Good Day : Basil-Lime Tuna and Pumpkin-Corn Chowder

I’ve discovered that when you’re “cleaning” up your meal choices, its important to keep variety AND flavor. I stumbled upon these two keepers last week and thought I’d share them with you.
First up is Basil-Lime Tuna. I probably lost some of you right there…but in our house everyone loves tuna. Every. Single. Person. This recipe earned extra points because I’ve been struggling in keeping the kids’ lunches exciting since one of our kiddos can not have wheat, soy or dairy…and they scarfed it down both times that I made it.
I kept close to the original recipe found here. I used dried basil because I forgot to pick up fresh basil at the store and I also added some tarragon…just because I adore tarragon with tuna. I hate mayonaisse, but I did add a tiny bit, just for a hint of creaminess. Straight olive oil left my mouth feeling “tacky”. I made it up the night before, except I didn’t added the cabbage and celery until the morning, when I was boxing up their lunches. What I loved about this salad was it had a great crunchy bite from the cabbage and celery. And the basil….wow….I never would have thought of putting basil with tuna, but it is delish. I send it straight up without any bread or crackers and my family loves it. This one will probably find its way on the lunch menu every week.
And then for double delight, I made this soup for dinner! It was a fantastic food day! Here is the original recipe for Roasted Corn Chowder. I changed mine up a bit because there is 1 thing that my kids ALWAYS wrinkle their noses up at – sweet potatoes. So instead of sweet potato, I used canned pumpkin. BAM! Even easier because no peeling or chopping required! 😉 My kids are also not fans of big chunks of tomato, so instead of a whole can of both tomatoes and green chilis, I used about half a can of Rotel tomatoes, that include both. I thought I picked up the mild kind, but apparently not, because the one complaint I had from my kids was that it was a little too spicy. And instead of chopped Heirloom tomatoes, I added some red pepper….because everything tastes better with red pepper. And one last alteration, since fresh corn isn’t in season right now, I just used frozen. I was a little hesitant about a whole can of coconut milk, so I started with less…but by the time I was through adding spoonfuls of it to their bowls to cut the heat, I probably came close to using a whole can.

Both recipes were easy to throw together but would be equally as tasty if made ahead of time…and that’s a win in my book!
If you are looking for some allergen free recipes that don’t compromise on flavor, then you must give these a try!

Thai Crunch Salad and Coconut Aminos

Asian food. One of my favorite kinds of food to eat. I’m not adventurous with it, but I LOVE it because you can use any kind of meat, nearly ANY kind of veggie, throw in a rice or pasta and call it dinner! Quick, fresh and flavorful. And then we found out my 6 year old was intolerant of soy. ::sad face here:: I didn’t think eliminating soy would be a big deal. Turns out it wasn’t….it was a HUGE deal because soy is in nearly EVERY kind of asian food!
Today my smile has returned, thanks to COCONUT AMINOS. It is a soy sauce alternative made from aged coconut sap and you can read about it here. It took me a few tries to find a store that carried it and it is more expensive than soy sauce….but worth every penny to me. So in celebration of asian food returning to my kitchen, here is a great recipe for Thai Crunch Salad. I made the recipe with a few alterations. I didn’t use jicama and instead of putting the chicken and snap peas IN the salad, I sauteed them together with a little of dressing and served them hot, along side the cold crunch salad. I used cashews because for some strange reason, that is the only nut my kids will eat in foods and I opted for olive oil, because that’s what I had on hand. I also added a little red pepper and red cabbage. Yummy and oh so flavorful….and COLORFUL! Enjoy!

Think Inside the Bun

Serving up turkey burgers with…
provolone
pesto
red pepper
lettuce
avocado
and a big ol fat fried onion ring

what do you like on your turkey burger?

Favorite Pesto

This meal was inspired by some of my favorites: my fresh herb garden, my favorite color GREEN, my love for pasta and a recent trip to the cookbook isle at the bookstore! There are many variations on pesto but in the end they usually involve a leafy herb, some kind of nut, parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil. I added lime, mint and peas as well.

You’ll need:
2 large handfuls of fresh basil leaves (about a cup, packed leaves)

1 handful of fresh mint leaves (about a 1/2 cup)

juice of a lime (about 2 TBSP)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup pistachios

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or enough to form desired consistency

pasta of your choice, enough to make roughly 5 cups cooked pasta

In a food processor combine basil, mint, garlic, lime juice, cheese, pistachios and 1/2 cup of the peas. Drizzle olive oil into mixture while processing until coursely ground and forms a loose paste. set aside.

Prepare pasta according to directions and add peas in to water for the last 30 seconds of cooking time. Drain pasta and peas and combine with pesto. Serve warm or cold.

Roasted Tomato Pizza

Not too bad for a poor preacher’s kid who grew up on Hamburger Helper and elk steak, huh?

Pizza is a favorite around our house. So many ways to mix it up and use a variety of ingredients to suite even the pickiest eaters tastes. While my kiddos often opt for a simple cheese, I like to go for a bit more sophisticated pie!

For this pizza I started with roma tomatoes that I cut into thick slices and several whole cloves of garlic (Peeled). I drizzled them with olive oil and roasted in a single layer in a hot oven (375 degrees) for about 10 minutes and then I turned the oven off and let them continue to cook for about another 30 minutes.

I’m in love with naan flatbread and its perfect for a single serving pizza. I brushed the flatbread with a bit of olive oil and then topped it with the roasted tomatoes and garlic, fresh basil leaves from my herb garden and a sprinkle of italian blend cheese. Popped it back into a hot oven for a few more minutes and then pull it out to add the final touch – a drizzle of balsamic syrup. (Now, for the truest and best flavor, I like to reduce balsamic vinegar down into a syrup with slow and steady heat…but this takes time and a watchful eye, and time I did not have tonight. So I took equal parts creamy balsamic dressing and balsamic vinegar and simmered it a few minutes for a really quick reduction instead. It was still tasty!) after adding the balsamic syrup, I put it back into oven another couple minutes. Seriously delicious! High in flavor and light on the sauce and cheese…just the way I like it!

happy sandwich

happy sandwich. so happy it made the spoon smile.

roasted chicken, crisp fuji apple, red onion, bit o’ mayo, fresh chive, a toasted slice of Dave’s Killer Bread and my culinary secret weapon…roasted raspberry chipotle sauce.

California Turkey Burgers with Strawberry Spinach Salad

For the burgers, you will need:

2lb ground turkey

2 slices bread

1/2 cup milk

2 TBSP Johnny’s Sweet, Crazy and Hot Sauce and Marinade

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper, to taste

6 lrg hamburger buns

6 slices pepper jack cheese

2 avocadoes, sliced

1 pkg alfalfa sprouts

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 head garlic

olive oil

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Cut top off of garlic and place in piece of tinfoil. Generously drizzle with olive oil and bring corners up together to enclose. Bake in 375 degree oven until fragrant, about 20-30 minutes. When cooled, squeeze out soft cloves of garlic into bowl and mix with mayo. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Place slices of bread in large bowl and pour milk over top. Allow to sit until bread is soaked through and mushy. Add in ground turkey, Johnny sauce, egg and S & P and mix well with your hands. Mixture will be very “loose” and sticky, but make into 6 equal patties. Give your pan a couple turns of olive oil and cook patties about 5-6 minutes and then turn. Once they are turned, cover each burger with slice of cheese and cook through, another 4-5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Assembly your burgers with the garlic mayo, sliced avocado, sprouts, red onion and serve immediately.

For the salad, per serving:

mix one handful fresh spinach leaves with 1 TBSP Poppyseed Dressing, 1 strawberry sliced and 1 TBSP pecan halves (optional)

Rosemary Lemon Chicken

This super easy meal is packed with lots of flavor. You’ll need:

1 gallon ziploc bag

1 chicken, cut-up, bone-in and with skin

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 lemons, cut in half

1 small red onion, cut into large wedges

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

Put chicken in the bag with rosemary and onion. Juice the lemons into the bag and then throw the remaining rind in as well. Generously drizzle olive oil into bag, about 1/4 cup (or more!) Close the bag and give it a good “squeeze” to work everything around. Let marinate in fridge for at least an hour or up to 3 days.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees and set chicken out to come to room temp (about 45 minutes, but still in bag) Pour entire contents of bag out onto roasting pan in a single layer, with chicken skin side up. Bake upcovered for 45 minutes. When chicken is done, let chicken sit for a few minutes and spoon syrupy juices over the top of chicken and then sprinkle with sea salt. YUM!

Southwest Burritos

This is another family favorite that is a healthier spin on the popular Southwest Eggroll appetizers you can find at many resturants. I always make a double batch and freeze half of them. They are great for snack or a meal and you can bake or microwave them straight out of the freezer. I usually serve with avocado, lime & cilantro dipping sauce.

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (white or dark)

3/4 cup black beans (drained)

3/4 cup yellow kernel corn

3/4 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

4-5 green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cup grated cheese (mexi blend, cheddar, jack, etc)

salt and pepper

1 small jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed)

1 palmful chili powder

1 palmful ground cumin

10-12 lrg flour tortillas

Throw all ingredients into a large bowl and mix to blend. Fill tortillas and roll burrito style. Bake in 350 degree oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes. (25-30 minutes if frozen) or for softer tortilla, microwave until heated through.

Variations and tips:

– use cooked rice instead of chicken for a vegetarian version

– for less “heat”, use green chilies instead of jalapeno

– to save time, throw all produce into food processor and pulse a few times

– for a quick dipping sauce, mix ranch dressing with salsa

– use 1/2 cup frozen spinach instead of fresh. be sure to thaw and squeeze through a kitchen towel first.

Couscous Salad

This polarizng dish you either love or hate. There isn’t any in between. We happen to love it…all 6 of us. It’s cold, it’s fresh and the longer it sits in your fridge, the better it is.
I picked this recipe up years ago in college from a family that I nannied for in Bellevue, WA. It’s one of those 3rd hand, friend of a friend of a friend hand-me-downs. Here is the version my brain has retained over the years. give or take

2 cups cooked chicken

4 cups cooked couscous (I like the Near East brand with olive oil and garlic)

1 apple diced, any variety or whatever you have on hand

2-3 cups of fresh diced veggies (carrots, bell peppers, celery. I like to go for a variety of color!)

1/4 of a red onion, chopped (use according to tast, the red onion really cuts through)

2-3 gloves of garlic, minced

Marinade: Wisk together 1/4 c. olive oil, 1/8 c. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp brown sugar, palmful of cumin, 1/2 palmful of curry powder, salt and pepper to taste

Mix chicken, cooked couscous, chopped produce and marinade until well combined. Refridgerate until chilled…at least an hour, or up to 3 days.

variations:

•omit chicken
•adjust spices and garlic to your taste
• any kind of vinegar will work but darker varieties, such as balsamic, will “stain” the couscous and the apple
•use dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots) instead of the apple