Oysters Rockefeller

Created at Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans in 1889, oysters Rockefeller was named for John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest Americans, for its rich sauce. Although Antoine’s has kept the original recipe a guarded secret, it basically includes a cream sauce with spinach and other greens, flavored with Pernod or anisette. This healthier version omits the cream sauce but is still full of flavor from the herbs, hot sauce and bacon...yes, I said bacon!

 

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 24 small-to-medium oysters
• 4 cups gently packed baby spinach
• 2 cups gently packed watercress, tough stems removed (or just add more spinach)
• ½  cup gently packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive-oil based spread
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a somewhat stale whole-grain bread)
• Dashes of hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Pernod liquor (don’t skip this one for the authentic flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Chartreuse herbal liquor (optional really)
• 3 slices of bacon for garnish (yeh, I know but it’s only 3 slices for 4 people so savor it)
• 4 cups sea salt as base for baking pan

Preparation

·         Toss together watercress, spinach, scallion greens, parsley, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bread crumbs in a bowl.

·         Melt the spread in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

·         Stir in Pernod and Chartreuse, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

·         Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

·         While watercress mixture chills, cook bacon in a sauté over medium heat, turning, until good and crisp, then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.

·         Spread a generous amount of sea salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and nestle oysters (in shells) in it.

·         Spoon watercress mixture evenly over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons bread crumbs.

·         Bake oysters until edges of oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.

Serve the oysters warm, in shells, nestled in sea salt. Compliment with a dash of hot sauce and a cool, crisp Pinot Grigio and enjoy!

Nutrition

Per serving: 147 calories; 7 g fat ( 4 g sat , 1 g mono ); 41 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 6 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber; 217 mg sodium; 295 mg potassium.

Oven French Fries

Would you like some fries with that? Say yes at just about any restaurant and you’ll be adding up to 430 calories and a whopping 23 grams of fat to your diet. This healthier version cuts those numbers in half…not so bad…but still an every once in a while thing.

Ingredients (2-4 Servings)

• 2 large baking potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
• 1 egg whites
• Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

·         Heat oven to 425°F.

·         Slice potatoes in half lengthwise then cut each half into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick fries and pat dry with a paper towel.

·         In a bowl, combine the spices, except the salt.

·         In another bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, about 1 minute

·         Add the fries to the egg white to coat then toss in the spice mixture until evenly coated.

·         Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange fries on sheet with space in between Very lightly spritz the fries with cooking spray.

·         Bake, turning once, until fries are golden and crispy - about 20 minutes.

·         Salt immediately, serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 173 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated, 36 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 6 g protein

Ratatouille

(Collaboration with Michael Chiarello) 

Ratatouille, pronounced rat-a-too-ee, just like the movie hehe, may sound sophisticated but it’s nothing more than a French vegetable stew made of late summer’s bounty of tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, peppers and eggplant. It’s simple and healthy – a great way to get your veggies!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fresh wild or domestic mushrooms
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek, white only
• 4-5 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons low-salt tomato paste
• 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
• Fresh ground sea salt salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

·         Heat 11/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot.

·         Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to turn golden.

·         Add the garlic and cook for another minute

·         Add the eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes. Add more oil if needed, until the eggplant is soft.

·         Add the pepper, zucchini and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, until you’re starting to get some golden edges.

·         Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until the mixture is thick, with any excess moisture cooked off.

·         Stir in the spinach, thyme and basil and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to…serve straight away and enjoy!

Guacamole

Guacamole, a dip or ‘salsa’ made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. The name is derived from two Aztec words - ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). You know what it is...but you haven't had this recipe yet :)

 

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1-2 limes, juiced (enough to coat the avocado)
• ¼  teaspoon coarsely ground sea salt
• ¼ freshly ground black pepper
• ½ medium sweet onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
• 2 garlic clove, raw and finely minced
• 2 heaping tablespoons of Pico de Gallo 

Preparation

·         Place unpeeled garlic in a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the skins, smash and chop.

** You can also oven roast the garlic by wrapping a whole head in foil and roast it in a 400ºF oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Or do the same thing on a very hot grill in about 10 minutes.

·         Scoop avocado flesh into a large bowl. Add the garlic, onion, cilantro and lime juice.

·         Coarsely mash everything together.

·         Season with salt and pepper.

·         Thoroughly stir in the Pico de Gallo and transfer to a serving bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

Tips for making killer guacamole at home:

Use Only Ripe Avocados—The foundation of any respectable guacamole is a ripe avocado. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good.

NOTE: If you have to buy unripened avocados, you can speed the ripening process along by putting the avocados in a brown paper bag with a banana or an apple.

Be Bold with the garlic and onion—Onions and garlic are essential to any good guacamole so use one large finely minced clove of raw garlic for every two cloves of roasted garlic.

Use ONLY Fresh Cilantro and Lime—Puleeeease don’t use bottled lime juice! A whole lime or two, along with a handful of chopped cilantro, will provide a welcome burst of brightness and wonderful flavor to your guac. You also get an added bonus by using fresh juice, it slows down the oxidation process preventing your guacamole from turning brown, which is always a good thing!

Stay healthy people!

Pico de Gallo

Pico de GalloPPico de Gallo (rooster’s beak in Spanish…yeh I know) is a fresh tomato salsa that is delicious on just about anything.  Even though it is but one of a myriad of different salsas in Spanish cuisine, this is what us gringos blanket label as being ‘salsa’. Serve it on chips, tacos, eggs, toast…anything. It is also a key ingredient in other recipes, like guacamole.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers (to your taste) seeded and finely chopped
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño to taste, lime zest and juice, and sugar in a medium serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Per 1/4-cup serving: 11 calories; 0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 75 mg sodium; 80 mg potassium.

Heart Smart Veggie Burgers

I’m not gonna tell you that these burgers are anything like the real thing, because I’d be lying. There is simply no substitute for a juicy beef burger…but this is a close facsimile that is a LOT healthier.

Ingredients (4 burgers)

·      

   4 Tbps extra-virgin olive oil, divided

·         1 med onion, chopped

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         ¼ tsp cumin

·         ¼ tsp fresh ground sea salt

·         ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

·         1-14 oz can no salt black beans, drained and rinsed

·         ½ cup cooked brown rice

·         ¼ cup cooked oatmeal (dry cooked, not soggy)

·         Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

·         2 Tbps whole-grain wheat flour

Preparation

·        

 Sauté onion & garlic in 2 Tbps of oil until turning opaque.

·         Add cumin, salt, pepper, beans, rice and oatmeal and sauté another 3-4 minutes.

·         Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and let sit another 2 minutes.

·         In food processor, pulse the bean mixture 4 or 5 times until blended but with a semi-rough texture.

·         Form the bean mixture into patties and very lightly dust with flour. Set aside

·         Preheat another sauté pan with the 2 remaining Tbps of oil. Sauté the burgers for 2-3 minutes on both side until browned and serve with all your favorite burger trimmings.

“I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes”…hold the fries :)

Green Bean Casserole

The green bean casserole was invented in 1955 by the Campbell’s soup company as a marketing ploy and has been extremely popular ever since. Unfortunately, the original recipe calls for a very high sodium and fat content canned cream of mushroom soup, among other not-very-healthy ingredients. This healthy version trashes the canned soup and all the fat and sodium that come with it. Instead, the sauce is made with fresh mushrooms, fresh sweet onions and low-fat milk to create a rich and creamy casserole that you’ll love just as much as the original.

Ingredients (4-6 Servings)

• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 medium sweet onion, (half diced, half thinly sliced), divided
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2/3 cup all-purpose, whole-grain wheat flour, divided
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry, (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 pound frozen French-cut green beans, (about 4 cups)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk powder, (see Ingredient Note)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly translucent, about 4 minutes.
4. Stir in mushrooms, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the mushroom juices are almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables; stir to coat.
6. Add milk and sherry and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir in green beans and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in sour cream and buttermilk powder. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
7. Whisk the remaining 1/3 cup flour, paprika, garlic powder and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.
8. Add sliced onion and toss to coat.
9. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
10. Add the onion along with any remaining flour mixture and cook, turning once or twice, until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread the onion topping over the casserole.
11. Bake the casserole until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!