I love deviled eggs – always have. Particularly the classic with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar. This version is maybe slightly healthier with the avocado, but basically a variation on the classic deviled egg. It’s a little spicy, but not too hot, and has an interesting flavor not drastically different from the traditional version.
I’d planned to make these for a get together, but ran out of time. So… I’ve now had these myself for about 4 meals. They are still good as leftovers, but they really taste best right after they’re made. I’d planned to use green chiles in them, but went with the 505 Sweet ‘N Spicy Salsa. It really adds a nice touch with some sweetness and the right amount of heat. Hope you like this one!
2 tbsp 505 Sweet 'N Spicy Salsa + 1 tbsp for garnish
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
paprika
Instructions
Remove shells from eggs and slice each egg in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in food processor. Place the whites cut side up on a serving platter.
Add the mayonnaise, avocado, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, Sweet 'N Spicy Salsa, salt and pepper to the yolks. Process until smooth. Add more salt, pepper and salsa to taste if desired.
Spoon the mixture into a plastic bag and snip off the corner.
Using the bag like a pastry bag, pipe the mixture into each egg white. Garnish with a bit of additional salsa and sprinkle paprika on top.
Serve immediately or cover loosely and chill until ready to serve.
Notes
Commentary: I love deviled eggs - always have. Particularly the classic with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar. This version is maybe slightly healthier with the avocado, but basically a variation on the classic deviled egg. It's a little spicy, but not too hot, and has an interesting flavor not drastically different from the traditional version. I'd planned to make these for a get together, but ran out of time. So... I've now had these myself for about 4 meals. They are still good as leftovers, but they really taste best right after they're made. I'd planned to use green chiles in them, but went with the 505 Sweet 'N Spicy Salsa. It really adds a nice touch with some sweetness and the right amount of heat. Hope you like this one!
This week I discovered Trader Joe’s Sprouted Whole Grain Pizza Crust and just had to try it. It’s very thin, about 1/4 inch and “just heat and serve”, which I think means it’s already cooked (hard to tell). I actually thought it was very good.
I invented this pizza from scratch, based on a collection of my favorite ingredients. No tomato pizza sauce here, the sun dried tomatoes provide that rich tomatoey flavor. I love sun dried tomatoes in oil. All in all, I loved this, and I’ll make it again and again. You can substitute Monterey Jack or mozarella for the queso cheese, if you want.
If you want it crunchy thin crust, put it directly on the oven rack or on a pizza pan or stone designed for crisp crust. You can also cook it on the grill; I’ve had some fabulous grilled pizza. Gotta be careful not to tear it, though, the crust is super thin. You can microwave this, but it will come out soft – you’ll want to fold the slices to eat it.
Saute bell peppers and onion in the olive oil until soft (5-8 minutes) and set aside.
Place the pizza crust on a pizza stone or pizza pan. Spread the Queso Quesadilla Cheese evenly on top. Then spread the bell peppers and onion on, then the sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and green chiles.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese melted and crust getting crisp.
Enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: This week I discovered Trader Joe's Sprouted Whole Grain Pizza Crust and just had to try it. It's very thin, about ¼ inch and "just heat and serve", which I think means it's already cooked (hard to tell). I actually thought it was very good.
I invented this pizza from scratch, based on a collection of my favorite ingredients. No tomato pizza sauce here, the sun dried tomatoes provide that rich tomatoey flavor. I love sun dried tomatoes in oil. All in all, I loved this, and I'll make it again and again. You can substitute Monterey Jack or mozarella for the queso cheese, if you want.
If you want it crunchy thin crust, put it directly on the oven rack or on a pizza pan or stone designed for crisp crust. You can also cook it on the grill; I've had some fabulous grilled pizza. Gotta be careful not to tear it, though, the crust is super thin. You can microwave this, but it will come out soft - you'll want to fold the slices to eat it.
Awesome Easy Bean Dip just takes 3 main ingredients – black beans, Rotel tomatoes, and cream cheese – and a food processor & voila! Some fabulous dip perfect for a party
Isn’t this purdy?? It’s Purple! Well, sort of a greyish purple. And it’s yummy and about as easy as a recipe can be. When I first started making this, I had in mind a chunky dip where ingredients are mixed together but not pureed. It looked really unappetizing. So I put it in the food processor and turned it into a smooth dip. It may be funny looking, but it’s really good!
If you want to make a smaller batch, just use a 3-oz package of cream cheese and 1 can each of black beans and Rotel tomatoes. This is not as thick as most bean dips but clings just fine to tortilla chips. I have other plans for this dip – I think it will make a fabulous enchilada sauce. You might see this recipe appear later poured over some chicken enchiladas or burritos. Enjoy!
optional: diced tomatoes, chopped black olives for garnish
Instructions
Drain the Rotel Tomatoes thoroughly. Drain and lightly rinse the black beans.
Dump the tomatoes, beans and cream cheese into a food processor or blender and blend thoroughly.
Serve with tortilla chips, pita bread, crackers, veggies, whatever. Enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: Isn't this purdy?? It's Purple! Well, sort of a greyish purple. And it's yummy and about as easy as a recipe can be. When I first started making this, I had in mind a chunky dip where ingredients are mixed together but not pureed. It looked really unappetizing. So I put it in the food processor and turned it into a smooth dip. It may be funny looking, but it's really good!
If you want to make a smaller batch, just use a 3-oz package of cream cheese and 1 can each of black beans and Rotel tomatoes. This is not as thick as most bean dips but clings just fine to tortilla chips. I have other plans for this dip - I think it will make a fabulous enchilada sauce. You might see this recipe appear later poured over some chicken enchiladas or burritos. Enjoy!
Sausage Peppers & Greens can be a full nutritious meal – chock full of spicy sausage and lots of greens and peppers. Easy to make and very satisfying.
This is a great combination of flavors, along with being quick and simple to make. Plus it’s a complete meal in itself. This is a Paleo dish, nutritious, and versatile – either as a main dish or a side dish. Increase the greens or cut the sausage in half if you want it to be a side vegetable dish that just uses sausage for seasoning.
This is one of those dishes I like to throw together when there’s little time. I always have sausage, spinach and bell peppers in the freezer. Plus I find it satisfying without being heavy. Hope you enjoy it!
In a large skillet over medium heat, lightly brown the sausage while breaking it up into small chunks. Drain off excess fat.
Add onions and bell peppers and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes. You can cover it with a lid, stirring every minute or so. Stir in garlic and cook another minute.
Add the greens, 2 tbsp water, and cover with a lid. Cook over medium low heat, stirring every couple minutes until greens are fully cooked, about 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar and green chiles. Blend well and serve.
Enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: This is a great combination of flavors, along with being quick and simple to make. Plus it's a complete meal in itself. This is a Paleo dish, nutritious, and versatile - either as a main dish or a side dish. Increase the greens or cut the sausage in half if you want it to be a side vegetable dish that just uses sausage for seasoning.
This is one of those dishes I like to throw together when there's little time. I always have sausage, spinach and bell peppers in the freezer. Plus I find it satisfying without being heavy. Hope you enjoy it!
Cranberry Chile Chutney – a sweet spicy spread great on crackers and cream cheese. Simple to make in less than 5 minutes, yet an elegant appetizer.
Want to add a special touch to that Memorial Day BBQ? You can throw this together in 5 minutes and these little goodies are downright addictive. The little clementine or mandarin orange segments on top adds a really special touch – it’s a special flavor combination. Plus it’s juicy, also interesting. I thought about putting orange into the chutney, but I think it’s much better on top like this. Yummy!
Hope you like it – have an awesome Memorial Day weekend!
Place the cream cheese on a serving plate, top with the cranberry chile chutney and serve with clementine segments and crackers on the side.
Or... do the work yourself & top each cracker with cream cheese, chutney & an orange segment. Enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: Want to add a special touch to that Memorial Day BBQ? You can throw this together in 5 minutes and these little goodies are downright addictive. The little clementine or mandarin orange segments on top adds a really special touch - it's a special flavor combination. Plus it's juicy, also interesting. I thought about putting orange into the chutney, but I think it's much better on top like this. Yummy!
Babaganoush is a tasty, nutritious, Paleo, vegan, and low carb dip great with crudites, pita bread, or even as a spread inside a sandwich.
Babaganoush has always been one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes. And it’s even really nutritious as it belongs in Paleo diets, vegan, natural, unprocessed food diets. Of course, if you serve it on bread or white pita, you lose some of that wholesome nutrition. Personally, I’m working on keeping processed food out of my diet. I adapted this recipe from the babaganoush recipe in The Virgin Diet Cookbook, which I find has more interesting and easy recipes than most unprocessed low-card diets. The chiles and cumin add more depth and character.
I use this as a dip with whole wheat pita, carrot or celery sticks, or bell pepper pieces. I’m also a sucker for sautéing up red and yellow bell pepper and onions, then putting them inside a whole wheat pita with a layer of babaganoush. Sometimes I add guacamole. Yum! Actually, I should have created a photo of this babaganoush with sautéed peppers on top. It’s a marriage made in heaven.
Note: You can convert any babaganoush into mutabbal by adding yogurt, which gives it a creamier texture and richer flavor. Check out my mutabbal recipe here.
optional: crumbled feta cheese, parsley, smoked paprika for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast until soft, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from oven and let cool, about 30 minutes or more. Cut in half and scoop out flesh with a spoon. Place the eggplant flesh in a colander to drain off excess liquid for 20-30 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant to a food processor, add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings and chiles to taste.
Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with smoked paprika, parsley, crumbled feta if desired. Serve with vegetables or pita bread. Enjoy!
Can be stored covered in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Commentary: Babaganoush has always been one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes. And it's even really nutritious as it belongs in Paleo diets, vegan, natural, unprocessed food diets. Of course, if you serve it on bread or white pita, you lose some of that wholesome nutrition. Personally, I'm working on keeping processed food out of my diet. I adapted this recipe from the babaganoush recipe in The Virgin Diet Cookbook, which I find has more interesting and easy recipes than most unprocessed low-card diets. The chiles and cumin add more depth and character.
I use this as a dip with whole wheat pita, carrot or celery sticks, or bell pepper pieces. I'm also a sucker for sautéing up red and yellow bell pepper and onions, then putting them inside a whole wheat pita with a layer of babaganoush. Sometimes I add guacamole. Yum! Actually, I should have created a photo of this babaganoush with sautéed peppers on top. It's a marriage made in heaven.
Note: You can convert any babaganoush into mutabbal by adding yogurt, which gives it a creamier texture and richer flavor. Check out my mutabbal recipe here.
Beef Bulgogi Tacos are quick & tasty, thanks to starting with the Bulgogi from Costco, already thin-sliced, with onions and a Korean BBQ sauce. All it’s missing is the spicy heat from green chiles.
Ever tried the Beef Bulgogi from Costco? I’d seen it alongside the prepared mac & cheese, chicken alfredo, stuffed peppers & other prepared dishes by the rotisserie chickens. But try it? Duh, who ever heard of bulgogi? Well, I finally tried it … and it’s really good. It’s uncooked thin sliced beef (something like flank steak) with onions and a sweet Korean bbq sauce. Want a recipe for making bulgogi from scratch? Here’s a good one. Just brown it in a skillet & you’re good to go. It’s full of flavor, but is it spicy? No, no heat. To me, adding some heat with green chiles was just a no-brainer. Sure enough, it made great tacos. (Note: entire tray of Costco Bulgogi will make about 18 tacos.)
Does it taste Southwestern? Not particularly, but the chiles help it belong in a taco. What are the ingredients? Pretty common – soy sauce, corn syrup, garlic, ginger, spices. You can see a close-up of the label at costcocouple.com/kirkland-signature-bulgogi/. If you want it to taste more Southwestern, add some cumin and cayenne, but I like it just with green chiles added. It would also be good served in a sandwich like a Philly Cheese Steak.
The Costco Bulgogi freezes well, so it’s one of those dishes I’ll keep in the freezer for those times I want to whip up something good with no effort. Hope you like this one!
Brown the bulgogi with the green chiles in a skillet over medium-high heat, 5-7 minutes.
Assemble each taco with about ⅓ cup meat mixture and your choice of remaining ingredients.
Enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: Ever tried the Beef Bulgogi from Costco? I'd seen it alongside the prepared mac & cheese, chicken alfredo, stuffed peppers & other prepared dishes by the rotisserie chickens. But try it? Duh, who ever heard of bulgogi? Well, I finally tried it ... and it's really good. It's uncooked thin sliced beef (something like flank steak) with onions and a sweet Korean bbq sauce. Want a recipe for making bulgogi from scratch? Here's a good one. Just brown it in a skillet & you're good to go. It's full of flavor, but is it spicy? No, no heat. To me, adding some heat with green chiles was just a no-brainer. Sure enough, it made great tacos. (Note: entire tray of Costco Bulgogi will make about 18 tacos.)
Does it taste Southwestern? Not particularly, but the chiles help it belong in a taco. What are the ingredients? Pretty common - soy sauce, corn syrup, garlic, ginger, spices. You can see a close-up of the label at costcocouple.com/kirkland-signature-bulgogi/. If you want it to taste more Southwestern, add some cumin and cayenne, but I like it just with green chiles added. It would also be good served in a sandwich like a Philly Cheese Steak.
The Costco Bulgogi freezes well, so it's one of those dishes I'll keep in the freezer for those times I want to whip up something good with no effort. Hope you like this one!
Oven Baked Beef Taquitos are and easier & healthier version of the classic fried beef taquitos. Just a few ingredients, they are quick to make and yummy as an appetizer or main dish.
These are very easy homemade taquitos. Much easier and healthier than frying. Just a few simple ingredients, and they have a character reminiscent of some distinctive authentic Southwestern dishes rather than our Americanized packaged or fast food taquitos.
One thing you have to watch out for is the tendency of corn tortillas to break when you roll them up. This is easy to prevent – you either steam them for a few minutes, or bake them for a few minutes in a baking dish with a damp towel or paper towel on top of them. That little bit of added moisture makes them much more flexible.
Want to make these into beef enchiladas? Instead of spraying with oil, pour enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Hope you enjoy these!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the corn tortillas in a large baking dish with a damp towel on top and set aside.
Break the ground beef up in a large skillet. Sprinkle with the spices and brown while breaking the meat up into small chunks or crumbles. Drain excess fat off.
While the meat is cooking, put the covered tortillas in the oven for 2-3 minutes to soften.
Add the chiles and ketchup, adjusting amounts to taste.
In a smaller baking dish (11" x 7" or larger), take each tortilla, spread 3-4 tbsp of the meat mixture in a strip across the tortilla near one end and roll up. As you roll it up, compress the meat to roll the taquito up so it makes a small tube of meat. Place each taquito seam side down in the dish so it doesn't unroll.
When all 8 taquitos are seam side down in the dish, spray with cooking spray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve with salsa, quacamole, queso, sour cream, or whatever. Enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: These are very easy homemade taquitos. Much easier and healthier than frying. Just a few simple ingredients, and they have a character reminiscent of some distinctive authentic Southwestern dishes rather than our Americanized packaged or fast food taquitos.
One thing you have to watch out for is the tendency of corn tortillas to break when you roll them up. This is easy to prevent - you either steam them for a few minutes, or bake them for a few minutes in a baking dish with a damp towel or paper towel on top of them. That little bit of added moisture makes them much more flexible.
Want to make these into beef enchiladas? Instead of spraying with oil, pour enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Hope you enjoy these!
Spicy Mushrooms Eggplant & Peppers is a classic vegetarian, gluten-free Thai dish, hot and flavorful, easy to make and always a favorite.
I love spicy Thai vegetables, so here I made a combination of my favorite veggies with a classic combination of Thai spices and sauces. It turned out to be a fabulous dish. It started out mainly mushrooms, but then mushrooms cook down to almost nothing so there’s more of a balance of vegetables. Here I just served it on brown rice. I would also make this with chunks or strips of chicken or beef in it. This basic dish is one I’ll be trying different veggies in over and over – it’s simple and always good.
1 small eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups sliced onion
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1½ tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
⅓ cup hot diced green chile
pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large wok or skillet until nearly smoking. Stir in and cook the mushrooms and eggplant cubes over medium heat, covered and stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Dump this mixture in a bowl and set aside.
Heat a tbsp of additional oil in the wok over medium-high heat, and sauté the onions just until they start to soften, no more than a minute. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the bell peppers and saute until just getting soft, about 5-10 minutes.
Blend in soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, oyster sauce, water, sugar, green chile, and pepper and mix well.
Mix the mushrooms & eggplant in with the onions, bell peppers and sauce, lower the heat and cover, then simmer and stir until evenly heated, 3 minutes or so.
Serve over rice and enjoy!
Notes
Commentary: I love spicy Thai vegetables, so here I made a combination of my favorite veggies with a classic combination of Thai spices and sauces. It turned out to be a fabulous dish. It started out mainly mushrooms, but then mushrooms cook down to almost nothing so there's more of a balance of vegetables. Here I just served it on brown rice. I would also make this with chunks or strips of chicken or beef in it. This basic dish is one I'll be trying different veggies in over and over - it's simple and always good.
Three Sisters Quinoa Salad is one of the best quinoa salads ever – bursting with flavor. Uncorked Kitchen taught this recipe to us in a healthy-cooking class. It’s vegan & gluten free & we all loved it!
Last Saturday, my #DenverBloggersClub met at Uncorked Kitchen in Centennial for a healthy cooking class taught by Chef Sarah, nutritionist & trained chef. We all had a blast along with a wonderful lunch and some great tips on cooking nutritious food. We made Tempeh BLT Sandwiches, Lime Mango Sorbet, and this Three Sisters Quinoa Salad. I’ve made plenty of quinoa salads before, and this recipe is one of my all-time favorites. I’ll be making it again & again. First bite – wow!
Ever been to Uncorked Kitchen? I’d never heard of it & I was blown away. It has a wine tasting bar and a number of kitchens with trained chefs on staff for cooking classes. You can sign up for one of their regular classes or (as in our case) get a private class for your group.
Now this recipe is easy and has an amazing balance of flavors. It’s great with or without the chiles. The butternut squash adds a wonderful nutty sweetness – just the right amount. I learned that dicing the squash, coating it with olive oil, then roasting it caramelizes the squash. This brings out the flavor and sweetness. Very important. I also learned that cooking spices (chili powder) in oil brings out the flavor. Otherwise this recipe is basic cooking and assembling – easy! Hope you like it!
3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash (about ½ small squash)
½ cup fresh or frozen corn (thawed)
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp water
2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
optional: ½ cup diced green chiles, 2 tbsp roasted pepitas
Instructions
Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a mesh strainer to eliminate bitterness. Drain.
In a medium saucepan, bring water and pinch of salt to a boil, stir in quinoa, return to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the diced butternut squash with 2 tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Spread out on a sheet pan or baking dish. Roast till squash is solt and slightly golden brown, stir halfway through. Allow 15 minutes for small dice and 25 minutes for larger dice. Cool.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté corn till warm, a couple minutes (if fresh, increase cook time to lightly brown corn, up to 5 minutes). Add chili powder, salt, pepper, and oregano and sauté till fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp water and stir to make a paste. Let mixture cool
In a large mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Add cooled spice mixture and adjust seasoning to taste. If salad is too dry, add a little olive oil and/or lime juice.
If desired, mix in green chiles and garnish with pepitas. Best served cold as a side dish or over salad greens.
Notes
Commentary: Last Saturday, my #DenverBloggersClub met at Uncorked Kitchen in Centennial for a healthy cooking class taught by Chef Sarah, nutritionist & trained chef. We all had a blast along with a wonderful lunch and some great tips on cooking nutritious food. We made Tempeh BLT Sandwiches, Lime Mango Sorbet, and this Three Sisters Quinoa Salad. I've made plenty of quinoa salads before, and this recipe is one of my all-time favorites. I'll be making it again & again. First bite - wow!
Ever been to Uncorked Kitchen? I'd never heard of it & I was blown away. It has a wine tasting bar and a number of kitchens with trained chefs on staff for cooking classes. You can sign up for one of their regular classes or (as in our case) get a private class for your group.
Now this recipe is easy and has an amazing balance of flavors. It's great with or without the chiles. The butternut squash adds a wonderful nutty sweetness - just the right amount. I learned that dicing the squash, coating it with olive oil, then roasting it caramelizes the squash. This brings out the flavor and sweetness. Very important. I also learned that cooking spices (chili powder) in oil brings out the flavor. Otherwise this recipe is basic cooking and assembling - easy! Hope you like it!
