Swordfish with Quinoa Salad

Swordfish with Quinoa Salad

This is an easy dish to prepare.  The most difficult part is chopping the vegetables.  I grilled the fish and it came out very moist.

Swordfish is seasoned with ground pepper and chopped tarragon.  Place on a hot grill and cook for a few of minutes on each side.  How long will depend on how hot your grill is.  Do not overcook.  Remove to a serving plate.

 

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 Zucchini, diced

¼ Red onion, diced

1 Bell pepper, diced (your favorite color)

3 Scallions, Chopped

2 tbsp. Olive oil

Jamaican Seasoning, as much as you like

Garden tomatoes

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Once boiling add the quinoa, stir and bring back to boil.  Reduce heat to low and let cook covered until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.  Set aside to cool.

Place the diced vegetables in a bowl, add the cooled quinoa and combine.  Season the salad with Jamaican seasoning, as much as you like.  Add the olive oil and combine.  To serve place in a ½ cup measuring cup and compact.  Place upside down on the plate and remove the measuring cup slowly.  Serve with the swordfish.  I finished the plate with just picked tomatoes.

 

Top Sirloin Steak Stir Fry

Top Sirloin Steak Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Olive oil

½ Yellow onion sliced

1 Red pepper sliced in strips

½ Shallot sliced

1 Zucchini slices in strips

3 Garlic cloves diced

Salt free seasoning blend, your favorite.

1 lb. Top sirloin steak sliced thin

5 Scallions sliced

 

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, pepper, and Shallots to the hot pan. Sauté for 2 minutes and add the zucchini.  Season with a salt free seasoning blend.  Cook until tender and remove to a serving bowl.  Place the steak in the hot pan, season with the blend and sauté until cooked medium rare.  Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Add the vegetables back to combine.  Serve topped with the scallions.

Pulled pork over shredded zucchini

 

 

 

 

 

Now my inspiration of the day.  I had an urge for pasta but didn’t want to have something that heavy.  So I turned zucchini into something like pasta, made sauce from scratch, added a little pork and you have my new creation.

Pulled Pork Over Shredded Zucchini

 

Ingredients:

1 tsp              Olive oil

½                   Yellow onion chopped

1                     Yellow chili pepper chopped

Blend of herbs to taste

4 clove         Garlic chopped

8                     Roma tomatoes

2                     Zucchini shredded

12 oz              Pulled Pork (left overs)

 

Directions:

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil, onion, and chili and season with herb blend.  Cook stirring often.  Add the garlic and Roma tomatoes, stir and bring to boil.  Reduce the heat to medium/low and let cook for about 30 minutes stirring often until the tomatoes break down.  Taste for seasoning and add the herb blend to taste.  Add the pulled pork to the tomato sauce, stir to incorporate and let cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.  Place the zucchini in the middle of the plate and top with the pork/sauce mix and serve.  Serves 4

Pulled Pork Two Ways

I use the crock pot to prepare these two recipes; the pork comes out flaky and moist, full of flavor.  Place the pork loin in the crock pot and season with the All purpose spice rub and cover with the enchilada sauce, add a little water if needed.  Cook for about 4-5 hours at high.  Remove from the crock pot and flake using two forks.  Transfer to a serving bowl and add some of enchilada sauce to the pork.

I thought about my commitment to lighten things up so the first way is served on a bed of red leaf lettuce, topped with chopped zucchini, green onion, brown mushrooms, and tomatoes.

The other way is similar to a sloppy Joe.  Take a whole wheat burger bun and place each side on a broiler rack and place a slice of American cheese on top.  Place in the broiler until the cheese is just melting.  Remove from the oven and top with the vegetables, pulled pork and some shredded cheese.  Place back in the broiler until the cheese melts.

Both ways make my mouth water.

Ingredients:

1-2 lb. Pork Loin

2 tbsp. All-purpose rub

1 large jar of enchilada or red chili sauce

1 zucchini chopped

4 brown mushrooms chopped

1 tomato chopped

2 green onions chopped

6 whole wheat burger buns

6 slices American cheese

Shredded cheese, your choice

4 leafs of red leaf lettuce

Brown Rice with Sauteed Peaches

Brown rice is very tasty by itself but when you add an ingredient like sauteed dried peaches the flavor gets taken to a different level.  I served mine with some fantastic T-bone steaks and grilled zucchini.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

2 cups chicken stock

5 slices dried peaches, chopped

Olive oil

Directions:

Heat the chicken stock to a boil, add the brown rice, stir.  Cover the pan and bring back to a bowl.  Once boiling stir and reduce heat to a low simmer.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the peaches and saute, constantly stirring.  Remove from the heat.

When the rice is almost done add the peaches and stir.  Remove to a serving bowl when rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

 

Capellini with Vegetable Garlic Sauce

I wasn’t planning to do a pasta dish when I was thinking about my weekly menu but when I was shopping at Sprouts Sunday I noticed this beautiful package of Capellini (angel hair) pasta.  Well this man can only resist things for so long.  I love angel hair pasta.  I instantly thought of a vegetable garlic sauce to pour on top.  One word of caution, if you’re like me and love garlic make sure your significant other enjoys this dish with you or you will never be kissed again.

Ingredients:

1 package of Capellini pasta

Salt

Olive oil

2 green onions, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped in small pieces

1 yellow squash, chopped in small pieces

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 handful of fresh oregano, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

Parmesan cheese, grated

1 handful lemon balm, chopped

1 handful cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Heat a large pan of water on high heat.  When the water boils add 2 large pinches of salt and your pasta.  Cook for 3 minutes and drain.

In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil, green onion, zucchini, yellow squash and cook until tender.  Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, oregano and cook until the tomatoes start to break down.  Remove to a serving bowl.

Add olive oil and butter to your skillet add the garlic and cook stirring often.  Don’t let the garlic brown.  Combine the pasta, vegetables and garlic oil.  Top with parmesan cheese, lemon balm, and cilantro.

Red Lentils with Vegetables

Lentils are so easy to make and go well with most vegetables.  Enjoy.

 

Ingredients:

2 Cups chicken stock

1 Cup red lentils

Olive oil

½ Yellow onion, sliced

½ Red Pepper, sliced

1 Zucchini, sliced

1 Yellow squash, sliced

Salt and pepper

1tsp. Cumin

1tsp. Paprika

Extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Parmesan grated cheese

2 Green onions, chopped

Directions:

Prepare lentils by heating 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Add the red lentils, stir and allow to boil for five minutes.  Stir and reduce to a simmer until the lentils are tender.  Remove from the heat.

To prepare the vegetables, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and red pepper cooking till soft.  Add zucchini and yellow squash.  Season with the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.

Place the lentils in a serving bowl, add the vegetables and combine.  Put some good extra virgin olive oil on top, add the Parmesan and green onions and serve.

Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash

Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash

This is a very simply dish to prepare and it goes well with so many other ingredients.  I like to cut the squash in half down the middle then again across.  This gives you a large piece to cook.  The large piece is less likely to get overcooked.  I don’t like mushy squash.

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini

2 Yellow Squash

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

In a large skillet heat the olive oil until it is hot over a medium heat.  Place the squash cut side down and don’t turn until they begin to brown.  Turn and season with salt and pepper, remove to a serving dish and top with chopped cilantro.

Burgers with Vegetables and Brown Rice

Burgers with Vegetables and Brown Rice

Yesterday, being Monday, I wanted to prepare an easy meal.  What is simpler that a grilled burger.  I did want to grill my burgers but to my surprise, sure, I was out of propane and really didn’t feel like going out to get any.  So, I cooked mine on the stove top.  I also know that I am using a lot of zucchini and yellow squash of late.  This is because this is what looks good at the store.  When the season changes I look forward to more variety.

Ingredients:

4 Burgers, I used 85% burger

1 cup Brown rice

2 cups Chicken stock

Olive oil

1 tbsp. Butter

1 Zucchini, chopped

1 Yellow squash, chopped

½ Shallot, chopped

2 Green onions, chopped

Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan bring the chicken stock to a boil and then add the brown rice, reduce the heat to simmer and cover.  Rice is done when tender.

Grill the burgers to your desired temperature, season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil and the butter in a skillet.  Add the shallot and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the zucchini and squash and cook until tender but not mushy.

To serve, place brown rice on the plate, place the vegetables on top of the rice and rest the burger on top of the rice and vegetables.  Top with green onion.

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

¾ lb.    Pasta

1 tbsp. Olive oil

1          Yellow onion, chopped

1          Red pepper, chopped

Ground black pepper and salt to taste

1          Zucchini, chopped

1          Yellow squash, chopped

1 cup   Artichoke hearts, chopped

2-3       Garlic cloves, minced

1 jar     Pasta sauce

Directions:

Cook pasta al dente.

Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and red pepper, season with pepper.  Add garlic and cook for one minute.  Add zucchini and yellow squash cooking for one minute.  Add artichoke hearts and stir cooking for one more minute.  Check for seasoning.  Add pasta sauce, reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add cooked pasta and serve.

Serves 4