May 1, 2024

Garlicky Green Beans and Pignoli

July 28, 2015 by

Who has memories of sitting with their gramma or favorite aunt and snapping green beans?  Such a simple, enjoyable way to accomplish a task that takes time AND have a great conversation.  Oh, and the end result? A big pile of fresh veggies just waiting to be prepared in the simplest of ways.  And truly it didn’t matter whether they were boiled or steamed or roasted (or microwaved…!), they were DELISH!!!  Just remember—only snap the stem end NOT the end with the little tail!  😉

The recipe I am sharing today uses a pile of green beans which have been steamed for just a few minutes. Click here  for a few ways to steam any veggies.  Meanwhile a simple sauce (yet VERY flavorful!) is prepared.  This sauce could also top any variety of fresh veggies…perhaps some broccoli or zucchini or carrots, even. And it all fits nicely within our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV, too! Enjoy!

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Garlicky Green Beans with Pignolis

ingredients:
1# fresh green beans, snapped and rinsed
2 tablespoons butter (or a combo of butter and olive oil)
2 (or more) tablespoons finely minced garlic (I used jarred)
2 ounces pignoli (pine nuts)
sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I used a lemon-pepper blend)
zest and juice of 1 small lemon (optional)

directions:

  • steam the prepped green beans in the manner of your choice
  • in a large skillet, melt the butter/olive oil over a medium-low heat
  • add the garlic and pignoli stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes making sure they do not burn; remove from heat
  • add the cooked, drained green beans and toss together along with a generous amount of salt & pepper (and the optional lemon, if using)

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

October 14, 2013 by

Here on our Monday installment of At Home w/ GCH, we are continuing to focus on Fall in-season fruits and veggies.  This week, our recipe features Acorn Squash.  Ok, ok, I am sure you have noticed that I have a ‘thing’ for winter squash.  I love ‘em all…but my fav’s are Butternut, Spaghetti, Acorn, Delicata, and Sweet Dumpling.  Check out this link for lots more info on winter squashes and details on the incredible nutritional value they have.

This week’s recipe fits into our healthy but-oh-so-yummy! category since it is full of lucious veggies, uses low-fat ground chicken, and almost no added fat.  Also, this could easily become a vegetarian meal by leaving out the meat.  Also, you will have some leftover stuffing so you could enjoy it in a different “container” i.e., portabello caps, or zucchini; thus getting two meals for your effort!  Enjoy!2013-10-09 19.06.00

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash, rinsed
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper
1 cup water
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
4-6 large Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 large handfuls baby arugula (or spinach) 2-3 ounces, roughly chopped
3-4 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2# ground chicken
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon each, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices (1 ounce each) of smoked gouda (or muenster, or swiss)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • CAREFULLY cut each squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds and strings. Season the inside of each squash well with a bit of butter, and lots of freshly ground salt and pepper.  Place each half, cavity side up on a baking sheet and roast ‘til tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350.
  • Cook quinoa according to package directions, using water and broth. When done, pour into a large bowl; set aside.  (NOTE: the squash and the quinoa can be prepared ahead of time.)
  • Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil; then add the onion and mushroom pieces.  Stirring often, saute ‘til just turning slighty brown and caramelized.
  • Add the chopped garlic and stir constantly for one minute.
  • Reduce heat and toss in the chopped arugula.  Stir frequently and cook just ‘til the greens are getting wilty; approximately 5 minutes or so.
  • Add this mixture to the cooked quinoa along with the pine nuts and dried cranberries, and stir ‘til all is well-combined.
  • Using the same pan, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and the ground chicken and seasonings.  Cook over medium high heat, ‘til the chicken is completely cooked through.  Break up the meat as it cooks.
  • When the chicken is done cooking, add it to the mixture in the large bowl and combine.
  • Fill each squash half equally with veggie-quinoa-chicken mixture and bake, uncovered, ‘til filling is slightly browned on top about 15 minutes.
  • Lay one slice of cheese on each squash half and bake just ‘til cheese begins to melt.2013-10-09 19.11.52

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Watermelon – Arugula Salad

July 15, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Mondays are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  Starting today we are beginning a series on summer salads featuring in-season ingredients.  Our featured ingredient is watermelon and today’s recipe is for a Watermelon – Arugula – Feta Salad. This salad has such a range of flavors—citrusy vinaigrette, sweet watermelon, salty cheese, and peppery arugula—and it is so refreshing!  Almost everyone I know enjoys watermelon…how about you?  Watermelon is available throughout the summer nationwide.  In addition to being oh-so-yummy (a requirement here, y’know!), watermelon is loaded with healthy benefits.  This salad is a nice side dish to something on the grill…chicken, burgers, or fish.  Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup grapefruit or orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Salad:
1/4 cup finely diced vidalia onion
6 cups baby arugula
3-4 cups seedless watermelon, (about 2# with rind)
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 ounce pine nuts

Directions:

For the vinaigrette: Pour all of the ingredients (except olive oil) into a bowl, and slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Set aside.

For the salad: Using a melon baller, scoop out watermelon balls into a bowl.  Place arugula and onion into a large salad bowl. Toss with approximately 1/2 of the vinaigrette.  Add watermelon balls, cheese, and nuts.  Toss again.  Serve immediately, offering the rest of the vinaigrette to add to taste.

Substitutions:
For the feta cheese, you could substitute ricotta salata or another salty cheese.
For the pine nuts, sliced almonds would be a wonderful alternative.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this blog post, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH – Dips!

February 4, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH  blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. This month we are going to do a series of looks at appetizers.

I am here to confess: I love appetizers!  Whether you call them tapas, small bites, hors d’ouerves, antipasto, or simply appetizers; no matter what you call ‘em…I like ‘em!  My favorite type of casual get-together has appetizers as the food component.  Oftentimes, when hubby and I go out to eat I prefer a couple of appetizers over almost anything else offered on the menu.  So that’s me!  I would love for you to leave a comment below sharing with us YOUR favorite appetizer(s).

Now this week we are going to be making dips: two very different ones—one is chilled and one is warm! The first is homemade Lemon PineNut Hummus.  And our second recipe is for Spinach Artichoke Dip.  Remember we always endeavor to make our recipes as healthy as we can but keeping them oh-so-yummy.  The Lemon PineNut Hummus is relatively naturally healthy with chickpeas as the main protein.  Now the Spinach Artichoke Dip is notorious for being incredibly high in calories (mostly fat calories).  You will notice as you peruse the recipe that we have reduced the fat by using less cheese (but still enough; you’ll see!), and choosing Greek yogurt in place of most of the mayonnaise.

Lemony PineNut Hummus

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I toasted the pine nuts in a small skillet for 3 minutes before adding them to the food processor. The pine nuts give the hummus a rich, sweet flavor that is oh-so-yummy!

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 heaping Tablespoon chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1/4 cup filtered water

¾ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)
2 tablespoons of tahini
juice of 1 small lemon (try Mayer lemons, if you can find them)
1/4 cup unflavored Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch EACH of tarragon, thyme
dash of crushed red pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley (plus more for garnish

In a food processor, blend the chickpeas, garlic, and water. Add ½ cup of the pine nuts.  Blend until very smooth.  Add tahini, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, herbs, and salt until the ingredients come together into a paste-like consistency.  Pour into a 2 cup serving bowl; garnish with any remaining parsley and 1/4 cup pine nuts.  Cover and refrigerate about an hour.  Serve with fresh veggies (carrot sticks, sliced red and yellow peppers, cucumber rounds, sliced radishes) and Pita’s (nice if toasted), or flatbread.

Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip

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2 (8.5 ounce) cans artichoke hearts packed in water (drained)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
1/4 cup Vidalia onions, chopped
2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
8 ounces unflavored Greek yogurt
½ cup mayonnaise
4 ounces part-skim shredded Mozzarella cheese, reserve
6 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese   Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Remove chopped spinach from package, place in sieve or colander, and rinse gently with cold water, breaking up into chunks.  Let it defrost completely and then squeeze dry with your hands. (I try to remember to do this step earlier in the day.)

Preheat oven to 375.  Lightly grease or use olive oil cooking spray on a 1+1/2 – 2 quart baking dish; set aside.

In a food processor, coarsely chop the artichokes along with the garlic and onions.  Add the dry spinach, yogurt and mayonnaise. Pulse a few times until all is incorporated together.  Pour into ovenproof bowl or baker, and stir in cheeses, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle top with a pinch or two of additional cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and cheeses are melted.*  Serve immediately.  We like cubed pumpernickel bread or Italian/French bread cut on the diagonal into thin slices; or thin crispy chips (tortilla are great); or carrot sticks.

* You can also heat the dip in a small crockpot for 2-3 hours on low; just be sure it is hot and the cheeses are melted.

God loves you!   ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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