Santa Fe Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Adapted from Skinnytaste (www.skinnytaste.com)

We are once again on a mission to cook as healthy as possible this week -- but not lose good taste! I will warn you that this recipe is a bit time consuming (maybe just the first time you make it), but it was so worth it. This was SO delicious!!! We also had a lot of leftover filling, so I can't wait to eat that for lunch today and tomorrow. The nice thing is that you can get creative with the filling - put it in a taco or on a salad, etc. Definitely give this a try!
NOTE: The recipe below is my adaptation.

Ingredients:
16 oz. 94% lean ground turkey
3/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup corn, fresh or frozen (I bought frozen and microwaved them before adding them in)
2 tb canned jalapenos, diced (I didn't have fresh on hand)
1 large tomato, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tb fresh cilantro
1/4 cup onion, chopped
few dashes of cumin (to taste)
few dashes of smoked paprika (to taste)
salt, to taste
5 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup shredded carrots, diced
1/2 cup jarred salsa
shredded, reduced-fat Mexican cheese (1 tb per zucchini half)
Herdez Guacamole salsa (I used this on top of each zucchini half)
reduced-fat sour cream, for topping as desired

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a small spoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of the zucchini halves, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell on each half. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside 1/2 of a cup to add to the turkey filling (squeeze excess water with a paper towel) discarding the rest or save to use in another recipe, along with the shredded/diced carrots. Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water. In a large skillet, brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned, add onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, diced tomatoes, reserved zucchini and carrot, cumin and smoked paprika. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add corn and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until all the liquid reduces. Place the salsa in the bottom of a large baking dish (or two medium size dishes) and place the hollowed out zucchini cut side up in the dish. Using a spoon, fill the hollowed zucchini boats dividing the filling equally, about 1/3 cup in each, pressing firmly. Top each with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through. When serving, top with the guacamole salsa and a few dollops of sour cream!

Chipotle Orange Glazed Salmon with Roasted Broccoli

Salmon courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine

Monday -- the day that we usually try to start fresh and eat healthy. We were successful tonight and went for some broiled salmon with broccoli. The sauce for this recipe was very easy in a mini food processor (or you could use a blender) and it's pretty quick! You could serve this with whichever vegetables you want if trying to cut back on carbs - I just had broccoli on hand. This sauce does have a bit of heat, but it's full of flavor. Enjoy!

NOTE: For the broccoli, I just tossed that with some olive oil and table blend seasoning and roasted at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes before broiling the salmon.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp adobo sauce (from chipotle chilies)
1 chipotle chile, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 pieces skinless, boneless salmon

Directions:
Arrange oven rack 4-6 inches from the broiler.  Preheat broiler on high. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. Meanwhile, mix the orange juice, adobo sauce, chipotle chili, garlic, and cumin in a mini food processor or blender. Season the salmon fillets with some salt and brush them with the sauce. Broil for 5-7 minutes, or until opaque throughout.

 

Seared Scallops with Pearled Couscous

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

This past week, I was able to find fresh scallops again and decided to pair them with some couscous. The couscous was just a boxed Middle East couscous, but delicious with the scallops. You could pair them with any flavor of rice or couscous you'd like. These scallops were super simple to cook and took no time at all! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
10-12 sea scallops (this is a hefty portion for 2 people)
dash of lemon pepper seasoning
squeeze of fresh lemon
dash of sea salt
1-2 tb olive oil
1 tb fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
couscous, prepare per the package instructions

Directions:
The couscous takes a lot longer than the scallops, so start preparing that first. When you have about 8 minutes left, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Season the scallops with the lemon pepper, lemon juice, and salt. Add the scallops to the pan, not overcrowding them. Sear for approximately 3 minutes per side and then flip, searing the other side for another 3 minutes. They should have a nice brown on them. Top with additional lemon juice and parsley, if desired. Serve over the couscous!

Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce

Courtesy of Ina Garten & Food Network

Two words describe this recipe -- Treat Yourself! This recipe was great and I've been wanting to make it for quite some time. I love Ina Garten and have seen the episode where she makes this lamb recipe...it just looked so delicious, and it didn't disappoint! I highly recommend marinating the lamb chops as long as you can -- she recommends up to overnight. I was able to marinate for about 8 hours and it was fantastic! Definitely give this a shot and enjoy!
NOTE: I asked the butcher to go ahead and cut the individual chops for me, off of the frenched rack.

Ingredients - Lamb Chops:
4 large garlic cloves
3 tb chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 racks of lamb, frenched and cut into 8 chops (I only cooked one for 2 people)

Ingredients - Yogurt Mint Sauce:
6 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
2 tb fresh chopped dill (the store was out, so I had to skip this one)
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tb olive oil (I ended up using 2 tb)
1 tb lemon juice (I ended up using 2 tb)
7 oz greek yogurt (I used Fage Nonfat)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions - Lamb Chops:
Place the garlic, rosemary, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the herbs are finely minced. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine and combine. Place the chops in a glass or ceramic dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the marinade over the chops, turning to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight. When ready to cook, prepare a grill with one layer of hot coals or turn a gas grill to medium-high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the cold Yogurt Mint Sauce.

Directions - Yogurt Mint Sauce:
Place the scallions, mint, dill, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until it's a coarse paste. Add the yogurt, salt, and pepper and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. NOTE: If this ends up too salty for you (mine did), I added a bit of agave nectar.

 
 

Seared Tuna Steak

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

This is a bit of a delayed post, but this is a super easy recipe for searing tuna. You can serve it with either a salad or whichever side you prefer - the recipe is for the tuna itself. This was super tasty and I was fortunate to have found some fresh tuna at the market - yum! Caveat - these are estimations as I roughly measured the ingredients.

Ingredients:
1-2 tuna steaks (personally I only buy when fresh)
1 tb sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tb chopped ginger (I used the pureed ginger)
1/2 lime, juiced
dash of pepper
sesame seeds, for garnish after cooking (optional)
2 tb olive oil, for the pan (not for the marinade)

Directions:
Sprinkle the tuna steaks with a small dash of pepper (if desired). Mix the remaining sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Pour over the tuna steaks in a shallow bowl or dish so that the tuna steaks are laying flat. Flip the tuna steaks so that they are evenly coated. Let marinate for approximately 20 minutes. Do not marinate for too long or the citrus will start to cook the tuna. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Once the oil is heated, sear the tuna steaks for approximately 1-2 minutes per side. I prefer the tuna pretty rare, so this will allow it to be rare in the middle. If you'd like it cooked through more, sear for closer to 3-4 minutes per side -- that will cook it through more.

Salmon Baked in Foil

Courtesy of Plated Perfection
 
Once again, I know it's been a while! I've been cooking previously posted recipes lately but this one is new for once! It's super easy and one that you can just throw in the oven and walk away (for a bit anyways). The salmon comes out super moist and the seasoning turned out well I thought. I used fresh salmon (because that's the only way I roll). Give it a go - this is a pretty easy weeknight dinner! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 salmon fillets (mine were 6 oz. each)
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 tb olive oil
1 tsp italian seasoning (I used salt-free)
1 tb lemon juice
1-2 tb fresh mint, diced  (I didn't measure)
dash of salt
dash of pepper
aluminum foil

Directions:
Mix together the garlic, olive oil, italian seasoning, lemon juice and mint. Season the salmon fillets with a dash of salt and pepper. Place the salmon, skin side down, in a glass dish and pour the marinade over the salmon. Cover as well as possible. Place in the refrigerator for an hour (or as close to that as possible). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and place each one in the middle of a square of aluminum foil. You want to be able to seal the foil on all edges, so make sure the sheet is big enough. Spoon whatever marinade is left over the fish and seal around all edges. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. The salmon will be cooked through at this point, but remains very moist. If you'd prefer it cooked a bit under, reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.

Smokey Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Sauce

Peppers created by Plated Perfection
Avocado Sauce by Minimalist Baker (www.minimalistbaker.com)

It's been a while since I've posted any recipes, but I wanted to get this one up here since a few folks showed some interest. We were overseas traveling for a couple of weeks and then I was sick for about a week, so I apologize for the big gap! These stuffed peppers I tried to make on the healthier side and they were delicious. I think I could eat the filling alone and be a happy girl! They make great leftovers as well. Definitely give these a go. You could even make these vegetarian if desired and just leave out the ground turkey/add more vegetables. The spices were also eyeballed - use more of what you like (personally, I loved the smoked paprika). Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers Ingredients:
4 bell peppers, cut in half and seeded (I use a variety of colors)
1 lb ground turkey (lean)
~ 1 cup cooked & drained brown rice (eyeball how much rice you want in the filling)
1/4 cup chicken broth (I used the bone broth for more flavor) - you'll use this in batches
~3/4 cup tomato sauce (unsalted)
~1 tsp cumin
~2 tsp smoked paprika
~1 tsp garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
shredded cheddar cheese, for the topping
1 tb olive oil
dash of salt

Avocado Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 small avocado, cut into chunks
1 cup cilantro, stems removed (personal preference)
3 small limes, juiced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tb agave nectar (or sweetener of your choice)
water to thin

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the rice, strain and set aside. I used the boil-in-the-bag kind since I had it on hand. Wash, cut and seed your peppers and place in a greased baking dish (I used 13 x 9). Set aside. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey with a tb of olive oil. Toss in the spices (cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper). Add a dash of salt as well. Stir in the tomato sauce (use as much as desired) and a bit of the chicken broth. Simmer together until browned. Stir in the black beans and rice and incorporate all of the ingredients together. Fill the peppers to the top so that the mix isn't falling out. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the foil, top each pepper with a spoonful of chicken broth that is left over and a dash of cheddar cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes. Top with the avocado sauce before serving.

For the avocado sauce, a food processor/blender will make this much easier on you. Toss in all ingredients except for the water. Puree together. Add the water and remove the avocado from the sides of the food processor/blender. Puree a bit more and serve.