Lamb Chops with Yogurt Sauce

I decided to make this meal after getting some inspiration from a French cookbook. There was a recipe for rack of lamb that sounded delicious, but we quickly discovered that (a) rack of lamb is difficult to find in the grocery store, and (b) if you do find rack of lamb, it is very expensive! So that recipe didn't happen.

So I opened up the old cookbooks, and came across this easy-to-make recipe that used lamb chops rather than rack of lamb. When I saw that lamb chops were on sale at the grocery store (much cheaper than rack of lamb), I was sold! I was a little nervous about cooking lamb for the first time, but it was as easy as making pork chops, just with more flavor. The yogurt sauce had a unique flavor with the mint, and complemented the lamb perfectly. 

I served the lamb chops with a side of smashed potatoes (flavored simply with olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice), which also tasted delicious dipped in the sauce. One thing I look for in recipes is whether it reheats well in the microwave, since I like to make several servings in one batch. I can say with confidence that the lamb chops do reheat very well, and the yogurt sauce kept for a few days without a problem. Recipe success!

Lamb Chops with Yogurt Sauce

(adapted from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook)

Ingredients:

¾ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt

mini cucumber, peeled and chopped

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

3 scallions, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp salt

4 bone-in loin lamb chops

¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Spray broiler rack with nonstick spray and preheat broiler.

2. To make the sauce, stir together yogurt, cucumber, mint, scallions, garlic, pepper flakes, and ¼ tsp of the salt in a blender or food processor and puree.

3. Sprinkle lamb with remaining salt and all of the black pepper. Place the lamb chops on the broiler rack and broil 5 inches from heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 degrees for medium (approximately 6 minutes per side).

4. Serve with a side of the sauce.

*Makes 4 servings (1 lamb chop and about ¼ cup of sauce)

Bareburger

I'm not a huge fan of chain restaurants. I feel like they just aren't as interesting as other places. However, I finally found a great chain, Bareburger, so I decided I had to write about it in this blog. Bareburger is an organic and all natural burger restaurant. There are a bunch of locations in New York City and they are expanding to outside of New York City soon. I tried out the Upper East Side location with a friend last week and was very happy with my decision.

There was no wait on a Wednesday night, but the place was pretty busy, especially by the time I left the restaurant. It is also fairly new to the Upper East Side. There are lots of burger, salad, and sandwich options. You can combine and create your meal to try lots of unique things. I opted for a vegetarian burger California style.

It was so flavorful with sharp cheddar cheese, avocado, watercress, tomatoes, raw red onions, and salsa verde. I had sweet potato fries, which are one of my favorites. They were 
delicious. I would try something different next time, because of how many options there are. They have all different kinds of meats and sides as well. It's good for meat eaters, but also lots of vegetarian options. Some of the more unique meat options are: Bison, Elk, Ostrich, and Wild Boar for burgers. My friend had a salad with jerk chicken that looked delicious as well. 

I would recommend this place for really good food and loads of choices. Bareburger is casual and comfortable. It's slightly expensive for what it is, but I guess that can be expected for a place that's organic and all natural. I'm looking forward to going back and trying something else new and exciting. 

*Bareburger - 1370 First Avenue, New York, NY

Light Chicken with Tomatoes & Artichokes

The other night, I found myself with some chicken breasts that needed to be cooked, as well as a can of artichokes and a can of diced tomatoes. I did some googling and found a few recipes that combined those three ingredients, looked easy to make, and sounded good. I chose the recipe that was the quickest to throw together (it had been a long day at work!), made a few small changes, and came up with a new, delicious chicken dinner to add to my repertoire.

I can’t even explain how ridiculously easy this chicken was to make. You mix together a handful of ingredients (all of which I typically keep on hand), pour the mixture over the chicken breasts, and bake. And the best part was - it tasted great!

The chicken had an Italian taste to it, so I served it over a side of pasta, which was a perfect complement to the meal. I didn’t add any additional sauce, assuming that the tomato and artichoke mixture from the chicken would be enough flavor to coat the pasta. The next time I make this, I may add some additional tomato sauce to the dish, but it wasn’t really necessary. Also, I used a thin-sliced provolone cheese because that is what I had in the refrigerator, and it melted perfectly and tasted great, but I’m sure that mozzarella cheese would be really good as well.

Light Chicken with Tomatoes & Artichokes

(adapted from http://aaronandjillw.blogspot.com/2011/08/italian-chicken.html)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

Thin-sliced provolone cheese

Fresh or dried basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients (except for the provolone cheese and basil) together in a medium-sized bowl.

4. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts.

5. Cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.

6. Take the chicken out of the oven and top each piece of chicken with a slice of provolone cheese. Put back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes on the top rack, until the cheese has fully melted.

7. Sprinkle with basil and serve!

Light Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Have you figured out yet that I'm crazy about all things lasagna? I previously told you about my love for lasagna, and my need to find ways to keep my portion sizes in check. So when I saw this Skinnytaste.com recipe for spinach lasagna rolls, of course I was hooked. (As a side note, Skinnytaste is one of my favorite blogs for healthy recipes - I haven't gone wrong with a single one of her recipes yet!)

Making this meal was a little time-intensive, but the upside is that it makes about 11-12 rolls, and since 1-2 rolls is the perfect amount for dinner, it means that while I'm putting in a lot of time, I'm ending up with a lot of leftovers. And the lasagna rolls are much easier to freeze than a pan of lasagna would be. Besides, it's pretty fun to roll up the lasagna noodles!

The most frustrating part of the preparation is in draining the frozen spinach, but I discovered a tip that makes it much more manageable. When you take the spinach out of the freezer, put the frozen spinach block into a microwaveable bowl and microwave for approximately 2 minutes. Then wrap the spinach in 3 layers of paper towels, and over a colander (in case the paper towel rips), gather up the paper towels around the spinach and squeeze the water out. 

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

(adapted from Skinnytaste.com)

Ingredients:

Lasagna noodles, cooked (approximately 12 noodles)

10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese (you can also use fat-free ricotta, but I think it's lacking in taste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

salt and pepper, to taste

32 oz. tomato sauce

3 oz. part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Combine spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. 

2. Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with 1 cup of tomato sauce.

3. Spread lasagna noodles in a row on a piece of wax paper or tin foil. Pat lasagna noodles dry. Spread 1/3 cup of the spinach mixture evenly over a lasagna noodle, leaving some space at the end of the noodle. Roll the noodle up carefully and place the roll seam-side down into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles.

4. Ladle remaining sauce evenly across the top of the lasagna rolls, and top evenly with the mozzarella cheese. 

5. Wrap the baking dish with tin foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes, until the cheese melts.

*Makes approximately 12 rolls.

Penny Cluse Cafe

So I rarely get excited to have breakfast out. I am usually happy with some cereal at home in my pajamas. However, my experience at Penny Cluse Cafe in Burlington, Vermont, makes me want to recognize that maybe breakfast is more exciting than I had always believed. It is a cute breakfast and lunch spot, open daily until 3pm. The crowds come out to eat there. I actually caved in and waited over 1 1/2 hours to eat some eggs. And let me tell you, it was the right decision. The service was friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was casual and inviting, with simple decorations. 

Their menu is simple. It has the basics of any good breakfast spot. There are lots of egg dishes, pancakes, and french toast, among other things. We both ordered the same dish, the Penny Cluse, which is two eggs, with biscuits soaked in homemade gravy, and potatoes. I substituted fresh fruit in for the potatoes, which had a bunch of different fruits on the plate. I had watermelon, plum, peach, pineapple, strawberry, and grapefruit. The best part of the Penny Cluse breakfast was the gravy they serve, that is like nothing I have had before. It is unique, flavorful, and very hearty. Go there and order the Penny Cluse breakfast. It might change your life or at least make you happy while you eat it. 

*Penny Cluse Cafe - 169 Cherry Street, Burlington, Vermont