Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto with Pesto

This was my second time making risotto, so I'm still learning. My lesson with this recipe was that you shouldn't make risotto when your upper body is still sore from extreme weight lifting. The end result was definitely worth the sore wrist, though.

ingredients:
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup prepared pesto, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
3 cups cubed butternut squash (1 small squash)

directions:
Bring broth and 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan; turn off heat.
Heat 1 Tbs. pesto in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in rice, followed by 1/2 cup hot broth. When rice has absorbed broth, add another 1/2 cup. Continue adding broth in this manner 5 minutes.
Stir in squash, and season with salt and pepper. Resume adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time until rice has absorbed all liquid. (This should take about 15 minutes.) Remove from heat, and stir in 1 Tbs. pesto. Spoon risotto into 6 bowls and top each with 1 tsp. pesto.

weekly food shop

unfortunately, I am without totals for the food I bought this week. The receipt for the fruit I bought at whole foods was destroyed during my walk home in the rain, along with the paper bag that was holding said fruit. I am unsure where I put the receipt from Riverwest Food Co-op, too. I will do my best to estimate the totals, though.

Whole Foods:
10 apricots
1 cantaloupe
total: $9.00 (more or less)

Riverwest Food Co-op:
1 can eden organic chickpeas
1 bottle peanut oil
1 butternut squash
total: $15

with things winding down, I'm trying to spend less and use more of what I already have in my fridge/pantry in the process. This means I'll be eating a lot more grains in the form of rice, quinoa, and pasta in the next few weeks.

Today's Breakfast

Today I was craving a break from my normal weekend breakfast routine of cereal and an english muffin. I raided my fridge for ingredients, and this was the end result. I'm glad I had the foresight to take a picture, because I ate it in a matter of seconds.

Egg White Scramble

ingedients:
1/4 cup egg white beaters
2 grape tomatoes, sliced
1 tbsp goat cheese crumbles
salt and peper to taste
1 tbsp pesto
1 slice whole wheat bread

combine egg whites, tomatoes, and goat cheese. pour into greased frying pan and scramble.
meanwhile, lightly toast bread, then spread pesto on top. layer eggs on top of pesto. Enjoy!

serves 1

Recipe: Pesto Wrap

One of my favorite things about Fridays is that I get to eat lunch at home, which gives me some room for creativity. Because VISTAs aren't paid hourly wages, we get to flex our work hours so that it evens out to at least 40 hours a week (though for the life of me I cannot remember the last time I worked less than 45 hours in a full work week). I usually leave Parents Plus around lunch time on Fridays so I can eat something before hitting the gym.

My original plan for today's lunch was to make some pasta and top it with TJ's pesto and some parmigiano reggiano (I bought a decent-size chunk of it when I made red pepper pesto and still have a lot left over). But when I opened my fridge, I noticed I still had some fresh produce left over from the goat cheese wraps I made for lunch that week. I got out my cutting board and knife and before I knew it, this wrap was born!

ingredients:
1 tortilla wrap
1 tbsp basil pesto
3/4 cup salad mix
4 grape tomatoes
1 tbsp roasted red pepper strips
1 tbsp grated parmigiano reggiano

directions:
1. spread a layer of pesto evenly on wrap tortilla.
2. sprinkle salad mix on top of pesto.
3. slice grape tomatoes and sprinkle on top of lettuce, along with red pepper strips.
4. top with parmigiano, fold, and serve.

serves 1

as you can see in the picture, I ate these with guiltless gourmet salt-free tortilla chips, which I dipped in salsa.

Recipe: Chik'n Piccata

It has taken a lot of nerve for me to admit this publicly, but my favorite food as an omnivorous child was veal piccata. my parents introduced me to it at a young age, and I was hooked on it immediately (you can get an idea of what I had to work with when I went veg during my freshman year of high school). I also enjoyed the cheaper version of this meal-chicken piccata. Lately I've been craving piccata sauce, but wasn't sure how to make it vegetarian-friendly. While shopping at whole foods last week, I came across Lightlife's Savory Chik'n tenders. These worked perfectly with the sauce! Tempeh would probably suffice as a meat substitution for this recipe, too. Portobello mushrooms might work, too, but I think everything works with portobello mushrooms.

(no picture yet, but I promise to post one tonight!)

ingredients:
1 package lightlife savory chik'n tenders
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons butter

directions:
1. Heat oil in skillet. Cook and stir the minced garlic in the skillet until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
2. Pour in the chicken broth. Stir in the lemon slices and bring the mixture to a boil. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice and capers; simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, heat chik'n tenders according to directions on package.
5. Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it into the sauce by tilting the skillet until the butter is melted and incorporated.
6. Arrange chik'n tenders on plates and pour sauce over tenders. Serve warm.

Serves 2

Positive Changes

I've noticed some positive changes in my eating habits over the last month or so. In order to cut back on the amount of refined sugar I eat, I've been eating fruit for dessert after dinner instead of my previous choice of skinny cow ice cream. Maybe it's because my favorite fruits are in season now (peaches, apricots, and nectarines), or maybe it's because I've replaced my sugar fix with a bowl of cantaloupe slices, but I've found that I am subconciously reaching for fruit instead of candy when craving something sweet. This is something I've never done in the past.

For example: I had a late night last night and did not get to eat until 8:30. I had been hungry since about 7:00, since my post tae kwando snack of a rice cake smothered in peanut butter wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be. I was still hungry after dinner and wanted something sweet. Well aware of the box of girl scout cookies in my fridge, I did not even think twice about reaching for a bag of dried apricots in my pantry.

Part of my decrease in chocolate cravings may have to do with the fact that I've significantly cut back on my soda intake. In fact, I only drink soda when I'm at a bar and want a mixed drink, which in itself is a rare occasion, since I'm not big on drinking. It's the same situation with juice, too. I'd rather eat a piece of fruit than drink sugary fruit juices.

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, one of my memorial day activities was making pesto using basil leaves from my plant, as well as my new Oster blender that I bought on clearance recently (my old blender had to be retired after smoke started coming out of it). I decided on a roasted red pepper pesto for two reasons: 1) I already have an open jar of regular pesto from trader joe's to finish off, and 2) I wanted to put an open jar of roasted red pepper strips that I've had sitting in my fridge to good use. I did not take any pictures of the end result, but I thought you would all enjoy the recipe, anyway.

ingredients:
- 1 cup roasted red bell peppers, drained
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, quartered lengthwise
- 1/3 cup roasted pine nuts
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

directions:
In a blender or food processor, purée peppers until they are smooth and well blended. Shred cheese and chop nuts into bits, blending thoroughly and add to peppers. Chop basil into tiny pieces and combine with peppers, cheese and nuts.
Add oil and vinegar to combined ingredients. Press garlic and combine with other ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I decided to freeze my pesto so I could use it after I finish my TJ's pesto. If you decide to refrigerate it, it will only be good for a week or so. I think my next pesto will be with sundried tomatoes or regular pesto.