recipe 24: roasted red pepper, spinach, and feta omelet

We had breakfast for dinner earlier this week and it was really good. Another great recipe from the “Williams-Sonoma” Essentials of Healthful Cooking cookbook.


1 red bell pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil
¾ cup loosely packed spinach leaves, stems removed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 egg
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Roast the red pepper, remove the stem, cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds, ribs, and blackened skin. Cut each half lengthwise into strips. Measure out ½ cup for the omelet filling, reserve remaining for another use.

Combine the roasted pepper strips and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir until hot, about 1 minute. Add the spinach, heat until wilted. Transfer mixture to a bowl, add a pinch of salt and grind of black pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons of water, a pinch of salt and grind of pepper.

Heat a 9 or 10 inch frying pan for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil, tilt the pan to coat evenly. Pour the eggs into the center of the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Cook without stirring until the bottom is set, about 10 seconds. Use a heatproof spatula to gently pull the set edges in toward the center, then tilt the pan so that the uncooked egg in the center runs toward the edges. Cook until softly set, about 2 minutes total cooking time.

Spoon the red pepper mixture onto the side of the omelet closest to the handle of the pan. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Use the spatula to fold the third of the omelet closest to the handle over the center third. Then hold the pan by the handle, tilt the pan so that the omelet rolls out onto a plate, seam side down. Cut in half, serve immediately.

Sorry, no personal picture. Although we enjoyed the flavor, my omelet making skills leave a lot to be desired, so it was more of a roasted red pepper, spinach, and feta scramble. Here is a picture from the book of what it’s supposed to look like.

recipe 23: Dijon herb-crusted salmon

I feel so behind with the recipe updates, but we’ve been eating a lot of salads lately (not very exciting).

Another great recipe from the “Nordstrom Flavors” cookbook. I actually made this last week, but my husband liked it so much, he requested it again this week.

Dijon herb-crusted salmon

4 green onions, white and light green parts only, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil

6 skinless salmon fillets
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together green onions, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic. Drizzle in the olive oil, stir, set aside.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper, place the salmon on the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, spread 1 teaspoon of mustard over the back of the salmon. Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread 2 tablespoons of the herb crust over the mustard coating on each fillet.

Roast until the salmon is barely opaque, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
We enjoyed this dish with garlic mashed potatoes and Williams Sonoma stir- fried spinach.

recipe 22: chicken cobb salad

Here's a great recipe from "Cooking Light" magazine.

cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 cups mixed greens (I used romaine)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or diced roma tomatoes
1/3 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/3 cup fat-free Italian dressing
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1 bacon slice, cooked and crumbled

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Put greens in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing. Top with chicken, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, onion, and bacon.

We both really liked it. There were plenty of leftovers, so I've been having it for lunch this week. Yum!

recipe 21: glazed lemon loaf

Another great recipe from the "Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking" book.


glazed lemon loaf

1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
finely shredded zest of 1 large lemon
Kosher salt
2 large eggs
½ cup low fat milk (I used nonfat)
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
juice of 1 large lemon, about 3 ½ tablespoons

Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a loaf pan with canola-oil cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix until combined. Pour batter into the loaf pan. Bake until deeply browned with some golden cracks on top, about 40 minutes.

To make the glaze, combine sugar and lemon juice in a small, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, continue to boil until the mixture is bubbling and frothy on the surface, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour evenly over the surface of the hot loaf.

Yum!

recipe 20: citrus chicken

This recipe isn’t from a cookbook, but it was really good and easy, so I thought I would post it. The recipe is Cooking Light’s citrus chicken.

citrus chicken

¼ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
1 tablespoon olive oil
cooking spray
6 cups bagged pre-washed baby spinach

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour ¼ cup juice mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag. Seal; let stand 5 minutes. Add oil to remaining juice mixture; stir well with a whisk.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 ½ cups spinach on each of 4 plates. Divide chicken evenly among servings; top each serving with 1 tablespoon juice mixture.
Very good recipe, served with whole wheat pasta.

recipe 19: fish tacos with tomato and orange salsa

Another great recipe from the "Williams Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking" cookbook.


½ pound salmon fillet
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
½ cup diced, peeled English cucumber
2 tablespoons thinly slice green onion
½-1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
½ teaspoon grated orange zest

1 large naval orange
1 large tomato
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
½-1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
4 soft tortillas
1 cup romaine

Remove skin from salmon, season with salt and pepper. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes or until slightly translucent. Transfer to plate and let cool to room temperature. Flake into large bowl, discard any bones.

Add the cucumber, green onions, jalapeno, orange zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the fish. Sprinkle with lime juice and toss lightly.

For the salsa, peel the orange, cut to remove the peel, pith, and membrane. Cut the orange into bite-sized pieces and add to a bowl. Dice the tomato, add tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, orange zest, lime juice, and ½ teaspoon salt to the bowl holding the orange. Stir to combine.

To assemble the tacos, place some romaine on each tortilla, add about ¼ cup of the salmon mixture, then top with 2 rounded tablespoons of the salsa. Fold each tortilla, serve.

I really enjoyed this recipe; it was flavorful, light, and easy to prepare. My husband is not a fan of mixing seafood with fruit. He liked the flavor of this dish, but asked me to leave the orange out of his portion next time.

Sorry there isn't a picture. I uploaded one and now I can't seem to find it. Definitely time to do some laptop cleaning and organizing :(

recipe 18: Starbucks pumpkin bread

Someone who knows how much I love Starbucks sent me a can of pumpkin and this recipe.

Starbucks pumpkin bread

1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground clove
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup canned pumpkin
¾ cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and 
salt, set aside. Beat eggs, sugars, and vanilla in large bowl on 
high speed for about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add pumpkin and oil, mix. Pour batter into 
a greased loaf pan. Bake approximately 70 min. or until the top of the bread begins to brown. When the bread is cool, slice into approximately 1 inch slices. Serves 8.

Great flavor and very easy to make!

recipe 17: healthy sautéed spinach

Another great and really easy recipe from the “Nordstrom Entertaining At Home” cookbook.


healthy sautéed spinach

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 bunches spinach
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic, stir frequently for about 1 minute. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the wine evaporates. Add the broth, cook until nearly evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and stir, tossing to coat with the liquid and garlic, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, serve immediately.

We had it with Northwest salmon and mashed potatoes. We thought it was delicious and it will be in regular rotation on our menu.

recipe 16: roasted sweet potatoes with cumin and cilantro

I recently planted cilantro in my herb garden, so I decided to make this recipe as a side for our homemade veggie burgers. This recipe is another great one from the “Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking” book.


roasted sweet potatoes with cumin and cilantro

2 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400F/ 200C. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into slices ½ inch thick. Stack half of the slices and cut lengthwise into strips ½ inches wide. Repeat with the remaining slices. Rinse the strips with cold water and dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.

Place the potatoes in a bowl, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with cumin, toss to coat. Preheat a nonstick pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the hot baking sheet. Roast the potatoes, turning every 10 minutes, until evenly browned and tender when pierced with a knife, 30-35 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, a grind of pepper, and cilantro. Toss gently to coat.

I baked them for 45 minutes hoping that they would crisp up, but they were still a bit soft. However, the flavor was great and I will be making them again!

recipe 15: lime and cilantro chicken salad

Another great recipe from the “Nordstrom Entertaining At Home” cookbook.


lime and cilantro chicken salad

chipotle-lime vinaigrette

1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons pureed chipotle chiles in abodo sauce (couldn’t find it here, used a teaspoon of chili powder
2 tablespoons honey
¾ cup canola oil
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems and leaves

3 ears corn, shucked and grilled or boiled
1 ¼ pounds boneless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked and julienned
1 ½ cups diced plum tomatoes
1 pound mixed baby greens (I used romaine)
2 cups grated Jack cheese (couldn’t find it here, used cheddar and mozzarella mix)
½ cup roasted red bell pepper
freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
lime wedges for serving

In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chili, and honey. Process until smooth, slowly add the oil. Add the cilantro and pulse to combine. Set aside.

Cut the corn kernels from the cobs, add the kernels to a large bowl. Add the chicken, tomatoes, greens, cheese, and bell pepper to the corn. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the salad to chilled serving bowls and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

This was absolutely delicious. I usually cut recipes down since it’s just the two of us, but I took a chance and made extra dressing for my lunch salad the next day. It may have even been better the second day. I will definitely make this again. My husband liked it, too.

recipe 14: herb-roasted chicken

This recipe is from the “Limited Edition Better Homes & Gardens” cookbook.


herb-roasted chicken

1 3-3 ½ pound whole chicken
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon ground sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

Wash the chicken, dry with paper towels, and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with butter, rub with garlic. Stir the spices together, rub onto chicken. Roast at 375F for 1 ¼-1 ½ hours or until internal temperature is 180F. Remove from oven, cover and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

I usually roast poultry breast side down for the first 45 minutes to prevent it from getting dry.

This was very easy to prepare and my husband really liked it. Served with garlic mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and green salads. (I should have taken a picture of the whole chicken, sorry)

recipe 13: lemon dressing for greens

A quick, light dressing from “German Cooking Today”.

We don’t eat very much red meat, but a few weeks ago my husband decided to grill some fillets. He prefers to have baked potatoes with red meat, though I like to have something lighter. The chosen side dishes for the fillets were baked potatoes, grilled vegetables (onions, peppers, and zucchini) and simple greens with a light dressing.

lemon sauce for greens

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
pinch of sugar
freshly ground pepper
pinch grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix the lemon juice, sugar, pepper, and lemon zest. Whisk in the oil.

I will definitely make this again. It was very light, really easy to throw together, and had a great flavor.

recipe 12: eggplant with tomatoes, ricotta, and parmigiano

Another fabulous, vegetarian recipe from the “Williams Sonoma Essentials for Healthful Cooking”.

eggplant with tomatoes, ricotta, and parmigiano

1 eggplant (aubergine)
Kosher salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut ends off of eggplant and slice into 8 slices; lengthwise. Chop the outer slices (mostly skin) and reserve. On a baking sheet, lightly sprinkle both sides of eggplant slices with salt and let sit for 1 hour. Rinse the slices and dry with paper towels. Brush with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Remove

In the meantime, heat the remaining olive oil in a large, nonstick pan. Add the onion and reserved chopped eggplant. Saute, stirring until tender, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add tomatoes, their juice, and half of the basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer, stirring until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add pepper.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta and parmesan cheese with a grind of pepper.

In a shallow baking dish (1.5qt), place a single layer of eggplant, followed by the ricotta mixture. Spoon half the tomato mixture on top of the ricotta, followed by a final layer of eggplant. Top with remaining tomato mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, until sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining basil.

This recipe was listed under side dishes, but seemed hearty enough as a main dish, so that’s how I prepared it, served with whole wheat pasta, and a green salad. It fell apart coming out of the baking pan, so it doesn’t look good, but my husband requested that I make it again.

recipe 11: roasted vegetables

This recipe is from “German Cooking Today”, a book I bought shortly before leaving Berlin. There’s really nothing special about the recipe; in fact I’ve made side dishes similar to this in the past, but it’s tasty, so I will post it.

2¼ lb medium potatoes
freshly ground pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
14 oz red peppers
7 oz yellow peppers
14 oz courgettes (zucchini)
2 sprigs rosemary
4 cloves garlic

Heat the oven to 350F. Wash the potatoes and cut into quarters, lengthwise. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan, sprinkle with pepper and two tablespoons of oil. Cook for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash peppers, remove seeds and membranes. Cut into small pieces. Wash zucchini, cut off ends, cut into small pieces. Season vegetables with pepper, mix with remaining oil.

Rinse and dry the rosemary. Peel the garlic, add to the vegetables and rosemary. Add the vegetable mixture to the precooked potatoes, mix. Roast for another 20-25 minutes.

I cut the recipe in half and it was still way too much for two people. I served this with roasted rosemary salmon and a green salad.

recipe 9 and 10: tomato, onion, and goat cheese sandwiches and vinaigrette

The sandwiches are from the “Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking” book. Another winner! These were very good, easy to make, and vegetarian.

tomato, onion, and goat cheese sandwiches

4 large, Roma tomatoes, halved and seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ lb yellow onions
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
4 thick slices of multigrain bread, toasted
¼ lb goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 325F. Arrange tomatoes in a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil. Roast the tomatoes for 1 hour, until wrinkled. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, cool.

Cut each onion into thin half circles. Heat a large, nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the onions and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice for about 10 minutes. Add more water if necessary to prevent scorching. Uncover and cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir for 1 minute, then stir in the vinegar. Remove from the heat.

Place a slice of toasted bread on each plate. Spread each slice with goat cheese, dividing evenly. Top with onions and tomatoes. Serve!





I served the sandwiches with a green salad, topped with homemade vinaigrette from the “Flavors of Olive Oil” cookbook.

basic vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, minced
1 heaping teaspoon grainy mustard
¼ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

Add ingredients to a glass jar with lid, shake, pour

The dressing was very good. It was a little bit too garlicky, IMO, but my husband thought it was perfect.

recipe 8: olive oil and rosemary mashed potatoes

My husband has a book called “The Flavors of Olive Oil”; which he's owned since before we were married. To my knowledge, the book has never been used, but it continues to travel the world with us. In order to justify hauling it around, I decided to start making some recipes from it. The first being, olive oil and rosemary mashed potatoes.

We were not impressed, at all. While I do like the idea of using rosemary with mashed potatoes, neither of us liked the consistency of the potatoes. This book is not off to a good start; hopefully the next recipe will be better.

Served with baked salmon and steamed green beans

recipe 7: pasta with tomatoes, arugula, and goat cheese

Another great recipe from "Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Healthy Eating"


3/4 lb cavatappi, fusilli, or ziti
2 cups arugula
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup goat cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Cook and drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Place the pasta in a large bowl, mix in the arugula, and keep warm.

Just before the pasta is ready, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and roll them around in the pan. Sprinkle on the garlic. Keep the tomatoes moving until their skins crack. Add tomatoes to the pasta. Add the goat cheese, mix. Season with pepper and add the saved pasta water for more moisture if needed.


I served it with a green salad and crusty bread. I will definitely make this again!

recipe 6: honey and ginger-glazed salmon

From the Nordstrom Flavors cookbook


This recipe is excellent and I will definitely make it again. YUM!

honey and ginger-glazed salmon

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 skinless salmon fillets
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons peeled and finely minced ginger
6 green onions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped

Pour the soy sauce into a dish. Add salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove the salmon from the soy sauce and pat dry. Discard the soy sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger and honey. Evenly spread the honey mixture on the marinated side of the salmon. Evenly sprinkle the green onions over the honey, press to adhere to the salmon.

Heat oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the salmon, green onion side down. Cook until the undersides are seared, about 1½ minutes. Transfer the salmon, onion side up, to the baking sheet. Bake the salmon about 10 minutes, or until it flakes easily.

Transfer to warm plates. Serve immediately.

We had it with boiled potatoes and steamed broccoli.

recipe 5: Cajun cedar-planked salmon

This salmon recipe is from the “Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook”. Unfortunately it wasn’t nearly as good as I had hoped. There are so many other wonderful salmon recipes available, so I won’t be making it again.



PS- I apologize that the blog has been neglected this week; it's been crazy. I promise more regular, and hopefully substantial, posts next week.

recipe 3: stir-fried spinach and recipe 4: roasted potatoes

Both recipes are from "Williams-Sonoma Essential of Healthful Cooking".



Stir-Fried Spinach with Garlic and Lemon Zest

2 lb (1kg) spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 minced garlic clove
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse the spinach carefully in 2 or 3 changes of water, discarding the stems and damaged leaves. Drain in a colander.

Over medium-high heat, in a deep sauté pan or wok, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and garlic.

When the garlic begins to sizzle, immediately add the spinach, and using tongs or 2 wooden spoons, toss and stir quickly until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the spinach to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Serve at once.

Roasted Russet Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

2 long russet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Cut the potatoes into slices. Rinse under cold water, blot dry.

Place the potatoes in a bowl, drizzle with oil and toss to coat.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast the potatoes, turning every 10 minutes, until evenly browned and tender, approximately 30-35 minutes. While the potatoes are roasting, combine the parsley and garlic.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and a grind of pepper. Add the parsley mixture and toss to coat. Serve at once.

We enjoyed both dishes very much and I will be making them again. I served the stir-fried spinach and roasted potatoes with a simple, baked salmon.