Recipe

Butternut Squash Ravioli: The Clean Version

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I have a squash obsession lately if you haven’t noticed. Since I am just discovering how much I actually really like squash I have been cooking it a lot. Like a lot, a lot, but Chuck hasn’t started complaining yet so he must be enjoying it as well.

If you remember the Squash Ravioli in Sage Butter sauce I made a few weeks ago you know how divine it was, and how heavenly I thought it was. Well I have been wanting to make it again, but let’s be honest butter sauce is by no means good for you, and I am trying to be healthy, but I can’t help craving this dish again. I want it so bad!

I decided to try to clean it up a bit, and I think it was a success. I used whole wheat flour for the ravioli’s and made a shallot and sage broth, taking a note from English Onion & Sage Soup, which is one of my all-time favorites. I used a vegetable broth in order to keep it vegetarian for my veggie readers, though I’m sure a chicken broth would work just as well.

Clean Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage & Shallot Broth

1 medium butternut squash, de-skinned, & deseeded, chopped

1 tbsp EVOO

2 tbs cup parmesan cheese

¼ tsp nutmeg

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 cups whole wheat flour (plus some for surface)

1 egg

2 egg whites

1-4 tbsp cold water

1 tbs Extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots sliced thin

2 cups vegetable broth (low sodium or homemade)

10-12 sage leaves or 1 tbsp of dried sage (this is to taste)

Chop the squash into roughly 2 inch pieces and scatter over a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss, before putting them in the oven. They should cook at 400 for 30-35 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and let stand to cool, before making the filling. Meanwhile prepare the dough. In a medium bowl add flour and eggs. Mix well using an electric mixer. The dough should begin to form a ball. If the dough is too dry it will remain crumbly, so add a few tablespoons of water until the ball forms. Use a pasta machine, roller, or rolling pin to roll out the dough into 3 inch wide, foot long sheets. Once the squash is sufficiently cooled mash it with a fork. Stir in the parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Place 4 dollops about the size of a half dollar in the middle of a pasta sheet evenly spaced, using your finger dip it into water and trace the outside of the dollop. Place another sheet on top and press it down around the dollop, using water to cement the dough together. Slice the dough to create separate ravioli. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the ravioli, they should only take a few minutes to cook, rising to the top as they finish. Strain the ravioli and set aside. In a skillet heat the oil and sauté the shallots until they have carmelized. Add the broth and sage leaves and simmer until reduced by ¾. Toss ravioli in pan to coat. Serve warm with excess sauce drizzled over the top, and sage leaves as garnish.

What I like is that swapping the brown butter sauce for a broth makes the dish so much healthier without sacrificing flavor, the caramelized shallots add a little dimension to the dish, along with another element of flavor.

I am really proud of this dish, and think that it is easily one of my best.

What do you think?

Vegetarian Chickpea Chili; a Clean Recipe!

By Jessica

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I thought it would be nice to take a step out of the comfort of rich soups and stews that I have been cooking lately and “spice it up”. This recipe is a great alternative to traditional chili that adds a little zing to our weekly menu, plus it’s great for a last minute meal as I tend to have most things on hand for it at any given time.

Since I am not a huge fan of spicy foods I added a dollop of sour cream to mine that isn’t reflected in the recipe. Chuck chose to go with cheddar cheese. Lemons work as well, however I didn’t have any at the time. I also ended up adding a lot of extra cilantro, because I like the added texture and freshness element, but that should be no surprise to the regular reader. I love my herbs!

Another note on this dish it’s only about 240 calories a serving! You could even add a lean protein such as chopped sirloin and it would still be clean, though with a few more calories. I love having these healthy recipes in my back pocket.

Vegetarian Moroccan Chickpea Chili (Serves 2)

1tbs EVOO

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

3 medium celery stalks,chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 tbs ground cumin

2tsp coriander

1tsp ground mustard

1tsp turmeric

1tsp paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1tsp black pepper

1 can chickpeas, drained

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup frozen corn

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 6-oz jar of tomato paste

1 lemon (optional)

1 tbsp cilantro chopped (optional)

In a large pot, or Dutch oven sauté garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and spices in oil. Once the vegetable begin to soften, roughly 5 minutes, add chickpeas and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, corn, tomatoes, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for roughly 30 minutes or until the chili thickens, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings. Serve topped with cilantro and lemon.

Pan Seared Steak Rolls

By Jessica

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I have seen this recipe bouncing around the internet published by several people, though I believe the original was Steamy Kitchen (http://steamykitchen.com/363-pan-seared-steak-rolls.html). I love sesame, and soy, and you will find them in a lot of recipes I share here, such as Asian Marinated Scallops, and Double Crunch Sesame Chicken. When I saw this recipe I got very excited. First off it looked delicious. And though at first impressions it looks complicated and time consuming the recipe read like a dream, and it didn’t look so hard, plus it was the perfect thing to bring to a potluck for something different, and the guest get their own individual roll!

As always I made a few minor changes to the original recipe, linked above. I fiddled with the marinade a bit, and changed the sauce to make a thicker version. I like thick, rich sauces; personally I find them more comforting, and less messy, as they don’t run all over the plate.

Asian-American Pan Seared Steak Rolls

Thin Sliced sirloin steak

Marinade

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Filling

1tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 carrot, but into match sticks

½ red bell pepper, cut into match sticks

2 ribs celery, cut into matchsticks

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

12 chives, cut roughly 3-4”

Sauce

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs soy sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tbs honey

1 tbs flour

1 tsp sesame seeds

Combine marinade in a bowl and add steak. Marinade for 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile Prepare the filling. Begin with a medium sized skillet and sauté garlic and ginger for just under a minute. Add all vegetables except chives, soy sauce & sesame oil and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile in a small saucepan whisk together sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened and reduce heat to warm. For the rolls; fill meat slices using chives and cooled filling, rolling the meat around the filling and securing with a tooth pick. In a medium skillet heat another tbs of olive oil and place the rolls, seam side down in the pan. Cook for one minute, before turning. Continue to cook, and turn rolls until meat is cooked through to desired doneness. To Serve plate, and remove toothpick, drizzle sauce over top and add sesame seeds. Serve warm.

As I said before this recipe looks complicated, but is actually super easy, and delicious, not to mention it can easily be a clean recipe; just use whole wheat flour, low sodium soy sauce, and chicken broth, and extra virgin olive oil. What a great recipe to use for potlucks, or appetizers at a party, and you can tell your guests that it’s clean!

I think this one will be sticking around for the holiday season.

D4One: French Fusion!

By Jessica

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I am writing this right now between bites. I wasn’t planning on posting this recipe but I simply have to. It is to dye for!

I originally came across this recipe on pinterest, from Stephanie Cooks, however I wanted something a little more traditional, and am so happy with how it turned out. This is my recipe for the dish.

French Onion Pasta

1 cup uncooked pasta

1 large onion, peeled, and sliced thin

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

½ cup white wine

1 cup beef broth (can substitute vegetable broth)

2 tbsp milk

¼ cup grated gruyere cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions until aldente. Melt butter in a small skillet, add onion and cook until onion turns translucent and browns, or caramelizes. Blend in flour evenly and deglaze with white wine. Once wine has reduced by half add broth, and allow to reduce again. Next add milk and allow to thicken while stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan, and toss to coat. Remove from heat, and top with grated cheese.

Now tell me this is not delicious!

Fall Bucket List: Bake Pies

By Jessica

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Since it’s just me and Chuck around here the idea of making a whole Pie seemed a little silly, so I opted to make a little start instead! It was super easy and took no time at all. Served with vanilla ice-cream and a little caramel made it the perfect fall treat!!

Rustic Skillet Apple & Vanilla Tart

2 tbsp flour for surface

1 pie crust, rolled out

1 tbs sugar

1 tbp flour

½ tbs cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

2-3 Large Apples Cored and sliced

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Begin with a dry, oven safe skillet, and lightly flour the entire cooking surface, and place the piecrust over the top. Carefully push the crust down into the pan, patching any holes that appear. In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the apples and toss to coat. Arrange the apples in the skillet, and drizzle with vanilla. Dot the butter around the apples. Gently fold the crust edge over the apples, to make your selected arrangement. And lightly sprinkle some additional sugar over the top should you choose. Place the skillet in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust has become golden and the sugar melted. Serve warm.

Recipe

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