Spicy Tuna Kobachi

Without a doubt, pretty much anytime we eat sushi out we’ll start with a spicy tuna kobachi. It’s SO GOOD! I had heard that a local produce and meat market sold frozen sushi grade tuna so I went and checked it out. Seriously, it was $6.99 a pound. You can’t beat that! The filets came in individually vacuum sealed pouches of about 4 oz. each. I thawed them the day I made this so they would be fresh.

This recipe was absolutely delicious! I’m so happy with how it came out. A small warning though – if you’re not a fan of some spice, you might want to reduce the amount of Sriracha you use. One teaspoon gave it a good amount of kick.

Adapted from Gina’s WW Recipes

Ingredients
13 oz. sushi grade ahi tuna, finely chopped (or however much you have)
2 tsp pure sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (to taste)
2 tbsp scallions, minced
1/2 ripe, firm hass avocado, diced
1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions
1. Mix diced sushi and avocado in a medium bowl.

2. Combine sesame oil, rice wine, lime juice, soy sauce and sriracha sauce. Pour over diced tuna and mix to coat all pieces.

3. Top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 08-30-10

Monday - Spicy Tuna Kobachi, Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
Tuesday - Dinner Out After Softball
Wednesday - Jerk Chicken Kabobs, Rice
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Amber's Birthday Celebration!
Saturday - Dinner Out

Avocado Baked Mahi

So I heard there might be some interest in a fish recipe on the blog. Both Bryan and I enjoy fish but we never really cook it at home. I’m not sure why… Mahi was on sale at the grocery store this week so I decided this was good time to attempt cooking fish at home. I found a recipe that looked pretty good with a creamy avocado sauce. My problem with fish is I’m not quite sure how to tell when it’s done. I pulled these out after 13 minutes and they definitely needed more time. We stuck them back in for another 5 minutes or so. I enjoyed the final product and really liked the avocado sauce on top.

Adapted from Cara’s Cravings

Ingredients
1/2 of an avocado, pureed
1 tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt (14gm)
1 tbsp minced scallion, green part only
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
dash of salt
2 Mahi Mahi filets, 6 oz. each
coarsely ground black pepper

Directions
1. Whisk together the avocado, yogurt, scallion, garlic, Worcestershire, ginger, and salt.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an oven-safe skillet or baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the fish in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Spread 1-2 tbsp of the avocado mixture on top of each and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

3. Warm the remaining avocado mixture gently in the microwave (low heat for about 30 seconds; you can thin with a little water if you like). When ready to serve the fish, drizzle with warm avocado sauce and sprinkle with black pepper.

The Facts
2 Servings

Chili-Lime Shrimp

I love shrimp because there are so many different flavor combinations you can cook with them. They are also a tasty low calorie protein option and they cook super fast. This was another successful dish with shrimp. The butter mixed in at the end gives the dish a taste of richness. I added a bit of water to the final mix to make for some extra sauce to serve over the rice. I enjoyed this meal and look forward to making it again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
Cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 tbsp Smart Balance buttery spread, or butter
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup onions; coat onions with cooking spray. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

2. Add shrimp and chili powder; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

3. Add lime juice, butter, and salt, and stir until butter melts. Add 2-4 tbsp water if a thinner sauce is desired. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup onions and serve.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 08-23-10

Monday - Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos, Tijuana Kitchen Rice
Tuesday - Avocado Baked Mahi, Roasted Red Potatoes, Side Salad
Wednesday - Sriracha Poultry Meatballs, Asian Noodles
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Rolled Greens

This was my first attempt at cooking collard greens, and I must say, they didn’t come out too bad! Bryan has been craving a good southern meal for a while so, this week I set out to make fried chicken and collard greens healthy. I started with two bunches of fresh organic collards from Whole Foods. You can easily use the pre cut bagged version, but I figured if I wanted to make some true collards, let’s start from the beginning.

I rinsed and chopped the greens and realized they were going to shrink drastically while cooking. There was NO WAY I had enough for four people. The original recipe called for collards OR kale; I randomly had kale in the fridge as well, so into the pan than went too! The end result was a tasty greens dish with a hint of bacon flavor. Yum! I would make this again for sure.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
2 bunches of collard greens
1 bunch of kale
1 tsp olive oil
2 bacon slices, finely diced
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Remove stems from greens. Wash and pat dry. Stack 4 or 5 collard leaves together, and roll up holding tightly. Slice thinly. Chop kale as well.

2. Heat oil in a large pan until hot. Add bacon; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes or until soft.

3. Add greens in 4 batches; cook 1 minute after each addition, stirring frequently. Cook an additional 25 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

The Facts
6 Servings

Menu Plans 08-16-10

Monday - Oven-Fried Chicken with Waffles and Rolled Collard Greens
Tuesday - Chili Lime Shrimp, Rice, Spicy Crispy Kale with Lime
Wednesday - Spaghetti and Chicken Sausage, Side Salad
Thursday - TBD
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Spicy Shrimp, Chorizo and Cheese Grits

Oh, Yum! This dish had an all around great flavor. We’ve seen shrimp and grits on tons of restaurant menus, but have never actually ordered them. When I saw this recipe, I figured it would be fun to recreate this dish with a healthy spin. I rarely buy sausage, but for some reason a pack of chorizo caught my eye at Whole Foods one day. I loved that it was all natural with a lot less fat than your typical sausage links. I tossed them in the freezer and knew this was the perfect recipe to use them in. The sausage had a kick of spice complemented nicely by the seasonings in the rest of the dish. I would definitely make this meal again!

**Please note that nutrition is calculated using the chorizo referenced above. I believe a different brand will drastically alter the calorie and fat content.

Adapted from Cooking Light and Cooking Light

Ingredients
Shrimp and Sausage:
Cooking spray
3/4 lb peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sweet peppers, chopped
6 oz all natural Chorizo sausage, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water

Cheese Grits:
2 cups water
1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned grits
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp hot sauce
1 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese (approx 1/4 cup)

Directions
1. For grits, bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes (or per package directions). Stir in milk. Remove from heat; add remaining ingredients, stirring until cheese melts.

2. While grits cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp, seasoning, and black pepper, tossing to coat. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring frequently. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Coat pan with cooking spray again. Add chopped peppers; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add reserved shrimp mixture and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1/4 cup water; cook 30 seconds, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove from heat; let stand 2 minutes.

4. Serve shrimp and sausage mixture over cheese grits.

The Facts
4 Servings

Menu Plans 08-09-10

Monday - Spicy Shrimp, Sausage and Cheese Grits with Side Salad
Tuesday - Grilled Steak, Roasted Broccoli and Okra, Parmesan Orzo
Wednesday - Shredded Mexican Chicken Tacos, Spicy Black Beans
Thursday - TBD
Friday - Dinner Out

Check out some other great menus at orgjunkie.com!

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

I asked Bryan to help me with the dinner menu, and he came up with this amazing recipe. He loves orecchiette styled pasta at restaurants, so I think that’s what drew him in. However, have you ever tried to find orecchiette at the local grocery store? Ha, that was an adventure. Two grocery stores later, we came home with a $5 pound of imported pasta from Italy. This better be good.

Luckily, the dish was very tasty and we both enjoyed it. The pasta was almost doughy like a small dumpling. I’m sure this recipe would work well with other pasta shapes too; maybe medium shells? I doubled the recipe for company without any issues. I would recommend serving this with a simple grilled chicken.

Adapted from Food Network: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
6 oz. dried orecchiette pasta
2 cups Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), chopped
1 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook per the package instructions, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the salad greens with the sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Parmesan. Top with warm pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens.

3. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired, and serve.

The Facts
3 Servings

Menu Plans 08-02-10

Better late than never! :)

Monday - Home-made Lasagna at Joanne's
Tuesday - Sweet Chili Pulled Chicken, Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese
Wednesday - Sweet and Spicy Shrimp, Yellow Rice, Roasted Broccoli
Thursday - Trivia @ Smokey Bones
Friday - Dinner Out

Pasta with Herbed Goat Cheese

This was a super easy and delicious side dish. I’ve been enjoying goat cheese in my salads and at restaurants a lot recently so when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I simplified the recipe by omitting the sautéed tomatoes. While I’m sure they would add a lot of flavor – one less pan to clean was kind of nice! I would easily make this again as a simple side to complement some grilled chicken or steak. I halved the recipe below and it was plenty for the two of us.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta
3 oz garlic and herb-flavored goat cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add goat cheese, salt, pepper and broth to pasta; stir until well blended.

The Facts
6 Servings