Butternut Squash Risotto… light but hearty

Craving risotto but not wanting all the calories?  Try this lightened up version of a fabulous fall staple.

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• kosher salt (or sea salt) and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter (I use Earth Balance soy-free butter)
• 1 ounce pancetta
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp saffron or nutmeg
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (Go Veggie is a good dairy-free alternative)

Directions

1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. chop butternut squash into 1/2 inch cubes and place in a ziplock bag
3. add olive oil to bag as well as salt/pepper to taste.  (close the bag) shake and then spread on a baking sheet.
4. bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cubes are fork tender
5. while the squash is baking, heat the stock over low heat in a sauce pan
6. in a dutch oven or cast-iron pot, melt butter on a medium-low heat and add the pancetta and garlic.  cook until the pancetta is crispy and the garlic turns opaque
7. add rice and coat with the pancetta mix, then add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes
8. add a ladle (approximately one cup) of stock as well as the saffron (or nutmeg) and continue cooking, about 5 minutes (or until the rice becomes dry), then continue slowly adding ladles of chicken stock until the rice turns opaque. This should take about 30 minutes (about 5-10 minute intervals of adding the stock and simmering out)
9. when the butternut squash is done, transfer half of the cubs into a blender and puree.  then add the puree and remaining cubes to the squash mixture. 
10. Once the rice is done cooking, add parmesan cheese and mix completely.  Wait until the very last minute to add the parmesan because it dries out the rice! Then season with salt, pepper and serve (with the remaining white wine, of course)

Painless Pork Chops

In light of recent gatherings with friends, I have decided to dedicate this blog post to those of you who are "cooking impaired".  Many times I have heard that people do not cook simply because they do not know where to begin, so let us start here.

A basic rule of protein: generally your meat has more flavor if you have the bone still attached to it (same goes for fish... the skin keeps a more genuine flavor to the dish).  Next time you go to the grocery store, pick up some bone in pork chops that are about one inch thick - about the length of the index finger between the top joint and the middle joint of the finger - and try this recipe.

You will need at MINIMUM one hour of marinade time but better yet, make this marinade the evening ahead and let the chops sit overnight to let the flavor really seep in.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 bone in pork chops, one inch thick
• 1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar (I happened to have some of my Maple flavored on hand but you can use regular, or even a red wine vinegar)
• 1/4 cup apple juice (or just use 1/2 cup of vinegar if you do not have apple juice)
• 1 TBSP canola oil or melted ghee
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Directions

One day prior (or at minimum, one hours prior to cooking)

1. Place pork chops into gallon ziplock bag.  
2. In a bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and whisk together.  
3. Pour contents into the gallon bag, remove as much air as possible and seal the bag.  
4. Let rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, max of a day.

Cooking

1. Prior to cooking, take the meat out and let it rest for about 20 minutes. 
2. While the meat is hanging out, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. (see below for TIPS on making this a complete meal)
3. Place about a teaspoon of grape seed oil (or canola... just DO NOT use olive oil, it is delicate and burns very easily) in a cast iron or heavy skillet and heat pan over a medium flame for about 5 minutes.  
4. Gently add the pork chops to the pan and sear each side for 2 minute per side.  
5. Place the skillet in the preheated oven.  
6. Continue to cook the pork chops another 5 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 135 degrees.  
7. Remove the pan from the oven and place pork chops on another plate. Let the meat rest for about 7-10 minutes.  The meat will continue to cook (safe consumption is between 145 degrees and 160).
8. Serve!  I recommend a dry white to pair :)

Tips for making a complete meal: When you take the meat out of the oven to rest, thinly cut a sweet potato into 1/8 inch slices (your iphone is 1/4 inch  in height when you have it laying flat so half of that) and a zucchini into 1/4 inch slices.  Place vegetables in a bag, add a tablespoon of olive oil, a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt then shake the bag until the ingredients are well dispersed.  Pour the vegetables onto a cookie sheet and place in the oven just before you START the pork on the stovetop (so when your 20 minute timer to start cooking hits 10 minutes, get your veggies in the oven).  They will be ready when the meat is done.  Easy peasy

Thai Coconut Shrimp Over "Rice"

We're back and playing with jalapeños and cauliflower... you know you're excited!

This recipe is delicious AND very low on carbs... there are less than 250 calories in a serving and the fat content is belly-friendly fat.  The coconut milk in the recipe does not drown the shrimp in that tropical taste but the subtle hint does make a nice counterpart to the spice in the jalapeño and chile.

Ingredients

• 20 medium raw shrimp, deveined and without tails
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cup water
• 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped or julienned
• red chile powder
• salt 
• 1 Tbsp grape seed oil (or fat of choice)
• 1/2 cup low fat organic coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets

Directions

1. Place garlic cloves and water into a food processor and blend well.  Place the shrimp into a bowl and pour the garlic mixture over the shrimp.  Marinate for 15 minutes
2. While this is happening, (clean your food processor first) put the cauliflower into the food processor and blend until the pieces look a bit like rice.  You may have to do this in a few batches. Place the riced cauliflower a large bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
3. Once the cauliflower is warm, place into a large sauté pan (if you do not have a non-stick pan, be sure you spray it with cooking spray to ensure the vegetables do not stick).  Start cooking over medium heat.  You will want to cook the cauliflower for at least 10 minutes or more, depending on how crispy you want the "rice".
4. In a skillet, heat the grape seed oil over medium heat.  
5. Strain the shrimp from the garlic mixture (it is okay if much of the garlic stays with the little guys because it makes the final product taste so good).  Transfer  the shrimp back into the bowl and add lime, chile powder (to taste), jalapeño and salt (to taste).  Mix.
6. Place the shrimp into the skillet and cook for one minute.  Turn the shrimp over and add the coconut milk to the pan.  Finish the shrimp (should be another minute to two minutes).
7. Plate the cauliflower and pour the shrimp mixture over it!

Serves 2

Beef... it's not for breakfast (coffee marinated steak)

So Zack just had a record of a day in sales, so I decided to make one of his favorite meals - meat, potatoes and green beans.  The meat was marinated overnight in a coffee marinade, and I added sides of garlic green beans and sweet sweet potatoes.

Start off the night before by marinating your beef

Ingredients - Coffee Marinade

• 2 lean sirloin steaks, fat trimmed (if applicable)
• 2 Tbs brewed strong coffee
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 tsp agave nectar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper to your liking - I recommend using a pepper mill

Directions

1. In a glass dish, whisk together all ingredients.
2. Add steak and spoon ingredients over the top
3. Marinate for at least 8 hours (recommend overnight, minimum)

Next up, your taters... obviously this comes either 8 hours later or the next day

Ingredients - Sweet Sweet Potatoes

• 2 small sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place cubed sweet potatoes in a plastic bag, add all ingredient and shake until the potatoes are coated
3. Drop into a glass baking dish and place into the oven
4. Bake for 1 hour, turning potatoes every 15 minutes

When the potatoes are about 45 minutes in, start the steak

Directions - Steak

1. Preheat a drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high and turn on your hood fan... it's going to get smokey in here
2. Gently place your steaks on the skillet and sear each side for about 4 minutes each
3. Place the skillet (with the steaks) in the oven and cook to your desired doneness, about 5-15 minutes
4. While your steaks are cooking, saute green beans (see below)
5. Remove the steaks from the skillet immediately and place on your plates.

Now for the greens

Ingredients - Green Beans

• 2 cups green beans
• cooking spray
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. Spray a saute pan with cooking spray and roast your garlic over medium heat
2. Add green beans and cook, approximately 5 minutes
3. At this point, your potatoes and steak should be fully cooked.  Plate, serve and add your favorite cab