Lemons & Lunges » zucchini

The Perfect Fall Soup

Courtney — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 03:08:23 +0000

Pull up your boot straps kiddos, it’s finally fall in Southern California. I’ve stocked up on seasonal candles, crockpot recipes and baby pumpkins so even if Helen Keller came to visit, she’d know what time it was in our house. BOOM.

Tonight was perfect for a simple soup that is one of my favorites – inspired by Cooking Light – this one pot White Bean and Turkey Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Spinach and Zucchini can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. As with all soups, it gets better with age – so you’ll be happy to know it feeds four with leftovers for lunch the next day.

White Bean & Turkey Sausage Ragout with Tomato, Spinach and Zucchini

Author: Courtney

Recipe type: Dinner/Soup

Cuisine: Clean Eating

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 6-8

This one pot dish gets better with time – but can be ready for start to bowl in thirty minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium chopped onion
6 (4-ounce) links spicy italian turkey sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
1 zucchini, quartered and cut into (1/2-inch) slices (about 2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 large bunch of spinach, chopped
2-3 cups of chicken broth (depending on how soupy you want it)
2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1.5 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté onion and sausage 4 minutes or until sausage is browned.
Add zucchini and garlic; cook 2 minutes.
Add spinach and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Can be served topped with Parmesan cheese and/or a side of crusty bread

Cilantro and Jalapeno Shrimp Cakes

Courtney — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 08:51:25 +0000

It’s official, I’m the last one standing in this house. Adam is one cough away from losing a lung, Rondo has something going on with his sweet little eyes and you know all about The Gidge’s recent brush with pancreatitis. Gidget Watch 2013 Update: she’s home now, thank goodness! Resting, eating chicken and rice only for the next month (I think that was her plan all along), and on the road to recovery. The one silver lining in all this is that they had to shave her leg to give her an IV and now she looks like she either has a wooden peg leg or got attacked by a mini shark. I feel badly laughing in a sick dog’s face, but I can’t help it. I mean…

::wahahaha. I’m a terrible mother/person. wahahahaha::

Last night, after running around picking up meds for everyone, I thought I’d make something light and fresh that might help everyone ingesting it feel lighter and fresher. I was wrong, and we’ll be having soup tonight, because sick people like soup, not shrimp. BUT, I’d otherwise recommend these Cilantro and Jalapeno Shrimp Cakes for a nice late summer dinner (or lunch) option, inspired by SkinnyTaste. I paired mine with some grilled corn and grilled zucchini spears (not pictured). For Adam, I through together a little lemon, basil angel hair pasta as a base because he’s not a huge fan of corn. Who doesn’t like sweet summer corn, grilled to perfection? I’m suspect of his taste. Whatevs… more for me.

Cilantro & Jalapeno Shrimp Cakes

Author: Courtney

Recipe type: Lunch or Dinner

Cuisine: Seafood

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large jalapeño, minced
2 garlic clove, minced
3 medium scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons panko (use GF crumbs for gluten free)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 lime
1 avocado

Instructions

Dry shrimp on paper towel and combine with jalapeno and garlic in food processor or mini chopper.
Chop/grind until almost paste-like (not many big pieces remain)
Combine next 5 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl
Add shrimp mixture to dry ingredients mixture and mix well
Form into 3-4 patties, depending on what size you want. Wet hands before forming patties to help with sticking
Heat non-stick skillet over medium-heat and spray with PAM.
Cook patties, undisturbed, for 4 minutes per side.
Serve over grilled corn and top with avocado and lime. (Don’t leave these two out! Yummm!)

Call The Police

Courtney — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 04:05:26 +0000

Has anyone ever played the drinking game “Roxanne” ? My assumption is that if you’re reading this blog, you have. Well, at boot camp this week, our insane trainer (Hi Shantille!), decided to suck everything fun out of what used to be the most sure-fire way for me to get A.) A brain freeze B.) A blackout C.) A hangover, and made it into a 3 minute full body workout game. There are times in life when you realize you’ve changed, you’ve grown-up (even if it was on accident and just a tiny bit), and you’re onto another chapter. One of those times was this week, during “Roxanne.”

So, are you up for a serious challenge? Here’s how it goes: Grab The Police’s “Roxanne,” turn up your speakers and position yourself in a plank. Whenever Sting says, “Roxanne,” you do a push-up; whenever he says “Red Light,” you do a plank knee tuck. Throughout every other part of the song, you’ll be holding your plank. As you know, verse 2 and 3 are really when you either get incredibly drunk (me 6 years ago) or when you want to vomit from exhaustion (me 3 days ago). Okay, go try it now. Ryan and I will wait…

HOLY HELL, eh? But kind of awesome too, huh? Welcome to your new chapter.

Speaking of The Police, I’d like to arrest this dinner for being so damn good. This meal is so sneaky – it’s low-carb, high protein, gluten-free AND you significant other/roommate/Kramer-like neighbor will never suspect it’s healthy. What a snnnnnnneeeaakkky mom! If you’ve got 20 minutes (from start to plate), you’ve got dinner that people will high five you for.

Mexican Zucchini Skillet with Carne Asada

Mexican Zucchini Skillet:

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb zucchini, diced
1 large tomato, cored, seeded and diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp minced pickled jalapeño
1/2 cup crumbled queso blanco (or queso fresco, cotija or feta)
1/2 avocado, cubed
fresh lime juice, to taste
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the garlic in oil in a large skillet over medium heat 1 minute, stirring until sizzling. Add zucchini and cook stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the tomato and green onion and cook about 3 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and add cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with queso blanco and avocado. Serve hot.

When you add the tomatoes, have your dinner partner throw the carne asada onto a high heat grill. Cook 2 minutes each side and cut into strips, served over the mexican zucchini!

I Hate Hummers

Courtney — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 05:02:52 +0000

… said no guy, ever. However, I’m talking about the four wheel monstrosities that crowd up the roadway and literally DRIVE YOU OFF THE ROAD when they decide that the left lane seems more happenin’. On my way to boot camp today, one of these army tanks came careening at me, forcing me to nearly make a car faceplant into the shoulder barricade. It’s at that moment when I wished I could transform my car into a Monster Truck and literally drive up and over him with the words “Hostile Territory” dramatically airbrushed on my bumper.

And here’s my question to the driver of this vehicle: Where are your friends? Ya know, the ones that should tell you that buying an army tank that you paint iridescent green and put chrome wheels on is not a cool move. Especially because those wheels will tip everyone off to the fact that you, my friend, are not going into any off-road combat situations anytime soon. But… I digress.

Onto tonight’s meal – I must say that Zucchini Boats are in major rotation ’round these parts this summer. It’s a great way to cram in all the delicious flavors that you love in a low carb boat of goodness. (And I stuff my boats like I used to stuff my bra in 7th grade…heavily). Bonus points: This recipe makes enough for leftovers for lunch all week.

Tonight’s titillating treats are the Oooey Gooey Stuffed Zucchini Boats:

Adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini (about 8 inches)
1 pound ground turkey (or 93% lean ground beef)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1.5 cup (6 ounces) shredded pepper jack cheese (I don’t do reduced fat becuase I don’t think it melts well – but you can!)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon reduced fat butter or margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine ground turkey, all veggies and salt and pepper in a medium high heat pan until turkey has browned and veggies are softened (about 5 minutes). Drain off excess moisture and add ground turkey mixture to a large bowl.

In the same pan heat the butter for the sauce over medium-low heat, whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk and mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. Turn heat down to low and add 1 cup of the pepper jack stirring until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little.

Meanwhile wash the zucchini and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out all the seeds leaving the zucchini intact. Place on a large baking sheet or roasting pan. (Other recipes I’ve seen call for boiling to zucchini before you place them in the roasting pan – I disagree and find it makes them too soft and soggy.)

Stir the cheese sauce into the ground meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the meat into the zucchini boats, sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/2 cup of pepper jack.

Yummmmmmm!!