Weekly Eats

We have been in Key West Florida for the past week! Sunny days. 80 degrees. Palm trees. Beaches and pools. Fishing and friends. Here’s what I ate…

Look at all those doggy paw prints in the sand:

Sunday

Lunch: Subway – 6 inch turkey on wheat with fixin’s

Dinner: The Cafe – stir fry bowl with soba noodles, squash, red & green cabbage, celery, broccoli, edamame and shrimp

Monday

Lunch: Bad Boy Burrito – burrito with chicken, queso fresco, cabbage, red onion escabeche, avocado and mango habenero salsa. We also shared a green smoothie with kale, spinach, banana and pineapple.

Dinner: Abbodanza – penne primavera with broccoli, cauliflower, peas, spinach, zucchini, squash and mushrooms!

Tuesday

Lunch: Fishing trip day! I thought we would only be gone for 3 hours but that turned into 6 hours so this is all I had until dinner: 1 cup of coffee, a half of a Kind bar (the other half went through the holes in the basket of my bike!) and a pack of peanut butter crackers.

Dinner: Old Town Mexican cafe – Snapper served with sauteed spinach, rice and black beans. I also had a side of guacamole with my chips and salsa.

Wednesday

Lunch: Lobo’s – I got the “#1″…a veggie wrap with spinach, romaine, sprouts, mushrooms, avocado, green peppers, tomato and a dill sauce.

Dinner: Fresh caught black-belly-rose-fish (from Tuesday’s trip) served with sauteed spinach and some ravioli with sweet potato and kale that I bought at the store.

Thursday

Lunch: La Creperie – La Veggie with spinach, mushrooms, chives, tomatoes and goat cheese. I added avocado.

Dinner: Half Shell Raw Bar – raw clams, oysters and peel-n-eat shrimp. The best happy hour prices ever! You can pig out on fresh seafood and have to try hard to spend $50!

Friday

Lunch: Banana Cafe – tuna nicoise salad. Can you say key lime vinaigrette? Tangy awesome-ness!

Dinner: Lobo’s – a quesadilla packed with veggies like spinach, onion, mushrooms and avocado.

Saturday

Lunch: an authentic cuban sandwich with extra pickles from Ana’s Cuban Grocery. I think this had the most meat that I ate all week!

Dinner: sushi, edamame and miso soup from Origami before going on a late night fishing trip!

Pumpkin Enchiladas

      

Mexican food and Fall flavors got married, had a baby and this recipe was born! I found this recipe a few weeks ago and have made it twice already! It satisfies my need for spice, all-things-Fall and is super comforting.

I was a little scared at first because when you taste the sauce before it bakes, it’s a little weird…or too pumpkin-y something…but nothing that roasting in the oven for half an hour doesn’t fix!

Besides a little cheese (which isn’t bad for you) these are super healthy. Pumpkin is super high in antioxidants, vitamin A and potassium. Then you also have the added veggie goodness from the onions – pepper – jalapenos  and garlic . Super tasty! You have to try these babies!

For enchilada sauce:

• 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 cup pumpkin puree ( I used canned organic pumpkin)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• ¾ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock

For the filling:

• about 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced into small chunks
• 1 medium onion (such as vidalia), diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 tablespoons EVOO
• salt & pepper, to taste. Also add some of the chili powder, cumin and oregano that went into the sauce for extra flavor!

For assembly and serving:

• 8 medium- sized corn tortillas (if you use the small size it may take 10-12)
• 1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
• sliced green onions or chives and chopped cilantro, for serving

Method

• Preheat oven to 425. Add EVOO to a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, chicken, salt and pepper. Sauté until veggies are soft and chicken in done, about 10-12 minutes. About 2 minutes before its done add some of the chili powder, cumin and oregano that went into the sauce for extra flavor! Set aside.
• Place chopped jalapeño and garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince fine. Add pumpkin puree, chili powder, cumin, oregano, Greek Yogurt, and chicken stock. Pulse to combine. (I used my Vitamix for this step)
• Pour one cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8×13 baking dish.
• Heat tortillas in the microwave for 45 seconds, until they are warm and pliable. Spoon about ½ cup of chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Sprinkle with a little of the shredded cheddar. Roll up each tortilla and lay them in the pan, seam side down.
• Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas. Top with grated cheddar, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Garnish with green onions and chopped cilantro.

Based on the recipe by How Crazy Cooks

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Here’s a peek inside my kitchen to see what we ate on Friday night. Travis was working/playing in the garage, Devin was out of school for the week and I began my spring break (otherwise known as my-last-spring-break-ever-because-I-graduate-in-December!). Time for fun to eat Mexican-get-the-party-started-food!

When I originally found this recipe I loved the result so much that I shared it with my sister Zan. She has made them multiple times and so have I but this is the first time I’ve taken pics.

We also made fresh salsa in my new Vitamix!

These are so fun to eat and amazingly delicious that I need to remember to make them as a party food sometime. I think you could slice them in half on the diagonal and they would be even more bite size and party friendly.

• 3 ounces organic cream cheese, at room temp
• 1/4 cup salsa verde
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (I used part of a rotisserie)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 12-16 (6-inch) organic corn tortillas

Method

• Preheat oven to 425 F.  Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, chile powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic, parsley, scallions, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.  Add the chicken and cheeses and stir until evenly distributed.  Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place 2 tortillas at a time on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel.  Microwave for 25 seconds, or until the tortillas are soft and pliable.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly.  Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
• Spray the taquitos with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden.  (I loved them served with sour cream!)

Adapted from Pink Parsley Blog

Tri Tip Tacos (Slow Cooker)

I finally made a roast that I love! Last summer I made a pork butt roast with my sister Zandria. It had tons of ingredients. It was too big for crock pot and we (well… she) had to cut the meat into chunks so it would fit. The end result was full of fat pieces that we had to pick out and the meat wasn’t excellent for all the work required.

This roast is a different story. Mix the spice rub. Sprinkle and pat it into the meat. Let the meat rest for a few minutes while you chop onions and garlic, open a can of tomatoes and measure a cup of beef broth.

Devin ate his inside of warmed corn tortillas and piled up with good toppings. I tasted the meat with the tortillas but thought it was better by itself on a plate and topped with the avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, a drizzle of sour cream and the pickled red onions I made (thinly sliced red onion, Bragg apple cider vinegar, splash of water and salt and pepper…let it sit for 5 hours in the fridge). Basically the same stuff Devin put on his taco!

The meat pulled apart basically by itself. It’s juicy and flavorful. And most importantly is easy to make and has literally no fat in it at all!!

Tri Tip Tacos

• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 1/2 lbs tri-tip roast (our market had Hereford Rump Roast and the butcher said it was very similar to tri tip)
• 14 ounces tomatoes and green chilies (I used Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies)
• 1 yellow onion (I diced the onion)
• 2 cloves garlic (I minced the garlic)
• 1 cup beef stock
• tortillas as needed (I used corn)
• toppings include: shredded cheese, salsa, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, lettuce, limes, cilantro, red onion, avocado

Method

• In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
• Liberally season the tri-tip roast with the spices and let it sit for 15 minutes.
• Place the roast into your slow cooker and cover it with the diced tomatoes and chilies, onions, garlic cloves and beef stock.
• Set your slow cooker to low and let it cook for 8-10 hours until the meat is easily shredded.
• Remove the meat from the slow cooker and give it a rough chop and use as needed for tacos.

Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking

Mexican Chicken Chili

After a couple of lunches and 2 dinners of Christmas leftovers I decided to change it up and make chili. I had plenty of homemade stock from the turkey and of course leftover turkey meat so I substituted those for the typical shredded chicken and chicken stock. Results? Very tasty!! Homemade stock is always better than the boxed stuff (though I do love that too)

This recipe is a variation of the recipe that my sister Zandria used to make. I have tried to make it a bit healthier and to all organic ingredients. It was called White Chicken Chili but I decided since it wasn’t very “white” that it needed a new name 🙂

• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
• 3 (15 oz.) cans organic great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 (4.5 oz.) can green chiles
• 1 (10 oz.) bag frozen organic white corn
• 1 tablespoon (heaping) homemade taco seasoning
• 1 container organic cream of celery soup
• 1/2 cup light organic sour cream
• Toppings: chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, shredded monterey jack cheese

Method

• Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 2 1/2 or 3 hours stirring occasionally. You can also cook this in a dutch oven or soup pot. Bring it to a simmer and turn it down low and cook for about 45 minutes.
• Add toppings to individual bowls for serving.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

It’s taco night in our house! There’s so many reasons to love tacos. Everyone can pick their own toppings, they take no time to make and they can be as healthy (or as bad) as you want! I have a few hard taco shells leftover from another dinner and some soft flour tortillas (for me) so we’ll have a mix of both tonight.

The toppings tonight are: avocado, tomatoes, red onion, jalapenos, lettuce, black beans, Herdez salsa (hot!) and of course cheese and sour cream!

I’ve been searching around for a while for just the right mix to make homemade taco seasoning because the packets that are available at the grocery store are so pricey, especially the organic ones and the “regular” brands have so many mystery ingredients. I think I have finally created our favorite mix! This blend is very bold and flavorful. It tastes like it cooked for hours instead of just minutes.

Taco Seasoning

• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 teaspoons shallot salt (sold at Penzey’s)
• 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

• Mix all spices together and store in a glass spice jar (I wash and reuse all of my old glass spice jars). Use a heaping tablespoon of spice plus 1/3 cup of water per pound of cooked ground beef to season for tacos.

Salsa Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas

We spent a couple days in Virginia Beach this week. Two days of boating, playing in the water and soaking up the sun. We ate brunch at our favorite-brunch-place-in-the-world, Citrus. Everytime we go to Virginia Beach we HAVE to eat there. It’s a great diner atmosphere with awesome brunch selections (and lunch but we always get breakfast). I had their Beach Benedict which has avocado, tomato and spinach in place of the typical ham in an eggs benedict. The rest of it is traditional with a crispy english muffin, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce….served with a side of yummy grits!!

One night we ate at another one of our favorite spots, Tautogs. They have amazing seafood and fun bartenders. We always eat at the bar when we go there.  One of the bartenders plays music just like Travis does so they had plenty to chat about. I was busy sipping on a pomegranate martini and eating up their Tau-Pho. The Pho had tons of veggies (baby bok choy, squash, zucchini, onions, jalapenos, peppers, cilantro) and had TONS of shrimp it in. It was like 95 degrees outside and I was eating hot soup and sweating but it was WORTH IT!!!

We got home yesterday afternoon and I enjoyed a little “me” time. I worked out, showered, got my nails done, went grocery shopping and after cooking dinner I went over to my friends Brian and Jes’ house.  They live in my neighborhood so I just had a walk around the corner (bonus)! They made samples of super-healthy smoothies with their Vitamix blender for us to try and we washed those down with glasses of wine. Super fun time!

I have made this recipe once before about a month ago for my brother and my Dad’s birthday (their birthdays are one day apart on the 24th and 25th of May). Due to the commotion of having guests over and cooking at the same time I didn’t take any pictures. The original recipe that I made from Sing for Your Supper blog made enough enchilada sauce and chicken filling to fill two 13×9 dishes (about 20-22  enchiladas). That was nice the first time I made these since I had 9 people to feed but I had to cut it down for just the 3 of us. This recipe makes enough enchiladas to fill one 13×9 dish.

Devin gave them his signature thumps up and Travis said they were really, really good. These enchiladas are a little spicy from the jalapeno and cayenne pepper, creamy from the sour cream and tangy from the salsa verde. I can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch today 🙂

Slightly Adapted From  Sing For Your Supper Blog

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken and saved the legs and wings for the guys to snack on later)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 cup (or half of a 16 ounce jar) of Medium Salsa Verde, I used Herdez
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro (I forgot to buy fresh)
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup each sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese
• 10-12 flour tortillas

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat large non-stick skillet and spray with non-stick olive oil spray, then add butter. When the pan heats and butter melts add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and saute until soft. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock until smooth and bubbly. Add cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and cilantro and stir. Then add in salsa and sour cream. Let it come to a simmer and then turn down to low while you prepare the tortillas.
• Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick olive oil spray. Add 2 ladle-fulls of sauce to the bottom of the dish. Add some chicken and cheese to each tortilla and roll up. Place in the pan seam-side down. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned. Serves 3-4 with leftovers.