Quick Meals For a Busy Diva...Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon!

Photo Credit: Randy Mayor

Well, over the past month or so, I've noticed that I have been eating way too many meals outside of my home. I'm talking breakfast, lunch, and dinner! And I really can't use the excuse that I've been too busy at work to prepare meals. After all, I'm always busy at work...but I also have several recipes in my arsenal that I can prepare fairly quickly. So this week, I've decided to "check myself," and make a greater effort to cook more. And since I am always in a sharing mood, I decided to share the following recipe for Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon that I came across last year. Of course, this recipe is courtesy of my favorite food magazine/website, Cooking Light. This is a dish that I have prepared many times at home, mainly because it tastes delicious and I can prepare it quickly. It's also pretty healthy, which is always a plus. So, check out this recipe for Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon, a be sure to let me know how you like it. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients (Yields 4)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1 (6-ounce) can pineapple juice

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 teaspoons canola oil

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Grated orange rind (optional)

Recipe

- Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.

- Preheat oven to 400°.

- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of salmon with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. 

- Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes. 

- Turn fish over and place in oven; bake at 400° for 3 minutes. 

- Remove from oven; brush 1 tablespoon sauce over each fillet. Return to oven, and cook 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. 

- Sprinkle with orange rind, if desired.

How many of you are frequent home cooks? About how long do you typically spend preparing your meals?

Read more »

Quick Meals For A Busy Diva...Shrimp-Stuffed Shells!

Photo Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling Credit: Mary Clayton Carl

Greetings Divas! We've made to another weekend! For me, the weekend provides much needed time to do those things that I've neglected during the week...like cooking. Now, just because it's the weekend and I have a few moments to cook a good meal, it certainly doesn't mean that I want to hang out in the kitchen all day. Especially when the mall is calling me! 

Cut to Cooking Light, my favorite cooking magazine. I love the recipes presented in this magazine because they taste delicious, they can be made in a short amount of time, and they often pack a healthy punch. The Shrimp-Stuffed Shells recipe is no exception. I've made this dish on several occasions, and it's amazing...deliciously amazing! And it only takes me about a 35 to 45 minutes to prepare, which gives me more than enough time to cook and make it to the mall for doorbusters! Check out this recipe for Shrimp-Stuffed Shells...courtesy of Cooking Light magazine. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

• 20 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (about 8 ounces)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• Cooking spray
• 3 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's), divided
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Cook pasta 7 minutes or until almost al dente, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

3. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese, milk, and pepper; cook until cheese melts, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in basil. Place shrimp in a bowl. Sprinkle with potato starch; toss well to coat. Add cream cheese mixture to shrimp; toss well. 

4. Divide shrimp mixture evenly among pasta shells. Coat a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray; spread 1 cup marinara over bottom of dish. Arrange shells in prepared dish; top with remaining 2 cups marinara. Sprinkle shells evenly with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until shrimp is done.

If you would like to check out the recipe online, click here! Let me know how it goes! Enjoy shopping cooking!

Read more »

Quick Meals For A Busy Diva!

Burgers With Blue Cheese Mayo and Sherry Vidalia Onions

Photo Credit: Anna Williams; Styling Credit: Pam Morris

Looking for a quick and easy meal to whip together after working hard all day? Well never fret, because I have a delicious burger recipe that is out of this world! I found this recipe last year in my favorite cooking magazine, Cooking Light, and it quickly became a favorite in my home. The best thing about this recipe is that it doesn't take very long to execute. The other great thing is that it is pretty healthy, which I know is very important to many of you (and me too!). Try this burger, and I guarantee that it will become a favorite in your home as well!


In the spirit of full disclosure I must tell you that I always use ground turkey patties when making these burgers, and I always use a George Foreman grill to cook them...don't be judging! Enjoy!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

  
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise 
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided 
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) 
- 1 pound lean ground sirloin (I use ground turkey!)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided 
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 
- 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 
- 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices Vidalia or other sweet onion 
- Cooking spray 
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar 
- 4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted 
- 2 cups loosely packed arugula

Recipe

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine 1/2 cup blue cheese, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon thyme, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl; stir well.
3. Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and salt.
4. Brush oil evenly over both sides of onion slices; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place the patties and onions on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill for 3 minutes on each side. Set patties aside; keep warm. Place onion slices in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes; toss with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and vinegar.
5. Spread cut sides of buns evenly with mayonnaise mixture. Arrange 1/2 cup arugula on bottom half of each bun; top with 1 patty, 1 onion slice, and bun top.

 If you try this out, please let me know how you like it. To view this and other great recipe on the Cooking Light website, Click Here!

Read more »

Quick Meals For A Busy Diva!

Divas! Our busy work day should not get in the way of a healthy, filling lunch! Here is a quick lunch that you can make just before you walk out of the door in the morning. It's also easy to grab out of the refrigerator at work when you're ready for lunch. This recipe yields two servings, so feel free to split it up so that you have lunch for two days...or you can share with your partner or co-worker...or you can eat it all at once...no judgment! Ready, set, GO!

Ingredients

1 Cup of Elbow Pasta, dry

1 Can of Chunk Light Tuna in Water, drained

2 Tablespoons of Sweet Relish

1½ Tablespoons of Sandwich Spread

1½ Tablespoons of Miracle Whip 

Salt, Pepper, and Paprika to Taste 

Recipe

1. The evening before you want to make the Tuna Macaroni Salad, boil 1 Cup of Elbow Pasta, drain, cover, and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

2. In the morning, add the rest of the ingredients to the chilled pasta and stir until evenly distributed.

3. Place your Tuna Macaroni Salad in a disposable container...grab your lunch, keys, work bag, and sunglasses, and head off to work.

Simple and quick! Now you won't be forced to eat unhealthy fast food for lunch. Enjoy! And have a great weekend!

Read more »

Quick Meals For A Busy Diva!

Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza

 

So...you woke up super early to get ready for work. You had a long 9+ hour work day. You pushed through a 1 hour workout. You fought traffic to make it home. Now what? It's dinner time! 

But wait...your dinner didn't prepare itself, but you're hungry...and tired! What do you do now? Well, you can hit the drive-thru of your favorite fast food restaurant (no good!). Or you can order pizza or Chinese takeout (a better option!). Or you can prepare a quick meal that is healthy and satisfying (win!). 

Welcome to a brand new feature on the Chronicles...Quick Meals For a Busy Diva! Every now and again, I hope to share a few recipes with you of quick meals that I make when I'm in a time crunch...which happens more often than I would like to admit. Each featured meal will take no longer than 30 minutes to make, and are great for the entire family if necessary. Also, each meal veers on the healthy side, which is perfect for all of you Divas out there who are watching your figures!

Up first, the Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza! This recipe is one of my favorites from Cooking Light magazine. It is deliciously filling, and surprisingly low in fat and calories. And get this...prep time is only 20 minutes...I swear! So check out the Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza, and let me know how you like it!

Ingredients 

1 (10-ounce) pre-baked thin pizza crust

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided 

1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast 

1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 medium unpeeled peach, thinly sliced 

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Cooking spray 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil evenly over crust. Top evenly with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, chicken, Gorgonzola cheese, and peach slices. Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 11 minutes or until crust browns.

3. Place vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 5 minutes). Drizzle balsamic reduction evenly over pizza. Cut pizza into 8 wedges.

That's all! Quick and easy, and perfect for busy Divas. This recipe serves 4 and is only 384 Calories per serving. If you would like to see this and other great recipes, check out Cooking Light Online. 

So, what do you think of this new feature? Are any of you interested in sharing some of your quick meal recipes with everyone? If so, email me (theprodiva@gmail.com)!

Later!

 

Read more »