An amazing dinner experiment and picture update


I am so excited I could literally burst! Not only did I experiment with tonight’s side dish and SUCCEED but we’ve also made amazing headway on our apartment. For your your enjoyment i’ve included a few pics!

Tonight I decided to go out on
a limb and experiment with our side recipe! dish. We were

having chicken/mushroom/tomato/pepper kabobs and I knew I wanted something tasty and summery to accompany the dinner. Bo’s favorite vegetables are squash and zucchini and we both love anything with Mexican flavors. That is when my Mexican Stuffed Squash and Zucchinis were created!
Mexican Stuffed Squash and Zucchini
* 2 medium zucchini and 2 medium squash(about 8 ounces each), washed

* Salt and ground black pepper

* Olive Oil Pam spray

* 1 medium onion, chopped fine

* 1 large red pepper or 2 small peppers (red or yellow)

* 2 large garlic cloves, minced

* 1 Tbsp Mexican seasoning

*1 large bunch of cilantro
* 1/4 c salsa
* 1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained well (about 1 1/2 cups)

* 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups) (or other cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, halve each zucchini lengthwise. With small grapefruit spoon, scoop out seeds and most of flesh so that walls of zucchini are 1/4 inch thick. Season cut sides of zucchini and squash with salt and pepper, and spraywith 1 Pam; set halves cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast until slightly softened and skins are wrinkled, about 10 minutes; Using tongs, flip zucchini halves over on baking sheet and set aside.

3. Heat approx tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add onion, salt and pepper, spices, and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and salsa; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in black beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in cilantro and taste to season.

4. Place filling in food processor and pulse for 2-3 seconds on low just to mix and smooth the ingredients. Divide filling evenly among squash halves on baking sheet, pack lightly; sprinkle with grated cheese. Return baking sheet to oven and bake zucchini until heated through and cheese is spotty brown, about 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

ENJOY! We loved it and enjoyed it with our salad and kabobs!

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A Healthier Pad Thai Recipe

This week both Bo and I were craving Pad Thai in all its peanut greatness. But, since we’ve become more aware of our food selection we knew ordering take out was not the best idea. I sought out the advice of many different blog queens who all had wonderful suggestions. But, based on the ingredients I had on hand, and the flavor we were craving, I ended up using a great recipe that Aimee sent me. This was a great choice as it was fresh, bursting with flavor, very easy, and probably half the price of what we would have paid for NYC pad thai from a restuarant we’d trust.
The recipe below is Aimee’s recipe and I have included my adjustments in red. In addition, for your reference, i’ve added links to some other great recipes that were shared with me upon my email request on Tuesday.
Enjoy!

Aimee’s Healthier Pad Thai

Ingredients:

8 oz. rice noodles We used two packages of Shirataki Noodles instead

1 lb. tofu We used 1 lb cut up boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 T “crunchy” natural peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar or stevia
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lime juice (or lemon)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 cups bean sprouts
1 small bunch green onions, chopped, including greens
1 small onion, chopped

2 cups of mixed vegetables, steamed, microwaved or stir-fried

3/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 T sesame, peanut, or canola oil

Water as needed

Optional:
1″ piece of ginger minced or powdered ginger
Sliced lemons

Directions:

  • Prepare rice noodles, drain and set aside.
  • Squeeze tofu completely dry. Cut tofu in 1/4″ to 1/2″ squares and set aside.
  • Mix peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
  • In wok, stir fry garlic and tofu in 1 T oil until lightly browned.
  • Add remaining oil, onions, and optional ginger stir fry two minutes.
  • Add vegetables, water if needed, stir fry one minute.
  • Add peanut mixture, bean sprouts, and noodles. Stir fry until all is hot and sauce thickens.
  • Garnish with optional sliced lemons.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Enjoy!

Other Pad Thai Recipes:

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Oh my gosh has it really been four days?!

I apologize profusely for my stint away from the blog. This week included a work trip that became much busier than I ever expected. Here is what you can expect to see tomorrow:
1) An awesome healthier pad thai recipe
2) Capital Grille review
3) Amtrak dining options- WOW!
4) Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Recap- even with THREE bathroom stops (in the woods) and having to wait at two water stations since they were out of water I lowered my time by 2 minutes according to NYRR since the MORE and 4 mins and 20 seconds based on my watch (I stopped it while I was waiting for water at the two stations)!! I still have a long way to go but i’m moving in the right direction!
5) NIKE running top review and running with a hat
See you guys tomorrow! Bo and I are off to our first rooftop party of the season and the weather is gorgeous!
 
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