Fast & Easy Dinner: Corn and Arugula Gnocchi in a Cream Sauce

I've made this dinner a few times now, and after the first time, I knew it was a keeper. No lie it is seriously scrumptious and surprisingly so. I've had corn in soup and casserole, but I never thought to put it in pasta. Brett has more than once requested that we have "that gnocchi recipe with corn in it and what not". It is one of his favorite meals now. Lucky me, it is exceedingly simple and fast to make. I will admit I found this recipe a few years ago while perusing the net in the search of healthy and cheap dinners. We were living in our first apartment, and I was new to planning meals. Much of my inspiration at times came from the internet, but I almost always modify recipes of meals, because the list of ingredients is too expensive for my bunch. With this meal, most of the ingredients I already had around the house except arugula and gnocchi, and it looked so unique. If it's different, I want to try it. 

First off...Gnocchi

If you do not know what gnocchi is, they are basically little potato dumpling that take the place of pasta in a dish. Luckily, with the spread of cuisines, you can buy them in your local grocery store. Yes, they sell them even at Walmart. Some stores have whole wheat version or mini gnocchi, but I love the classic gnocchi the most. At the stores, they may be hidden on the top shelf next to the pasta, but I promise you they are there, and they are worth the 2-3 dollars.

Gnocchi Facts

1. Gnocchi is Italian for dumpling.
2. Since gnocchi is made of potatoes, it is extremely filling. A little serving goes a long way. We always have leftovers.
3. Gnocchi takes 3 minutes to cook in boiling water! Over 2x fast as noodles!
4.  Gnocchi floats to the top of boiling water when it's done.
5. They are heavenly little bundles of joy that you will want to buy again and again.

Gnocchi can be prepared in the simplest of ways with a good marinara or my sister's favorite with pesto. Pesto Gnocchi and grilled chicken can be a complete dinner, but if you want to push your boundaries, I suggest you try this dish.

Note: I made a double batch of this recipe. This recipe will make half as much. 

 Boil water and add gnocchi. They are done when they float to the top of the pot - about three minutes or so.












Add corn, cream, seasonings, and cream cheese into a pan and stir for about 10 minutes.

 These are probably seasonings you already have at home. Also, if you cannot eat spicy food, leave the crushed red pepper out, but I think a little makes all the difference.

 Add cooked gnocchi back in.

 Stir in arugula and serve! Yum!

Corn and Arugula Gnocchi in a Cream Sauce

Modified from Better Homes and Garden
Servings: 4 servings 1 cup each
Time: 20 minutes max

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn

1 pound shelf-stable potato gnocchi

3/4 cup half-and-half 

3 ounce package cream cheese, cut up (regular, reduced fat, or neufchatel will work)

1/2 teaspoon each salt, garlic powder and dried basil or oregano

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups torn fresh arugula (or spinach if arugula is not available)

 

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In large pot cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain gnocchi reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Do not rinse.
2. For cream sauce, in medium saucepan combine corn half-and-half, cream cheese, salt, garlic powder, dried herb, and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the cream cheese is melted into the sauce and corn is heated. Stir in reserved pasta water.
3. Return cooked pasta to sauce; heat through, if necessary. Stir in arugula. Serve in bowls. Sprinkle with additional salt, pepper, dried herb, and crushed red pepper.

 And done! In the words of Barefoot Contessa, now how easy was that!

Baked Tomato, Squash, and Potato

I love vegetables! Yes, despite the evil depiction of vegetables to kids in cartoons, I grew up eating plenty of vegetables. However, my husband did not. When Brett and I first started dating, the only vegetables he would eat were iceberg salad, corn, and potatoes to which I would tell him, "The last two don't count. They're starches."

Yet, in a mere couple of years, my husband's palate has stretched infinitely. He eats a variety of foods, including every vegetable I throw his way. It took time and coaxing, but first of all, it took dressing up his vegetables. I had to prove to him that these things could taste good, really good, so I added spices, dressings, and what not to make vegetables look appetizing. Vegetables can be more than just steamed. They can be sauteed, roasted, and even baked.

This recipe reminded me of those days where I had to put a significant amount of time into dressing up Brett's vegetables. Luckily, those days are long gone. This recipe features vegetables. There is no way to pretend they are not there, because they are the star of the show! But it is one of the most attractive vegetable dishes I have ever made; it is really healthy, and it tastes pretty darn good too.

Dinner Idea: I served this with blackened salmon. It was delicious! I think fish goes really well with this, but chicken would work too.

 

Baked Tomato, Squash, and Potato

Recipe modified from Whole Living:
Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 small tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1-2 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick (I used 3-4 medium red potatoes, because that's what I had around the house.)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

 Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil over medium and cook onion until tender and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
   
2. Arrange the onion on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Overlap tomato, squash, and potato on top of the onion. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with thyme and Parmesan, and drizzle with more oil.
   
3. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, 30 minutes more. Enjoy!
   
   
   

    Have a wonderful day! Get cooking and make something beautiful!

Cheap & Easy Lunch: Mediterranean Hummus Wraps

Lunch. It always seem to get the short end of the stick. With our sodium-filled lunch meat sandwiches (bland as they are) or the quick fix or fast food, lunch rarely seems appealing or satisfying for that matter. Often, those of us with busy lives make what is simple, and that is usually sacrificing nutrition over simplicity. Most of the people I know put little thought or effort into what they consume at lunchtime, but it is an extremely important meal. Why neglect it? This is the time of day where most of us are considerably hungry after working hard all morning, but we do not want something that will make us sleepy or sluggish afterwards. We need fuel for our bodies and brains, and why shouldn't we eat something that tastes delicious? Why not look forward to lunchtime for the food not just because it is a break for the busy day?

Well, I have found a solution to all of these problems. The past month of so I have made homemade soups to eat at lunch with a salad, but I needed a change. I quickly get bored with the same old same old and desired something that took a little less time to prepare and to eat - no using the microwave to warm up lunch this week. Furthermore, usually I like my lunches to take under ten minutes to assemble, and with a little prep works, these Mediterranean Hummus Wraps are done in less than five. Now how is that for easy!

The idea for the wrap came from my love of pinwheels. Pickle pinwheels, cream cheese pinwheels, turkey and cheese pinwheels, and you get the picture. I love anything wrapped up, stuffed, and cute, because they are easy to eat and usually delicious. I love wraps and pinwheels of almost any kind. Yet, most of the foods I know like this are not exactly healthy. Cream cheese may be the yummy food of the gods, but I probably should not consume it on a daily basis.

Thus, I created a healthier alternative using hummus - the craze of recent years, making this delectable spread available to almost anyone. Look in your deli aisle at Walmart and I bet you will find hummus of different brands and flavors. Add some veggie, whole grains, and healthy fats, and this Mediterranean Wrap will keep you satisfied yet feeling light on your toes. It's crunchy, flavorful, and best of all, it is really, really good for you. 

Here is what you will need to make your wraps:

• olives of your choice
• leafy greens
• hummus
• whole wheat tortillas
• carrots
• cucumber
• red or yellow bell pepper

I used kalamata olives for their tangy taste. Last time I made these, I used a kale and spinach salad mix as my greens, but romaine was cheaper this week, so buy whatever sounds particularly good to you. Same goes with the hummus. I am partial to roasted red pepper hummus, but any kind will work well. They are all pretty tasty.

 Step 1: Prep your veggies. 

Look at all those colors for your lunch! Food can taste good and look good too.
To prep your veggies: Peel and then thinly slice your carrot. Slice the bell pepper. With the cucumber, I cut it in half lengthwise first, then scooped out the seeds in the center with a spoon. It keeps the wraps from getting soggy overnight. Store the veggies in an airtight container.

I usually do this on Sunday and use my veggies throughout the week. To make four of these a day, since Brett and I eat two for lunch eat, I used three carrots, two red bell peppers, and two cucumbers, which only costs a few dollars.

 Step 2: Spread that hummus!

On a whole wheat tortilla, spread 2 Tablespoons of hummus. I do not usually measure things, so a big dollop of hummus is about the same thing.

Step 3: Add your sliced veggies, olives, and leafy greens.

Place the veggies off center. I usually put mine a little to the right. This will making rolling the tortilla easier in the end, because it will wrap naturally while the hummus will make the tortilla stick together. See no expert skills required! The hardest work is prepping the veggies. After that, it is quick and simple.

Place three or four olives alongside your veggies. If you absolutely hate olives (which some do) you can substitute feta cheese for the olives.  It will still taste great and add some healthy fat and dairy to the wrap.

**Honestly, you could use feta and olives, but my goal is to keep lunches lighter, since I do not need the calories, but do whatever fits your situation and body. Be creative with your food.

  

Add some leafy greens on top, whether it is a few pieces of romaine or a handful of lettuce mix or spinach.

Step 4: Roll the wrap.  

Mine ripped a little today, but it will not matter after the next step. Just starting rolling the tortilla with the side that has the veggies. Roll tightly without (hopefully) ripping your tortilla.

Step 5: Slice and serve.

Slice your wrap at an angle for a visually appealing Mediterranean Hummus Wraps and serve! Don't those look delicious! I promise they are. Start treating yourself at lunch without breaking the bank or occupying your time. After all, you deserve it.

I hope you enjoy these wraps just as much as we do! Have a wonderful day!

As always, feel free to comment or ask questions.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

As the snow and severe cold once again settle in, my cravings turn to hearty food - the kind that sticks to your ribs and tastes delicious. But unlike my usual go-to of potatoes or pasta, I am craving Asian food; those umami flavors and sticky rice have been on my mind for the past few weeks. Yet, week after week, I put off planning a weekday meal for it.There are a few reasons for this.

Though I am familiar with making most foods, I have little experience with Asian food and flavors. Further, I do not own many of the ingredients to make authentic Asian food.

My solution to this dilemma was to find a simple recipe that did not require many unusual ingredients and was simple. Kelly Senyei offered the solution on her blog Just a Taste. She posted a recipe for slow cooker honey garlic chicken that I recreated and modified for dinner a few nights ago.

Brett has been thrilled with my Asian cuisine experiments, as have I. It can be daunting to try to create dishes that have unfamiliar flavors like hoisin sauce. Yes, they are really delicious, and with a little practice, we can all tackle new cuisines.

What I love about this recipe is that it uses a slow cooker. Almost any Midwestern woman has a slow cooker somewhere in her kitchen. After my wedding a few years ago, I was the proud owner of two slow cookers, also known as crock pots. These babies save me a lot of time, especially when I do have the time to stand over the stove watching my food (or I don't want to). I feel in the future my experience with slow cookers will be invaluable when time wanes with the addition of kids (hopefully!) and more commitments that take my time out of my beloved kitchen.

 Step 1: Gather your ingredients. 

This is all the ingredients you will need in order to make the sauce. If you like a little spice in your Asian food, which I absolutely do, you can add crushed red pepper.

Though the recipe called for blackberry jam, I had black raspberry jelly that my awesome mother-in-law gave me for Christmas. Since I already had it at home, I used it instead, and the result was still delicious. If you are brave, feel free to use other berry jellies or jams, you may have at home.

Hoisin sauce can be an unfamiliar ingredient for many, but it is found in almost any local grocery store. I found it at my local Walmart in the aisle that has a limited amount of Asian food. It only costs a couple of dollars, but it is the heart of this recipe. Hoisin sauce is like an Asian barbecue sauce. It is made out of fermented soybeans. That may sound odd, but it is strangely delicious.

Some of you may have reserves about buying an ingredient just for one recipe, but I promise to show you other may to use the rest of your hoisin sauce in the future. Hint: it is the easiest way to make an awesome stir fry!

Step 2: Chop up your garlic and onion.

 

This is the only chopping you will have to do! Mince 4 cloves of garlic and dice up 1/2 cup of onion, which is usually about half of a medium sized onion.

Step 3: Mix up your marinade/sauce in a bowl.

 Mix the honey, soy sauce, jam, hoisin, sauce, olive oil, garlic, onion, and crushed red pepper.

Step 4: Lay chicken in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over the chicken.

 Try the lay the chicken so the breasts are not overlapping each other. Now, you can use either bone-in chicken or boneless chicken. It is up to you! However, depending on what type of chicken you use, the cooking times will vary. For boneless chicken, cook on low for 2-3 hours. For bone-in chicken, cook on low for 4-5 hours. 

 Step 5: Remove chicken and shred it.  

I usually just use two forks to shred my chicken. Otherwise, I tend to burn my fingers, but use whatever method you find easiest. Just be careful! The chicken will be hot.

Step 6: Thicken sauce in a pot with cornstarch.

In a small bowl or cup, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 3 tablespoon of cold water. Do not use hot water! Mix the cornstarch until it is dissolved. Heat the sauce that you cooked the chicken in in a small sauce pan. Add the cornstarch to the sauce, and mix together. Once the mixture begins to boil, it will thicken up. Cook until sauce it thickens, about 3 minutes.

Step 7: Pour sauce over shredded chicken and serve over rice. Enjoy!

 

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

2-3 boneless, bone-in (or boneless) chicken breasts (2 pounds total)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup blackberry jam (I used black raspberry)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil (use another oil if needed)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
sliced scallions, for garnish (if you have them)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Dice 1/2 cup of onion and mince 4 cloves of garlic.
2. In a bowl, mix honey, low sodium soy sauce, blackberry jam, hoisin sauce, olive oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes together.
3. Lay chicken breasts in the slow cooker without overlapping any of them.
4. Pour sauce over the chicken breasts.
5. Cook chicken on low. For boneless chicken breasts, cook for 2-3 hours. For bone-in chicken breast, cook for 4-5 hours. 
6. When chicken is cooked thoroughly, remove chicken and shred the meat.
7. Transfer the sauce from the slow cooker to a small sauce pan set over medium high heat.
8. In a bowl or cup, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 3 tablespoons of cold water. Mix together until cornstarch is dissolved. 
9. Whisk in your cornstarch slurry into the sauce pan and let the sauce thicken and reduce for about three minutes or so.
10. Pour the sauce over the shredded chicken and serve over cooked rice.

For an even spicier kick, serve with a little sriracha on top.

I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much as we did! New cuisines do not need to be scary or difficult.

As always, feel free to leave any comments and questions you have for me. Have a wonderful day!

Healthier Broccoli Cheese Soup

Why I Avoid Canned Soup

Since my recent graduation from Purdue University, I have become a stay-at-home wife. This is only a temporary state of being as I adjust to my surroundings and scout out jobs, which takes time. Nevertheless, my extra time at home allows me to do what I love most  - cook! I have been cooking in some capacity 2-3 three times a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Since I was old enough to work, I have always packed my lunch, unless I worked at a restaurant.  This routine was instilled in me through my dad who always packs a lunch meat sandwich for his day at the factory. Though this small and simple lunch does the trick for my dad, it is not enough to sustain my husband or me at work. I need food, real food. Plus, I like my food to taste good, and a plain lunch meat sandwich just doesn't cut it. We have tried a few different options throughout the past few years from Hot Pockets (I know they are terrible for me) to soups and sandwiches.

As mentioned prior, I am addicted to food porn, and on a daily basis, I read food articles. I also watch shows like Chopped and Good Eats from Food Network. A couple of months ago, these shows became available on Netflix, and I went through them to find episodes unseen. One of the episodes was about how Alton Brown had lost fifty pounds by changing his diet to healthier options. He makes lists of foods he eats daily, weekly, occasionally, and never. Now, I am not this dedicated. It feels too constricting to eat the sames food over and over again.

However, one of the foods on his Never to Eat list caught my attention - canned soup!

Never before had I realized that canned soup is so utterly bad to consume. It seems healthy. It has vegetables, is low on calories, and helps curb my appetite. Yet, no matter what canned soups I looked at, they were extremely high in sodium. 

Sodium or salt is everywhere. It is bread, cereal, tortillas, lunch meat, and almost anything not found in the produce aisle at the grocery store. It is ridiculous how much sodium is hidden in food most of us eat on a daily basis. Loving myself and my body has really taught me to take better care of it and that means being conscious of the food I eat. If you do not already, read your nutritional labels. You will be surprised how much sugar and sodium are hidden in food.

I bring all of this up, because it is winter, and I love a good soup and salad combo. Brett and I had picked out cans of soup to eat for lunch, and then, after realizing my nutritional error, I did not want to put that much sodium into my body every day. One can of soup was over a third of my daily sodium consumption.

Thus, I have now started making homemade soup!

First of all, making homemade soup is much better for multiple reasons.

• I can control all the ingredients that go into it.
• I can control the sodium level.
• I can make it taste much better.
• I can try new and creative options.
• They are easy and quick to create.

Honestly, it has been a lot of fun making two different types a soup a week. I make two big dutch ovens worth of soup a week, and Brett and I eat it throughout the week with a salad. He takes it to work while I enjoy here at home. In addition, it has been fun to have Brett come home and tell me that his coworkers were ogling his lunch and/or asking for my recipes.

Yes, lunch can be healthy, filling, and taste great! Sometimes you can have it all.

I have made many soups the past few weeks: creamy sweet potato soup, turkey gnocchi soup, vegetable tortellini soup, and the list goes on. Craving something different but warm and hearty, I decided to make broccoli cheese soup this week.

I call this "healthier" broccoli cheese soup, because in the end, there is still cheese in the soup, so it's not what some would solely healthy. Yet, I love cheese, and after making many brothy soups, I wanted something thicker. The problem with this soup is that most recipes call for a lot of whole milk or half n half. Some even call for processed cheese food, and I cannot stand the taste of processed cheese anymore (once I stopped eating it for awhile, I realized it tastes like plastic and chemicals - gross!).  So I created my own version, which is now my favorite soup I have made so far!

Making Healthier Broccoli Cheese Soup  

Here are most of the ingredients you will need. The carrot and Worcestershire sauce are not pictured here. The Worcestershire sauce was a last minute addition but made a huge difference in the taste, so I highly recommend it. If you cannot tell, I am still mastering the art of photographing my cooking process; it is usually much less planned and measured.Yay rah for new challenges!

Dice up your onion and potatoes. I used red potatoes, but any kind will work. Heat up 2 tbsp of butter in a dutch oven or large pot. Then, add the potato and onion to the pot. Saute until the potatoes are tender. I added a little chicken broth (enough to cover the bottom of the pot) and put the lid on to quicken the cooking time.

 Once the potatoes are tender, blend the potatoes with 1 cup of broth and 1 cup of milk (I used skim)  until smooth. The butter helps compensate for the lack of fat in the milk.

Shred a medium carrot. Add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil or another type of oil if that is all you have, even butter will work. Add the carrot and broccoli to the pan. I used 3lbs of broccoli, because I wanted a chunkier soup. You could always use less if you want.

Once the broccoli is tender, add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, 3 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese (it makes the soup extra tangy), 2 Tbsp honey Dijon mustard, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp Worcestershire and the potato mixture you created earlier. Stir the soup occasionally until everything is mixed together and the cheese is all melted.

Salt and pepper to taste. My soup needed a decent amount of both, but it is up to you.

Serve and enjoy some tangy, cheesy, broccoli goodness! Mmm delicious!

Healthier Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

1 medium yellow onion diced
4 Tbsp of butter or olive oil
4 medium red potatoes diced
2 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 cup of milk (I used skim)
1 carrot shredded
3 lbs of broccoli
3 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp honey Dijon mustard
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 2tbsp of butter or olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot. Add the red potatoes and the yellow onion to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for until potatoes are tender, and stir occasionally to keep potatoes from sticking (I added a little chicken stock to the pot to help steam the potatoes).
2. Remove potatoes from the pot and put in a blender. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of milk and blend until smooth and creamy. You can also use an immersion blender for this, but you will still need to remove the potato mixture and put it in another bowl after you blend it.
3. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to the dutch oven. Then, add the shredded carrot and 3lbs of broccoli. Saute until tender. If you use frozen broccoli, once again add a little chicken stock or water to let the broccoli steam and thaw out. You will only need enough to coat the bottom of the pot.
4. Once the broccoli is softened or thawed, add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, the honey Dijon mustard, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and the extra sharp cheddar cheese.
5. Gentle stir in the potato mixture you made earlier. Stir occasionally until all the cheese has melted.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. (My soup needed a decent amount of both.)
7. Enjoy your delicious soup!

Focusing on Food - Reviving the Blog

Spinach & Goat Cheese Turkey Burger with Baked Fries

Some of you may remember a post from long ago (in a galaxy far far away) that began this blog. It focused on my personal struggles with healthy choices, mainly my weight. Over the course of the last year, I have really come to love myself more than any other time in my life. I love my body and my life. I accept my "flaws" as part of my personal and unique beauty, but that does not mean I have stopped trying to be healthy. Rather instead of focusing on weight loss, I now aim to take care of myself, because I love myself so much. I know that I owe it to myself to take care of myself each and every day, and that all starts with the food I put into my body.

For those who may not know me, one of my biggest passions is food!

And come on like who doesn't love food?

 I love eating and making food, and I do so often. Now that I have recently moved from the great state of Indiana to the northern frontier of Minnesota, I have a lot of down time while I wait for the cold to pass.Therefore, lately I have been cooking a lot, and it has rekindled my passion to try new things and put healthy spins on them.

Let's be honest. If someone looked at me, I would not be the picture of health. I am a fat woman who has struggled with my weight my entire life. Yet, over the course of the past few years, I have slowly been changing my eating habits and my cooking habits. This is what I want to focus on here.

However, I have a secret.

Healthy food can be delicious, and it can also be done on a budget.

First Thanksgiving Turkey

My wonderful husband and I are recent college graduates. With graduation comes loan payments on top of all the other responsibility of adulthood otherwise known as bills. Consequently, we do not have a ton of money to buy exotic and expensive ingredients that are featured in many of the recipes I find online. Most of the people I know are in similar situations in terms of money. Good food does not need to equal expensive food.

In saying that, I love food porn as much as the next person. I have watched countless hours of Food Network and perused food blogs and recipes. I rarely can pass by a Buzzfeed food article without clicking on it. However, with the recent trends in health food (possibly food in general), many of the ingredients are impossible to find outside of metropolitan or larger

Sausage, Apple, Cranberry Dressing

suburban areas. In addition, these ingredients and others are often expensive. Who has things like pancetta or chia seeds just sitting around the house? If you live in a small town like I always have, there are limits to budgets and ingredients.

My aim on this blog is to make food that is healthy, budget-friendly, and possible for anyone to create. I love food, and I look forward to sharing all of my creations with you.

Welcome (officially) to Tales of a Midwestern Wife!