'bonzo pasta

There's nothing like whole wheat pasta, tomato sauce, lots of garlic and basil. Especially when I need a carbo-boost and know it's going to be a long night.

Adding a smattering of chickpeas into the mix included a healthy touch to a standard recipe. I wasn't the BIGGEST fan of the chickpea/pasta combination, but I'll sacrifice some odd texture for some vitamins for the time being.

I also love shell pasta because it reminds me of the beach and has a great texture. Of course, I haven't been to the beach in ages, but a girl can dream... right?

Recipe: (Martha Stewart - http://www.marthastewart.com/316437/pasta-with-chickpea-tomato-sauce)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 cups cooked chickpeas
Coarse salt
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 sprig fresh basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
12 ounces medium pasta shells
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds (do not brown). Add chickpeas, season with salt, and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has reduced slightly, 20 minutes. Add basil, and cook 5 minutes more. Remove basil.

While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.

Add sauce to pasta, and toss. Serve with Parmesan, and garnish with torn basil.

Cobb done right

I love Cobb salads, probably because they are really bad for you. Loaded with cheese, eggs, bacon... they have it all! The term "salad" becomes really misleading when what you're eating is mostly meat and cheese.

I tried a healthier version today, Martha's Lighter Cobb Salad. I substituted Morning Star fake bacon (which turned out to be COMPLETELY delicious) and omitted the turkey and the egg.

The dressing was WOW and the salad was filling. I have plenty of leftovers for my healthy lunch tomorrow. So all in all... a success!

Recipe: (Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

3 slices bacon
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
Coarse salt
2 heads Boston lettuce (1 pound total), torn into bite-size pieces
6 ounces deli turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and diced
4 large hard-cooked egg whites, chopped
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced

Directions

In a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium, turning occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, and drain. Break into bite-size pieces.

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, and vinegar. Gently fold in blue cheese; season with salt, and set dressing aside.

Place lettuce in a large bowl; arrange bacon, turkey, tomatoes, egg whites, and avocado on top. Serve salad with dressing alongside.

Cook's Note

To maximize the impact of a modest amount of blue cheese, fold it into a creamy dressing (with low-fat buttermilk and light mayo) instead of sprinkling it on top.

Cooking with olives!

I love olives, but as I am currently broke they somehow seem like a bit of a luxury today if all I am going to do is snack on them.

So today I came up with the perfect excuse to buy a jar of olives: a fantastic recipe that had olives in it. Martha's Tomato and Olive Penne was surprisingly flavorful given the limited ingredients in the recipe. I used whole wheat pasta, so overall this was really healthy (and low in carbs!).

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound penne, or other short pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2/3 pound (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.
   
3. Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.
   
   From: http://www.marthastewart.com/341000/tomato-and-olive-penne
   

Eggplant parm, with a catch...

... it's healthy!

Eggplant parmesan has always been one of my splurge foods. The combination of cheese, tomato sauce and breading is absolutely perfect. What's not to love?

Sadly, the breading part of the whole eggplant parmesan situation is really not that good for you... at all. And I have been *trying* to eat better, even if I'm not always successful. Thankfully, Martha had a solution to my eggplant parmesan cravings: a Lighter Eggplant Parmesan. Of course, tons of cheese isn't going to be SUPER healthy, but I think I get some bonus points for at least trying. Right?

Martha's recipe was simple. I baked slices of eggplant (I got a mini-eggplant at my local market: adorable, and the perfect size for just me!) in the oven at 450 with olive oil, for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I mixed together the sauce: non-fat Greek yogurt (substituted for skim milk because I didn't have any milk in the fridge), whole wheat flour (substituted for white flour), marinara sauce and garlic. I cooked this on the stove for a few minutes so it would thicken.

Finally, I stacked eggplant and sauce, starting with marinara, and then alternating eggplant and the pink sauce. I topped with plenty of mozzarella and parmesan. After 10 or so minutes in the oven, I was done!

While it certainly wasn't the breaded, fatty eggplant I was used to, this recipe made an excellent substitute that was still delicious!

Recipe (from http://www.marthastewart.com/263749/lighter-eggplant-parmesan):


Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (2 pounds), sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup homemade or best-quality store-bought marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange eggplant on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush eggplant on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning slices and rotating sheets halfway through.
   
2. Meanwhile, make sauce: Off heat, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup milk, flour, and garlic. Gradually whisk in remaining 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until pink sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
   
3. Spread cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Alternate layers of baked eggplant with pink sauce. Dollop with remaining cup marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake on upper rack until browned and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.
   

Avacados are yummmm

Note: I will post details later but if I don't go to sleep now, I feel like my my body will kill me. It's just one of those weeks...

http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/quinoa-and-corn-salad-with-pumpkin-seeds?backto=true

Recipe

Ingredients

 Serves 4

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained (about 4 Cups cooked)
• 2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
• 1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Sea salt
• 1 medium head red-leaf lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried, small inner leaves reserved for future use
• 2 ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut in thin wedges
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Bring 2 3/4 cups water to boil in a small saucepan and stir in the quinoa and some salt. Return to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, place corn kernels on top of quinoa, cover pan, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir corn into quinoa, remove from pan, and spread out on baking sheet to cool for about 20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, oil, and salt to taste; set aside.
3. Place cooled quinoa and corn, red pepper, cucumber, scallions, jalapeno, and cilantro in large bowl. Add 1/2 cup dressing (or more to taste) and salt to taste; mix until combined.
4. Place large lettuce leaves side by side in a circle around a large serving platter so the curly tops extend just beyond the platter rim. Mound quinoa salad in center.
5. Arrange tomato, avocado, and lime around quinoa on top of leaves. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over salad. Serve immediately or hold briefly at room temperature. Per serving: 643 calories; 17 g protein; 34 g fat; 76 g carb; 13 g fiber.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Quinoa and Corn Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Comfort pasta

Today seemed like the longest day of my life. Maybe it's because it's Monday or because when I left my apartment this morning, March 28th, aka almost April, it felt like 17 degrees. My Lilacism-colored nails are seriously a joke at this point - so much for getting a spring color.

Needless to say, after staring at a calendar for 8 hours and then dissecting a week-old formalin covered fetal pig's urinary system I was ready for something comforting. For me, that has always been pasta. I haven't made pasta in months, a testament to my attempt at keeping to my pre-diabetic diet. But today, it was time.

I chose Martha's Perfect Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce, the perfect, filling guilty pleasure for such a rough day. And it was easy.

I decided to add some eggplant to mix it up a little (emphasis on little), so I started by sauteing that with plenty of garlic and olive oil. After the eggplant was soft, I added in half a can of whole tomatoes and an overripe beefsteak tomato. I let the sauce simmer and the tomatoes soften.

I heated up water on the stove and started some pasta - I decided on penne instead of spaghetti. Once the pasta was ready, I strained it an combined with the sauce. Naturally, I added tons of Parmesan as well, the perfect condiment for the perfect comfort food.

I have to say that this day ended better than it started, with Sex and the City, a glass of Malbec and forkfulls of penne with tomato sauce. Fantastic.

Recipe (from http://www.marthastewart.com/317794/perfect-spaghetti-with-tomato-sauce):

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 pounds baby pear tomatoes (or cherry or vine-ripened tomatoes), or one 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
• 8 ounces thin, best-quality spaghetti
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, cut into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, loosely packed and torn
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, optional

Directions

1. In a tall stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil.
   
2. If using pear tomatoes, wash and stem. If using vine-ripened tomatoes, score bottoms with a small X; blanch 5 seconds in boiling water. Plunge tomatoes into an ice-water bath, then remove the skins. Using a chef's knife, cut flesh from cores, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips; place in a sieve set over a bowl. Press the cores of tomatoes through sieve; discard seeds. If using canned tomatoes, strain, and pass through a food mill.
   
3. Drop spaghetti into boiling water; stir. Cook until al dente, about 11 minutes, according to package instructions.
   
4. Place a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat; add oil. Add garlic to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add red-pepper flakes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until garlic is medium golden, about 1 minute.
   
5. Increase heat to high. Tilting pan at an angle, add tomatoes. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down, pear tomatoes begin to burst, or canned tomatoes begin to thicken, 5 to 6 minutes. If using pear tomatoes, mash a few with a spoon. If pear tomatoes start to get too dry, add a little water from the stockpot.
   
6. Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup liquid in case sauce gets too dry. Add pasta to sauce in saute pan; cook until sauce begins to cling to pasta, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in basil; cook 30 seconds more. Divide among bowls, and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.
   

Pizza, pizza!

Yet another thing I miss and I have been trying to replace: pizza. Nothing compares to the fantastic Dominos pizza topped with pineapple my roommate and I used to get around once a week. I have gone without for way to long, and I didn't know how much longer I could make it. I was about to break.

So tonight, I made pizza. Healthier pizza, yes, but pizza all the same.

I found Martha's Pita Pizza recipe and was immediately hungry. And it was all homemade, which means I could successfully make that very thing I had been craving in a matter of minutes... in my own kitchen.

For the sauce, I started by sauteing yellow onion and garlic for a few minutes in olive oil. I then added roughly chopped whole canned tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano (I skipped the bay leaf and basil because I forgot to get them... oops!). I let this simmer for around 30 minutes until the sauce was nice and thick.

I spread the sauce over two whole wheat pitas, right out of the freezer. I sprinkled plenty of mozzarella and red bell pepper on top and popped it in the oven at 350 degrees.

After 20 minutes, I had delicious, healthy pizza that I could eat right here in my bed. And that I did... totally worth the tomato stains that are now all over my comforter.

Recipe

Ingredients

 Makes 48 wedges

• FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
• 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• One half 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• FOR THE PIZZA
• 4 whole-wheat pita breads (each 7 1/2 inches)
• 1 yelllow bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
• 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
• FOR THE GARNISH
• Fresh basil, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic are browned, about 4 minutes. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, chopped tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick, about 35 minutes.
2. Assemble the pizzas: Arrange pita breads on two baking sheets. Spread about 6 tablespoons tomato sauce on each. Scatter strips of yellow bell pepper on top, and then sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven, and bake the pizzas until the peppers begin to wilt and the mozzarella has melted, about 20 minutes. Remove the pizzas from the oven, and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with basil, and cut each pita pizza into 12 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Pita Pizza

Sucka?! Moussaka!

I embarked on a journey this evening. A journey that culminated in moussaka.

Moussaka, from the Greek and Arabic meaning "chilled" (aaah, college flashback!), is a fabulously delicious dish combing multiple of my favorite things: cheese, tomatoes and eggplant. Can we collectively say... "Yum!" As it turns out, moussaka is not so easy to make. I started at circa 8pm and it is currently 11pm. and I am FINALLY eating.

I decided on Martha's healthy moussaka recipe as I am still attempting to (roughly) keep to my strict pre-diabetic diet. Instead of loads of cheese, the recipe uses just 1/4 cup of Parmesan and a cup of non-fat yogurt (I used Greek yogurt, figuring it would go along well with the recipe), mixed with one full egg and one egg white.

The time consuming aspects were twofold. First, I had to combine onion, nutmeg, cinnamon, canned whole tomatoes and tomato paste (of course, I omitted the meat). This mixture needed to thicken on the stove for an hour. Meanwhile, I prepared the eggplant. I sliced the eggplant in thin slices and smoothed salt on both sides of each slice. Per Martha's instructions, I put each slice in a strainer for an hour, as the juice of the eggplant drained.

After an hour, I rinsed each eggplant slice under cold water. I broiled the eggplant slices for two minutes on each side, marinating with canola oil spray. I removed the sauce from the stove. Next, I layered the ingredients in a pan. Naturally, I don't have a casserole dish, so I used a rimmed pan and blocked off the moussaka with aluminum foil... a bit ghetto but effective. I did one layer of eggplant, then half the tomato sauce, then the rest of the eggplant, then the cheese mixture. I baked this casserole in the oven for around 30 minutes.

FINALLY, I was done. And I have to say it was more than worth it, even though it is super late and I should be in bed by now. There is nothing better than a healthy moussaka that actually tastes good. Fabulous. I'll be bringing the leftovers for lunch for tomorrow, for sure!

Edit: THere were actually a few moments while I was eating this that I said, aloud, "Goodness, this is good." To myself. Alone in my room. It's really that good.

Recipe (from Martha Stewart, marthastewart.com): 
 
Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for eggplant
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
• Olive-oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Drain yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve until thickened, 2 hours or overnight.
2. Place turkey in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to saucepan; cook until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Return turkey to saucepan with tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low; simmer until sauce has thickened, about 1 hour. Remove from heat; stir in chopped parsley; set aside.
3. Preheat broiler. While sauce cooks, cut eggplants into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle with salt on both sides. Place in a colander over a bowl; let stand 1 hour to drain. Discard liquid; rinse each slice under cold running water to remove all salt and juice. Place slices on several layers of paper towels; press out water. Lay dry slices on a clean baking sheet; coat with olive-oil spray; broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn; coat with olive-oil spray; broil until browned, about 2 minutes more. Repeat until all eggplant slices have been broiled; set cooked eggplant aside.
4. Place drained yogurt in a small bowl. Add Parmesan and eggs. Whisk together briskly with a fork; set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Assemble moussaka: Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Cover with half the turkey sauce. Place another eggplant layer, then the remaining turkey sauce.Add a final eggplant layer; cover with reserved yogurt mixture. Bake until mixture is bubbling and top starts to brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a heat-proof surface; let sit until moussaka cools slightly and firms, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares; serve.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Moussaka

Ew, Kale!

I have disliked kale for a long, long time.

This hatred of sorts comes from a single, slightly traumatic kale-related memory. Back when I was in girl scouts, sometime in late elementary school or early high school, my troop had the opportunity to work on a float for the Pasadena Rose Parade. For those of you who don't know what that is here is a summary:  every January 1, in honor of the Rose Bowl, Pasadena (a city in Los Angeles County near where I attended high school) has a parade that features floats made entirely out of plants and flowers; every one of the floats is designed and decorated with a variety of flora and nothing else. Our troop was assigned to work on a Dr. Seuss-themed float, which was awesome. I was pumped. At least until I got my assignment: taking the stickiest glue you can imagine and adhering bunches of kale to one another to create the top of a tree-like feature on the float. Seven or so hours later in the California sun, I was sticky from head to toe, had pieces of kale clinging all over my body, most notably in my hair, and was inundated with the smell of overripe, wilting kale.

From that moment forth, I lived a kale-less existence, by choice.

Today, thanks to Martha, I lifted my kale ban. After all, kale is extremely healthy, loaded with beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin - all good things that I could definitely use.

I decided to make Martha's Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing. Because the kale is raw in this recipe, I wouldn't lose any nutrients by cooking. And it was easy as pie! I chopped up a big bunch of kale, some carrots, and a (green, not yellow, red or orange) pepper. I also added in some grape tomatoes, my favorite vegetable, for good measure.

For the dressing, I got to use my brand-new Cuisinart Food Processor, courtesy of my fantastic mother. I combined olive oil, apple cider vinegar, peanuts, salt and brown sugar and blended away, a process that took less than a minute.

I have to say, the salad was absolutely, positively DELICIOUS. It might be the dressing that made it, but I completely loved this salad. I have lots of leftovers and am definitely bringing this to work for lunch this week. I highly recommend this recipe: healthy, fast and beyond delicious!

Recipe (by Martha Stewart at marthastewart.com):

Ingredients

 Serves 8

• 2 large bunches curly kale, center ribs discarded, very thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups)
• 1 yellow, orange, or red bell pepper
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup salted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup salted peanuts

Directions

1. Toss 2 large bunches curly kale, center ribs discarded, very thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups); 1 yellow, orange, or red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, halved crosswise and thinly sliced lengthwise; and 2 carrots, thinly sliced crosswise, in a large bowl.
2. Puree 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/4 cup salted peanuts, 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in a blender until smooth.
3. Pour dressing over vegetables just before serving. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing - Martha Stewart Recipes

Flounder, just your typical white fish

The closest I have come to making flounder is watching the Little Mermaid. Honestly, I really can't tell the difference between the various white fishes... talapia? sole? flounder? What really is the difference between these different fish species after all, at least as far as taste and texture? Anyone? Bueller?

In any event, I set out to cook some flounder today, if for no other reason than I found flounder in my local grocery and it was relatively inexpensive. That, and Martha had an incredible recipe for it on her website.

In general, I am a fan of anything and everything breaded. Throw some crumbs on a frog, bake it or fry it, and I'll eat it. Naturally, therefore, I was drawn to this recipe for Baked Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes. It looked superbly delicious.

I started out with the plum tomatoes, which I sprinkled with tarragon, olive oil, salt and Splenda (instead of sugar... sounds weird, but tastes fairly normal). I baked these in the oven until they were burned onto the cookie sheet - not Martha's instructions, just my idiocy. The burnt skins pealed off and the tomatoes were cooked just fine; now I just need to scrub burnt remains off the metal sheet.

As I can no longer eat white bread, and don't have a food processor, I resorted to making my own bread crumbs by toasting whole grain Ezekiel bread, which is one of the few breads that is pre-diabetic approved. It's not bad when it's covered with plenty of olive oil/margerine/used in recipes but otherwise tastes like cardboard (A side note: Ezekiel cereal is certifiably disgusting. It has the consistency of mush and even with sugar free syrup and cinnamon has the distinct taste of dirt). I crumbled the bread by hand and mixed with salt and olive oil. I spread the fillet with some Dijon mustard and pressed the breadcrumbs on and stuck the concoction in the oven.

The sauce was simple, I used Spectrum Canola Oil Mayonnaise which is DELICIOUS and much healthier than regular mayo. Canola oil is definitely approved for me and as I am obsessed with mayo, I now use this on everything. To this I added a bit of lemon and some tarragon and let it sit while the fish baked.

The meal was filling and delicious. One thing though: I am not a huge fan of roasted tomatoes, I learned. They were a bit too gushy and sweet and something about it just didn't sit right. I think I'll stick with raw tomatoes from now on...

The Flounder I know and love.

RECIPE (courtesy of Martha Stewart, marthastewart.com)

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for one of the baking sheets
• 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• pinch sugar
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 slices white sandwich bread (about 1 ounce each), torn into large pieces
• 4 flounder fillets (1 1/2 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon oil, teaspoon tarragon, sugar, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange tomatoes cut side up. Roast on lower rack until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Keep oven on for fish.)
2. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, remaining 1/2 teaspoon tarragon, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with oil. In a food processor, place bread, a pinch each salt and pepper, and remaining tablespoon oil; pulse until fine crumbs form.
4. Lay fillets flat on prepared baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Spread top sides with mustard; sprinkle with bread crumbs, pressing to adhere. Bake on upper rack until fish is cooked through and crumbs are browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with tomatoes and sauce.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Baked Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes - Martha Stewart Recipes

Quinoa - hard to spell, easy to make

It was just one of those days when I wasn't in the mood to do anything fancy or difficult. It was a long weekend, and I was in desperate need of some R&R and some healthy food.

Quinoa was the perfect anecdote for my case of the blahs. Simple to make and loaded with just the right kind of nutrients, quinoa  is a complex carbohydrate, which, as I've learned, is the good kind of carb.

I hunted for a simple quinoa recipe, and Martha came through with a salad I could make in a couple of minutes flat, Quinoa Salad with Cucumber.

I cooked up the quinoa in a sauce pan with water; this took all of 15 minutes before the grain was nice and soft. I cut up some cucumber and added that and grape tomatoes in for good measure. It was as simple as that! I topped the salad off with lemon juice and ended up with a fabulous, filling Saturday lunch.

RECIPE

Ingredients

Serves 6
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
Coarse salt
1 small shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

- Bring water, quinoa, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer until tender and water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet, and let cool on a wire rack.
- Combine shallot, vinegar, and red-pepper flakes in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil until emulsified.
- Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, and stir in cucumber, parsley, and vinaigrette. Season with salt.

You say chickpea, I say garbanzo

Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans (and a few other aliases), have definitely never been on my list of food cravings. I guess it's because I just really don't like their texture - mushy but somehow grainy at the same time. And they always seem so bland! No matter what dressing I apply to them, they resist all attempts at flavoring.

But they're so good for you! How can I not eat them now?

Two cups of chickpeas contains a person's entire daily value of fiber, much of it insoluble fiber, which is excellent for digestion. They are also loaded with vitamins and nutrients - protein, folate, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium (which is emphasized on my pre-diabetic diet), iron and zinc. Suffice to say, chickpeas need to become my best friend.

I decided that a salad would provide an excellent reintroduction for me to garbanzos, my former enemy turned best friend. Martha had a fabulous Mediterranean Chickpea Salad that I knew would totally fit the bill.

Although Martha soaked and cured the garbanzos herself, I opted to buy them canned, a lazy-person's version of chickpeas. I combined these with generous portions of garlic, yellow pepper, cucumber, carrots, grape tomatoes, and chopped parsley. I also decided to add in some brown rice for a more filling salad and some spinach simply because I had some left over and I didn't want it to go bad. I finished the salad off with balsamic and olive oil, my favorite healthy, go to, dressing.

Will all the other ingredients, I hardly noticed that I was eating chickpeas. And I have to admit, I really love this salad. It is a perfect mix of crunchy and colorful! I made plenty of it and plan on eating this for lunch a few days this week.

Pre-Diabeat this

I got some blood work done last week and got some surprising news... I'm pre-diabetic. Naturally, I jumped right past the "pre" to the "diabetic" and had a minor freak out which has lasted me until today. Essentially, having pre-diabetes means that I am on my way to diabetes, but that with proper nutrition and exercise, I can stop the progression.

"Proper nutrition" means only healthy carbohydrates, no flour and minimal amounts of bread or any kind of leavened substance. The good thing about having this blog is that I can adapt Martha's recipes to met my new dietary needs, which I'm sure will be a new challenge and adventure; I can't wait to try baking with wheat flour and egg substitutes.

For day 1 of my new diet, I decided brown rice would be a fantastic, healthy option and a great substitute for the white carbs I am used to eating. And, as luck would have it, my awesome grandmother just sent me a rice cooker!

Martha had a fantastic recipe for brown-rice salad with spinach and tomatoes that seemed like it would meet all of my dietary rules. I cooked up some brown rice and in my brand new rice cooker. I let it cool for a bit, and then mixed the rice with garlic, cucumber, spinach and cherry tomatoes. I topped it off with olive oil and vinegar (I used balsamic instead of red wine).

I am truly surprised at how much I enjoyed this! It was filling, and the garlic added some interesting flavor. Plus, once the rice was made, preparation was a sinch.

RECIPE: (courtesy of Martha Stewart from marthastewart.com)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

DIRECTIONS:
 
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, dill, garlic, and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add rice, cucumber, spinach, and tomatoes; toss to combine.

Penne penne penne

I am starting my foray into cooking with definite baby steps. Nothing that requires fancy appliances or culinary skills... those challenges are a goal for a future me equipped with plenty of Martha experience and maybe a few extra hours in the day.

For now, a simple pasta with vegetables is a nice, safe, place to start. While I have tackled some bigger projects over the past two weeks, I welcome a return to the basics.

Martha's penne alla norma was just what the doctor ordered. One of the best things about Martha's recipes and, more importantly, her message, is that homemade is possible... for everyone. Even when you have been at work since eight, headed straight from there to biology lab, in which you spent three hours talking endlessly about plant biology (xylem and phloem, xylem and phloem - so important to know all the intimate details!), you can still come home and, after a few minutes, have a home-cooked meal with just a little sprinkling of Martha on the side.

But back to the penne. The order of the day was onions, garlic, eggplant, plum tomatoes (a little mushy and with some moldy bits after a week or so in the fridge), tomato paste, and a splash of olive oil. I omitted the red pepper and fresh basil, because, after all, it's a Monday and it was just one of those days where the required ingredients weren't magically in my fridge.

I topped my serving with a spoonful of ricotta cheese, which, it turns out, I don't really like. I feel like ricotta cheese is the bastard child of the cheese family - it tastes like nothing with a faint aftertaste of gross. For future helpings (thankfully, I have plenty of leftovers for lunch this week), I will be topping with mozarella, the favorite niece of the cheese family, instead.

Overall, this penne was fast, edible, and healthy. A perfect recipe for an imperfect Monday.

Sick day... again

It probably is not shocking to anyone that I am still sick. As much as I wish this was a 24-hour bug, it appears that this cold is here to stay. And, with the added bonus that every time I get up I immediately want to faint, this cold is a doozy.

Naturally, I was in the mood for some soup. While most people crave chicken noodle when they're sick, I always go for a good tomato soup. I love tomatoes and can seriously eat them any time, any day. Tomato soup is a particular favorite of mine whether I'm sick or well... especially with tons of cheese.

I decided on Martha's classic tomato soup; I definitely don't have too much experience making soup (read: no experience), so I thought that something with the word "classic" in front of it would be on the easier side. This lack of soup chops, plus my current fainting issue, meant something simple was the order of the day.

And simple, it was. I melted some butter in a pot and added olive oil and half an onion. Once the onion was transparent (yum! I love myself some sauteed onions), I added flour and tomato paste. Then I added some vegetable broth (the recipe called for chicken broth, but I substituted vegetable), canned whole tomatoes, and thyme. It was really therapeutic to squeeze the tomatoes until they popped - a perfect way to let out some energy - and, called for in the recipe. I don't have a blender, as the recipe called for, so the soup was on the chunkier side. Thankfully, this is just how I like it!

But no tomato soup, in my opinion, is complete without cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. Thankfully, I had some ricotta and mozzarella on hand, and once the soup had cooked for 30 minutes, I added my fair share of both.

The highlight of my day was definitely sitting in bed, eating some homemade tomato soup. It definitely did the trick! Warm, filling, and delicious....

West coast best coast, east coast beast coast

It is currently 19 degrees, feels like 10 degrees in New York City. At my home in LA it is 57 degrees, feels like 57 degrees. It is moments like this when I wonder what in the world I was thinking moving so far east to the frigid temperatures, snow storms and, yes, wintry mix.

Today, I was in the mood from some good old fashioned California food. And, as always, Martha had just the thing - West Coast Grilled Vegetable Pizza. Nothing like an avocado to bring me back to the warmth and comfort of home.

The result was delicious and satisfying, as well as simple to make. I stuck some pizza crust into the oven and baked it for a bit and then took it out and added sliced goat cheese (so fantastic!), plum tomatoes, and scallions. I burnt the bottom of the pizza, again... I really need to figure out how to prevent this from happening!

Once the pizza cooked a bit, I then chopped up some avocado and mixed it with spinach and vinegar (I used balsamic, although Martha recommended red wine). The avocados here on in NY are not nearly as good as the fantastic, right-off-the-branch avocados in California. This, compounded by the fact that my avocado wasn't completely ripe, was slightly disappointing.

Despite all these factors, and the fact that I didn't actually grill the pizza, it was still amazing and something I'll definitely make again!