Tilapia Parmesan

I've been making tilapia parm with Panko bread crumbs several times, but this was my first go with my homemade bread crumbs. It was really good and reheated great for lunch this afternoon! It's pretty easy to make; I served it with some wild rice blend and buttered peas-YUM!Tilapia Parmesan

4 fresh or frozen (thawed) tilapia fillets
1-1/2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (I use Penzey's Pasta Sprinkle)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
olive oil cooking sprayPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings with a fork. Pour olive oil in another shallow dish. Coat fillets in oil, then dredge in bread crumb mixture. Place fillets in baking dish (you may need two dishes or one large baking sheet, depending on the size of you fillets. Spray tops of fillets with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fish flakes off in big chunks. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Emmy

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

If you've checked out any of the recipes on Skinnytaste.com that have been a great inspiration for me in the last few months, you'll see that she often uses whole wheat bread crumbs in place of the typical bread crumbs you find in the store. I converted to Panko bread crumbs about a year ago, but I'm now being converted to whole wheat bread crumbs (and you can still do them Panko-style)! However, I could never find them in any store in my area. My mom even hunted around the local natural food store with no success. Well, doing a bit of online research lead to the creation of a quick, easy, and homemade recipe for whole wheat bread crumbs! Being the foodie that I am, this has needless to say brought me great joy in the kitchen! :)

What you need:

1 bag of store bought whole wheat bread, sliced
(you could always make your own whole wheat bread and slice it for this, but this makes it super simple. As a side note-if you want organic ww bread crumbs, just get organic whole wheat bread...simple as that!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes; turning slices half-way through baking.

Once the bread is browned nicely and crispy. Process slices in a food processor or blender; course grind for Panko-style bread crumbs or fine for regular. If you use a blender like I did, you'll probably want to brake the slices into big chunks first and only do 2 at a time.


If your crumbs are still soft, you can slip them back into the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or so on the same baking sheet. Let cool before you store in an airtight container in your pantry. From what I can tell from my research, they will keep forever...within reason. If they get stale, you can always baking them up a bit more...or make some more!Too easy, right? I haven't done it yet, but for Italian bread crumbs, just add some Italian seasoning to the crumbs.

I've really found it amazing how many things you can easily make yourself, for way cheaper than buying them. You could buy an organic loaf of bread or make your own for around $3-$4 (or less if you make your own). I have a feeling organic ww bread crumbs would be a lot more in the store-if you could even find them! :)

So, you have homemade whole wheat bread crumbs. What should you make with them?
Thanks for asking...

Tilapia Parmesan

Shrimp Curry & Homemade Whole Wheat Naan

In the past year, I've developed a love of Indian food. We ate at Indian restaurant in Madison, WI last year with my family on a little Winter Weekend get away. Their lunch buffet was fun, because we could try all sorts of dishes. When our friends from England were here, we got take-out from the Chicago Curry House and ate on the roof of the hotel. It was so fun and yummy!

I saw a recipe for homemade naan (Indian flat bread) on another blog and decided to give it a try with the curry since the two seem to go together. It was a lot of fun to make the naan and cook it over the open gas burner on my stove. I learned to watch and move it carefully, but the end result was great! It was a two person effort (the hubby and me), but it was a great little impromptu cooking date! :)

I hope some of you will step out of your comfort zone and try to make curry on your own. You could use chicken, shrimp, or lamb if you'd like with this recipe.

Shrimp Curry

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-vained (wild, American shrimp, if possible)
2 Tbsp oil
1 large onion
1 green bell pepper or 1 jalapeno pepper (depending on the spiciness you'd like), diced small
2 plum tomatoes, quartered and cut into big chunks
1 Tbsp curry powder (I use Red Curry)
1 can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 small container plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp lime juice
3 cups cooked brown basmati rice

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions and pepper. Saute until onions become translucent. Add curry powder, tomatoes, water and tomato paste. Saute until tomatoes begin to break down. Add shrimp and saute until shrimp are pink (about 3-5 minutes*don't overcook!) Turn off heat and add yogurt and lime juice. Serve immediately. Makes enough for 3-4 hearty meals.


Find recipe for Whole Wheat Naan at: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/breads/homemade-naan-2/

I followed this recipe to the letter, except for the addition of flavorings. After I finished all the naans, I brushed them with hot butter. They were excellent that way and made a great addition to the curry. I froze the leftovers for a later date.

Also, if you have a gas stove, I highly recommend toasting the other side to get a real authentic look for the naan. It was pretty easy...as long as you keep and eye on it and turn it around frequently.

I was so impressed by how authentic looking this was! Usually when I try something like this it just doesn't seem to equal the real thing. This was a great recipe and a fun way to bring something different to the dinner table!

Enjoy!

Emmy

P.S. My new camera was used for these pictures. Still trying to figure everything out, but I'm happy with the results thus far! :)

Lazy Saturday Comfort Food

Let me just start by saying, I LOVE Saturdays! More specifically, the lazy Saturdays were there is nothing pressing and no where to be in a hurry. As I sit here typing away, my hubby is lounging on the couch next to me reading a book and the pup is peacefully snoozing (almost) on her blanket. Oh, did I mention the smell of split pea soup is constantly teasing us, by filling up the entire house with a warm, yummy aroma? Aaahhhh...
Our morning started with a late breakfast of French toast, bacon and fruit. The bread for the toast was some honey whole wheat oatmeal bread-homemade a few days ago. The eggs and bacon were locally produced and the fruit was...good. :) Here's how we do French toast...

4 thick slices homemade whole wheat bread
3 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whisk up eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a shallow dish. Place bread in egg mixture, waiting about 2 minutes to flip over. On a griddle or skillet, toast bread about 3-4 minutes per side.Serve with real maple syrup. We like Trader Joe's Organic Grade B Maple Syrup.
Enjoy!

Since it's about time for lunch, how about some homemade Split Pea Soup for a cold February day? It's super easy!

16 oz pkg. dried split peas (rinsed & sorted)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced small
8 cups vegetable broth or water
1 bay leaf
2 smoked pork shanks
salt & pepper- to taste

Saute onions in about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add carrot & celery. Saute for about 5 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 2-1/2 hours or until peas turn to mush (or however you like your peas). Remove pork shanks from soup, remove meat from bones, chop the meat and add back into the soup. Serve with warm bread or croutons.Happy Lazy Saturday!

Emmy

PS-My new camera came the other day! Now, I need a lens! :)

Lighten Up: General Tso's Chicken

Well, if I get this posted today (Saturday), I can say that I made my one post a week deal. :) I just need to get posting on my to-do list and maybe it would just get done. I love doing this, but other things often drown it out. My inspiration to post today came from an excited purchase I made today. Pooling some Christmas money together, I was able purchase a new camera! It's my first digital SLR, the Canon Digital Rebel XSi. I chose this one because it's said to be a good beginner SLR, and I'm definitely a beginner! The suggestion came from Gina at Skinnytaste.com, who uses the XSi for her food blog photos. I can't wait to get it, figure out how it works (this is key), and start using it! Hopefully this will help enhance the look of my blog and get me posting more! :)

As for the recipe-I tried this a few weeks back, after we had just eaten at a local Chinese buffet with my side of the family. I love their General Tso's Chicken and Mongolian Beef, but I know they are not the best options for someone trying to shed a few pounds. I came across this recipe on Ziplist (which is great if you haven't discovered it yet), and decided to give it a try because of the rave reviews in the comment section. I adapted it a bit to fit what I had on hand and it was a winner! I don't know if I can say that it's better than Imperial Buffet, but it satisfies the Chinese take-out desire in a lighter way. I paired it with some teriyaki veggies and fresh pineapple. Hope you give it a try!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups long-grain brown rice
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1-1/2 lbs. snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise (or more if you like snow peas like I do)
  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 large eggs or 2 large egg whites
  
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Cook rice according to package directions.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp of the corn starch and 1/2 cup cold water, mixture is no longer lumpy. Add snow peas, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes and toss to coat in the cornstarch mixture.

In a another bowl, mix together beaten eggs, 3 Tbsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, shaking off the excess egg mixture. Cook until golden brown, turning a few times (6-8minutes). Remove chicken and cook the remaining chicken, adding another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan. Remove chicken.

Add snow pea mix to the skillet and cook, covered 3-5 minutes until the peas are tender crisp and the sauce as thickened. Return chicken to skillet and toss with the peas and sauce. Serve with brown rice.

Barely adapted from Martha Stewart's Lighter General Tso's Chicken recipe

Enjoy!
e

Happy Chinese New Year!

With two cousins who attended a Chinese immersion school and two Chinese friends, I decided it would be fun to make some Chinese food to celebrate Chinese New Year! The noodles are traditional for celebrating the New Year in China-symbolizing long life, and the longer the better. Although the symbolism is celebrated in China, I just love eating them! There are more foods that are traditionally eaten to celebrate the New Year, but being cheap and wanting to use what I had on hand, I decided to make some lettuce wraps with some Chinese flavors. We enjoyed our "Chinese" dinner with chopsticks, which is always a fun way to enjoy Chinese (and eat slower!). I looked at several recipes for the noodles and wraps, but sort of put my own spin on them both.

Chinese New Year Noodles (with red dragon tails-for the year of the dragon)

1 package Chinese wheat noodles, or soba noodles
2 Tbsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (dragon tails) :)
2 carrots, one julienned, one shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp chili garlic paste or Sriacha sauce, optional*adds heat

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in wok or large skillet on high. Add garlic and stir rapidly to avoid garlic burning. Quickly add veggies. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Combine soy sauce, hosin sauce, sugar, stock and optional chili paste in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Add to veggies and stir to coat. Add noodles and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Asian Lettuce Wraps (Pork)

1 lb. ground pork (local if available, ours is Huelskoetter Pork Beason, IL)
*you could also use ground chicken/turkey/beef if you'd prefer
1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves (about 12 leaves)
1 Tbsp oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, shredded
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriacha sauce-optional*adds heat
salt & pepper


Rinse lettuce and dry leaves with a towel. Set aside. Cook ground meat with onion in a large skillet until meat is cooked. Drain excess oil off meat and set meat aside. Stir fry veggies in same pan as meat 5 minutes. Add hoisin, soy and Sriacha sauce, stir fry a few more minutes. Add meat and stir to coat meat with sauce. Taste mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a bowl, so each person can serve themselves by placing a spoonful in a lettuce leaf, wrap it up and enjoy!

This made a great meal, even though the flavors were similar. It was a great texture variety! Complete the meal with some mini oranges or pineapple to balance out the savory sauces of the two dishes!

Enjoy!

Emmy

New Year, Fresh Start!

I've decided to try to renew my resolve to post more. I know how many people appreciate the recipes and such, but I just seem to find my time slipping away from me when it comes to blogging. I'd like to set a goal of one post a week and see if I can at least keep up with that. We don't stop eating, that's for sure.

The hubby and I have made a concerted effort to eat healthier. This all occurred after our "foodie vaca," which, if you've seen any of the pictures, was not a dieters vacation by any means. :) We enjoyed it none the less, but really were determined to make it through the holidays without gaining weight (we thought losing weight over the holidays was a setting ourselves up to be discouraged). We succeeded! Anyone who has ever tried to eat right, be healthier and lose weight we know how encouraging and empowering success like that can be.

Continuing this goal into the new year, we have continued see pounds leave in a healthy way. Portion control has been a biggy for us and using our small plates instead of the big dinner plates has played a huge role in winning the mental food battle-"this is it?"

Back to food-Skinnytaste.com has become my new go-to spot for delicious, healthy recipes! Seriously good food! So much variety and the recipes are bursting with flavor, but don't burst your waistline! Check it out!

Another big help has been the newest 4-legged addition to our family! Meeka, our spaniel/beagle/lab mix rescue pup joined our family on New Years Eve. She is a sweet, lovable, pup, but definitely still a pup. Lots of energy means the need to run and get lots of exercise, so we don't have our home chewed to ribbons-great motivation to get out and exercise! I've enjoyed jogging with her in the morning and jogging/walking her with my hubby in the evenings.

So, I'm hoping that this new year will bring you joy and good food! I hope to bring some of that good food to you through this blog! I love to hear what you think or what you'd like to see here.

Happy New Year
(I can still say that on January 25th right?)

Emmy