Greek Taco

Let's all thank Jeff, the newly crowned Sandwich King for this yummy recipe. So simple, so delicious, so filling and so refreshing. I totally edited the original recipe.

What you'll need:

• 1lb Ground Lamb
• 1/4 c Diced Red Onion
• 1 minced Garlic Clove
• 1 tbls Tomato Paste
• 1/4 tsp Oregano
• 2 tbls Dry Red Cooking Wine
• Salt/Pepper
• 4 Small Pitas

Tzatziki:

• 1/2 Cucumber, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 Minced Garlic Close

Cucumber Tomato Relish:

• 1 tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbls Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 Cucumber, peeled and cubed
• 1/4c diced Red Onion
• Salt/Pepper

Make it:

*Quick note. I like to make the relish and tzatziki first and let chill while cooking the rest.

 In a large skillet, heat the oil over me-high heat. Add the lamb, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Once the meat turns golden brown, remove the lamb and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium and saute the onions in the lamb juices until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano and garlic and cook until fragrant. Season. Add the tomato paste and cook until it caramelizes. Deglaze with the red wine and scrape any bits up that have adhered to the pan. Add the lamb back in, stir and set aside.


For the tzatziki: In a food processor, add the cucumber and garlic and quickly shred. Remove from the processor and fold in the yogurt. Refrigerate until ready to use. 


For the tomato/cucumber relish: Chop the cucumber, tomato and onion and place into a small bowl. Add the vinegar and let soak and the rest of the ingredients and stir together. Refrigerate until ready to use. 


After the lamb mixture is ready, very lightly toast the Pita. Then layer on the tzatziki on the pita, add the lamb, then top with the relish. 


Make it healthier and cook with Ground Turkey, whole wheat pitas, and fat free yogurt!

Caprese Sandwich

Looks like somebody bought a lot of fresh basil and mozzarella! This sandwich was SO good, I kind of surprised myself! I can eat this every day of the week if I could.

What you'll need:

• 2 Chicken Breast
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Fresh Basil
• 2 Portuguese Rolls
• 1/2 cup Whole Wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 Egg
• 4tsp Fat Free Milk

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 1/3c Balsamic Vinegar
• 4tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1tsp sugar
• 1/4tsp Oregano
• 1/2 Minced Garlic
• Pinch of Salt/Pepper
• Splash Water

To start, we will begin with making our own balsamic vinaigrette. In a small pot, add the balsamic vinegar, sugar and oregano. Let this simmer on low heat until it reduces until about half of it's content and stir continuously. Once it reduces, add the garlic, salt and pepper. Let this simmer for another 2 minutes and remove from heat. After we remove it from the heat, add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and stir well. Refrigerate this to let it get cool.

Next, we can start prepping the chicken. Trim all fat from the chicken breast and cut in half. Pound the chicken to make it thinner. In a mixing bowl add the egg and milk and beat them together. On a separate plate, place the bread crumbs for dredging. Dip the chicken in the egg bath, then coat with breadcrumbs. Add this to a hot pan with some oil and butter, and cook on medium heat. Cook on both sides for approx 5 minutes each. While the chicken is cooking, slice the tomato and fresh mozz. 

Then we will slightly toast the bread, just enough to get it warm. Place the chicken on the bottom side of the bun, then top with basil, fresh mozz, and tomato. Drizzle some of the balsamic vinaigrette on top and serve. 

All hail this sammich!

Caprese Pasta Salad

Questo è molto delizioso...or whatever. This is very delicious. So eat it.

Aww Pastina!! love it!

What you'll need:

• 1/2lb Pastina Pasta
• 1/2 Clove Garlic
• 3tsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2lb Fresh Mozzarella
• 10 Grape Tomatoes
• 1tsp White Wine
• 2tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 9 Leave Fresh Basil
• 1/4tsp Oregano
• 1 pinch salt/pepper

Make it:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a 1/2 tsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you're going to use Pastina, add it to the boiling water and continue to stir. This will cook quickly, in about 3 minutes. Keep an eye it. The water should reduce to nothing and your little stars should be fully grown. Take off the heat while still slight al dente. (Al dente means "to the tooth" in Italian so there should be a bit of a bite to the pasta before removing from heat. It will continue to cook after removing from the heat) Refrigerate with a cover while we work on the rest.

In a bowl, add the grape tomatoes, sliced in half with the shredded basil, minced garlic clove, and the rest of the ingredients. Let chill.  Once cold, add the pasta and continue to keep cold. While cooling, stir the cold pasta salad and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Served chilled!

Optional: Use whole wheat pasta such as Rigatoni

Steak and Potatoes

Make yourself look like a fancy little chef with this simple steak and potatoes without the grill. It's a small effort with BIG flavor.

What you'll need:

• 2 Shell Steaks
• 2 Medium Sized Sweet Potatoes
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• Butter

Optional:

• Romaine Lettuce
• 1/2 Cucumber
• 3 Grape Tomatoes
• Crumbled Goat Cheese

Make it:

Make sure to trim all the excess fat off the steaks. If they are shell steaks, there shouldn't be much.

Mince the garlic as finely as you can. Then, spread it on both sides of the steaks and rub it into the meat. Do the same with a few and healthy shakes of pepper (enough to actually see the pepper covering the meat) and lightly salt. Let sit for about an hour to let those flavors melt in.

Skin the sweet potatoes and dice into medium sized cubes.

Heat one pan on med-high with your choice of cooking spray, or some light butter. Once the pan gets nice and hot add your steaks. Cook for about 7 minutes on each side or until it reaches the desired level of done-ness. There is no need to poke and prod and move it all around unless the pan gets dry. 

In another pan, add your choice of cooking spray, or light butter and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, add your potatoes. Put a lid on your pan and let it cook on med heat. After approximately 5 minutes, stir the potatoes around and place the lid back on. Let it sit for another 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes pass, take the lid off the sweet potatoes and turn the heat up to high. Continue to cook until they crisp and brown. The potatoes usually take longer than the steaks do, so I always start them beforehand. 

The optional:

Although the steak and potatoes are dee-lish on their own, it might be a good idea to add a small salad to the plate. Not only will it add some color and take up that extra space, but its just never a bad idea to have a salad. 

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella w/ Balsamic Reduction

This fresh and delicious summertime salad is quick and easy.

What you'll need:

• Fresh Mozzarella
• 2 Fresh Tomatoes
• 5 leaves of Fresh Basil
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• Romaine Lettuce

Make it

In a small pot, add the Balsamic Vinegar and sugar and put on low heat. Let simmer until it reduces to half the amount and stir often. Take off heat after the vinegar turns to a syrup-like consistency.
Shred 3 leaves of romaine lettuce and spread it over a plate.
Slice about 1/4 inch thick pieces of fresh mozz and the fresh tomato.
Place the basil leave in a circular shape around the plate and add one in the center.
Alternate the mozz and tomatoes on top of the bed of basil and lettuce.
Lightly drizzle the balsamic vinegar reductions to finish.

OPTIONS: Substitute arugula for romaine to add an extra kick of flavor. Oh so good!

Breakfast Burger

I don't care what time of day it is when you eat this burger. The bottom line is that you MUST eat this burger. It's killer.

What you'll need:

• 1 lb 96% Lean Ground Beef
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 White Onion
• 4 slices Fat Free Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• Grill Mates Hamburger Seasoning (or your favorite kind)
• Lettuce
• 2 Tomatoes
• Kaiser Rolls
• 6 Bacon Slices (low sodium)

Make It:

In a mixing bowl add the ground beef and burger seasoning and a dash of Worcestershire. Mix this together well. Once mixed, make your burger patties. I make 4 from 1 pound of beef.

On the side, roughly chop up the onion. Once chopped, smash the onions onto one side of the burger while keeping the patty in tact. 

This cooks best in a pan as opposed to a grill because of the onions. Heat the pan on high heat with a tsp of butter and let the pan get super hot. Once there, place the burgers in the pan, onion side down. Let the aroma take over--yuuuumm.

Press on the burgers every once in awhile to keep them flat before they ball up. After 6 minutes, flip the burger and repeat until you reach the desired level of done-ness.

In a smaller pan, cook the bacon until well done on med-high heat. Once cooked, place the bacon slices on a plate with a paper towel to drain the excess grease.

In a separate pan cook your eggs over easy. You read that right, cook the eggs as normal with some salt and pepper. 

After you determine your burgers are done, place the cheese over the top of the burger and put a lid on it and let the cheese melt. This should take all of 45 seconds.

Take your burgers off the heat and put them on the bun, onion side down, layer the egg on top of the burger and then top with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy that bad boy.

Optional: Add Pesto Mayo!

Home Grown Tomato Salad

Whats the best thing about having your own garden? Having a nice stock of fresh tomatoes on hand just waiting on the vine just out the door. This cold, refreshing salad is a perfect way to beat the summer heat and eat healthy too. It takes just minutes to enjoy!

Here's what you'll need: 

• 4 Tomatoes
• 1 Red Onion
• Basil
• about 1/4 c Red Vinegar
• 1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
  

 Cut tomatoes into chunks and - if you like - remove the seeds from the tomato. Next dice about half of red onion and throw that in a bowl along with the tomatoes. Throw in the basil along with the salt pepper, and then cover with oil and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to get to know each other. Once chilled serve and enjoy!

B.L.T. with Pesto Mayo

This is awesome. Thank you, Jesse, for this delicious lunch!

What you'll need:

• 1lb Bacon
• 2 Tomatoes
• 6 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
• Lettuce

Pesto Mayo

• 4tbls Light Mayo
• 10 Fresh Basil Leaves
• 3 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Pinch Salt and Pepper

In a food processor, add of the the ingredients for the Pesto Mayo and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until we need to use it.

Cook bacon until completely browned on med-high heat. Once cooked, place on a plate with a paper towel to drain some of the grease off the bacon. Then, lightly toast the bread. After toasted, lightly spread one slice of bread with the pesto mayo and then add the lettuce, sliced tomato and bacon.

by the way, i'm impressed with my own picture.  yay!

Portobella Burgers!

Tired of your same old ground meat burgers? Don't eat meat? Do you want a healthier version of your burgers without breaking bank?? Well try these bad boys out!

Here's what you'll need:

• Portobella Mushrooms
• A clove of garlic
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• A nice bread roll
• Olive Oil
• Your preferred condiment topping

Lets begin
You first want to take the stem out of the portobella mushrooms. Next, the gills have to go too. The gills are those brown/blackish strips under the cap of the mushroom. I suggest using a spoon and gently scraping them out. Next lightly brush the mushroom with olive oil to prevent them from sticking and place them in a hot pan. Cook them until they are soft.
For the bread
Which ever type of bread you choose, cut in half if it isn't already and then toast it. Once you reached your level of toastiness cut the clove of garlic in half and rub it on the inside of the bread.
Once everything is completed serve the burgers topped with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.
Enjoy!

Jesse's Favorite Chicken

Yum Yum Yum Yum Yum. No story here, just whipped this up with what I usually have in the refrigerator and it turned out awesome.

What you'll need:

• Chicken Breast
• Grape Tomato
• Baby Spinach
• Goat Cheese
• Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
• Garlic
• White Wine/White Cooking Wine
• Lemon
• Egg
• Skim Milk
• Salt
• Pepper

Make It:


Beat 1 egg with 1/4 cup skim milk in a small bowl. On a seperate plate, place 2 cups breadcrumbs.
Cut the chicken breast in half so its a shortened version on itself. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and dreadge over the breadcrumbs. Sautee in a med-high pan with the white wine and a tsp of butter. Crisp lightly on both sides but do not cook through.

In a seperate pan, on low heat, add white cooking wine with two diced cloves of garlic and about 7 sliced grape tomatoes. Let warm and then add the spinach. Continue to cook on low heat until the spinach completely wilts. Squeeze in the citrus and stir in. I tried it with red grapefruit when I didn't have lemons and it was awesome too. At this point, remove from heat.

On a seperate plate, take the crisped chicken and smear the top with the goat cheese. Add enough to cover the chicken thickly. Then add the spinach and tomato mixture to the top.

Bake this on 350 degree for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

In the photo post above I made this two way, one way is to stuff the chicken and the other is to place everything on top. I like it better with everything placed on top. Also, I've made it before by rolling the spinach mix into thinly sliced chicken and it's GREAT that way too. I'm just not always on point enough for that technique! And it's prettier!