Grilled Shrimp and Watermelon Chopped Salad

Chopped romaine tossed with sweet, juicy watermelon, grilled shrimp and goat cheese and a golden balsamic vinaigrette – I'll be making this salad all summer!!

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you, it's so good I plan on making it again for dinner tonight so my husband gets to try it. I put this together in about 20 minutes, so it's perfect for busy weeknights. The dressing is DEE-LICIOUS, I used DeLallo's golden balsamic vinegar, which is made from white grapes rather than red and has a sweetly rich taste – it's fabulous! They sell it at my local supermarket, or you can buy it online, but if you want to use regular balsamic, that would work fine too.

I love watermelon in my salad, mostly because I'm not much of a tomato lover. A few weeks ago while in the airport headed to Seaside Fl, I stopped to grab a bite at Marcus Samuelsson's new restaurant Uptown Brasserie located at the new JFK Delta terminal 4, and ordered a salad just like this. Eating healthier while traveling is getting so much easier these days, a good thing although they also have a Shake Shack which after seeing the calories on the menu, I opted not to try.

Hope you enjoy this salad, I'll be making this one all summer!

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Orange Chicken Makeover

Sweet, spicy and flavorful – a lighter alternative to the popular Chinese fast food take-out dish and it's quick and easy to make!

I had a request a few weeks ago to make over this popular American-Chinese fast food dish which is usually battered and deep fried. To be honest, this is not a dish I would order because I'm not a fan of battered sweet Chinese dishes, but I was happy to tackle a lighter version. My solution was skip all that frying, and make a flavorful orange sauce. The outcome was great, and my husband even gave it two thumbs up!

I served this over cauliflower "fried rice" which I will post tomorrow but you could even saute some bell peppers, snow peas, broccoli or asparagus and add them at the end. Enjoy!

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Dirty Brown Rice with Shrimp

A healthier twist on a Cajun classic, the addition of shrimp turns this into a fabulous main dish. I'd like to think of this as a Cajun shrimp fried rice. With Mardi Gras ends tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect timing to share this recipe from the archives because I LOVE this dish!

Dirty rice is a classic Cajun dish made "dirty" by cooking the rice with minced livers or gizzards. I created a healthier version using brown rice and lean ground beef in place of the chicken livers that normally make dirty rice "dirty".

But don't worry, this healthier version does not skimp on flavor! It has plenty of spices and a bit of kick, you can adjust the heat to your taste but don't be shy with the cayenne if you can handle it!

Normally a rice dish like this if made with white rice would be cooked all in one pot, but after several attempts to perfect this I found that cooking the brown rice all together created an unpleasant mushy texture. By cooking the brown rice separate, the texture of the rice was perfect when mixed with the beef and shrimp and made a delicious main dish even my "non-brown rice eating" husband enjoyed. 

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Easy Macaroni Casserole

This easy baked pasta dish is made with whole wheat elbows, ground turkey, veggies, marinara sauce and cheese. I can't say enough good things about this casserole! It's comforting, kid-friendly and so easy to make because there's no need to pre-cook the pasta!

I come from the school of having to cook your pasta in plenty of water, so when someone kindly shared this recipe with me, I won't lie, I was skeptical! But I loved the outcome, and since then I've made it a few times over tweaking it to my taste and we love it!

And the whole wheat elbows from DeLallo - I'm so impressed with their taste! In fact, I like their pasta so much that I am partnering up with them this year as a brand sponsor. If you've been following me for a while you'll know that my family and I don't like the taste of whole wheat pasta. But that completely changed when I tried DeLallo, and my kids and husband liked it too!

I used whole milk mozzarella on top because the points didn't change by using reduced fat, and I love my cheese melted and gooey, but you can use whichever you prefer.

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Spaghetti Squash Primavera

Spaghetti squash and fresh vegetables simmered with a quick marinara sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella if you desire - easy, cheap, gluten-free and perfect for Meatless Mondays!

This was inspired after watching a marathon of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, but this time we actually decided to go to the nearest DDD restaurant, The Pit Stop which was featured on the show for their spaghetti squash primavera.

As a spaghetti squash lover myself, I ordered it and loved it and knew I wanted to re-make this at home. Super easy to make and you can use whatever vegetables you like – I used broccoli, carrots and zucchini but you can use asparagus, eggplant or bell peppers. To speed this up I made the spaghetti squash in the microwave which takes only about 8 minutes to cook, but if you have more time you can make it in the oven, the directions below are for both.

Of course, I had to top mine with fresh mozzarella which was just made and still warm when I bought it this morning! Leave the cheese out for vegan, dairy-free or paleo diets, nutritional info is provided below both ways. This dish comes together in less than 20 minutes, and you can easily double the recipe to make it 4 servings using a larger saute pan. You can also freeze this once cooked and reheat it in the oven for another day, enjoy!

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Spaghetti Squash Sausage Lasagna Boats

If you're craving something decadent and delicious without overdoing the calories, you'll love these delicious spaghetti squash boats filled with everything you love about lasagna – chicken sausage, tomato sauce, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

I even used whole milk mozzarella cheese because I wanted it to melt nice, I just used it in moderation. The whole thing is way under 300 calories and 8 points plus if you're on Weight Watchers, and it's filling! It's also gluten free – if you prefer to use part-skim mozzarella, the WW Points would be 7 pp.

Spaghetti squash when cooked has a lot of liquid, so I find it helpful to place it in a colander over paper towels to help get red of the excess moisture and it works perfectly.

You can prep this ahead of time, then put it on the oven just before you're ready to bake. If you happen to only find large spaghetti squash, you can place the mixture in a 9x9 baking dish instead of the shells. Enjoy!!

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Loaded Turkey Chili Baked Potato

This loaded baked potato is stuffed with lean turkey chili, reduced fat shredded cheese and topped with some fresh chives – a quick, easy weeknight meal.

I love a dish that can be served many ways. Last night I asked my husband Tommy how he wanted his chili (yesterday's crock pot kid-friendly turkey chili) and he told me on a baked potato. Of coarse he would. So I popped a few russet potatoes in the microwave (sure, you can do this in the oven too) topped it with shredded cheese, turkey chili and some chopped chives from my garden and dinner was ready in less than 10 minutes – and my husband was a very happy man.

Can you do this with sweet potato? Sure you can! But just to clear up the confusion, white potatoes aren't all that bad for you. Potatoes are have gotten a bad rap as a white starchy food, but when they're not drowning in butter or deep fried as french fries, they are actually a healthy, low calorie, high fiber food and a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, potassium and manganese. They also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity so if you want to stick with a traditional baked potato, go ahead... enjoy!

Tip: If you buy bag of russet potatoes, the potatoes are much smaller than the ones they sell individually, they average about 5 to 6 oz each.

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Zoodles and Meatballs (zucchini noodles)

 

The weather is changing, and I kind of like it. I'm looking forward cooler weather, but I'm not quite ready for zucchini season to end – we've been eating "zoodles" all summer long!

This is sorta a two part recipe, I made a pot of my Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs at my toddler's request but rather than eating mine with pasta, I served it over zoodles (zucchini noodles) for a lighter low-carb alternative (perfect for using up zucchini from your garden).

A good rule of thumb is one medium zucchini per person, since you lose some when you cut them and the shrink a bit when they cook. To cut them I used my OXO mandolin with my julienne blade and I stop right about when I get to the seeds, then I rotate and slice. A word of advice, please be careful when using a mandolin, the blades are VERY sharp.

You can also use a spiralizer instead to make them more spaghetti-like. I'm going to be making these as much as I can as long as I can find zucchini at my local farmer's market!


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Eggplant Panini with Pesto

My friend gave me eggplants from her garden, and I used it to make this delicious hot pressed sandwich. If you can find a whole wheat baguette, even better! A perfect summer panini made with eggplant, tomatoes, mozzarella and skinny pesto on crispy French bread. Make this for one, or for the whole family.

I love, love, LOVE Panini night in my house because everyone is happy and they are so easy to make. If you're capable of making a grilled cheese, then you can make a panini, that's how simple and you don't need a fancy panini press to make it. Prior to owning my panini press, I used my George Forman grill or made them on the stove in a grill pan with an iron skillet on top to press it down.

I grilled the eggplant right on the panini press, so there's no dirtying extra pans. A perfect Meatless Monday dish, and even the meat-lovers in your house will enjoy this sandwich. 

If you're a newbie to Skinnytaste, check out my tip on how to make a larger sandwich for less calories. If you are making this for one, simply divide the ingredients by four.

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Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger

If you're looking for a new way to enjoy a burger, then I think you'll love this Hawaiian inspired teriyaki burger made with Laura's Lean ground beef, carrots, scallions and topped with a homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce and a grilled pineapple.

Last weekend I spent four days in Disney World with my husband and youngest daughter Madison. I attended the Food Blog Forum which was truly inspirational, and we stayed at the Grand Floridian Resort which was a lovely place to stay. One of those nights we ate dinner at the Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort, where I had a delicious teriyaki steak topped with pineapple; which was the inspiration for this burger recipe.
 

I did a little research into what goes into a Hawaian teriyaki sauce, and after reading many recipes I came up with my own version which was so good, this will certainly be a regular. You could of course buy teriyaki marinade to speed this up, but making it from scratch tastes sooo much better.

I'm a huge fan of Laura's Lean Beef, because it's low in fat and saturated fat, and free of hormones and antibiotics, which is important to me when choosing meat. Their beef is available in many supermarkets, and I even found it at Target. I'm also running a giveaway over at Skinny Bits for two $25 vouchers so if you haven't tried Laura's Lean Beef, here's your chance (click link for giveaway)

And I just have to share this contraption that easily cuts pineapple into perfect rings. My girlfriend Gabbie bought this for me a few years ago, and I love it; it's called the Pineapple Easy Slicer. It's simple to use and it's awesome. If you prefer canned pineapple, be sure it's packed in juice and not syrup.

By the way, this is also great without the bun if you're watching your carbs, just serve it on a bed of lettuce and drizzle the teriyaki sauce on top. Without the bun, the burgers are Weight Watchers 6 points plus.

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Fiesta Bean Salad

Black beans, chick peas, tomatoes, cilantro and avocado are tossed with a cumin-lime vinaigrette – I love the bright, fresh flavors of this quick and easy salad! Perfect for lunch, Meatless Mondays, or even as a side dish with grilled steak, shrimp or chicken.

Something magical happens when you combine cumin, cilantro and lime juice. I can seriously add this to just about anything and be a happy camper.

I confess that I didn't always like beans in my salads, I think it's a texture thing because I love beans simmered in soups or with rice, but...

...add some avocados, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and cumin.... this is yumm-y!! What's more it's antioxidant rich, full of heart healthy fats, clean, and high in fiber which keeps you full and satisfied.

This serves four as a main dish, if you prefer to have this as a side dish, then it would easily serve 8.

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Italian Antipasto Salad

Chopped romaine hearts, shredded mozzarella, olives, prosciutto, turkey pepperoni, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, pepperoncini and Giardiniera (colorful vegetables in vinegar) – this quick Italian salad requires no cooking, which makes it perfect to whip up or pack for lunch.

Cold antipasto is usually the first course of an Italian meal, which consists of a variety of cold meats, cheeses, olives, roasted peppers, and a variety of colorful vegetables that have been pickled in vinegar known as Giardiniera and pepperoncini. This adds so much flavor to the salad, without tons of calories and because it is so flavorful, you really don't need to add a lot of oil. I make the quick dressing by using some of the vinegar from the jar of the pepperoncini, and just add a touch of olive oil and fresh cracked pepper and finito!

This salad is so adaptable to anyone's taste, I love proscuitto but you can swap it for ham or turkey, or leave it out altogether and add more cheese and olives. Sometimes I also add shredded carrots and sliced mushrooms, whatever you like. The real trick to get the bold flavors is from the pepperoncini and Giardiniera, which are both sold jarred in Italian section of the supermarket and add a lot of flavor to the salad. If you can't find Giardiniera, it's fairly simple to make it yourself, here's a recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

I made this salad for one, but it can easily be multiplied for 2 or 4. One note, this is not low in sodium, because of the meats, olives and cheese, so if you're watching your sodium, opt for low sodium ham, cheese and make your own pickled vegetables.

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Linguini with Sautéed Scallops and Peas

Scallops are great for a quick meal any night of the week and are a real treat. They can be quickly sautéed, then added to salads like this Scallop and Baby Green Citrus Mojo Salad, and this delicious Scallop and Grapefruit Salad, but once in a while when I want something more substantial, I love it with pasta. Here I tossed it with some pasta and peas, for a dinner that took less than 15 minutes to make.

I love sea scallops and it takes very little effort to get delicious results. For best flavor seek out the freshest scallops. Before cooking remove the small, tough muscle attached to the side. You can easily double this recipe for four servings.

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Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro

A quick shrimp stew cooked in a tomato coconut broth with a hint of lime and cilantro. Simple enough to make for a weekday dinner yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. Serve with a little brown basmati rice to soak up the broth.

I've been busy working on my cookbook, so I thought it would be a good idea to highlight this recipe from the archives. This is one of my favorite shrimp dishes, and perfect if you're observing Lent.

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Honey-Teriyaki Salmon

Asian honey glazed salmon – an easy dish you can make any night of the week. Simply fill a resealable bag with the marinade ingredients, then add the salmon until you're ready to cook.

Then when you're ready to start dinner, make your sides and your fish will be done in less than 15 minutes.

This recipe is from Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen's new cookbook:Steamy Kitchen's Healthy Asian Favorites. The pages in her book are filled with beautiful photos and 100 fast, simple recipes anyone can make on a busy weeknight.

And this week, I'm giving away her new cookbook on Skinny Bits to one lucky winner! To enter for a chance to win, click here.

We all loved this simple dish in my home, it tasted like something I would order in an upscale Asian restaurant, yet it was so easy to make. I served this with forbidden rice and sauteed sugar snap peas on the side, but this would also be wonderful with edamame fried rice.

Today is also the beginning of Lent, so for those of you looking to try a new fish dish to make, this is a great place to start. Adding salmon to your plate is one of the healthiest decisions you can make. Studies link its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients with a lower risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and more.

By choosing fresh wild salmon (your best bet is wild Alaskan or Pacific) over farmed, you will likely be getting better quality, less-contaminated fish. However, the health benefits of eating farmed salmon far outweigh the health risks associated with not eating salmon at all; so if wild salmon is out of your budget, go for the farmed variety.

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Angel Hair Pasta with Scallops and Tomatoes

Sauteed bay scallops with tomatoes and a touch of white wine and lemon juice served over angel hair pasta.

If you're looking for a special dinner to make for your loved one this Valentine's Day, this is a perfect dish. For starters, it takes less than 15 minutes to make, so you'll have less time cooking, and more time together. Secondly, scallops date back to ancient Greece as an aphrodisiac. As legend has it, the goddess Aphrodite was carried to earth on the shell of a scallop.

Personally, I love scallops for their sweet, delicate flavor. Bay scallops are the smaller variety and are usually less expensive than sea scallops. They are wonderful tossed with pasta and take less than a minute to cook.

Because bay scallops retain so much water, it's really important that you dry them well before cooking, and you really want to cook them in a hot pan so you get a quick sear. I cook them in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of my pan. Don't skip this step because you don't want to overcrowd the pan, otherwise the scallops will become rubbery and won't sear.

If you're family doesn't like whole wheat pasta, a great trick I like to do is use both whole wheat and semolina. You don't really notice the taste of the whole wheat and your getting the added benefits of using a whole grain.

For all you spaghetti squash lovers out there, I'm sure this would be wonderful over roasted spaghetti squash as a gluten-free, lower-carb alternative.

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Pasta with Butternut Sauce, Spicy Sausage and Baby Spinach

Spicy chicken sausage is the perfect compliment to this creamy pasta dish made with butternut squash, baby spinach, parmesan and a touch of sage. It's filling and comforting on a chilly winter night.

Since making Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Sauce a few weeks back, I am officially hooked. I love how the butternut squash feels like a decadent creamy sauce without the need for heavy cream. And with the addition of parmesan and hot sausage, the end result is savory and delicious.

I am also loving Giada's new line of organic pastas sold at Target. I'm picky with my pasta and love the taste and texture of this pasta when cooked al dente. I always go for unusual pasta shapes, here I used a shape called casarecce... love!

As part of the Target Inner Circle, I got to meet Giada in person a few weeks ago at Fun and Fit in the City. Isn't she beautiful!

L-R, My daughter Karina, Me, Giada, My girlfriend Raquel

She was so sweet in person, I also got an autographed cookbook and a goody bag full of her new food products sold at Target. My favorites were of course the organic pastas. I tried a few shapes, but plan on going back to Target to try the whole wheat.

A few more things: This week I teemed up with 11 other bloggers to host a HUGE HOLIDAY giveaway... Two winners, one will win an iMac Computer! A second winner will win a $500 gift card. Hey, you never know! You gotta be in it to win it... click here for a chance to win!

And most importantly: Starting today I am making a commitment to run at least 1 mile a day until New Years. You in? It's part of the 2012 Holiday Running Streak from Runner's World. The way I see it, why wait till New Years? Let's start now, with all the baking and indulging that goes on during the Holidays, this is the perfect way to find a balance. I ran a mile this morning, I'll be running again tomorrow... if you prefer to walk, that's fine too, I would love it if you joined me. It could be inside, outside, morning, lunch time, evening... whenever you can squeeze it in. Tell me you're in, it will help keep me motivated!

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Baby Greens with Goat Cheese, Beets and Candied Pecans

Creamy goat cheese with crunchy sweet pecans and red beets topped with a honey balsamic vinaigrette is like a symphony in your mouth. This salad will make you look like a culinary whiz!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!

I still have no power due to Hurricane Sandy so I thought I would re-post an older recipe from the archives. If you are without power, this doesn't require an oven and would be perfect for Meatless Monday.

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Beef Barley Soup

 

A hearty bowl of soup made with carrots, celery, onions, lean beef and pearl barley.

When I was a kid, we had soup for dinner almost every night. Sometimes we had a bowl as a first course, and other times as a main dish. I wasn't always very happy about this, because believe it or not I was a very picky kid. But when my Mom served Beef Barley, I never complained.

This soup is perfect for the cooler evenings as we head into Fall. It's a one pot meal that's really simple to make, but it takes a little over an hour for the meat to get tender, so keep that in mind if you're pressed for time. The pressure cooker is perfect to speed this up, I've also included instructions if you own one.

I wasn't sure what my toddler would think, but I fed it to her anyway and to my surprise she ate it. Leftovers only get better and make a great lunches; this also freezes great if you want to make freezer meals for the month. To make this soup gluten-free, you can sub the barley for quinoa.

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