Sweet corn’s last hoorah
The summer is (sadly) coming to an end and sweet summer corn will soon be a thing of the past. Here is one of my favorite corn recipes….
CRAB AND CORN CAKES WITH CHIPOTLE REMOULADE
Entries Tagged as 'easy weeknight dinners'
Curry chicken sandwich; an easy weeknight dinner
A big satisfying sandwich can make a great weeknight dinner. For this Curry Chicken Sandwich recipe, the chicken can be prepared the night before and dinner can be on the table in 10 minutes. I usually serve this with some homemade potato chips, or a green salad with sliced apples.
Easy weeknight dinners: Polenta Pie with artichokes and mushrooms
Polenta is a ground yellow maize, meant to be cooked slowly over low heat, with lots of stirring. In this dish I combine rich vegetables and cheeses with a soft, creamy polenta to create a hearty vegetarian meal.
Easy weeknight dinners: homemade ricotta gnocchi
I know what you’re thinking, “there’s no way making homemade gnocchi is an easy weeknight dinner”, but you’re wrong! If you have a food processor (and I realize not everyone does….but they’re on sale at Lowes this week so maybe you could look into it), then making these light and delicious gnocchi will take you about 20 minutes. And if you don’t have a processor, then save this recipe for a rainy weekend afternoon when you have an hour to kill and make them by hand.
Easy weeknight dinners: Fried Catfish with pico de gallo
Pico de gallo (or “Rooster’s Beak”) is a raw Mexican salsa of finely chopped tomato, onion, chile, lime, cilantro, and usually some type of fruit such as mango or papaya. I use it on everything and I always have some in my fridge. It will stay fresh in the fridge, in an airtight container, for several days.
Fried Catfish with Pico de gallo: Serves 4
Easy weeknight dinners: Chicken braised in apple cider
Pollo a la Sidra (or Chicken in apple cider) is a traditional Spanish dish made with alcoholic apple cider, or, Sidra. You can choose to make this dish with non-alcoholic cider if you prefer.
Easy weeknight dinners: Pumpkin-Lentil Salad
As a general rule, foods that are brightly colored are really good for you. Pumpkin is no exception. Beta-Carotene is the nutrient that turns produce orange (carrots, bell peppers, etc..) and obviously pumpkin is loaded with it. Why do you want to consume lots of Beta-Carotene? Because it protects you against cancer and heart attacks, and keeps you looking younger.
Pumpkins are native to Mexico (dating back to at least 5500 BC), and are now grown and eaten all over the world, excluding Antarctica. I love Fall partly because I love roasted pumpkin. If you do too, try my easy weeknight Pumpkin and Lentil Salad.
Easy weeknight dinners: Red Wine Salmon
This time of year I look for Wild Alaskan Coho Salmon. It’s really sweet and mild, perfect for people who think salmon is too “fishy”. High levels of cholesterol-reducing Omega 3s make it a healthy choice, and It’s a certified sustainable fish so it’s great for the environment. At about $10 per pound, it will help you eat right through the recession. Pick some up on the way home from work and try my quick and easy Red Wine Salmon tonight.
Easy weeknight dinners: Maine Lobster Fra Diavolo
There is still a month or so left to make a weekend trek to Maine and have Wild Lobster at its peak. If you don’t have time to make the trip, The Lobster Place (in NYC’s Chelsea Market or by mail order) sells Wild Maine Lobster year round. My recipe for spicy Lobster Fra Diavolo with Spaghetti is an easy way to enjoy the end of the lobster season in your own home.
Easy weeknight dinners: Asian Chicken Salad with sesame seeds
Sesame Seeds are insanely good for you. Adding a sprinkle of them on top of your salads and Hamburger buns gives you a nice boost of iron, magnesium, calcium, Vitamins E and B, and antioxidants. My Asian Chicken Salad is the perfect vehicle for your daily dose;
Easy weeknight dinners: Steak Fajitas with simple salsa (you’ll never need salsa from a jar again!)
This is the only salsa recipe you’ll ever need- its delicious and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. You can use it as a base and add whatever you like, maybe jalapeno, mango, or pineapple. Make it on the weekend and use it all week on grilled fish and chicken, in burritos, and with grilled Steak Fajitas (recipe below).
Easy weeknight dinners; Grilled chicken rigatoni with broccoli
Eating broccoli regularly (more than once a week) has countless health benefits; It reduces the risk (by up to 45 %) of bladder, ovarian, lung, colon, breast, and prostate cancer, it helps correct sun damage to the skin, it helps prevent cataracts, it contributes to building strong bones, it fights birth defects in pregnant women, and it boosts the immune system. I feel healthier already just thinking about it!
Grilled Chicken Rigatoni with broccoli: Serves 4 [Read more →]
Easy weeknight dinners: Crunchy lamb chops with Long Island bok choy
I just bought the most delicious bunch of bok choy. This is the peak season for Long Island grown bok choy, also known as Chinese cabbage. It’s a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Calcium, and so easy to saute in five minutes or less. Serve it alongside my crunchy lamb chops for a simple weeknight treat.
Easy weeknight dinners; Summer Gazpacho with poached shrimp
Gazpacho is a refreshing “liquid salad” originating in Southern Spain, made by blending seasonal raw vegetables into a cold soup. It is best made with the highest quality vegetables you can find since you really taste each individual flavor. I top my gazpacho with chunks of shallow-poached wild Gulf shrimp and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. [Read more →]
Easy weeknight dinners: orecchiette with cauliflower and bacon, heirloom lettuce salad
This is a great time of year for a simple, heirloom lettuce salad. Heirlooms are special because they are grown from seeds which have been around for decades at least, and sometimes for hundreds of years. They have been neglected by the big American factory farms because they require a little more care than mass produced varieties, but with the renewed interest in small family farms, these heirlooms are making a big comeback. Once you get them home, all you need is a little extra virgin and a squeeze of lemon to dress them. Unlike much of the lettuce that you buy at the grocery store, this lettuce actually tastes like something and is full of nutrients. An heirloom lettuce salad with a ripe, locally-grown tomato is the perfect weeknight side dish. Serve it alongside my recipe (below) for Orecchiette pasta with cauliflower and bacon;
Easy weeknight dinners: Stuffed Lemon Sole, pineapple couscous
When purchasing Lemon Sole (a type of flounder), make sure it is wild and Domestic- it is widely available throughout the U.S. and Canada. You can broil it, bake it, saute it, steam it,….and the naturally sweet flavor means minimal spices are needed if you’re in a rush. Simply season the fillets with salt, pepper, and olive oil and put them under a broiler for a few minutes. If you have a little more time, try my recipe for an easy, healthy, weeknight meal; Stuffed Lemon Sole with Pineapple Couscous.
Easy weeknight dinners: Florida red snapper
There are six weeks left to enjoy wild (Florida) Red Snapper before the end of the season. Below is a simple, healthy way to prepare this nutritious fish.
Easy holiday meals: Independence feast
If you are having company this weekend and you don’t know what to cook, I wrote this for you. An easy three-course meal that won’t stress you out.
Easy weeknight dinners: Shrimp, avocado, and corn salad with lime-cilantro vinaigrette
There are certain foods that belong together; Pork chops and apples, prosciutto and melon, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly…. This salad focuses on another great team, shrimp and avocado. Use wild domestic shrimp and perfectly ripe avocado (just barely squeezable) and you can’t go wrong with this one.
Shrimp, Avocado, and Corn Salad: lime-cilantro vinaigrette
Easy weeknight dinners: Chicken Marsala with local mushrooms
“Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom.”
This week the star of my local Farmers Market was undeniably the mushroom! Portobello, Shiitake, Morel, Oyster, Maitake, Crimini….all that and more! [Read more →]
