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Fast & Easy Dinner: Spinach, Olive, and Feta Omelet

partysugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:50:25 -0700

Do you live alone? Are you a vegetarian? If you answered yes to both of those questions, I suggest you consider this omelet for dinner tonight. It's a perfectly healthy and delicious meal for one.

In this recipe, the filling is a mixture of garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and black olives, but an omelet can be made with just about any vegetable, herb, or cheese, so use the technique and get creative with the ingredients. To look at the simple and straight-forward method, read more.

Spinach, Olive, and Feta Omelet
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 clove garlic, minced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces (1 cup) baby spinach
4 to 6 pitted black olives, sliced
3 eggs
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and halved tomatoes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and olives and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until all of the spinach is wilted, then reduce the heat to medium.
Beat the eggs, rosemary, half-and-half, salt and pepper and pour into the pan. Stir constantly so that the eggs do not brown. When the center is just a little soft, crumble the feta cheese all around the omelet. Fold onto the plate and serve.

Serves 1.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

partysugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:50:31 -0700

Traditionally, the classic sloppy Joe is not considered healthy or vegetarian-friendly. However, this innovative recipe creates a lighter, meat-free sloppy Joe.

Soy ground beef is the meat substitute that's combined with diced onion, mushrooms, and celery. The sauce is a mixture of vegetable stock, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce resulting in a sandwich filling that's thick, spicy, and flavorful.

If this sloppy joe sounds interesting to you, check out the recipe and read more.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes
From The Nest

Ingredients

4 Kaiser rolls
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or more as needed
1 onion, diced
12 ounces soy ground beef, crumbled
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup vegetable Stock
Dashes hot pepper sauce to taste, optional
4 ounces shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Slice the rolls in half, cutting off the upper third of the roll to leave the larger bottom section. Scoop out the inner portion of each bottom section, and set the tops and bottoms aside on a large baking sheet.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the soy ground beef, celery, mushrooms, barbecue sauce, stock and hot pepper sauce, if using. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture is heated through. Remove from the heat.
Spoon equal portions of the mixture into the bottom sections of the rolls. Sprinkle each filled roll with cheese, and spray the insides of the top sections of the rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Set the tops on the baking sheet, cut side up.
Bake the tops and bottoms for about 5 minutes, or until the tops brown and the cheese melts and spills down the sides of the rolls. Remove from the oven, and serve.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Vegan Burger

partysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:50:56 -0700

This recipe makes ingenious use of portabello mushrooms. An all-too-expected ingredient in unsophisticated vegetarian cuisine, the portabello mushroom often replaces a burger patty. Not so with this burger.

Instead, two mushroom caps take place of the bun, and sandwich an assortment of grilled veggies. Like all good burgers, the condiments are not forgotten - in this case, the "buns" are coated with pesto and balsamic vinegar. If this recipe sounds interesting to you, get it now and read more.

Vegan Burger
Modified from The Nest

Ingredients

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon very finely chopped garlic
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large portobello mushrooms, 31/2 to 4 inches in diameter
1 pound fat zucchini (about 2 inches in diameter), preferably both yellow and green ones, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 pound plum tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large (about 1 pound) purple eggplant cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (about 8 slices)
4 large handfuls arugula
About 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
About 1/3 cup Pesto (Store bought or homemade)

Directions

Build a medium-hot fire in a barbecue. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Scrape the gills from the portobellos and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant to the baking sheet. Brush all the vegetables with the herbed oil.
Brush the grill rack with olive oil, transfer the vegetables to the grill, and cook, turning as needed and being careful not to let the olive oil flame up, until tender. The zucchini and tomatoes will be done first, needing just 2 to 3 minutes per side. The peppers will be done next. If you have been careful to just brown them, they will not need to be peeled. The mushrooms and fresh eggplant will need about 5 minutes per side.
In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with some of the remaining herbed olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
To build the burgers, generously spread the gill side of 4 mushrooms with pesto. Top with yellow zucchini, several tomato slices, green zucchini, eggplant slices, and several strips of bell pepper. Drizzle another small spoonful of pesto over all and close with another mushroom. Arrange some of the arugula salad on the side and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Singapore Noodles

partysugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:50:56 -0700

Brighten up the middle of your week with an exotic meal inspired by the cuisine of Singapore. This recipe combines everyday ingredients - shrimp, onions, peas, and ham - with Asian elements like rice noodles, fish sauce, and curry powder.

The resulting dish is complex, delicious, and wildly flavorful. Trust me, your family will be fully content while slurping on these noodles, so learn the method and read more.

Singapore Noodles
From The Nest

Ingredients

8 ounces dried rice vermicelli, soaked in water until pliable
24 small headless tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup fresh shelled green peas, or frozen peas, thawed
2 teaspoons Indian curry powder
6 ounces Cantonese roast pork or thick slice of ham, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 sprigs cilantro, trimmed

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook the noodles until tender yet firm, about 10 seconds. Use a strainer and tongs to pick up the noodles and transfer them to a bowl.
In the same water cook the shrimp until opaque, about 1 minute, and drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Stir-fry the onion until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the noodles, and peas, and sprinkle the curry powder over the top. Toss well, making sure all of the noodles become yellow.
Add the pork, shrimp, and fish sauce, and continue to stir-fry until the noodles are heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve garnished with cilantro.

Serves 6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Jerk Burgers With Mango Salsa

partysugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:45:10 -0700

Bored by the basic all-American burger? Take a trip to the Caribbean with this innovative recipe.

The beef patty is seasoned with jerk sauce and bread crumbs. Instead of the typical tomato, lettuce, and pickle condiments, the burger is topped with a quick mango, pepper, and ginger salsa. A ciabatta roll replaces the bun and Monterey Jack cheese finishes off the scrumptious burger.

Throw in plantain chips and a daiquiri and you've got a meal that's ideal for impromptu entertaining. To kick-start your weekend with this dish, read more.

Jerk Burgers With Mango Salsa
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium mango, seeded, peeled, and chopped
1/4 cup apple jelly
1 tablespoon lime juice
Dash salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup bottled jerk sauce
1/4 fine dry bread crumbs
1 pound lean ground beef
4 ciabatta rolls or hamburger buns, split
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

For salsa, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onion, and ginger; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add mango, jelly, lime juice, and salt; cook and stir until jelly melts. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine egg, 1/4 cup of the jerk sauce, and the bread crumbs. Add ground beef; mix well. Using hands, shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.
For a charcoal grill, place patties on the grill rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, for 10 to 13 minutes or until done (160°F), turning and brushing once with the remaining jerk sauce halfway through grilling. If desired, toast ciabatta rolls on the grill. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties, then ciabatta rolls, if desired, on gas grill over heat. Cover and grill as above.)
Divide cheese among bottoms of rolls. Serve burgers in rolls with some of the salsa. Serve remaining salsa on the side.

Makes 4 burgers.

Per Burger: 808 cal., 50 g fat (20 sat. fat), 167 mg chol., 740 mg sodium, 60 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 31 g pro.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Scallops With Sage and Corn

partysugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:50:35 -0700

While I'm a huge fan of corn on the cob, lately I haven't been able to get enough corn salad. If you've never carefully cut the kernels off a fresh corn cob, I suggest you do so tonight. With its succulent scallops, crunchy bell peppers, and sweet corn, this is one satisfying salad.

Scallops not your thing? Consider using shrimp instead. When I make it, I plan to swap out the sage for Summer's most beloved herb - basil. Its flavor complements corn wonderfully. To get the recipe, read more.

Scallops With Sage and Corn
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 pound scallops
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
Sage sprigs (optional)

Directions

Wash the scallops in cold water and pat dry. Place them on a plate and sprinkle with the lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
Combine the oil, chopped sage and garlic in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, or until the garlic starts to sizzle.
Add the scallops and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, or until the scallops turn from translucent to opaque. Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside.
Using the same skillet, cook the corn and red peppers, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the scallops and remove from the heat. Serve garnished with the sage sprigs.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Skewered Beef

partysugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:30:12 -0700

Get your grill on this weekend with Korean-style beef skewers. This recipe flash marinades strips of tender meat in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. Don't despair vegetarians: this blend would be great for tofu; simply slide the tofu on in place of the beef.

Scallions and rice cake sticks round out the menu, but feel free to get creative. Mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, or red onions would be equally scrumptious. To make this tonight, get the recipe now

Fast & Easy Dinner: Provençal Pizza

partysugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:50:59 -0700

Homemade pizza is as easy as one, two, three in this Mediterranean-inspired recipe. All you have to do is roll out the convenient puff pastry dough, top it with an assortment of classic Provençal flavors (like tomatoes and black olives), and bake until crisp and delicious.

Anchovies are listed among the ingredients, but if you can't stomach the salty fish, simply don't use them. For the rapid yet scrumptious recipe, read more.

Provençal Pizza
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 sheet (about 9 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
3/4 cup ratatouille, caponata, or other Mediterranean vegetable condiment (drained if very juicy)
1/2 cup halved grape or other small tomatoes
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup roughly chopped pitted kalamata, niçoise, or other good-quality black olives
Scant 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
8 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil, for brushing (optional)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured counter, roll the pastry into an 11-by-15-inch rectangle. Slide it onto a baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Moisten the perimeter with a little water and fold up the edge to create a 1/2-inch border.
Spread the ratatouille evenly over the pastry. Distribute the tomatoes, feta, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes on top.
Bake for about 18 minutes, then arrange the anchovies in a neat pattern on top and sprinkle on the Parmesan.
Continue baking until the pastry is puffed around the edges and golden brown (check the underside, too), another 4 to 5 minutes.
Slide onto a cutting board, immediately brush the edges with some olive oil (if using), and sprinkle with the herbs. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Serves 2-3.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Linguine With Arugula and Edamame

partysugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:47 -0700

If you're a busy home cook, be sure to keep your pantry stocked with a good whole-wheat pasta. It's the ideal ingredient for rapid, but varied cuisine. You can mix it with everything from bacon and tomato sauce to veggies and cheese.

In this dish, whole-wheat linguine is tossed with peppery arugula and fresh edamame. It's a quick vegetarian meal that's healthy and delicious. To get the adaptable recipe, read more.

Linguine With Arugula and Edamame
From The Nest

Ingredients

2 cups shelled edamame
8 ounces whole wheat linguine or farro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups coarsely chopped arugula
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Cook the edamame in boiling salted water until they are crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Remove them to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add the pasta to the same water, and cook according to package directions. Drain it in a colander, drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil, and set it aside.
In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook 15 seconds. Mix in the arugula, coating it with the oil, and cook until wilted, 2 minutes.
Mix in the edamame and remove the pan from the heat.
Add the drained pasta, stirring until it is warmed through, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta and vegetables among 4 shallow pasta bowls or dinner plates, and top with equal amounts of the cheese. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Warm Chorizo, Potato, and Mint Salad

partysugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:26 -0700

Give the classic combination of meat and potatoes new meaning with this Spanish-inspired dinner recipe. It combines boiled fingerling potatoes with spicy chorizo and a tangy, fresh mint sauce.

Serve with a glass of Spanish wine and a chunk of crusty bread for mopping the delicious dressing. To have this meal on the table in under 20 minutes, you'll need the recipe, so read more.

Warm Chorizo, Potato, and Mint Salad
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
large pinch of sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large handful mint, finely shredded
1 pound 2 ounces waxy potatoes, such as fingerling, washed but not peeled, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes

Directions

First, make the mint dressing: Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and sugar together in a small bowl, then whisk in the oil. Stir in the mint and set aside for the flavors to infuse.
Cook the potato slices in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain well.
While the potato is cooking, put a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the chorizo for 10 minutes, or until crispy, stirring now and then. Remove and drain on crumpled paper towels.
Put the chorizo in a serving bowl with the warm potatoes and the dressing. Toss together gently, then season to taste and serve.

Serves 4.

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