Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant

I overestimated how much eggplant and tomato sauce I needed for last night's eggplant parmesan, so I had a bunch of leftover ingredients. Since I have a 5K race coming up tonight, I decided to carb up a little with Tyler Florence's Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant recipe. And just to throw in some protein and a bit more flavor, I added some turkey bacon, prosciutto, oregano, thyme, a bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. It was a delightfully light and tasty meal that will hopefully keep me warm through tonight's run. Brr...

Eggplant Parmesan, Pear and Arugula Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

It's Fall! Hooray!! For running, this is my favorite time of year. The air has turned crisp and cold, and I revel in the sound of crunching leaves under my feet. So, the best fuel for these autumnal runs for me are heartier warm meals with the in-season vegetables. Tonight's menu was Eggplant Parmesan with a side of Pear and Arugula Salad dressed with a Honey Dijon Vinaigrette. Essentially, I adapted Giada's Vegetable Parmesan. And my favorite part of this recipe is that the eggplant is grilled instead of it being traditionally breaded then pan-fried. With this method, the texture and true flavor of the eggplant really comes through. Also, I got to control how much low-fat cheese goes into the dish. To jazz up the flavor, I added onions, garlic powder, oregano, prosciutto, chili pepper, fresh basil, and panko bread crumbs (instead of regular bread crumbs) along the top of the last layer. This meal totally hit the spot!

Lastly, don't underestimate the value of making your own vinaigrette. It's really easy, all-natural, healthier, and much tastier. Tonight's vinaigrette was just dijon mustard, honey, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper whisked together. Zesty, fresh, and the perfect accompaniment to the meal.

Swordfish with Citrus Pesto, Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts

I know...I really need to work on my plating skills, because that picture doesn't look appetizing. But, let me assure you that it was SO delicious. Nothing tastes better than in-season fish, especially because it's cheaper. So, last night's dinner was Swordfish with Citrus Pesto a la Giada de Laurentiis. All I can say is yum. It was so tender, juicy, and fresh. And I'm always a fan of making my own pesto, because I can control the level of oil that goes in it.

I'm also becoming an increasingly enthusiastic fan of quinoa as a rice alternative. Normally, I'll use brown rice as a side carb, but that's very nutty and hearty. If I want something much lighter, I'll reach for quinoa because it's just as good for you, but isn't as heavy. It's also very absorbant of other flavors, so I cooked it with some sauteed onions. Then, folded toasted pecans and leftover chopped basil in the end for freshness and crunch. Grilled fish and light grains = summery yummy goodness.

Moules a la Mariniere, Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette

Last night was all about cooking with wine, because I had a bunch of open bottles in the fridge. Plus, I didn't feel like getting wasted on a thursday night. Who knew that it would be so flavorful, healthy, and most of all...easy! We're lucky enough to be living down the street from a 99 ranch market that sells a heap of fresh seafood for cheap. So, we ended up with Moules a la Mariniere (Steamed Mussels in White Wine) and a Fresh Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette. My mussels recipe ended up being a hybrid of Emeril's recipe and Bobby Flay's recipe. It didn't have any butter or heavy cream, but it had all of Emeril's spices plus Bobby's spices. The end product turned out to be this spicy, extremely flavorful broth. And trust me...it's all about the broth with this dish because it flavors the mussels too. I loved it. And, the absolutely delighted look that Raquel gave me when she walked through the door to our place smelling like a French bistro was priceless.

Chocolate Mocha Panna Cotta

A decadent meal needs a decadent dessert. And this Chocolate Mocha Panna Cotta, adapted from Giada's Espresso Panna Cotta, rounded out our dinner from the last post. There is no real way to make this dessert that healthy, other than to share one serving. But, I did use skim milk, light cream, and added fresh blueberries to the original recipe. Also, I don't have anything against using espresso, but I know that Raquel would be awake till 3 am if I used it. So, I substituted chocolate mocha cocoa powder. Luckily, all the changes didn't really sacrifice flavor or texture. The dessert was delightfully light, silky, and creamy. Judging from how Raquel was wolfing it down, I don't think I'm going to get away with sharing only one serving next time.

Prosciutto Wrapped Dates, Asparagus Riesling Risotto, and Cauliflower Bacon Gratin

Tonight's dinner was definitely very decadent. But, I went all out for two reasons: 1. I've been sick for 5 days and haven't eaten much of anything, 2. I wanted to give Raquel a big thank you for taking care of me when I was sick. However, even though I wanted to indulge, it wasn't completely over the top with the minor adjustments I made to each recipe. Here's the menu: Prosciutto-wrapped Dates, Asparagus Riesling Risotto, Cauliflower Bacon Gratin . All of the recipes were courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis, and I have to admit that I'm becoming a real fan of her food (so is Raquel). Also, I know it seems that there was a lot of bacon in the meal, but in actuality I used a lot of prosciutto and turkey bacon. Prosciutto still has that nice saltiness to it, but with a lot less fat than bacon since it's dry cured. Plus, since it's so thinly sliced, I think it crisps up better. Onto my modifications:

Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates:

Throw them in the oven at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Asparagus Riesling Risotto:

-I didn't have champagne lying around, so I used dry riesling. Any white wine will do.

-This recipe is perfect, I'd follow it exactly.

Cauliflower Bacon Gratin:

-use 98% fat free turkey bacon

-use light cream

-skip the bread crumbs

-skip the olive oil at the end

-use low-fat sharp cheddar instead of gruyere

I do realize that the Cauliflower Bacon Gratin pic isn't that appetizing. Next time, I'll work on the plating. It's good to be well again....Note to self, don't go for long runs in the rain, my immune system won't hold up.

Misoyaki Butterfish

So it seems that my brother has finally decided to cave into blogging. And like the good sister that I am, I'll trumpet Goo Grindz birth to the blog world and am welcoming it with open arms. Welcome Gogo! But, let it also be known that I got here a year and a half before him. ;) Funnily enough, his blog is also food-centric, but in a different way from Jog In Ocean. It must run in the family.

Anyway, in honor of his blogging attempts to promote the regional Hawaiian cuisine, I'm posting this recipe for Misoyaki Butterfish. When I was growing up, this was my favorite bento item to pick up from Shirokiya. It's definitely named butterfish for a reason, because it always flakes off and practically melts on my tongue. So when I saw Sablefish or Black Cod (also known as butterfish) on sale, I had to cook it and introduce the dish to Raquel. She loved it, and it's been filed in her top three favorite dishes. I knew I pick a girl with good taste. Serve it with a side of crisp, fresh salad topped with my Miso Vinaigrette, and you've got yourself a little taste of my childhood.