Going Greek!

Who knew that a Greek style pizza could be so good? I didn't really know what I was doing when I created this pizza, but man, it turned out so incredibly good! I used a combination of recipes that I found for Greek salads, Greek spiced chicken, and the lemon vinaigrette that topped the pizza. Usually I make a whole wheat pizza crust, but for some reason I was craving a white crust. I also used my pizza stone (which I love and totally recommend be used anytime you make pizza-it makes the biggest difference). I left the cheese off of my half and just put it on my husbands. I topped the pizza with fresh tomatoes and shredded basil (fresh) and a delicious, tangy lemon vineagrette. I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!

Greek Pizza

1 pound pizza dough

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup plain, non or low fat yogurt

1 lemon juiced

1/2 tsp. each cumin, coriander, oregano

1 Tbsp. grill seasoning

1 roasted red bell pepper

1 8 oz. pkg. mushrooms, sliced and sauteed until moisture is evaporated

1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 cup hummus

1 tomato diced

6 basil leaves thinly sliced

mozzerella cheese

crumbled feta cheese

smoked gouda cheese

1 lemon juiced and zested

1 clove garlic, minced

dash salt

dash pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. fresh oregano minced or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

If using pizza stone, follow the directions for preheating it. Prepare marinade for chicken by combining yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, oregano, and grill seasoning. Coat chicken in the marinade and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Grill or broil chicken until no longer pink in the center and juices run clcear. Roll out your favorite pizza dough into desired shape of pizza. Place in oven for about 10 minutes at 425 degrees. When crust starts to looked lightly baked, remove from oven. Spread hummus on top of pizza crust. Top with desired amount of mozzerella and gounda cheeses, red onion, olives, sauteed mushrooms, roasted bell pepper. Place pizza back in oven and cook until crust is light golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare vineagrette by combining juice and zest of one lemon, minced garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and oregano. Set aside.

When pizza has been cooked, top with chicken (diced or shredded), fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, crumbled feta and drizzle vineagrette over the top. ENJOY!!!!!!

Quinoa Salad

This salad is perfect for a light summer meal. You could easily add cooked shrimp or chicken to make is a complete meal. It is light, refreshing and FULL of flavor. My husband went back for seconds and ended up finishing off the last of it! I love that it is so simple, healthy and quick to throw together. Quinoa is a grain that is often overlooked. It is packed with protein and cooks up more quickly than rice. I choose to cook it in organic free range chicken broth to add an extra layer of flavor. I am not going to include quantities in the recipe since I did not measure anything out. Just add however much of everything looks good to you. I served this salad with salmon and corn on the cob....YUM!

Quinoa Salad

Cooked Quinoa (1:2 ratio-1 cup quinoa to 2 cups liquid)

Roasted asparagus (I drizzle a little olive oil over asparagus and toss with salt and pepper-throw it under the broiler for a couple of minutes)

1 red bell pepper chopped

chopped kalamata olives

3 scallions, sliced

lemon dressing (1 lemon juiced and zested, 1 clove garlic minced, pinch of salt and pepper, 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil)

chopped cilantro

Season salad with salt and pepper

Toss everything together and refrigerate!

Thai Chicken Wraps

I can honestly say that this in my husbands absolute favorite meal! He would eat this everyday if he could. He also loves it with steak. It is a quick/cheap meal....we love those kind of meals! I first saw this recipe on an episode of 30 Minute Meals and I immediately knew I had to make it! We are a big fan of brown rice and avocados, so when I prepare the wraps I include a nice scoop of hearty brown rice and a couple of avocado slices....SO GOOD! Make sure to drizzle extra peanut sauce on top! This a a very light meal-perfect for summer. I hope you all enjoy!

Thai Chicken Wraps

3 (6-ounce) chicken breasts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
Salad:
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on an angle (I use a whole cucumber)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrots, available in pouches in produce department
3 scallions, sliced on an angle
12 leaves basil, chopped or torn
3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves (4 sprigs) (I just use the basil or add some cilantro)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sugar (I omit this)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
Salt
Spicy peanut sauce:
1/4 cup room temperature chunky peanut butter, soften in microwave if it has been refrigerated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil ( I omit this and just use more soy sauce and vinegar)
4 (12-inch) flour tortilla wraps
Directions
Heat a grill pan over high heat. Toss chicken with soy and oil and grill 6 minutes on each side.
Combine cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint and sesame with a generous sprinkle of sugar and vinegar. Season salad with salt, to taste.
Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne together. Stream in vegetable oil.
Slice cooked chicken on an angle. Toss with veggies and herbs.
In a very hot nonstick skillet or over a gas burner heat tortillas 15 seconds on each side.
Pile chicken and veggies in wraps and drizzle liberally with spicy peanut sauce before wrapping and rolling.

Pasta Puttanesca

I had my doubts about just how tastey this pasta sauce would be. It was so simple to put together and had so few ingredients.....nothing fancy. Let me just tell you, never underestimate the power of a few simple ingredients! This was so incredibly good and so quick to put together! I think the key is to let it simmer for about 20 minutes so that all the flavors are able to really mix together. This is honestly one of my new favorite pasta sauces! I served this with rosemary garlic foccacia bread, and roasted zucchini and mushrooms. I grilled a piece of mahi mahi and chicken. I was in the mood for fish and my husband in the mood for bird. This meal is going on our favorites list! This recipe comes from Ellie Kreiger's book The Food you Crave. I LOVE this cookbook. We have enjoyed every recipe!

8 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti, vermicelli or angel hair
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted chopped Spanish or Greek olives
2 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably "no salt added"
3/4 cup chopped fresh arugula
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and crushed red pepper to the skillet, and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the arugula and simmer for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt slightly.
When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the skillet, tossing it with the sauce to combine. Top with grated cheese.

Rosemary Garlic Foccacia

I have already posted the recipe for this. I just thought I would post a picture. I used mostly whole wheat flour for this loaf. It this is one of my favorite breads...so ful of flavor, light, fluffy and so satisfying! I made it to go with our pasta putanesca (I will post that tomorrow).

Turkey Burgers

I have had a few turkey burgers in my day...but never one as good as this! These are the most flavorful, moist, delicious turkey burgers I have ever had! The combination of ingredients work so well together! This recipe comes from 30 Minute Meals. I have had it in my pile of "to make" recipes for a while. I am so glad I finally made these. My husband (a big hamburger fan) loved these as much as I did. We ate these two nights in a row for dinner with grilled asparagus, salad, and giant potato fries. The first night we had these I toasted a sourdough English muffin instead of a bun. I love sourdough! In the original recipe, Rachael Ray suggests they be served on a portobello mushroom burger (which sounds yummy), but I prefer some type of bread/bun with my burgers. The recipe below reflects how I made the burgers. I think I am going to buy another package of ground turkey to make a big batch to keep in the freezer for a quick meal. I hope you try these! I know you'll love them as much as we did.

Turkey Cacciatore Burgers

1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package
Salt and pepper
6 crimini mushrooms (baby portobellos) stems removed and finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed away from skin and finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, a couple of handfuls
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Sliced tomatoes

Avocado

BBQ Sauce

Dijon Mustard

Sliced cheese

Combine meat with salt and pepper, chopped crimini mushrooms, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire, crushed red pepper flakes, cheese and parsley. Score and form meat into 4 large patties, 1 inch thick. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on top the patties then fry 5 or 6 minutes on each side in a hot skillet. Top with preferred toppings and enjoy!

Spring Risotto with Seared Scallops

Risotto and polenta have recently been added to my list of favorite foods. This risotto recipe comes from Martha Stewart in her cookbook "Great Food Fast" which I HIGHLY recommend! I love that cookbook! Anyway, this risotto has peas and zucchini. The flavor of this risotto is out of this world! My husband couldn't get enough of it! For those of you wonder what the heck risotto is, it is a rice dish that is made from a short grain rice called Arborio Rice. Risotto is made by adding liquid cup by cup and stirring constantly. This releases the starch in the rice creating a very creamy texture. You would think that there was a load of cream and butter in this recipe because of the creamy texture and the delicious flavor. The truth is I only added about 2 tsp. of Smart Balance spread at the end. The recipe also calls for parmensan cheese, but it tastes great without it. I like to add a dash of salt and a few grinds of black pepepr to mine. I also omitted the wine and used more broth in its place.

I served the risotto with seared scallops...a delicious combination that I think you should try!

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
1 to 2 large zucchini (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Directions
Heat broth and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan over low heat; keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise heat to medium. Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Cook, adding 1 cup hot broth at a time (stir until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more), until rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
Add zucchini and peas; cook until peas are bright green, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and Parmesan. Serve, topped with more cheese.