Swedish Meatballs

Nick and I are not really meat people, but for some reason I have been craving Swedish Meatballs lately.  I have no idea where this is coming from because I think I remember eating them once in my life.  And I don’t even know if they were really Swedish Meatballs. 

Since we don’t eat beef or pork right now, I wanted to find a good recipe that would go well with turkey.  However, because I can’t follow a recipe, I decided to just make one up and it turned out quite well!  I would recommend adding some currant jam or grape jam to the top though, just to sweeten it up.  We didn’t have any jam in the house. Sad face.

I loved this recipe though.  It just reminded me of a nice meal we’d eat at grandma’s.  Good ole northern Minnesotan meat and potatoes AND a can of green beans from grandpa’s garden.  A very feel good meal. 

Swedish Turkey Meatballs

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup panko bread crumbs

¼ cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 pinch salt

1 lb organic ground turkey

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups vegetable broth

¼ cup whole milk (additional)

Directions:

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan, melt a dab of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, ¼ cup milk, ground turkey, egg, 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Mix until combined, but don’t over mix.  By the tablespoon, scoop up meat and form into balls. 

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the veggie stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the whole milk and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

I served with mashed potatoes and they were delicious!!

Burrito Bowls with an Avocado Dressing

I've been making Chipotle burritos a lot lately because they are so delicious, but I've really been getting away from flour tortillas lately because I don't really much care for them.  Organic corn tortillas are so much tastier and wheat free!  PLUS... did you know that just the tortilla in a Chipotle burrito is 290 calories?! This is why I opt for the bowls.  Plus, I like eating with a fork.  

This could very well be my favorite meal that I make.  It's delicious, super easy, fresh and healthy.  I think that I could make these on a weekly or even daily basis.  They are so good and I highly recommend them.

Burrito Bowls with and Avocado Dressing

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup organic brown rice

1 cup organic dried black beans

2 cups spring salad mix

1 container of plain Greek yogurt

Salsa:

1 cup organic corn

1 fresh tomato, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

3 Tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped

Avocado Dressing:

1 ripe avocado

zest and juice of 2 limes

1 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil (I think you could cut this down and add veggie broth instead as a liquid)

Directions:

Cook the brown rice according to package.

Soak the beans in water overnight.  Rinse and place in a pot with water to reach a couple inches over the beans.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are soft.  I try to plan ahead and cook the beans ahead of time and just reheat them.  

To make salsa, combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  

To make the dressing, place avocado, lime juice and zest, cilantro and olive oil or broth in a food processor or blender. Pulse until combined.

To assemble bowls, place a scoop of rice on the bottom of the bowl, add beans, add salad mix and salsa.  top with avocado dressing and add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.  We also served these with a toasted corn tortilla. Enjoy!!

Ginger Coconut Fish Soup

I don’t really order fish at restaurants, unless they really specialize in it.  But one day, I decided to order the Ginger Fish at a local Thai place (in Hawaii).  I am so glad I did, it was so delicious and fresh (because it was Hawaii) and made me love ginger!  Since I didn't have a recipe, I tried to recreate the Thai ginger fish dish that I fell in love with.  It turned out exceptionally well.  Because I lack patience, I didn't let the broth boil out enough before adding the vegetables, which ended in a really soupy dish… and that is why I call this “Fish Soup.” 

If you are in the mood for an awesome gingery coconut fish soup, this is your dish.  It just tastes fresh and healthy.  Also, if you're not a fish person, you should be cause it's super healthy for you, but you can also make this with chicken or tofu instead... or just leave the meat out all together! Enjoy!

Ginger Coconut Fish Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cod fillets, or fish of your choice

1 cup white wine

2 cups low sodium organic vegetable broth (See how I make homemade broth!)

1 can organic coconut cream

1 small onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 inches ginger, minced

½ red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

3 carrots, sliced into matchsticks

2 cups broccoli, chopped into smaller pieces

2 inches of ginger, sliced into matchsticks

1 cup of brown rice

Grapeseed oil of pan

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook brown rice according to package.

Heat a drizzle of grapeseed oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add minced onion, garlic, and ginger.  Saute for about 3 minutes or until soft.  Add white wine and let cook down for about 2 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a gentle boil.  Add fish fillets and poach until done, about 8 minutes depending on the type and size of fish.  When fish is cooked, remove with tongs and set on a plate and cover. 

Boil out broth until there is only about a cup left.  Add veggies and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes.  Turn heat to low and add coconut milk.  Stir to combine. 

Scoop rice into a soup bowl and top with fish. Pour vegetables and broth over the top.  Enjoy!!

BBQ Chicken Taquitos

One of my most favorite meals to have during summer is BBQ chicken sandwiches.  They are so delicious, especially if you grill the chicken. YUM!

Well, a coworker of Nick's gave us this delicious bottle of homemade sweet and spicy BBQ sauce and I really wanted to make something BBQ chickeny with it.  Since we’re not bun people these days, I decided to make BBQ Chicken Taquitos and wrap the ingredients in a corn tortilla instead.  YUM!  These are so delicious and crunchy and I can’t wait to make them again.  We cooked the chicken in a pan and added beer towards the end... it really added a nice flavor.  Since we live in an apartment and don't have a grill, we had to go with the pan method.  However, if I had a grill, I'd marinate the chicken in the beer beforehand, then grill it slathering it with the sauce.  BUT... for those cold winter nights where the grill is buried in snow, this is a great alternative method.  

BBQ Chicken Taquitos

Serves: 4 (or 6 depending on how hungry you are)

Ingredients:

2 Organic Chicken Breasts

1 cup chopped pineapple (don’t get the canned crap, buy a pineapple and chop it dang it!)

½ cup sweet and spicy BBQ sauce

½ chopped red onion

1 cup Colby Jack cheese (We actually forgot the cheese and they still turned out great!)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

10 organic corn tortillas (Trader Joe's has great corn tortillas)

1 bottle beer (We used Corona)

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

Oil for cooking

Directions:

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent  about 3 minutes.  Remove from pan and place in a large glass mixing bowl.  

In the same saute pan over medium heat, cook the chicken breasts until done, adding beer a half cup at a time.  (Or grill it using the method above.)  When chicken is complete cooked, remove from heat and using two forks, shred the chicken.  Place shredded chicken in the bowl with the onions and add pineapple, cilantro, BBQ sauce, cheese, lime zest & juice.  Salt and pepper to taste and add more sauce to the mix to your liking. 

Place the corn tortillas in a 400 degree oven for about a minute to soften.  Quickly remove from oven, add a scoop of chicken mixture to the middle of the corn tortillas and roll up.  Place on a baking sheet and when all the tortillas are stuffed, bake in the 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until tortillas are crispy.  

We served these with sweet potato chips and they were delicious! 

Wild Rice and Berry Salad

I hate eating salads for dinner because I’m always hungry about an hour later and then I break out the chocolate, which totally defeats the purpose of eating a salad.  However, this salad was amazing, very healthy and filling.  It’s the perfect detox after a weekend of indulgence.   I call it the Minnesota salad because it just reminds me of Minnesota.  It’s delicious! 

Wild Rice and Berry Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups of spring salad mix

1 cup of spinach

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds, lightly toasted

¼ cup raw pepitas, lightly toasted

¼ cup raw slivered almonds, lightly toasted

1 cup wild rice, cooked

½ cup Strawberries

½ cup Blueberries

1 avocado (optional)

Dressing:

¼ cup of good olive oil

Juice and zest of ½ orange

Juice and zest of ½ lemon

1 Tbs white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste.

Place salad and spinach on a plate and top with berries, nuts and warm wild rice.  Serve with citrus dressing.

Homemade Cheese Ravioli

I just love cooking with my husband with a nice glass of wine and some nice tunes (tonight was Dean Martin... very fitting for a nice Italian meal).  This meal took a while to cook, but it's so nice taking our time and enjoying the moment.  When we finally sat down to dinner, it was amazing!! Definitely worth the wait.  And the best part is (if you don't have time to cook during the week) you can easily make this ahead of time and freeze the raviolis until you are ready to cook it!  So worth it!

Homemade Cheese Ravioli with a Fresh Mushroom Sauce

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Pasta:

2 cups organic all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt

3 large eggs

2 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup water for sealing

Filling:

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta (I actually used cottage cheese and just smashed the curds into a smooth spread)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried parsley (I used fresh)

1/4 tsp. salt

pinch ground black pepper

Sauce:

1 package fresh baby bella mushrooms, or mushroom of your choice

2 tablespoons cooking oil of choice, I used grapeseed

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry Marsala (I used Chardonnay, cause it's what I had)

2 cups low-sodium veggie broth, (I used homemade... yum)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Directions:

Pasta Dough:

In an electric mixer fitted with dough hook, combine the flour and salt.  Add the eggs one at a time, and continue to mix.  Drizzle 1 tbs of olive oil and continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball.  Sprinkle flour on a work surface, knead and fold the dough until elastic and smooth (about 10 minutes).  Brush the surface with remaining oil and wrap in plastic wrap.  Let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. 

Cut the ball of dough in half, cover and reserve the piece you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out.  Dust the counter with a little flour and press the dough into a rectangle.  Roll it through a pasta machine (or with a rolling pin) until about 1/8 inch thick.  If using a rolling pin, you will not have to work out the rest of the month and you will be sore the next day (from experience).  It'll take about 15 minutes of constant rolling to get it thin enough.  

Dust the counter and sheet of dough with flour, lay out the long sheet of pasta and brush the top of the surface with water, which will act as glue.  Drop, by the tablespoon your favorite filling (below) on 1/2 of the pasta, about 2 inches apart.  Fold the other 1/2 over the filling like a blanket.  Gently press air out of the pockets around each mound of filling.  Use a sharp knife or pastry cutter to cute each pillow into squares and crimp the 4 edges with your fingers or a fork to create a tight seal.  Set aside and create another batch with second half of dough. 

Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 4 minutes or until they float to the top.  Be careful not to overcrowd the pot.  Lift the ravioli from the water with a large strainer or slotted spoon and set aside.  Pour sauce over top of the ravioli and serve. 

Filling:

Stir all four cheeses, the garlic, and the herbs and seasonings together in a medium bowl. Done and Done!

Sauce:

Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the shallot and garlic and cook until tender.  Add the mushrooms and cook until they've released their juices, about 5 minutes.  Add the wine and cook for about another 5 minutes.  Add the butter and flour and make a roux, whisk in the veggie broth and stir over medium high heat.  Lower the heat and stir until thickened. Add parsley at the end for garnish. 

Homemade Baked Falafel

I love getting falafel at Mediterranean restaurants because it's so delicious and it's something I would never make at home... until now.  Last time I got falafel at a restaurant, it was just okay... I will not pay $10 for just okay.  So the next time I craved it, I decided to make it myself... and much healthier!  I made this from scratch, baked it, not fried, and it was delicious! I was so surprised at how well these turned out.  I love the skillet idea because they still get very crispy.  I hear that using dried chickpeas and soaking them makes for a crispier falafel than if you were to use canned chickpeas.  I can't wait to make these again. You can also make ahead of time and freeze them, then just pop them in the oven when you're ready to eat!  YUM!

Baked Falafel

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup dried chickpeas

2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

1 small onion, quartered

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbs grapeseed oil

Serve with, pita bread, red onion, romaine lettuce, cucumber or other desired veggies.  

Yogurt Sauce:

Mix together 1 cup greek yogurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp dried dill, 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tbs olive oil, 

Directions:

For the falafel, put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 or 4 inches; they will triple in volume.  Soak for 24 hours, adding water if needed to keep beans submerged.  Drain the beans well (reserve a little soaking water) and transfer to a food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients except the oil; pulse until minced but not pureed, scraping the sides of the bowl.  If necessary add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the soaking water until the mixture comes together.  (Try to keep the addition of water to a minimum, as too much will make the batter fall apart when it hits the oil).  Taste the mixture and adjust for salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice. 

Preheat a large cast iron skillet in a 350 degree oven.  Drizzle grapeseed oil in the bottom of the skillet.  Take a heaping tablespoon of falafel mix and shape into a ball, then flatten into patty.  Place patty into bottom of oiled skillet.  Repeat for all the falafel mix.  Place skillet in oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. 

Enjoy!