Stuffed Zucchini with Goat Cheese & Herbs

September 4, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

Cheese is back! After finishing up my version of a Whole 30, I’ve been adding some dairy back into my diet. I’ve made some interesting discoveries. I used to think that too much coffee upset my stomach, but since switching to almond milk, I realized it was all the milk in my coffee that was causing me problems (I like a LOT of milk in my coffee). So I’m trying not to go too crazy with the dairy, but I’m fine with a little cheese.

Goat cheese is one of my favorite cheeses, and it’s one that people who are lactose intolerant can often still enjoy. Apparently this is because the fat molecules in goat’s milk are shorter than those in cow’s milk, and thus easier to digest. Whatever the reason, I’m glad I can enjoy goat cheese. It really takes these stuffed zucchini over the top.

One more note on ingredients: this was my first time cooking with ground pork. It was so good! Why is everyone still buying ground beef all the time? I mean, I’m sure this recipe would be good with beef, or even ground chicken or turkey, but the pork just has so much great flavor. Perhaps this is due to a higher fat content? What I really want to know is this: why don’t people make hamburgers out of ground pork? Any thoughts? After all, they are called HAMburgers…

On to the recipe! I’m eager to try this with other vegetables as well: maybe mushrooms instead of peppers, or shallots instead of onions. Let me know if you try this or any variations!

Orange Ginger Chicken Thighs & Yu Hsiang Eggplant

August 22, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

Chicken thighs are my new favorite dinner. They are easy to make, not very expensive, and very hard to overcook. Since I’m paranoid about undercooking chicken, I like a cut that can stand up to my tendency to cook things a little bit too long. Chicken thighs are also delicious, and the perfect size–not huge and dry like chicken breasts often are.

Indochinese Chilli Chicken with Cauliflower Fried Rice

August 13, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

I LOVE Indian food. Luckily for me, my mom’s apartment is just blocks from Singh’s Cafe, which has a fabulous lunch buffet every day of the week. I go more than anyone should go anywhere, but I just love it so much. One of the best parts of going to lunch buffet is that there is no waiting: you show up, you sit down (or not), and you go get your food! I also love it because you can try some of everything.

Spicy Cocoa Chili

August 11, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

If you are going to eat paleo, you are going to need a lot of protein in your fridge. Otherwise, you will be constantly cranky.

Shrimp & Zoodles with Garlic Tomato Sauce

August 6, 2013 By Becky 8 Comments

Have you ever made zoodles? If you get yourself a julienne peeler, you can be making zucchini into low-carb noodle stand-ins in no time. It’s actually really good. You may not be able to fool people into thinking they are eating actual spaghetti, but I don’t think anyone will be complaining.

Mocha Marinated Steak with Peach Salsa and Cauliflower Mash

August 5, 2013 By Becky 17 Comments

If you haven’t stopped by since last month’s chocolate party, you’ll notice that things have changed some since the days of double malt ice cream sandwiches. A Calculated Whisk is going paleo! I’m doing a Whole30, and the blog is doing it with me. So for the rest of August, you’ll find more healthy recipes with fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, and seafood, but no grains, sugar, sweeteners, legumes, soy, milk, or processed food. Desserts (at least paleo ones, which can still be impressively delicious!) will return in the fall.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Creamy Rutabaga

July 14, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

I made you a whole dinner! This is one of my favorite things to make for my boyfriend–he loves it. You can also make it with scallops instead of shrimp. The shrimp or scallops broil wrapped in bacon, which makes them almost impossible to overcook, and they don’t need any other seasonings! So simple and so delicious. You only need five ingredients (salt and pepper don’t count)!

If you’ve never tried rutabagas (also known as yellow turnips), I highly recommend them. This creamy rutabaga is a healthier, more flavorful version of mashed potatoes. You’re going to love it! It’s adapted from Ina Garten, and you should check out her version, because it has an amazing crispy shallot topping. I usually make the crispy shallots, but they take a while and today I was in a bit of a hurry.

I served the shrimp right on top of the creamy rutabaga, with a simple salad on the side. I plumped some raisins, toasted some pecans, and tossed them with baby arugula, olive oil, balsamic, and a little salt. The perfect summer dinner!

Ingredients (serves 2-3):

For the bacon-wrapped shrimp:

1/2 pound shrimp (I used 31-40 count per lb), peeled, tails on (or use sea scallops)
8 or so slices of bacon (you need one slice of bacon for every two shrimp or every one or two scallops)
Toothpicks

For the creamy rutabaga:

2 rutabagas
3/4 cup whole milk, heavy cream, or coconut milk
3 tablespoons butter, ghee, or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the rutabagas, trim and peel them and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Put them in a saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 35 minutes (they should feel tender like cooked potatoes when pierced with a fork). Drain them, and put them in a food processor with the milk, butter, and some salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Taste seasonings and adjust as necessary.

To make the shrimp, preheat the broiler and lightly grease a baking sheet. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is starting to brown but still very undercooked. Drain on paper towels.

When the bacon is cool enough to handle, cut each piece in half lengthwise. Wrap each shrimp with half a piece of bacon, using a toothpick to secure the ends. If you are using large scallops, you can wrap each one in a whole piece of bacon. Place the bacon wrapped shrimp on the baking sheet.

Broil for about 3 minutes, then flip the shrimp over and broil for another 3 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp are fully opaque. Scallops may need an additional minute or two if they are large. Serve hot.

Vietnamese Pork & Vermicelli Bowl

July 7, 2013 By Becky 1 Comment

There are lots of Vietnamese stores and restaurants in my neighborhood. On lazy days I do all my shopping at Truong Thinh, the Vietnamese market around the corner, and pick up a banh mi for lunch. One of my favorite places to eat is Pho Hoa, where I love to order the House Special Vermicelli Plate (number 90 in case you’re going–Pho Hoa is a chain and there might be one near you!). It comes with a bunch of delicious things, and rice paper wraps so you can make your own spring rolls. The first time I ordered it, the waiter brought the rice paper wraps first and Ben and I tried to take a bite of them. No dice. They are dry like paper until you soak them in hot water. Oops.

Anyway, the house special plate comes with those wraps (and a big bowl of hot water to soften them) and vermicelli, herbs and vegetables topped with grilled pork, meatballs, a spring roll, and shrimp & sugarcane. It also comes with fish sauce on the side. It’s SO good, and the grilled pork is my favorite. I don’t know what they do to it.

This dish is my attempt to recreate that dinner at home. I have to tell you, it’s really good, but it’s not QUITE the same flavor I get at the restaurant. You should still make it, though. It’s super yummy and healthy and beautiful (and lots of fun to photograph, if you’re into that). It has a lot of components, but almost all of them can easily be made in advance. When it’s time to eat, just cook the pork and put together your bowl!

Ingredients (serves 4; adapted from The Culinary Chronicles):

For the pork:

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 scallions, sliced

4 inch piece of lemongrass, finely minced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3/4 to 1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced thinly

For the quick-pickled carrots and cucumbers:

1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks

4 tablespoons rice vinegar (no sugar or salt added)

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

For the nuoc cham sauce:

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons warm water

1/2 teaspoon chili paste

For the scallion oil:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sliced scallions (3-4 scallions)

For serving:

8 ounces vermicelli, cooked according to package directions

1 head of Boston lettuce, leaves separated

Bunch of cilantro

Fresh bean sprouts (I bought them and forgot to get them out!)

Crushed roasted peanuts

To prepare the pork, mix all the ingredients for the marinade together and toss with the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before cooking.

To make the quick-pickled vegetables, pour the vinegar, sugar, and salt over the vegetables and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. If you make them more than a couple of hours in advance, store them in the fridge.

For the nuoc cham sauce, mix all ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

For the scallion oil, heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat. When it’s hot, add the scallions and cook until wilted but still bright green, about three minutes. Pour off the scallions and most of the oil and set aside.

Take the pork out of the fridge about ten minutes before you want to cook it. Prepare the grill, or heat up the same skillet you used for the scallion oil over medium high heat. Cook the pork, with a little marinade spooned on top, on both sides until browned and cooked through. Brush cooked pork with the scallion oil before serving.

To serve, line a plate or bowl with lettuce leaves and vermicelli. Top with pickled vegetables, bean sprouts, pork, and roasted peanuts. Serve with nuoc cham sauce on the side.

Gambas al Ajillo–Sizzling Garlic Shrimp

May 29, 2013 By Becky 8 Comments

It could not be easier or quicker to make gambas al ajillo at home! These sizzling garlic shrimp make an ideal paleo appetizer. With such a short and simple ingredients list and such delicious results, there’s no reason not to try it!

For my birthday, we went to dinner at Solea, a fabulous tapas restaurant in Waltham. If you live in the Boston area and haven’t been, you need to try it! It’s one of my absolute favorite restaurants.

Ben, my mom, and I ordered six tapas to share. We got sizzling garlic shrimp, scallops in saffron cream, lamb meatballs in truffle cream sauce, greens sauteed with pine nuts and raisins, and baked goat cheese. Everything was amazing. I ordered a blood orange sidecar to drink, which was delicious, and we started out snacking on a really good chickpea-porcini mushroom spread (my take on that coming soon). The whole meal was great and I highly recommend everything we ordered.

I decided the sizzling garlic shrimp would be fun to recreate at home. At Solea they serve them still bubbling in a small cazuela. You could achieve the same effect by putting the shrimp into ramekins and sticking them under the broiler for a couple of minutes before serving. If you try that, don’t cook the shrimp all the way on the stovetop since they’ll finish cooking under the broiler.

Looking for more delicious and easy paleo shrimp recipes? Try these, which can all be made in 30 minutes or less: curry butter shrimp, pesto shrimp bake with squash and tomatoes, or roasted shrimp and asparagus with green goddess dressing.

Gambas al Ajillo--Sizzling Garlic Shrimp

Name: Gambas al Ajillo--Sizzling Garlic Shrimp
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 10 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, defrosted if frozen; Salt and pepper to taste; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; Pinch or two of red pepper flakes, optional

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, defrosted if frozen
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch or two of red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Preheat the broiler, if using.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute, stirring frequently, for about five minutes, until the garlic is softened but not browned.
Add the shrimp, raise the heat to medium high, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and red pepper. Cook for three minutes on each side or until the shrimp are completely opaque. Serve hot. If you decide to broil the shrimp in individual ramekins, cook on one side in the skillet, flip over into the ramekins, top with some of the oil and garlic, and broil until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes.

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Lentil & Corn Fritters (plus Lentils & Couscous)

May 23, 2013 By Becky 7 Comments

I made lentils the other day, and was really surprised at how good they were. They were easy to make and flavorful. We served ours on top of pearl couscous, my new favorite grain product. It made a great healthy dinner, and we had tons of lentils left over.

I got the idea to make lentil fritters, and invented the fritter recipe using masarepa
(my other favorite grain product). If you have leftover lentils, these are very easy and quick to make. If not, you should make this first recipe and have it for dinner with rice or couscous. The next day, you can make the fritters with the leftovers.

Ingredients for lentils:

1 pound red lentils, picked over and well washed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

4 cups water

1 cube chicken or vegetable bouillon

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons red or white wine

2 wedges Laughing Cow creamy Swiss cheese (optional)

Chopped scallions and cilantro for garnish

Cooked rice or couscous for serving

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and cumin and saute until softened, about five minutes.

Raise the heat the medium high. Add the lentils, water, and bouillon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about twenty minutes. The lentils should be tender and lightened in color, with almost all the liquid absorbed.

Add the wine and salt and pepper to taste. Raise the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cheese, if using, and stir until smooth.

Serve over rice or couscous with scallions and cilantro on top.

Ingredients for the fritters:

1 1/2 cups leftover lentils (from above recipe, or any well-cooked red lentils)
1 cups frozen corn kernels (no need to defrost)
3 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup masarepa

Sea salt
1 cup hot water
Canola oil or olive oil for cooking
Lime wedges for serving

In a large bowl, mix the leftover lentils, corn, scallions, cilantro, masarepa, and a pinch or two of salt. Add the hot water and stir to combine. Let sit for five minutes.

Meanwhile, heat about 1/8 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough, a droplet of water should bounce and skitter across the skillet.

Using your hands, make balls of dough a little larger than golf balls and flatten them slightly to form patties. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Be gentle when you flip them–you’ll lose a few pieces of corn, but that’s okay.

Drain on paper towels. Serve hot, with sea salt sprinkled on top and lime wedges for squeezing over.

Extra uncooked fritter mixture can be kept for up to three days in the refrigerator.

Red Curry Vegetable Noodle Bowl

May 2, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

I LOVE curry made with coconut milk. It’s the most delicious thing ever. But, I am not the biggest fan of rice. I mean, rice is fine, but for me it’s nothing to write home about.

But, noodles? Noodles are my jam. All kinds of noodles. Italian noodles, Asian noodles…where are the noodles in Indian and Mexican cuisines? Big problem. Someone get on that quick.

Anyway, whenever I see noodles, I’m interested. Even in places where noodles might not seem to belong–bring on the noodles! One of my favorite Thai restaurants has a dish called Noodle Curry, which is a delicious yellow curry served over udon noodles. Genius! Curry and noodles are a match made in heaven. Watch out, rice. You ain’t got nothing on noodles.

Ingredients (adapted from The Little Foodie):

1 pound rice noodles
1/3 cup coconut cream (scrape off the top of a can of coconut milk that has not been shaken)
3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 Japanese eggplants, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 tablespoons fish sauce (omit for a vegan or vegetarian dish–you may need to add some salt)
1 can coconut milk (Not the same can you scraped the cream off of! We need a lot of coconut love here. Save the other can for smoothies!)
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 pound snow peas
Sliced scallions and chopped fresh cilantro for serving

Boil water and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the coconut cream in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it bubbles, add the curry paste and stir to mix. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes.

Add the pepper and onion and mix well. Cook for five more minutes. Add the garlic, fish sauce, coconut milk, brown sugar, and snow peas. Cover the pot, and turn the heat down so the mixture simmers. Cook for about five more minutes, or until the snow peas are cooked but still crunchy and bright green.

Serve noodles in a bowl with vegetables and curry spooned on top. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro and serve hot.

Arepas with Black Beans and Corn & Avocado Salsa

April 30, 2013 By Becky 7 Comments

I have been dying to make something with avocado ever since I got Gaby Dalkin’s amazing cookbook, Absolutely Avocados, in the mail. Tons of bloggers have been posting recipes from her book in honor of its release, and after I saw Recipe Girl’s photos of Gaby’s Bacon, Avocado, and Corn Salad, I was determined to make that.

However, due to a bout of laziness, I was only able to make it to the small Vietnamese store down the street. No bacon, no cheese, no fresh corn. I was forced to re-imagine my dinner plans.

In my opinion, anything with avocado and corn is pretty fabulous, even if the corn is frozen. But, the two together don’t really quite make up a meal. I picked up a can of black beans, imagining tacos with a corn and avocado salsa. Alas, no tortillas. However, I did stumble across a section chock full of tortilla ingredients. A bag of creamy yellow masarepa
caught my eye, and guess what? It had a super easy recipe for arepas right on the back.

If you’ve never had arepas, you need to try them! They are a lot like pupusas, and super easy to make. If you live in Boston, you can choose from all kinds of delicious, cheese-stuffed arepas at Orinoco. Either way, you should definitely try this recipe.

Serves 3-4 as a main course or 8 as a first course.

Ingredients for the corn and avocado salsa:

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

4 scallions, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of one lime

1 ripe avocado, peeled and small diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about five minutes, until the corn is tender. Remove from heat.

After the corn cools a bit, combine with the rest of the ingredients and add more salt, pepper, and lime juice as needed.

Ingredients for the black beans (adapted from the back of the Goya can I used):

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 ounce can low-sodium black beans

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 packet Sazón Adobo seasoning

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Salt to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the garlic until fragrant and lightly browned. Add the beans, water, seasoning, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for ten minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding sugar and/or salt as desired (I used a bit of both).

Ingredients for the arepas (from the back of the Goya bag):

2 cups precooked masarepa
(fine yellow cornmeal)

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups warm water

Butter or olive oil for cooking

Mix together the masarepa, water, and salt, and let it sit for five minutes. Heat the butter or olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Use your hands to form patties that are about 4 inches wide and half an inch thick. Make sure the skillet is very hot before you add the arepas. Cook until browned and crisped on both sides, 10-15 minutes total. I recommend letting the arepas sit for the first five minutes without moving them, because at first they are vulnerable to falling apart.

The recipe said you can mix in some shredded cheese right before forming the patties, so I might have to try that next time. Let me know if you give that version a whirl!

Serve the arepas topped with beans and salsa, with a wedge of lime for squeezing on top.

This is a perfect recipe for Cinco de Mayo! Do you have plans to cook anything else fabulous for the big day?

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