Spring Ahead

 In honor of Day Light Savings and springing the clocks ahead I wanted to make a meal that was light and fresh. Vegetables and fresh herbs are the stars of this meal.

  
Ingredients, adapted from Cooking Light April 2012
- 1 jar tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- 12 (1/4" thick) eggplant slices from 2 eggplants
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts chopped
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 medium eggs
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- nonstick cooking spray
- salt and pepper to taste


1.) Turn on your broiler then carefully slice the eggplants into 12 equal pieces
2.) Lay the slices on a baking sheet lined with foil and coated with nonstick spray
3.) Lightly salt and pepper the slices then broil for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown
4.) Let the slices sit for about 10 minutes out of the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 F
5.) Meanwhile, mix the garlic powder, pine nuts, panko, ricotta, zest, eggs, 1/2 cup basil and salt and pepper
6.) Pour about 1-1/2 cups of sauce into and 8 x 8 baking pan
7.) Once the slices are cool enough to handle, spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on each slice then roll lengthwise and place seam side down in the baking pan
8.) After all the slices are rolled, cover them in sauce and then sprinkle on the parmesan cheese
9.) Bake for about 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned
10.) Top with the remaining basil and enjoy!

Skiing and Donuts

Skiing and Donuts are two of my favorite things. Combine those into one day and it's almost perfect.

Colorado has been getting some much needed snow lately so Brian and I decided to head up to Breckenridge Mountain for the day. Every time we have driven up to the mountain I've noticed a local donut shop called The Donut Mill but we had never stopped before. Today was that day.

 Brian ordered an apple filled donut and it's safe to say it was delicious!

 I ordered a maple bacon fritter...I think I'm in love!

After the donut shop we continued up to the mountain. I don't think the blue sky will ever get old.

The skiing was the best I have seen all season. It's seems like as soon as we moved to Colorado it stopped snowing and the Boston area (where we came from) has been getting hit with snow instead! Hopefully Mother Nature will drop some more snow on our area before winter is over.

 What did you do this weekend?

Tuna Steaks, Way Better than Tuna Fish

I like to believe I have a pretty open mind when it comes to food. There are very few foods I really don't like. Canned tuna is high on my Foods I Do Not Like list. Fresh tuna, now that's a different story.

The best tuna steak I've ever had was at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington. I was there visiting Brian one summer when he worked out there and the meal was amazing. It was a wasabi seared tuna steak with teriyaki glaze and wasabi mashed potatoes.

Tuna steaks were on sale this week so I figured why not!

 
Ingredients, adapted from Cooking Light April 2012

- 6 ounces soba noodles
- 1 cup frozen, shelled edamame
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1-1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1-1/2 tablespoons siracha
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1-1/3 lb fresh tuna steaks
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons canola oil

1.) Cook soba noodles according to the package directions. Add the edamame and bell pepper for last 3 minutes of cooking.
2.) Drain the noodles and mix in the soy sauce, lime juice, siracha and cilantro. Keep warm.
3.) Heat the pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and heat as well.
4.) Spray the steaks with nonstick spray then season with salt and evenly coat with sesame seeds.
5.) Sear the tuna for about 3 minutes on each side or until medium rare on the inside.
6.) Slice the tuna against the grain and enjoy!

Another week another shopping list

This morning when I woke up (at 6am thanks Latte) it had just started to snow. The news was predicting it to be a snowy and windy day so I wanted to get my errands done earlier in the day before it got really bad out.

This week I turned towards my old Cooking Light magazines for my menu. Here's what I came up with.

Saturday
Sesame Tuna with Soba Noodles

Sunday
Egglant Involtini with Green Beans

Monday
Fajita Burgers with Homemade Buns and Salad

Tuesday
Black Bean Pumpkin Soup (from last weeks menu)

Wednesday
Left overs

Thursday
Work Banquet

Friday
Date night!

I'm also working on some sweet surprises for throughout the week, get excited!

Looks like Brian and I are going to go skiing tomorrow, this will be my first day back on the mountain since my surgery and I really can't wait. There is also this donut shop on the way up to the mountain that I have always wanted to try...