are not sure how to do it, just look it up on the Internet. There are tons of videos out there to show you how it's done.) Place the trussed bird on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Set aside.
In a large bowl toss onions and potatoes with 2 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of the following dried herbs: thyme, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt generously and toss to combine so everything is well coated. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of the following dried herbs: oregano, thyme, and basil. Add 1/4 cup of oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Combine white wine and water in a large measuring cup. Set aside.
Pour your chicken marinade mixture over the bird making sure all sides are well coated. Arrange potato and onion mixture in the roasting pan, around the chicken. Roast for 50 minutes uncovered, or until onions are caramelized at the very bottom of the roasting pan and chicken is browned.
Remove the chicken and potatoes from oven and pour wine/water mixture on the bottom of the roasting pan. This should deglaze all the caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Return the pan back to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear at the thigh joint, and an internal cooking temperature of 160 degrees is reached.
Remove the chicken from the oven to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Scoop the roasted onions and potatoes into a separate bowl and set aside, reserving the juices and cooking liquid at the bottom of the pan.
To make gravy:
Pour the reserved chicken drippings into a fat separator. Discard fat and save the leftover juices. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauce pan. When butter is melted, add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to combine. Let flour mixture cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken drippings and liquid to the pan with an additional 1 cup of water. Whisk continuously until combined and gravy is formed. Season gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut chicken and serve with potatoes, onions, and gravy.
The Result:
As I said, this was fan-freakin'-tastic! I think my husband wanted to marry me all over again after eating this dish. We were actually arguing over who got to lick the gravy spoon after dinner. It was so good!
There is a fairly long prep and cooking time for this chicken, so I recommend that you start this a few hours before dinnertime or make it on a weekend. Since I was making this up as I went, I opted to start early. I must have been in the mood to cook or something, because spending a few hours in the kitchen usually does not happen for me anymore. Thankfully, my kids took a great afternoon nap so I had some time to develop a game plan. It all worked out, and this is a chicken recipe that I will keep.
Jen's Italian Herb-Roasted Chicken & Potatoes
Ingredients:
grapeseed oil
1 whole chicken (mine was about 4 pounds)
1 onion, cut into large diced
2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
6 small potatoes with the skin left on, scrubbed clean, & cut into quarters(I used regular baking potatoes)
1 cup of water
2/3 cup of white wine (I used a chardonnay I had already opened)
For the gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
cooked chicken drippings
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse chicken and thoroughly dry inside and out with paper towels. Sprinkle salt inside the cavern of the chicken. Tuck wings behind the bird and truss the chicken. (If you are not sure how to do it, just look it up on the Internet. There are tons of videos out there to show you how it's done.) Place the trussed bird on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Set aside.
In a large bowl toss onions and potatoes with 2 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of the following dried herbs: thyme, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt generously and toss to combine so everything is well coated. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of the following dried herbs: oregano, thyme, and basil. Add 1/4 cup of oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Combine white wine and water in a large measuring cup. Set aside.
Pour your chicken marinade mixture over the bird making sure all sides are well coated. Arrange potato and onion mixture in the roasting pan, around the chicken. Roast for 50 minutes uncovered, or until onions are caramelized at the very bottom of the roasting pan and chicken is browned.
Remove the chicken and potatoes from oven and pour wine/water mixture on the bottom of the roasting pan. This should deglaze all the caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Return the pan back to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear at the thigh joint, and an internal cooking temperature of 160 degrees is reached.
Remove the chicken from the oven to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Scoop the roasted onions and potatoes into a separate bowl and set aside, reserving the juices and cooking liquid at the bottom of the pan.
To make gravy:
Pour the reserved chicken drippings into a fat separator. Discard fat and save the leftover juices. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauce pan. When butter is melted, add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to combine. Let flour mixture cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken drippings and liquid to the pan with an additional 1 cup of water. Whisk continuously until combined and gravy is formed. Season gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut chicken and serve with potatoes, onions, and gravy.
The Result:
As I said, this was fan-freakin'-tastic! I think my husband wanted to marry me all over again after eating this dish. We were actually arguing over who got to lick the gravy spoon after dinner. It was so good!
There is a fairly long prep and cooking time for this chicken, so I recommend that you start this a few hours before dinnertime or make it on a weekend. Since I was making this up as I went, I opted to start early. I must have been in the mood to cook or something, because spending a few hours in the kitchen usually does not happen for me anymore. Thankfully, my kids took a great afternoon nap so I had some time to develop a game plan. It all worked out, and this is a chicken recipe that I will keep.
April 8, 2011
Pasta with Caramelized Onions and White Wine
I am on a new recipe roll this week! I don't think I have cooked this much new stuff in a few months. Go me!!! I guess I go in fits and starts when it comes to cooking. Sometimes, I feel like just making meals that I know how to do and that my family loves without question. Then, it seems that after I do that for awhile, I get antsy and I want to start experimenting with new recipes again. What can I say??? I guess my cooking is a little schizophrenic.
This was a good vegetarian dish that I got from my new April issue of Cooking Light magazine. I needed a fast meal that didn't have a whole lot of main ingredients for our Wednesday night dinner. We have a bible study group that evening, so we have to get dinner finished and be out the door by 6pm. I always look for easy Wednesday night meals, to make the whole process run a little smoother. This recipe was a good choice, and one that I would make again.
Pasta with Caramelized Onions and White Wine
Adapted From: Rori Trovato, Cooking Light magazine, APRIL 2011
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced vidalia onions (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat rotini or other short pasta
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine panko, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Spread panko mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 3 minutes. Cool.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onions to pan; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and wine. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute. Add broth; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 4 minutes).
4. Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt according to package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain. Add pasta, remaining salt, and pepper to onion mixture; toss gently. Place about 1 cup pasta in each of 4 shallow bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons panko mixture.
The Result:
This was a really nice, light pasta dish. It was flavorful and had lots of great texture. We all really liked it, and it is a recipe that will go into our vegetarian rotation.
This was a good vegetarian dish that I got from my new April issue of Cooking Light magazine. I needed a fast meal that didn't have a whole lot of main ingredients for our Wednesday night dinner. We have a bible study group that evening, so we have to get dinner finished and be out the door by 6pm. I always look for easy Wednesday night meals, to make the whole process run a little smoother. This recipe was a good choice, and one that I would make again.
Pasta with Caramelized Onions and White Wine
Adapted From: Rori Trovato, Cooking Light magazine, APRIL 2011
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups thinly sliced vidalia onions (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat rotini or other short pasta
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine panko, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Spread panko mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 3 minutes. Cool.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onions to pan; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and wine. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute. Add broth; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 4 minutes).
4. Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt according to package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain. Add pasta, remaining salt, and pepper to onion mixture; toss gently. Place about 1 cup pasta in each of 4 shallow bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons panko mixture.
The Result:
This was a really nice, light pasta dish. It was flavorful and had lots of great texture. We all really liked it, and it is a recipe that will go into our vegetarian rotation.
April 6, 2011
Veal Scallopine with Charred Cherry Tomato Salad
Yesterday was the start of my marathon training for the Disneyland Half Marathon in September. I wanted a light meal for our dinner, because I knew that an hour after we ate I was going out for my first training run. I usually run after my kids go to bed, so I have to plan our meals around what will settle nicely in my stomach and not give me a horrible stitch in my side. I had all the ingredients on hand for this dish, and it fit my "travel light" running requirement.
This recipe piqued my curiosity since I had never tried to grill veal before. I am so glad I experimented, because this was light and delicious...a perfectly balanced meal for my pre-run dinner.
Veal Scallopine with Charred Cherry Tomato Salad
From: Nick Fauchald, Food & Wine magazine, JUNE 2008
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
4 4-ounce veal cutlets
4 cups baby arugula (4 ounces)
1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
Directions:
Light a grill. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the sherry vinegar, minced shallot and Dijon mustard. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Heat a medium cast-iron skillet on the grill. Add the tomatoes and cook over high heat, shaking the pan a few times, until the tomatoes are charred and the skins begin to split, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the vinaigrette and lightly smash the tomatoes to release some of their juices.
Season the veal with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill the veal, turning once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plates.
Add the arugula and the cheese shavings to the tomatoes and toss well. Place the salad alongside the veal and serve.
The Result:
So far, this has to be my favorite at-home veal recipe. It was delicious! I had to make quite a few substitutions, so I think I will just list my recipe differences and call it a day. We served our veal with some steamed broccoli and Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta...YUM! Seriously, if you happen to get some veal at a good price, I would recommend trying this dish.
Okay, here goes:
*I didn't have sherry vinegar, so I combined a tablespoon of sherry with a tablespoon of cider vinegar as a substitution.
*I didn't have cherry tomatoes, so I halved Roma tomatoes, smeared them in olive oil and then grilled those. Then, I peeled them and mashed them into the vinaigrette.
*I didn't use an outdoor grill, but used a grill pan instead.
*No arugula for us...I used mixed salad greens.
*Lastly, I didn't have shallot on hand, so I grated a quarter of an onion on a box grater and incorporated that into the vinaigrette instead.
Despite my long list of substitutions, this dish was still fantastic! I can only imagine it would taste even better if I made it as written.
This recipe piqued my curiosity since I had never tried to grill veal before. I am so glad I experimented, because this was light and delicious...a perfectly balanced meal for my pre-run dinner.
Veal Scallopine with Charred Cherry Tomato Salad
From: Nick Fauchald, Food & Wine magazine, JUNE 2008
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
4 4-ounce veal cutlets
4 cups baby arugula (4 ounces)
1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
Directions:
Light a grill. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the sherry vinegar, minced shallot and Dijon mustard. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Heat a medium cast-iron skillet on the grill. Add the tomatoes and cook over high heat, shaking the pan a few times, until the tomatoes are charred and the skins begin to split, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the vinaigrette and lightly smash the tomatoes to release some of their juices.
Season the veal with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill the veal, turning once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plates.
Add the arugula and the cheese shavings to the tomatoes and toss well. Place the salad alongside the veal and serve.
The Result:
So far, this has to be my favorite at-home veal recipe. It was delicious! I had to make quite a few substitutions, so I think I will just list my recipe differences and call it a day. We served our veal with some steamed broccoli and Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta...YUM! Seriously, if you happen to get some veal at a good price, I would recommend trying this dish.
Okay, here goes:
*I didn't have sherry vinegar, so I combined a tablespoon of sherry with a tablespoon of cider vinegar as a substitution.
*I didn't have cherry tomatoes, so I halved Roma tomatoes, smeared them in olive oil and then grilled those. Then, I peeled them and mashed them into the vinaigrette.
*I didn't use an outdoor grill, but used a grill pan instead.
*No arugula for us...I used mixed salad greens.
*Lastly, I didn't have shallot on hand, so I grated a quarter of an onion on a box grater and incorporated that into the vinaigrette instead.
Despite my long list of substitutions, this dish was still fantastic! I can only imagine it would taste even better if I made it as written.
April 5, 2011
Falafel Pitas with Goat Cheese Sauce
I had a can of garbanzo beans in the pantry and a taste for falafel. I usually buy pre-made falafel from Costco, but I couldn't find them the last time I looked. I was really disappointed, since the brand that they carried (I can't remember what it was exactly) was pretty tasty and so convenient. Ugh. So, I decided to try my hand at falafel making. Usually, when I have a hankerin' for something, but not a recipe I automatically turn to Cooking Light for inspiration. It is my favorite resource for healthy recipes, and it rarely disappoints. Once again, it came through for me with this recipe. Hooray Cooking Light!!!
Falafel Pitas with Goat Cheese Sauce
From: Graham Kerr, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005
Falafel:
1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (6-inch) whole wheat pita, torn into large pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 large egg whites
Cooking spray
Relish:
2 cups chopped seeded plum tomato
1 cup chopped seeded English cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 serrano chile, minced
Sauce:
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft (log-style) goat cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
Remaining ingredient:
4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, halved
Directions:
To prepare falafel, sort and wash chickpeas, and place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine chickpeas and next 11 ingredients (through 2 chopped garlic cloves) in a food processor; pulse 8 to 10 times or until finely chopped. Spoon mixture into a bowl. Add egg whites to chickpea mixture, and stir well. Let stand 15 minutes. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
To prepare relish, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through chile).
To prepare sauce, combine yogurt, goat cheese, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 minced garlic clove, stirring with a whisk until smooth.
Place 2 falafel patties in each pita half; spoon about 1/3 cup relish and 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce into each pita half. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)
Calories:450 (17% from fat)
Fat:8.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 2.1g)
Protein:24.9g
Carbohydrate:72.3g
Fiber:14.9g
Cholesterol:10mg
Iron:6.2mg
Sodium:997mg
Calcium:315mg
The Result:
I substituted 1 cup of canned beans, drained/rinsed/dried with a towel. They worked out great, and saved me some prep time. These falafel were awesome! I was pretty skeptical at first, since the batter was really wet after I added the egg whites. However, despite the wet consistency, the falafel baked up light and fluffy...perfectly cooked. My husband proclaimed these falafel to be the best he's ever tasted. I agree, they were soooo good. Bonus: I am happy to have some of the leftover relish to incorporate into my lunchtime salad today.
My only real critique was that this recipe took awhile to put together. We ate our dinner a little later than usual; which resulted in some cranky customers around my table (darn kids expecting to be fed on time). If you allow plenty of time, this recipe was well worth the effort.
Falafel Pitas with Goat Cheese Sauce
From: Graham Kerr, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005
Falafel:
1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (6-inch) whole wheat pita, torn into large pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 large egg whites
Cooking spray
Relish:
2 cups chopped seeded plum tomato
1 cup chopped seeded English cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 serrano chile, minced
Sauce:
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft (log-style) goat cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
Remaining ingredient:
4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, halved
Directions:
To prepare falafel, sort and wash chickpeas, and place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine chickpeas and next 11 ingredients (through 2 chopped garlic cloves) in a food processor; pulse 8 to 10 times or until finely chopped. Spoon mixture into a bowl. Add egg whites to chickpea mixture, and stir well. Let stand 15 minutes. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
To prepare relish, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through chile).
To prepare sauce, combine yogurt, goat cheese, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 minced garlic clove, stirring with a whisk until smooth.
Place 2 falafel patties in each pita half; spoon about 1/3 cup relish and 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce into each pita half. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)
Calories:450 (17% from fat)
Fat:8.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 2.1g)
Protein:24.9g
Carbohydrate:72.3g
Fiber:14.9g
Cholesterol:10mg
Iron:6.2mg
Sodium:997mg
Calcium:315mg
The Result:
I substituted 1 cup of canned beans, drained/rinsed/dried with a towel. They worked out great, and saved me some prep time. These falafel were awesome! I was pretty skeptical at first, since the batter was really wet after I added the egg whites. However, despite the wet consistency, the falafel baked up light and fluffy...perfectly cooked. My husband proclaimed these falafel to be the best he's ever tasted. I agree, they were soooo good. Bonus: I am happy to have some of the leftover relish to incorporate into my lunchtime salad today.
My only real critique was that this recipe took awhile to put together. We ate our dinner a little later than usual; which resulted in some cranky customers around my table (darn kids expecting to be fed on time). If you allow plenty of time, this recipe was well worth the effort.
Chipotle Pork Tacos
I think I may have given up on the "cookbook project". I just don't have the time or energy to mess with it. Instead, I have been trying to use as much of my pantry and freezer items as possible, and plan our meals around that. Our food budget is getting a little ridiculous, especially since the babies are on table food now. Constantly trying new recipes-for the purpose of just trying new recipes-gets costly. Also, it seems my children inhale fruit. Seriously, I go through so much fresh produce it's crazy! I guess I shouldn't complain that my family loves fresh fruit and veggies, but for a family of five it is not cheap. Anyway, I decided to fit in new recipes where it seems prudent, and the cookbook project was just too taxing. It was a good idea while it lasted, though.
Anyway, I got the new issue of Cooking Light magazine in the mail and spied these tacos right away. I didn't have pork tenderloin, but I did have some cooked, shredded pork shoulder that I had squirreled away in my freezer. I marinated the pre-cooked pork, and then proceeded with the rest of the recipe. We love our tacos, so this was a satisfying dinner that my whole family appreciated.
Chipotle Pork Tacos
From: Cooking Light, April 2011 issue, Lisa Bell
Ingredients:
1 1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Directions:
1. Place pork tenderloin between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Remove plastic wrap. Cut pork into thin strips. Combine pork, lime rind, and next 6 ingredients (through salt).
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until tender. Place shallots in a large bowl. Add oil to pan. Add pork; sauté for 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Add pork to shallots.
3. Warm tortillas according to the package directions. Spoon 1/3 cup pork mixture onto each tortilla, and top each tortilla with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream and cilantro. Fold in half.
Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)
Calories:299
Fat:9.3g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:27.3g
Carbohydrate:27.4g
Fiber:2.6g
Cholesterol:80mg
Iron:2mg
Sodium:253mg
Calcium:61mg
The Result:
These were really yummy. They reminded me of Mexican street tacos; very authentic in flavor. This is something I would definitely make again, especially since these tacos were so satisfying.
Anyway, I got the new issue of Cooking Light magazine in the mail and spied these tacos right away. I didn't have pork tenderloin, but I did have some cooked, shredded pork shoulder that I had squirreled away in my freezer. I marinated the pre-cooked pork, and then proceeded with the rest of the recipe. We love our tacos, so this was a satisfying dinner that my whole family appreciated.
Chipotle Pork Tacos
From: Cooking Light, April 2011 issue, Lisa Bell
Ingredients:
1 1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Directions:
1. Place pork tenderloin between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Remove plastic wrap. Cut pork into thin strips. Combine pork, lime rind, and next 6 ingredients (through salt).
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until tender. Place shallots in a large bowl. Add oil to pan. Add pork; sauté for 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Add pork to shallots.
3. Warm tortillas according to the package directions. Spoon 1/3 cup pork mixture onto each tortilla, and top each tortilla with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream and cilantro. Fold in half.
Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)
Calories:299
Fat:9.3g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:27.3g
Carbohydrate:27.4g
Fiber:2.6g
Cholesterol:80mg
Iron:2mg
Sodium:253mg
Calcium:61mg
The Result:
These were really yummy. They reminded me of Mexican street tacos; very authentic in flavor. This is something I would definitely make again, especially since these tacos were so satisfying.
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