Skip to main content

cookin' up a storm!



Nothing like plummeting temperatures, bleak skies, and snow flurries to get me in the mood to whip up some comfort food!  On this particular night, I was inspired by a tuna casserole recipe that one of my friends posted on 'that other social network'.  I adapted the ingredients a bit to accommodate my dietary restrictions, but you can feel free to use the full-fat, full-sodium versions of any of the ingredients.  I didn't measure anything, (I rarely do) so you'll just have to wing it on that front.  Here's what went into the dish:

2 cans tuna fish, drained
1/2 package whole wheat pasta spirals
3 egg whites, beaten
2 tablespoons of Smart Balance spread
grated pepper-jack cheese
diced tomatoes
fresh chopped parsley
chopped onion
fresh ground black pepper
salt, to taste (I didn't use any)

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain.  Mix in all the other ingredients except for the eggs, and a couple handfuls of the cheese.  When the mixture has cooled slightly, incorporate the beaten egg.  Place in a greased dish, and top with the balance of the grated cheese.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes (the cooking time will depend on your oven's mood that day).  Thanks for the recipe Frankie!  You rock!!!

AND.... as if that wasn't enough, I figured that while I had the oven going anyway (a very rare occurrence in my home), I might as well prepare some cauliflower and chickpeas, tossed with ground cumin, olive oil, lemon juice and minced parsley, and roasted for about 35 minutes.   To accompany the cauliflower, I put a couple of lamb leg steaks - seasoned with salt, lemon juice, minced garlic and rosemary - under the broiler and let them go for 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare.





We'll be enjoying the lamb and cauliflower tonight for dinner, and the tuna casserole will be consumed during the very busy week ahead.  It's great to have something tasty and relatively healthful to nibble on when holiday errands wreak havoc on your schedule.

And by the way, that lamb marrow - INSANE!!!!!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

D. I. Y. dinner for the 1%

A few months ago, I noticed a very intriguing sign in a storefront window of an establishment under construction. The shop was to be called 'The Walk-In Cookbook'. Needless to say, my curiosity was peaked, but I resisted the urge to research the hell out of the topic and decided to wait until opening day to find out what it was all about. Today, my patience was rewarded as I sauntered into the newly-opened establishment to take a look around. The Walk In Kitchen, it appears, is kind of like an Ikea for cooking. There are brightly colored posters that feature photographs of meals, accompanied by ingredient lists and the cost of said ingredients in 2 and 4 serving iterations. There are also recipe cards, which double as shopping lists as you make your way around the store selecting from the attractively displayed produce and other food items. The layout resembles a professional kitchen, and you kind of get the feeling that a cooking class is going to start up at any minut...
3 comments
Read more

The Phantom Debt

A couple of months ago, with the help and support of someone very dear to me, I became, for the first time in about 10 years, entirely debt-free. Of course, there should be high-fives and abundant celebratory toasts at this momentous occasion. But instead of being at peace, and revelling in my new found financial freedom, I seem to have become downright terrified of spending money. I can only compare this to the phenomenon that many amputees claim to have experienced, a sensation that the missing limb is actually still there! I still feel the weight of the appendage that I carried for over a decade. In fact, I've found myself checking my credit-card balance several times a week, each time believing that my burden would suddenly re-appear, and each time finding the balance at zero, and each time being strangely disappointed that there was no balance due. And I've taken to wringing my hands in anxiety over the 'extra' money in my bank account at the end of the month. Was...
6 comments
Read more

They say ignorance is bliss.

And it WAS, for a while, but sooner or later, reality was bound smack me in the head (or a more southerly body part, in this case). The results of my follow-up exam are abnormal. So, in three weeks, I must submit to a colposcopy. For those who want extensive, clinical details about this procedure, click here . For those who do not, let's just say the doctor's going to poke around in my hoo-hah for a few minutes to see what the hell is going on down there. It's NOT cancer, they told me, but they need to see if it's anything of concern. So I'm just gonna chill, and put this out of my mind until the time comes. Yeah, right!
6 comments
Read more