Category Archives: Appetizer

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tenderloin

July 22, 2017Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, The Recipe Reduxchefmichelle

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tenderloin
The Recipe Redux – July, 2017: Beat the Heat with the Slow Cooker/Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

During the warmer months the last thing we want to do is turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. By using your slow cooker, we can cook up our food without also heating up the whole room, and ourselves, in the process. There’s no watching over everything cooking to like when cooking on the stovetop too. With a slow cooker just set it and forget it. Work on some gardening or socializing while your meal simmers away!

Pulled pork tastes great in tacos, burritos and fresh salads. You can even toss some into your morning omelet along with some fresh tomato salsa and grilled or sauteed veggies.

For this recipe I recommend using a lean cut of pork like tenderloin. There will be less fat than if using many other cuts of pork, but still plenty of delicious flavor.

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, pulled pork, taco, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, counseling, healthcare, gluten free, IBS — Crock Pot Pulled Pork with salsa, lime yogurt and cilantro on corn tortillas

INGREDIENTS
2 small Pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
1 medium Onion, diced small
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon Cumin, whole or ground
.5 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
.25 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
.25 teaspoon EACH salt and pepper
1 cup Chicken broth, low-sodium
.25 cup Ketchup
1 tablespoon Molasses
.25 cup Apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Mustard, whole-grain

PREPARATION
Add pork and onion to a crock pot or slow cooker set on low. To a medium mixing bowl add rest of ingredients and whisk to mix. Pour sauce over pork and onion. Close cooker lid and cook on low until the pork is cooked through to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 4 hours.

Carefully transfer the pork tenderloins to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. Increase the heat in crock pot to high and cook the sauce uncovered to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes.

Shred the pork into large chunks with 2 forks. Return meat to the sauce. Toss well to coat pork with sauce.

Makes about 8-10 servings.
Serving size: 3-4 ounces of pork

Go Med 7-Layer Party Dip

May 14, 2017Appetizer, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Go Med 7- Layer Party Dip

Disclaimer: I received free samples of Sabra Hummus mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Sabra and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

May 13th was National Hummus Day. Forgot to celebrate? That’s OK, since hummus can make for a delicious plant based protein source, it’s a great food option on just about any day of the year. With so many different flavor varieties available, it’s hard to get bored with it too. No surprise it’s often a favorite at parties and social gatherings.

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, counseling, healthcare, gluten free — Go Med 7-Layer dip

Layered dips are always a party favorite. Most are made with Mexican-influenced ingredients. This recipe takes a fun Mediterranean spin on the classic. Gluten-free and vegetarian, it will satisfy a greater number of your party-goer’s dietary needs than most other dishes. It’s fast and easy to make, too.

For this recipe I used Skyr yogurt to save a step. Skyr contains much less water than Greek yogurt. If you substitute with Greek, you will want to strain the yogurt a few hours with cheese cloth and a strainer before adding it to the dip, otherwise your dish will become watery.

INGREDIENTS
1 – 15oz can Chick peas, rinsed, dried
2 containers Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus
1.5 cups Romaine lettuce, cut into thin strips
1.5 cups Yogurt, Skyr, plain (about 3 serving containers)
1 large Lemon, zested and juiced
1.5 cups Cucumber, English, diced
1.25 cups Tomatoes, grape, quartered
1 medium Scallion, sliced into rings
.25 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
.25 cup Black olives, sliced

PREPARATION
Add chick peas to small mixing bowl. Carefully scrape out pine nut topping from the center of the Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus and add to the chick peas. Slowly pour the flavor oil from the Sabra Hummus container onto the chickpeas as well. Toss chick peas in the pine nuts and oil to coat. Set aside.

To an 8×8 glass container add the remaining Sabra Roasted Pine Nut hummus. With a spatula, spread the hummus so that it evenly covers the bottom of your container. This is your dip’s bottom layer.

Add the chopped Romaine lettuce, spreading evenly over the top of the hummus layer.

Zest and juice the lemon. To a medium mixing bowl, add the yogurt with all the lemon zest and stir to combine. Evenly spread the yogurt mixture layer over the lettuce layer.

Add a layer of the chopped cucumber on top of the yogurt. Take 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and drizzle it over the cucumbers. Reserve the remaining lemon juice for another use.

On top of the cucumber add the seasoned chick peas, making sure to spread layer evenly.

Top the chick peas with a layer of chopped tomato.

Top the tomato layer with the sliced scallions, olives and feta cheese.

Refrigerate dip for a couple of hours before serving so flavors can meld.

Serve chilled with your favorite chips.
Makes a boat-load of servings (20)!

What are some of your favorite party dishes?

Roasted Veggies with Carrot-Top Pesto

April 22, 2017Appetizer, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Soup, The Recipe Redux, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Roasted Veggies with Carrot-Top Pesto
Recipe Redux – April, 2017: Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Did you know that the most nutritious part of a beet is the is the greens at the top of the plant and not the ruby red root below?!

That’s right, it is.

The same holds true for other root vegetables, including carrots. The leafy green tops on a carrot are incredibly nutrient dense. Sadly, most people throw these incredibly valuable parts away.

Don’t follow the crowd and toss these nutritious greens out with the trash. Instead, toss them into your recipes in the kitchen!!!

But how exactly do you prepare those carrot top greens?

One way to use them is in your vegetable stock. That’s an really good use for the bottom part of the greens, especially when they are on the tough side.

But an even tastier idea for the softer stems and the leafy green parts: throw those carrot greens into a tasty garlic pesto. You won’t believe how delicious the pesto will be using carrot greens in place of basil. And imagine the money you can save using something you normally throw away in place of expensive bunches of basil! The recipe uses both the lemon juice and zest, so nothing is wasted from your citrus either.

This carrot top pesto tastes great tossed with roasted veggies; it really gives them an extra big punch of flavor. This recipe also yields way more pesto than your veggies will need. Use the extra pesto as a sandwich spread, or as your sauce with regular or zucchini pasta.

A little bonus: I managed to find these beautiful white onions with their tops also attached at the grocery. I took some of its whiter greens, sliced them and added them to the roasted veggies as well. the remaining greens I will throw in a stir fry later this week. Waste not, want not!

INGREDIENTS
2 bunches Carrots, with green tops
2 small Onions, white, peeled, sliced into eighths
1/4 cup Olive oil, divided
1 bunch Parsley, fresh, rinsed
2-3 large Garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 small Lemon, juiced and zested

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the green tops off of the carrots and rinse the greens and carrots well. Set aside the carrot greens.

In a medium roast pan toss carrots and cut onion in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Roast the veggies for 30-40 minutes, or until al dente.

Separate the softer greens from the hard part of the carrot greens. Save the hard green stem parts for stock making at a future time by placing in a sealed ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer.

To a food processor add the softer carrot green tops, plus the parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest and process to combine ingredients. Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil while processing. Use a rubber spatula to remove pesto from processor container.

Toss all the roasted vegetables in 1/4 cup of the carrot pesto. Serve warm.

Refrigerate the remaining pesto for future use. The pesto can keep 5 days in the refrigerator.

Makes 4 servings roasted vegetables and about 2 cups pesto.

Homemade Tacos

February 22, 2017Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, The Recipe Redux, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Homemade Tacos
The Recipe Redux – February, 2017: Taco Tuesday

Tacos are a favorite dish in many households, including mine. They are almost as much fun to assemble as they are to eat.

But most people rely on processed tortillas as the base for their tacos. I am here to tell you – STOP!

Make your own tortillas from scratch instead.

Making tortillas from scratch is so easy, and so incredibly inexpensive too. For one large bag of Masa Harina (corn flour) you pay about 4-5 dollars, and could make over a hundred corn tortillas. That is cheaper than one package of store-bought processed tortillas, and each one will be tastier too. So good, you may decide to make tacos the meal of choice for more than just on Tuesdays!

When making the tortilla dough, it is important to kneed it well. Because corn flour has no gluten you can’t overwork it, so squeeze away with no worries. For a little added romance, kneed with a friend!

The taco seasoning works really well with chicken breast, pork tenderloin, any white fish, extra-firm tofu or tempeh. For tofu, it is a good idea to freeze then thaw the tofu before using. The freezing process changes the tofu texture so it has a more meaty consistency.

You will notice in the recipe Ingredients section I have a couple of options for salsa and guacamole listed. I especially love the Pineapple Mango Salsa with fish, and the Fruity Guacamole is killer with pork. Go ahead and mix and max whichever way your heart desires.

Happy Taco Tuesday! Which flavor combo will you try?

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Masa Harina
3/4 cup Water, plus extra if needed
pinch of Salt
1 pound Chicken, Fish, Pork OR Extra-firm tofu, cut into thin strips
1.5 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup Fresh Tomato Salsa OR Pineapple Mango Salsa
1 cup Guacamole OR Fruity Guacamole
1 cup Lettuce, shredded
1 cup Black beans, cooked

PREPARATION
To a large plastic ziploc bag, add your cut protein of choice and taco seasoning. gently toss ingredients to coat protein. Seal bag and store in refrigerator until ready to cook.

To a medium mixing bowl, add the Mesa, water and a pinch of salt. Mix together by health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, chef, healthy kitchen, healthcare, medical insurance, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, diet, weight loss, recipe, couneling, healthcare, gluten free, taco, seasoning, spices, mexican, vegan, vegetarian squeezing ingredients together with your hands until a dough forms. If too dry, add another teaspoon or two of water. Divide batter into 10 even pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball.

Heat a long skillet to medium and lightly spray with oil. Wrap a piece of plastic wrap around the top and bottom plates of a tortilla press. Place one of the balls in the center of the press bottom. Gently press the press cover onto the ball, so to flatten it out and form a tortilla. Slowly lift press cover.

Peel tortilla from plastic wrap and place on heated skillet. Cook 30 seconds and flip. Cook 30 seconds and flip again. Cook another 30 seconds then place cooked tortilla into a tortilla holder to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining dough. If skillet is big enough, cook more than one tortilla at a time.

Raise skillet temperature to medium-high. Remove protein from fridge. Cook on preheated skillet, turning occasionally, until protein of choice is fully cooked through. Add protein to serving bowl and allow to rest a few minutes before serving.

To assemble Taco: On to 1 tortilla spread 1.5 tablespoons guacamole. Then layer 1.5 tablespoons each lettuce and black beans. Add 1-2 strips of protein, then top with 1.5 tablespoons of salsa.

Serves 4.

How to Cook Eggplant

September 21, 2016Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, The Recipe Redux, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

How to Cook Eggplant
The Recipe Redux – September, 2016: First Cooking Recollections

Growing up I was lucky enough to have a dad that was a real wiz in the kitchen. He was Classical French trained, and he even cooked in a couple restaurants during college to help pay for his tuition. I remember him being really good at creating tasty dishes made up from whatever he found on hand in the kitchen. And since my mom did most of the grocery shopping, for him it really was a surprise of what foods he would have to work with in the refrigerator.

Health, wellness, eggplant, nutrition, nutritionist, dietitian, recipe, dinner, entree, vegetable, Portsmouth New Hampshire, chef — Roasted Eggplant tossed with Chicken Sausage, sauteed spinach and gluten-free Pasta. Topped with fresh grated Italian Parmesan.

One of my favorite foods dad prepared was eggplant. Whether grilled, roasted, baked or fried, his eggplant was always delicious. Sometimes he would restuff the eggplant shell with eggplant and other vegetables and roast – incredible!

Outside of the home, there have been many times where eggplant tasted on the bitter side. But never was one bite of my dad’s. He always managed to avoid that issue entirely.

How? His secret: before cooking, always make your eggplant “weep”.

Health, wellness, nutrition, dietitian, nutritionist, Portsmouth new Hampshire, Healthy kitchen, chef — Weepy Eggplant makes the tastiest dishes!

Yes, weepy eggplant makes for happy diners! Simply salt and rest your eggplant slices, and soon the salt will draw out all the bitterness from your eggplant. It’s so easy.

I prefer to layer the eggplant slices in between sheets of paper towels or coffee filters to help absorb all the moisture that will be drawn out of the eggplant by the salt. If you prefer not to use either option, you could just salt the eggplant slices, wait 30 minutes, and then rinse eggplant.

Whether grilled or roasted, having cooked eggplant on hand is great. Toss it with pasta, layer it into sandwiches, or serve it up on its own as a delicious side dish.

Did you know that eggplant is technically a berry fruit and part of the nightshade family? Well, now you do!

INGREDIENTS

eggplant, nutrition, nutritionist, dietitian, recipe, cooking, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, Portsmouth New Hampshire, healthy kitchen, chef — Eggplant slices, “wept” and ready for cooking

2 medium Eggplants, stem removed, sliced
1/3 – 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Olive oil OR
2-3 cups Tomato sauce, low sodium

PREPARATION
On a large plate lay out a paper towel sheet or 2 coffee filters. On top of the towel/filters place slices of eggplant in a single layer. lightly salt the eggplant, then cover salted slices with another paper towel sheet or 2 more coffee filters. Add another eggplant layer on top of your first pile, salt, cover and repeat process until you have used all the eggplant slices.

Let eggplant slices sit for 20-30 minutes, so that the salt draws out some of their moisture into the paper towels or coffee filters.

Separate the eggplant slices from the towels/filters. Discard the used paper towels and coffee filters. Rinse the eggplant to remove any excess salt and towel dry.

To grill eggplant: Toss eggplant in olive oil. Grill eggplant over medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly.

To Roast Eggplant: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add a small layer of tomato sauce to a large baking dish. Add a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Add more sauce on top of the eggplant slices. Add another layer of eggplant in the dish. repeat the process until you have no more eggplant, making sure to have enough sauce to cover the top layer of eggplant.

Bake until eggplant is thoroughly cooked, about 45-55 minutes.

health, nutrition, dietitian, nutritionist, wellness, recipe, eggplant, roasted, Portsmouth New hampshire, chef, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian — Delicious Roasted Eggplant with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce

What’s your favorite way to eat eggplant?

Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

July 22, 2016Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Salad/Side, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)chefmichelle

Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
The Recipe Redux – July, 2016: Get your Fruits and Veggies in Shape

Here’s the problem with pasta in a healthy, balanced diet: When properly portioned, a single serving is so ridiculously tiny on your plate, you think someone is trying to starve you. That’s why with pasta it is really easy to find yourself overeating your starch portions.

Here’s my easy solution: mix in delicious veggie noodles, or “zoodles,” along with the grain-based pasta. Now you can have your big plate full of noodles, and feel good about it too. It is really fast and easy to make zoodles out of zucchini, as long as you have the proper slicer or spiralizer tool on hand. If fact, you can probably make the zoodles faster than you can bring the pot of pasta water to boil for the noodles!

salad, vegetable, pasta, noodles, zucchini, zoodles, buckwheat, multiveggie, gluten, celiac, nutrition, health, wellness, diet, registered dietitian, michelle moreau, Portsmouth, NH, chef, healthcare, medical, diabetes, celiac, weight loss, multiveggie, fiber, rainbow, healthy kitchen, chef, recipe — Salad and Sauce ingredients awaiting mixing and tossing

I love the color contrast between the black rice noodles and the zoodles. They sure do taste great together too.

zoodle, noodle, asian, zucchini, pasta, multiveggie, vegetables, vegan, vegetarian, diet, registered dietitian, michelle moreau, healthy kitchen, health, wellness, cardiac, diabetes, weight loss, celiac, gluten, healthcare, medical, counseling — Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

Can’t find black rice noodles? Then substitute with buckwheat pasta; you won’t have as much color contrast but it will still have delicious flavor (do make sure there’s no wheat in either noodle variety if you want dish gluten-free). If you are using brown or white pasta noodles I suggest substituting black sesame seeds for the white for more color contrast on your plate.

rice, pasta, zoodles, health, wellness, fiber, multiveggie, diet, salad, registered dietitian, nutritionist, healthcare, insurance, medical, michelle moreau, healthy kitchen, weight loss. diabetes, celiac, cardiac, gluten, vegan, vegetarian — Black Rice Pasta – fresh out of the package!

This pasta salad includes a rainbow in veggie colors. Any meal you can squeeze in a whole bunch of antioxidants I say is a meal put to good use!

pasta, multiveggie, salad, vegetables, vegan, vegetarian, gluten, health, wellness, rainbow, healthy kitchen, chef, diet, registered dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, medical, insurance, counseling, healthcare, diet, weightloss, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, gluten — Great for your next picnic, lunchbox or group gathering

The secret to the best peanut sauce is using a great Asian spice blend. Here’s the one I usually use:

health, wellness, diet, dietitian, nutritionist, new hampshire, NH, Portsmouth, michelle moreau, chef, wellness, healthcare, diet, medical, insurance, celiac, cardiac, diabetes, gluten, vegan, vegetarian — Shichimi Togarashi (Red Pepper Mix) with Red Pepper, Roasted Orange Peel, Black Sesame Seed, Yellow Sesame Seed, Japanese Pepper, Seaweed, Ginger

I love this stuff! It adds great flavor and heat to practically any Asian dish, and a little goes a long way. It is one of my kitchen’s secret weapons, and now it can be one of yours too. I have seen it for sale in some regular grocery stores down South and out West in the US, but in the Northeast I only seem to find it available in Asian specialty stores. It’s worth the trip to the specialty store to have this included in your culinary arsenal.

INGREDIENTS

peanut, health, wellness, diet, registered dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, multiveggie, chef, recipe, rainbow, fiber, salad, healthcare, insurance, Portsmouth, NH, medical, diet, counseling — Asian Noodle Zoodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

4 ounces Black Rice Pasta
2 teaspoons Olive oil
2 large Zucchini
1 large Red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup Tomatoes, grape, yellow, sliced
1 large Carrot, shredded
2 large Scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Cilantro, fresh, minced
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds, white

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons Tamari, low-sodium
2 tablespoons Peanut butter, creamy
2 tablespoons Lime juice
1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Water
2 teaspoons Honey
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
1 tablespoon Ginger, fresh, minced
2 medium Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon Asian spice blend

PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Break pasta in half to shorten, add to boiling water and cook until al dente.

While pasta cooks, cut zucchini into long, thin, noodle strands. Set aside.

Once cooked, strain pasta from water with a colander, then add pasta to a large mixing bowl. Toss pasta with olive oil to coat. Add the cut zucchini, pepper, tomato, carrot, scallion, cilantro and sesame seeds and lightly toss to mix.

In a medium mixing bowl add all the sauce ingredients. Whisk everything together until thoroughly combined.

Pour sauce over noodles. Toss to coat salad entirely with sauce. Refrigerate for at least an hour so that the flavors meld. Serve cold or room temperature

Makes 6 servings.

zucchini, zoodles, noodles, pasta salad, multiveggie, gluten, vegan, vegetarian, celiac, diabetes, cardiac, weight loss, diet, registered dietitian, nutrition, nutritionist, michelle moreau, Portsmouth, NH, seacoast, diet, recipe, healthy kitchen, wellness, healthcare, medical, counseling — Making fresh Zoodles with special slicer

Healthy in the Kitchen

Every Meal is Opportunity to Nourish your Body