Project Paula: Healthy Meals

Showing posts with label Healthy Meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Healthy Meals. Show all posts

RECIPE | My AVOCADO Smash Brunch Bowl


I enjoy preparing and especially enjoying Mexican-inspired dishes. This fresh and delicious Avocado Smash Bowl was a bright take on brunch fare or a remixed salad! I first had an interpretation of this dish in my work cafeteria. While rushing out of the house one morning, I left my lunch behind. So, I had to venture to our company cafeteria around noon. I noticed one of the cafeteria employees at a new station that offered made-to-order brunch items. I was intrigued! I chose a rendition of this bowl and enjoyed it so much - I was hooked. So hooked that I had to try my own version. All of the ingredients were real, accessible, and easy to assemble in under 20 minutes!

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How I made it...


Ingredients
- Avocado
- Fresh Spinach
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Tortillas
- Feta Cheese
- Eggs
- Butter
- Lemon
- Black Pepper
- Salt
- Optional: Vinegarette, Red Pepper Flakes

Helpful Cooking Tools

Instructions

Pan-Seared Tomatoes: Heat a Cast Iron Skillet to medium heat. Spray the pan with oil. Once hot, place half-sliced cherry tomatoes into the pan and cook until tender. Feel free to add salt and pepper to taste.

Tortillas: Heat a Cast Iron Skillet on low heat. Spray the pan with oil. Once hot, place the full tortilla into the bottom of the pan. Let set for 20 seconds, then flip and let cook for another 20 seconds. Remove from the pan and once slightly cooled, cut into triangles. You can also cut into triangles ahead of cooking - up to you!

Avocado Smash: Cut an avocado in half and discard the pit. Using the tip of a paring knife, score the avocado flesh into medium squares. Use a large spoon to scoop out the cubes into a bowl. Top the Avocado with fresh or dry herbs and seasonings. Squeeze a quarter of a lemon. Mash the mixture together until you reach the desired consistency.

Over Easy Eggs: Crack 2 large eggs into a small bowl. Heat a nonstick skillet over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. When the butter stops foaming, pour the eggs into the pan. Season with 1 pinch of salt and 1 grind of black pepper and cook, still over low heat, for 1 to 11/2 minutes. Check the whites for opaqueness; when they are set, flip the eggs. As the eggs turn, try to bring the pan up to meet them. Return the pan to the heat and slowly count to 10. Re-flip the eggs to their original side. (This time it won't be so tricky.) Slide onto a warmed plate and serve immediately with toast for wiping up all the goodness. 

Place fresh greens of your choice in a large bowl. Drizzle the greens with a vinaigrette or lemon juice/oil dressing. Assemble the over-easy Eggs, smashed Avocado, and seared Tomatoes atop the greens. Sprinkle with Feta crumbles. Add Tortilla slices for garnish/enjoyment. 

Recipe Substitutions and Tips
  1. Take it easy on mashing up those avocados; leave a few chunks for texture.
  2. Want a perfect fried egg? Start by cracking them into a cup or bowl first, then slowly add to a heated and buttered pan. This step eliminates shell pieces being included in your egg and helps maintain the shape of it. Oh, most important - it won't break your yolk!
  3. Add a hash underneath. Really want to take this brunch dish up a notch? Fry or bake some potatoes to add to the bowl.

Try it out and let me know what you think!



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RECIPE | My Panera-Inspired Baja Warm Grain Bowl


There is a Panera less than a half-mile away from my home. Needless to say, I'm a regular. Usually, in the Fall/Winter months, I opt for the White Cheddar Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup - YUM! But, last week, I tried something different, and it was just as tasty.

Panera, known for its healthier take out food options, announced their new Warm Grain Bowls. These bowls come in two versions; Baja and Mediterranean. I tried the Baja (Californian-style), and it didn't disappoint! It was fulfilling and included some super nutritious and heart-healthy ingredients. With the new year, I'm challenging myself to make more of what I want at home. Luckily, I had most of the ingredients necessary and was able to further customize my very own homemade grain bowl!
How I made it...

Ingredients:
- Black and Brown Rice Mix
- Quinoa
- Vegetable Broth/Stock
- Avocado
- Black Beans
- Tomato
- Red Onion
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Lime
- Sea Salt
- Black or White Pepper

Helpful Cooking Tools:

Instructions: In a medium pot, bring 1 and 1/2 cups of Vegetable Broth/Stock and 1 cup of Water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of Sea Salt. Pour in 1 cup of Black and/or Brown rice mix and 1/4 cup of Quinoa and cover. Let the mixture cook (periodically stirring) until the desired grain texture is reached, then set it aside. Dice a small fresh Tomato and Red Onion and season with Pepper, Herbs, and drizzle with Lime Juice. Slice or dice an Avocado and set aside. Use 1/4-3 cup of canned Black Beans (rinsed) and set aside. Place the cooled (warmed) Rice/Quinoa mixture in a bowl. Place each fresh ingredient in sections atop the bowl. Top your dish with a dollop of Plain Greek Yogurt.


Recipe Substitutions and Tips:
- Plain Greek Yogurt -> Low Fat Sour Cream
- Black Beans -> Pinto or Kidney Beans
- Grains -> Any whole grain will do! I'll be trying this next time with Couscous, and you can even toss in some fresh Corn.

Enjoy!


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RECIPE | My Chef Ramsay-Inspired Crispy Salmon, Blender Hollandaise and Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes


I am an uncomplicated home cook. I've said it before if it takes more than 7 ingredients... "I'm good, Luv, enjoy." With that, going through this journey of cooking and learning new recipes and techniques has been a very rewarding one. Oh, and a healthy one! I prefer eating real food or food close to its original source. And cooking at home has given me the upper hand in knowing and controlling what actually goes into my meals.

For my next recipe, I solicited the help of a heavyweight in the pop-culture food sphere, Chef Gordon Ramsay. Not personally, of course, but by way of a simple Google query. After searching "Crispy Skin Salmon," his demonstration popped up first, and I didn't have to look any further.

I love salmon. But, what I love most about it is when the skin is crispy! After spending a few minutes watching one of the Masters  prepare salmon, he revealed that the trick to transforming this delicate part of the fish was just a few knife cuts. That's right, creating parallel slits in the skin (aka scoring) of the salmon before dropping it in a hot pan was the trick!

How I made it:

Crispy Salmon - Scoring makes the difference!

Ingredients: 
- Salmon Filet
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Herbs (optional)

Helpful Cooking Tools:
- AdeptChef Stainless Steel Fish Spatula

Take a salmon filet, turn it skin side up, and roll / pinch it while placing the meaty portion on the cutting board. Now score the skin layer crosswise about halfway deep into the salmon. Keep your cuts close together for extra crispy skin, and score the whole length on the fish. Scoring the filet prevents it from curling up while it is in your pan, and ensures that your fish will be cooked evenly. Open each score and sprinkle salt and herbs into the openings.

Turn your stove to medium heat and add extra virgin olive oil when the pan is hot. Once the oil starts to slightly smoke, add the salmon skin side down. For a few seconds after placing the salmon in the pan, use your fingers or a fish spatula to press down the top of the filet to keep flat. Now season the top of the filet with salt and leave it alone! That's right, let it cook, don't touch or move it again until the fish is cooked about 2/3rds the way up. Then use a fish spatula and carefully flip the salmon over and tilt the pan, allowing all on the remaining EVOO to coat the top of the salmon. After roughly a minute, flip the salmon back over to the skin side and remove the pan from the heat. Let it rest, then plate. 

Roasted Asparagus and Grape Tomatoes

Ingredients: 
- Asparagus Spears
- Grape Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder (optional)
- Onion Powder (optional)

Helpful Cooking Tools:
- Knife
- Parchment Paper

Cut the grape tomatoes in half and chop off the ends of the asparagus, if needed. Lay out parchment paper or aluminum foil on a flat pan or baking sheet and arrange the asparagus and tomatoes on the sheet. Drizzle EVOO across the vegetables. Sprinkle them with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and rub them all together, making sure that each piece is coated in oil and seasoning. To make sure everyone cooks evenly, reorganizing the vegetables on the pan, making sure that the asparagus and tomatoes have enough space between them.

Hollandaise - Blender hack
Most and truly authentic Hollandaise sauces call for a lot of patience and wrist whisking skills. Ain't nobody got time for that. So, I used the infamous and much quicker blender method.

Ingredients: 
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
- 1/4 Cup of Melted Butter
- White Pepper
- 1/4 Tsp of Dijon Mustard (optional)
- Dash Tobasco Sauce (optional)

Helpful Cooking Tools:
- Ninja BL480 Nutri Ninja Personal Blender 24 oz

In the blender container, combine the egg yolks, white pepper, mustard, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce. Cover and blend for about 5 seconds. Heat butter in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until completely melted and hot. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin/slow stream. It should thicken almost immediately. Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender container in a pan of hot tap water.


That's it! This healthy and delectable meal was easy and quick to prepare and felt like a restaurant special cooked right at home!
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Ms. G's Kitchen | My Favorite (Light) Soul Food Dishes Made by My #MAWM

My lovely and gorgeous Mother, Georgeann.
My #Mawm is the best! She's the epitome of grace, strength, and hilariousness! She is my role model and 4'11, animal print-wearing superhero. And while not all superheroes wear capes, she could totally crochet herself one!

In this post, I'm highlighting some of my favorite meals that my mom prepares. Admittedly, we're not always on the same page when it comes to a few of her kitchen concoctions. She can be, let's say, "inventive." Yet remains utterly unphased by any of my (or our loved ones) occasional side-eyes (lol).

The below pictures are from dishes that she recently prepared that get absolutely no side-eyes from me. I appreciate her to no end. Especially when she takes the time and effort to cook and slide one of her brightly-colored plates over to her favorite Daughter.

Crispy Oven "Fried" Chicken

Oven-fried Chicken Leg, Steamed Potatoes and Onions and Salad

This is hands down one of my favorites! My mom often looks for healthier or lighter versions of classic home-style dishes. Prepared with the right amount of seasonings, dipped in flour, and then (plot twist) baked instead of deep-fried - this dish comes through! Oh, and it's surprisingly crunchy!


Collard Greens w/ Smoked Turkey

Stovetop Collard Greens, Onions and Smoked Turkey 

Commonly considered a side dish, I have totally eaten these on their own. And maybe even cold, a time or two. These greens are that good! My mom's slow-cooked, tender, flavorful, and nutritious Collard Greens are paired with smoked turkey, onions and finished with a splash of vinegar to brighten it all up!


Salmon Croquette

Salmon Croquettes with Steamed Potatoes and Onions

Salmon croquettes are a childhood favorite. I may buy fresh, farm-raised salmon from the market now, but before that - canned salmon was the only salmon I knew (lol). The delicate center and crispy cornmeal coating on these handmade patties make for a tasty and nostalgic experience.

Fruit Cup / Dessert


She's always making fruit salads for snacks. So that's usually the "dessert" option available at her house. And that's perfectly fine.

I will bring back all of your containers one day. I love you, "Nessa Girl!" 

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