Dolphin The Fish aka Mahi Mahi

It's friday nite,  and I didnt put much thought into tonite's dinner. We recently made a trip to Trader Joe's and as always bought some very cool food items. We did purchase some frozen Mahi Mahi Burgers. The ingredient list was pretty natural and healthy. The Nutritional values were also good. One burger is 110 calories, 1 total carbohydrate, 0 sugars and only 5grams of  fat. I thought I would throw them on the grill and whip together some Mango salsa. I posted the recipe for my mango salsa in a previous blog post. I also used some of my Togarashi spice on the Mahi burger to add some heat.  Instead of hamburger rolls I used nice whole wheat Arnold sandwhich thins and toasted the thins on the grill.  Topped the burger with the Mango salsa and done. I made a delicious  salad of Arugula, sliced red onion, garden tomatoes and some strawberries I had. I wanted a nice lite dressing so I made a Mango/Orange Chili vinaigrette. I have this great Mango Chili vinegar also from Trader Joe's.

Mango Chili Vinaigrette

1/2 cup mango chili vinegar

1-2 tbs olive oil

splash of orange juice ( I use the 50% less calories and sugar )

salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Using my Braun handmixer I added the olive oil to the vinegar in a slow and steady stream so it would emulsify. Or you can whisk it until it emulsifies.  It is a nice lite vinaigrette to add to any summer salad. If I hadnt of used red onion in my salad, I would have added half a chopped shallot to the vinaigrette. It was a nice lite summer supper. There was some juice from the strawberries that I added to the vinaigrette at the last minute. I tossed the salad with the dressing before serving. Just enough dressing to coat the greens but not too much to drown them. I try to eat fish twice a week. Mahi, Halibut, Tuna  and Chilean Sea Bass are among my favorite fish. I like many others but for some reason I never tire of eating these.  The Dolphin Fish as Mahi Mahi is known, is one pretty, colorful yet weird looking fish.  We used to get fresh whole Mahi's delivered a couple times a week when I worked on Fire Island.  Thank goodness for me, the other Chef would pretty much filet it, all I had to do was prepare it and cook it. I think I ate Mahi several times a week my first summer living and working on Fire Island. The second summer there I ate Lobster just as often! LOL It was a good life! and I ate not only well but healthy too!

Turkey Sausage and Arugula Pasta

I have been doing alot of reading about Diabetes, Healthy Eating and Healthy Living.  I subscribed to a couple of really good Diabetic and Healthy Lifestyle websites to get daily newsletters. I purchased 2 amazing magazines that I am asking for subscriptions to for my birthday. Clean Eating and Diabetic Living. Cant wait to get them! Thanks Mom!! I even bought a Diabetic cookbook. To change my lifestyle I have to change some of my cooking techniques. I am driven to find alternative ways to cook and eat the foods I love. Being a Chef also gives me the benefit of loving most foods and training and want to be creative. I have put together a new binder of recipes and culinary information that will help my Diabetes and change of lifestyle. One of the newsletters I get has a daily recipe that usually sounds pretty awesome. I am vowing to make at least one recipe, from assorted resources, a week. I am also going to work on taking my own recipes and making them healthier and Diabetic friendly. This weeks found recipe,  I added the crushed red pepper to spice things up a bit, and I changed some of the preparation to make it easier. I love Arugula's peppery taste, but you can substitute another green if you prefer.

Turkey Sausage and Arugula Pasta

Ingredients:

12 oz whole wheat pasta ( I used bowties )

1 package Turkey Italian or Hot sausage ( there were 6 links )

3 cloves garlic (chopped )

8 cups arugula

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes ( cut in half )

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated or shredded

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup pasta water reserved

Cook pasta according to package directions. While Pasta is cooking, Cook turkey sausage in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. I actually cook mine in some water first until its mostly cooked thru, then remove any excess water from skillet and brown the sausage whole. Remove from pan, slice sausage to bite size pieces on an angle. Put back in skillet and brown on both sides. This will also insure that the turkey is cooked fully. Add 1 tsp olive oil and add garlic, 1 tsp crushed red pepper,  and tomatoes to turkey. Add all the arugula and let cook on medium heat until tomatoes break down and arugula wilts. About 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.  Drain pasta but remember to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water,  and add directly to sausage and tomato pan. Add 1/2 cup pasta water, salt and pepper and combine. Drizzle 1 tbs olive oil and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and serve. It was delicious! Again with this recipe you can switch things up a bit. Use grilled chicken, basil instead of arugula and thai red chilis instead of crushed red pepper and you have a Thai inspired dish. This recipe serves 6 and each serving is under 400 calories. Its easy and quick. Hope you try it and enjoy it!

Chili Today and Hot tonite

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down? Not today though. Its a cool, rainy 71degrees here in Hauppauge NY. Thats a pleasure for me since I have not really enjoyed our hot and sunny summer. No beach and no pool. I cant wait until Autumn is here and the weather warrants an open window and a sheet at night.  And,  upon weighing myself this morning after a week of watching what I was eating and trying to choose the healthier items, I lost 3 lbs. A far cry from last time gaining 2.5 lbs after following the Nutritionist's instructions.  I needed to see a couple of pounds lost just to give me the confidence and the incentive to keep doing the right thing. 3lbs isnt The Biggest Loser numbers, but its a ton in my eyes.  Deciding that I could do another week of watching what I eat and making good choices I decided to make some Turkey Chili with the ground turkey I took out last nite.  I dont normally like eating chili or soups and stews in the summertime, but today is not feeling much like a summer day. Hearty bowl of some Turkey chili and some brown rice sounds tasty and filling to me.

Chef Michele's Turkey Chili
1 lb ground turkey
1 med onion diced
3 med size peppers- any color- I like yellow red AND green ( gives nice color to the chili )
2 small yellow squash- seeds removed and small diced
1 clove garlic chopped
2 cans White cannellini beans rinsed and drained
1 tsp cumin
2 tbs unsweetened cocao  or 2 tbs cocoa chili powder spice
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
1 large can diced tomatoes ( I used Pomi in the carton )
1/2 tsp sea or kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small jalepeno chili ( diced small with seeds and vein removed )

In a saute pan, in 1 tbs of olive oil or canola oil, brown ground turkey until lightly golden.  Set aside. In a saucepan, add 1 tsp oil ( olive or veg ) and saute onions and garlic until translucent. About 5 min. Add diced peppers, yellow sqash, beans, tomatoes,jalepeno and spices. Stir well. Cook on very low for about an hour. It will cook down alot. Taste and season accordingly. I prefer a spicier chili so I may add more chili powder. I let this sit on the stove for a couple of hours at a very low temperature. The flavors meld together and concentrate as the chili cooks down. With Turkey you need to season the meat more than other meats. Experiment! Add things you like or just want to try. Try adding some corn and some chicken stock and make a turkey chili soup. Cocao is a secret ingredient of mine. Chocolate and Chili's go together sooo well. The sweet offsets the spicy hot of the chili. Mmmm. Serve the chili with homemade tortilla chips instead of brown rice. Cut up tortillas into triangular slices and bake in oven at 350degrees for a few minutes until golden brown. If you can afford the carbs, serve the chili in a hot bread bowl. You can buy a small sourdough or even a whole wheat round loaf, slice the top off and take out the soft bread from inside. Serve the chili inside the bowl. I will probably do that when the cold weather comes. Will have to find a whole wheat bread or make my own. So many possibilities. Pick a cool nite and I guarantee you will be toasty warm!
PS- I am trying to find a new sign off that suits me..any ideas will be greatly appreciated and considered! LOL but until then......Life is full of tasty morsels..try some!

"Gremo lata" flavor

Eating Healthy can be a little work. Flavorful foods and new ideas isnt always easy for anyone, including a chef. Planning ahead makes it a little less daunting. I will continue to stress organization and preparation is key in any kitchen. A well stocked freezer, pantry and refrigerator can be a big help. Nothing is easier than going into the freezer and chosing your meat or fish. Pantry items such as rice, couscous, quinoa, pasta or potatoes always handy is a good thing. Fresh vegetables in the refrigerator, the Best! Fresh herbs in pots outside, Awesome!! I like preparing or at least knowing what I want to prepare ahead of time. So last nite, I went into the freezer and chose some frozen talapia that we had on hand. Fish once or twice a week is great for high protein low calorie dinners. This morning I decided to make the Tilapia with a "Gremolata Crust". Gremolata is an italian mixture of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Perfect for fish.  Its fresh, light and tasty.

Gremolata :

1 lemon zested and juiced

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

2 cloves of garlic crushed

4 (4oz) peices of tilapia, cod  or any other white fish is good

2 tsp coarse mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Finely grate the zest and squeeze the juice from one of the lemons. Mix the zest with the breadcrumbs, parsley, and garlic. Reserve the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spray an oven proof pan with cooking spray and place the fish in. Spread the mustard evenly over the top of the fish, then sprinkle on the lemon juice. Spoon the breadcrumb mixture over the fish and press down lightly. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake until flakey and topping is crisp, about 20 min. ( depending on thickness of fish ).

My starch for this meal is a Tabouli wheat salad. I am making it according to the directions on the box but I am adding some roasted tomatoes. I already cut up some heirloom cherry tomatoes, tossed them in some black lava sea salt, pepper and olive oil. I roasted them on a sheet pan for about 20 min. at 400 degrees. It will give the tabouli salad some extra flavor and veggies! Roasted Asparagus with a splash of lemon will finish off this healthy dinner nicely. Now thats alota flavor! And under 400 calories for the meal,  a 4oz peice of fish, 1/2 cup of tabouli salad and 18 pencil thin asparagus stalks.  and remember.......Bite Me!

Flattened Chicken

Yesterday I made the decision as to what I would be cooking for dinner tonite. Whole Chicken flattened, marinated and grilled. Mmmmmm. First I removed the backbone so I could lay the chicken flat. Its easy to do, you dont need to be a chef with knife skills. Take your  Chef's knife or a santoku ( preferably sharp) and run it down the side of the back bone of the chicken. Do this to both sides. When you have it removed, put the chicken skin side up on a cuttng board and press down on the breast bone. You will most likely hear it crack. Now you can lay it into a casserole dish or baking pan to marinate.

Tuscan Marinade:

1/3  cup olive oil

2 tsp lemon zest ( 2 lemons )

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbs minced garlic ( 3 cloves )

1 tbs minced fresh rosemary leaves ( about 3 stalks )

Fresh ground black pepper

sea salt or kosher salt

 Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with sea or kosher salt. Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, with 2 tsps black pepper. Pour over chicken, turning chicken to coat both sides with marinade. Turn a couple of times while marinating. Marinade in refrigerator for minimum of 4 hours to overnite.

When grill is hot, place chicken skin side up on grill. Approximately 20-30  min each side, at a medium temperature, until chickens internal temperature reads 165 degrees. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. cut into quarters. Serve wth some grilled lemon halves.

We are having some red quinoa salad with it. For those of you who dont know quinoa or have ever had it, it is a grain. It has more protein in it than any other grain. It is also higher in unsaturted fats and lower in carbohydrates than most grains and provides a balanced source of nutrients. Its flavor is delicate and a bit bland, it is compared to couscous.  Cooking the quinoa according to the box ( we use chicken or veggie stock to add more flavor ). Small diced red onion, cucumber and  halved heirloom grape tomatoes will be added to it along with some red wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. sprinkle of salt and pepper and yummy!! Round off the meal with some steamed green beans! Healthy, satisfying and delicious! What more can you ask for? And remember.. Bite Me! (  had to go back to it )LOL

Unsweetened Sweets!

Last Christmas I asked for a Cuisinart Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt maker. I have used it a few times, but not as often as I should have. Today I decided I was going to make a frozen treat for dessert. I had a large bag of frozen mixed berries in the freezer and last weekend when I went food shopping, I picked up some plain low fat yogurt thinking about making some frozen yogurt.

Mixed Berry Frozen Yogurt
12oz bag frozen mixed berries( set aside 1/2 cup berries for later) ...thawed, pureed and strained to remove seeds.
2 cups lowfat plain yogurt ( or vanilla )
1/2 fat free milk
1 tsp sugar substitute if wanted
In mixing bowl, combine yogurt, milk, berry puree and sugar substitute. Mix well. Follow directions for your icecream maker with regards to freezing your bowl. Turn ice cream maker on and pour yogurt berry mixture into freezer bowl through the ingredient spout. Let mix until thickened approximately 25-30 minutes. Optional: 2 hours in freezer to "ripen" ( set up ). Serve and eat! MMmmmm delicious! Note: the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar. Being Diabetic now I will not add sugar to this kind of dessert. I did add some splenda, but only to cut some of the tartness of the berries.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

We dont have to sacrifice taste to eat healthier. We just need to be creative, improvise and add herbs or spices to add flavor. Mom mentioned she bought an Eggplant and mentioned she felt like having Eggplant Parmesan. So sunday morning I decided to prepare the pan of EP for monday nites dinner. I peeled and sliced the eggplant to about 1/4 inch slices. Drizzled with olive oil and went outside with my iced coffee for some grilling. I thought grilling off the eggplant would be alot healthier than breading it and frying it in oil. Putting some nice grill marks on the eggplant slices I then assembled the EP. There was left over sauce in the refrigerator from thursday nites dinner ( we made extra purposely ), and we usually always have some fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese on hand. Preparing the EP the way I would normally, I stacked the eggplant, sauce and cheese, I topped it with about a 1/4 of a cup of grated parmesan for some added flavor and texture on top. I will bake the casserole dish in a 350 degree oven until sauce and cheese is bubbly approximately 30min. Half covered to heat thru and half uncovered until the cheese is a golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Some steamed broccoli for my side dish and Voila, EP the quick and healthy way. I think next time I am going to experiment with maybe some whole wheat panko breadcrumbs sprinkled in between the layers or on top of the melted cheese to add some of that texture we get from our fried counterpart. Remember, Life is full of Tasty Morsels!