gnocchi with mushrooms and basil

1 package of gnocchi - i used Delverde 1.1lb package
1 package white button mushrooms, chopped roughly but not small
10 basil leaves - rolled and chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
3-4 scallions chopped
olive oil

boil water for your gnocchi
prepare all vegetables by chopping
add olive oil to pan as well as garlic
once garlic starts to cook, add chopped scallions

once the water is boiled add the gnocchi (takes about 2-3 minutes to cook)

then add mushrooms to the mixture, and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often

drain gnocchi and add to mushroom mixture, mix
add basil, stir and cook another minute
serve

Grilled Balsamic-and-Garlic Flank Steak

this was part of a delicious low calorie dinner. we started with a simple mache salad, then had the steak, some mahi mahi with a nice rub, zucchini with roasted red pepper sauce, and jalapeno sweet potatoes.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
One 2 1/2-pound flank steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender, combine the vinegar, oil, garlic and thyme and puree until smooth. In a large glass or ceramic dish, pour the marinade over the steak. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Heat a grill pan (we bbq'd it). Season the steak with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until medium, about 8 minutes per side.

from Food and Wine

banana pecan protein muffin

I'll start by saying - I do not like bananas. They join a long list of foods that my friend Dave Beier can recite offhand, that i do not like in, on, or near my food.



Raul and I have started overhauling our eating, he is prepping for another marathon - and I am changing for a healthier life.

So, I found this recipe in my new favorite cookbook The Best of Clean Eating, and as usual I edited it a bit. The critics - Rae and Raul, thought they were delish.

The muffins are low in fat and sodium, and contain fiber and protein.

12 egg whites (fyi - 2 liquid tablespoons of egg white equal 1 egg white)
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
2/3 cup high fiber cereal (I found mine at Trader Joe's - the box just said High Fiber Cereal - I chuckled)
2 fresh bananas - mushed
6 tablespoons of low or no sugar apricot jam
dash of vanilla extract
a sprinkling of cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
8 to 12 drops of stevia clear liquid
olive oil cooking spray (i forgot this step )
1 oz raw mashed pecans
1 oz raw chopped pecans (for the top so they look pretty)
aluminum cupcake liners (affects consistency)

— preheat oven to 350
— in a blender mix everything except the cereal and the pecans
— fold the cereal and the mashed pecans into batter (I found the batter to be a little thin so i added more oatmeal, which is included in my ingredients

— line the muffin pans with the aluminum cupcake liners
—spray (i forgot this step )

— use a 1/2 cup measurer to pour the ingredients into the muffin tins
— top with chopped pecans
— bake in middle rack of oven for 30 minutes

roasted cauliflower leek soup

I think this still needs perfecting, but we scarfed this down yesterday. Before you start cutting and washing - preheat your oven to 425 and put a large baking sheet in the oven to warm up.

3 leeks, washed and thickly sliced - white part only - save a little of the green for garnish
4 garlic cloves
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dill
12 teaspoon (more to taste) sea salt, freshly ground pepper
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
3 cups shredded basil
3 tablespoons hot water

While the oven and baking sheet are doing there thing, cut and toss leeks, garlic, and cauliflower with 1 tablesppon of oil, half of the salt and pepper, and all of the dill. If the mixture looks dry you can add more oil - but you probably do not have to. Spread this mixture onto your hot baking sheet and cook in the center of the oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is browned - about 30 minutes total.

Put this mixture into a pot with the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Leeks should be very soft. If you have an immersion blender - put it in the pot and blend while slowly adding the skim milk. If not - blend in small batches in food processor, and then stir in milk.

Put basil in blender and add hot water. Puree till smooth. Serve soup in bowls and drizzle with the basil and decorate with some of the darker green ends of the leeks.

I edited this recipe from The Best of Clean Eating cookbook. It's not 100 percent perfect yet. I am going to combine with a lowfat potato leek recipe I have and see if i come up with perfection.

Enjoy!

mussels puttanesca over brown rice pasta

I was wandering around Whole Foods today looking for some ingredients for the mushroom pate i was going to make and passed by the fish department where they had beautiful looking mussels for $5.99 for a 2 pound bag. I quickly purchased those, and some rice pasta, scallions, and fresh parsley.

I always keep those frozen garlic cubes in my freezer, heated a deep pan, drizzled it with oil and dropped in 3 of the garlic cubes, chopped up a bunch of scallions and sauteed till the garlic was just turning slightly brown. Then i dropped in some puttanesca jarred sauce, added some hot peppers, and the bag of cleaned mussels. Covered and cooked on medium heat for 10 minutes.

In the meanwhile I dumped a bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Squiggly Pasta with Rice Bran into boiling water with a touch of salt, and i cooked for the same 10 minutes.

Drained the pasta, and since the mussels took up the entire deep pan, I poured that mixture into the pasta pot, and heated another few minutes until the pasta had a chance to absorb the sauce.

I chopped up some fresh parsely, and mixed in on top of the pasta and mussels, and served in deep bowls.

Yum. Sorry no pix tonite - I am soooo tired.

goat cheese, sun dried tomato, and dill frittata

Saturday was my husband, Raul's birthday and we celebrated with family on sunday with a brunch. He loves eggs (which I have not eaten since I could say "no") so I decided to try my hand at a frittata - and since my daughter, Sam and my niece, Jamie were both coming and are lactards :) - I made it totally milk free with goat cheese and soy milk. Everyone said it was deelish - I wouldn't know - eggs - not my thing.

12 Eggs
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup soy or regular milk
8 thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes
8 ounces hard goat cheese, cubed

— Heat oven to 350
— Place deep frying pan on stove and heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat - make sure the oil covers the entire pan
— Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper
— Add dill, milk, goat cheese and stir
— Put egg mixture in skillet and cook about 4 minutes
— Place frying pan in oven on middle rack and cook for about 8-12 minutes - until firm - do not burn!
— Slice like a pie and serve!

Brodetto di vongole e porri (Tiny clams in a white wine broth with leeks)

Years ago when our daughter Sam was in kindergarten she had in her class a cute boy named Jon. When she was in 8th grade they were "going out" for about 15 seconds. During that time their little sisters Rae and Liz became friends cause their siblings were "dating". Their friendship turned into the friendship of the parents. Empty nesters that both sets of parents are, we finally arranged time for a date. Dinner at the Rockmore house. I don't think we needed to go beyond this appetizer. It was so deelish that we all scraped the bottom of our bowls. So here is the recipe brought to you by Rae Lynn Ambach and Rand Rockmore.

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch peperoncino (red chili flakes)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
1 cup leeks (medium dice)
1 cup dry white wine
3 pounds tiny clams (manila)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
2 tablespoons parsley (coarsely chopped)
Sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper
6 slices ciabatta/peasant bread crostini (sliced thick; 1 inch by 2 inches by 1/2 inch)
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Wash clams carefully.

Cut leek in half lengthwise and wash carefully to remove all sand and dirt. Cut yet again each half lengthwise, then cut across to obtain medium dice, using only the white and light yellow part of the heart of the leeks.

In a medium saute pan heat the extra-virgin olive oil with the optional butter, leeks and a pinch of peperoncino. Saute over medium heat, being careful not to brown the leeks.

Add the white wine and clams and cover to steam open the clams.

When all the clams are open, remove the lid and reduce all the alcohol from the wine.

Meanwhile, grill the peasant bread and rub with the raw garlic clove, seasoning the bread with sea salt and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Set aside.

Check the seasoning of the clam broth to ensure the alcohol taste is gone.

Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir in remaining optional unsalted butter and chopped parsley.

Serve immediately in soup plates with the grilled crostini and top with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Chef: Paul Bartolotta