Stir-fry is a staple weeknight meal in our house, and a simple way to shake things up is to swap out the standard rice accompaniment for an Asian-style noodle instead. In this episode, I’m reinventing the Honey Balsamic Filet we made a few weeks back. Even if I have just an ounce or two of steak leftover, I’ll wrap it up to make this stir-fry the next day. A little meat goes a long way, especially when you slice it very thin and add the veggies.
Saucy Beef with Broccoli Noodle Stir Fry
Use noodles instead of rice to liven up your weekly stir-fry.
Leftover Honey-Balsamic Filet, cut thinly, crosswise, into bite-sized pieces
Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and toss with a few drops of sesame oil.
Heat a Tablespoon of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of sesame oil in wok over medium high heat.
Add beef and stir-fry until edges brown and crisp.
Add a bit more oil, broccoli and continue cooking until broccoli is crisp tender. Add noodles and Teriyaki and soy sauce and cook for about two minutes, until heated through and noodles get a little crispy.
*For a midsummer twist, you could substitute a store-bought peanut sauce for Teriyaki and serve cold.
If you want to reinvent the filet as a beef fried rice dish, you can try my Trader Joe’s Cheat, also.
In search of the perfect summer pasta salad? You’re looking at it right here—and it’s kid-friendly to boot. This week I’m joined by my friend, comedian Jamie Bendall, who co-owns The Punchline comedy club in Atlanta and happens to be a lawyer by day. He’s also a married dad of three daughters and often finds himself in need of a quick for after the kids’ softball games (full disclosure, this recipe is a staple of his lovely wife Kelly’s that Jamie has appropriated to share on Deb’s Kitchen). All you need is some mixed veggies, a box of fun pasta and store-bought salad dressing. Oh, and some tasty feta. The trick to making kids eat this up is you chop of the veggies really small in a food processor, so little ones can hardly detect they’re eating something healthy; it kind of blends right into the pasta. My favorite aspect about this pasta salad is that you can store it in the fridge and it tastes even better on day two or three; just freshen it with an extra splash of dressing or crumble of cheese. Give it a try for your next summer barbecue or picnic.
Light and Tangy Pasta Salad
Using a tri-color noodle for this pasta salad is extra fun.
One 16 oz. box of fun pasta noodles, like bowtie or rotini
2-3 cups total of fresh (or frozen veggies thawed) such as
Broccoli
Sweet corn
Edamame
Green beans
Carrots
Peas
4-6 Tablespoons Italian dressing (I like Newman’s Own Lite Italian)
4 Tablespoons Feta cheese crumbled
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Let stand to cool. Meanwhile, toss the veggies into a mini processor and pulse until veggies are chopped into very small pieces and blended. Add to pasta, along with dressing and feta cheese. Toss well, chill and serve. That’s it!
You just bought a beautiful box of strawberries at the store or farmers market—what’s the best way to store them? First, resist the urge to wash them right away. I’ve found that with berries (and grapes, too), they keep much better if you wash as you use them; when they’re wet they have a tendency to spoil faster in the fridge. Instead, just place the dry strawberries in a colander (or shallow dish) so that air can circulate around them and pop it in the refrigerator. The berries should keep for about a week!
The yummy pizza I prepare in Episode 6 is not at all from scratch. Not. At. All. If you’re looking for a recipe for homemade crust or even the best frozen pizza crust, my apologies, this is not the pizza for you! I’ve experimented a few times with using frozen crusts and so far haven’t found one that works with my schedule and taste demands, and that’s how I ended up turning to the wonderful pre-made, uncooked pizzas available at Whole Foods and other grocery stores (and even pizza restaurants in some cities). The advantage is that you get that fresh from the oven, bubbling pizza look and taste but you don’t have to do much heavy lifting; dinner is ready in 15 minutes. Here, the red onions add a nice pop of color and the crimini mushrooms and truffle oil give a rich, woodsy flavor. Did you know, btw, truffle oil is an aphrodisiac? Just a little added bonus for your weekly pizza night.
Mushroom, Onion and Truffle Oil Pizza
Less can be more when it comes to pizza toppings.
One large uncooked pizza, such as Whole Foods variety
1/4 cup Red Onion, chopped
4-5 Crimini mushrooms, sliced
Drizzle of truffle oil (8-10 generous drops)
Arrange onions and mushrooms on pizza and cook according to instructions. Drizzle truffle oil on pizza (about one drop per slice) and serve.
In Episode 5, I’m making one of my favorite “tastes-fancier-than-it-is” vegetables, a lemon and garlic roasted brussels sprouts dish. Brussels sprouts get a bad rap, don’t you think? I can’t say I was much of a fan of them either—until I stumbled upon this particular recipe a few years ago. So often recipes try to drown the natural, cabbage-y brussels flavor with stronger elements—bacon, cheese, sugar, for example—but instead, this recipe creates just a little sweetness through the natural roasting process and then the jolt of lemon just perks and brightens up the whole dish, I think. What I love most about this brussels sprouts recipe is that it works well cold or hot, making it perfect for potlucks and dinner parties.
Lemon and Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasting brussels sprouts brings out their natural sweetness!
About 2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, washed and halved (make sure to leave a little bit of the stem intact so the sprout holds together)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil, divided
3 cloves of garlic, chopped thin
Fresh juice of one lemon
Kosher Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the Brussels in a large bowl. Add half the olive oil (about a teaspoon and a half; eyeball it) and season with a bit of kosher salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish and pop in the oven to roast for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned, making sure to toss the Brussels a few times for even cooking. When the Brussels are done cooking, begin heating the remaining oil over medium low heat. Sauté the garlic until the edges just begin to brown, then remove from heat and quickly add in the lemon juice. Pour mixture over Brussels and stir well. That’s it!
It’s easy to make fried rice a meal when you add a little extra protein, either meat or eggs, and a heaping of fresh veggies. In this episode, I’m going for a vegetarian option, so we’ll be adding eggs, scallion, and other crisp-tender goodness. Oh, by the way, yeah, I start with a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen vegetable fried rice. But believe me, the few little tweaks you see here take the meal from “Okay, that was easy and tasted good” to “Okay! I could even serve that for guests!”
If you’d like to make this recipe from scratch and ditch the prepared rice, just use 4 cups of day-old COLD rice from the fridge, and add about 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, mixed with a few teaspoons water for your sauce at the end.
Egg and Vegetable Fried Rice (with Trader Joe’s Cheat)
Chunky vegetables make fried rice so much more delish.
One bag frozen, prepared veggie fried rice, like Trader Joe’s brand
Two cups fresh broccoli florets
one bunch scallions, roughly chopped
2 eggs, beaten
Two medium-sized chopped carrots
1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil, divided
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
Heat 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil in wok, over medium-high heat.
Add eggs and scallions, breaking up as it cooks. When egg is light golden brown, push mixture to one side of pan.
Add 1 ½ teaspoons of sesame oil to wok.
Add Broccoli and carrots to wok. Cook over medium-high heat until still crisp (about 3 minutes), combining with egg and scallions.
Add remaining oils and bag of frozen Trader Joe’s vegetable Fried Rice, or 4 cups cold rice. Cook until heated through (and rice is a bit crispy), about 5 minutes.
Just before removing from heat, add soy sauce and stir well.
Serve with Sriracha Sauce, if you’re so inclined. Yum!
Pesto is one of my weekly staples. Basically all you need is a food processor or “mini-prep;” you toss the ingredients in and blend and you’ve got a fresh sauce. Sometimes I’ll pair this with store-bought tortellini or ravioli, instead of spaghetti– and if your kids don’t go for the pesto flavor, you can always serve them the noodles with a smidge of butter/olive oil and fresh mozzarella. You can also change up the basil for arugula (or do a mix of both) for more variety.
Pesto & Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Adding fresh tomatoes to pesto spaghetti makes a one-bowl meal.
(Serves 2-4)
2 cups Basil
¼ cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Pine nuts
1 clove Garlic
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ c Parmesan cheese
8 oz Whole wheat spaghetti
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, cut into quarters
Fresh mozzarella
Place the first four ingredients (basil through garlic) into the mini-processor. Chop or grind until a paste forms, stopping down to push basil and other ingredients back down.
Add salt and Parmesan cheese. Blend until smooth. Allow pesto to rest 10 minutes before serving, for flavors to meld.
Divide whole wheat spaghetti into bowls. Place 2 heaping Tablespoons of pesto on each serving.
Garnish with cut tomatoes, and dollops of fresh mozzarella. Enjoy!
For those who have asked, here’s the roasted vegetable recipe I made on the TODAY Show this morning!
Kids love the sweetness of Roasted Broccoli, Carrots and Red Potatoes.
Roasted “Family-Friendly” Vegetables (Broccoli, Carrots and Red Potatoes)
2 heads broccoli
5 large carrots, peeled and quartered
1.5 pounds red potatoes, quartered
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
I love roasted vegetables, especially wintery veggies like roots. But it can be a little time consuming to peel and cube, say, a parsnip—not to mention that offering parsnips to a two-year-old doesn’t always go over so well! So here’s a simple roasted vegetable recipe using veggies that are easy to cut up and will please eaters of all ages (my two-year old Jacob LOVES the broccoli!). Roasting is a great alternative to basic steamed vegetables.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Place the broccoli, carrots, potatoes and garlic into a large bowl. Add oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix well. Place on a cookie sheet, taking care to tuck the garlic pieces underneath a few veggies so it doesn’t burn (you also might need to spread the vegetables out over two cookie sheets for even roasting). Roast for 30-35 minutes or until desired doneness, stirring once. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, while the vegetables are still hot.
Hello my name is Debra, and I serve my family frozen dinners. In Episode 2 you see how I jazz up two frozen entrees of Amy’s macaroni and cheese and lasagna by adding a bit of fresh grated cheese, and prepare a strawberry arugula salad and homemade balsamic vinaigrette to serve alongside them. First, let me share the ingredients for the salad and dressing, then I’ll talk more about the frozen dinners!
Arugula goes well with sweet fruits like strawberries.
Strawberry Arugula Salad
(Serves 2)
4 large handfuls of pre-washed Arugula
2-3 large Strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Toss.
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 Tablespoons Light Olive Oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste (optional)
Combine ingredients in a mini Tupperware-type container that has a spill-proof lid. Shake vigorously to mix. Drizzle over salad.
I think what “makes” a dressing this simple is the quality of the balsamic; try to find one that’s rich, dark, viscous-y, and a touch sweet. You can also replace the balsamic with different styles of vinegar, or try lemon or lime juice instead for a refreshing flavor.
Now, lest you think frozen dinners are simply too much of a cheat in the semi-homemade vein, here are three reasons why I love frozen dinners, particularly the ones made by Amy’s Kitchen.
They’re quick. This is the leading reason I choose frozen meals, in moderation. Having a stack of these in the freezer means a few nights a week, we don’t even have to think or plan what we’re having–and that’s very helpful (necessary, even) given our busy schedules. We just decide “Let’s do Amy’s” and go to the freezer well and pick whatever flavors we’re in the mood for. It’s simple, and clean-up is a breeze.
They’re portion-controlled. If I were to cook a pan of, say, lasagna, I would definitely eat more than the amount I’m supposed to eat (don’t we all?!). Let’s be honest: Over the course of a few days, I would probably polish off the WHOLE PAN eating it for lunch, dinner, and snacks (this might have happened to a certain bechamel lasagna we’ve made with each of my pregnancies). Seeing as that I like my jeans to fit, I sometimes prefer knowing an indulgent meal like lasagna or macaroni and cheese ends with a single serving. Buying individual frozen entrees, I know I’m eating a max of 380 or 420 calories, respectively.
They’re tasty. Amy’s Kitchen Organic is one of my favorite brands of frozen meals (and other packaged foods). I like that they’re organic and have a good selection of low-sodium and ethnic flavors. Some of our favorite varieties include the low-sodium Vegetable Lasagna and Macaroni and Cheese seen in the show, Enchilada Meal, Cheese Tamale, Paneer Tikka, Palak Paneer, Mattar Paneer, Broccoli and Cheddar Bowl (this one’s gluten free). I also LOVE the eggplant parmesan by Trader Joe’s. On the average night, I don’t have time to cook any of these–unless we’re talking about heating an already cooked version in the oven.
P.S. I know it takes longer, but I do like to cook my frozen dinners in the oven. I think it tastes so much better than in the microwave!
Are you a frozen dinner fan? I’d love know your faves!
