After two weeks of not being on a regular schedule due to our power being out, I'm finally getting ready and excited to return to normal life. A big part of that means cooking , as I'll have full access to my kitchen again - and returning to making healthy foods, not just indulging in comforting dishes, as I've been doing recently.
The following are two great recipes I borrowed from the Food Network website and altered in my own way. The first is a baked salmon, which is cooked and steamed in aluminum foil, and dressed in white wine, fresh lemons, capers and rosemary. The end result is a really fresh and healthy tasting dish that's wonderfully flaky and moist on the inside.
A nice side, which is lovely around this time of year are roasted carrots, on the sweet side, with cranberries, red onion, cilantro, lemon and some sunflower seeds. It pairs really well with the salmon, adding a sweet element, which comes naturally from the carrots as they caramelize but also from the craisins, which puff up when baked and also soaked in some water ahead of time. The whole meal takes about 40 minutes to make, so it's really weeknight friendly. Here are the recipes for you to enjoy:
Salmon with Lemon, Capers and Rosemary
Roasted Carrots
As I was getting home from last week's Queens Bloggers Social, organized by my We Heart Astoria colleagues and me, I noticed Create - a casual, fresh foods eatery on 30th Avenue near 36th Street. I've never seen it before, probably since I've been so MIA the past month, but there it was. It looked vibrant and cheery, and the menu seemed plentiful. I grabbed one, which was also chock-full-of-details and wanted to share the highlights with you. Feel free to check it out if you're looking for something light and quick - the prices seem pretty wallet-friendly too - and I love all the options for personalization.Breakfast:
Breakfast sandwiches (made with organic brown eggs, your choice of multigrain roll, brioche roll, English muffin or whole wheat wrap)
The Boulevard - Organic brown eggs, turkey sausage, gruyere cheese, tomato...$4.29
The Grand Ave - Organic brown eggs, maple turkey, low fat Swiss, avocado...$4.29
The Steinway - Organic brown eggs, Canadian bacon, Vermont cheddar...$4.29
The Kicking Greek Omelet - Fresh jalapeno, diced tomato, imported feta...$5.99
The Turbo Omelet - Grilled chicken, organic spinach, fresh mozzarella...$5.99
Huevos Rancheros - Jack cheese, guacamole, salsa...$5.99
The Classic French Toast - Sweet challah French toast, powdered sugar, sprinkled cinnamon...$4.99
The California - Sweet challah French toast, berries, banana and a vanilla yogurt dip...$6.99
The Nutella Toast - Sweet challah French toast, nutella spread, sliced banana...$6.99
Lunch & Dinner:
Little Italy Sandwich - Genoa salami, mortadella, capicola, provolone with Peppadew olive salad and extra virgin vinaigrette on a parmesan oregano bagatta...$7.95
The Hudson Sandwich - Tuna salad, red onion, arugula, avocado on a grain bagatta...$7.95
Chelsea Sandwich - Pepper turkey, jack cheese, salt and vinegar chips, avocado, tomato, mayo on a classic bagatta...$7.95
Spanish Harlem Hot Sandwich - Hot baked ham, fresh turkey, melted Swiss, sliced pickle and dijon mustard on a plain bagatta...$7.95
Tribeca Hot Sandwich - Grilled chicken, melted asiago, sweet roasted peppers, caramelized onions, balsamic vinaigrette...$7.95
The Times Square Sandwich - Hot roast beef, melted cheddar, peppadew peppers, crispy onions and steak sauce on jalapeno bagatta...$7.95
Disco Fries - Steak fries, melted mozzarella, gravy...$4.75
Half Skin Fries - Tossed with rosemary and olive oil...$4.75
Texas Fries - Steak fries, melted cheddar, hot sauce, fresh sliced jalapeno...$4.75
Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl - Grilled chicken, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, feta, cherry tomato, kalamata olives, chopped lettuce...$8.95
Napa Valley Quinoa Bowl - Grilled chicken, chopped walnuts, cran-raisins, arugula, honey dijon...$8.95
Buffalo Quinoa Bowl - Ever roast Buffalo chicken, baby spinach, crumbled goat cheese, red onions, cherry tomato...$8.95
The Hampton Salad - Grilled chicken, avocado, mango, plum tomato and walnuts over baby spinach...$8.75
The Astoria Park Harvest Salad - Grilled chicken, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, crumbled gorgonzola, garbanzo beans, cherry tomato, cucumber over organic greens...$8.75
The Baja Salad - Chipotle chicken, shredded cheddar, smoked applewood bacon, plum tomato, red onions topped with guacamole and sliced jalapenos over crisp romaine...$8.75
Create - 36-03 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.204.0333
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.createandgo.net
The ingredients I decided to use were AJ's sweet black onion relish and Lisa's Hot Pepper and Red Onion Jam. I used the former as the base for a simple pita pizza, and the latter was incorporated into my version of a caponata with Japanese eggplant, red onions and two teaspoons of this sinfully spicy jam. Both ingredients elevated the ordinary weeknight dinner, and made me even more excited for the next Queens Swap in July. If you like what you see, I encourage you to be a part of it.
Queens Swap Inspired Dinner (Serves 1)
Ingredients:
For the pita pizza:
1 whole wheat pita
2 tbs of black onion relish (you can substitute with a homemade or store bought version)
Handful of shredded mozzarella cheese
Sprig of fresh basil
For the caponata:
1 long Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1 inch pieces1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 tsp of hot pepper and red onion jam (substitute with a store bought option)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbs of olive oil
Directions:
Top pita with black onion relish and cheese. Place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts properly.In the meantime, sautee onions until lightly browned and then toss in eggplant. Add the salt and pepper and stir well. Sautee for about 3 minutes until the eggplant starts to color and then add the hot pepper relish. Stir well to incorporate, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the eggplant gets soft.
Remove pita pizza from oven and top with fresh basil. Enjoy the eggplant as a side to your pizza or even place it on top if you so wish.
Thanks Queens Swap for making my dinner so dee-licious.
When I went to Whole Foods to seek some inspiration, I didn't have anything in mind, but then became influenced by the gorgeous baby spinach in the fresh produce section. I grabbed it and immediately thought of the garlic spinach I had at Ornella the night before. Yes, that would do just great.
After making my rounds, I also grabbed a package of Bilinki's cajun andouille chicken sausage and thought to cook it up with cous-cous. The spinach would be nice to add on top, I thought, and there it was, my idea behind my chicken sausage cous-cous-otto.
Foodista's Chicken Sausage Cous-Cous-Otto
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 cup of whole wheat cous-cous (I used Trader Joe's brand)
3 chicken sausages, diced
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Handful of dried cranberries
1 package of fresh baby spinach, whole
2 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Touch of truffle oil
Directions:
In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and sautee the garlic. Make sure to watch the the garlic closely, so it doesn't burn. Add the sausage and sautee until golden brown on the outside. Remove from the pan.
In the meantime, cook the cous-cous according to the directions on the package. Add the dried cranberries, and put the lid on, so they puff up. Incorporate the sausage and the chopped parsley.
In the sautee pan you used for the sausage, add the other garlic clove until slightly colored. Gradually place all the spinach into the pan and stir with the garlic for about 2-3 minutes or until wilted.
Place the cous-cous into a bowl and top with a generous amount of fresh spinach. Top with a sprinkling of truffle oil. Enjoy the earthiness and the savory quality of this dish.
