More plants - Less meat. Why is it so hard for me to keep this in mind when I'm menu planning? I've been trying to re-train my brain to eat more plants but my first instinct is still to choose a lean protein like chicken or fish and THEN plan the vegetables and side dishes to compliment the meat. It just seems completely unnatural to me to plan the vegetables FIRST and then come up with a lean protein side dish to accompany them. I really like vegetables, why is it so hard to make them a priority in my menu planning? I'm trying to change my pattern of behavior by featuring a plant based - vegetable driven main dish on the blog today - stuffed portobello mushrooms. This nutrient rich meal is the perfect thing to get my mind off of meat proteins and onto more plant based vegetable forward meals. I love these mushrooms so much and Ben and I really don't even miss the protein when I serve these for dinner. I haven't worked up the courage to serve these to my children yet because quite honestly, I'm not sure that my ego can take the scrutiny of their uncensored opinions. For now, I'll stick to serving these hearty mushrooms on nights when it's just the two of us. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms 1/2 cup + 1 T. olive oil 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 4 portobello mushroom caps, gills removed 1/2 cup panko 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 10 ounces spinach 3 garlic cloves, minced pinch of red pepper flakes 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup basil leaves 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated
Bake 4 minutes at 475. Serve. I have a hard time planning side dishes to go with these mushrooms though because I feel like they act as a main course and require no additional protein. They're also a great source of vegetables so I don't feel like I need to add any more veggies either. So what do I serve with main course mushrooms? Sometimes I serve fresh fruit and a healthy grain. Quinoa, wheat berries and farro are all good options for healthy side dishes for this delicious meal. Tonight - it was toasted pita bread and raw veggies. I'd love to know what you're serving with your vegetable, plant-based meals. Send me a comment.
Ciao!
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This year, we decided to kick off the summer with a Memorial Day clambake. I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by the thought of tackling a whole clambake by myself. The clams, the shrimp, the corn, the potatoes, the sausage - that's a lot of food for one person to prepare. I've dabbled a bit in trying to steam clams but I've never actually made a whole clam-bake, complete with all the trimmings. Not to mention the fact that most clambakes feed 20-30 and we are a family of 3 right now. My dad has always been the clambake King of our family. He makes EPIC clambakes every Fall. I don't want to even try and recreate my dad's ultimate clambake so I've decided to go a different direction and develop my own clambake style. The less traditional - grilled clambake. Not sure if grilled clambakes even qualify as a "clambake" but I've got to say - it worked out pretty great for me. Don't be intimidated by the lengthy ingredient list, or by the number of steps in the recipe. Preparing a clambake is a process. Embrace the journey and put your own stamp on the recipe. I cut this recipe in half and it was perfect for 3-4 people. Grilled Clambake 1/3 cup fresh basil 1/3 cup fresh dill 1/4 cup fresh chives 1 cup mayonnaise 1 serrano pepper, chopped 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 6 cloves garlic, 2 minced & 4 sliced 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 Tablespoons water 24 jumbo shrimp in shell, deveined 1 Tablespoon sugar 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed 3 pounds fingerling potatoes 1/2 cup olive oil 2 pounds sausage (I used a caprese chicken sausage) 4 ears corn, shucked 1 stick butter, melted 1/2 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced 2 shallots, thinly sliced 1 Tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup dry white wine
Serve with lemon wedges, reserved herbs and herbed mayonnaise. Here's the skinny of the grilled clambake. 1.) The herb mayonnaise sauce is completely unnecessary. Everything is SUPER flavorful anyway and we didn't see any need to add additional sauce or herbs to any of the seafood or vegetables. 2.) The corn does not need to be drenched in garlic butter. The grilled corn would have been just as tasty with just a sprinkling of the fresh herbs. 3.) The broth that the clams cook in is by far the most tasty part of this whole recipe. Do not throw it away or waste it. Serve it on the side and mop up every ounce of this liquid gold with your shrimp, clams or extra bread.
We devoured this platter of goodness in no time. It took about an hour and a half to prepare all of the food but it was definitely worth it. Sooooo tasty. Ciao! I am simultaneously bewildered by the fact that my youngest child just completed her second year of college and reassured by the fact that we only have 4 semesters of tuition left to pay. I don't really know how I feel about her tearing through her first 2 years of college in what seemed like half that time but I can tell you that I'm excited about the fact that she's home for the summer and I'm treasuring this time that we have under the same roof. To celebrate the completion of the first half of her college coursework and the beginning of her summer break, we had a celebration dinner. Since she's a fan of all things pork - I went with the traditional welcome home dinner of St. Louis Style Ribs. 😂 The fact that these ribs weren't smothered in her favorite ketchup based barbecue sauce and she was still a fan, speaks volumes about their quality. I actually think these Tuscan Grilled Pork Ribs might just be our new favorite way to enjoy pork ribs. Tuscan Grilled Pork Ribs Ribs 5-6 pounds St. Louis style spareribs 2 Tablespoon kosher salt 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon pepper Vinaigrette 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Transfer ribs to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Cut ribs apart. Serve with vinaigrette. My no fail spare rib cooking method has always been to wrap them in foil and cook them in the oven for 3 hours at 300. They come out so tender that the meat actually falls off the bone. We've always loved our ribs like this but the thought of my oven heating up my kitchen for 3 hours on a steamy afternoon was less than appealing. I put these ribs on my Big Green Egg for about 45 minutes and they were cooked to perfection. (and my kitchen was still cool)
Ciao! We eat a lot of chicken. I can't deny that. There have been weeks when we've eaten chicken 5 or 6 days in a row because it was on sale that week at the grocery store. What can I say? I love chicken and I'm a sucker for a good sale. My family starts to get suspicious after the third consecutive chicken day though. 😂 If you ask my kids, they will tell you that we eat chicken "All The Time". The truth is, we normally eat it no more than once or twice a week. (Unless it's on sale of course.) I have a meal schedule that I follow to plan our meals every week. I've published this before but for those of you who might be new to the blog - here it is again. Monday - Fish Tuesday - Chicken Wednesday - Soup, Salad or Sandwiches Thursday - Beef or Pork (Vegetables for me) Friday - Pasta Saturday and Sunday - anything goes To a lot of people it might seem a little rigid to plan meals like this but if you know me at all - you know that I thrive on (over)planning EVERYTHING. 😂I've been menu planning like this for years and it works great for me. And those unplanned weekend meals - even though the uncertainty gives me anxiety sometimes - they often turn out to be the best. There are times when I make things on the weekend that we've been craving and sometimes I just pull together a meal based on the leftover ingredients that are already in my refrigerator. Last week, I had a package of chicken in my refrigerator, more than a dozen leftover hard boiled Easter Eggs, a few slices of turkey bacon and a garden that was absolutely overflowing with home grown lettuce. Throw in a ripe avocado, a few tomatoes and I had everything that I needed for a delicious Grilled Cobb Salad. Grilled Cobb Salad 1/4 cup blue cheese 1/4 cup + 2 T. olive oil 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 3 romaine lettuce hearts, cut in half 2 avocados, halved 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved 4 hard (or soft) boiled eggs, halved 6 slices turkey bacon, diced
Top with bacon and drizzle with dressing. What do you have growing in your garden this month? I've got lettuce, parsley, basil, rosemary, strawberries and 1 raspberry plant. I started some pumpkin seeds in pots on the porch last month and they're already starting to sprout. I have plans to move them to the garden as soon. I can hardly wait to see how many pumpkins I end up with this Fall. 🎃
Ciao! I'm calling all girls to the grill today. I can't even begin to count how many times I've heard grilling referred to as "a man's job." I'm here to tell you that grilling is not just for the boys anymore. I'm a girl who can grill with the best of 'em and I love it. I have a Big Green Egg and I'm not afraid to use it. 😆 My blog today is designed to empower women to become Girls Who Grill. There are great resources and websites available to educate women about buying grills, grill safety, grilling recipes and basic grilling techniques. There's really no excuse to be afraid of the grill anymore, girls. It's time for us to embrace the art of outdoor cooking. Whether you're passionate about smoked meat or giddy over grilled vegetables, there are grill recipes for everything. If you can eat it - it can be grilled. Meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, desserts - you can grill them all. Grilled pineapple drizzled with honey is one of my absolute favorites. This Smoked Brisket is a great place to start if you're new to grilling. It's simple and straightforward and the homemade sauce is RIDICULOUS. It can be spiced up for those of you who like things hot and toned down for those of you who like things on the sweeter side. Smoked Brisket 1 Tablespoon paprika 1 Tablespoon brown sugar 2 Tablespoons kosher salt 2 Tablespoons pepper 4.5 - 5 pound brisket Sauce 1 cup apple cider vinegar 3/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon Worcestershire 1 teaspoon mild hot sauce 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Cook brisket until temperature of brisket registers 185 - 200. (7.5-10 hours) Slice brisket across the grain and serve with pan juices and sauce. Serve as a sandwich. It looks like this is going to be a perfect weekend for grilling. So if you live in the South, and you can tolerate the pine pollen 😷 - fire up your grills. And if be sure and tag me in your photos or send me a comment if you make my brisket recipe. I'd love to see your results.
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