mediterranean chickpea burger

with only a couple months before my title changes from "college student" to "young professional" i have decided its about time i get in the habit of skimming the daily paper to keep up-to-date with what is going on in the world. and as much as i hate to admit it, i have read all sorts of interesting articles, used news stories as conversation starters, and even come across recipes! this week i tried a recipe from the newspaper that incorporated all sorts of nutritious ingredients. 


if you haven't already figured it out, its like a game for me to make my meals healthy. whether its by substituting greek yogurt for sour cream or wheat flour for white flour. this recipe cuts out some of the red meat thats in your average burger and replaces it with filling, flavorful ingredients. mixing chickpeas and bulgar into the ground beef adds fiber and protein. this mediterranean burger is a great way to mix things up. don't forget to top it off with a side of sweet potato fries(click for my recipe).


with Easter just around the corner i have a couple fun recipes on my list to try...stay tuned!

Ingredients (Serves 4):
2 ounces (approx. 1/4 C.) feta cheese
1/4 C. low-fat plain yogurt (i used greek yogurt and 1/4 C. water)
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 C. bulgar (could use breadcrumbs if you want)
1 can chickpeas
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/3 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
4 burger buns
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
*next time i would add an egg to the meat mixture


Directions:
In a small bowl, mash the feta with the back of a fork until smooth. Stir in yogurt and season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

In another small heatproof bowl, combine bulgar and 1/2 C. boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. 
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse chickpeas until coarsely chopped. 

 

Transfer to a large bowl and add beef and mint. Drain bulgar and add to chickpea mixture. 

With your hands, mix until mixture is evenly combined and holds together when pressed into a ball. Divide into 4, 1-inch patties and season with salt and pepper.
Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until browned and crispy on the outside, approximately 4 minutes on each side. 


Serve on a bun with sliced cucumbers, tomato, and feta-yogurt sauce.

no-cream crab chowder

this week while babysitting i started flipping through the February edition of Coastal Living. the featured food section was guilt-free beach eats.there were several great recipes, but with winter still lingering in seattle the chowder became first on my list to try. yesterday i came home to the aroma of soup simmering in the crock-pot- a smell i never get sick of!  


i adapted the recipe slightly to accommodate my taste buds and prevent a trip to the grocery store. i used crab rather than clams and prosciutto instead of bacon. this simple, healthy chowder is delicious. the starch from the potatoes makes the soup extra creamy even though you substitute reduced-fat milk for heavy cream. and the exciting part...a 2 cup serving is only 330 calories!

Ingredients (Serves 4):
1 can lump crab meat
2 slices of prosciutto, chopped (bacon works too)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium-size onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 C. chicken stock
1 C. frozen whole kernel corn
6-8 red potatoes, quartered
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. dried thyme
3 C. 1% milk
3 T. flour
1 bay leaf


Directions:
Chop carrots, onion, and celery. 
Cook prosciutto in a pan until crisp. Reserve any of the grease from the prosciutto.

Heat 1 T. olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat and add the carrot, onion, and celery for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender. 

Add chicken stock, quartered red potatoes, corn, and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until potatoes become tender.

While you are waiting for the potatoes to turn tender whisk together the milk and flour in a small bowl. 


Transfer everything from the saucepan into a crock-pot (optional) and add lump crab meat, prosciutto, and milk mixture. Leave on low until you are ready to eat or if you are still using your saucepan, until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

pasta with prosciutto

this meal is one of my "go-to" weeknight dinners. it varies slightly depending on the ingredients i have on hand, but it always hits the spot. it is really easy and rich with italian flavor. the sweetness of the red bell pepper and caramelized onions with the salty flavor of the prosciutto make an awesome combination. i have also used the white sauce to make homemade chicken alfredo. 

Ingredients (Serves 3-5):
angel hair pasta
1/2 caramelized onion
1 red bell pepper
4 slices of prosciutto (cut into pieces)
1/4 C. white wine
1/4 t. salt
pepper to taste
2 T. flour
1 cup milk
2 T. butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 C. grated parmesan 


Directions:
Boil water and cook pasta for approximately 7 minutes.
Drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.


Heat 1-2 T. of olive oil in a frying pan. Saute sliced red bell pepper, minced garlic, caramelized onions and prosciutto. I already had caramelized onions in the refrigerator but if you want to know how to make them you can google search a recipe. Cook over low-medium heat until the red bell pepper is tender and the prosciutto is brown around the edges. 
While cooking make the sauce.


Basic White Sauce Directions:
Melt 2 T. butter
Stir in flour one T. at a time.
Add 1/4 t. salt, cook on low for approximately 4 minutes.
Slowly add the milk so that the consistency stays smooth. If you add the milk all at once the sauce will be lumpy. 
Once the milk is added stir in parmesan cheese.
Finally add the white wine and pepper.


Toss the pasta with the white sauce and top with the prosciutto caramelized onions, and bell pepper.

dutch baby pancakes

last night i had my 11 year old sister and two of her friends over for a slumber party. we went to arena sports kids zone, made personal pizzas, went to menchies frozen yogurt in our pajamas, and rented a movie. for breakfast i made the girls one of my childhood favorites...dutch baby pancakes. my mom used to make them for breakfast when we had slumber parties and for our birthday. the german pancake is a mix between a souffle and an omelette- it is a light, airy pancake with sides. they are a great breakfast or brunch dish that can be paired with a variety of toppings!!

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 C. milk
1 C. flour
1/4 t. vanilla extract
5 T. butter


Directions (Serves 4-6):
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Place skillet or baking dish in oven to preheat.While the pan is heating prepare the batter.
Blend the eggs until light and frothy.
Add the milk, flour, and vanilla.
Blend for 3-5 minutes. The batter will be thin but smooth and creamy.


Using a pot holder remove the skillet from the oven. Add the butter; tilting until the butter melts and coats the skillet.

Place the prepared batter into the skillet with butter and immediately return to the oven. 

Bake 20-25 minutes.

Once the pancake is removed from the oven it will deflate. Either slide the pancake to a serving plate or cut and serve onto individual plates. I recommend topping it will freshly squeezed lemon, powdered sugar, and a little syrup. It is also good with strawberries and whipped cream. 

chocolate cake with peanut butter icing

my roommate amanda celebrated her 22nd birthday this week. so in celebration i decided to bring out a family recipe.i made my grandfather's famous chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. this cake lasts no more than a day or two in my house. the cake is moist and the icing is creamy. it works great as both a sheet cake and as cupcakes. enjoy our family favorite! 

Cake Ingredients:
3/4 C. cocoa
2 C. sugar
2 C. flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 C. milk
1/2 C. oil
2 t. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together and beat for 2 minutes on medium. Stir in 1 cup of boiling water. 
Pour into a greased and floured 9X13 pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or 18-20 minutes for cupcakes.

Icing Ingredients:
16 oz. confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 T. crisco
1/2 C. milk
1 T. butter
1/2 cup peanut butter


Directions:
mix until creamy- enjoy!

healthy mac & cheese

after babysitting for 8+ years i can't bear the thought of eating one more bite of kraft macaroni and cheese. however, mac & cheese is not just a food for kids. it is still an american favorite, comfort food. it is becoming more common to see restaurants serve mac & cheese as a side dish or on their happy hour menu. i highly recommend hi-life's $4 happy hour macaroni and cheese baked en casserole with roasted anaheim peppers & four cheeses.

unfortunately mac & cheese is traditionally loaded with calories and fat. but the recipe i have for you is comfort food made healthy. by substituting whole milk for skim milk, using low-fat cheese, and adding cauliflower for nutrients this recipe has, get ready for this...half the calories and a quarter of the fat of traditional recipes. this crowd pleaser has less than 200 calories per serving!!! i made it for my family and both my Dad and 11 year old sister gave it two thumbs up. 

this recipe does take about 1 1/2 hours to prepare and bake so i would recommend making it on the weekend or on a night when you have some extra time. enjoy!!

Ingredients (8 servings):
7 oz. elbow or shell pasta
1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 1/2 C. low-fat (2%) shredded cheddar or cheese blend
1/4 C. shredded Parmesan
2/3 C. skim milk
1 egg
1/2 t. salt
1 t. butter, melted 
2 T. panko breadcrumbs (i used regular breadcrumbs)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Boil water and cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes
While pasta is cooking steam the roughly chopped cauliflower until very soft.
Drain the pasta, drizzle with olive oil, and let cool.
Shred the cheese if not pre-shredded. 
Beat the egg, milk, and salt in a separate bowl. 
Mix the melted butter and breadcrumbs (or panko) in another bowl.
Now your ready to start putting it all together!


Mash or blend cauliflower and gently mix in with pasta.
Take a pinch of all the cheeses and mix in with the breadcrumb/ butter blend...set aside.
Mix the rest of the cheeses in with the pasta/cauliflower.
Pour the milk mixture in with the pasta/cauliflower. Carefully stir and fold in the milk mixture until combined.
Fill 6-8 ramekins with pasta mixture and sprinkle with breadcrumb topping (you can use a casserole dish if you don't have ramekins).


Bake for 30-40 minutes, uncovered, or until tops just start to brown.

I bought my ramekins at Target from the $1 bins!

Next time...
1. make my own breadcrumbs with whole wheat bread (trim crust) in food processor. 
2. try whole wheat pasta.
3. add some black pepper and paprika.
4. try cottage cheese to create a creamer texture.

oven-roasted sweet potato fries

i haven't been cooking much this week because i am in cram mode with only one week left in the quarter!! fortunately, i have a freezer stocked with frozen meals that i made last month. for lunch i defrosted the curry soup with chickpeas (it was just as good as the first time).


however, i needed a study break tonight so i made roasted sweet potato fries and a juicy burger topped with caramelized onions to eat while i worked on a paper. the hour i "wasted" cooking was totally worth it! not only did i get to try a successful new recipe, but i also used my new silicone baking sheet for the first time...it was a birthday present from my friends. if you don't have one i highly recommend investing in one. enjoy!


Ingredients:
NOTE: this recipe only serves 1
1 Medium-sized sweet potato (rinsed and dried)
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. cumin
Sprinkle of cayenne (optional)


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Cut the potato into 1/4" thin strips

Place the strips in a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients (oil and spices)until the strips are evenly coated

Then spread the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet that is covered in parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Make sure you don't over crowd the strips so that they roast properly.

Place in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning the fries once or twice during that time to make sure they cook evenly.
Remove once they have turned golden brown and begin to crisp.

Carmelized Onions will be featured in the near future

As seen in Gimme Some Oven!