Tag Archives: arugula

Pesto Potato Salad

September 7, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Instead of basil, this pesto is made with arugula and adds a nice tang to the salad. Sometimes instead of the yukon gold potatoes I use unpeeled new potatoes and the recipe is just as delicious !

8 servings
208 calories per serving

2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
2 ½ c arugula leaves
1/3 c parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 c pine nuts, toasted
3 T water
2 t lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ t salt
½ t pepper
¼ c olive oil
1 c grape tomatoes, halved

Cook potatoes covered in salted water 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Then peel the potatoes and cube them. Here is a great video on how to easily boil and peel potatoes.

In a food processor mix arugula, 1/3 c cheese, 1/3 c pine nuts, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper then slowly add the oil and mix thoroughly. Pour mix over potatoes and stir in tomatoes. Serve at room temperature.

Chicken, Lunch, Salads

Chicken Salad with Artichokes

August 30, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Lunch salads don’t have to be the same boring thing day in and day out. This one has marinated grilled chicken and artichokes giving it a great Italian flavor.

2 servings
390 calories per serving

½ c lite Italian dressing
½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 c torn arugula
2 c torn romaine leaves or other greens
14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts
2 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
4 fresh basil leaves cut into strips

Pour ¼ c dressing over chicken and refrigerate ½ hour. Heat grill and cook chicken 6-8 minutes each side or until done then cut into strips. Combine arugula and lettuce and top with artichokes, chicken, tomatoes, cheese, basil and the rest of the dressing.

Dinner, Fish

Cat Cora’s Truffled Halibut (Masterchef)

August 27, 2010 admin 18 Comments

Last night I was watching Masterchef and the most awesome looking recipe was cooked ! It was Cat Cora’s Truffled Halibut, which in recipe books by Cat Cora is also referred to as Pan Seared Halibut with Sweet Corn Zabaglione.

Today I am going to make an exception and list a recipe here that comes in higher than 400 calories – this one just looks too exquisite to miss. And it’s just a few calories over 400 – barely enough to count 😉 With all original ingredients this one comes in at around 850 calories per serving. But by using fat free half and half instead of heavy cream and frying the zabaglione onions in Pam and some water instead of oil , you can come in at about 449 calories – not bad at all for a gourmet dish.

As soon as I make this, I will post pictures – for now, I just wanted to get the recipe up for you.

4 servings
449 calories per serving

Sweet Corn Zabaglione (cream sauce)
Pam
1-3 T water (instead of oil)
1/2 c fresh yellow corn kernels (about 1 ear)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c fat free half and half (instead of heavy cream)
1 egg yolk
Kosher salt to taste

Halibut
2 T olive oil
4 6 ounce halibut fillets
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 c arugula, stems removed
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c thinly sliced red onion
1/4 c fresh yellow corn kernels (about 1/2 an ear)
1/2 c fava beans

Prepare the cream sauce – Heat a skillet and spray with Pam and cook corn and garlic 4 minutes. Add the half and half and simmer on very low heat 10 minutes. Because the half and half has no fat, you have to be careful to not let this come to a boil.

Transfer all to a blender and puree until smooth and then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Bring 1 inch of water to boil in a double boiler and pour the corn puree into a bowl and whisk in the egg yolk then place in the top pan of the double boiler and whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

If you do not want to go out and buy a double boiler, you can carefully fit together 2 sauce pans and accomplish the same thing – the main purpose of a double boiler is to make sure the pan with the food in it does not come in direct contact with the heat – it is like cooking with indirect heat. It is much gentler for sauces and other preparations. So just fill the bottom pan with a bit of water, rest a smaller pan on top making sure it does not touch down to to the other pan. It takes some coordination, but it can be done 😉

For the fish – Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T oil to very hot and them saute fish 2 minutes per side being sure to get a nice golden sear on each side. Transfer to oven and bake 5-6 minutes to cook all the way through.

Bring 2 c of water to a boil and boil the shelled fava beans for just a minute or 2 to soften them some.

Toss together arugula, beans, tomatoes, onion and corn and mix with 1 T oil, salt and pepper.

Divide the cream sauce on dishes, plate the fish atop it and add the salad bits to the top.

Dinner, Fish, Summer

Grilled Scallops with Balsamic

July 26, 2010 admin 2 Comments

The combination of herbs along with the balsamic glaze was just fantastic. Scallops are such a sweet shellfish and this is a great recipe to showcase their great flavor.

4 servings
244 calories per serving

1 lb. sea scallops
¼ c oil
2 T fresh mint
2 T flat leaf parsley
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T parmesan cheese
1 t shredded lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 c baby arugula
Pam

Rinse scallops and pat dry. Mix oil, mint, parsley, 2 T vinegar, cheese, lemon peel and garlic. Place scallops in a Ziploc bag and pour in the oil mix and marinate the scallops 2-4 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat broiler. Drain scallops. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and broil scallops 4 minutes each side or until done. In a saucepan bring 2 T vinegar to a boil and simmer 4-5 minutes. Serve scallops over arugula and drizzled with the reduced vinegar.

Alternately grill the scallops in a grill basket until done.

Dinner, Fish

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula

June 21, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What an excellent meal ! The bitter arugula offset the sweet tomatoes and shrimp just perfectly. And at 144 calories per serving – – EAT UP 🙂

4 servings
144 calories per serving

1 T plus 1 t oil
1 c grape tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
4 oz. baby arugula (4 c)
Coarse salt and pepper
1 T lemon juice

Heat oil and add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes then add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until almost done, about 4 minutes. Add arugula, salt and pepper and toss until the arugula wilts some. Finally add lemon juice, toss, and serve.

Dinner, Fish, Italian, Pasta

Pasta, Argula and Shrimp

April 21, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The bitter arugula along with the garlic and shrimp was a perfect taste combination to place over pasta. And using FiberGourmet pasta means this dish comes in at under 400 calories !

4 servings
330 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet fettuccine noodles (without FiberGourmet, this recipe comes in over 400 calories)
2 T garlic clove, minced
1 ¼ t black pepper
½ t salt
5 oz. baby arugula
Water for boiling pasta
1 T oil
½ lb. shrimp, peeled, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise
2 T shallots, minced
¾ c chicken broth
2 T lemon juice
1 T butter
½ c shaved parmesan or romano cheese

Combine 2 T garlic, 1 t pepper. ¼ t salt and arugula. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and add to the arugula mix. Heat oil and cook shrimp 1 minute with the rest of the salt and pepper. Add the rest of the garlic and the shallots to the pan and cook another minute and them remove from the pan and set aside. If a lot of juices accumulated from using frozen shrimp, you can dump them. Cook broth and juice in the same pan for 5 minutes and then return shrimp to the pan and stir and then remove from heat and stir in the butter. Place pasta on plates and place shrimp mixture over the top and then add cheese and serve immediately.