Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan

I was all set to make actual Eggplant Parmesan (albeit a healthy version).  But then my eggplant rounds came out of the oven looking all crispy and delicious and I couldn't bear the risk of them becoming too soggy as part of the casserole.

And besides, why knife and fork a dinner when you dip it or pick it up like pizza?

I can see this going in a lot of different directions in the future... laying out an array of different dipping sauces as a fun party/game food, trying out an Asian-inspired version, or simply enhancing the Italian dip I made this time.

What you need:


For the Eggplant:
2 medium Eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2 rounds (or try making stick shapes, which is what I would have done if I wasn't still planning on a casserole at this point)
Olive oil spray
1/2 cup Egg beaters (or egg whites, or a few beaten eggs)
1-2 cups Bread crumbs (I used a mixture of regular and panko- would've tried whole wheat if they were easily available here)
1-2 teaspoons Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Black pepper
2-3 teaspoons Season-all (or just a bit of salt)

For the Dipping Sauce: (Also see other suggestions below)
1 24 ounce jar of your favorite Marinara/ Pasta Sauce (or use 3 cups homemade, that'd be tastier, but I was lazy)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh Thyme, Basil, Oregano

Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place egg beaters in one bowl.  Mix both bread crumbs, the garlic powder, black pepper, and Season-all on a plate.  Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil.  One by one, dip the eggplant pieces into first the egg beaters and then the bread crumbs, coating all sides.  Place pieces, just barely touching, on the baking sheet.  Continue until you have used all of the eggplant (you may need additional eggs/ bread crumbs- I didn't actually measure mine, and I added a bit at some point, but then didn't finish it all).

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, flipping once (this is for rounds, reduce time if you cut into sticks).  The pieces should be browned and completely cooked through.  You can slice into one to check- it should be all soft inside.

About 20 minutes before the eggplant is supposed to finish cooking, make the dipping sauce:  Pour the sauce into small-medium casserole dish and top with cheeses and herbs (and any additional seasonings you like- maybe some garlic, black pepper, or red pepper flakes).  Place in the with the eggplant and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until nice and bubbly.

Serve with a spoon in the dipping sauce for slopping over the rounds (and then eat like pizza).  Or cut rounds into slices and dip.  Enjoy!

And some ideas for future dipping:

• Amped Up Italian Dipping Sauce: Same idea as above, but better.  Roast some garlic cloves and mix the roasted cloves into some ricotta cheese.  Spoon ricotta cheese in the bottom of the pan.  Cover with a homemade meat and veggie pasta sauce.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake. 
• Put out an Italian-themed dipping assortment:  A tomato-based sauce, such as above, some pesto,  some dipping oil 
• Try something a little Asian: a spicy mayo (wasabi or sriracha mixed with light mayonnaise, or light mayonnaise and greek yogurt, to make it healthier), a soy sauce based dip: maybe some soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic and ginger, and honey.
• Or a White Pizza Dip, like this one on How Sweet It Is.  I haven't actually tried it yet, but have eyed it before and it came to mind when I was thinking of other ideas for this eggplant.

Happy Creating!

Another "Borscht" Recipe

I'm not sure I know what authentic borscht tastes like- I've only had the kind my mom makes (from a recipe she found somewhere) and the kind I make (made up new each time, often based on what ingredients I have at the time).

But this is tasty and the beet is the predominant flavor, so I figure it is close enough to the real thing to call it borscht, for lack of a better title.

The other borscht recipe I have posted here is a little different and the directions are for making it in the CrockPot.  This time, I did it on the stove, but this recipe could be made in the CrockPot as well.

What you need:

2 teaspoons olive oil
large pinch of salt
1 medium onion, chopped into rough pieces
1/2 of a head of garlic, peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 small leek, sliced
4 beets (mine were about 2.5 inches in diameter, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 cups beef broth
1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Tahini (optional, but I think it really enhanced the flavor)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions, garlic, and celery, along with the pinch of salt.  Saute until slightly softened.  Add the leek and beets and continue sauteing until the leeks are also softened and everything is starting to brown a bit.  Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until beets are cooked, but not mushy.  Turn off heat, add the Tahini and apple cider vinegar, and blend with an immersion blender. If you want, you can only blend it halfway, so that there are a few chunks left.

Drizzle with Tahini for garnish, if you want.  Enjoy!

Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I haven't been posting many of the soup recipes I've been making lately because I figured it would be soup overload (I've been making at least a couple batches a week of different types of pureed vegetable soups). But this one was too good to not write down and consequently forget about.  It's definitely pretty spicy, and I like spicy things.  Just use a milder type of hot pepper, such as jalapeno or Serrano, and also maybe take out the seeds if you don't want it very spicy.  

What you need:

1 large butternut squash, cut in half or quartered, seeds removed
Olive oil spray
Salt and pepper
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium/large onion, chopped
2 small hot peppers (I used Thai chili peppers), stems removed
2 chipotle peppers plus a bit of adobe sauce
2 small apples, cored and roughly chopped
2 stalks of celery, sliced
5-6 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk of choice (I used a combination of 1% and almond milk... if I hadn't been running out of the almond milk, I would have just used that)
1/4 cup fat free cream cheese (optional- I added it because mine was a bit too spicy and I figured this would help mellow it out)
1 tablespoon garlic-ginger paste


Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil.  Season cut side of the butternut squash with salt and pepper, and then place, skin side up, on the baking sheet.  Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, or until cooked through.  Let cool a bit and remove skin.  Chop roughly.

Heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat.  Add onions, peppers, and celery, along with a generous pinch of salt.  Saute for 5-10 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and browning slightly. Add in the apple and saute for a couple more minutes.  Add the roasted squash and the broth.  Bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally   Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat, add the milk, cream cheese, and ginger-garlic paste.  Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Garlic and Herb Salmon

Here's a simple and pretty quick recipe for salmon that's a little different than I usually prefer it.  For some reason, I almost always make slightly sweet salmon recipes (pumpkin butter glazed, teriyaki  or with a simple brown sugar or honey mixture on top).  I mean, a little sweetness does wonderfully complement the flavors of salmon and broiling the bit of sugar on top gives you a deliciously caramelized topping.

But today, I felt like mixing it up and modified this recipe I found.  I thought is was delicious and it was a nice change of pace from my usual.  Plus, the more savory flavors of this give you different options for side dishes than what you might want with a sweeter recipe.  (Though I paired it with a butternut squash soup that would be still been awesome with a sweet salmon recipe).

What you need:

2 pounds salmon (either one large piece or cut into portions)

olive oil spray

1 tablespoon butter

1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and diced

1/2+ cup fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, and rosemary because that's what I had)

1-2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup white wine

1-2 teaspoons black pepper

Heat oven to broil on low if using one big piece or high if using smaller pieces.  Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add garlic.  Let garlic cook until just slightly browning.  Add in the salt, herbs, worchestershire sauce, lemon juice, wine, and pepper.  Turn off heat.  Place salmon, skin side down on a large baking sheet sprayed with olive oil.  Spoon 1/2 of the herb and garlic mixture over the top of the salmon.  Broil for 3-4 minutes.  Take out of oven, spoon the rest of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.  Return to oven and broil for another 3-4 minutes (smaller pieces may take less time).  Turn heat up to high if it was on low before and broil on high for 2 more minutes (applies to big piece only).

Serve with lemon slices.  Enjoy!

Baked Herbed Brie with Mushrooms, Onions, and Almonds

Baked brie is awesome, pretty much regardless of how you prepare it.  But this particular recipe might just be my new favorite way to make it.  It might be that the cheese I bought this time was of better quality, but I also think that these toppings really work well with the flavor or brie.  

I made mine on our toaster oven tray because it's easy and I don't care about how it looks, but I recommend using a smaller casserole dish (maybe a 5-6 inch circle or 5 x 7 rectangle) if you have one.  

Serve with crackers, chips, or slices of toasted baguette. 

What you need:

A 7-ounce wedge or wheel of herbed Brie (rinds removed, unless you're like me and really like the rind...  in that case just cut it to help it melt out)

1/2 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

Splash of red wine

2 teaspoons honey

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and thyme)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Red pepper flakes

Place brie on a lightly greased small baking sheet or casserole dish.  Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add mushrooms and onions, plus a pinch of salt and pepper.  Saute until cooked through and just beginning to brown.  Add the splash of red wine and the honey. Remove from heat and stir in herbs.  Spread mixture over the brie.  Sprinkle with the almonds and red pepper flakes to taste.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly at the edges.  Enjoy!

Simple Pumpkin Soup (Crock-Pot)

There's no roasting or sauteing prior to putting this is in the Crock-Pot... it's super simple and you don't need to dirty an extra pan.

I made this to go with teriyaki salmon (not posting the recipe because I was in a hurry and really don't know what I did to make the teriyaki sauce). On top is a drizzle of Sriracha hot sauce and dot of my new favorite dipping sauce for fish, chicken, or...anything.  See at the end of this post for details.

What you need:

1/2 pound fresh pumpkin, skin and seeds removed and cut into 1-2 inch chunks (or use some canned pumpkin for this... I actually did a some of each because that's what I had)
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2 inch slices and halved
1 medium onion, chopped roughly
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped roughly
2 small hot peppers (optional), stems removed
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups Silk coconut milk (the refrigerated stuff... or just use regular low-fat milk)
1/2 cup coconut milk from a can
1 tablespoon Ketjap Manis Marinade (Thai version)
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
Garlic-ginger puree/paste (or a bit each of garlic and ginger powder, but you may need extra salt or soy sauce in this case, because the puree or paste is usually a bit salty)

Put pumpkin, carrot, onion, bell pepper, hot peppers, and chicken broth in slow cooker.  Cook on high until everything is soft, which should be 4-5 hours.  Add milks, Ketjap Manis, fish sauce, and garlic-ginger puree/paste.   Puree everything with an immersion blender.  Enjoy!

UPDATE:

Just made this again with a few little changes... it was equally delicious, but slightly different flavored.  I used only the fresh pumpkin this time, subbed a yellow summer squash in for the bell pepper, and omitted the Ketjap Manis Marinade and garlic-ginger puree, but added two chipotle peppers.  It has a bit of a kick, so if you don't like spicy, use less chipotle or maybe omit the two hot peppers.  Yum!



Awesome Sauce (to use on top of this soup or on anything else):

1/2 cup each low-fat yogurt and fat-free cream cheese
1/4 low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons + Sriracha hot sauce (I go with a tablespoon or more, but I like it spicy)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix well.  Done!

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Sauce

I discovered these filet mignon in the grocery freezer the other day and couldn't resist buying a couple. That's the thing about living in a place where you can't depend on certain products being there.  It leads to a lot of impulse buys just in case whatever it is runs out and isn't shipped in again for a few months.  And after seeing the price as they rang up, I don't think I'll be getting these again.  But they were delicious and still cheaper than going out to a nice dinner, so it all works out.

I made a creamy mushroom sauce to accompany these, and served them with Green Veggie Soup and Fake Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  

What you need:

2 (6 oz) filet mignon steaks
Salt and pepper
Olive oil spray

Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray an oven proof skillet or pot with olive oil.  If you don't have something that is oven proof, that's fine, but you will need to have a cookie sheet or something like that as well.

Pat filet mignon dry and then season all sides of each with salt and pepper.

Heat the pot over high heat until oil is sizzling.  Sear for 2 minutes on each flat side.  Then roll each filet mignon on its round side to quickly sear it.  Place entire pot/ skillet in the oven.  (If you are using a baking sheet, heat in this in oven for the last minute that the steaks are searing, and then place steaks onto this pan).  Cook for 2-6 more minutes, depending on thickness of the steaks and how you want them cooked.  With 1 1/2 inch thick filets, I cooked one for 2 minutes (very rare) and then other for 4 (medium-rare to rare).  Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with mushroom sauce and enjoy!


For the mushroom sauce:

I used basically the same Mushroom Sauce as I did with my t-bone steaks.   The only changes were that I used button mushrooms instead of portobello (about 5 ounces) and add in some rosemary stems while everything was simmering, and removed them before serving.