Watermelon-Feta Salad

This light, fresh salad is easy to whip up and perfect for a Labor Day picnic. You can also add cucumber cut into a one-inch dice, if you like. This is even quicker if you buy precut watermelon and crumbled feta.

Ingredients

6 cups watermelon, cut in 2" cubes

2 cups arugula

2/3 cup feta, crumbled

1/3 cup orange vinaigrette

1 tbsp. fresh basil, snipped

Instructions

Drain the cut watermelon in a colander for 15 minutes so that the salad doesn't become too juicy. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Top with the basil, if desired. Let sit for 15-30 minutes before serving.

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Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Joe has had a special place in his heart for fish tacos ever since a trip to Mexico over New Years' Eve week of 2000, right when everyone thought the world was going to end.

He was meeting a longtime group of friends in Puerto Vallarta, but came down a day early. He loves to travel without plans and reservations and lets the day take him where it will. A helpful cabbie found him a pleasant room for the night and he wandered around those beautiful colonial streets all afternoon. Dinner was the best tacos he ever had, right from a street vendor who grilled bass straight out of the bay and served it on tortillas his wife made that morning. He watched the sun slipping down over the water in golden flakes.

Things were much less tranquil the next day when his hard-partying friends arrived and swarmed the resort on the beach. That song "My Name Is Joe" was huge then, and in the nighttime beach bash with fireworks bursting overhead, they played it over and over, crowd pointing to Joe, who does sort of stand out in a crowd.

"What's my name? My Name is JOE!" they shouted, making a circle around him, pouring the drinks and dancing in the waves.

People kept asking him if he owned the resort, but he just said his name was Joe.

Ingredients

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato, chopped
2/3 cup corn kernels
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp minced serrano pepper (or 2 tsp minced jalapeno)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt

Stir together all ingredients, and serve at room temperature.

Fish Marinade 

1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Grilled Fish Tacos

1 lb. tender fish fillets (we use pollock, tilapia, bass, or swai, but use your favorite)
2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
Juice of 2 limes
1 cup crumbled Mexican farmers' cheese (queso fresco)
12 corn tortillas

Directions

Whisk together marinade ingredients and pour over fish fillets. Marinate at least 2 hours, but as long as overnight.

Sprinkle the lime juice over the cabbage and toss to coat. Grill the fish on a medium-hot grill, liberally basting with the marinade. Turn the fish at least once during grilling. The fish is done when the flesh flakes when pierced with a fork. Chop the fish into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the tortillas on a dry griddle. Flip them and heat the other side when air bubbles start to form or the top side gets a little puffy. The tortillas are done when you can fold an edge in half and it does not crease or break. Wrap the warm tortillas in a kitchen towel.

Serve the fish with sides of black bean salsa, cabbage, tortillas, and cheese, and let each person build their own tacos.

Serves 4-6.

 

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Curried Chicken Salad Wraps

This is a great recipe if you're looking for new ways to use up leftover chicken (or turkey, or pork...any white meat, really). You can whip this together in a few minutes and it makes a delicious light lunch or dinner. Add as many extra veggies as you'd like.

If you don't have any leftover chicken, drained canned chicken will work, or you can broil two skinless, boneless chicken breasts instead.

For the curry, I would recommend Penzey's Sweet Curry Powder. We were introduced to Penzey's spices when a friend gave us the 21-piece American Kitchen gift crate as a wedding present. It was an inspired gift to give to foodies. Every time we use one of the spices or herbs, we have thought about Ahna and John. Delicious memories.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup minced white onion
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (most of the time we use fresh minced garlic, but we like a more mellow garlic taste in this recipe)
Dash of salt and pepper
12 romaine lettuce leaves, ribs removed
6-12 low fat whole wheat tortillas

Directions

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the chicken, celery, onions, almonds, and raisins. In a separate bowl, beat together the mayonnaise and yogurt. Stir in the curry powder, garlic, salt and pepper until well blended. Pour the mayo mix into the chicken mixture and stir it well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bend a package of flour tortillas back and forth a couple of times so that they unstick from each other. Open the bag and heat the tortillas in a microwave oven for 30 seconds, or until warm and pliable. Alternatively, you can heat the tortillas on a flat ungreased griddle for 1-2 minutes on each side, until they begin to bubble but before they are toasted.

Place two romaine leaves on a tortilla. You can double up the tortillas if they are thin and break easily. Serve 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chicken mixture on each tortilla. Fold over 2" of the bottom edge of the tortilla over the mixture. Wrap the right side over the left. Pick up the wrap and eat from the open side.

Serves 3-4.

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Tuscan Marinated Eggplant Salad (Ensalata di Melanzane)

Joe and I spent the first day of our honeymoon in the airport in Rome waiting for a flight to Pisa, where our luggage had gone and where our rental car was waiting. We missed our connecting flight because of slow lines going through Customs. After several hours, and a couple more cancelled flights, we decided to rent a car and drive up to our cottage in Tuscany.

I didn't even make it out of the parking garage before crawling into the back seat and going to sleep. I was struggling with jet lag and exhaustion from weeks of wedding arrangements. I couldn't drive a stick shift anyway, so I wasn't much use in driving the Autostrada.

We were hours late in arriving at the Agriturismo where we would spend the next week. Our hosts at Rosa dei Venti, who operated the hotel and villas on an ancestral working farm, welcomed us with prosecco and a meal they'd made especially for us: an antipasti plate of sausages and cheeses, marinated eggplant salad, a meaty pasta sauce called Ragu di Carne, a stewed rabbit and chicken dish (coniglio in umido alla toscana), an apricot tart, and fresh figs from the tree next to our cottage.

They also brought two bottles of hearty Barbaresco wine, and we toasted everything we could think of. The family's German Shepherd, Azzo, nosed his way into our villa and sat down by the hearth. We tossed him scraps of rabbit and practiced our Italian. Azzo pricked up his ears no matter which language we spoke to him.

Later, we lay out in the grass and listened to the festival in the tiny town of Creti below us, the high-speed bullet trains rushing from town to town, and the sunflower heads rattling against each other in the vast field to the north. It was a beautiful day.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped Roma or plum tomato

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh basil, snipped

Directions

Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Heat a dry griddle and sprinkle it with salt. Toast the eggplant on each side until brown and tender, about 5 minutes per side. Finely chop the parsley.

Place the eggplant on a platter. Drizzle with vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil and scatter the parsley evenly over the slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature.

Cut the tomatoes into a small dice and let the juices drain out in a colander or sieve. Stir in the last tbsp of olive oil, the garlic, and the basil. Spoon the tomatoes over the eggplant just before serving it at room temperature.

Serves 4-6 as a side salad, or 8-10 as an appetizer.

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Ethiopian Lentil-Okra Stew

Okra seems like a Southern US food, but lentils and okra are also staples in Ethiopian cooking.

 Let me tell you about this richly-flavored Ethiopian stew. My vegan friend lent me her copy of Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food, in which the writer provides recipes for dozens of traditional Ethiopian dishes with substitutions for vegan and gluten-free eating.

I didn't know much about Ethiopia, other than what I remember of the horrific droughts and starvation back in the 1980s. I learned that Ethiopia is on the horn of Africa, right below the Middle Eastern countries and the Red Sea. While we won't visit Africa anytime soon, we can still take a food vacation there.

Thanks, Wikipedia, for this photo!

Some of the earliest human remains have been found in this country, and it was one of the most powerful countries in the world around 200 A.D. A culture this old must surely know a thing or two about cooking good food, and this lentil-okra stew is amazing. It's also cheap, gluten-free and vegan, low in fat and cholesterol, and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

For the berbere paste:

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

For the Ethiopian lentil-okra soup:

1 cup red lentils
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh okra, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup berbere paste

Instructions

To make the Berbere paste:
Saute the garlic, ginger, and onion in the oil until tender. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend into a thick paste.


For the lentil stew:
Rinse the lentils and place them in a medium saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender. Skim off any foam that rises in the pot. Drain the lentils and set them aside.

Place the tomatoes and berbere paste in the pot and simmer until they soften and become a puree. YOu can use an immersion blender to make the sauce an even texture, if desired. Stir in the okra, vegetable broth, and lentils, and simmer until the okra is just tender and the sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.

Serve over rice or with flatbreads such as naan, pita, or Ethiopian injera bread.

Serves 4.

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Quick Italian Eggplant Towers

Have I mentioned before that my parents raise an enormous garden every year? Even more cool, they grow things like eggplant, which look pretty odd as they come up, and which I'm sure I never ate growing up and even more sure my parents never tasted as kids. Did you grow up with eggplant? Even the word is a little odd, and ick-inducing, isn't it? I think I prefer names like aubergines (French) or melanzane (Italian).

This super-quick recipe from my mom is impressive if you have the skills to make it look like a spirally tower (look at how pretty Joe made it look!). This is a go-to recipe if you've got about 20 minutes to make dinner and you really need to eat something healthy.

If you're one of the fortunate ones that can splurge on something higher calorie, I highly recommend using one of those shredded cheese blends with mozzarella, asiago, and other good things. You could also add cooked and crumbled Italian sausage...actually, I can think of about 10 other things that would be awesome in this dish.

If you do have a bit more time, you can simmer up your own marinara sauce with a couple of cans of crushed tomatoes and your favorite Italian herbs and spices. This weekend we were a bit rushed for time, between errands and that Honey-Do list and all...but we did whip up some of our own sauce. Next time we'll make a double recipe of sauce so we have some frozen on hand when we're really busy.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants
1 jar spaghetti sauce or homemade marinara
1 small jar of roasted red peppers, drained
2 cups fat-free shredded mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet. Put the sauce in the microwave and heat until bubbly.

While it's heating, slice up the eggplant into 1/2" disks. We prefer to peel ours because we don't like the texture of the cooked skins. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave until it's tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Place the pepper into the microwave and heat up for about 1 1/2 minutes. While it's heating, place a layer of eggplant onto the greased pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese, then drizzle some of the sauce over the layer. Add a second layer, then top it with the red pepper. Add a third and fourth layer. 

Cover with foil and place in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for 5 more, or until the towers are cooked through.

Serves 4.

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Mini Confetti Quiches

The Hungry Lovers home is very busy these days - Joe's working long hours to manage the employees in his financial practice, and I'm working on a bunch of new photography and writing projects at night and on weekends. With him off to early appointments and late networking events, I decided to come up with a make-ahead healthy and hearty breakfast for him to eat on the run.

These mini quiches can be made with any combination of ingredients. To make a pretty confetti-colored quiche, I used egg whites and low-fat Swiss cheese,  then added broccoli, red pepper, fat-free ham, and green onions. I froze these in their cupcake papers so wecan pop them in the microwave while we are packing for work, and then take them on the road.

Ingredients

1 10" low fat frozen pastry crust (if you don't like frozen, you can make your own)

3 cups egg whites or egg substitute, or 12 eggs

1/4 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

1 slice low-fat ham, finely chopped

1/4 cup Swiss or provolone cheese, shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tsp basil, minced

1 tsp celery seed

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place parchment baking cups into a 12-cup muffin pan. Lay the thawed pastry on a cutting board.  With a round cookie cutter or water glass, cut the pastry into 12 circles. Press one circle into the bottom and partway up the sides of each baking cup.

If using whole eggs, beat them together. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the eggs. I mixed these in a large glass measuring cup with a nice pouring spout, so I could easily pour the mixture into each paper cup. Fill them to nearly the top; leave a 1/4" space for the eggs to expand.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the eggs are fluffy and set, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the quiches comes out clean. Let cool.

These can be heated up in 45 seconds from the refrigerator, or about 1.5-2 minutes from the freezer.

Makes 12 mini quiches.

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Polish Mushroom Soup (Zupa Grzybowa)

Now that we live in a heavily Polish neighborhood of Chicago (Jefferson Park/Portage Park), we're trying to learn about traditional dishes. One of the most exciting Polish traditions is the paczki (PUNCH-key), a heavenly jam-filled donut you see everywhere at the beginning of Lent. This soup is another popular one - and we'll be learning how to make Dill Pickle Soup soon. 

Mushroom Barley soup is a classic Polish dish usingdried or fresh mushrooms, and sometimes a dollop of sour cream and barley grain. In Polish, it is called Zupa Grzybowa, and its filling, healthy, and satisfying. The soup can be made quickly, or it can slowly simmer all day in a crock pot. Either method is flavorful, hearty, and easy. Add some cornbread, hot crusty bread, or a salad for a solid filling meal.

We recommend using a several kinds of fresh mushrooms for maximum flavor. The soup can be made with vegetable broth for a Meatless Monday or a fasting holiday, or it can be made with beef stock for extra flavor.

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil 

1 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup dried Polish mushrooms (borowiki)

1 cup chopped portabella mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced shiitake or porcini mushrooms

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

5 cups vegetable or beef stock

1 cup pearl barley or quick-cooking barley (use quick-cooking barley if you're going to make this in a crock pot)

1 1/2 cups sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water until soft, then drain and chop them.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add onions and mushrooms and fry until slightly browned, about 10 or 15 minutes. 

If using a crock pot, transfer to the crock pot, add the rest of the vegetables and the beef stock and cook at low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat at 4-6 hours. Fifteen minutes before serving, cook the quick-cooking barley separately according to package directions, then stir into the soup. 

If cooking in a soup pot, add the rest of the vegetables and the beef stock and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the pearl barley and simmer for 30 more minutes, or until the barley is tender.

Remove the bay leaf. Serve in bowls with a dollop of room-temperature sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

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Skinny Chicken Piccata

The original recipe for this light chicken piccata came from LaaLoosh, a delicious and healthy food blog for people on Weight Watchers. She says one serving is 4 points + in the Weight Watchers system.

I made a few changes, like omitting the wine, since I was making this for our dinner but also taking dinner to a friend who is just recovering from serious surgery.

We don't mind eating lighter as long as it's this easy and tasty!

Ingredients

1 tbsp light butter
1 10oz package white mushrooms, sliced
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
Dash salt and pepper
1 tsp oil
2 cups fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 tsp cornstarch stirred into 1 tbsp cold water

Directions

Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Saute the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned. Set them aside in a separate plate.

Stir together the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika, and place in a shallow plate. Cut the chicken breasts in half, then cut them through the middle to produce 4 thin cutlets. Press them into the flour until they're covered on all sides.

Heat the oil in the pan, then add the chicken and brown on all sides. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened.

Serve over rice pilaf or with a side of vegetables.

Serves 4.

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Aloo Mattar (Indian Pea and Potato Stew)

Aloo mattar (AH-loo mah-tar) stew is a super-easy and filling vegetarian dish full of a lot of complex curry-like flavors. You can make it as spicy or as mild as you like. It was very much a comfort food on a cold day, and our home smelled fabulous while we were cooking it. As simple as the recipe is, we were surprised that it tasted just like the one made in the restaurant by Indians.

My friend Sheilja recommends buying spices like cumin, coriander, and cardamom as whole seeds and then grinding them as you need them, so that they retain more flavor. They really smell amazing when you grind them fresh! She uses a Magic Bullet, but our electric coffee grinder works just as well. Again, try a Hispanic or Asian grocery store for the spices if you have trouble finding them at your supermarket.

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small green chili pepper, minced (bell, jalapeno, serrano, or other, depending on how much heat you want)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp garam masala powder (you can substitute good curry powder, but the taste will be different)
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

Scrub the potatoes, then cut them into 1" cubes. Boil them until slightly tender, then drain.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, then add the onion, garlic, and pepper and saute until tender. Stir in the cooked potatoes and the rest of the ingredients except the cilantro  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes and peas are tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the cilantro.

Serve over rice with naan or puri flat bread on the side.

Serves 4-6

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Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits (lower fat version)

Both of our girls worked at Red Lobster when they were in high school, but Joe and I never got tired of those buttery cheesy biscuits. They've been out of the Darden restaurant chain for years now; Joe and I had to come up with a new biscuit recipe that tasted the same but was lower in fat and calories than the original.

This works pretty well and satisfies my unending craving for breads soaked in garlic butter and cheese. Don't judge me - the first step of addiction is admitting I have a problem.

Ingredients

2 cups light Bisquick biscuit mix
2/3 cup skim milk
1/2 cup low-fat sharp cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup butter
1/2 garlic clove, minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir the biscuit mix and cheese together in a mixer bowl, then slowly add the milk while mixing on low speed. When a sticky dough forms, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on high speed for 30 seconds.

Spray a baking pan with oil. Drop 12 spoonfuls of dough onto the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the biscuits are baking, microwave the butter, garlic, and parsley until the butter is melted. Brush over the biscuits before removing them from the baking sheet. Serve warm.

Makes 12 biscuits.

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Vietnamese Grilled Steak Salad with Cabbage and Peanuts

After St. Patrick's Day, we had half a cabbage and absolutely no desire to eat any sort of cabbage dish that reminded us of winter. We were looking for something fresh and bright and not from this climate. This winter has gone on long enough, folks.

Joe dug around in our cookbooks and found this recipe from Melissa Clark's Cook This Now. Seriously, go pick up a flank steak and cook this - now. You'll be happy you did.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, such as nam pla or nuoc mam
Juice of 1 lime
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

For the salad

2 carrots, peeled and shredded
10 cups shredded napa or regular cabbage (about ½ head)
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup soy sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp ginger, grated
2 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4-pound flank steak, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (note: if someone at home has a peanut allergy, try toasted slivered almonds or toasted sesame seeds instead)

Instructions

In a screwtop jar, shake the vinaigrette ingredients until well mixed. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve. Toss together the carrots, cabbage, and cilantro; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, zest, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil.  Place the steak in a dish or pan and coat with this marinade, being sure to cover both sides. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12. Remove the meat 30 minutes before grilling.

Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, and grill or broil over medium high heat about 3 minutes per side (for medium rare) or up to 5 minutes (for well done). Toss the cabbage mixture with half the vinaigrette, then arrange on a platter. Slice the meat thinly across the grain into strips and arrange them on top of the cabbage. Drizzle with the rest of the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the peanuts.

Serves 4-6.

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Spanish Spiced Red Pepper Bisque

This velvety pepper soup is super-healthy and packed with vitamins, but the title is what really made me want to make it. "Spanish" and "bisque" are two words that always attract my attention.. Barcelona is next on our world-travel bucket list (Ibiza! Sparkling Mediterranean! Tapas!), and bisque....oh, myyy!

So here's to a gorgeous dose of smooth, creamy, satisfying vegetables. You know how we love roasted peppers. We added sweet potatoes for texture and sweetness, and a whole lot of herbs and spices. As usual, we departed the text when it came to seasoning this luscious soup.

When Joe was stirring up these veggies, I was thinking of all of you and wishing you could smell what I was smelling. Oh my, this is good, and good for you.

Ingredients

10 medium red peppers, halved, cored, and seeded

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

Salt and pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 cup fat-free chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp sweet curry

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika (trust me, the smoked kind is the best - buy a lot!)

1/4 cup low-fat yogurt

Instructions

Heat broiler to high. Line two baking sheets with foil. Lay out the halved peppers on the sheets and broil the peppers until they are slightly soft and the skins are well blackened. You're going to remove the skins, so let them get nice and charred.

While they are cooking, heat the sweet potato chunks in the microwave until they are just barely tender.

Put the blackened peppers into a paper bag and seal; let cool until they are easy to handle. Peel off the skins (Joe uses a knife to strip the skins where they are stubborn) and chop into small pieces. 

Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the onions and garlic until they start to become tender. Add the broth, peppers, herbs, paprika, salt and pepper, and sweet potato chunks. Simmer 5 minutes, then turn off heat, take out the bay leaf, and stir in the yogurt.

Using an immersion blender or your food processor, puree the soup until it's smooth. Serve with extra oregano scattered on top, as Weight Watchers suggests

Serves 6. 

If you're on a Weight Watchers plan, this recipe is 3 points for a one-cup serving. Each cup is one serving of veg.

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Chana Masala (Indian Chick Pea Stew)

Chana masala is a stew made of chick peas (or garbanzos) from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan - the vast territory at the top of India, touching the Himalayas. This is my friend Sheilja's homeland.

When she was a girl, her mom was determined to send her to an English boarding school up in the Himalayas, far from her family. Her mother wanted her to have the best possible chance for a good life, and a solid education was the path, even if it wasn't the traditional path for women in her family.

Sheilja went on to college in West Virginia, then worked in New York City before settling down in the Chicagoland area. She speaks perfect, nearly unaccented English, too. What a fascinating life!

Punjabis sure know how to cook. This filling and healthy traditional Indian stew is completely meatless, but I promise you won't miss the meat for the highly flavored and slightly spicy party of flavors in this bowl. The garam masala and chole masala spice mixes give it a distinctive taste - in a pinch, you can use an equal amount of generic sweet curry powder.

Because many Indians cook with a variety of dried beans, lentils, seeds, and corn, you can often find a pressure cooker in the kitchen. This cuts down the prep time for Indian food enormously. But if you don't have one, soaking and then boiling the dry legumes is a perfectly good option, or allowing them to cook all day or overnight in a slow cooker before making the recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups dry chickpeas, rinsed and picked over, or 2 15-oz cans garbanzos, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 tbsp grated ginger root
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground punjabi chole masala
1 tbsp ground garam masala
1 tsp tamarind paste, or 1 tsp sugar and the juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)

Cooked rice for serving (optional)
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions

Cook the dry beans in a pressure cooker according to the manufacturers directions, or soak them for 1 hour and then boil about 2 hours until tender. Drain well.

Heat a large skillet and toast the cumin seeds until slightly browned and fragrant. Set the seeds aside. Heat the oil, then saute to garlic, onion, pepper, and ginger until tender. Sitr in the rest of the ingredients, including the chick peas. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Serve over rice with a side of warm naan or chapatis.

Serves 4-6.

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Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Cheap, easy, and hearty fall food...this one fits all the First Apartment Food requirements, Jessie and Jenn. And if you buy a low fat sausage like a turkey or chicken sausage, this tomato-y pasta topper is nearly fat-free, also. This dinner can be on the table 30 minutes after you enter the kitchen.

First, you cut up the string of sausage. Heat up a  frying pan and when it is hot, turn it to medium heat and stir in the sausage. Brown the sausage on all sides, stirring occasionally. While the sausage is cooking, slice the peppers and onions into strips. I like to use a couple of different colored peppers because they look pretty in the finished dish, but green bell peppers are usually the cheapest and they all taste pretty similar. When I made this one, I also added some cut-up zucchini that needed to be eaten. You can put in whatever vegetables sound good to you.

Heat some oil in another pan. When it is hot, put in all the peppers, onions, and garlic and cook on medium heat until they start to soften, stirring now and then. While this is cooking, put a paper towel on a plate and then spoon off the sausage onto it. This will drain off any grease from the sausage. You're done with the sausage pan now.

Next, put the sausage into the pan with the cooked veggies and stir it up. Open up a 20 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce and pour it over the sausage and peppers. After I've poured out a jar of sauce, I like to add about 1/2 cup of water to the empty jar, swish it around to get the rest of the sauce, and then pour it all into the pan. In my opinion, there is so much flavor in this dish that it is OK to use cheap spaghetti sauce. Heat the pan until the sauce is boiling, then turn it to medium-low and put a lid on it.

Fill a large pot 2/3 full of water. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to keep the pasta from sticking. Heat it until it is boiling well. Pour in the pasta and stir it right away so the pasta is coated with water on all sides so they don't all clump together. I happen to like linguine for this recipe, but any kind of larger pasta would work well. Really thin pastas like angel hair will be too delicate for the big chunks of sausage and vegetables.

If you can afford it, buy whole wheat pasta. It has more fiber which is good for your stomach and your digestion. It's also more nutritious.Cook the pasta for as long as the package says. I recommend only cooking it to the lower end of the time range because I like my pasta a bit firm. When the time is up, pour it into a colander and let it drain for 2-3 minutes. Stir it at least once so that the pasta doesn't clump together.

Put a serving of hot pasta onto a plate and ladle some of the sauce over it. Let's eat!

If you have left-overs, I suggest storing the pasta and sauce in separate containers so the pasta doesn't absorb all the juice and get soggy.

Ingredients

1/2 pound mild or hot Italian sausage
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large red, orange, yellow, or green bell pepper
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 20-oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
1 box of pasta

Directions

Cut up the sausage into 1" wide pieces and brown it in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Slice the peppers and onions into 1/4" wide strips. In a separate frying pan, heat up the oil. Add the onions and peppers and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the minced garlic. Pour in the spaghetti sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. To serve, place a helping of pasta on a plate and top with the sauce.

Serves 4-6

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Buffalo Chicken Mini-Meatballs

There's a restaurant chain in New York City called The Meatball Shop and they specialize in -- you guessed it -- meatballs. They grind their own meat and they can even name the farms that sourced each of their ingredients. And yes, they have all the fun they can have on this side of tasteful with the word "balls". 

One of their best-sellers is Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, which was a revelation to both of us. Just when we thought the Buffalo Wings phenomenon had gone as far as it could, here is something new. Bonus: it's a lot healthier than wings fried with their skin on. 

These nuggets make great party appetizers or a mid-week dinner, like the one Joe and I enjoyed last week after we found a great sale on ground chicken. 

Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your own temperament - and you can always add cayenne pepper if you need an extra kick. This version of the recipe is a compromise between Angela's wimpiness and Joe's immunity to spicy foods.

Ingredients

Hungry Lovers Hot Wing Sauce

1/3 cup butter 
3 cloves garlic – crushed 
1 tsp cornstarch in 1 tsp cold water
1 cup Louisiana hot pepper sauce 
1/2 tsp sugar 
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper 

Directions

Heat a medium sauce pan on medium low heat, and then add in the butter melting it until bubbling stops. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for about a minute. Whisk in the cornstarch mixed with cold water until it is smooth.

Pour the Louisiana hot sauce into the pan, and mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a slight boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes to blend all the flavors and thicken the sauce.

If making hot wings or chicken tenders, drizzle enough sauce onto the meat to coat, then toss and serve. Otherwise let the sauce cool and store in a jar in the refrigerator. You can also can the sauce. Canning instructions can be found at Hungry Lovers Canning Basics.

For the meatballs

2/3 cup Hungry Lovers Hot Wing Sauce, divided
1 lb ground chicken
1 large egg
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a cookie sheet or baking dish with oil.

Stir together half of the hot sauce and all other ingredients until well mixed. With your hands, scoop up enough meat mixture to make a 1" meatball (about the size of a walnut). Roll into a firm ball. Place the meatballs on the baking pan in rows, keeping the meatballs close together.

Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through. Toss them with the remaining hot sauce before serving. We like these with a variety of fresh crisp vegetables and blue cheese or Green Goddess dressing for dipping.

Makes 30-40 1" meatballs.

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Pork Chops in Adobo Sauce

Have you ever been shopping and you couldn't remember if you had a certain ingredient for a meal, so you buy some more, and then find when you get home that you already had plenty?

Joe and I kept forgetting whether we had ancho chilies, which are dried or smoked poblano peppers. So we ended up with three packages of anchos, and let me tell you, a little of these smoky-sweet peppers goes a long way.

Luckily, we were also looking for new ways to cook porkchops, so the adobo sauce Joe whipped up was perfect for the meat. Since then we've tweaked our recipe and I'm sure it would also be excellent on rabbit, chicken, or duck.

Adobo is not a spicy-hot sauce; Mexicans call such chiles "sweet". We served the pork chops with sweet potatoes poached in orange juice, butter, and a little garlic. Yum!

Note: start this recipe the day before and let the meat marinate overnight. The sauce can be made well ahead of time and then refrigerated. It will last up to a month in the fridge after it is made.

Ingredients

 Adobo Sauce
2 tbsp canola oil
4 large dried ancho chiles (about the size of your palm)
5 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup white vinegar

Directions

For the Adobo sauce

Remove the seeds from the anchos and tear them into large pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the anchos when the oil is shimmering. Fry until they begin to darken and blister, then place them in a bowl. Pour hot water over the peppers and let them soak for about 15 minutes. It helps if you weigh them down with a plate or something heavy.

Put the chiles in a blender along with 1/2 cup of the soaking water. Add all other ingredients and blend until it is a smooth paste.

For the Chops

1/2 cup adobo sauce
6 1-inch thick pork chops, bone removed
1/2 cup white onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves

Spread the adobo sauce on both sides of each chop and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours. I would recommend marinating overnight. Grill the chops or fry them in vegetable oil until just done - if you overcook them, they will be dry.

If you use a meat thermometer, take them off the heat when the thermometer reads 145 degrees in the center of the chop, and cover them with foil for a few minutes, until the temperature reaches 150 degrees. This makes them warm and juicy.

Garnish with sliced onion and fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Serves 6 with plenty of sauce for another night. If you're following Weight Watchers, a 4 oz. portion is only 6 points.

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Chickpea and Feta Salad

After a cooler and wetter than usual summer, Chicago is experiencing a hot and muggy Indian Summer. I was on a conference call with a contractor in Seattle last week, and she said she had heard that summer in Chicago is extremely hot and humid.

"It's extremely hot and humid, then it's hot and bone-dry, then it gets extremely cold," I said. "In fact, the weather here is just extreme." I LOVE the city of Chicago, but I need to move some place without these kinds of temperature mood swings!

This chickpea and feta salad is good for a hot weather dinner. It's hearty enough for lunch or a  a substantial side dish, too. Because it's so flavorful, we like it with a simple grilled fish or chicken. Try sprinkling the meats with Joe's Greek Meat Rub before cooking, for a Mediterranean-style dinner.

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup sweet red pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup cucumber, chopped
1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 cup feta cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground fennel

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the chickpeas, garlic, pepper, parsley, onions, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, pepper, and fennel. Drizzle over the salad and stir until well combined. Allow to marinate for an hour at room temperature before serving.

Makes about 4 cups.

One cup is 4 points + in the Weight Watchers system.

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Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Jessie, you're going to love this chicken - it is fast, easy, and just a little spicy. It's pretty healthy, too, if you use low fat cheese and bake the chicken rather than fry it.

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts
2 small jalapenos, seeded and diced
1/3 of a small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 oz. low fat cream cheese
1 tbsp milk
1/2 cup low fat cheddar or pepper jack cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of bacon

Directions

Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and put your (non-cutting) hand on top of it. Cut through the edge nearly through to the other edge, then open it wide like butterfly wings (this is called "butterflying" the meat). Using a mallet, pound out the butterflied meat until it is thinner. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a cooking pan.

Stir together the cream cheese, milk, cheddar, and jalapenos. Spread half of the mixture onto one side of each chicken breast. Place half of the pepper strips on each breast. Fold it in half and pound the edges together with a mallet so that it holds together better.

Stick a few toothpicks through the edges of the meat so it stays together while cooking, and the filling doesn't leak out. Wrap a slice of bacon around each breast. Heat a frying pan to medium heat, and brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Place in the oiled pan and pour 2 tbsp of water over the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is firm and no longer pink. We ate this with mashed potatoes and steamed zucchini, and it was great!

Serves 4.

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Grilled Pineapple with Basil-Tarragon Cream

When you grill pineapple slices, their juices sizzle into caramel and they're richer, smokier. Pair it up with this bright and creamy sauce, and you have breakfast, a side dish, dessert, or all three, if you make enough. This also makes a tasty dip for a spread of fresh-cut fruits.

By the way, I think people should use tarragon more often. I'm on a quest to bring it back into common use. It has a slight flowery licorice flavor, but if you don't like licorice, I'll emphasize that it's a slight hint of licorice or anise. Tarragon is popular in traditional French cooking. We used to grow a tarragon bush at our house, but now that we're apartment-dwellers there just isn't room. The dried leaves are fine, though a bit milder and mellower. Try using in in salad dressings or with poultry and fish, too.

Ingredients

1 cup plain fat free yogurt
1 tsp fresh tarragon, snipped
3 tsp fresh basil leaves, snipped
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp honey
1 large pineapple

Directions

About 1 hour before serving, stir together the yogurt, tarragon, basil, lemon zest, and honey. Allow to sit at room temperature until ready to serve.

Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, then cut off all the outside skin. Cut out any of the "eyes" of pith in the fruit. Cut out each section of fruit from top to bottom around the core (think of making a hexagonal stop-sign shape). Cut each section into 1-inch thick slices.

Heat the grill to medium-hot. Lay the slices on the grill, or place them on a grill pan and set it on the grill. Cook for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until the surface is turning golden brown and the fruit is heated through. Serve with a scoop of cream sauce on top.

If you have any leftovers, store the fruit and cream separately, so that the sauce doesn't get runny.

Makes 1 cup of sauce and about 30 slices of pineapple.

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Light & Spicy Black Bean Dip

It doesn't get more healthy and guilt-free than this quick black bean dip!

We've whipped up this quick dip for parties and a protein-filled side to tuck into our lunches with fresh vegetables. This one suits everyone - weight watchers, vegans, gluten-free friends, and paleo diet-lovers. If you know someone who's sensitive to spicy foods, use tomatoes with bell peppers instead, and leave some good Mexican hot sauce on the side for others.

If you're like us, May and June are filled with graduation parties, early summer get-togethers with friends, and a big craving for something fresh and light to pack for lunch. This dip freezes well in small containers, so you can make a big batch and whip out a bowl when the mood hits you.

Ingredients

1 31-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained well
10 oz can of chopped tomatoes with chiles or bell peppers, well drained
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream, soy yogurt, or cashew cream
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp chopped green onions, divided

For dippers:
Carrots, peeled jicama straws, cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, celery, snap peas, green onion stalks, bell pepper slices, tortilla chips, pretzel chips (my new love!) and toasted pita wedges.

Instructions

Blend together all ingredients until as smooth and chunky as you like, reserving 1 tbsp green onions. Serve sprinkled with remaining onions and a platter of things to dip in the bean mixture.

Serves 10-12. 

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Veracruz-Style Whitefish

While Joe and I haven't been deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, it's definitely on our life lists. In fact, we'd use any excuse to be back floating in the Gulf of Mexico. Joe has a fishing legacy to live up to: his dad caught a 75-pound mahi-mahi on a trip off the coast of Veracruz, a seaside community. The fish gave him a long battle before he pulled it into the boat.

I like to imagine the catch as a scene from Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea", his dad dragging the fish on a line through night and day, eating a bit of raw fish for his strength, until he brought it ashore. It's is much easier to imagine this when I wasn't there to see it happen. We'll see if our own deep-sea fishing lives up Hemingway's writing!

This traditional tangy and tomatoey dish sprinkled with pickled yellow güero peppers, olives, and capers is often made with red snapper. In Mexican restaurants, waiters have served us an entire (small) snapper to share: scales, eyeballs, tail and all. In the Midwest US, snapper can be a little pricey, so we use tilapia or pollock when we make this recipe. I'm sure that's traditional enough, right?

Ingredients

For the fish

1 1/2 pounds fish fillets, such as Tilapia, Snapper, Pollock, or Swai
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp) plus 1 tsp lime zest
1 tbsp sea salt

For the sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz tomato sauce
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup pickled yellow güero or jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup green olives with pimientos, sliced
2 tbsp green capers
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves

Directions

Rub the fillets with the garlic, lime juice, and salt. Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Warm the oil in a frying pan. When it is shimmering, add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until slightly translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a baking pan with oil. Spoon a little of the sauce into the bottom of the pan. Place the fish in a single layer in the pan, then cover with the sauce. Bake uncovered for 20-35 minutes, until the sauce is thick and bubbly and the fish is cooked through, white and flaky. Serve with the sauce spooned over the fillets, and a side of white rice, or yellow rice with pigeon peas.

Serves 4-6.

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Skinny Chicken Caesar Salad

We didn't eat as many healthy foods as we wanted to this summer. Sadly, it was a summer of drive-through lunches and meetings in restaurants with way too much temptation. I think it's safe to say this was a summer spent on the run.

Luckily, we have very health conscious friends who help us be our best selves, not our most self-indulgent selves.When we arranged for a picnic at Ravinia, an outdoor concert venue north of Chicago, Joe tossed up this tried-and-true light Caesar salad that he's been making for years. It's unbelievable quick and tasty.

Wine, fruit, and salad were all we needed to round out an evening under the stars, listening to Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and finally sitting back to relax.

Ingredients

For the Dressing

¼ cup fat-free egg substitute

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp anchovy paste or Asian fish sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tsp ground black pepper

3 cups cooked chicken (for this evening, Joe picked up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store; usually we make this with leftover chicken or roast chicken breast)

1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 1/2 cups nonfat croutons

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Blend the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. 

Place the lettuce in a bowl and pour the dressing over it. Add the chicken, croutons, and cheese and toss until well combined.

Note: because we were picnicking at the concert, we brought the dressing and salad ingredients in different containers and mixed it together at the park.

Serves 4.

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Chicken Scallops in Mushroom Sauce

Here's another elegant dish with so much bold flavor that you'll have trouble believing it's low fat and healthy. Using the French technique of cutting the chicken breasts in half and quickly sauteing them on each side leaves them exceptionally tender and juicy.

We spiked the mushroom sauce with a tiny bit of vermouth, and used beef broth instead of chicken for a heartier, mellower flavor. It's so easy to impress someone with this meal, and it's amazingly quick to make. We suggest you have everything prepped and beside the stove before you start cooking. It's that fast!

This is fantastic with steamed green beans and a nice tossed salad.

Ingredients

2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
2 tbsp vermouth or dry white wine
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups fat free beef broth
1 tbsp oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups sliced white mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water

Directions

Stir together the thyme, vermouth, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth, and set it aside.

Lay a chicken breast on a cutting board and place your hand on top of it. Using a sharp knife, slice the breast through the middle from edge to edge, creating two thin fillets. Do the same with the remaining breasts.

Heat a large frying pan, then add the oil and swirl it around to coat the pan. Add half the breast fillets and saute on medium-high heat for 4 or 5 minutes, until the side is cooked but not browned. Flip them over and cook the other side. Remove them to a warm dish and cook the other half of the breast fillets. Keep them warm while going on to the next step.

Place the mushrooms in the pan and saute until they start to turn tender. Stir in the garlic. Return the chicken breasts to the pan. Pour the broth mixture over the breasts and gently stir it. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer 5 minutes.

Stir together the cornstarch and water. Pour it slowly into the sauce, stirring constantly. Keep simmering and stirring until the sauce has become a thin gravy (about 3 to 5 minutes). Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Each 3 oz. chicken scallop with 1/4 cup sauce has 4 grams of fat and approximately 250 calories.

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Skinny Apple Carrot Waldorf Salad

This light and healthy salad punches up the flavor of the classic Waldorf salad while cutting down on the fat. There's a good reason why Waldorf salad has been a favorite for over 100 years; the sweet, crunchy, and nutty tastes are so satisfying. You can assemble this in a few minutes, and kids love it.

Ingredients

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick slices
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4 cup toasted walnuts (toasting brings out the maximum flavor in this small amount of nuts)
1/4 cup raisins

Dressing

1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger

Directions

Stir together the salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, then pour over the salad and toss well to coat. The salad tastes best if it chills for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Pasta

We love this simple, fresh, and quick recipe for Fish Fridays or any busy day of the week. I usually serve this in the summertime, but I recently found a fantastic sale on frozen shrimp and was craving this shrimp scampi-like dish. It made an ordinary weekday special.

Try pairing the pasta with a salad with sweet dressing like French or Russian, and a crisp, lemony white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

This recipe serves four and can be ready 20 minutes after you step in the kitchen. Can't beat that!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. large shell-on shrimp
12 oz whole wheat pasta

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp oregano, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice
1 cup hot chicken, fish, or vegetable broth
2 tbsp chives, chopped

Directions

Peel and de-vein the shrimp; let it drain in a colander. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then toss with a bit of oil to prevent sticking.

Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet. Add the pepper flakes and allow to sizzle for 1 minute. Saute the garlic and oregano in the oil until tender and fragrant. Add the broth and lemon juice, then stir in the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip them over and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until pink and tender. Do not overcook or they will become rubbery!

Stir in the pasta and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with the chives before serving.

Serves 4.

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