Crispy Eggplant with Homemade Tomato-Basil Sauce

This is my take on Eggplant Parmesan. It's a little different in that I bake the eggplant instead of frying it and I don't use any parmesan cheese in the bread crumbs. I'm also using Panko instead of traditional bread crumbs. I also don't re-bake in the oven with the sauce. I want to keep the eggplant as crispy as possible.

For the Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
Splash of red wine (optional)

Make It:
Coat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano  and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up slightly to medium and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the basil, wine, and the remaining olive oil. Let simmer while you make the eggplant.

For the Eggplant:
1 eggplant
1 egg white
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup Panko
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

Make It:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat two baking sheets and an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Whisk egg whites and water in a shallow dish until frothy. Combine Panko, salt and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg-white mixture, then coat with the Panko mixture. (Discard any leftover breadcrumbs and egg white.) Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the eggplant slices over, and bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer. When almost done, top each piece of eggplant with a teeny slice of mozzarella. Turn oven up to broil and let the cheese melt and turn bubbly and golden (about 2 minutes).

Arrange the eggplant slices so that they stack on top of each other. Spoon about 1/2 c sauce over the eggplant pieces (or as much as you desire). You can also serve spaghetti pasta on the side and more sauce over the pasta.

Today's healthy tip is.....SLEEP!
Seriously. Google sleep and weight loss. Lack of sleep increases the stimulus to consume more food and increases appetite-regulating hormones. If you’re what researchers call a short sleeper (measured by how long you sleep each night—5.5 to 6 hours or less qualifies you), you’ll have trouble losing weight, no doubt about it. In a 7-year study of 7,022 middle-aged people, Finnish researchers found that women who reported sleep problems were more likely to experience a major weight gain (defined as 11 pounds or more). (Source or...Google it and see for yourself).

Roasted Artichokes

I touchdown in Iceland in exactly 12 days. I haven't had a vacation (a real one) since the last time we were in Iceland two years ago, so I am really looking forward to this one. They say that when you're on vacation you gain weight. Depending on what you're doing, of course. For example, the average person on a cruise ship gains a pound a day. To prepare for this vacation, I'm going to do 12 days of Healthy. It's like the 12 days of Christmas, but with diet and workout tips instead of milking maids and golden rings.

I have never made an artichoke before, but they are very good for you. They are high in antioxidants, in fact they contain more antioxidants than most vegetables. They are good for the liver and have even been found to regenerate liver tissue. Artichokes help the digestive system. They are a natural diuretic, they aid digestion, improve gallbladder function and, as mentioned above, they are of great benefit to the liver. Wait - there's more! Ingredients in artichoke leaves have been shown to reduce cholesterol. They raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). These bad boys are also high in fiber! One large artichoke contains a quarter of the recommended daily intake of fiber. A medium artichoke has more fiber than a cup of prunes.

Let's get started...

Ingredients:
4 whole large artichokes
2 lemons, halved
4 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Preparation for Roasting:
If the artichokes have little thorns on the end of the leaves, take a kitchen scissors and cut of the thorned tips of all of the leaves. This step is mostly for aesthetics as the thorns soften with cooking and pose no threat to the person eating the artichoke.

Using a serrated knife, cut the artichoke off 1-inch of the top. Quickly rub each artichoke with a cut lemon so they don't discolor. Pull off any smaller leaves towards the base and on the stem.


The stem can be done two ways. You can cut the excess stem, leaving up to an inch on the artichoke. The stems tend to be more bitter than the rest of the artichoke, but some people like to eat them. Alternatively you can cut off the stems and peel the outside layers which is more fibrous and bitter and cook the stems along with the artichokes. For my dinner, I am going to completely cut off the stem of the artichoke where it meets the base. Rinse the artichokes in running cold water.


Tear off 4 large square pieces of heavy-duty foil. Rub a few drops of olive oil on the foil and place an artichoke stem side down. Stick a clove of garlic into the center and push down an inch or so. Sprinkle over 1/4 tsp of salt. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the top. Finish by squeezing the half lemon over the top. The lemon juice will "wash" the salt and olive down in between the leaves. Gather up the corners of the foil and press together on top to tightly seal the artichoke (like a chocolate kiss). You can wrap in a second piece of foil if you don't think you have a tight enough seal.

Repeat with the other artichokes. Place in a roasting pan and bake at 425 degrees F. for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before unwrapping and serving. Can be eaten hot, warm, or chilled.

Make it another way:
Follow instructions above all the way to the part where you rinse them in cold water. In a large pot, put a couple inches of water, a clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, and a bay leaf (this adds wonderful flavor to the artichokes). Insert a steaming basket. Add the artichokes. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off. Note: artichokes can also be cooked in a pressure cooker (about 15-20 minutes cooking time). Cooking time depends on how large the artichoke is, the larger, the longer it takes to cook.

How to Eat an Artichoke:
Artichokes may be eaten cold or hot, but I think they are much better hot. They are served plain or with a dip, either melted butter or mayonaise. I did plain and I gave my sous chef fat-free mayo with a little bit of balsamic vinegar mixed in.

First, pull off outer petals, one at a time. Dip white fleshy end in melted butter or sauce. Tightly grip the other end of the petal. Place in mouth, dip side down, and pull through teeth to remove soft, pulpy, delicious portion of the petal. Discard remaining petal. Continue until all of the petals are removed.

With a knife or spoon, scrape out and discard the inedible fuzzy part (called the "choke") covering the artichoke heart. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is the heart. Cut into pieces and dip into sauce to eat.

Today's workout tip is.... HILLS!
If you run or bike or walk for cardio, you’ll want to incorporate hills (after the first month or two of doing it at an easy pace on flat ground). These will make you stronger and make your limited workout time even more effective. Take them easy at first, but once you’re used to hills, you can get a good pace going. Either use a hilly route or do repeats on one hill. I find that there are some really challenging hill courses on the elliptical and bikes in the gym. Scroll through and find the ones that best challenge you. You'll notice you feel the burn in your legs more AND you burn more calories. Yeah, buddy!

Caprese Salad with Chicken

I love a cold salad with warm chicken. So yummy. This salad is freaking delicious already. I made mine different by using the smaller tomatoes, but they work perfect for a salad. The chicken makes it a meal, momma! These flavors are classic - the fresh basil with the salty mozzarella and the sweet tomato play well with the tangy balsamic vinegar. I could eat this all day, every day.


Ingredients
2 chicken breast, cubed
1 container grape tomatoes, halved (I chose the yellow ones)
8 oz. Formaggio Fresh All Natural Mozzarella (the fresher, the better!)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (aged if you have it)
8 - 10 large fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp garlic powder
Sea salt to taste
Freshly cracked or ground or coarse black pepper

Directions
Spray frying pan with cooking spray and turn heat to medium. Add cubes of chicken, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook till golden brown (about 20 minutes). Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar. Slice the basil into rough pieces and toss into the salad. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerated to serve a little bit later too. Serve with fresh Italian bread, if desired.

Jicama Salad

Weekend brunches always call for a salad dinner. I tried to eat healthy today, but we went to Queens Comfort in Astoria (a place known for their mac and cheese and chicken 'n waffles). Needless to say, my corn flake crusted chicken sandwich was fried. Even without a bun, I felt guilty eating it. Tonight - grilled chicken and a refreshing jicama salad on the side. Can't beat that. I love the heat that creeps up with this dish, yet it's super crisp and refreshing. Hmm...I think I want summer time.

Ingredients

1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, then julienned or cubed (easiest to work with if you cut the jicama in half first)
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 a large cucumber, seeded, chopped
1 navel orange, peel cut away, sliced crosswise, then each round quartered
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup lime juice
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of paprika
Salt

Optional
1/2 avocado chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil

Make it

Toss together the jicama, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, orange, and cilantro in a large serving bowl. Pour lime juice over all. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne and paprika. Season generously with salt. Let sit a half an hour before serving.

Healthy Potato Leek Soup

Had some leeks in the fridge and was wondering how to prep them. A friend of mine made potato and leek soup and posted about it on Facebook and it inspired me to do the same. This is hands down stupid easy to make. Very filling too. You can begin a meal with it or add a sammy with this.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon EVOO
3 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced (3 cups) - use mostly white parts and some of the green
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 pounds all-purpose potatoes, (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into small chunks
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan or stockpot over low heat. Add leeks, and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in broth and add potatoes. Increase heat to medium and cook about 20 minutes until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and add to blender. Puree. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Return to low heat and heat until hot, but not boiling. Serve hot or chilled.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 162 calories; 4 g fat ( 2 g sat , 1 g mono ); 13 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 7 g protein; 2 g fiber; 206 mg sodium; 507 mg potassium.

Crab-and-Shrimp Étouffée

I wanted to make an Étouffée (Pronounced ay-TOO-fay) to round off my New Orleans' themed cuisine for Superbowl. I literally said, "F&CK YES", when I was doing my final stirs. This dish smells amazing and is loaded with such wonderful seafood goodness. One pound of crab meat and two pounds of shrimp make me a happy girl! It's not as spicy as I thought but the creole seasoning is nice - it's a subtle heat. I am in heart with this dish. I don't care who wins the Superbowl as long as I have a bowl of this.

Ingredients
2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp*
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon low-sodium Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 container fresh crabmeat, drained and flaked (I used a 1 lb container)
5 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.

2. Melt butter with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until caramel colored. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and celery; cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add minced garlic, and sauté 1 minute.

3. Stir in chicken broth, white wine, and next 6 ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

 CRAB!!!

SHRIMP!!!

4. Stir in crabmeat; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

5. Spoon shrimp mixture into individual serving bowls. Spoon hot cooked rice on top of shrimp mixture. Garnish, if desired.

*2 (16-oz.) packages frozen unpeeled, raw shrimp, thawed according to package directions, may be substituted.

Easy Mini Muffulettas

 What goes better with football than mini sandwiches? These little guys look typical but the cheese will be warm and gooey and the olive spread will make it different! I may steal one before all my guests arrive.

Ingredients
1 (32-oz.) jar Italian olive salad
12 small deli rolls, cut in half
12 thin Swiss cheese slices
12 thin deli ham slices
12 thin provolone cheese slices
12 Genoa salami slices

Preparation

1. Spread 1 Tbsp. olive salad evenly over each cut side of roll bottoms. Top each with 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1 ham slice, 1 Tbsp. olive salad, 1 provolone cheese slice, 1 salami slice, and 1 Tbsp. olive salad. I did two rounds of toppings since I cut the cheese and meat to fit my slider rolls. Cover with roll tops, and wrap sandwiches together in a large piece of aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.

2. Bake at 350° for 14 to 16 minutes or until cheeses are melted.

Note: I used Natural Black Olive Spread by Les Moulins Mahjoub

Chicken-Andouille Gumbo

Ok. I had noooo idea gumbo took over four hours to make. I started this dish around 4 pm and just finished it. It's 9 pm. Mother of .... This seems like a great dish to make when you want to cook all day. hahaha I didn't make the rice (yet) since Superbowl is tomorrow. Also, I have SO MUCH of this. I'm afraid I might be eating it for weeks. Hopefully everyone devours it! The dish is really creamy (like a comforting familiar stew) with a hint of creole spice. The hand pulled chicken is tender and hearty while the andouille packs a punch in diced up nuggets. The flavors build on each other (as they better! They've been cooking all day!). This should be a winner for New Orleans' Superbowl Sunday!

Make it:

1 1/2 gallons water
1 (4-pound) chicken, cut up (My chicken was about 6 pounds)
5 bay leaves
5 parsley sprigs
3 whole garlic cloves
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken, reserving broth. Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken; set aside. Pour broth through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids. Measure 1 gallon broth, and return to stockpot.

1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large celery rib, chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 chicken bouillon cubes
Add sausage and next 5 ingredients; simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat; gradually whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is a dark caramel color (about 20 minutes). Stir into sausage mixture, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

And then...

1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir in chicken, salt, and red and black pepper; simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Skim off fat.

And then...

1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon filé powder (this is Sassafras leaves - which I couldn't find. I used 1 teaspoon of Blackened Creole seasoning)
Hot cooked rice
Stir in green onions and parsley; simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in filé powder. Serve over hot cooked rice with hot sauce, if desired.

Cajun Corn Maque Choux

This is the first of four New Orleans's themed dishes for Superbowl! This dish is pronounced (mock-shoe). Yeah, I had to look it up. This dish could be eaten as a side dish or as a main dish. I'm serving it as a side. I'm making it one day in advance and I think I'll heat it up to room temperature to serve it. With only a few ingredients, this one was mad easy to make - ready in under 30 minutes! No excuse why you can't make it. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups frozen shoepeg corn, thawed
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 pound andouille sausage, cooked and diced
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Sauté onion and bell pepper in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 8 minutes or until tender. Add corn, tomato, and sausage; cook, stirring often, 15 minutes. Stir in green onions, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes.

Crispy Breaded Pork Cutlets and Sauteed Swiss Chard with Orange

Tonight's dinner is brought to you by Martha Stewart. I loved toasting the breadcrumbs and the mustard was subtle. Super crispy crunch and juicy tender pork = delicious! Plus the pork is baked, which makes it healthier for you. The orange on the chard was terrific! Made it sweet and not as bitter. Great combo!

For the chops:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
4 boneless pork loin chops (6 to 8 ounces each)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss panko with oil. Bake, tossing once, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, one at a time, place chops between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy pan, pound to make 1/4-inch-thick cutlets.
Dividing evenly, coat pork with mustard; season with salt and pepper. One at a time, dip cutlets into panko, pressing firmly to adhere.
Place a rack on a rimmed baking sheet; place pork on rack, and bake, without turning, until opaque throughout, 10 to 15 minutes.

For the swiss chard:

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 bunches Swiss chard (large stems removed), leaves cut into 1-inch strips
Zest from 1 orange, cut into wide strips, plus juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add Swiss chard and orange zest. Cook, tossing frequently, until chard wilts, about 4 minutes. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper, then add juice of the orange; toss to coat.