fighting the fat, one delicious meal at a time

Sauces, Dips, and Spreads

Meatless Monday: Gochujang Hummus

On May 13, 2013   /   Appetizers and Snacks, Sauces, Dips, and Spreads, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Gochujang hummus, perfect for dipping

One of the many benefits of living alone is that there is no one around to judge me for talking to myself in the kitchen. Sometimes I pretend I’m living the luxurious life of Ina Garten, whipping up dishes for Geoffrey and all my fabulous friends. (Seriously, the woman keeps a tab at her grocery store. What a life.) Other times I put on a bad British accent and pretend I’m curvy, gorgeous Nigella Lawson: I make recipes with decadent, creamy ingredients and lean forward more than is strictly necessary.

Most of the time though, I’m just Kamille, thinking out loud.

I sing little ditties to myself, cringing whenever I hit a bad note. I muse about the kinds of flavors that I want to incorporate into my food. I daydream about my boyfriend and shred way too much cabbage by mistake. No matter what, the time I spend over my stove or at my prep table is time for me to decompress.

I haven’t gotten enough of it lately. Like everyone else, I have been maddeningly busy — too busy to make food that requires any effort beyond a quick sauté. I decided to take some time on a recent sunny afternoon to treat myself to some much-needed kitchen therapy. I made this gochujang hummus, a Korean spin on the sriracha hummus that I first made back in September. Read more… →

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Fit and Fresh: Strawberry Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing

On February 20, 2013   /   Low-Fat, Main Dishes, Sauces, Dips, and Spreads, Vegetarian, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

strawberry salad with lemon-basil dressing

I have some version of this strawberry salad for lunch almost every day. I love salads like this for a couple of reasons.

1. Size matters: This thing is ENORMOUS. It’s not some piddling side salad that will leave you feeling even hungrier than you were before you ate. This is a salad mountain, my friends. After this meal, you’ll feeling full and satisfied — not deprived.

2. Looks matter too: Honestly, what a gorgeous meal. You’ll get compliments on it, I promise. And guess what? Those colorful veggies aren’t just pretty. All those beautiful colors mean nutrients. This strawberry salad will do nothing but good things for you.

3. Simple and convenient: Like I said earlier, I make a salad like this for lunch every day. I’m a working woman, so that means I have to make it travel. It’s super easy. In the morning, I toss the dressing ingredients together in a little bottle. I put the mixed greens in one container and the chopped vegetables in another. Done and done. When I get hungry, I plate it. It doesn’t get much easier (or cheaper!) than that.

I really like this version because the strawberries and chopped almonds make the salad just a little bit special. In spite of the cold weather, it makes me feel like spring is just around the corner. The lemon-basil dressing is the perfect complement to the flavors of the salad. It’s bright and clean and subtly sweet — just the thing for those juicy strawberries.

Here’s the recipe. Read more… →

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Cheap & Easy Eats: Spinach-Almond Pesto

On January 23, 2013   /   Sauces, Dips, and Spreads, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Heart-shaped spinach-almond pesto

I only recently acquired a taste for pesto. (Honestly, I think I was weirded out by it because it’s so unapologetically green.) Anyway, now that I’ve discovered the magic of pesto, I’m sort of obsessed with it.

I wanted to make pesto at home, but the cost of fresh basil and pine nuts gave me serious pause at the grocery store. Maybe it’s just my area, but basil seemed to be especially expensive, and pine nuts are always sold at a premium. I decided I would do the real-world thing: use what I have on hand. This spinach-almond pesto is the result.

I keep squeezable tubes of fresh herbs in the fridge, so I used that to incorporate a small amount of fresh basil into the recipe. The bulk of the work is done by the spinach though — a 75-cent block of the frozen stuff did the trick for me. Almonds are my favorite nut and I always have several bags in my pantry, but you could use any nut you like. Walnuts and pistachios would work especially well.

Pesto is always a simple way to make something boring seem extra special, and this version is no different. Spoon it on top of grilled tilapia or chicken, add it to a shrimp sauté, or just mix it in with your favorite pasta. It’s simple, nutritious, and costs next to nothing per serving.

Here’s how to put this tasty spinach-almond pesto together. Read more… →

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