Recipe Review from 1/4/2019

A good week meal wise.  Had some leftovers from the week previous that took us into this week.  And a couple of unexpected meals out shifted the mac-n-cheese into a future week.   I have a couple of meetings in the coming weeks and I'm contemplating trying something other than chocolate chip cookies.  We'll see how the timing works out.  Stay tuned!

Photo from Scifi with Paprika, 2018

Munsinger-Clemens Garden, St. Cloud, MN

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) gumbo (S) Lemon and garlic salmon pasta
Sun (L) leftovers (S) gumbo
Mon (yoga) gumbo
Tues - spaghetti squash with artichokes
Wed - Mac n cheese (Husband out)  last of gumbo
Thurs (yoga) leftover squash
Fri - leftover Caulifloer and quinoa

Lunches - Roasted Cauliflower with Quinoa (me);  tuna sandwiches (Husband)

Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon (Eating Well, Nov 2019)
I had some leftover cooked salmon from the Salmon Spread I made for a New Year's potluck and this was a complimentary dish from the same article. I used regular penne because I had a half box in the cupboard, and skipped the toasted breadcrumbs (putsy). The flavors on this are very bright, reminiscent of summer, and would be lovely during warmer months. I would make this again - recommended.

Using penne pasta, this made enough for 3 people.

8 ounces whole-wheat pasta

Photo from eatingwell.com

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups flaked cooked salmon (see Associated Recipes)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole-wheat
breadcrumbs, toasted

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

Combine oil, garlic, anchovy paste, crushed red pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved water, the pasta, salmon, parsley and salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the pasta, about 2 minutes. Serve topped with breadcrumbs.


Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad (Budget Bytes Blog) vegetarian/vegan
This was my lunches for the week. This was in part a "pantry reduction" recipe as it used up some veggies and items languishing in the pantry. I had about 1/4 head of leftover cauliflower, I had leftover green beans, I had two partial bags of quinoa (just enough for this recipe), and I had an open box of golden raisins (also just enough for this recipe).

I did roast the green beans, but added them about 5 minutes before the cauliflower was to come out. I also used chicken broth because that's what I have on hand. 

I enjoyed this with one caveat - the spices could have been increased, perhaps even doubled. This was just bordering on bland.

For my lunches, I prepped as directed and after combining, divvied up into grab-n-go containers. I did keep the almonds in a separate tub so they wouldn't get soft. I was also thinking this would be good for a potluck or to take camping. Recommended.

Make 6 servings as a main dish.  

photo from Budget Bytes blog

1 head cauliflower (I used 1/4 head)
1 handful of green beans
1 small red onion (I used a yellow onion)
2 Tbsp olive oil
pinch salt and pepper
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 cups quinoa
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I used golden raisins)
3 cups vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chopped parsley


Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Chop the cauliflower into florets and slice the red onion into 1/4-inch strips. Place the cauliflower florets and sliced red onion into a large bowl, along with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the cauliflower and onion until they are well coated in oil.

Spread the cauliflower and onion out onto a large baking sheet, then transfer them to the oven. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes, give them a good stir, then roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized and the cauliflower is browned.

Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa well in a wire mesh sieve. Add the butter, garlic, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon, to a medium sauce pot. Place the pot over medium heat. Stir and cook the spices for one minute.

Add the drained quinoa to the pot with the butter and spices. Also add the dried cranberries and vegetable broth. Stir to combine, then place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring it up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let the pot simmer for 20 minutes, with the lid in place.

After simmering over low for 20 minutes, the quinoa should have absorbed all of the broth. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa. Add the sliced almonds and stir to combine. Allow the quinoa to cool slightly.

Transfer the cooked quinoa and roasted cauliflower and red onion to a large bowl. Add the chopped parsley and stir until everything is combined. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat (can be eaten warm or cold).


Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Squash (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2020) vegetarian
This was a weeknight meal for us, despite having to bake the squash as I don't have a microwave.   And noting, it actually worked out well for a weeknight meal - as the squash was cooking, I was able to put stuff away, set the table, etc so when it came to final assembly and prep, it was minimal clean-up and I was ready to relax for the evening.

This does make enough for four meals and it worked well as leftovers.  To reheat in the oven, place on a baking dish, put in cold oven and pre-heat to 350*.  Bake for an additional 10 minutes then turn off until ready to eat. 

This was reminiscent of the cheesy baked artichoke dip.  I would make this again.  Recommended.

Two meals for two with a 2lb squash. 

photo from eatingwell.com

1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
3 tablespoons water, divided
1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach
1 (10 ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed and softened
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Crushed red pepper
chopped fresh basil for garnish

Place squash cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 2 tablespoons water. Microwave, uncovered, on High until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F until tender, 40 to 50 minutes.)

Meanwhile, combine spinach and the remaining 1 tablespoon water in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

Use a fork to scrape the squash from the shells into the bowl. Place the shells on a baking sheet. Stir artichoke hearts, cream cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper into the squash mixture. Divide it between the squash shells and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and basil, if desired.