Grilled Artichokes

Over the holiday weekend we made our dinner on the grill every night.  We had some good food!   Obviously you can grill proteins, we had chicken, fish and steak but you can also cook pretty much everything else on there as well.  My favorite from the weekend, a grilled artichoke!  If you like artichokes and grilled foods you are going to love this one.  I got the idea from something I had at a restaurant; it was on the appetizer menu.  I ate so much of it I didn’t want the entrée that I had ordered.  That was when I decided that I needed to do it at home, and if it worked out well, do it often.  I’m happy to report it worked out very well.

We also grilled dessert one night, pears that we sliced in half then cooked on the grill for a bit making them soft.  For the topping I cooked down some balsamic vinegar until it was a syrup consistency, I topped the pears with a little bit of ricotta and a drizzle of that balsamic syrup…heavenly!  That one is a keeper too.  I love summer; grilling out opens up a whole different world of flavors that you can’t get when cooking on your stove or in the oven.  You know what else is great about it?  Most of what you can make on the grill is naturally gluten free, that’s a good thing!

Grilled Artichoke with Garlicky Dipping Sauce

(Plan on ½ of an artichoke per person, this recipe is for 2 people)

1 large artichoke (make sure it looks healthy and the leaves are somewhat tight)

1 lemon

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 C mayonnaise

4-5 cloves garlic, grated

Black pepper

1.      Fill a large pot with water, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the water, drop half of the lemon in as well, bring to a boil

2.      Prep the artichoke by rinsing thoroughly, cut off the stem and pull a few of the leaves near the stem off (they are usually tough)

3.      Cut off the top 1 inch and trimming the tips of remaining leaves (they can poke you)

4.      Put the artichoke into the boiling water, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes (the leaves near the center should pull out easily)

5.      While the artichoke is cooking combine the mayo, garlic and pepper in a small bowl, mix well and refrigerate

6.      Pull the artichoke out of the water and drain upside down, letting it cool a bit

7.      Cut the artichoke in half and remove the choke from the center

8.      Drizzle oil over the artichoke and sprinkle with salt and pepper then grill for a few minutes on each side

9.      Serve immediately with the dipping sauce

Reflection and Panzanella Salad

I was going back through old posts on my blog to see where I started.  I actually started it before what you see as the first posting on here.  I started when my original goal was weight loss, documenting my thoughts and daily habits.  It was interesting but didn’t have anything to do with where I am today. 

Something I think about often is how different I am now from where I was last year.  Last year I was at the tail end of a big hyperthyroid swing, one that I didn’t even know I was on until the racing heart symptom appeared.  I still remember how it felt to be in the early part of that period though, it was awesome.  I felt powerful, strong and energetic.  Little did I know that it was rather a false “high” because of the hyperthyroid swing. 

I did learn something during that period though; I learned what it must feel like for other people to feel healthy and full of energy.  I’m not in a pity party today, at all, just reflecting back and seeing how much of a difference a year can make.  Now, while weight loss would be nice, my ultimate goal is to be as healthy as possible.  I have made a lot of dietary changes; I eat veggies at every meal, and quite a few of them, gluten is a thing of the past so my carbs have lessened (though I think they could go a little lower) and I have really knocked back sugar, though that’s as compared to a lot before, so that could likely go lower too.  I just feel great that I have transferred myself to raw agave syrup and almond milk in my morning coffee J

I don’t really have a recipe to share today, just a couple of ideas for different things to do with veggies since this is the best time of the year because they are all so fresh.  I love asparagus; it’s one of my all-time favorite veggies. During grilling season I like to throw them on the grill with a tiny bit of oil, salt and pepper then wrap them with a small amount of prosciutto, it’s so good!  Another favorite is a panzanella salad because I LOVE fresh tomatoes.  I have seen a lot of different versions out there, but mine is my favorite.  Of course, I can’t have it with great crusty bread any more but I have learned that if I cut up GF bread into big chunks, toast it in the oven before using and toss it with the remainder of the salad right before serving it works out pretty well.  If you love tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar this may become a staple for you during the summer.  It also works great as a topping for grilled meats!  Finally, roasted red peppers, fresh off the grill, on a skewer with some artichoke hearts and bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella)….so good!

I’m making myself hungry; I guess it’s time to eat lunch.

Panzanella Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb tomatoes, chopped (I have used roma, vine ripened, cherry and grape, it doesn’t matter as long as it they are ripe and juicy)

¼ red onion, chopped finely

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped (you can use any color, green tends to be too strong though)

Salt and pepper to taste (you need at least a little salt to get the juices in the veggies going)

Fresh basil to taste

1-2 T extra virgin olive oil

2-4 T balsamic vinegar (make sure you buy the really good stuff, it’s worth it)

5-6 slices of GF bread (I use Udi’s) cut into large chunks then toasted in the oven

Directions:

1. Seed tomatoes (if you are using larger ones) then chop into a little smaller than bite size pieces and place in glass or plastic bowl, add a little bit of salt
2. Chop the red onion, garlic and bell pepper and put into the bowl, add a little more salt and some pepper, mix well
3. At this point cover the mixture and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to let the juices in the veggies start to mingle
4. Add in the olive oil and vinegar, hold back on the vinegar a bit, add 2 T, taste, then add more if you need to (I love the vinegar so I usually add more than some would)
5. If you aren’t going to eat this now this is the point to stop, cover and put into the refrigerator (just keep in mind, the fridge makes tomatoes mushy, I don’t do this but you could)
6. When you are ready to eat the salad cut up and toast the bread, allowing to cool for a few minutes before adding to the salad
7. Stack and roll the basil leaves then snip fine pieces into the salad using your kitchen scissors
8. Add in the bread, mix everything well and serve right away
9. (If you are going to use as a salsa on top of grilled meat then omit the bread steps)

I hope you enjoy the salad; it’s one of my favorites and one of the reasons I look forward to summer.  I make it at least a couple times a week when tomatoes are in season.

Veggie/Bacon Pizza with Udi's GF Pizza Crust

I have had a couple of busy weeks!  I traveled for work the majority of the last two weeks which meant I ate out a lot and didn’t have time to post on here. 

I have mentioned it before, but I will say it again, traveling and gluten free eating can be challenging.  Last week I got some big time exposure, probably the worst I have ever had.  I’m still not positive where it came from but it hit me around mid-day on Thursday and it took until today to finally feel normal again.  That was quite the experience, one I would rather not repeat again.  Luckily I’m at home all week and able to eat my own food.  I will travel again next week though.

I didn’t get too creative with dinner last night, I got out of the office late, there was an accident on my way home and I still had to go to the grocery store (I just couldn’t do it over the weekend, I did NOT feel good!).  So I decided I would try Udi’s GF Pizza crust and make a quick dinner.  One thing you should know, I’m picky about pizza crust, it needs to have that combo of crunchy and chewy that a lot of them fail to have.  The Udi’s was really good!  I followed the package directions, baking it at 375 degrees, but I preheated my Pampered Chef pizza stone in the oven and baked the pizza on that.  The baking time took a little longer than the package indicated, but my oven is kind of off when it comes to that.  So, with all of that said…here’s what I did/topped it with:

Veggie/Bacon Pizza (with store-bought crust)

Ingredients:

1 Udi’s GF Pizza Crust (highly recommended)

1 slice bacon, crisp

¼ large sweet onion, chopped

1 C mushrooms, sliced or chopped

1 C baby spinach

2 T store bought pesto sauce (GF of course, check that label!)

2/3 C mozzarella, shredded

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to temperature indicated on package (this one was 375)

2.      Cook the bacon until crispy, remove from pan and wipe lightly leaving a bit of the fat in the pan

3.      Drop the onions and mushrooms into the pan, adding a slight bit of salt to sweat, sauté until a bit soft then add in the spinach and cook until just wilted

4.      Spread pesto sauce over pizza crust, top with the mozzarella then the veggies, crumble the bacon over the top

5.      Bake for about 7 minutes (in my oven it took 12 to get crispy), remove, slice and enjoy

Happy Tuesday!

The Weekend and SkinnyTaste.com

How was your weekend?  I had a good one by my standards.  I didn’t have anything planned and had a lot of time to spend just doing the things I love doing.  This is where I need to give a big thank you on here to my husband who sent me off to Barnes & Noble on Saturday morning so that he could vacuum and dust the house (stay away ladies, he’s mine J ).  I have been having trouble with hives popping up, which happens every year at the beginning of allergy season, and he’s being diligent about keeping things in the house as allergy free as possible.

On Sunday I spent a good portion of the day playing in my studio.  I made several Easter cards and plan to spend some time tonight making the rest of the ones I need for family.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute huh?  I think I mentioned that my husband gave me a Cricut for my birthday.  I had so much fun just experimenting with it.  I cut out way too many Easter bunnies, my family better watch out for bunny confetti in their cards.  I did realize that I need to get more storage for the things I cut that I don’t use right away otherwise the piles on my work surfaces are going to get high.  I did see something on Pinterest over the weekend (that I pinned, of course) about how to deal with all of the scraps that result from paper crafting.  The best part of working in my studio?  Time passes and I don’t even notice it.  I went in there around 11 and didn’t look up until 3:30 when my husband suggested maybe we should have some lunch (or, at that time, early dinner). It is good for my spirit to be creative and lose track of time, a great stress-reliever!

I did finally make the chicken and veggie enchiladas on Saturday, they turned out really good.  I think the only adjustment I made to the original recipe I posted was to add some chipotle peppers which are my favorite.  I used the veggies that were in the fridge; zucchini, red bell pepper, mushrooms, onion and a tomato.  I even used the avocado I had and made a little bit of guacamole to go along with it.  Yum.

Since I didn’t have one of my recipes to share today I thought I would direct you to a blog that I reference a lot, www.skinnytaste.com.  If you are a WW person and haven’t been to this site you need to go, now.  She has bunches of recipes for just about everything.  You can search by meal, ingredient, WW points values and she even has her GF recipes tagged.  It’s a site I go to at least a couple of times a week, I always want to see what’s new.  The recipe I found when I went there today sounds amazing and is gluten free, Sweet Potato Tandoori Salad, I can’t wait to try it!  Go to her site today if you haven’t already, you will be addicted to it like I am after you do.

I will be travelling for work for the next few days so you may not see  a post from me until Friday or Saturday, unless I find a really great GF place to eat in Charlotte that I just have to share.  Have a great week!

Happy Spring and Sauteed Veggie Quesadilla

Happy Spring!  I’m so glad to see the first day of spring even if it means bad allergies and the beginning of tornado season here.  Everything seems so alive during this time of the year, blooming and coming to life.  I love watching the transformation from the quiet of winter to the rowdy colors of spring.  It’s Mother Nature at her most colorful!

Last night was quiet, the husband worked and I didn’t do anything special.  I worked out (OMG, a speed of 4 with an incline of 2% on the treadmill means walking/jogging for me, I nearly keeled over!).  I took care of feeding all of my furry four-legged children that watched me while I huffed and puffed on through my workout.  My dinner was a little different than I had planned, I only made half of a smoothie last night because I knew I was hungry enough to need something besides that.  I rummaged around in my refrigerator and came up with a sautéed veggie quesadilla, it tasted really good.  The recipe is below but I’m guessing that most people can come up with this one on their own!  There are a lot of different veggies you can put in it, the ones I used were what I had in my refrigerator.

I love corn tortillas, I'm not sure if you have noticed, I use them quite a bit.  They are gluten-free, WW points friendly and just generally yummy.  I have a bit of an addiction to them.  Tonight I’m going to make some chicken, black bean and roasted veggie enchiladas for my lunches the remainder of the week.  I have leftover rotisserie chicken and I need to use it for something.  I love the convenience of those things but I always end up with more chicken than I need.  Solution….make enchiladas!  If they turn out well I will post a recipe tomorrow J

Sautéed Veggie Quesadilla

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

2 corn tortillas

Olive oil cooking spray (just a bit)

¼ C chopped grape tomatoes (you could use any kind, this is what I had on hand)

1 scallion, chopped

¼ C chopped mushrooms

1 C fresh spinach, torn into smaller pieces

¼ C cheddar cheese, shredded (I used Sargento Off the Block Sharp Cheddar)

Directions:

1.      Cooking the tortillas – I have said this before and I will say it again, if you want your tortillas to not turn out squishy, cook them first.  I use a preheated dry nonstick pan, place the tortillas in one (or two) in the pan at a time and turn when they start getting brown in spots, be careful not to burn.  This makes them stand up to fillings better and I think gives them great flavor…..don’t just throw them in the microwave!

2.      Put the cooked tortillas aside, they don’t need to be kept warm, you will cook them a little more

3.      Let pan cool just a bit then add the cooking spray (otherwise you will smoke up your kitchen!), dump in the tomatoes, scallion and mushrooms and sauté until a little soft, then add the spinach and cook until just wilted, set veggies aside and wipe out pan

4.      Make sure heat is on medium or medium low

5.      Place one tortilla in the pan, spread half the cheese and top with the veggie mixture, top with remaining cheese and other tortilla

6.      Cook until the tortilla is a bit more brown and the cheese has melted, turn it to the other side to do the same

7.      Remove from pan, cut into wedges.  You can serve it with a little salsa (which is what I did) or any of your favorite toppings

Balsamic Quinoa Veggie "Salad"

I attended a baby shower at work yesterday; I love baby showers, mostly because I love the opportunity to shop for baby clothes.  It was a lot of fun, and there was this grape “salad” that someone brought that was so good (luckily it was GF).  I asked her for the recipe, I’m going to have to share it at some point.  I don’t know where she got it from but I haven’t had anything like it.  Anyway, there were lots of cute baby clothes, lots of fun with some of the ladies I work with.  I really am lucky, I actually like the people I work with!

On another note, since I had that bad cold and ended up on antibiotics for the resulting bronchitis and sinus infection my immune system has been after my thyroid.  The exhaustion, aching, hair loss and brain fog are back.  Yuck!  I had a bit of a scary moment yesterday on my way home from work.  I was sitting at a light downtown, which I do every day after I leave my parking garage, I let my mind wander for a second then when I came back I forgot where I was.  I wasn’t sure where to turn.  It only took a split-second to come back but it was a scary moment.  That’s when I decided that I’m going to eat as clean as possible the next couple of weeks to get this kicked.  No more eating out, other than when I have to travel for work, I can’t avoid that, but at home I will only eat the food I have prepared.  Healthy, fresh, healing, that’s the mantra for the next few weeks.

Last night I had a green smoothie for dinner, I added some ground flax for fiber and whatever other benefits it provides.  I always feel good drinking it, anything that green (from the spinach) can only be good for me.  I also made a great salad of sorts for lunch today, the recipe is listed below, hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did.  It contains about two servings; I guess it depends on how hungry you are.  I ate half and felt quite full.

Balsamic Quinoa Veggie Salad, makes about 2 servings

(dressing ingredients also listed below)

Ingredients:

½ cup quinoa, uncooked

1 cup fat free low-sodium chicken broth

1 tsp olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

½ cup chickpeans (if you use canned make sure you drain and rinse well)

½ cup chopped English cucumber

½ cup chopped broccoli

½ cup chopped grape tomatoes

1-2 scallions, chopped finely

3 T crumbled feta

Dressing ingredients:

½ T Dijon mustard

2 T balsamic vinegar (I love vinegar, you may want less)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.      Rinse quinoa well then place in a preheated skillet with olive oil to toast just a bit (be careful not to burn it, stir frequently)

2.      Add chicken broth to the pan and bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer for about 18 minutes or until the broth is completely absorbed

3.      Remove quinoa from the heat and put in a storage container, add the chickpeas and the balsamic vinegar while still warm and mix well (I love vinegar, if you don’t like too strong a taste of vinegar you may want to skip this)

4.      Refrigerate overnight

5.      Dump all of the dressing ingredients into a container (I use a small ball jar) and shake well

6.      Chop up all of the veggies and add to the quinoa along with the feta cheese, top with the dressing and mix well, refrigerate until ready to eat