Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Holy hell of a long salad name, amen! I can't imagine saying the name of this Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad three times fast.

Anyone want to try?

Seriously, though, this salad is packed with all the good stuff. Cucumbers are dirt cheap right now, as are tomatoes, which makes this an easy recipe to feed a crowd. The recipe itself makes ten servings, which is perfect for a big BBQ or a summer picnic, but it can easily be halved or portioned to whatever size you want. Plus it is easy to make. SO easy! I basically cut stuff up, threw it in a bowl, poured the basil-lemon mix over it, and then tossed it in the fridge to sit and marinate for about an hour.

It's a strangely complex salad, in the best way? You get some bright acidity from the tomatoes and lemon juice, and then a cooling crunch from the cucumber, which balances it out nicely. The mozzarella adds just a touch of richness, while the garbanzo beans add some much-needed texture. And of course, what is summer without basil and lemon?

Not summer, that's what.

(On a side note: cucumber-lemon water is my drug right now. I am chugging that stuff by the gallon).

I got in the mood to make this because it is finally, finally getting warm here. And it's probably going to rain tomorrow since I just declared it to feel like summer. Colorado is sassy and likes to go against whatever weather anyone predicts. Wasn't there a Garfield comic once where the weather forecaster said that the estimation was between negative 50 and 1000 degrees? Well, that's Colorado. So I'm taking advantage of the nice weather while it lasts, and making a ton of summery food!

Hope it is just as nice where you all are (and if not, I'll send some good weather vibes your way! It's not like Colorado would listen to them anyway)

Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad
Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 3 large cucumbers, washed and cubed (a bit larger than dicing)
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (15 oz) can no salt added garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced 
• 1/4cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• zest of two medium lemons
• juice of four medium lemons
• 1/4c. olive oil
• 1/2t crushed black pepper
• 1/4t kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Combine cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss to combine, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Whisk thoroughly for one minute. Pour lemon-basil mixture over the cucumber mixture.
3. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to 24 hours. Serve cold. Best served within four days.   

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 209mg
Total Fat: 10g
     Saturated Fat: 3g
     Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
     Trans Fat: 0g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 197

Ricotta, Tomato, and Spaghetti Squash Gratins

So, returning to CO was rough.

After all, I was coming from the beautiful weather back in CA, which somehow manages to be about 40F warmer than CO despite the fact that it is almost December. Maybe because CO is just so dang cold right now. And SO windy. 

Thanksgiving was amazing, and I had lots of fun with friends and family. I can't wait to return in about three weeks! I can't believe this semester is almost at an end already. Finals start on December 15th, and then break starts on the 19th! It's mind-blowing how quickly it has passed overall (even though the days seem long).

Next semester I have a really cool Nutrition and Aging class, which I'm looking forward to. It will overall be a much easier semester, and I should have a lot more free time. I've also been cleared and approved in terms of adopting a dog (EEEEEE!!!) and hopefully training it as an therapy animal.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Going back to the cold: I've been living off of hot dishes and coffee like no other. I'm very cognizant of the fact that winter weather often makes us cuddle up inside and drink lots of hot chocolate, along with indulging in the rich food of the holiday. Because of that, I practice two things: 1) Moderation and 2)Lightened-Up Cooking. I'm all for having a big slice of Grandma's homemade carrot cake that she only serves at Christmas, or partaking in that package of cookies that you got from your BFF for Hanukkah. But I'm also all for avoiding the emotional eating that often comes with the holidays, only made worse by reduced exercise. So I figure that if I have moderation in what I eat (80% healthy, 20% indulgent) and lighten up some of my favorite dishes, then I'm all set.

Today's dish, which is perfect for the idea of lighter fare that is still warm and satisfying, is a type of Gratin that I made last winter as well. It's a delectable combination of sweet, nutty spaghetti squash and hearty tomatoes, topped with a creamy and slightly salty ricotta-parmesan topping. Plus, when you add on some spicy red pepper flakes... Yum!!! And who doesn't love those cheesy crusts on top of baked gratins, right?  

(If you find spaghetti squash intimidating, or have never heard of it before, google is your best friend-- until that one who I mentioned above give you the cookies. Then, obviously, they deserve that BFF status because COOKIES. It is one of my favorite squashes, and works wonderfully in this dish.)
  Ricotta, Tomato, and Spaghetti Squash Gratins
Adapted from Cooking Light                 Serves 4

 
Ingredients:

• 4c. cooked spaghetti squash
• 1/2tsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/2tsp salt, divided
• 1/2tsp black pepper, divided
• 1/4tsp ground red pepper
• 2 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes, drained very very well and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1tbl balsamic vinegar
• 2tsp Italian seasoning, divided
• 1 (15-oz) carton low fat ricotta cheese
• 1/4c. (1 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flakes (optional, but oh so good)

Instructions:

1. In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add in 1/4tsp salt, 1/4tsp black pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, vinegar, and 1tsp Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce the heat to simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off of heat. Drain out half of the liquid. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 of the sauce and the spaghetti squash. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400F
3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper, along with the ricotta and Parmesan. Mix well.
4. To make gratins, place 1c. of the squash-tomato mixture into each of 4 medium (12-oz) ramekins. Top each with the remaining tomato sauce. Divide the ricotta mixture evenly among the tops of each ramekin, spreading the cheese to the edges. Bake for 50 minutes, until brown and bubbling. Serve with red pepper flakes, if desired.

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 453mg
Total Fat: 16g
      Saturated: 9g
      Trans: 0g
Sugar:15g
Protein: 16g
Calories: 310

Spicy Roasted Broccoli Salad

At 4 A.M. tomorrow morning, I will be heading up to Colorado via a 18 hour drive.

I am so excited! Well, not for the driving-- but the destination certainly is somewhere I have missed quite dearly. I've been packing and shopping the past few days, and trying to use up various food items that we've had around the house. That has led to some... interesting combinations (anyone up for some Green Tomato and Apple Pie? Actually much better than it sounds. Thanks AK and UJ!). Some have been good, others great: and today I'm sharing a great one.

It starts out with roasted broccoli which, let's be real, is always delicious. Add in some roma tomatoes, green onions, and rich avocado, and the meal is pretty much complete. I also had some peppers and basil, so I made a quick pesto using sunflower seeds. It adds some heat and stops the salad from being too dry. I know that a warm salad sounds kind of strange in summer, so I chilled the broccoli before adding in the other ingredients. However, this would also be a great fall recipe for a cool day.



Spicy Roasted Broccoli Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4 cups broccoli crowns (if you like the stems, use those too)
• Cooking Spray
• 1/4t salt
• 1/4t pepper
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 1 whole lemon, juice and zest
• 3T extra virgin olive oil
• 2T sunflower seeds
• 2 serrano peppers, quartered (if you don't want it as spicy, remove the seeds)
• 2 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 medium avocado, cubed
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Chop crowns into bite-sized pieces, and put on a baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover with more cooking spray. Bake for 40 minutes, turning broccoli halfway through. Remove from oven; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. While broccoli is baking, combine basil through peppers in a food processor until well-minced and pesto-like in consistency. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, tomatoes, avocado, and green onions. Toss with basil mixture to coat. Serve hot or cold.

Nutrition Information
Sodium: 122mg
Total Fat: 12g
   Saturated: 2g
   Monounsaturated: 7g
   Trans: 0g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 3g
Calories: 152

Fire-Roasted Tomato Marinara

To start off my blog, I really want to focus on some basic ingredients that I call “building blocks.” These are things that a lot of people buy instead of hand-make, because they don’t realize how easy it is to use fresh ingredients to create the same product in a higher quality and with less added sodium, sugar, etc. When you have the option to make it by hand or buy it, I like to go with the former. It creates a mindful cooking experience and has all the benefits mentioned above.

I honestly don't understand why anyone would buy canned tomato sauce anymore. As easy as it is, this is pretty much just as simple. You avoid tons of unwanted sodium and sugars, too. This marinara is still full of rich, deep flavors. You can control how chunky or smooth it is by blending it, making it perfect for pasta, pizza, or dipping.

If you’re still not sold, here’s another bonus: It only needs five ingredients.

Fire-Roasted Tomato Marinara

Yield: 4 and 1/2 cups (not blended)

Ingredients:

1. 1 (14.5-oz) can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
2. 1 (14.5-oz) can of no salt added diced tomatoes
3. 1 (14.5-oz) can of plain tomato sauce
4. 1tsp. balsamic vinegar
5. 1/2c. roughly chopped basil

Instructions:

1. Pour the contents of the three cans into a medium saucepan. Add vinegar.
2. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Add basil and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to cozy on up together.
3. Let cool. 
4. In a blender or food processor, blend to desired smoothness.