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July 28th, 2019

7/28/2019

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PB&K (Parsley, Basil, and Kale) Pesto Pasta with Turkey Meatballs

SERVINGS: 8
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
DIETARY: None
PREP/COOK TIME: 20 min/25 mi

PB&K Pesto

1/2 c. roasted pine nuts
1/2 c. parsley
3/4 c. basil
3/4 c. kale
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 lemons, juice
1 lemon, zest
2 garlic cloves
1/2 c. olive oil
salt and pepper

Pasta and Veggies

16 oz. pasta
1 bunch of kale, rough chop
2 small containers grape tomatoes, whole
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

Turkey Meatballs

3 lbs. ground turkey
1 vidalia onion, chopped finely
3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 1/2 tbsp. crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Make the pesto by mixing all of the ingredients in a blender. Add oil to thin out if necessary. Keep in the fridge.
Mix the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl just until they are evenly distributed. Spread a small amount of olive oil on a sheet tray. Form the meatballs into golf ball size shapes and put on the sheet tray. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily season with salt so it has the same taste of sea water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (or has a slight bite, but not hard or mushy).
Rough chop the kale and add to a pan with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until it is wilted down like spinach. In a separate pan blister the tomatoes on high heat with olive oil and salt/pepper. Mix the kale, tomatoes, and drained pasta in the pot you cooked the pasta in (leave a small amount of pasta water in the bottom).
Add the pesto to the pasta and veggies. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes so the pesto coats all of the ingredients.
Plate the pasta on first, top with as many meatballs you want, and garnish with more toasted pine nuts and Parmesan cheese!

Me Cuisine Tips

My girlfriend is gluten-free, but typically you would add some stale bread soaked in milk to the meatballs to make them more tender (traditional Italian way), but these are much healthier.
The pesto base is all of the ingredients except the kale, so you can substitute that with other greens.

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July 26th, 2019

7/26/2019

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Grilled Lemon Chicken and Squash with Cauliflower Rice

SERVINGS: 4
DIFFICULTY: Beginner
DIETARY: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
PREP/COOK TIME: 30 min/25 mi

Lemon Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 lemon (juice and zest)
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 finely chopped shallot
1 finely chopped garlic clove
salt and pepper

Marinated Squash

1 green zucchini cut into small disks
1 yellow squash cut into small disks (looks like the zucchini)
1 eggplant cut in half, and cut into half disks
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped finely
1 lemon (juice and zest)
salt and pepper

Tapenade

1/2 jar pitted Kalamata olives
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 bunch of parsley
1 tbsp. capers
salt and pepper

Cauliflower Rice

1 head of cauliflower
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

Start marinating the chicken and squash. Put the chicken in a zip-lock bag and add all of the ingredients listed above. Massage in the bag and keep in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Put the squash in a separate bag with its ingredients and keep in the fridge for the same length.
While the chicken and squash are marinating, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Make the tapenade by finely chopping all of the ingredients and mixing them together. Put in a bag or container and keep in the fridge. Traditional tapenade has anchovies, but with all of these ingredients it's user preference!
Either finely grate, finely chop, or more simply food process the florets of cauliflower until it resembles the size of rice or couscous. If you use a food processor, just pulse the florets...blending them will make them mushy. Once that is finished, put on a sheet tray, mix with the olive oil and salt/pepper, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven.
When the chicken and squash are done marinating, grill the veggies first (doing this will season the grill/pan for the chicken). Put the eggplant on first for 3-5 minutes then add the yellow and green squash for 5-8 minutes or until soft with a bite. Don't burn them by rotating them a quarter through then flip halfway through (gets the nice grill marks and cooks evenly). Once they are done put on a sheet tray and cover with tin foil.
Once the veggies are done add the chicken breast. Add some more salt and pepper before putting them on and lower the heat to medium. Chicken breast is tricky because you don't want to under cook it (because...well...it's bad for you) and you don't want to overcook it (it'll become way to dry). One way to make sure it is done is stick a cooking thermometer inside (should be 165 degrees F) or cut open the inside to make sure there is no pick. Typically it should take about 8 minutes per side depending on the thickness (keep the grill closed to contain the heat).
Last but not least, plate it however you want and spread the tapenade on the chicken and enjoy!

Me Cuisine Tips

You can replace the cauliflower rice with regular rice.
Typical tappenade has anchovies, so add that if you are feeling up to it!

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July 25th, 2019

7/25/2019

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Panang Curry with Coconut Rice

SERVINGS: 4-5
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
DIETARY: Gluten-Free
PREP/COOK TIME: 20 min/35 min

Curry Paste

2 small lemongrass stalks
1/4 c. cilantro
1/2 c. roasted peanuts
2 dried red chilies
1 serrano chili
1/4 c. chopped ginger
5 garlic cloves
1/4 yellow onion
2 limes (juice and zest)
1 tbsp. water
salt

Curry Ingredients

4 chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (bones and skin removed)
3 carrots chopped roughly
2 bell peppers chopped roughly
1 sweet potato chopped in bite size pieces
1 1/2 yellow onion chopped finely
3 cloves garlic chopped finely
1 tbsp. ginger chopped finely
2-3 tbsp. neutral oil (peanut, vegetable, etc.)
1/2 c. coconut cream
1 1/4 c. coconut milk
thai basil for garnish
salt and pepper

Coconut Rice

3 c. jasmine rice
6 c. (half water/half coconut water or milk)
3/4 c. toasted unsweetened coconut
3/4 c. chopped toasted peanuts

Chop and blend all of the curry paste ingredients. Add water as necessary to form pasty consistency. Add a tbsp. of salt.
Add oil to a pot and add the chicken (seasoned with salt and pepper). Cook until brown or until the outside is colored. Remove chicken. Add the carrots and sweet potatoes, cook around 5-7 minutes. Add the rest of the veggies, garlic, and ginger. Cook for another 5 minutes, then add the curry paste to the veggies. Add the chicken back into the pot. After 3 minutes, add the coconut cream and coconut water/milk. If necessary, add chicken stock or water to thin out. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes on low heat. Be sure to add salt and pepper throughout the process.
I recommend using a rice cooker for the rice, but if you don't have one boil the liquid in the pot then add the rice. Cover on a simmer (low heat) for about 25 minutes. Once the rice is cooked and absorbed the liquid, add the toasted coconut and crushed peanuts.
Plate the rice and add the curry on top or around. Garnish with toasted peanuts and thai basil.

Me Cuisine Tips

If you are allergic to nuts, don't worry just remove them! It will change the flavor profile, but it'll still taste great.
You can also just buy pre-made curry paste to use if you are short on time.

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July 24th, 2019

7/24/2019

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African Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Lentils with Tomato Sauce

SERVINGS: 5-6
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
DIETARY: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
PREP/COOK TIME: 30 min/45 mi

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2 sweet potatoes cut into 1" cubes (yams are fine)
2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil

Lentils with Stewed Tomatoes

2 cups dried lentils
8 cups water or vegetable stock (no sodium)
2 vine tomatoes (big ones)
3 oz. tomato paste
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. dried oregano
3 tbsp. salt
3 tbsp. black pepper
cilantro to garnish

Bring the lentils and stock/water to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until tender.
Add the oil and listed seasonings to the sweet potatoes and toss on a sheet tray. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a fork can easily go through.
In a pan, add oil and all spices for the sauce. Let them cook on low heat for a few minutes, then add the garlic and onion and sweat them out on medium heat (until they are translucent). Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, bell peppers, and salt. Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes, smashing some of the tomatoes periodically.
Drain the lentils once they are tender (not hard), leaving a small amount of liquid in the pot. Add the tomato sauce to the lentils pot and cook for another 15 minutes.
Remove the lentils and sauce off the heat and take the sweet potatoes out once they are tender.
Portion out the lentils, add the sweet potatoes on top, and garnish with cilantro!

Me Cuisine Tips

Lentils are an acquired taste, but they are really good for your health. You can replace them with other legumes like garbanzo beans or even black beans.

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recipes

July 28th, 2019

PB&K (Parsley, Basil, and Kale) Pesto Pasta with Turkey Meatballs

July 26th, 2019

Grilled Lemon Chicken and Squash with Cauliflower Rice

July 25th, 2019

Panang Curry with Coconut Rice

July 24th, 2019

African Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Lentils with Tomato Sauce

Archives

Recipe Collections

recipes

July 28th, 2019

PB&K (Parsley, Basil, and Kale) Pesto Pasta with Turkey Meatballs

July 26th, 2019

Grilled Lemon Chicken and Squash with Cauliflower Rice

July 25th, 2019

Panang Curry with Coconut Rice

July 24th, 2019

​African Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Lentils with Tomato Sauce

Archives

Recipe Collections

African Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Lentils with Tomato Sauce