Hi, my name is Aileen and it’s great to see you here sharing my blog. I have been cooking since I was a teen. My Mom put a home cooked meal on the table every night and so do I (it’s a challenge when you work full time, but it is well worth it!). I love food – I love making it, I love eating it. I love how it brings people together. My most favorite thing to do is share a meal with family and friends. And we often end up talking about other food while we are eating this food.
There’s pretty much nothing I can’t make, though I really prefer cooking savory meals to baking. I have made it all from scratch at one time or another and still cook mainly this way. I have a discerning palate and a taste for spicing things just the right way. My recipes are definitely not bland and that helps when creating satisfying meals – your mouth knows it ate after it’s done with one of my meals
I am one of 5 Neon Pigs, a self named group of foodies. How did we get the name? We decided it was sooooo appropriate because everything right in the world exists in a BBQ joint with a neon pig hung in the window
I was blessed with a great metabolism and for years and years ate anything I wished without gaining an ounce. From 35 forward I gained a few pounds here and a few pounds there and then after age 40 my metabolism came to a screeching halt and I could just not get off the weight that had compounded with just plain exercise. A drastic plan was needed….so here I am, 40 something and trying to make my world right by creating recipes that satisfy yet still fall into a healthful lifestyle that I know I will have to now forever follow if I want to maintain a healthy body.
This was great served warm and equally as good chilled. The lemon and cilantro flavorings are what make this a really tasty side salad.
Zucchini with Lemon and Cilantro
4 servings
69 calories per serving
1 ½ lb. zucchini (about 3), cubed
1T oil
Coarse salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 T fresh cilantro, chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet and add the zucchini and toss then season with salt and pepper and cook about 5 minutes letting cubes brown a bit. Add lemon juice and cilantro and mix well. Season with more salt and pepper and serve.
Any kind of fish will do ! And these are a great change to the boring lunch sandwich. Whenever I have bits of fish leftover, I freeze them – then you can just defrost and do a quick reheat and you are ready to make tacos !
Fish Tacos
4 servings
370 calories per serving
½ jalapeno pepper finely chopped
2 T lime juice
1 T chopped cilantro
1 T oil
1 lb. firm white fish filet (halibut, orange roughy, etc.)
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
8 corn or flour tortillas
2 c shredded lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
Mix jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro and some salt. Heat oil in a skillet. Sprinkle fish with chili powder, cumin and some salt to taste and cool 5 minutes per side or until done. Warm tortilla according to package and them fill with fish, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Top with jalapeno mix.
Peppersteak is great no matter how you slice it 🙂 But this recipe really is a winner – the sauce made with coffee and balsamic turned an already savory dish into something just exquisite.
Texas Peppersteak
4 servings
226 calories per serving
½ t ground cumin
½ t ground coriander
½ t chili powder
¼ t salt
¾ t pepper
1 lb. boneless top sirloin steak, trimmed
1 clove garlic, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oil
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 t brown sugar
½ c brewed strong coffee
¼ c balsamic vinegar
Combine first five ingredients. Rub steak with cut garlic and then rub the spice mix into the steak. Heat 2 t of oil into a skillet and cook the steak 6-8 minutes per side or to desired doneness. Get a nice sear on the outside for extra flavor ! Remove steak from pan and tent with foil to keep warm. Add 1 t oil to the skillet and stir in the pepper and onions and cook 4 minutes then add the minced garlic and brown sugar and heat a minute before stirring in the coffee and vinegar. Heat 3-4 minutes. Slice steak into thin pieces and plate with pepper mix on top. Pour any sauce from pan over platter.
The grapes did not really ‘make’ the dish and the chicken could certainly be served on its own since the sauce was really tasty. But the grapes certainly made a more standard chicken dish into something special and definitely company worthy !
Chicken with Grapes
4 servings
229 calories per serving
2 t oil
4 5 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T flour
½ c dry white wine
¾ c chicken broth
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
¼ t rosemary flakes
2 c seedless red and green grapes, halved
3 T low fat sour cream
¼ c parsley, chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off any excess, but reserve it for later. Cook the chicken 3 minutes per side or until browned. Add the wine to the pan, increase heat to high and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, salt, rosemary and pepper and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add the grapes and cover and cook another 5 -7 minutes or until grapes are tender.
Whisk sour cream and any leftover flour. Stir into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes or until the broth is thickened. Plate chicken and add parsley to the sauce and then spoon it over the chicken.
Cobb Salads are one of my favorites – there are always lots of good substantial ingredients so you get filled up and the bacon flavor always permeates all the other ingredients. The goat cheese is a nice addition that you usually don’t find in a cobb salad.
Chicken Cobb Salad
3 servings
325 calories per serving
4 1/2 c shredded romaine lettuce
1 ¼ c cooked, shredded boneless skinless chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
2 hard boiled egg (yolks removed and whites chopped up)
1 tomato, chopped
2 T low fat crumbed goat cheese
2 slices turkey bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled
½ avocado, diced
3 T chopped green onions
½ c fat free ranch dressing
Divide the lettuce on plates, arrange an even amount of each of the ingredients onto each plate and drizzle with dressing.
Don’t let the fact that there is not a lot of cheese in these dissuade you – these are so very good and the fragrance of them under your nose while you are biting in makes them all the more better. Great as an appetizer or a snack or a side, these cheesy bread puffs are awesome !
Cheesy Spirals
8 servings
70 calories per serving
4 oz. can of low fat crescent rolls
¼ c chopped green onions
1/8 t garlic powder
¼ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from can but do not unroll it. Cut into 8 slices and place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet and place all the ingredients on top of the rolls and press down lightly. Bake 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.
‘Souvlaki’ is a Greek preparation of meat, usually skewered, and marinated in a lemon based sauce. Rather than the traditional side of tzatziki, this one has a side of a yogurt / tahini mix that ends up tasting like a cross between tzatziki and hummus. It was all quite delicious !
Pork Souvlaki
4 servings
279 calories per serving
1 lb. pork shoulder cut into ¾ inch cubes
3 T oil
¼ c plus 2 T fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges for serving
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T plain Greek yogurt
¼ c tahini
1-2 T water
Combine pork, oil and 2 T lemon juice with garlic and oregano then season with salt and pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 1-8 hours. Whisk yogurt, ¼ c lemon juice, tahini and 1-2 T water – enough to make the consistency like that of heavy cream. Heat a pan to high heat and cook pork until brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. If the pork releases too much moisture, make sure to dry out the pan a little by blotting with a couple of paper towels – if you don’t the meat won’t brown up and get all the tasty bits on the edges. Serve with yogurt sauce and lemon wedges.
This is exactly what is says – the flavor of black bean dip mixed with the flavor of hummus and it was quite good ! Serve with Triscuits or homemade pita chips for a great appetizer or snack !
Black Bean Hummus
1 ½ cups
43 calories per serving (1 serving = 2 T)
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 T tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 T low fat sour cream
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced tomato
1 T lime juice
1 t cumin
Pepper to taste
In a food processor mix all ingredients and process until smooth.
Easy to throw together and a very satisfying ‘bready’ dish. So if you’re in the mood for carbs – this is the one ! This makes a nice big try and really could easily be split into 8 servings so it’s a great breakfast for when you have overnight guests.
Sausage and Cheddar Casserole
6 servings
368 calories per serving
12 oz. turkey breakfast sausage, crumbled
2 c 1 % low fat milk
2 C Egg Beaters
1 t dry mustard
¼ t salt
½ t pepper
¼ t cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
16 slices lite wheat bread
1 c shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
¼ t paprika
Pam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet to medium high and spray the pan with Pam the add sausage and cook 5 minutes to brown it. Remove from skillet. Combine milk, egg beaters, mustard, salt, peppers and eggs and whisk until combined well. Take the crusts of the slices of bread and tear the bread into cubes and then mix with the sausage and cheese. Add to the milk mixture and then pour it all into a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with paprika and bake 45 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
A baked potato sounds simple enough but one not done right is bad…and one done good is just GREAT! What makes a good potato? A nice crispy salted skin and fluffy, perfectly cooked insides ! After many years of trying a dozen methods here is the one I like best…
Baked Potato
2 servings
160 calories per serving
2 medium baking potatoes
Salt
Molly McButter or I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
Chives
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash potatoes and poke several times with a fork. Salt the outside of the potatoes if you plan on eating the skins. Place in a microwave and oven safe dish and microwave on full power 7 minutes. Take dish from microwave and place in oven and cook 15 -30 minutes as you prep the rest of your dinner. If you have something else in the oven that needs it to be a little lower or higher temperature, no worries – the potatoes will be fine at the alternate temperature.
If you are using larger sized potatoes, increase the microwave time a few minutes.
Split potatoes and prepare with ICBINB spray and sprinkle with salt and chives. Another great low cal topping for potatoes is salsa – – for just 40 calories you can load a 1/2 cup on top of your potato !
