Tag: dinner

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Croutons

When I think of fall cooking, I think of pumpkins and apples and butternut squash! In the past few weeks, I’ve given you a pumpkin and an apple recipe, so I owe you a butternut squash one.

This recipe is particularly easy and especially delicious. It’s for Roasted Butternut Squash soup! It’s also hearty and perfect for the crisp weather. It can be eaten alone — a meal in and of itself — or you can enjoy it alongside a sandwich or a salad. Actually, it’s a perfect starter for your Thanksgiving dinner!

It requires only a handful of ingredients which you likely have on hand — with the exception of the fresh sage . . . And, the fresh sage is really what sets it apart.

I think sage is particularly comforting. Or maybe it’s just that the smell reminds me of the holidays, specifically Thanksgiving. In fact, sage makes an appearance in many traditional Thanksgiving dishes — from the seasoning on the turkey to the gravy to the stuffing (or dressing, depending on where you are from!). In the instance of this soup, the sage really complements the roasted, caramelized squash. It also tastes great infused in some croutons.

Speaking of croutons . . . this soups begs for a few. So, I included a recipe for those too!

Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Yields 6 cups, enough for a family of four

1, 3lb butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
8-10 fresh sage leaves, chopped (approximately 1 tablespoon)
6 cups of chicken stock (or non-tomato based vegetable stock)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In the meantime, arrange the butternut squash cubes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven until caramelized, approximately 20-30 minutes. Please keep in mind that the squash will not be fork tender when you remove it from the oven.

In a large pot over medium to low heat, add the remaining olive oil. Once the oil comes to temperature, add the chopped onion and celery and cook until translucent, approximately 5-7 minutes. Then add the chopped sage, salt and pepper to taste. Let the sage cook with the onions and celery for a few minutes so it infuses the vegetables. Then, add the roasted butternut squash and the chicken stock. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the vegetables simmer on low until everything is fork tender, approximately 20 minutes. Then, in two batches, add the soup mixture to the base of a blender and blend until smooth. Serve hot or refrigerate for a later date. Croutons make an excellent accompaniment. See the recipe below!

Homemade Sage Croutons

2-3 cups of day old bread (I used leftover ciabatta bread)
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 fresh sage leaves, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add bread, olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh sage to a baking sheet. Toss the bread so that it’s lightly coated with olive oil. Toast in the oven until the bread browns lightly, approximately 10 minutes.

Helpful Hint: If your soup is too thick, add a little extra stock to thin it out. This may happen if you boil the soup longer than you should and too much of the stock evaporates. It’s an easy fix provided you have some extra stock on hand — and worse case, you can always add some water.

October 24, 2016
Recipe on the Go: Greek Salad with Pearl Couscous

Creating a hearty salad is ideal for those nights when you are pressed for time! This Greek Salad with Couscous is packed with delicious veggies, hints of herbs and cheese — and pearl couscous, which makes it more filling. It’s the perfect side dish, but it can certainly stand in for an entree given the addition of the semolina pasta.

All it takes is some chopping — which you can do in advance. You can also make the couscous ahead of time and pop it in your refrigerator until you are ready to make the salad.

Top it with a light lemon-oregano vinaigrette and you are all set!

Feel free to modify this recipe. If you want, you can add some protein — beans or sliced chicken breast. You can also swap the couscous for a gluten-free grain, like quinoa. Farro, barley and orzo are also delicious options.

Greek Salad with Pearl Couscous

Makes a big bowl — enough for a family of 4 adults with leftovers!

1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup pitted and halved kalamata olives
1 cup cooked pearl couscous, cooled (I used whole wheat)
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 cup of feta cheese (either crumbled or cut into bite size chunks)

Dressing:
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
cracked black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, couscous, basil,parsley and feta cheese. Toss and reserve. In a separate smaller bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until the ingredients are coated with dressing. Serve room temperature or cold.

May 21, 2015
Meatless Shepherd’s Pie

Every year I make Shepherd’s Pie for St. Patrick’s Day. In keeping with the theme, I made it this year as well — but I tried my hand at a vegetarian version. Actually, I made two this year — one with meat and one without. I wanted a side-by-side comparison. Plus, it’s one of my husband’s favorite dishes, so I knew having two on hand wouldn’t be the worst thing!

Similar to our Meatless Bolognese, I substituted ground meat with baby portobello mushrooms. I also replaced the traditional mashed potato topping with our Cauliflower Mash. So, not only is this dish vegetarian, but it is also a great low carbohydrate option.

You can also make this recipe vegan if you skip the egg yolk and grated parmigiano-reggiano in the Cauliflower Mash, but since we do not follow a vegan diet, I incorporated both.

My husband, who is the barometer given his love for Shepherd’s Pie, gave me two thumbs up. Actually, he told me that I MUST post the recipe on our site. I agree. It’s so yummy and a totally acceptable substitute for the traditional meat version. While my kids preferred the meat pie, they didn’t turn their noses up at the veggie option.

So, if you are looking for a festive St. Patrick’s dish, or just a really delicious and hearty vegetarian (or vegan) entree, try our Meatless Shepherd’s Pie. We think you are going to love it!

Meatless Shepherd’s Pie
Serves four

For the filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces of baby portobello mushrooms (chopped — approximately 4 cups)
1 large carrot grated (approximately 1 cup)
1 large onion grated (approximated 1 cup)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
1/2 cup of chicken or veggie stock
1/2 cup of frozen peas
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce (Vegan version available)
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme (or fresh, but add a bit more)
1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary (or fresh, but add a bit more)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper

Topping:

2 cups of Cauliflower Mash
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup of grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a deep skillet over medium heat. Once it comes to temperature, add the chopped mushrooms. Let them begin to cook down a few minutes and then add the grated carrot, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook the veggies until the water evaporates, approximately 10 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and mix until incorporated. Deglaze the pan with the wine and the stock. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary and the frozen peas. Mix until combined. Test the mixture to see if you need more salt/pepper. Pour the mixture into a baker — I used an 8 inch by 11 inch baker.

Add two beaten egg yolks to your Cauliflower Mash along with 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Spoon cauliflower mixture over the mushroom mixture and spread evenly across the top. You can also add some extra grated cheese to the top to help brown the pie. Cook for 18-20 minutes and serve hot.

Helpful Hint: The cauliflower topping does not brown as easily as a potato topping — even after broiling for a bit. So, don’t be discouraged — it’s equally delicious!

March 16, 2015
Entertaining 101: Best Dishes for Feeding a Crowd

Now that we’ve got our planning down, let’s figure out what types of dishes are best for entertaining. When you are expecting a large crowd, individual portions become difficult to manage. Family style (or buffet style), is the way to go. But, what will you serve that will feed a crowd? You need dishes that spread.

Here are my suggestions for the types of recipes (appetizers to desserts!) that work best when entertaining a group of people.

Simple dips and crudite platters
You can make them in advance, and they can generally work for vegetarians and meat-eating folks. And, if you don’t have time to make your own dip or vegetable platter, you can purchase the individual items and assemble. There’s no shame in picking up a store bought hummus or guacamole. Do what works for you.

Pasta
A big bowl of pasta is hearty and can feed many. Make a homemade pesto or marinara or any other sauce of choice and top it onto your favorite pasta. We do not have dietary restrictions in our house, but some of our guests do, so we make brown rice pasta and semolina pasta — two big bowls — both with the same sauce. You can also make a baked pasta — a lasagna or stuffed shells — or baked manicotti (which is what my family eats during the holidays). Generally, kids and adults are both happy with it!

Salads
They will go a mile and everyone enjoys them. My recommendation is to make a green salad and a grain salad. Not everyone at your party may be well versed on farro and quinoa, but everyone can relate to a nice green salad. Make both. Throw some seasonal ingredients into them to make them more festive — like pomegranate seeds, cranberries, toasted walnuts. You get the picture.

Veggies
A big platter of vegetables is always welcomed. You can grill them and serve them along with other appetizers, including breads and cheeses. Or, you can include them on your buffet along with your other dinner items. You can never go wrong with grilled vegetables and they taste even better room temperature.

If it’s too cold to bust out your grill, try a roasted vegetable platter instead — beets, butternut squash, throw some nuts and maybe cheese on top. Yum!

Meat or Fish
This is a little more complicated because cooking meat and fish requires timing it, carving it, etc. That being said, if you don’t mind stealing away from your guests to do so, there are definitely some options. You can roast a whole fish or salmon fillets and arrange on a platter. You can also bake a ham or roast a whole filet mignon and serve it room temperature. I tend to include meat on my holiday table because the older crowd look for it, but I’m seriously considering skipping it this season — just to give myself a break and offer myself a chance to not cook while my guests are around.

Dessert
Well, dessert is easy. Make a big fruit crisp. You can make it in advance, and just pop it in the oven to warm it before serving (with ice cream, or whipped cream or nothing because it’s so delicious on it’s own!). You can make cookies or cupcakes or a cake or pie or two. Just don’t make too much. I prefer quality over quantity.

In addition to the sweets, put out some fruit and nuts as well. Not everyone will be up for a heavy dessert after a big meal.

I hope these tips help make your holiday entertaining a bit easier and a lot less stressful.

December 21, 2014
Make Ahead Breakfast: Easy Baked Frittata

I’m not a morning person. It’s hard enough for me to get up and ready and out the door, but squeezing in a healthy and nutritious breakfast is nearly impossible. However, you know what they say — breakfast is the most important meal of the day! So, over the next few weeks we are going to offer you some suggestions on healthy breakfasts that you can make ahead of time and, in some cases, ones that will stretch throughout the week.

We are starting with our Easy Baked Frittata. I make mine in a pie dish so it’s easier to divide and portion. Baking the frittata is so much easier than cooking it on the stovetop. You just pour the ingredients into a greased pie plate and pop it into the oven for approximately 20 minutes. I suggest making it on Sunday and slicing it throughout the week. Or, plan to make one when you know you will have leftovers to incorporate into the dish.

Our frittata has a few basic ingredients — eggs, milk, veggie/meat, cheese, salt and pepper. The picture you see to the right is made with leftover roasted vegetables and goat cheese. One of my favorite versions incorporates leftover roasted potatoes and onions and parmigiano-reggiano cheese. You can nix the cheese altogether and throw in more veggies. You can also add meat to the frittata. At the end of the day, you can really modify the frittata to your liking but the point is that you are making it in advance — and hopefully getting rid of leftovers in the process!

Additionally, a frittata is not only something you can enjoy for breakfast. It can be eaten for lunch or dinner alongside soup, such as our Roasted Potato Leek Soup, or alongside salad, such as our Shaved Fennel Salad.

Easy Baked Frittata
Yields 8 slices

8 large eggs
1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of cheese
1 cup of veggies (or meat)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In the meantime, grease a 9 inch pie plate. Beat eggs and milk until thoroughly combined. Add cheese, veggies and/or meat, salt and pepper. Mix until incorporated and pour into the prepared pie plate. Bake in the oven 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Helpful hint: We used a ceramic pie plate. Cooking times may vary depending on what your pie plate is made out of — metal or glass may take more or less time.

September 12, 2014
Summer Pasta with Fresh Tomato & Arugula

No one wants to turn on the stove to make tomato sauce in the summer. And, while the tomatoes are ripe, it’s the best time to try your hand at a fresh, uncooked tomato sauce. All of the ingredients in this sauce are raw. The only thing you need to cook is the pasta — the heat of which will help bring these raw ingredients to life and create a “sauce”!

The beauty of this dish is that it can be made in less than 30 minutes. And, you can decide what type of pasta works for your diet. I used a multi-grain pasta, but you can use any type of pasta that meets your family’s needs (just be mindful that not all pastas will translate well once cooled, such as corn pasta which may get gummy).

That being said, you can serve this pasta hot or cold — although I prefer eating it warm.

Summer Pasta with Fresh Tomato & Arugula

Serves 4-6 people, dinner portion

3 cups of chopped tomatoes (I used three medium-sized vine tomatoes)
2 cups of arugula, chopped
10 basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
salt and pepper, to taste
1, 1 lb box of penne pasta (my box was just under 1 lb and it worked perfectly fine!)

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

In the meantime, chop the tomatoes, arugula and basil and add to a large serving bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and crushed garlic in a separate small bowl, creating a dressing.

Cook pasta according to directions, remove once it is cooked al dente and drain in a colander. Add cooked pasta, while still warm, to large serving bowl with tomatoes, arugula and basil. Top with dressing and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Enjoy!

June 25, 2014
Our Favorite Farro Salad

Farro is an ancient grain, most commonly found and grown in Italy. It can be added to soups and salads, and if you’ve never tried it before, here’s the perfect introduction.

This farro salad has been eaten, adapted and shared by all three of us at Two Fit Moms. It’s a staple, the perfect side dish, great for barbecues and events — and everyone loves it. I make it about once a week during the summer when tomatoes are ripe and plentiful.

I can bet that my colleagues make certain additions and substitutions to make this salad their own — but I tried to capture the basic salad recipe here for you. You can feel free to jazz it up — adding chopped cucumbers, or a vidalia onion for a bit more sweetness or other chopped herbs.

Please let us know what you think of this recipe. We hope you love it as much as we do!

Our Favorite Farro Salad
serves a crowd, or 4-6 people with leftovers!

1, 14 ounce bag of farro (rinsed and drained)
4 1/2 cups of water
1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups of steamed string beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
1/3 cup of olive oil
3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 clove of garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

Add water, two teaspoons of salt and the farro to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium/high heat. Lower heat and let simmer for approximately 20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed and the farro is tender (but still firm). Drain the farro and add to a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and crushed garlic; whisk until combined. Add tomatoes, red onion, string beans and parsley to farro. Add the dressing to the farro salad (while still warm). Toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss again.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold (the longer it sits, the better it tastes!)

June 11, 2014
Lemon-Dijon Herbed Salmon

I’m going to be very honest with you. . . . I’ve never liked salmon.

In fact, I’m the only one in my family who would not eat it. Even my 2-year old likes it. Since I’m the odd man out, so to speak, I decided I needed to make a more concerted effort to try salmon. Plus, it’s healthy and good for your complexion (I’ve heard), so I decided to give it a try.

I chose wild salmon versus farm-raised salmon at the suggestion of a friend who believes wild salmon has a milder flavor. Plus, wild salmon is supposed to be the healthier option, albeit pricey (a bit of a splurge, and not something we eat every day).

I went to my local fish monger (luckily I have an amazing one in town), and I bought fresh, wild salmon. Then, I needed to find a good recipe because I think the key to good fish is good preparation. I can assure you that just throwing some lemon on top would not be appealing to me.

So, I searched the Internet looking for recipes, and cobbled together a marinade from what I had on hand in my refrigerator – lemon, garlic, dijon mustard, and parsley. Voila!

To my surprise, I really liked it. The whole family liked it! I’m not sure why — I guess it was just the right combination of flavors between the fresh lemon and parsley, the tangy mustard and spicy garlic. It was also cooked just right — not overdone, but moist.

Needless to say, I actually enjoyed the wild salmon. It was sort of a miracle! So, I figured, if I like it, you will too.

Here’s my recipe for Lemon-Dijon Herbed Salmon! Consider serving it with our Shaved Fennel Salad or Lemon-Garlic Scented Roasted Asparagus!

Lemon-Dijon Herbed Salmon
serves 4-6 people

2 lbs of wild salmon, cut into steaks
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced and zested
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, mustard, juice and zest of one lemon, salt and pepper.

Place wild salmon in a baking pan, lined with tin foil.

Evenly distribute marinade over each portion of fish.

Bake wild salmon for approximately 15 minutes, until firm, but moist. Serve immediately!

Helpful hint: Try making this recipe on the grill! You will still want to cook the wild salmon on tin foil. Try to keep the temperature of the grill at a constant 400 degrees. I noticed mine cooked a little sooner on the grill, closer to 10-12 minutes. Keep in mind, cooking times will vary depending on size and thickness of your wild salmon steak.

June 4, 2014
Smashed Potatoes

I love potatoes — mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, french fries, potatoes au gratin. The list goes on and on . . . .But, I also like easy recipes and ones that the whole family will enjoy. This recipe for smashed potatoes is really very simple. And, they are fun to make, because you get to smash the potatoes with a mug — almost as if you were making tostones.

However, nothing is fried, so this is a great healthy side dish. The potatoes are oven baked and seasoned with delicious smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. They are a great alternative to a roasted potato — and I market them as french fries to get my kids to eat them!

So, next time you are at the market, grab a bag of baby new potatoes (they can be white, Yukon gold, or red potatoes). And because all bags of potatoes seem to come in different weights, you choose the amount of olive oil and seasoning you put on them.

Smashed Potatoes

1 bag of baby new potatoes (I like the white or Yukon gold varieties)
A few tablespoons of olive oil
Smoked paprika
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Add cleaned potatoes to a pot of water. Bring the water and potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until potatoes are fork-tender — mine took about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and let them cool so that you can handle them.

In the meantime, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take a large cookie sheet and coat the bottom lightly with olive oil. Place potatoes on the cookie sheet a few inches apart so that you can allow them to spread when you smash them. With a flat bottomed coffee mug, push down on the potato until it flattens (check out the picture to the right). Once you have flattened all of the potatoes, drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over them and sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. There’s no precise measurement for the spices, but take a look at the picture in the header to get a sense of how much spice I used.

Bake until potatoes crisp up a bit – time will all depend on how many potatoes you have and their size, but 20 minutes is probably a good estimate.

Enjoy!

Helpful Hint: If you tend to be short on time in the evening, boil your potatoes during your morning routine. Drain them, and leave them on your countertop (or in the fridge, if you prefer) for smashing and oven roasting later.

May 28, 2014
Weeknight Marinara

Why would you open up a jar of marinara sauce when you can easily whip up a homemade batch? I know, it seems like way too much work, especially on a weeknight when time is limited, but I can guarantee, in just a few simple steps you will have a hearty tomato sauce (a double batch, in fact) that would put any jarred sauce to shame.

The beauty of this marinara, is that it only requires a few ingredients, all of which you likely already have in your pantry: canned tomatoes (I prefer crushed), olive oil, garlic, onion, dried herbs, salt and pepper.

And, you can modify it to your liking. If you have more time and can let the sauce cook for a few hours, throw in a bay leaf. If you like a spicy sauce add some crushed red pepper. If you prefer other herbs, throw in some oregano, parsley – and of course, use fresh herbs when they are available.

This marinara can also serve as the basis for other tomato-based sauces. Add some veggies and create your own primavera, or add some ground turkey, beef or sausage and you have a meat sauce . . . the possibilities are endless.

Weeknight Marinara

Yields enough for a pasta dinner for four with leftovers!

2, 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes (I use San Marzano, but you can use any brand that you like)

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

a few tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of dried basil (or oregano, parley, etc.)

salt and pepper to taste

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and let it cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic until lightly browned (but not burned!). Add the dried basil to the onion and garlic mixture — cooking it at this stage helps draw out its flavor. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. If your sauce is too thick, feel free to add some water (or wine) — I would start with 1/2 cup.

Let the sauce come to a full boil, and then reduce to low heat. Simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes. Serve over a pasta of your choice.

May 14, 2014