Think Outside the (Lunch)Box

Do you ever find yourself stuck in a lunch rut, getting tired of eating the same cold cut sandwiches, canned soups or pb&j's everyday? Start the new year off right and get those creative juices flowing by stepping outside the traditional lunch box for some newer, healthier, and spunkier recipes! Unlike most people who view making or packing lunch a tedious chore, I view this task as a time to get creative and pack in my veggies into one easy dish that's ready to go. Usually I take leftovers from dinner the night before for lunch, but with a little planning over the weekend or on a slow weeknight, you can also make one of these three types of all-in-one cold salads that are perfect for a delicious and nutritious lunch, no-heat necessary. And as always with my non-specific recipes, feel free to use what you have on hand and adjust the recipe to your liking!

Fiesta Corn Pasta Salad

Directions: Cook 1lb bag of corn pasta (found it at trader joes), rinse with cool water and put in large bowl. Add 1 can of rinsed black beans, 2 bell peppers (diced), 1/2 small onion (chopped), 1 clove of garlic (minced), 2 avocados (chopped), 2 tblsp of olive oil, and the juice of 2-3 limes. Mix all ingredients together and spice it up with salt, pepper, cumin, chili pepper, cilantro and hot sauce of your choice!! 

Cranberry, Feta and Almond Brown Rice Salad

Directions: Cook about 2 cups of dry brown rice (or any type of brown or wild rice blend), rinse with cold water and place into a large bowl. Add about 1 cup each of dried cranberries, slivered almonds, and feta cheese crumbles. You can also add some raw broccoli pieces (I used a bag of broccoli slaw mix from trader joes) for an extra crunch and added nutrients. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over mixture, season with salt and pepper, and combine well.

Crunchy Apple, Fennel, Cabbage Slaw

 Directions: Combine one chopped fennel bulb, 1/4 head purple cabbage (chopped), 2 apples (diced) and a handful each of chopped or slivered almonds and dried cranberries. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 tblsp dijon mustard, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tblsp olive oil, and small drizzle of honey. Pour over slaw, mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste! 

Fish Tacos.. My way!

The recipe is my version of a classic... fish tacos!  I am a big fan of fish tacos, but usually when I see this dish on menus in restaurants, the fish is battered, deep fried, topped with full-fat sour cream, a little bit of lettuce or cabbage, and tons of cheese then wrapped in a flour tortilla. Don't get me wrong, fish tacos prepared this way are absolutely irresistible in their fatty, creamy, fried goodness, but oh man, I feel like I need to be rolled home after eating something like this. What's the fun in eating food that makes you feel like crap afterwards?! Exactly. So I decided to make my own version of fish tacos at home with the same great fresh, mexican flavors; but without all the guilt. I steamed my fish instead of frying it, used a medium-sized, whole-wheat tortilla instead of the huge flour tortilla, and topped with a fresh cilantro, sour cream cabbage slaw, salsa and a little bit of cheese.  Few ingredients, not a lot of prep time and SO deliciously satisfying without all that fat and calories.  All I can say is that this is a MUST-TRY recipe ...  I promise you won't be disappointed!

FISH TACOS

Ingredients
(for 4 tacos)
1 lb meaty, white fish (halibut, mahi-mahi, cod, etc.; fresh or thawed from frozen) *Always remember to purchase sustainably caught fish- check this Sustainable Seafood Guide for more information (they even have a downloadable app!)
Mexican spices/herbs- salt/pepper, cumin, chili powder, cilantro
2 cups cabbage (green or red), chopped
1/2 cup green onions (or red onions), finely chopped
2 tblsp low-fat sour cream
Juice of one lime
4 whole-wheat tortillas (hard shell corn tacos work also!)
Additional toppings:
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Hot sauce

Directions: 
1. Top fish with a little bit of salt/pepper, cumin and chili powder, then steam (or broil) until cooked through and flaky. Break apart into bite-size chunks and put aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped cabbage, green onion, sour cream, lime juice and mix well. Add a few dashes of cumin and some fresh chopped (or dried) cilantro.

3. Time to start building the taco (or more like a burrito!). Put one tortilla on a plate and place 1/4 of the prepared fish in the center.

4. Add 1/4 of the cabbage mixture on top of the fish.

5. Top with whatever other toppings you'd like: salsa, cheese, hot sauce, etc. 

6. Fold over both ends in towards the center, take a big ol' bite out of it and prepare to be amazed!   

So Much Cabbage!

I am a huge fan of cabbage. In one of my previous posts (here), I went on about how cabbage is not only nutrient-rich, but also extremely cheap, versatile and great during the fall and winter months.  That being said, cabbage can be kind of overwhelming when you get a huge head of it and have no idea what to do. Even I've been stumped and have had get pretty creative with how I prepare cabbage after buying a GIGANTIC head of it for only $2 (score!) at the market a few weeks ago. Below are three different ways to prepare cabbage- the first two are really simple raw cabbage/coleslaw-like recipes, and the third is a cooked version with pork. I am hoping to finish the last of my cabbage leftovers for today or tomorrow, and though I've thoroughly enjoyed using every last bit of that enormous cabbage in creative ways, I think I may go on a cabbage hiatus for a while. How did that crazy cabbage soup fad diet ever catch on??

CLASSIC (MAYO-FREE) COLESLAW

Ingredients: 

4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced or diced onion

For the dressing- a simple dijon vinaigrette:

(Don't worry about exact proportions- this is about how I like it, but adjust the oil to vinegar ratio as you like it!)

2 tblsp dijon mustard

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

drizzle of honey or agave syrup

1 tblsp olive oil

salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the shredded cabbage, carrots and onions into a large bowl. 

2. In a small bowl, use a fork or whisk to mix together the dressing ingredients until well-combined. 

3. Pour over the coleslaw and mix well. This coleslaw is a great dish to take to a party and can keep well in the fridge for a few days. Enjoy!

CABBAGE WITH PEANUT SAUCE

This is hands-down my favorite go-to way to prepare cabbage - very simply with shredded cabbage and a deliciously rich and creamy peanut sauce. The sauce, which is so lip-smackingly good, can easily be made ahead, stored in the fridge and used in a variety of other ways. 

 

For the peanut sauce: 

2 tblsp creamy peanut butter (softened for a few seconds in the microwave)
2 tblsp soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
2 tblsp rice vinegar
the juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
pinch of grated ginger
a touch of siracha (a spicy red chili hot sauce... use at your own risk!)
a little bit of water to thin it out

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the peanut sauce with a fork or whisk until well-combined.

2. Pour just enough sauce to cover your cabbage, but don't drench it. Save the extra sauce in the fridge for later use.

SAGE-MUSTARD PORK CHOP WITH SAUTEED CABBAGE AND ONIONS

Ingredients:

2 pork chops, preferably local, organic, and/or humanely raised

Sage mustard sauce (I found this awesome sauce at my local market, but if you don't have anything like this, than you can use a dijon or honey mustard instead and just add dried sage) 

Salt/pepper

Dried sage

4 cups cabbage, shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork chops with mustard sauce overnight or at least of few hours in the refrigerator.

2. In a pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. While the oil is heating, sprinkle some salt, pepper and sage on both sides of the pork, push down and then place on the pan. 

3. Cook about 5 minutes on the first side (until golden brown, try not to move it once it's on the pan) then flip over and cook another 5-10 minutes on the second side, lowering the heat and covering the pan with a lid until the pork is cooked through. 

4. While the pork is cooking, place the chopped onions in a new pan with some olive oil and cook for a few minutes until soft. 

5. Add in the cabbage and continuing cooking just until the cabbage begins to soften, but try not to overcook. Finish the cabbage off with a splash of the same vinegar used on the pork for the last 30 seconds of cooking. 

6. Once the pork is done, deglaze the pan with a few splashes of sherry vinegar to create a nice thick sauce for the pork.

7. Serve the cabbage on a plate, top with the finished pork chop and drizzle with extra sauce. Enjoy!

Peanut Soba Noodles with Chicken

I thought I would start back up with a recipe from one of my new cookbooks I got for Christmas, entitled "Urban Pantry: Tips & Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable & Seasonal Kitchen"" by Amy Pennington.  Could my parents have picked out a more fitting cookbook for me? I don't think so.  This is such a fantastic cookbook, and I've changed many things in my kitchen and my cooking because of it... more to come about that. Anyway, I just had to try this recipe for Peanut Soba Noodles, which is a really simple asian dish with tons of flavor and good, hearty nutrition. Soba noodles are Japanese spaghetti-like noodles traditionally made from buckwheat flour (a great gluten-free source of protein, less calories than wheat flour) and they boil quickly in about 6-7 minutes.

The peanut sauce is so delicious that you may want to make extra just to keep on hand to use in a variety of other ways (dressing for a salad, dips for veggies, marinade for meat...yum!). This dish tastes great at any temperature, hot, room temperature or cold; and leftovers will keep well in the fridge for several days. You gotta try it!

PEANUT SOBA NOODLES WITH CHICKEN

Ingredients
1/2lb chicken, about 4 small chicken breast tenders, preferably organic, free-range
1 tblsp vegetable oil
Chinese five spice powder
salt/pepper
One 8-oz package soba noodles
1/2c peanut butter
1/4c water
1/4c soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tblsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1tsp ground ginger
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced or grated
1/4 head red cabbage, grated
3 green onions, chopped
(Feel free to add additional vegetables)

Directions
1. Sprinkle the chinese five spice powder and salt/pepper over the chicken to coat
2. Heat oil in a pan and cook chicken until nicely browned and cooked through.

3. While the chicken is cooking, cook the soba noodles as directed on the package.
4. To prepare the peanut sauce, mix together the peanut butter, water, soy sauce, lime, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger until smooth and creamy. You may want to heat the peanut butter in the microwave for a few seconds until soft.
5. Chop up the carrots, cabbage and green onions and set aside.

6. Drain the noodles when they are done and put them back into the pot.
7. Chop up the chicken and add to the noodles. Add the veggies and pour over the peanut sauce. Mix until well-incorporated. Enjoy!

Tofu and Cabbage Stir-fry

If you've been to a farmers' market recently, you've definitely noticed the abundance of cabbage in all shapes and sizes during this time of year. Cabbage, in the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, is a great bang for your buck because it's extremely cheap, yet packed with vitamin C, fiber and cancer-fighting compounds to keep you satisfied and healthy throughout the cold season.  I picked out a funky-looking cone-headed green cabbage and decided to stir-fry it up with some asian flare!

I know tofu tends to scare some people, and quite frankly sometimes it scares me too.  One the one-hand, tofu is a processed, white block of tasteless, who-knows-what; yet on the other hand, tofu is a chameleon-like, soybean-based product that is loaded with calcium and protein and that has been a staple of asian cuisine for hundreds of years.  I can't say that I use it all the time and know how to cook it optimally, but I pick it up from the store probably once every month or so and give it another try. It actually works pretty great in a stir-fry like this one, especially if you drain and press the tofu first.  Marinating the tofu overnight or several hours before also helps make the tofu more flavorful... I didn't marinate the tofu this time because I didn't plan ahead that well, but it still tasted pretty flavorful. Maybe I'll try marinating next time.

TOFU AND CABBAGE STIR-FRY 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tblsp sesame oil

1/2 block of organic, extra firm tofu, diced in small squares

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, diced (scallions work great also)

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

2 tblsp soy sauce

Splash of rice vinegar

1 tsp ginger (preferably minced fresh, but powdered works also)

Optional: red chili flakes for an extra kick, toasted sesame seeds to top

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain the tofu by putting it between several layers of paper towels or a kitchen towel, and press either with your hands or with a heavy pot until fairly dry.

2. Heat the sesame oil in a pan and add the tofu

3. Brown the tofu on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side.

4. Once the tofu is done, add the remainder of the ingredients toss gently for about 8min or so until the cabbage is soft and everything is well incorporated. ENJOY!