Tag Archives: recipe

Spicy Gochujang Butternut Squash

Posted on by
1

One of my favorite parts of cooking is trying out new flavors and spices. It really is a meal-breaker for me, and that’s why I have a pantry overflowing with spice containers (said very literally sometimes I can’t even shut the pantry door!). Well I met my new match of flavors: Gochujang.

I have to admit, I always veered away from it at grocery stores since I had no experience with it and it frankly was intimidating. One day, I saw it listed in as an ingredient in a dish I wanted to make, so I Googled it and learned it really is simple to use. After all, it is just a red chili paste often made in Korean food. I make Thai curry dishes with curry paste all the time how could it be that much different? It’s not.

So the next time I was at the grocery store (it happened to be Whole Foods), I picked it up and put it in my shopping cart. I splurged and got this Sesame Gochujang that is amazing! I can’t wait to try the other flavors! Anyways, I went home and found a bag of butternut squash that was left unopened from the prior week’s grocery haul. So of course, I decided to roast the squash with a marinade made with the Gochujang. I researched what went into a good Gochujang sauce and then I experimented.

I came up with the recipe below that was the perfect subtle hint of spice without being to overpowering. However, I suggest doubling up the recipe if you like your squash saucy and extra spicy. I knew I would be using leftover squash in lunches that week, so I did not want the flavor to be too much.

I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 10-12 oz cubed butternut squash
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Gochujang
  • 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  2. Make the sauce by combining the sesame oil, soy sauce, Gochujang, and sesame seeds. Whisk until smooth.
  3. Mix together the sauce with the cubed butternut squash. Once the squash is evenly coated, place on a greased baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half-way through.

Homemade Basil Pesto

Posted on by
Reply

My battle with pesto started from a young age when I was always told to limit the amount of it that I put on my ravioli. When I’m out at an Italian restaurant, I never go with the pesto because I know how high those calorie counts can get. Well, I’m happy to say that I now eat my pesto, and I eat however much of it I want!

pesto broccolu.PNG

 

I am so happy to share with you my skinny-fied version of pesto. It is packed with basil and free of guilt. I pretty much put it on everything when I have a batch of this in my fridge. In fact, watch out for a future post where I share how I incorporated my pesto into at least one meal every day of the week. It was amazing.

Capture.PNG

This recipe is extremely simple. All there is to it is a few ingredients and a food processor. No experience necessary. Enjoy!

basil.PNG

pesto

Ingredients (makes 6-8 servings):

  • 2 cups packed fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 3 Tbs water
  • 3 1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

Directions:

  1. In a food processor, add basil, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and water. Start blending while slowly adding the olive oil. Blend until desired consistency. You can always add more water to taste.

pesto quinoa.PNG

I would love to hear what you think about this pesto recipe!

pesto meatballs.PNG

Lemongrass Coconut Curry with Mahi Mahi

Posted on by
Reply

Curry may be my favorite dish to make, and turns out it’s one of the easiest and most delicious! I have made so many varieties of curry (green curry, red curry, curry with chicken, shrimp, fish, etc). I always have the main ingredients on hand because it’s usually the dish I turn to when I’m not sure what to make for dinner. Not only is it light and healthy, but you can mix and match the protein and veggies that go in it so it’s never boring!

lemongrascurry.PNG

I recently discovered Lemongrass. Now, beware, I use the paste. This is only because I did not want to add yet another grocery store to my usual 4 I frequent on my weekly shopping trips. It saves time and money because the paste lasts for months (if you don’t use it up too fast!). I’m loving this added flavor in my curries!

curry3

I love to make this recipe in a big wok, so I am never worried that the abundant amount of veggies I use will not fit. My philosophy is that there are never too many veggies! It’s a great way to get the volume and feel like you are eating a huge portion of food without the added calories.

curry1.PNG

When the curry is done, I love to serve it over rice. My favorite is Trader Joe’s Brown Jasmine Rice. This one takes a while to cook, so when I’m in a hurry, I usually have Trader Joe’s frozen white Jasmine Rice on hand, which only takes 3 minutes to cook in the microwave.

curry2.PNG

Here’s how to make the Lemongrass Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

  • 2 Servings Mahi Mahi fillets (cut into cubes)
  • Assorted Veggies (I like mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, and onions, but you can add whatever veggies you would like!)
  • 1 Garlic clove (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1 tsp Ginger (I use powder)
  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil (optional, or you can add olive oil- I like the flavor of sesame oil in asian dishes)
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1-1 1/4 cup Low-fat Coconut Milk (canned)
  • 1 Tbs Lemongrass paste
  • 1-2 Tbs Red Curry Paste 
  • 1 tsp Fish Sauce
  • Spices (I like to use a variety of curry powder, turmeric, and garam masala- add in a few dashes of each or more for desired flavor)

Directions:

  1. Spray a wok or large pan with cooking spray and heat on medium. Optional- add 1 tsp sesame oil.
  2. Add assorted veggies, garlic, ginger, and salt to the pan. Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until veggies are browned a bit.
  3. Add coconut milk, lemongrass paste, curry paste, fish sauce, and spices. Beware with the curry paste- start with 1 Tbs and add more for desired taste. Stir to combine all ingredients.
  4. Add Mahi Mahi and stir. Let simmer on medium-low heat until fish is cooked through (10-12 minutes).
  5. Remove from heat and serve with Jasmine Rice.

lemongrascurry