Crab Cakes with Spicy Rémoulade

May 16, 2012 by · 18 Comments

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Does anyone else feel as though everyone they know is currently pregnant and/or has a child under the age of 1? I can think of only a handful of friends and acquaintances who don’t fit that bill.

I guess that someone in their mid (late?) 20′s comes to that “point” in life, though I personally am not there yet. Heck, I went ballistic on Mr. Prevention last night for getting home super late from work and then heading straight out for a long run. I’m out of town until this afternoon, and my baby girl had no love.

Clearly, I am not ready to balance life + child…yet. Life + dog is hectic enough at the moment.

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With all the pregnancies, I’ve heard a lot about cravings. Hearing about these cravings created one of my own. Crab cakes!

Truth be told, crab cakes were supposed to have been on my menu MONTHS ago, but they kept getting pushed aside for something new and exciting I had run across that week. When you love reading food blogs and get about 6 different cooking magazines delivered each month, I guess this sort of thing is bound to happen…and happen often.

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Thank goodness crab isn’t put on the pregnancy no-no list. Women complaining about sushi deprivation is depressing enough. And at 5 o’clock on a Friday, a Kiddie Cocktail or tonic do not make the cut. Though a girlfriend of mine was raving about a virgin Bloody Mary just the other day. A Bloody Mary may be able to ditch the vodka, but crab cakes need the crab.

The remoulade was the star of the recipe…the perfect crab cake must be topped with a dollop of remoulade.

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Crab Cakes with Spicy Rémoulade slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Crab cakes:
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
2 Tbsp green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp light canola mayonnaise
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko, divided
2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

Remoulade:
1/4 cup light canola mayonnaise
2 tsp minced shallots
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp capers, chopped
3/4 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

To prepare crab cakes, drain crabmeat on several layers of paper towels. Combine crabmeat, bell pepper, and the next 4 ingredients (through egg), tossing gently. Stir in 1/4 cup panko. Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in a shallow dish.

Divide crab mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape 4 portions into 3/4-inch-thick patties; dredge in panko. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add dredged patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with the remaining crab mixture, panko, and oil.

To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients; serve with crab cakes.

Yield: 4 servings (2 crab cakes with 2 tablespoons remoulade).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 267 calories; 13.3 g. fat; 53 mg. cholesterol; 643 mg. sodium; 14.5 g. carbohydrate; 0.3 g. fiber;  23.5 g. protein

Result: Great flavor and quick to throw together! These had a bit of trouble holding together, so don’t be gentle forming the patties! I thought I could get away without refrigerating the crab cakes before forming the patties and frying, but I have a hunch that that could be the trick to getting them to hold shape a bit better. With a bit of finesse, these held together just fine :) Quick & easy – love it!

Busy day then heading back to Ohio!

Be well,

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Filed Under: 300 calories or less, carb-controlled, gluten-free, low-carb, quick meals, recipe, Uncategorized ·

Money Matters: Baked Quinoa and Chicken Parmesan

May 8, 2012 by · 29 Comments

bakedquinoaparm2Yesterday, I was sitting at my desk charting away on some of my afternoon patients. Even though my office is right off the clinic floor, it remains pretty quite within my four walls.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get a “feeling” that something isn’t right. That happened yesterday afternoon. I got up, walked out my office door, and there was a code blue going on. Right. There.

bakedquinoaparm1Someone was already on the phone with 911 and the staff was grabbing the crash cart.

It was scary. And a bit surreal - I had just been talking to the patient 5 minutes earlier.

Within minutes, there were 2 ambulances and a fire truck and 12 (yes, 12) firemen and paramedics in our clinic. Because I am not “direct patient care”, my job is to be sure the other patients stay calm.

Well, my job was easy. All but one patient slept through the entire ordeal. Chest compressions. Talking AED’s. The whole 9 yards. Just snoozin’ away.

bakedquinoaparm3The one patient who was awake…she was taking pictures of the paramedics and firemen. “I love a man in uniform!” she said. To see a 79-year-old take photos on a cell phone of paramedics tushies certainly lightened the air. I was able to laugh about it later…pretty hard. Our office clerk even joked with the patient, handing her a tissue and joking with her to wipe up the drool on his chin. Too funny.

As for my patient, he’s okay. Phew.

What does this story have to do with Baked Quinoa and Chicken Parmesan? Absolutely nothing other than being  truly memorable like the code blue yesterday. This dish, however, is sure to keep your heart healthy and your pulse regular and strong.

bakedquinoaparm4Chicken Parmesan, in all of its Italian inauthentic glory, is a weakness of mine. What’s not to love about cheesy chicken and tomato sauce served with pasta? Not…a…thing. This dish encompasses all that I love most about chicken parm with far less guilt (none at all, in fact!), lots of nutrition, and a kind price tag. Moreover, it is gluten-free, carb-controlled, high-fiber, and packed with protein.

Dinner for under 350 calories and less than $2 per serving is certainly memorable. But don’t take my word for the taste…you should make that memory and have it last for yourself. Mmmm!

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Baked Quinoa and Chicken Parmesan ever so slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
basil and oregano, to taste (I used about 1/4 cup total)
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 cups water
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup (4 oz) fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1 oz parmigiano-reggiano or pecorino romano, shredded
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs (optional, exclude to make gluten-free)

Directions:

Fill a pan with 1-1 1/2 inches water. Season with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add chicken. Cover and allow to simmer for 5-6 minutes. Flip over the chicken and cook an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove from water and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a large baking dish with olive oil spray.

To make the sauce, heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the balsamic vinegar, scraping anything off the bottom of the pan, and cook until it’s almost fully absorbed. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, and pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Place the quinoa in a mesh strainer, and rinse with cold water for about 1-2 minutes.

Add the quinoa and water (and a dash of salt) to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat, and simmer until cooked, about 20-25 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa and chicken with the sauce and mix thoroughly.

Place half the mixture in the baking dish, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese, and the parmigiano/pecorino. Add the breadcrumbs.

Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly, about 10 more minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (about 1 1/3 cups each)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 336 calories; 9.3 g. fat; 51 mg. cholesterol; 539 mg. sodium; 33.3 g. carbohydrate; 5 g. fiber; 29.7 g. protein

Result: This was cheesy, and hit the spot. This meal can easily replace a chickem parmesan with pasta and no one will feel deprived. The flavors are divine – but I do highly recommend using fresh herbs to really make the sauce what it is. You can prep this meal ahead of time and bake it later for a quick weekday meal. For those who are unsure about quinoa, this is a great first dish to try quiona. It isn’t pretty, per se, but it tastes GREAT! And thanks to the protein-packed quinoa, this meal comes in right at 33 grams of carbohydrate with lots of fiber and protein for staying power!

Money Matters: Chicken ($4/lb) and fresh mozzarella ($0.50/oz or $8/lb) are the most expensive ingredients. Quinoa can be found for anywhere between $3 and $9 per pound. The cheapest places I’ve found are the bulk bins at Whole Foods or CostCo for around $4/lb (~$2/cup). The herbs can be expensive (start an herb garden to save!), and I estimated $1 in this recipe. Onion ($0.60), olive oil ($0.15), canned tomatoes/tomato sauce ($0.90/can), vinegar ($0.10), garlic ($0.10), and cheese ($0.20) comprise the rest of the cost. The total cost of the recipe comes to ~$11.45 making the cost per serving $1.91!

Mr. P and I went out for a run last night, and a mile away from home it started it POUR. I hate rain!!! It put me in a cruddy mood the rest of the night.Weather.com, you are not to be trusted!

Be well,

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Filed Under: 350 calories or less, carb-controlled, fiber, gluten-free, guilt-free, kid-friendly, money matters, recipe ·

Meatless Monday: Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos + Weekly Menu

April 16, 2012 by · 22 Comments

stuffedportabellos1Today and this week will be a shock to the system.

No cigarette smoke. More exercise. It’s a miracle I got in a run while in Vegas – our hotel didn’t have a workout room (!?) and it was cold, overcast, and rainy much of the weekend.

I am going to be eating things that are green and filled with fiber and nutrition…and don’t contain an abundance of butter and heavy cream like the pesto mashed potatoes they serve at the Bellagio. Sigh.

stuffedportabellos3I’m going to sleep. Or try to, at least. Because a weekend with a 3-hour fall-back leads to very, VERY late nights and very little sleep. My body is completely confused.

I’m going to do laundry because even though I took twice as many clothes as I needed to…they all smell of smoky Vegas casinos.

I’m going to cook because I haven’t been doing much of that. My recipes in queue have dwindled to a whopping 1 and Mr. Prevention will be accounted for every evening this week. Healthy family dinners, here we come.

stuffedportabellos2And after work, I’ll get to reunite with this girl.

Lily1Because, per the usual, any flight I’m on gets delayed and we spent much of yesterday in the Vegas airport instead of doing things like grocery shopping, laundry, exercising, etc. And of course, by the time we landed, Lily’s daycare was closed and I won’t be able to pick her up until after work :(

At which point she will be so sleepy from 4 days of play time that she won’t want to play soccer in the backyard like we’ve been doing, but instead, she’ll want to sleep and cuddle. And I will want to join her. Instead of working out. Or cooking.

But I know that getting back into the swing of things is a good thing. Veggies, and workouts, and normalcy.

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Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats and Jenna’s Cooking Journey

olive oil spray (I used my Misto)
4 large portabello mushrooms, wiped clean and stems removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tbsp low-fat canola or olive oil-based mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 1/2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup coarse Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 oz) Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Scrape the gills from the inside of the mushroom caps. Set the mushroom caps on a baking pan, gill side up, and spray with olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the filling. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian Seasoning, and the spinach in a medium bowl. Stir together until evenly blended. Gently stir in the artichokes. Spoon the filling mixture over the roasted mushroom caps.

In another small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the breadcrumbs, cheese, and remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning. Stir with a fork to blend. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the filling mixture on each mushroom. Bake for 10 more minutes or until golden and warmed through. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 large mushroom caps.

Nutrition Information (per cap): 228 calories; 14.5 g. fat; 30 mg. cholesterol; 576 mg. sodium; 15.5 g. carbohydrate; 2.8 g. fiber; 9.5 g. protein

Result: I was so impressed with these stuffed portabello caps. They were simple to make and packed with flavor. The caps were large enough to constitute a light entree so I served these with grilled asparagus — a perfectly light warm weather meal that is ready in 25 minutes or less. While the mushrooms are baking you have plenty of time to prep all the stuffing and topping. So simple…so good!

 Weekly Menu: April 16th – 19th

I think this week is going to be fairly calm. I should probably knock on wood, but I am very anxious for a slower pace this week and having Mr. Prevention home…and both of us staying put in Ohio for a few weeks.

Michele, Katie, Heather and Eva each won Bob’s Red Mill Hard White Whole Wheat Flour and Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. Sarah, Mackenzie, and Liz all won Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and Xanthan Gum. Alida won a package including my favorite from Newman’s Own Organics. Michelle won the Bath and Body Works basket from Donna! Jennifer won Eggland’s Best eggs & other goodies! And lastly, Lindsay, Kierstan, and Randi won 6 Larabars a piece! Congrats to all of the winners! I will be in touch via email shortly!

Thank you for entering into the many giveaways! It’s not too late to enter to win Tropical Traditions or NuNaturals…or Food Should Taste Good or Coconut Secret items!

Back to the grind…

Be well,

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Filed Under: 250 calories or less, carb-controlled, fruits and vegetables, gluten-free, low-carb, quick meals, recipe, vegetarian, weekly menu ·