fast

Easy Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob

/ Jodi / 25 Comments

Easy Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob.

It is Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob Season in our part of the world!

Corn is a vegetable we rarely eat – except in the heat of summer when it is fresh and sweet and bought the same day it was picked from a local farm stand.

After being in Arizona for a week recently, where it seemed everything we ordered had grilled or roasted corn in it (even a delicious deconstructed Caesar Salad), I had corn on the brain.

We had always boiled our sweet corn on the cob, but I fell in love with the magically charred kernels we experienced on our Southwest trip, so we decided to grill it this time.

O.M.G!  We LOVED it!  Oh how easy!  Keep the heat outside by using the grill.  And save clean up time with no pots of boiling hot water.

When I buy corn on the cob, even though is only the two of us now, I buy a full dozen.  We usually only eat about half of it, so we cut the rest off the cob and either freeze it in Ziploc bags for a fresh corn treat in the winter or save it for using in other recipes or reheating another day that week.

Here is how we did it.  Quick, easy, and oh so delicious!

By the way – I think the mistake many people make with corn on the cob is OVERcooking it.  Sweet corn on the cob truly tastes its best when you just cook it long enough to heat, but retain its wonderful sweetness, crunch and flavor.  Also, don’t look for the biggest ears of corn.  They could likely be tough.  Look for smaller, young, tender ears, and buy them from the farm or farm market – not the grocery store, where it could be several days old.  There is nothing like eating corn the day it is picked!

Roll it in some butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper for even more yumminess, but when you get fresh, sweet, seasonal corn, it barely needs anything else!

Here is how we made it.

Easy Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob

Ingredients:

  • 1 dozen fresh ears of corn on the cob

Directions:

Heat grill to approximately 450 degrees F.

Husk corn, and clean of the silks as best you can.  Rinse under cold water.

Place cleaned ears of corn directly on grill for 5 minutes.  Turn and grill for another 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with sweet butter, salt, and pepper.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Roasted Vegetables

/ Jodi / 47 Comments

Roasted Vegetables.

You know those times when you get to the end of what you bought for the week and before you get to the grocery store and only have a handful of this and a chunk of that and a sliver of this in the fridge?

One day last week, I wanted to make a vegetable, but only had a bit of this and that.  I had a quarter of a small head of purple cabbage, a bulb of fennel, a half a bag of carrots, a small bag of golden fingerling potatoes.

So I tossed these together with a sliced onion and a few bulbs of garlic, drizzled it with some wonderful olive oil our son and daughter-in-law brought us back from their honeymoon in Greece.  I sprinkled it with salt and pepper and some chopped fresh rosemary.  I roasted it in a 400 degree F oven for about a half hour, and it turned out amazing!

You could throw in any vegetables you have left in your vegetable crisper at the end of the week.  Roasting vegetables makes them taste so amazingly delicious!  They become caramelized and tender and mellow.

I tried fennel raw chopped up on a salad, and have to say it was a bit too strong for my taste.  Maybe I added too much.  But when I roast it, I seriously cannot get enough of it!  It transforms and mellows the flavor into something absolutely divine!

What combination of vegetables do you like best to roast?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Red Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Black Beans & Corn

/ Jodi / 38 Comments

Red Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Black Beans, and Corn.

I love legumes, and I am really growing to love quinoa.  I recently tried this new salad for dinner that was so so delicious, filling, and healthy.

A one-cup serving of quinoa is packed with 9g proteins, 5g fiber, and 20g carbohydrate. Red quinoa is also rich in magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and phosphorous. It contains high quantities of lysine, an essential amino acid.

Legumes like black beans and edamame are also high in protein and fiber, and avocado is extremely nutrient dense.

To eat something that is so easy, so healthy, so pretty, and so delicious is a win-win in my book!

Are you a legume lover?  Quinoa connoisseur?  I’d love to hear your favorite ways to enjoy!

Red Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Black Beans & Corn

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Red Quinoa, cooked in broth and cooled
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup corn, frozen, roasted, or fresh off cob
  • 1/4 cup Sweet Vidalia or Green Onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup edamame (optional)
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Cilantro, fresh chopped, to taste
  • 1 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Cherry tomato (optional) for garnish

Directions

Cook quinoa, and set aside to cool.

Toss vegetables together gently.  Drizzle with lime juice, vinegar and oil.  Season with salt, pepper and cilantro.  Gently toss.

Spoon quinoa onto plate.  Top with a generous scoop of vegetable salad.  Garnish, as desired, with quartered cherry tomato.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Easy Skinny Zucchini Pasta Caprese

/ Jodi / 36 Comments

Easy Skinny Zucchini Pasta Caprese.

I bought a few zucchini recently itching to use my Spiralizer again, and I created this super easy, wicked fast, uber healthy, gloriously delicious lunch that came together in 10 minutes.   Seriously!

I spiralized two small/medium zucchini to create the “pasta” and tossed them in a skilled with some minced garlic and a dash of red pepper flakes sizzling in olive oil.  After just a few minutes. I tossed in some chopped fresh basil, chopped campari tomatoes, and some grated Parmesan cheese.

After I poured it from the skillet to my bowl, I sprinkled it with some fresh black pepper and flaked sea salt.    That’s it!

And it was absolutely amazing!  You will seriously question if you are eating fresh pasta!   I can’t wait to make it again and again this summer when I am able to pick the fresh produce right from my yard.

Here’s the simple recipe I came up with:

Easy Skinny Zucchini Pasta Caprese

  • Servings: 1 as main course, 2 as side dish
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 2 small/medium zucchini, spriral sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Dash red pepper flakes
  • 3-4 Campari tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Spiralize zucchini.

Heat olive oil in stir fry skillet.  Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes.  After about a minute when oil begins to sizzle around garlic, add zucchini.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing every minute or so.  Add chopped tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan.  Cook and toss for about 2 more minutes.

Pour into bowl or on plate.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Broccoli Slaw with Vinaigrette Dressing

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

broccoli-slaw-with-viniagrette-dressing-1

Broccoli Slaw with Vinaigrette Dressing.

YUM!  Another wonderful way to enjoy one of my favorite vegetables!

Hubby said we are going to turn into broccoli this week!  We’ve had broccoli sprouts, steamed broccoli and broccoli slaw over the past few days.  I think I could eat it every day.

broccoli-slaw-with-viniagrette-dressing-2

This recipe is so easy – especially if you buy the pre-packaged broccoli slaw mix Green Giant makes.

Have you tried it yet?  What do you like to mix into your slaw?

Here’s how I made it:

Broccoli Slaw with Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients:broccoli-slaw-with-viniagrette-dressing-1

  • 1 12-oz bag Broccoli Slaw Mix or 6 cups shredded broccoli stems, shredded carrots, and shredded red cabbage
  • Dressing
    • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
    • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp sugar
    • 1 tsp seasoned salt
    • 1/2 tsp dill weed
    • 1/2 tsp celery seed
  • Optional Add-ins
    • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
    • Sunflower seeds
    • Soy nuts
    • Craisins (dried cranberries) or golden raisins
    • Broccoli sprouts

Directions:

Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Empty broccoli slaw mix into large bowl.  Drizzle dressing over top and mix thoroughly to combine.  Add any optional add-ins you like.  Refrigerate at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Oodles of Zoodles

/ Jodi / 62 Comments

zoodles-2

Oodles of Zoodles.

Has anyone else joined the zoodle craze?

zoodles-1

Low carb, low calorie, gluten free, grain free, wheat free, healthy, nutritious, unprocessed, vegetarian, cheap and and easy ZOODLES!

zoodles-3

Zoodles are zucchini noodles.  Or better put, vegetable noodles made from spiral cut zucchini.  They can be used in so many ways!

I recently purchased a SpiralLife Vegetable Slicer, and couldn’t wait to give it a try.  Super inexpensive at $14.99 on Amazon, it was easy to use, easy to clean, and easy on the wallet.

I made my zoodles to accompany a light dinner of Lemon Butter Chicken this week, and we loved them.

I simply sauteed them ever so briefly in olive oil with salt and pepper and a couple cloves of minced garlic.  After about two minutes, I added a handful of halved grape tomatoes and a generous grating of fresh Parmigiano reggiano cheese.  After sauteeing another two minutes, my zoodles were ready to serve and eat.  Yum!

How are you making your zoodles?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Crockpot Cuban Shredded Beef

/ Jodi / 34 Comments

crockpot-cuban-shredded-beef

It was so cold this past Sunday and hunkering in was the order of the day.  While watching football playoffs (our Pittsburgh Steelers won!), I wanted a no fuss, but warm and comforting dinner to eat afterwards.

Beef chuck roasts are so versatile and cook so tender and juicy in the crockpot.  I make them a variety of ways, but wanted to try something new and different, and this Cuban Shredded Beef was just the ticket!  So yummy over a bed of rice with beans!  We’ll surely be eating them wrapped in tortillas this week too.

A tiny bit of a spicy kick and tons and tons of flavor make this easy recipe a new winner in my book.  And if you can’t get warmed up on the outside, this one will warm you up from the inside out!

I adapted this recipe slightly from Little Spice Jar.

Crockpot Cuban Shredded Beef

Ingredientscrockpot-cuban-shredded-beef

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 1/2 lbs. beef chuck roast
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. oil
  • 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced sweet bell peppers
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 2 4-oz. cans chopped green chilies
  • 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 2  Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime

Directions:

Make 3 deep “x” cuts into the chuck roast. Insert 3 whole garlic cloves into the cuts. Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the chuck roast and fry on each side for 5 minutes to sear.  Don’t cover the pan as the meat will end up steaming rather than searing.

Chop the remaining 3 cloves of garlic, and add to crockpot along with all the remaining ingredients except for the lime. Cover and let cook on the low setting for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When the beef falls apart easily when pulled with two forks, it’s done. Shred the beef with the forks and stir.

Serve over a bed of rice with beans on the side topped with additional cilantro and a few lime wedges. You can also use the shredded beef for burritos, quesadillas or tacos.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

crockpot-honey-garlic-chicken-2

It is such a great time of year to slow cook meals in the crockpot.  And if you love the sweet and spicy flair of many Asian chicken dishes, you are going to love this fast and easy way to make a real crowd pleaser.

crockpot-honey-garlic-chicken

It seriously goes together in under 10 minutes, makes your house smell wonderful all day, and creates a dinner that tastes like you slaved.

crockpot-honey-garlic-chicken-3

Serve it with your favorite rice or noodle.  My son even liked it shredded up on a bun as a sandwich as it is so tender and juicy and falls apart that easy.  Serve with a salad, and you know it – you have another….

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

I made this for the last dinner before my son moved out this weekend and sent the leftovers with him.  He can enjoy it again in his new home.

Here is the recipe the way I made it.  Feel free to adjust hot sauces and seasonings to your taste.

Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:crockpot-honey-garlic-chicken-2

  • 2 lbs. Boneless Chicken Breast and Thighs (combo or one or the other if you prefer)
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Cholula hot sauce
  • 4-5 cloves fresh minced garlic
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smokey paprika chipotle (optional)

Directions:

  • Place chicken pieces in bottom of crockpot.
  • Combine remaining ingredients and pour over top of chicken.
  • Cook on low 4-5 hours.  Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sesame seeds.
  • Serve over rice (I love brown rice and quinoa combo) and sprinkle with additional sesame seeds if desire.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Easy Homemade Chicken & Vegetable Lo Mein

/ Jodi / 25 Comments

chicken and vegetable lo mein 3

I love chicken and all the versatile ways you can prepare it.  I try a new chicken recipe almost every week.  I also love Asian-inspired dishes, so I really enjoyed trying a take on Chicken and Vegetable Lo-Mein.

chicken and vegetable lo mein 2

Like most recipes I make, almost everything can be substituted with any ingredients of your choice.  And though I provide measurements, I rarely measure anything exact myself.  In this recipe, you could use shrimp or pork or even beef if you prefer  instead of chicken.  You could also substitute any vegetables you prefer.  And if you don’t have lo mein noodles on hand, thin spaghetti will work too!

chicken and vegetable lo mein

I really believe the ingredient that seals the deal with this recipe is the addition of a lot of fresh spinach in the end that you cook only long enough to wilt.  It adds such great texture, color, taste, and nutritional value.  I also very highly recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.  I am a salt lover, and it has taken me a long time to realize this, but most soy sauce is way too salty.  The low-sodium version gives you just enough saltiness, but the full soy sauce flavor.  And the sesame oil is a must.  This cannot be substituted with corn or vegetable or canola or olive oil.  To get that great Asian lo mein flavor, the sesame oil is key.

Hope you will give this yet another winner winner of a chicken dinner a try.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken & Vegetable Lo Mein

Ingredients:chicken and vegetable lo mein 3

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly
  • 10 ounces lo mein egg noodles*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup red, yellow, orange bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 large carrot, julienned or 1/2 cup matchstick carrots
  • 1 cup sliced celery stalks
  • ½ cup green onions, sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, or more, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain well.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add chicken, and cook thorough for several minutes.  Add garlic, bell pepper, celery, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in noodles and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.

Serve immediately.

*If lo mein egg noodles cannot be found, spaghetti can be substituted.

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*Recipe slightly adapted from DamnDelicious

Best-Ever Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps & Lettuce Art

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Last week, I made these YUMMMMMMMMMY Chicken Lettuce Wraps.   They are so delicious filled with fresh vegetables and chicken coated in a sauce with a little kick and a peanuty hint.  Wrapping them in crunchy lettuce just makes everything SING together.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps 2

I am sure this recipe can be adapted with changes to any veggies you like and making the sauce as spicy or sweet as you like.  However you do it, I believe you are going to really enjoy these.   They are nice for a light summer supper and elegant enough to serve to guests.

And since it is July and #WorldWatercolorMonth, I thought I’d try painting some lettuce from my garden to share with this recipe.

lettuce watercolor

Watercolor Lettuce Leaf -140# Arches Hot Press – Lemon Yellow, Green Gold, Sap Green, Burnt Umber

Here’s the recipe.  Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps*

Ingredients:Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 head romaine, butter, bib, or iceberg lettuce to get approximately 8 large leaves (whatever kind you like best)

 Filling:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, diced
  • 1/2 cup sweet or green onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup matchstick carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced fresh pineapple

Sauce:

  • 4 Tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp chili garlic paste
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Add at end:
    • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup peanuts

Directions:

Dice and chop all Filling ingredients.

Whisk together all Sauce ingredients in a medium bowl except peanut butter and peanuts. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook just until no longer pink, about 3 mins. Add onions, peppers, carrots and celery and saute for 2 more mins. Stir in pineapple chunks and Sauce and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth.   Top with peanuts.

To serve, fill lettuce leaves with desired amount of filling and enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
*Slightly adapted from another amazing recipe by Jen @ CarlsbadCravings.com!