Tag: Lunch
Salmon Burgers with Lemon Tarragon Mayo
We’ve all heard by now that we’re supposed to eat more fish. The positive effects of its fatty acids on brain health, reducing risk of heart disease, and reducing inflammation are well established. Not to mention all those studies about the longevity of the Okinawans, who eat three servings of seafood a day on average and have more centenarians than any other people group on the planet. Whoa, whoa, whoa–three servings a day? Like breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Or maybe snack? I’m not sure how I feel about cracking open some Alaskan crab legs for my afternoon pick-me-up–although “Alaskan crab legs” is an anagram for “Large Basal Snack.” And, incidentally, “Ransacks a Leg Lab.” Coincidence? I don’t think so. So, okay, maybe crab legs for snack. But breakfast? I’ve got nothing. I’ll bet you there’s some food blogger out there who has gorgeous naturally-lit photographs of a superfood salmon-kale-peanut-butter-protein-powder smoothie all the healthy cool kids eat for breakfast these days, but whipping up a fish smoothie just isn’t my thing. So for my purposes, let’s stick with seafood at lunch and dinner.
These salmon burgers with their delicious zesty-herby sauce would be equally at home on your lunch or dinner table. They’re hands-down the best salmon burgers I’ve ever had: light, crispy, seasoned with an excellent combination of herbs, and–perhaps most importantly–containing a hefty dose of those helpful omega-3 fatty acids (especially if the salmon is wild-caught, not farmed). While it may seem counterintuitive if you’re a fish lover to stuff a pound of beautiful salmon fillet into the grinding jaws of a food processor, rest assured that the finished product is worth it. And if you’re not a fish lover, these burgers just may be a great way to trick yourself into upping your salmon consumption. So go ahead, give those Okinawans a run for their money and add some fish to your diet in a tasty way. Just, you know, maybe three times a week, not three times a day.
Salmon Burgers with Lemon Tarragon Mayo
(Adapted from The Cleaner Plate Club by Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin)
Ingredients:
For Salmon Burgers:
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. canola oil, divided
1 shallot, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2-2/3 c. Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
zest of 1 lemon
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. salmon, boned, skinned, rinsed, and patted dry
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
For Lemon-Tarragon Mayo:
1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Heat 1 tsp. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, Add the shallot and green onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Reserve the skillet and scrape the shallots and onions into a medium bowl. Add 1/2 c. Panko, tarragon, parsley, Dijon, salt, and lemon zest to the bowl, as well as a few grinds fresh-ground black pepper.
2. In a food processor, pulse half the salmon until it begins to look like a paste. Add the crumb mixture and pulse again a few times until well combined. Add remaining half of the salmon and pulse until the mixture looks like you could easily form it into patties. If it still looks too wet, add more Panko until you reach a desirable consistency. Form into 4 patties and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. canola oil over medium-high heat in the large skillet you used for the onions. Add the salmon patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side.
4. Meanwhile, make the lemon-tarragon mayo: in a small bowl, combine all ingredients until well blended.
5. Serve salmon burgers on toasted hamburger buns, topped with mayo and any other fixings you like!
Serves 4.
Simple Broccoli Quiche
It’s been a little while since I last posted, and I’ll tell you why. Of course, there’s the usual busyness of life with family, school, church, and housework (not to mention keeping up with new Mad Men episodes!), which is enough to keep me from blogging, but last week there was something else that needed my attention:
My sanity.
See, the week before last, all three of my kids had gotten sick–in the space of 24 hours, every single one of them was called home by the school nurse–and then of course I got it, too. Your basic someone-please-put-me-out-of-my-misery stomach flu. I got into bed at 7 PM that night and lay there for two or three hours just trying to pray myself out of it before I eventually fell asleep. Then, even once we all recovered, everybody was still in a funk. I’m fine overlooking cranky behavior when my kids are ill. I get it. It comes with the kid-sickness territory. But when the crankiness goes on for interminable days after the illness has dissipated, it’s hard to take. I vented my frustration to my husband one morning after dealing with some pretty extreme attitude problems, and he reminded me that it had been quite awhile since I had taken a personal retreat…or, as he likes to call it, an Emergency Vacation.
Ever since my firstborn was a toddler, I’ve tried to get away about once a year for a couple of days of quiet, prayer, and generally doing what I want, not what I have to. It’s wonderful tradition that always leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to get back to my real life. So when my husband brought it up, I didn’t need much encouragement before I jumped up, grabbed my laptop, and started making plans. Within a couple of hours, I had booked two nights doing something I’ve always wanted to try: a farm stay. If you haven’t heard of farm stays, they’re pretty much exactly what they sound like: (drum roll please…..) staying on a farm. In this case, I checked out farmstayus.com and located a small family farm outside Prescott, AZ, two hours from my home, that has a condo-sized cabin available for rent. A few days later I found myself sipping my morning coffee on a porch overlooking a beautiful valley with the sounds of chickens clucking in the background. Three Sparrows Farm was absolute bliss.
If you’ve ever had a hankering to get away from it all (but still be within driving distance of civilization), you couldn’t do much better than this place. A 2-acre property set on a hillside, 3 Sparrows has chickens, goats, and a donkey, all of which you are welcomed to feed, pet, and/or hold. (Except the donkey. Feeding and petting, yes. Holding, good luck.)
After two days of peace and quiet, including a hike up Thumb Butte and walking around downtown Prescott, I was totally pleased with my experience and definitely came home better equipped to deal with whatever life might throw at me. (Check out the farm and info about the farm stay at 3sparrowsfarm.com)
So, speaking of real life, let’s get to the other reason for this post: Broccoli Quiche. Because what’s the first things a mom has to do when she gets back from a trip? (I mean, after laundry?) Make dinner, of course! Quiche is one of my favorite go-to easy dinners, as I’ve mentioned here and here. Coming home from my getaway, broccoli quiche was a simple way to get dinner on the table without a lot of fuss. Served with roasted potatoes, it’s a satisfying but not overpowering brunch for dinner. Or just brunch for brunch. In any case, tasty, packed with veggies, and great for take-to-work leftovers.
Now that my 2015 Emergency Vacation is done, any recommendations for next year?
Broccoli Quiche
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
1 unbaked pie crust
2 Tbsp. butter
3 c. broccoli, chopped into florets
1/2 medium-large onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, and broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and broccoli is bright green. Spoon vegetables into prepared pie crust and sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar.
3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, then mix in milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until eggs are set in the center. (Check quiche frequently throughout baking time, as it is notoriously finicky about how long it takes to set.) Cool at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serves 4-5 as a main dish.
Fig, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Cinnamon-Pecan Vinaigrette
Have you ever had a really unforgettable meal at a restaurant, then gone back anticipating having it again, only to find it’s been taken off the menu? Or worse yet, that the recipe’s been changed and what you order is not nearly as delicious as what you remember? There’s a popular restaurant in Phoenix called La Grande Orange I’ve been to only a couple of times and enjoyed. Once I got a salad there with a truly spectacular pecan vinaigrette. While nuts have been growing on me for the last few years (you know, figuratively, not literally), I have historically not been their biggest fan. This dressing, though, was a revelation. Sweet, rich, and complex–this dressing probably gets alllll the ladies. I’ve thought about it frequently since our last visit to La Grande Orange. Imagine my disappointment, then, looking up the LGO menu recently and not seeing it listed!
Well, I couldn’t let it go at that. I had to at least Google and tinker around to try to recreate a version of it (if not call LGO’s chef and tearfully beg for the recipe). The dressing on this salad is the result. Since I don’t actually remember LGO’s salad itself, just the vinaigrette, I chose ingredients I tend to like with sweet dressings: dried figs, pear slices, goat cheese, and arugula for a little spicy kick. I must say the whole picture of flavors came together dee-liciously. I might have even liked my homemade pecan vinaigrette with its touch of cinnamon even better than the restaurant version, if you can believe it. So here it is, the salad with the most delicious vinaigrette ever–and possibly the longest name ever. If this were in a cookbook, I’m pretty sure my editor would make me cut some words out of its 11-word title.
Fig, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Cinnamon-Pecan Vinaigrette
(Dressing adapted from Food.com)
Ingredients:
Salad:
8 c. arugula
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
4 oz. dried figs, sliced in half
Dressing:
1 c. chopped pecans
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Cinnamon, to taste
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
Directions:
1. Assemble salad ingredients on a platter or in a large bowl.
2. Toast the pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake 3-5 minutes, checking at 3 minutes for doneness. The nuts should look dark brown but not burnt.
3. To make vinaigrette, whisk together Dijon and honey. Slowly whisk in olive oil, then balsamic vinegar. Stir in cooled toasted pecans. If you like a more emulsified texture, give the whole thing a few pulses with an immersion blender.
4. Toss salad with pecan vinaigrette, or serve on the side.
Serves 4.
The B.E.L.T.CH.
In June 2005 when my husband and I were frivolous young things living on love and Hamburger Helper and a combined annual income equivalent to two days at Disneyland, we took a trip to beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. We spent our days exploring Stanley Park, making fun of Canadian money (ever heard of “loonies and toonies”?), and wandering the neighborhood of Kerrisdale, where we were staying at a lovely B & B. These were the days before Yelp, so as we strolled the neighborhood, our dining choices were left to chance. Luckily for us, we ended up at a fantastic little cafe called The Red Onion Restaurant. (It’s still there, come to find out.) As far as I remember, I think we ended up eating there several times during our 5-day stay. (This may have also had to do with the fact that we hadn’t rented a car.) But the other reason we kept coming back was for a inappropriately delicious sandwich:
the B.E.L.T.CH!
This amped-up version of the classic BLT packed in a fried “E”gg and “CH”eese to compose the (B)acon (E)gg (L)lettuce (T)omato and (CH)eese sandwich. You know a sandwich is a true great when it’s been nine years since you had it and you still think about it semi-annually. So when my husband made it today, it brought back only good gustatory memories. See, the regular BLT has always seemed a little skimpy and skinny to me. Like, go eat a sandwich, sandwich! This version solves that problem with creamy Havarti and a hearty fried egg. It’s like breakfast met lunch and they both lived happily ever after. So thanks, Red Onion Restaurant! And thanks to my husband for making such a big, beautiful B.E.L.T.CH. It’s what he does best. 😉
The B.E.L.T.CH.
(A Love Letter to Food Original, inspired by The Red Onion Restaurant)
Ingredients:
Cooking spray or 1 tsp. butter
1 egg
salt and pepper, to taste
3 slices thick-cut bacon
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 slice Havarti cheese
Tomato slices
Lettuce or spinach leaves
Directions:
1. Cook bacon as desired until crispy.
2. Meanwhile, fry the egg: coat a small skillet with cooking spray or melt 1 tsp. butter over medium heat. Crack the egg directly into the skillet and let cook 3-5 minutes, or until the yolk no longer looks runny. Flip the egg with a spatula and cook on the other side an additional minute. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Assemble the B.E.L.T.CH.! Spread mayo on toast slices and layer with tomato, lettuce, bacon, fried egg, and Havarti.
Serves 1.
Spinach Feta Quiche
Sometimes in this stage of life I feel like so many of my friends and family members are having babies that Target should just hand me a pack of diapers and onesies every time I pass through their automatic doors. (And take the 30 bucks right out of my wallet.) In the last month and a half, our extended family has welcomed one new niece and one new nephew. Then there’s also my cousin who’s pregnant, my good friend, my other good friend, and basically 80% of my Facebook friends, it seems. For me, it’s fun to visit friends and loved ones with itty bitty newborns….and then hand them back to mom or dad to deal with because that stage of life is DONE for me!!! *Insane cackle*
I jest. God only knows whether my husband and I will ever have any more children.* (*Official Catholic cover-your-butt statement.) But it is such a blessing to watch so many friends with growing families, and–maybe my favorite part–to bring them meals. This past week I was slated to take dinner to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, whose little girl had arrived a few days before. When taking a meal to new parents, I always try to stick to the following rules:
–Reasonably healthy (nursing moms need good nutrition)
–Travels well (as much as I love soup, it does not pass this test)
–No dishes need to be returned (because this is a hassle for everyone)
–Nothing too crazy (I’ll save my Jellied Boar Snout recipe for another time)
There are many dinners that meet these criteria, but one of my favorites is this spinach feta quiche. You may have noticed, if you are a human being who eats solid food, that spinach and feta are a Mediterranean Dream Team.
So it will probably come as no surprise to you that this spinach feta quiche is delicious. But I will tell you, having tried MANY such combinations in my many years as a quiche eater, that this one is far and away the best I’ve ever had. The addition of cheddar kicks it up a notch to cheesy, spinachy, herby bliss. And while it meets all the above standards for a great meal to take to new parents (baked in a disposable aluminum pan so no dishes need be washed or returned), it could also just as easily make a pretty brunch item or dinner for vegetarian guests. Any way you slice it–literally–this is one you don’t want to miss.
Spinach Feta Quiche
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach
1 6-oz. package herb and garlic crumbled feta cheese
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in the butter until lightly browned, 7-10 minutes. Stir in spinach, feta, and 1/2 c. cheddar and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into pie crust.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over spinach mixture.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 c. cheddar and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until set in the center. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Serves about 5 as a main dish.