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Lately I’ve been in my own little world and totally neglected the blog but don’t worry; I’m still cooking and creating regularly and just need to get back in my groove. So here it is, my first recipe in awhile, and I think it was totally worth the wait (licking my lips)!

4 T butter, divided

2 chicken breasts

1 t Tony Cachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, plus more for sprinkling

12 oz farfalle pasta

1/2 onion, diced

1 Yellow & orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup parmigiana-reggiano, grated

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half-and-half

1 t Tabasco or similar type hot sauce

4 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped for garnish

Melt 2 T butter in large dutch oven over medium high heat.

Season chicken liberally with Tony’s (you don’t need to season the chicken with additional salt since Tony’s has salt in it).

Cook chicken in butter until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

Set aside and cut into bite size pieces once cooled.

Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente.

Drain, set aside.

Meanwhile, melt additional 2 T butter in same pot as the chicken and reduce heat to medium.

Cook onion, bell pepper and jalapeño until soft.

Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add wine and bring to a boil.

Reduce wine by about half.

Whisk in cream and half and half and reduce until sauce reaches desired thickness (coats the back of a spoon).

Off heat whisk in cheese, tabasco and cajun seasoning.

Taste and season with additional tabasco or salt to reach desired heat level.

Add reserved pasta and chicken to sauce and toss gently to coat.

This dip couldn't be quicker, so it's perfect for a healthy snack! You can curb a craving for sushi and Mexican with this one recipe. Hard to imagine, but it's true. I'm craving it constantly now. You could also serve it with red pepper strips, rice crackers, carrots—the possibilities are endless. If you enjoy eating avocado for a snack, try this for a more satisfying treat!

1/2 a ripe avocado

2 t white miso

Toasted and black sesame seeds, optional, for garnish

1/4 english cucumber, thinly sliced

Using a mortar and pestle, or bowl with a fork, mash avocado with miso until smooth.

Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

Serve with cucumber for dipping.

I love miso soup and know it's a healthy and nourishing choice on cold nights like we've been having but I wanted something more substantial. I wasn't too excited about tofu so I thought shrimp and shiitakes would be a great addition for both protein and texture! This soup is quick, delicious and satisying. 

4 scallions, light green and white thinly sliced, dark green thinly sliced, divided

3 T canola, divided 

1.5 qrt vegetable broth

1/2 cup bonito

1 piece kombu

3 T red miso

.5 T sriracha

5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sauté the light green and white scallion slices in 1 T canola in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Once slightly wilted, add the broth, bonito and kombu.

Bring broth to almost a simmer, making sure not to boil, and keep right below a simmer for about 20 minutes to infuse broth with bonito and kombu.

Once broth is infused, use a slotted spoon to remove the bonito and kombo.

Then, whisk in the miso and sriracha.

Keep warm.

While broth is infusing, heat 2 medium sauté pans over medium high heat.

Add 1 T canola to each pan and sauté mushrooms in one pan until tender and browned. 

Season with salt and pepper.

In the other pan sauté the shrimp until barely cooked through, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Season with salt and pepper.

These energy balls come together quickly and are a great grab and go snack throughout the week (2 balls come in at about 200 calories). Satisfy your sweet tooth while also getting a sustained energy boost with the good fats and protein within each bomb. 

1 cup steel cut oats

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

1/2 cup creamy almond butter

1/2 cup ground flax

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup honey

1 T chia seeds

1 t vanilla

Makes about 24 bites

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until oat mixture comes together.

Refrigerate 30 minutes-1 hour.

Remove mix from fridge and use either a small scoop or tablespoon to form into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Refrigerate an additional hour or two to set.

I love mussels and wanted to make something light, warm and full of delicious seafood. This is a quick and easy way to curb a fish craving and utilize winter oranges. If you want a fast and fresh soup for dinner, you'll love this stew!

2 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Tomato, seeded and chopped

2 large strips orange zest

Handful of thyme sprigs

1/4 cup sweet vermouth

1 quart fish stock

Pinch of saffron

1 lb turbot, cut in bite size pieces

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debeared

Orange wedges, for serving

Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.

Saute onion and carrot until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

Add tomato, orange zest, and thyme and sauté 1 minute.

Deglaze the pan with sweet vermouth, scraping any brown bites off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Pour in the stock, pinch of saffron and bring to a boil then reduce to a strong simmer.

Add the turbot and cook about 3 minutes, until nearly cooked through.

Add the shrimp and mussels and stir to submerge.

Cook only until the mussels open (discard any mussels that remain close).

Remove from the heat and remove thyme and orange zest.

Serve, squeezing orange over soup at the table.

*This is a bad iPhone photo taken in a rush to eat all of the delicious fare at this dinner. C'est la vie!

I needed a dish for a “Friendsgiving” potluck and had been dreaming of a warm, creamy kale dish. I thought it would be luxurious with butter, cream and cheese, but also a little virtuous since it’s loaded with greens. The best of both worlds, right? The lemon and red pepper cut through the richness and really round out the flavors. Whether it’s on the table this week or at Thanksgiving, you’ll love this fresh spin on creamed spinach. 

5T butter, divided

3 1/2" slices ciabatta, torn, pulsed into coarse breadcrumbs in a food processor

3 T extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 shallots, thinly sliced

3 bunches kale torn or cut in 2-3” pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup parmesan, grated

1 lemon, zested

1 t red pepper flakes

Kosher salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs and 2 T butter, melted.

Season and set aside.

Melt remaining 3 T butter in oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once melted, add the garlic and shallots and sauté until shallot is soft, but not brown.

Add the kale, one handful at a time, and cook until just wilted. 

Stir in the cream and simmer until thickened.

Remove cream and kale mixture from the heat and stir in cheese, lemon and red pepper.

Taste and season and then transfer to an 8x8 baking dish.

Scatter the breadcrumbs over top and bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Enjoy!

I developed this salad for the newsletter for the amazing ladies at Swell Studio Pilates. Swell is an awesome reformer pilates studio, offering challenging (but manageable) group or private classes that make a huge difference in your body in a short period of time. It's fun, upbeat, and everyone is so nice! I really don't like exercising that much, so I'm happy to have found an exercise program that I love. I urge anyone to try it!

Ok, back to the food- I love this salad because it takes advantage of the bountiful produce available locally right now. It’s also hearty enough to be a complete meal for anyone, even for dinner, especially if you add a little lean protein like chicken or fish. Nobody wants to eat a salad unless it’s satisfying and this light yet creamy dressing makes these super greens irresistible! Add all these super toppings and you’re ready to go. If there’s something you don’t like, leave it out, and if you want to add something, throw it in. You can customize this salad entirely to your own tastes. 

40 min + chilling time for pickled onions

8 side servings or 4 main course servings

Dressing:

1/4 cup sour cream

juice and zest of 1 lime

1/4 t chipotle chile powder

1/4 t dried oregano

1/4 t coriander

1/4 t turmeric

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t onion powder

1/4 t garlic powder

1/2 jalapeño, minced (leave this out or remove seeds if you don’t like your food as spicy!)

pinch of kosher salt

Salad:

6 cups super greens

2 roasted poblanos, peeled, seeded, and diced (can also leave out for less heat or served raw to save time)

1 tomato, seeded and diced 

1 green tomato, seeded and diced

1 avocado, diced

1/4 cup pepitas 

2 ears corn, husked and kernels cut off the cob

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed if not organic

1/4 cup pickled red onion (omit or serve raw to save time)

1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled

maldon or sea salt, to taste

Grilled chicken or fish (optional)

*See below for instructions on roasting peppers and pickling onions.

For dressing:

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl and set aside while you prepare the salad.

For salad:

Combine greens and vegetables in a large bowl.

Toss with dressing to taste (I use about half to dress lightly).

Save the rest of the dressing for another use.

Toss salad gently and season with salt.

Enjoy!

To roast the peppers:

Either grill the peppers over high heat, or broil, until blackened all over.

Place in a ziplock bag for 10 minutes to steam.

Now the skin should easily peel off! 

Don’t worry about whatever skin doesn’t want to come off. 

Now you can seed and dice as you would a regular bell pepper.

Just be sure not to rinse under water; You don’t want to wash off the tasty oils.

To pickle the onions:

Slice a red onion thinly.

Bring 4 T red wine vinegar, 2 cups water and 1 t salt to a boil in a small saucepan.

Pour over sliced onion.

There are only about a million different variations on chicken salad and we all have our favorite. I don't particularly care for fruit – dried or otherwise – in mine, and I like a lot of texture. I also love to roast chicken (versus poaching it) to keep it really moist and pull it to catch more of the delicious dressing. This would be amazing on greens, toast, a classic sandwich or my favorite chicken salad accompaniment; a buttery croissant. This chicken salad is really fresh and a good excuse to try just one more chicken salad recipe! 

2 bone-in chicken breasts, roasted, cooled, shredded

2 chicken legs, roasted, cooled, shredded

1 cup celery, diced 

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chives, minced

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

1 T champagne vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

1 T honey

1 T dijon

1/2 cup mayo (Duke’s)

Kosher salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and season to taste. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve however desired.

I have always loved classic zebra icebox cake made with whipped cream and Nabisco chocolate wafers. My friend Mimi’s sweet mom made it growing up and it was my absolute favorite! I’ve asked Mimi to make it for me as my birthday cake as a special treat. Her classic cake inspired me to make an icebox cake for the fourth with the delicious and fresh flavors of summer. I wanted to make a patriotic cake with blackberries and raspberries creating blue and red layers, but it wasn’t meant to be. Feel free to use whichever berries are your favorite to make this cake your own! The berry creams are really something special and would be great with any treats! Make double and save the cream for topping any other desserts! And as if this cake isn't appealing enough already, it takes 30 minutes, is so easy and is no-bake! Whip it up anytime! This is a messy cake so to get the prettiest slices make sure to use a warm knife to slice.

1 pint blackberries, divided

1 pint blueberries, divided

2 T water, divided

1 qrt heaving whipping cream

1.5 T vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 sleeves Nabisco chocolate wafers (you might be able to get away with 1 package but I don’t like to have any broken cookies in my cake; call me OCD)

Whip cream to soft peaks; add vanilla and powdered sugar and whip stiff peaks.

Divide cream into thirds, in 3 medium bowls.

Set aside.

Meanwhile process 1 cup blackberries with 1 T water in a food processor until smooth. 

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into one of the bowls of cream.

Mix gently until blended.

Repeat with 1 cup blueberries and 1 T water to make blueberry puree.

Strain into another bowl of cream to make blueberry cream.

Using a spring form pan begin to layer the cake.

First make a layer of overlapping chocolate cookies in the bottom of the pan.

Next layer the blackberry cream, smoothing it out to make an even layer.

Next add a layer of fresh blackberries.

On top of the blackberries make a layer of chocolate cookies.

Add a layer of blueberry cream, then fresh blueberries.

Finally make the last layer of cookies topped with the vanilla whipped cream.

Make the top of the cake with a decorative layer of berries; I did concentric circles of blueberries and blackberries but you could make any kind of design you like.

Refrigerate overnight and remove from the springform when ready to serve.

Slice with a knife that has been warmed under hot running water and then dried for the cleanest slices.

Sometimes there's something so tasty and (seemingly) simple in a restaurant that you've just got to figure out how to make it for yourself. I'll admit that when I want a really good caesar salad on a busy night, we like to get takeout from the J. Alexander's in our neighborhood. However, the one thing I've really wanted to recreate is the Israeli Couscous. It seems so basic, but it actually has a million ingredients. I got a waiter on the sly to tell me everything in it and I was very surprised by how much goes into it! I took all of that info and came up with this impostor, and it's really close to the original and makes for a delicious side. It's definitely a great accompaniment to grilled chicken thighs. 

1 T olive oil

2 T butter

1 carrot, grated

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Israeli couscous

1.25 cups chicken stock

2 T chives, minced

2 T tarragon, finely chopped

2 T basil, chiffonade

1/2 cup parmesan, grated + additional for garnish

1/4 cup roasted red pepper, finely chopped

1 t tarragon vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 t magic seasoning

Heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat in a large sauce pan.

Saute carrot and onion until onion is translucent.

Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add couscous and toast until golden.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Lower heat to medium low and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes, until couscous is tender and stock is absorbed.

Remove from heat, stir in herbs, cheese, pepper, and vinegar.

Season with salt, pepper and magic seasoning.

Garnish with more grated parmesan.

This kale and quinoa salad is quick and easy and makes for a ton to serve as a side or entrée, but also perfect to make ahead for lunch. The sweet and savory flavors are crunchy and cool - a perfect light summer salad on these long, hot days! To shred the kale, strip the leaves off the stems and pulse in a food processor until very finely chopped. It gets better as it sits, so make a big batch on Sunday and you'll have an easy lunch all week! 

3 cups cooked and cooled quinoa

3 cups shredded kale

1 cup red grapes, halved

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup small diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup parmesan, chopped or broken into small pieces

6 T champagne vinaigrette

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Fajitas are the most fun, right?! You get to play with your food and make yours exactly how you like it. These pomegranate glazed fajitas take your classic steak fajitas and make them over the top! The rub alone infuses the steak with sweet, salty, smokey flavors and the glaze creates a "whoa" sensation on your taste buds; tart, sweet, so good. And it all comes together in no time. This is a perfect Saturday night dinner in!

2 cloves garlic, grated

2 T chile powder

1 T salt

1 T brown sugar

1 t cumin

1.5 lb skirt steak, cut into a few smaller pieces

1/4 cup pomegranate juice (save the rest for margaritas!)

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 T balsamic vinegar

1 T dijon

1 t cornstarch

1/2 t salt

1 large onion

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced

Tortillas

Salsa

1 avocado, sliced

Grated monterey jack

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, chile powder, 1 T salt, 1 T brown sugar and cumin.

Rub the spice mixture over the skirt steak and let sit for 25 to 30 minutes in a dish or ziplock bag.

Meanwhile, whisk the juice, remaining brown sugar, balsamic, dijon, cornstarch and remaining salt in a small saucepan. 

Boil over medium heat and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute.

Set aside.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat.

Place the steak and vegetables on the grill, if it all fits.

If not, first cook the steak and then the vegetables while the steak rests.

Cook the steak 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Let rest 5 minutes then slice against the grain.

Grill the vegetables until softened and charred, about 10 minutes.

These fritters are one of my new favorites! Light and fresh, yet they feel a bit decadent because of the cheese and eggs that make them crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. They're like a dreamy, savory pancake. Pair these fritters with roasted chicken for a simple date night dinner or on a beautiful salad for a satisfying, vegetarian meal. Make a big batch - they reheat really nicely!

2 cans artichoke hearts, drained, chopped

3 whole eggs, beaten

1 cup parmesan, grated

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup chives, minced

1/4 cup shallots, minced

1 T parsley, chopped

1 lemon, zested

7 T flour

1 t baking powder

Salt to taste

2 T butter

Mix first 8 ingredients in a large bowl.

Season.

In another small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt to taste. 

Gently mix the flour mixture into the wet, artichoke mixture. 

Melt 1 T butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Sear 1/3 cup of batter in batches, 3-4 at a time, gently flattening with the measuring cup once in the pan.

Fry until golden brown on each side, 5-10 minutes total. 

Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and season with salt. 

After the first batch, you may need to add another T of butter to finish the fritters.

Fritters can be kept warm on the wire rack an oven on low heat, 200 degrees or lower. 

Want to pretend like you're healthy? Put oats in your cookies so they don't feel quite as indulgent. For these, I just took an oatmeal raisin recipe and subbed out the raisins for chocolate chips. I love the cinnamon and brown sugar flavors with the chocolate. Cookie time!

2 cups flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 T pure vanilla extract

3 T milk

2 large eggs

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.

Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter with sugars and beat until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla, milk, and eggs and mix well.

Add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Remove bowl and stir in oats and chocolate chips.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop 2 T of dough and roll into a ball.

Place on prepared sheet.

Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 3 inches apart.

Press down gently to flatten.

Bake until golden but still soft in center, about 16-18 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.

Cool on wire racks.

One of my sisters asked me to help her make a healthy and delicious dinner for her and her friends one night. I flipped through a few magazines and gave her some options, and this salmon is what she selected. She wanted light and yummy, but I needed something pretty fast and easy since she wanted to serve dinner at 6. It was going to be a stretch for me to finish my cooking for the day and get this on the table for the girls by then, but we did it! And it was really fantastic. A perfectly balanced protein-packed meal in no time. Our dad, who has said he hates greens (except spinach), was raving about the "spinach" and couldn't believe it when I told him they were mustard greens. This is sure to please even the pickiest eaters in your house!

2 T olive oil + additional for drizzling

1 15.5 oz can organic chickpeas, drained

1/2 t ground cumin

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 small bunch mustard greens, ribs and stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped

1 t honey

4 6-oz salmon fillets

1/2 small shallot, very finely chopped

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 t dijon

1/2 t honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 T capers, rinsed, patted dry

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Brush a large baking dish with oil.

Combine chickpeas, cumin and 1 T oil in a medium bowl.

Mash about half the chickpeas with a fork; season with salt and pepper.

Transfer chickpea mixture to prepared dish.

Heat remaining 1 T oil in a large skillet over medium-hight heat.

Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add mustard greens and cook, tossing, until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.

Add honey and 1/4 cup water; season.

Cook, tossing until greens are completely wilted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to dish with chickpea mixture.

Season salmon and arrange over greens and chickpeas and drizzle with oil.

Bake until salmon is opaque in the center, about 30 minutes.

Whisk shallot, lemon juice, mustard and honey in a small bowl and season.

Gradually whisk in olive oil; season.

Heat vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.

Cook capers until opened and crisp, about 30 seconds; drain on paper towels.

Drizzle salmon with vinaigrette and top with capers.

I have learned to love cauliflower, just like the other trendy veggies that have had their moment lately (brussels, kale, etc.). Some people, however, need an easy transition into cauliflower to see how amazing it can be, and this tasty cauliflower purée is the perfect dish. It's non-threatening for the nay-sayers and indulgent (but also healthy, I think...) for all of the cauliflower lovers out there!

1 3/4 lbs cauliflower florets

1 qrt chicken stock

2 T sour cream

2 T butter

1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano

Kosher salt to taste

Cover the cauliflower with stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender.

Remove florets with a slotted spoon to a food processor and process with 2 T of the cooking stock until completely pureed.

Transfer a bowl and stir in sour cream, butter, and cheese until well mixed.

Season with salt to taste.

Enjoy!

I just discovered my love of brown rice since I started eating Lundberg's short grain brown cooked using the technique shown below, and had been thinking there have got to be about a million delicious and nutritious ways to jazz it up! I reheated some with soy sauce, olive oil and Sriracha for lunch one day and it was so good and kept me full for hours, so that got me thinking about turning it into a dinner perfect for date night. These rice bowls are healthy, protein packed and beautiful! You can start cooking your rice and get everything else prepped while the rice cooks. Once your rice starts steaming, everything comes together quickly. You'll have a hearty winter feast in under an hour!

1 cup short brown rice

2 cups broccoli florets

1 lb shrimp. peeled and deveined

2 T olive oil, divided

1.5 T toasted sesame oil

1.5 T soy sauce

1 T sriracha

1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced + additional for garnish

1/2 T rice vinegar

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

4 eggs

Rinse rice in a strainer under cold, running water for 30 seconds.

Bring 12 cups water to a boil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the rice, stir it once, and boil, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.

Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return to the pot, off the heat.

Cover the pot and steam for 10 minutes.

Put rice in a large bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, once the rice is at the steaming point, steam the broccoli until tender.

Add the broccoli to rice in the bowl.

While the broccoli and rice are steaming, heat 1 T olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.

Sear the shrimp in a single layer, for 1-2 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary, until just cooked through, seasoning on both sides while cooking.

Transfer shrimp to the bowl with the rice.

Once, the rice, broccoli, and shrimp are all cooked and in the bowl, mix gently with the sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, and green onion.

Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fry the eggs in the remaining T olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. 

Divide the rice mixture amongst 4 bowls and top each bowl with an egg.

Season the egg with salt and pepper.

Garnish with green onions.