Two years ago, Matt and I went to California for our one year wedding anniversary. Our first stop was Los Angeles to visit Hollywood, tour movie studios, and, most importantly, eat all the food. On our last night in LA, we went to this Italian restaurant near our hotel called Jon & Vinny’s. Thankfully I had called ahead because when we got to the restaurant there was huge line, but they sat us right at the counter where we could watch all the chefs make the homemade pastas and pizzas. Watching the food be made had us drooling and we ate our way through fresh burrata, incredible pastas and a warm baked bread pudding. We also had our only celebrity sighting of the trip eating dinner there – Gillian Jacobs!

The next morning we both woke up thinking about Jon & Vinny’s. We couldn’t stop thinking about firstly, how delicious it was, and secondly, how much we regretted not ordering a pizza since they looked so good the night before. I finally went to their website and saw that not only were they open for brunch (on a weekday – that’s LA for you), but they also had pizza on their brunch menu! Matt and I headed straight to Jon & Vinny’s and gorged ourselves on bomboloni (Italian filled doughnuts), Nutella and olive oil toast and of course, homemade pizza. Ever since our back-to-back meals, Matt and I joke about heading to LA for the weekend just to eat at Jon & Vinny’s and we probably will do it one of these days.

In the meantime, I was so excited to discover the recipe for their fusilli alla vodka with basil and Parmesan on Bon Appetit’s website! I decided I wanted to be able to enjoy the meal at home more regularly instead of just once in a while as a treat so I made a few changes to turn the dish into a skinny version. This Skinny Chicken Fusilli Alla Vodka with Basil, Spinach and Parmesan has all the flavors of the classic dish complete with plenty of cheese on top, but I’ve made a few swaps.

The biggest is that cauliflower puree is being substituted for the heavy cream. As I learned with the sun-dried tomato sauce from the Chicken Schnitzel and Pesto Spaetzle dish, cauliflower puree is a creamy, flavorful and incredibly healthy substitute for heavy cream.

I also reduced the amount of pasta and replaced it with some chicken and spinach. The end result is so delicious that I think Matt and I could eat it for every meal… at least until we get back to LA to eat our weight in the authentic version!

Skinny Chicken Fusilli Alla Vodka with Basil, Spinach and Parmesan

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 1 cup cauliflower florets, about 7-8 medium-large florets
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ shallot, minced
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons vodka
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces fusilli
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ounce fresh grated Parmesan, about ¼ cup, plus more for serving
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Make the cauliflower puree. Bring the chicken broth, vegetable broth or water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower and liquid to a high-speed blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray then heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F, turning and stirring the chicken in the pan as needed. Remove from the pan and carefully wipe the pan.
3. Heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vodka and stir constantly until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the pureed cauliflower, spinach leaves and the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and let the spinach wilt. Remove the pan from the heat, but leave everything in the pan.
4. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta liquid.
5. Place the skillet back over medium low heat and add the pasta, ½ cup of the pasta liquid, 1 tablespoon butter and the cooked chicken. Cook and stir until the butter has melted and it has formed a thick sauce. If it is too thick, add some more pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide between 4 bowls and top with the basil and more Parmesan.

Notes

The vodka sauce can be made 5 days in advance. Cover and store in the fridge.
Use any type of pasta you prefer. We used pasta with added protein.

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Lauren Uncategorized 8 Comments

Remember how last week I was writing about how excited I was to finally share some family favorite healthy recipes this month? These Turkey Veggie Mushroom Burgers with Goat Cheese and Sautéed Shiitakes are definitely one of those recipes!

I first made these burgers this past summer after being inspired by a Food52 article about half-veggie half-meat burgers. I like to occasionally reduce the amount of meat at meals for environmental and cost reasons so I made burger patties using ground turkey, sautéed mushrooms, brown rice and quinoa before topping them with goat cheese, sautéed shiitakes and balsamic glaze.

We were so obsessed with these burgers after one bite that I posted my dark dinner photo of them on my Instagram feed, missing bun and all since I had forgotten them at the store! I think I can fairly say that these are the most moist burgers I’ve ever made, thanks to the mushrooms and grains, which usually is not something said about turkey burgers. They are also one of the most flavor-packed burgers and you could definitely skip the bun if you wanted to since they taste great either way.

Part of what makes the flavor so good is that I use a Seeds of Change brown rice and quinoa with garlic packet. This isn’t sponsored, but as I mentioned in my Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls post, the brown rice and quinoa is fluffy and tastes awesome. Mix that together with the ground turkey, some sautéed cremini mushrooms, shallot and garlic and you have a winning burger.

When I make these I like to make a few extras and freeze the uncooked patties for future dinners. I always defrost them before grilling, but you might be able to cook them straight from frozen. I will be sure to try it out next time I freeze some of the patties. I hope you all enjoy these for (almost) Meatless Monday!

Turkey Veggie Mushroom Burgers with Goat Cheese and Sautéed Shiitakes

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 10 ounces whole cremini mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 ounces ground turkey
• 1 cup Seeds of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 5 ounces sliced shiitakes
• 4 burger buns, optional
• Goat cheese, for topping
• Balsamic glaze, for topping
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped cremini mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic, continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat, put in a medium mixing bowl and let cool.
2. Place a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper on a dinner sized plate. Once the mushroom mixture has cooled slightly, add the ground turkey, quinoa and brown rice and dijon mustard. Use your hands to combine the mixture, but do not over-mix. Form the mixture into 4 patties and place each patty on the prepared dinner plate. Put the patties in the fridge to firm up for about 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat your grill or grill pan, being sure to lightly grease the grill pan. Once hot, cook the patties for 7-8 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
4. While the burgers are cooking, sauté the shiitake mushrooms. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper and sauté the mushrooms for 6-8 minutes.
5. When the burgers are done, place on the buns, if using, then top with the sautéed shiitakes, goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

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Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

Every week for the last couple months I’ve been saying to Matt, “Listen to all the awesome recipes I have coming up in January!” and then I make him listen to me read them all for the bajillionth time because I’m just so excited about them. Yes, the last couple months because I’m a planner so I’ve had these in the works for quite some time. All the recipes I’m posting this month are indicative of how Matt and I eat when we’re at home. Sure, we have the occasional pasta night or indulgent meal, but recipes like the Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Roasted Salmon and Broccoli and today’s Baked Barbecue Chicken Egg Rolls are how we eat 90% of the time we’re home.

Even though I keep talking about healthy meals and posting healthy recipes in January, we don’t really look at them as health food. To us they’re just really delicious meals we love that happen to be good for us, too. My excitement stems from finally sharing all these recipes that have been made over and over in our kitchen last year; whether we make them once a month or whether I just came up with it and made it four times in a row because we got hooked. These Baked Barbecue Chicken Egg Rolls fall into the latter category.

I had this idea to combine two of our favorite new meals from last year: the Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and the Southwest Turkey Baked Egg Rolls. Shredded cooked chicken gets tossed in barbecue sauce (I recommend my homemade refined sugar free recipe, which I’ve posted in the recipe below) and some chopped steamed spinach before being rolled up in the egg roll wrappers with some sharp cheddar cheese. They only take 16 minutes to bake and the outside gets really crispy, while the cheese inside gets gooey. I’m literally drooling as I’m typing this – sorry folks!

Matt loves barbecue sauce so he proclaimed that he likes these even more than the Southwest Turkey Baked Egg Rolls. I don’t think I could choose because it depends on what I’m in the mood for, but these definitely win in their simplicity of the filling. Another reason we’ve had these egg rolls so much recently is because they freeze so well. We’re big fans of freezing meals so we have something quick instead of succumbing to takeout and I freeze these after they’ve been baked and cooled. To reheat, I just put them on the toast setting of our Breville Smart Oven or you could bake them at 375 degrees F for ten minutes.

I love having ranch dressing with barbecue sauce so I was excited to see so many healthier ranch dressings made with Greek yogurt at the grocery store! I got one from Hidden Valley Ranch and it’s so good with these egg rolls, but with way less calories and fat. I hope you all try these soon!

Baked Barbecue Chicken Egg Rolls

 

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Yield: 7 servings (3 rolls per serving)

Ingredients

for the egg rolls

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1¼ cups barbecue sauce
• ½ cup steamed and strained spinach
• 3 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 21 egg roll wrappers, see note
• 1¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Greek yogurt ranch dressing, for dipping

for the barbecue sauce

• 1 small can tomato paste, about 6 ounces
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons molasses
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 teaspoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

for the egg rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil or coat with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, barbecue sauce, spinach and red onion until fully coated.
3. Before filling the egg roll wrappers, make sure you have a little bowl or cup of warm water and a clean work surface. Place the egg roll wrapper down so that a corner is facing you. Scoop 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and place it near the bottom corner of the wrapper. I like to adjust the mixture so it’s more of a log shape then a big mound. Place a tablespoon of the shredded cheese on top. Take the bottom corner of the wrapper and fold it up and over the mixture so it’s completely covering it then continue to roll it one more time. Fold in the left and right corners so they create a little envelope then continue to roll it until it’s 1 roll away from the top corner. Wet your finger with the water and use it to moisten the whole exposed top corner. Fold the corner down to close up and seal the roll. Place it on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining rolls then coat all the rolls with cooking spray.
4. Bake the rolls for 8 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 8 minutes. They should be crispy and golden brown. Serve warm with the ranch dressing.

for the barbecue sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

Notes

I use Nasoya egg rolls wrappers. In Whole Foods I find them in the refrigerated section near the hummus and guacamole. In Wegmans I find them in the refrigerated section near the tofu and blocks of cheese.

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Lauren Uncategorized 6 Comments

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Matt and I spent the weekend visiting family and we had a food-packed day in Philadelphia on Saturday. If you saw my stories on Instagram then you will know just how much food we consumed! Whenever I have a few days of heavy eating I immediately start craving a salad. The key is that the salad needs to be satisfying enough that you can eat it as your meal and not feel like you need to dive into a bag of chips after.

This Italian Kale Salad is loaded with all kinds of delicious toppings and the dressing packs the perfect balsamic punch. Along with the kale and radicchio, there’s chickpeas, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, red onion and Parmesan.

I first came up with this salad in December to post for the healthy January we’re doing here and we loved it so much that I served it at Christmas dinner as well. I’ve also made it almost every week since first making it because we just can’t get enough. I actually just ate some for lunch with a soft boiled egg on top for some protein!

I love kale salads because you can dress them ahead of time and the greens never taste wilted; in fact they often taste even better after sitting for a bit. The key with kale salads, which I talked about previously in my Strawberry Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans post, is that you need to tear and scrunch the leaves for about five minutes to break the greens down and get rid of their natural bitterness. My Dad and Diane have always said they don’t like the taste of kale, but I am happy to report that they were both fans of this salad at Christmas.

You could serve this Italian Kale Salad along with dinner or have it as a main dish with some grilled chicken or shrimp on top. I hope you all love this one as much as we do and I cannot wait to share Wednesday’s recipe with you all!

Italian Kale Salad

 

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Yield: 4 servings as a main dish

Ingredients

for the salad

• 8 ounces kale, thick stems removed
• 1 cup chopped radicchio
• ¾ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered (about 2 artichoke hearts)
• ⅓ cup chopped roasted red pepper
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
• Fresh grated or shaved Parmesan, for topping

for the dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons honey
• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt to taste

Directions

for the salad

1. Make sure all thick ribs and stems are removed from the kale. If the kale isn’t already chopped, roughly chop then place in a large bowl. Tear and massage the kale for about 5 minutes. To massage the kale scrunch it up with both your hands, release, and scrunch up some more, tossing and tearing as you go. This helps tenderize the kale and reduce its bitterness by breaking down the cellulose structure.
2. Add the radicchio, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper and onion. Toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss to completely coat. Top with the Parmesan. If you aren’t serving right away, cover and refrigerate until serving. Toss again before serving.

for the dressing

1. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard and Italian seasoning until combined. Season with salt to taste.

Notes

To roast the red pepper: Spray a baking sheet or aluminum foil covered baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Wash and dry the red pepper then place on the baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flip the pepper over then bake for 20 more minutes. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, stem and seeds. You need roughly 1 whole red pepper for this recipe.

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Lauren Uncategorized 3 Comments

You guys. I am so proud of this dish and I’m excited to finally be sharing it with you! I recently switched over to a recipe notebook, as opposed to my previous millions of scattered scraps of paper, and if you could see all my notes on this one you would know how I’ve been diligently working on perfecting it for the last couple months.

The original inspiration for this Pan Seared Salmon over Blood Orange Quinoa was to create a healthy salmon dinner that would incorporate a lot of seasonal produce. Kale and citrus fruits are at their peak, while carrots and shallots are still in season during the early winter in cooler climates. I also wanted to make an all-in-one meal, which is my term for a recipe that includes the protein, grain and veggies without having to come up with different sides. It does not, however, mean a one pot meal since you have to use a couple different pans, but that’s okay because the meal still comes together quickly enough for a weeknight dinner.

What you’re looking at is crispy salmon that has been pan seared to perfection and laid on top a flavor-packed bed of blood orange quinoa. You’re incorporating the blood oranges three ways to really help the flavor come through; we’re using the zest, its juice and the actual blood orange segments. This helps give the whole dish a bright acidity.

The garlic, shallot and carrots get lightly caramelized before the kale gets tossed in along with some water to help it steam. The kale gets perfectly wilted and tosses really well with the quinoa – no tough greens in this dish! The recipe makes two servings, but you can easily double it if you are cooking for more people.

I love seasonal cooking, not only because that means you get the best prices at the grocery store, but the produce with the best flavor and nutrients is going to be what is in season at the moment. One idea I had was to post a seasonal guide at the beginning of each month and then share a few recipes that used the seasonal ingredients as some inspiration. Is that something you would be interested in? If so, let me know in the comments below!

Pan Seared Salmon over Blood Orange Quinoa

 

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Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup quinoa
• 3½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ shallot, minced
• 4 cups chopped kale, thick stems removed
• 2 blood oranges
• 2 filets of salmon, skin-on or skinless
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and ⅔ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff and set aside.
2. Cut each carrot into three pieces then halve each piece lengthwise. Segment one of the blood oranges by cutting off the peel and pith then cutting segments out from the membrane of the orange. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan (skillet with a lid preferred) over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and shallot. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the kale and ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for 2 more minutes, or until the water has finished evaporating. Add the zest and juice from 1 of the oranges, about ¼ cup of juice. Add the blood orange segments and quinoa; stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
4. Make sure the salmon has been patted dry. Generously season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a skillet large enough to fit both salmon filets, about 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil in the pan is hot (you can tell when the oil is shimmering), carefully place the salmon filets in the pan bottom side down. The bottom side is the skin side or the side where the skin was - the less “pretty” side. Once the salmon is in the pan do not move it until it’s time to flip the salmon so it gets nice and crispy. Sear for 2-3 minutes, carefully flip then sear for another 2-3 minutes. You want to take the salmon off the pan when it reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F for medium-rare, or 130 degrees F for medium. Plate the quinoa and kale then top with the salmon filet.

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Lauren Uncategorized 8 Comments