Cooking with Coley

Today was not my day.  I woke up with a hangover (ok, yes that’s my fault), skipped boot camp as a result, had an extremely long and tedious day at the office and didn’t enjoy one satisfying meal.  After a day filled with grumpiness and disappointment, I thought I’d at least end it writing about one of my favorite quick dinner fixes.

It’s not necessarily the healthiest of marinades, but today’s not a health-conscious day.  Plus, doesn’t the grill burn off most of the marinade anyways?  So let’s get to it… Wegman’s (the best grocery store ever) sells this delicious and wonderful Lemon & Garlic marinade that takes chicken on the grill to the next level.  My parents have been using it for years, and I can never get enough.  Because Massachusetts is not yet blessed with one of the magical shopping experiences we call Wegmans, when my parents visit, they kindly load up my cupboards with enough bottles to last me several months.

If you’re lucky enough to live near one of the 75 stores, be sure to pick a bottle up during your next grocery store outing.   Slice your chicken thin and marinate it over night if you can, then enjoy!

The Fenway BSC has been handing out the new 90 cal Fiber One bars this week.  Of course because they’re free, I took one two days in a row.

The timing was perfect because I was out of grapefruits for my usual breakfast yesterday and today, so I was in luck with with a free breakfast bar.  Unfortunately, I found them to be fairly unsatisfying.  They’re less dense than the other Fiber One bars making them less filling, but that makes sense since they’re also far fewer cals.

The flavor was decent, but I’d be interested to try another variety.  These had almost a “fake” chocolate flavor, but again it is only 90 cals.  If you’re in need of a new snack or breakfast option, then it can’t hurt to give these a try.  However, despite the $1 off coupons that came with the free bars, I still won’t be purchasing them on my next grocery store trip.

Can you recommend any other low-cal snack or breakfast bars?  Send them my way if you have a favorite – I’m always up for trying something new (I generally just buy the South Beach Living Peanut Butter cereal bars because they’re yummy).

I was lucky enough to make a trip to Italy during my junior year in college when I was studying abroad London.  Tracey, Evan, Christian and I took four days to explore what Rome and Florence had to offer – history, beautiful architecture and most importantly – real Italian cuisine. Every where we went, I wanted to try the pizza or panini in the window or a new flavor of gelato.  At one point Evan actually became irritated with me and pointed out that “all I do is think and talk about food.”  But we were in Italy, isn’t that what I was supposed to do?! There’s one dish that I’ll never forget from Rome — it was a hearty, rich and delicious ribolitta soup.  Although I haven’t tried to replicate it in all it’s essence, I’ve taken many of the ingredients I like from it to create my version of a Tuscan bean soup.  While a traditional ribolitta includes pancetta and bread simmered into it to create a thicker texture, I’ve excluded those ingredients to make my version quite a bit healthier.

I make soups nearly every weekend in the fall and winter, and this is hands down my absolute favorite that I make.

What you’ll need:

• Sliced carrots (about 4 big carrots, or 1 cup)
• Sliced celery (about 4 stalks, or 1 cup)
• 1/2 of a large onion chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can stewed tomatoes and juice, chopped (I use DelMonte Italian Recipe)
• Fresh washed spinach (optional)
• 1 29 oz can of Goya small white beans (similar to cannelini, but smaller and easier to break down)
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh grated romano cheese (optional but highly recommended)
• Salt & Pepper

Procedure:

• Saute onions and garlic
• Add carrots, celery, chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, bay leaves and salt and pepper; bring to a boil and then let it simmer
• You can add the cheese after the first two hours of simmering (it adds a whole lot of flavor but only 20 calories and 2 fat!).  You can also add the spinach two hours in which takes the soup to another level of fiber-rich heartiness!
• Cook for approximately 4 hour or longer — I let my soup simmer all day because the beans start to breakdown to the point where it gets thick and almost creamy.
• Sprinkle additional romano on when serving

This is definitely what I call a “Sunday” recipe, so you can let it simmer for hours and then pack it for lunch for the rest of the week!  Nothing’s better than homemade soup for lunch.

Note: Image portrays a larger portion than typically recommended.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

I don’t want to give the impression that I only cook Mexican, but I guess I cook it often.   This dish was inspired by a menu item I had at Las Vegas’ Pink Taco at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.  It’s one of Ryan’s favorite dinner choices, and I never turn him down when he asks me to make it because a) it’s so freakin’ easy to make and b) it’s really quite healthy and filling.

While it consists of very basic ingredients, the thin-layered chicken is a twist on your typical Mexican home-cooked dinner.

What you’ll need:

• 1 package of thin, boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Reduced fat or 2% Mexican Blend cheese
• Black Beans (refried –if you only have a can of black beans, cook them for approximately 15 minutes on low on the stovetop and mash them so they’re a refried consistency); can add hot sauce to taste
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder
• Choice of condiments – salsa, hot sauce, light sour cream, guacamole

Procedure

• Pound chicken until it’s very thin.  Be careful not to puncture it (tips on pounding – use a tenderizing mallet and place chicken between two pieces of saran wrap or wax paper)
• Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder
• Place chicken on baking sheet (greased with Pam)
• Bake until fully cooked (about 15 minutes at 400 degrees)
• Layer beans on chicken, sprinkle cheese on top and bake for additional 5-8 minutes

Serve with corn, rice, salad or your choice of side.

The next time you’re in the mood for a Mexican dish, try this recipe out.   It’s great for a work night because it can be prepared and cooked in under an hour.   Let me know what you think!

Non-Mexican recipes to come this week.  Check back in for my Tuscan bean soup recipe in the next day or so.

Update March 11:  Recipe review available at: Lessons in Moderation

I’m introducing a new post category to my blog called Food For Thought where I’ll offer healthy snack ideas, ingredient suggestions, side dish options or insights into any other of my food favorites.  Today, I am going to kick off  the new series with barley.

Like many of you, I love carbs, and as a foodie, it’s hard to avoid them.   About a year ago I made barley for the first time.  Sure I’d had it in soups (think beef and barley soup), but I had never actually bought and made it myself.  Since then, it’s become a regular side dish for my dinners.  I especially like to use it as a rice substitute.  Unlike rice which tends to be higher in cals, 1/4 cup uncooked barley is only 100 cals!  Plus, it’s fat free and has 5 grams of fiber per serving.  I put soy sauce and siracha on it and it accompanies many of my Asian fishes and stir-frys.

Do you have any side dish secrets you want to share?

My full Chef Iocco event review now available on The Food Passport site.

One of my absolute favorite dips is a classic homemade guacamole.  It  puzzles me when people buy a pre-made version or use a packet of seasoning because it’s really such a simple and quick dip to throw together.   Plus, if you make it yourself, you have the flexibility to make it just how you like it – with tomatoes and onions or sour cream to change the texture.

There are, however, a couple ingredients that are essential to create an authentic and delicious Mexican experience – cilantro and lime juice.  Yes, I know they’re simple ingredients, but it’s amazing how many people don’t buy them or use them.  I incorporate both into nearly every Mexican dish I make.

So I’ll get to it – here’s how I make my guac…

What you’ll need:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Lime juice, to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Approximately 6 grape tomatoes,  halved
• Diced onion, approximately 2 tbsp
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Cumin (optional)
• 1-2 tbs light sour cream (optional)

Procedure

• Peel and pit avocados, mashed with a fork
• Add other ingredients and mix

I told you it was easy!   ¡Buen apetito!

How do you like your guacamole?   What restaurant serves your favorite?

Recipe is also featured on: Munchies Blog

Amazing.  That’s the perfect way to describe my evening.  I attended the first event of my new blogging gig for The Food Passport.  The featured chef was Marisa Iocco, and I had the pleasure and truly magnificent experience of watching her cook, interviewing her at the same time and then tasting some of her delicious menu.  I won’t give away too many details because I’ll save them for The Food Passport later this week, but I’d like to share a few of my favorite moments, surprises and learnings of the evening…

• A highlight of the menu was the Burrata provided by Mozzarella House.  Local and hand-made, this one-of-a-kind Italian cheese contains both mozzarella and cream creating an unusually soft texture and a buttery flavor that melts in your mouth. Side note – you can find Mozzarella House’s hand-made cheese fresh at Russo’s – my favorite local market.
• Garlic is not overly used in Italian cuisine.  Seriously you ask? Yes, according to Iocco, over-abundance of garlic is an Americanized Italian practice.  I am definitely a casualty of this culinary falsehood…
• Good news healthy pals, even real Italian chefs serve whole wheat pasta!  Yes, Iocco served delicious homemade whole wheat pasta tossed in her arrabbiata sauce, part of her Food With Love line of products.

Set in the luxurious kitchen studios at Poggenpohl on Newbury Street, the event’s ambiance of modern kitchen design paired with the classic, yet modern Italian cuisine was inspiring from start to finish – a breath of fresh air into my daily routine.

As I sit on my couch tonight, my mind keeps wandering back to the aroma of the fresh basil, the laughter and excitement in the room and the energy and “love” exuding from Iocco and her kitchen.  Can someone please remind me why I have to go back to the office tomorrow?

Learn more about Iocco and meet her yourself at The Food Passport’s next event: Food Tour at Spiga.