Thai Pork Salad

 

 Thai Pork Salad

1/2 pound ground pork

3 T Asian fish sauce

1 t sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 jalapeno sliced thinly

1 head of Boston lettuce torn into bite size pieces

1 small shallot sliced thinly

1 medium carrot shredded

1/2 cup fresh mint

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

Saute pork, breaking up into small pieces until brownish. Add 1/4 water and 1 T fish sauce  and cook until evaporated.

In small bowl, stir together the lime juice, 2 T fish sauce, jalapeno pepper, and sugar.

Divide lettuce into two bowls, top with pork mixture, shallots, carrots, mint and peanuts and drizzle with lime dressing.

Mexican Fiesta!

Sometimes you just feel like some Mexican food, right? When the mood strikes, here are a few recipes to keep you busy...........lots of chopping!

Black Bean Enchilada Bake

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 jar Trader Joe's Enchilada sauce
8 oz low fat cheddar, shredded
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
10 white corn (or just corn) tortillas

Preheat oven to 350
Saute onion, garlic, green pepper and mushrooms for a few minutes, then add beans and enchilada sauce and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Spray 1 1/2 qt casserole. Layer with tortillas, cheeses, and sauce until all ingredients are used ending with some cheese on top. Bake 20 minutes or when top looks all melted. Let stand for about ten minutes before cutting. Serve with toppings of salsa, chopped avocado, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Serves four to six depending on what other "sides" you're making.

Summer Corn Salad

1 bag frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno, minced
1 t ground cumin
2 T olive oil
2 T cider vinegar

Make the dressing using the oil, vinegar, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the rest of the ingredients, mix and refrigerate for several hours to let flavors develop.

Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice

Make three cups of brown Basmati rice however you like to make rice--using stove top or rice cooker. Use Vegetable broth instead of water.

Make this dressing:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 T olive oil
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t oregano
1/2 t pepper

Mix together. 

To the cooked rice add 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Gently mix in the dressing and serve warm or at room temp.

Serves four to six

Slaw with a Kick

Just search on this blog for slaw and you'll get that recipe!

I Love Soup!

Here's a super easy, throw it together soup. Perfect if you have a left-over cooked chicken breast lurking in the fridge!

Creamy Chili-Corn Soup with Chicken and Black Beans

Olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T chili powder
1 t cumin
2 cans creamed corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced green chilis
1 shredded cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

In soup kettle, heat oil and garlic until it starts to sizzle, add the chili powder and cumin and then throw in all the rest of the ingredients except the cilantro and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered to blend flavors--around 15 minutes or so. Taste a little and decide if it needs salt or pepper--I didn't think it did. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro.

Cauliflower Pasta Puttanesca

Another winner from Real Simple Magazine:

1/2lb whole wheat shells pasta
olive oil
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 28 oz can peeled tomatoes
1/4 cop chopped Kalamata olives
2 T capers
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper
Chopped parsley ( I didn't have any)
Grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to box, drain and reserve some pasta water.
Meanwhile in large skillet, heat olive oil and add cauliflower, salt and pepper and cook stirring around 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir cooking about one minute. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and red pepper. Keep cooking and stirring around 10-15 minutes more til cauliflower is as tender as you like it. If the mixure seems to be getting too dry , add some of the reserved pasta water.

Throw the pasta into the sauce and toss. Serve with cheese.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

I love Real Simple Magazine and I saw this in their latest issue and, of course, made a few changes. However, these were mighty tasty.

1 cup brown or white rice, cooked
1 T olive oil
6 scallions, thinly sliced-white and green parts separated
1/2 pound ground chuck
1 cup frozen corn
4 oz. chopped green chilis
1 t cumin
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 large red peppers, halved lengthwise
plain non-fat Greek yogurt
salsa verde

Heat oven to 375

Heat the oil in skillet and add scallion whites and beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Stir in corn, chilis, cumin, cooked rice, 1/2 cup of cheese, salt and pepper.

Arrange peppers in 9X13 pan, cut side up. Divide beef mixture among the peppers, add 1/2 cup water to dish, cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake ten minutes more.

Serve with dollop of  yogurt and salsa of your choice (I used salsa verde)