Grilling is one of my favorite ways to enjoy asparagus.
It’s super easy to make and it’s quick too. Try serving it with a squish of fresh lemon or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar over the top once it’s done cooking. #sogood
asparagus
Asparagus Quinoa Salad With Feta Cheese
Quinoa has steadily grown in popularity over the past ten years, and with good reason.
It’s a high protein, quick cooking grain (technically it’s a seed) that is light, fluffy, and works pretty much anywhere you would normally use rice or a small pasta.
I LOVE using it to make simple salads, just like this Quinoa and Asparagus Salad with Feta Cheese.
The secret to keeping things quick, is to cook the quinoa a head of time. This way you have it ready to grab and go when you are ready to whip up your salad.
And while this salad is fab on it’s own, I especially love it as a side dish with lemon chicken or baked salmon.
Want to learn more about quinoa?
Looking for some more easy quinoa recipes? Check this out:
Asparagus Soup Recipe
Scroll down to watch the step-by-step video.
This simple asparagus soup is a delicious, seasonal recipe that would be great for lunch or a light dinner. It’s also perfect for anyone who is cleansing or detoxing because it is 100% veggie based. [Read more…] about Asparagus Soup Recipe
Asparagus And Swiss Frittata
Scroll down to watch the video!
Mother’s Day is quickly approaching and I have brunch on the brain.
Frittatas are one of my favorite go-to brunch recipes because you do everything ahead of time and serve it up hot, cold, or room temperature (room temperature is actually my favorite).
You can make frittatas 101 different ways, so I encourage you to use this recipe as a base and then sub in whatever veggies look the most delicious and your favorite kind of cheese.
But for those of you who just want to go, ‘tried and true’, make this recipe exactly as it is written and I promise you will have a light, flavorful, frittata that is sure to please everyone at the table.
I plan to round out my brunch table with a simple arugula salad, fruit salad, and my whole wheat chocolate chip scones (recipe coming Friday).
What do you plan to have on your table? You know I want to know 🙂
Roasted Asparagus Quinoa Salad
Scroll down to watch the video!
The weather is starting to catch up with the calendar around here (hooray!) and I am beyond ready to jump into spring fare.
And along with spring comes asparagus (another hooray!).
I don’t think there’s any veggie that reminds me of spring like asparagus; they just seem to go hand in hand. Therefore, I love incorporating asparagus into all sorts of dishes this time of the year.
Pairing roasted asparagus with light and fluffy quinoa, crunchy red peppers, tangy feta cheese, and fresh, bright lemon results in this amazing salad that would be perfect for your first picnic of the year or simply packed for a lunch at the office.
And if you are looking for some other ways to use your asparagus this time of the year, try some of these recipes as well:
- Asparagus Soup
- Simply Roasted Asparagus
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
- Artichoke, Asparagus, & Green Bean Salad
- Asparagus & Lemon Pasta
What are some of your favorite ways to prepare asparagus? Do you have a favorite dish? Let’s chat down in the comments below.
How To Make Perfectly Roasted Asparagus
Scroll down to watch the video.
Spring has technically sprung, although with temperatures hanging around in the 40’s it has still not officially arrived (at least not in my book).
But still and all, asparagus is in the house! And if you haven’t seen some fresh, local asparagus in your area yet, just hang in there because it’s on its way.
Now there are many ways you can make asparagus, but roasted asparagus is a favorite for me. The outside gets a little bit crisp and the inside is sweet and creamy, so delicious.
Just make sure that you buy medium to large asparagus stalks for roasting and save the super skinny stalks for a quick steam or enjoy them raw in a salad. The very skinny stalks don’t hold up as well to the high heat of roasting but the heartier stalks are to die for.
Try serving these as a simple side dish or chop them up and add them on top of your favorite salad. I’m gonna share one of my favorite salads using roasted asparagus next week, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, enjoy the play by play down in the video below.
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Scroll down to watch the video!
The holiday crunch has begun (at least in my house it has).
Last minute shopping, prepping, and wrapping is under way but I wanted to take a quick moment to share this super simple, super delicious appetizer with you guys.
All you have to do is wrap some prosciutto around some fresh asparagus and you have a warm, crispy, salty, light holiday snack. If you really want to capture the holidays, be sure to leave some space between the prosciutto and wrap on a diagonal, then you can call it ‘candy cane prosciutto wrapped asparagus’ which will make you look like you are super fun, festive and creative. Enjoy!
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Asparagus, trimmed
- 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
- 1/4tsp. each kosher salt and pepper
Directions:
Pre heat oven to 400.
Season asparagus with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Toss well so that all the asparagus spears a re lightly coated in the oil and seasonings.
Cut each slice of prosciutto into 4 long strips. Wrap 1 strip around each asparagus spear and place on a rimmed baking sheet topped with a wire rack.
Cook for 12-18 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus).
Serve and enjoy!
Makes about 25 spears depending on how thick your asparagus is.
Nutrients for three spears: Calories: 56; Total Fat: 3.2g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 1.5g; Dietary Fiber: 0.8g; Sugars: 0.7g; Protein: 5.4g
Vegetarian Springtime Pesto Bowl
There are many-a-meals made in my home that never make it to the blog.
Often times it’s because I don’t have the time, desire, or patience to get a decent picture of the food (and I am a-gotta-see-it-to-wanna-eat-it-kinda-girl) but most of the time it’s because a lot of what we eat around here doesn’t seem to fit into “recipe-format”.
Take this Vegetarian Springtime Pesto Bowl as an example…
Not really a recipe… just some fresh spring veggies that were in the veggie drawer, quickly sauteed and topped with a dollop of my Clean & Delish Pesto.
Super simple. Super fresh. Super delish.
All veggies AND super satisfying!
So that got me thinking about how sometimes it’s less about providing the perfect recipe and more about providing inspiring ways to get simple, tasty, nutritious meals on the table.
This takes me back to my conversation from a few weeks ago about sticking to the basics and keeping our meals simple. As much as I love to come up with new recipes and meal ideas I also love super simple, super quick, no-brainer meals that incorporate whatever ingredients I just so happen to have on hand. There’s no need to complicate things and it’s a great way to practice digging into your veggie drawer and getting creative!
So here’s my challenge to you:
Choose at least one meal this week that is NOT a recipe or a family favorite. Leave the meat for another night and see what kind of SUPER SIMPLE, C&D meal you can come up with by digging into your veggie drawer and making a fresh, seasonal, nutritious meal (oh! and feel free to turn to the pantry for some grains & beans too).
And don’t forget to come on back and let me know what you make. After all, you guys are my inspiration:).
Vegetarian Springtime Pesto Bowl
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb purple potatoes, quartered
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- 5 scallions, sliced
- ¾ lb shelled green peas
- 1 large bunch asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup of white beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp Clean & Delicious Pesto
Directions:
Cover potatoes with water in a medium pot. Bring to a full boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Strain off water and return the potatoes to the pot until you are ready to use.
In the meantime, heat your oil in a large sauté pan over a medium high heat and add in scallions. Sauté the scallions for about 3 minutes (or until the scallions are nice and fragrant) and then add in peas, asparagus, and a half-cup of water.
Cook for two minutes and then toss in the beans. Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are just cooked and your beans are heated through and finish with salt and pepper.
Serve ¼ of the potatoes with ¼ of the veggie mixture in a bowl topped with a tablespoon of Clean & Delicious Pesto. Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrients per 1/4th of recipe: Calories: 247; Total Fat: 6.7g; Saturated Fat: 1.1g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Carbohydrate: 41.7g; Dietary Fiber: 9.9; Sugars: 7.9g; Protein: 11.7g
Asparagus Soup
I admit that I have been less than consistent when it comes to making Katie “baby” foods.
It’s just that when it comes right down to it, it can be challenging enough just to get a nutritious, homemade meal on the table for Beng and I, never mind a separate meal for Katie. So here’s what I usually do:
1. I make a meal for Beng and I and offer it to Katie as well (most of the time she will eat a good bit of what I offer and sometimes not so much. If Katie is really not interested in what we are eating I can always get her to enjoy a fruit and veggie packed smoothie as the backup).
2. I make a fun “kid-friendly” type of meal that Beng and I are happy to eat as well (ie. fish sticks or rice and beans).
At the end of the day ONE meal is being made for everyone to enjoy! That’s the way I’m gonna be running the ship around here. Why? Because that’s what works for me us.
The funny thing is that this soup was originally intended to be a Mommy & Daddy dinner but Katie devoured it. Nearly all of it!
I wanted to share a picture showing you just how much Katie was enjoying the soup but I was denied access:
Little does she know that I still got what I wanted.
Just look all around that cute round mouth, it’s just oozing with Asparagus Soup!! Nice try Katie, but as of now, Mommy can still out smart you.
This recipe came from, “Cara’s Craving’s“, a blog dedicated to creating indulgent recipes for a healthy kitchen (I know, perfect for us, right?!). I knew I loved Cara when I saw a cartoon character holding a protein shake in her left hand and a martini in her right on Cara’s about page. I actually needed to do a double take because for a moment I thought I was looking in the mirror!
What initially lured me into this recipe was that instead of using butter, heavy cream, or half and half to thicken the soup, Cara suggested thickening the soup by blending cottage cheese and milk together! I have never seen or heard of this technique before and I thought it was so clever!
It not only worked, but it worked really well. I especially like that the milk and cottage cheese add a nice dose of protein to the soup which I always finds helps me to stay full longer. It was a beautifully balanced, delicious bowl of soup that I will definitely be making again. (I’m actually looking forward to trying this technique with some winter squash soups once the fall rolls around).
Also I just wanted to remind you guys that when you are making such a simple soup that is based on one ingredient (in this case Asparagus) it’s really important to use only the freshest, in-season Asparagus you can find. If it’s not Asparagus season, try swapping in another veggie – I have a feeling broccoli or cauliflower would work really well!
Have you guys ever used cottage cheese to thicken a soup? If so, what’s your technique?
Asparagus Soup
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large bunch of fresh asparagus (about 1 lb)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Zest from one lemon
- 6 oz low fat cottage cheese
- 1/4-cup nonfat milk
Directions:
Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus cut into small bite size pieces.
Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it has softened and is translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute or so.
Add asparagus to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Pour chicken broth into the pot (there should be just enough to cover the veggies in the pan) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the asparagus is nice and tender.
In the meantime, blend the cottage cheese and milk together in a blender until it is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Remove the soup from heat and carefully pour into your blender, blend until the soup is nice and smooth. Pour the asparagus soup back in to the pot and gently stir in the cottage cheese mixture. Allow to simmer over s medium heat for about five to ten minutes or until the soup has thickened up a bit. Enjoy!
Serves 2.
Nutrients per 1 &1/4-cup; Calories: 155; Total Fat: 2.1g; Saturated Fat: 1.5g; Cholesterol: 14mg; Sodium: 374; Carbohydrate: 23.2g; Dietary Fiber: 8.6g; Sugars: 11.4g; Protein: 17g
Asparagus & Lemon Pasta
Although I often approach pasta with a very strategic (yet delicious) game plan, sometimes I just need to step away from all the rules and just enjoy a simple, seasonal dish. I was not in the mood for meat or fish or beans or dairy. I was simply looking for a QUICK and TASTY way to use up the last lovely bunch of asparagus that was hanging out in my veggie drawer.
Since I am headed out to the East coast tomorrow, I have been trying to use up all the odds and ends around the kitchen. Lots of lemon and some asparagus were on the list.
These are the kind of times when it is so key to have some pantry items to choose from. Whether it’s pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa, lentils, or barley it is definitely essential to have some pantry staples on hand!
You don’t need them all, but you definitely need, at the very least, a handful of your favorites.
I’m forever stocking up on lot of pantry items BUT if I had to narrow it down to my top, top, top five (and I am being specific here) it would have to be:
1. Olive oil (need I say more?)
2. Whole wheat couscous (fastest food ever and I love the texture!)
3. Garbanzo beans (great texture, love them in salad, soup, chili, pasta….)
4. Olives (salty goodness – give any dish a little zing)
5. Canned salmon (so crazy nutritious and such and easy way to work some power food in to any meal of the day). Ask me on another day and this top five might change but for now these are definitely my faves!
What are your top five pantry staples?? I’m talking your absolute must, must, must, must haves?
Asparagus And Lemon Pasta
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 oz whole-wheat linguini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- The zest of one lemon
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Before adding the pasta you want to blanch the asparagus, so add the asparagus to the pot and allow to cook for two minutes before removing with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside. Once the water comes back to a boil, cook the pasta according to the package be sure to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over a medium high heat. Add garlic and allow to cook until nice and fragrant (about two minutes).
Toss asparagus into the oil and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about four minutes and then toss the cooked pasta into the pan.
Mix everything together, adding some of the pasta water to add a little extra moisture.
Finish by stirring in the cheese, parsley and lemon zest. Adjust seasonings and enjoy!!
Serves 2.
Nutrients per 1/2 of recipe; Calories: 289; Total Fat: 10.4g; Saturated Fat: 1.9g; Cholesterol: 14mg; Sodium: 81mg; Carbohydrate: 47.7g; Dietary Fiber: 8.6g; Sugars: 2.4g; Protein: 11.6g
Artichoke, Asparagus & Green Bean Salad
If only I could tell every woman that ever wanted to lose weight that diet, restriction, and will power does not achieve results in the journey of weight loss I would gladly scream it from the top of a mountain! Lord knows I often have to remind myself of this very same message sometimes. Good old “dieting Dani” sometimes tries to pop in and say, “I know how to balance out an indulgent weekend or that extra piece of birthday cake…. no carbs, no booze, no sugar, no eating after six, no, no, no, no, no, no no, no, no…. you fill in the blank”.
As if.
Fighting food and fighting ourselves does not reap results in the journey of weight loss. Strict rules and boundaries around food almost always result in feelings of failure, deprivation, shame and guilt.
It’s plain.
It’s simple.
And yet it still the number one tactic used for weight loss in our society!
Food is delicious. It’s fun. And it is a great source of pleasure.
I really try not to focus on “dieting” in my life.
I have learned to shift my focus to nourishment.
I encourage you to do the same.
I found that shifting from a “weight-loss-dieting” mentality to a “nourishing-wanna-feel-good” mentality takes us from a negative state of mind (weight loss) to a positive state of mind (feeding the body). We are so much better able to create change and results in a positive state.
And I mean really, does nourishing yourself with a simple and delicious salad like this one really seem like any form of punishment?
I ask you?
Artichoke, Asparagus & Green Bean Salad
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large handful of green beans, stems removed
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- ½ a can of quartered artichoke hearts
- ¼ cup of chopped onions
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 8 leaves of basil, sliced into ribbons
- The juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Slice green beans and asparagus into one or two inch pieces.
In a large steaming pot steam the green beans and asparagus until just al dente (two or three minutes). We want to get the raw bite off of them but we still want them to have lots of texture.
Gently toss the hot veggies with the artichoke hearts, onions, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then finish it off with the fresh sliced basil. Enjoy!
Serves 4.
Nutrients per 1/4 of recipe; Calories: 74; Total Fat: 3.7g; Saturated Fat: 0.6; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 214mg; Carbohydrate: 11.3; Dietary Fiber: 5.2; Sugars: 3.7; Protein: 3.5
Chicken And Veggie Stirfry
Stir-fries are a bit of a contradiction. They are super fast to make if, and this is a BIG IF, you have all your veggies prepped and ready to go (I told you it was a BIG IF).
Now here’s the deal, I don’t mean to sound like a broken record people, but the only solution that I have found for saving time in the kitchen (especially when it comes to week night dinners) is pre-preppin’. Ya just gotta put a little forethought into the meal plan for the week if you don’t want to get sucked into the: “I’m-too-tired-and-hungry-to-care-so-i’ll-just-eat-a-sleeve-of-cookies-for-dinner” vortex (don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about).
Now, I didn’t prep my veggies on the weekend for this dinner, but I did chop them up during the late morning while Katie was sleeping; which was my saving grace because I just didn’t have the same kind of time when dinner came around. So…. blah, blah, blah, blah, blah… all I’m saying is,”PRE-PREP!”.
This recipe was inspired from a recipe in the South Beach Cook Book. The first time I made it I followed the recipe verbatim, but it was a little too ho-hum for my liking, so I made it a second time and gave it a little dani d. spin (dani d. is what all my friends call me… and don’t ask why, because the d. has no meaning).
Basically, I cut way back on the coconut milk, added some ground ginger for spunk and a little arrowroot to thicken up the sauce a bit. The ginger really gave this the kick that I was looking for… yum!
I have also been experimenting with different oils and find that cooking with coconut oil is a great option for high heat cooking, like stir-frying. It has a much higher smoke point so it does not oxidate (like say an olive oil would) when working over high heats.
Overall a really QUICK, clean, simple, and delicious dish (as long as you do a little pre-preppin’;)).
Chicken And Veggie Stirfry
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb of boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 tsp coconut oil
3 small heads of bok choy, stemmed chopped, leaves left whole
½ pint of cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into one-inch pieces
¼ cup peanuts
Big handful of chopped cilantro
1 cup of light coconut milk
1 tbsp of light soy sauce or fish sauce
1 tsp of arrowroot
2 tsp ground ginger
The juice and zest from one lime
Directions:
In a small bowl combine coconut milk, soy sauce, arrowroot, ginger and limejuice. Set aside.
Heat coconut oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over a medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is browned on the outside and just cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the coconut milk mixture to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add in bok choy, mushrooms, red pepper, and asparagus. Pop a lid on it and simmer for three to five minutes or until your veggies are cooked to your liking (I prefer them al dente)
Add chicken back to the pan. Once the chicken has heated through, stir in your peanuts and cilantro. Enjoy!
Serves 4.
Nutrients pe 1/4 recipe: Calories: 270; Total Fat: 12.5g; Saturated Fat: 5.7g; Cholesterol: 60mg; Sodium: 422mg; Carbohydrate: 14.8g; Dietary Fiber: 4.1g; Sugars: 6.1g; Protein: 28.5g
Triple Herbed Potato Salad
Potatoes get a bad rap. It’s the whole “high glycemic index thing” that sends people into a “potatoes-are-the-anti-christ” frenzy. Sure potatoes have a lot of carbs and a high glycemic index but for the love of God they grow out of the ground… how bad can they be?? Let’s discuss…
First things first – the Glycemic Index is a ranking which rates the effect of carbohydrate-containing foods on blood glucose levels. Basically, it’s how quickly or slowly our blood sugar is raised after eating a specific type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion have a high GI value (meaning the blood glucose response is fast and high). Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose (aka=energy) into the blood stream have a low GI value.
Maintaing stable blood sugar levels plays a huge part in good health. When our blood sugar levels are spiking and crashing all the time this puts a lot of uneccesary stress on our hearts and arteries and can lead to things like diabetes, mood swings, cardiovascular disease and kidney probems. Needless to say, we want to keep those sugars moderate and balanced.
Okay, back to potatoes. Yes, potatoes do have a high glycemic index and if eaten alone will most definietly spike blood sugar levels. But if eaten as a side dish along with some grilled chicken or fish, and maybe some greens with a squish of lemon, or topped with an over easy egg, this changes up the entire story. Pairing High GI foods with Low GI foods creates balanced meals that we can feel good about eating.
Okay, so my potato salad. It’s so good. I actually got this idea from a vegetarian cooking class that was being offered at Whole Foods for five bucks! Five bucks?! Unheard of for a cooking class, but I digress. I love combining different herbs together so when I heard of the combination of the dill, tarragon and parsley I was all in. I’m telling you guys, if you want to take a pretty basic dish over the moon, it’s all about the fresh herbs… it’s crazy how such a small addition can make a big change in flavor.
I served this with a lemon herb grilled chicken that I will try to post soon. I’m not so crazy about the picture I took of the chicken and you guys know I can be anal with the picture thing so I’m not super excited about posting it but maybe I’ll get past my photo vanity and do it anyway… we’ll see;).
Triple Herbed Potato Salad
Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of thin skinned baby potatoes, chopped into bite size chunks
- 1 bunch of asparagus, stemmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup each of dill, tarragon, and parsley
- 2 tsp of honey mustard
- The zest and juice from one lemon
- 1 ½ tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Directions:
Steam potatoes for about eight minutes or until fork tender. Place potatoes in a large bowl and then use the same steamer basket to steam the peas and asparagus. The veggies should only take three or four minutes to cook, watch them closely because you want them to remain crisp and vibrant.
Once the veggies are done add them to the bowl with the potatoes. Stir in garlic, lemon juice, honey mustard and a pinch of salt. Combine well.
Finish with the olive oil, fresh herbs, and lemon zest, combine everything again and then give it a quick taste. Adjust the seasonings to your tastes and then enjoy!!
Calories per serving: 396; Total Fat: 3.7g; Saturated Fat: 0.6g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 39mg; Carbohydrate: 93.8g; Dietary Fiber: 12.1g; Sugars: 12.7g; Protein: 15.6g
Salmon and Dill Frittata
Never underestimate an egg.
Really.
They are so darn versatile!
I’ve become a big fan of eggs for dinner so when I was at my Yoga class last week and my favorite yoga teacher (Amy) told me that she made my leek and potato tortilla (which is not posted) with the addition of smoked salmon I was not only flattered but I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and give it a try.
Now, I didn’t do it exactly the same as Amy because when I went to the store to pick up the salmon I got stuck on the idea of dill and asparagus (it’s a yummy combo). So salmon, leeks, asparagus and dill it was.
When I made this frittata I used four ounces of salmon but I think it may have been a little too much.
Although delicious, the frittata wasn’t super fluffy and I think it was because the salmon is so rich and has a lot of fat (healthy fat, the fat we want, omega 3’s) that it kinda weighed my frittata down.
So in the recipe, I only call for two ounces of salmon. I mean, flavor wise, a little goes a long way with smoked salmon so I’m thinking that might be the perfect amount, but feel free to play.
The best part about eggs for dinner is that whatever you don’t eat, you can eat the next day for breakfast or lunch. It’s the perfect cook once, eat twice meal.
Salmon and Dill Frittata
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 big leeks, sliced lengthwise and cut into half moons
- 1 cup of asparagus cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 eggs
- 6 egg whites
- Splash of 1% milk
- 2 tbsp of chopped dill
- 2 oz. smokes salmon, cut into thin strips
- Cooking spray
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400.
- Coat a 10-inch non-stick sauté pan with cooking spray and heat over a medium flame. Add leeks and sauté for about ten minutes or until translucent and tender. Stir in asparagus and a splash of water, pop a cover on a cook about four to five minutes or until the asparagus is just tender.
- In the meantime, combine eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk well before stirring in the dill and salmon.
- Pour egg mixture into sauté pan with the leeks and asparagus. Pop it all into the oven for 20 minutes and enjoy!!
Calories: 153; Total Fat: 5.8g; Saturated Fat: 1.7g; Cholesterol: 228mg; Sodium: 456mg Carbohydrate: 9.6g; Dietary Fiber: 2.2g; Sugars: 3.2g; Protein: 16.9g
Asparagus and Tofu Stir-Fry w/ Cashews
Ever since the beginning of “Asparagus” month, I have had a stir-fry on the brain. I just wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do. So I began searching around on some other food blogs for ideas (which by the way is about the only place I search for recipes online these days).
I found a recipe that caught my eye over at The Perfect Pantry and decided to give it a try. (if you have never visited The Perfect Pantry before you really must, you’ll learn everything you’ll ever need to know about items you can keep in your pantry)!
I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I bulked up the veggie department a bit and added some tofu in order to get a little protein into the meal. Speaking of tofu, let me give you a little tofu tip…
Keep your tofu in the freezer! Not only does it freeze well, but it is easier to work and had a better texture after it has been frozen. The extra liquid drains easily and the texture tends to be a little denser and heartier. Just a little FYI.
All in all this dish was delicious… it is very simple to make and had a lot of flavor. The only minor catch was…well, I’m not exactly sure, but I’ll try to explain it. The flavor and textures of the dish were great but there was one little hole, I don’t know what it was exactly but after I would chew and swallow I was looking for a little more kick… not spice, but a tang… not sure what I could have added to make that happen… maybe fish sauce? I have no idea. Possibly more ginger… again, I’m not sure.
Do any of you guys know what I am trying to describe here? Maybe you can look at the ingredients and spot it right away. I’d love to hear your thoughts because I’m stuck.
Asparagus and Tofu Stir-Fry w/ Cashews
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the Stir-fry:
- 1 lb of asparagus, stems removed, cut into 3 inch pieces
- 12 oz. of extra firm tofu, quartered and cut into thin slices
- 6 scallions, sliced
- 2 red or orange peppers, sliced into skinny strips
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 cups of cooked Soba noodles
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp of canola oil
- 1/3 cup of roasted, cashews
- 3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp of cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 ½ cups water or veggie stock
- 1 tbsp of grated ginger
- 1 tsp of sesame oil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and cornstarch. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients; set aside.
In a wok or large skillet, heat oil. Add in garlic, scallions and tofu and cook for two minutes or so. Stir in asparagus and peppers and cook until vegetables are just tender.
Give the sauce mixture a stir and pour it over the vegetables and stir until it is thickened and bubbly. Toss in cashews. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 1 minute or until cashews are heated through.
Serve over soba noodles and enjoy!
Calories: 360; Total Fat: 12.1g; Saturated Fat: 1.9g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 579mg; Carbohydrate: 48.2g; Dietary Fiber: 5.9g; Sugars: 7.6g; Protein: 24.4g
Video: Asparagus and Herb Omelet
Food is simple AND cooking is simple. It’s that simple.
Of all of the cooking classes I have attended, all the cook books I have read, and all the cooking shows I’ve watched, there is one on going fact that seems to be repeated: Keep it Simple!
This theory works exceptionally well in my arena of cooking because when you use fresh, whole, seasonal foods you don’t have to do much extra work to have a d’lishes, nutritious meal; making clean, simple, delicious dishes is technically one of the easiest ways to prepare your meals!
This Asparagus and Herb Omelet is the perfect example of keepin’ it simple. We’ve got eggs, egg whites, herbs, and asparagus. That’s it! (A kiss of feta cheese as well, but that’s optional). And let me tell you, for a meal with such simplicity you would never think that flavor could be so explosive… but it is; it’s amazingly delicious!
I use one whole egg and two egg whites for the omelet but you could certainly do two whole eggs or four egg whites. I really like egg whites and always have my jar of Eggology Egg Whites in the fridge to help me save some time in the kitchen. I’m forever trying to create some type of balance in my meals, so often, if I know I will be adding cheese to my eggs I’ll skip the yolk and go straight for the whites.
If you’ve never made an omelet before, then this video is a must watch! A lot of times when I’m in a rush I just stick to scrambles but as you’ll see in the video making an omelet really isn’t rocket science, it’s like everything else in the kitchen…you just gotta do it!
I hope you guys enjoy this one and as always, I’d love to hear your feedback!
Asparagus and Herb Omelet
Yield: Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tsp of chopped herbs (I used mint and basil)
- ¼ cup of steamed chopped asparagus
- 2 tbsp of feta cheese
- Splash of milk or water
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
Pre heat broiler.
Combine eggs and egg whites in a small bowl along with mint, basil, a splash of milk and a pinch of salt.
Coat a non-stick 8-inch sauté pan with cooking spray before adding the egg mixture to the pan.
Once the eggs begin to set gently pull the edges of the omelet towards the center of the pan using a rubber spatula. As you pull the cooked egg toward the center gently tilt the pan so that the uncooked egg oozes towards the edges of the pan.
Once the omelet is looking set, it will still be wet on top. Sprinkle your asparagus and feta on one half of the omelet. Pop it under the broiler for about 45 seconds or until the egg is set.
Remove and fold the egg onto itself to create a half moon. Hit it with a little pepper and enjoy!
Calories: 182; Total Fat: 9.1g; Saturated Fat: 3.9g; Cholesterol: 246mg; Sodium: 190mg; Carbohydrate: 3.7g; Dietary Fiber: 1.7g; Sugars: 1.8g; Protein: 20g