Good Housekeeping’s Shrimp and Squash Orzo Recipe

My little sister Gabi recommended this recipe to me after she made it and omg omg is it yummy!! I loved it so much that I made it twice in two weeks. 🙂 The second time I added a bag of fresh spinach that I had in my fridge and in addition to adding some extra nutrition it tasted delicious! This recipe is fabulous for leftovers too…portion it into individual tupperwares, pop in the fridge, and grab one on the way to work or heat up for dinner.

Here is the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 package(s) (20-ounce) peeled and trimmed butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 medium (8- to 10-ounce) onion, finely chopped
• 3  fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
•  Salt
•  Pepper
• 1 pint(s) grape tomatoes
• 1 pound(s) (16- to 20-count) shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper (ground red pepper)
• 2 cup(s) (12 ounces) whole-wheat orzo
• 2 ounce(s) goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In 18-by 12-inch jelly-roll pan, combine squash, onion, sage, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss until evenly coated. Roast 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and roast 15 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, heat covered 4-quart covered saucepan of water to boiling on high. In medium bowl, combine shrimp, cayenne, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil until well mixed. Add to pan with vegetables and roast 7 to 9 minutes or until shrimp just turn opaque throughout.
4. Add orzo to boiling water and cook as label directs. Drain and return to saucepan. Add goat cheese, vegetables, shrimp, accumulated pan juices, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir until well combined.

roasted veggies & shrimp

Recipe Source: Good Housekeeping

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Pesto Pizza with Spinach and Mushrooms

Lately I have been making a lot of pizza…boboli makes it so easy with their yummy pizza crusts and once you top them you just need to bake them for 8-10 minutes…dinner in an instant which is what I love! The other night I put together this yummy pizza with ingredients in my fridge…and it was DELICIOUS! I will definitely be making it again soon!

Ingredients:

• 1 boboli 8 inch pizza crust
• Basil pesto
• Fresh spinach (washed)
• Mushrooms, washed, sliced, and uncooked
• Fresh garlic (just put a little since there is already lots in the pesto…I love garlic so I always include it in here but if you are not a garlic lover feel free to skip it)
• Mozzarella cheese
• Feta cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place pizza crust on a cookie sheet. Top pizza with pesto, garlic (and spread it into the pesto), spinach, and mushrooms. Drizzle olive oil over the mushrooms since they are going on uncooked.
• Top with cheeses, sat, and pepper.
• Place in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Note: I didn’t put specific amounts of ingredients since you can really put as much as you like of anything on the pizzas. To each their own! 🙂

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Quick, Fresh, and Healthy Pizzas

I have been craving pizza lately but I feel like when I order it in or go out it is so unhealthy. So tonight I decided to make my own healthy pizza! I love the boboli crusts because you just throw all your topping on, pop it in the oven, cook for 8-10 minutes, and it’s all done and ready to eat! This is a fun thing to make with a lot of people since the pizzas are personal size so everyone can make theirs to their liking. Tonight I used some fresh and healthy ingredients that I had in my fridge…tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and of course cheese. It was so yummy and I can’t wait to make it again soon!

Ingredients:

• 1 boboli pizza crust (8 inches)
• Mozzarella cheese
• Feta cheese
• Fresh spinach
• Fresh tomatoes
• Fresh garlic
• Tomato sauce of choice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Note: For all the ingredients just use as much as desired! 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place pizza crust on a cookie sheet. Top with tomato sauce, spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, feta, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Place in the oven to cook for 8-10 minutes until cheese starts to brown and bubble.

Enjoy!!!

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Summer Salmon Pasta Salad

We have been having such a hot summer and the last thing that I want is to make something hot for dinner. I made this pasta salad the other night and it was light, healthy, and delicious. The best part was all of the leftovers- I think I got at least 4 meals out of it! I love the crunchiness of the veggies and knowing how healthy it is with the salmon and whole wheat pasta. It would be a fabulous side to bring to a BBQ or party!

Ingredients:

• 2 5oz. cans salmon (in water)
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/ 2 cup mayonnaise
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• 1 lb. whole wheat pasta

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, mix together all other ingredients.
3. When pasta finishes cooking, drain and let cool. Gently mix in other ingredients and put in the fridge to chill before serving.

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Salmon with Hawaiian Marinade and Pineapple

I love love love salmon and have been craving it lately so decided to make it tonight for dinner. I was planning to make rice and steamed spinach with it but it has been so hot that I ended up just making it into a salad with the spinach, which was light, healthy, delicious, and VERY nutritious. I found this yummy marinade made by Lawry’s and they have so many different kinds that I bought a few. I can’t wait to test them all out since this one was so yummy!

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillets (as many as you are cooking)
• Lawry’s Hawaiian style marinade
• Pineapple (I use the little Dole cups in 100% real fruit juice)
• Olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drizzle olive oil in a baking dish so salmon does not stick to it. Place salmon fillets in and pour marinade over. I use about a 1/4 cup of marinade for every 2 fillets but definitely use more/less if you want to. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes and then top with the pineapple (and juice from the fruit cup). Put in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until salmon is cooked through.

Serve with rice, veggies, or over spinach leaves and with balsamic vinaigrette (and any other veggies and toppings that you like) like I did tonight!

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Asian Glazed Salmon

I was looking for a recipe for this kind of salmon and couldn’t find one so I did what I usually do- I made one up! I combined all of the ingredients that I wanted in my glaze and it turned out really yummy! To be honest I was a little scared since it was just guessing what would sound good and in what proportions but it was delicious and I cannot wait to make it again.

Here is the recipe!

Serves: 2

• 1 lb. fresh salmon

For the glaze:

• 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. golden brown sugar
• 1 little packet of soy sauce (the kind you get from a Japanese restaurant… I’m assuming it’s about 1 tsp.)
• Juice of 1/4 of a lemon

Sides (all are optional, choose what you like or add your favorites)

• Brown rice
• Veggies of choice (I used asparagus and mushrooms but I thought bok choy would be really good for next time)
• Squid salad or seaweed salad (I picked this up at an Asian market and it complimented the meal really well)
• Olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. While oven is preheating, prepare the glaze. Just put all of the glaze ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and mix it all together! It’s as easy as that. You can add more/less of any of the glaze ingredients based on your preferences.
3. Drizzle olive oil in a baking pan and place salmon in it.
4. Pour glaze evenly over salmon and put in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, until salmon is fully cooked through.
5. While salmon is cooking, start rice and veggies. I used little individual packs of brown rice that are pre-cooked and you just pop them in the microwave for 90 seconds and then they are ready! I like these because I don’t need TONS of leftover rice and each little container is enough for one serving. You can find them in the grocery store in the rice aisle. I am obsessed with them! For the veggies, I just sauté them in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can start the rice and veggies at the very end since they both cook quickly.

Note: If you have leftover salmon, you can use it the next day in a salmon salad or make a salmon sandwich. Or just make a repeat of the dinner. Enjoy! 🙂 

The glaze!

The full dinner 🙂

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Bagel with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, and Cucumbers

For some reason I was craving this the other night so I decided to make it. 🙂 I usually buy something similar to it at a local bagel shop but I am on a kick of MAKING all of the things that I spend too much money on so I went to the grocery store and then got to work! It was super easy and quick to make and a whole lot cheaper in the long run than what it costs to buy one of them. Now I am obsessed and have eaten several of these in just the last few days for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner! 🙂

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat bagel
• Cream cheese
• Cucumber slices
• Smoked salmon (buy it pre-sliced this makes it MUCH easier!)
• Salt and pepper if desired

Directions:

1. Put bagel in toaster and while it is toasting, slice cucumbers.
2. When bagel is finished toasting, spread cream cheese on it, top with cucumber slices, and then smoked salmon.
3. Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy!

Nutrition info:

• Salmon is FULL of healthy omega 3’s.
• Whole wheat bagels provide healthy fiber.
• Cucumbers are low in calories and provide potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
• Cream cheese is really not GOOD for you, but just use a little. Or use light, low-fat, or fat-free if you like. I like to use the regular kind and I just make sure not to overdo it. 🙂

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Yummy Little Appetizer Plate

This appetizer sampler was inspired by a lot of random things in my refrigerator… another time that my scrounging has led to yumminess! Sometimes I will make this for a little dinner for myself or I will make it for a group if I am entertaining. I didn’t list amounts in the ingredients since you can pretty much just make as much as you need! I love cheese and crackers at any time and the salami is an added yummy factor. Asparagus and proscuitto is a simple appetizer that a lot of people think sounds complicated but it it super easy and quick to prepare. Babybel cheeses are little and fun and they have so many different flavors to choose from: Original, Bonbel, Gouda, and White Cheddar (and I may be forgetting one or two). Try this little appetizer platter and you will wow everyone- yourself included!

Ingredients:

• Your favorite crackers (I like the big round whole wheat ones)
• Sliced deli cheese (I like all kinds but especially Swiss and Cheddar for this)
• Salami
• Prosciutto
• Asparagus
• Babybel cheese (I love all flavors!)
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle olive oil over a large baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut ends off of asparagus and rinse. Pat dry and roll asparagus in oil, salt, and pepper and place on baking sheet. Put in the oven and cook on both sides until it starts to brown (turn it after about 5 minutes but check in on it depending how hot your oven is).
2. While the oven is preheating and asparagus is cooking, work on everything else. 🙂 Cut cheese slices into 4 and assemble salami and cheese onto the crackers. I like the big round crackers since the salami fits perfectly on top (I use Safeway brand whole wheat crackers but I am sure there are a ton of other similar kinds).
3. When asparagus is done cooking, let it cool and then roll it the long way in the prosciutto.
4. Arrange everything on a large serving plate (or you can have a plate for each appetizer if you are making lots of each). Something else fun that I like to do is make a little plate for everyone that I am entertaining but you can do whatever you want to. 🙂

Serve with: White or red wine and/or cocktails. This is a perfect starter for an Italian meal- I used it as my starter for a meal of stuffed shells and Caesar salad and it was a perfect pairing. 🙂

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Quick Leftover Salmon, Brown Rice, and Veggies

The other night I made a yummy salmon salad for dinner and I had another half piece of salmon left over so I wanted to use it up the next night before it went bad. By the time I got around to eating dinner, it was almost 10 o’clock, so I wanted to make something quick. I rummaged around in my cabinets and refrigerator and found a package of pre-cooked brown rice that I had bought out of curiosity as well as some zucchini, summer squash, and mushrooms. Voila, salmon, rice, and veggies! All three of these foods are some of my favorites and it is also a super well balanced meal with the lean protein and omega 3’s in the salmon (can everyone tell I am obsessed with omega 3’s lately? :)), whole grains and fiber in the brown rice, and the vitamins minerals, and fiber in the veggies. This really was an accidental meal but it was so yummy that I know I will make it more often!

P.S. The pre-cooked brown rice was AMAZING. It is going to be my new favorite cabinet staple for when I am making dinner in a hurry! 🙂

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Baked salmon (leftover or fresh)
• 1 package Organics pre-cooked brown rice
• Zucchini, rinsed and sliced (as much as you would like)
• Summer squash, rinsed and sliced (as much as you would like)
• Mushrooms (as much as you would like)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil
• 1 garlic clove

Directions

1. If cooking salmon from fresh, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle olive oil in a small baking pan and place salmon in it. Squeeze lemon juice and season salmon as desired. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until salmon is cooked through. If not cooking salmon from fresh, just heat it in the microwave until it is warmed up.
2. Rinse and chop veggies and sauté in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper until cooked to your desired consistency.
3. Cook rice in microwave according to package directions- it only takes 90 seconds!
4. When everything is finished cooking, assemble meal. Put the rice on the bottom of the plate and top with the veggies and salmon. Enjoy!!

Note: This meal is so yummy and healthy you don’t HAVE to use leftover salmon, you can make it out of fresh cooked salmon too… I know I will! 🙂

Veggies cooking!

My new favorite shortcut!

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Super Healthy Salmon Salad

Yum! This is a meal that I cannot wait to make again! I’ve been really into salads lately, since they are light and healthy and also since summer is coming I am starting to work on my bikini body 🙂 I love to add as many colors into my salads- it makes it look pretty and also the more colors, the more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are in your meal! Salmon is a fabulous addition to the salad because it is full of important omega 3’s that our bodies NEED to stay healthy. I’m not a big meat eater, but I have always loved salmon for its taste as well as the health benefits that it offers. In addition to the omega 3’s in the salmon and avocado, this salad is also full of vitamin C in the tomatoes, red peppers, and mandarin oranges, beta carotene in the carrots and red pepper, and LOTS of fiber in all of the veggies. So eat up and enjoy this super yummy and healthy salad!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• Greens of choice (I use mixed greens, spinach, really whatever appeals to me when I am at the grocery store)
• Carrots
• Snap peas
• Tomatoes
• Red Pepper
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Pine nuts
• Feta cheese
• Mandarin oranges
• Salad dressing of choice (I like Annie’s dressings- balsamic, goddess, honey mustard, they are all yummy!)
• 1/4 lb. baked salmon seasoned with lemon juice and lemon peppers (or your favorite seasonings)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle olive oil in a small baking pan and place salmon in it. Squeeze lemon juice and season salmon as desired. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until salmon is cooked through.
2. Wash and chop veggies and prepare salad while salmon is baking. There are not really specific quantities for the ingredients listed above. I usually just put as much in of everything as I want depending on how hungry I am. Use as much or as little as you would like and feel free to be creative and add different colors, fruits, or veggies to the salad. When salmon is done cooking, let it cool for a few minutes and then flake it over the salad. Drizzle dressing of choice and EAT UP this yummy and guilt free meal!

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