fighting the fat, one delicious meal at a time

Posts Tagged ‘lunch’

Coconut Couscous with Cilantro and Lime

On May 21, 2013   /   Low-Fat, Side Dishes, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Coconut couscous, nutty and bright

As I mentioned in my post a few weeks ago, I recently rediscovered the wonders of couscous. I became a little obsessed with it actually — I researched all kinds of varieties to see what new things I could play with. I fixated on tri-color pearl (aka Israeli) couscous. It just looks so beautiful on a plate! It’s like the couscous is its own adornment. Unfortunately for me, they didn’t seem to have any Israeli couscous in my local grocery store. I suppose I could have gotten it at another shop, but frankly, I am too cheap and lazy to shop anyplace else. I took it as a sign and tried to put the couscous out of my mind.

But one day, several weeks after the onset of my obsession, it revealed itself to me: tri-color pearl couscous in my regular grocery store, for under 3.50 a pound. I combined some of my favorite flavors — coconut, cilantro, and citrus — to celebrate my find.

This coconut couscous is lightly nutty and bright, fragrant with cilantro, garlic, and lime. To keep the calories and fat low, I used an unsweetened blend of almond milk and coconut milk instead of pure coconut milk. It works beautifully in this dish. If you can’t find coconut-almond milk, feel free to use a blend of coconut milk and water instead.

The coconut couscous is a great side for just about anything. Try pairing it with marinated grilled flank steak, garlic shrimp, or skewered chicken and vegetables. Read more… →

Back to Top

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… →

Back to Top

Meatless Monday: Pumpkin Quiche with Spinach and Corn

On December 17, 2012   /   Low-Fat, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Pumpkin Quiche

There’s nothing quite like a good quiche. Have it for breakfast. Have it for lunch. Have it for dinner. Have it at 2 am in your sweatpants just because you feel like it. You know I’d never judge you. It’s a wonderful invention, this quiche thing. And a vegetarian quiche for Meatless Monday? All the better.

Since I am a lover of all things squash, this pumpkin quiche is especially pleasing to me. Pumpkin has so many wonderful applications outside of bread and cake and pie (recipe coming soon!). Like just about any other squash, pumpkin can be great in savory things too. Case in point — today’s pumpkin quiche. It’s prepared simply with chili powder, salt, and pepper. The texture is nice and light, but the dish is still incredibly filling. It’s crazy good for you — besides all that scrumptious pumpkin, there’s plenty of spinach and corn in there as well.

This pumpkin quiche recipe meets all the Kamille-cooking requirements: simple, healthy, and tasty. Here it is! Read more… →

Back to Top

Fig and Escarole Salad with Shaved Piave Cheese

On September 5, 2012   /   Main Dishes, Vegetarian, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Just this week, I realized that I am truly, madly, deeply in love with figs. I have no idea how their wonderfulness escaped my notice for all these years. Now that I’ve discovered them, I want to put them in everything. Cue this fig and escarole salad.

This salad is equal parts beautiful and delicious. I love it when that happens. Like, chocolate bread pudding is amazingly tasty, but it can look pretty unappetizing sometimes. This fig and escarole salad doesn’t suffer from that problem at all. It’s colorful and vibrant, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. The slight bitterness of the escarole is tempered by the mildness of the romaine, and the sweetness of the figs is enhanced by the saltiness of the piave. The radishes bring great crunch to the dish; the tomato and cucumber are refreshing and light. A simple three-ingredient balsamic vinaigrette brings everything together.

Sounds pretty good, right?  Read more… →

Back to Top

Twist on a Classic: Grilled Eggplant BLT

On September 3, 2012   /   Main Dishes   /   Leave a comment

I make a mean BLT. (It is known.) Of course, making a good BLT is hardly a challenge. Bacon plus veggies plus bread equals yum. It’s easy math. Still, I pride myself on my BLT’s because I grew up making them for my dad.

There are several elements crucial to a Booker-T-approved BLT. The bread needs to be perfectly toasted. The lettuce has to be crispy and fresh. The mayonnaise needs to be seasoned exactly right. The tomato slices should be substantial, but not too chunky. Most important in my dad’s book though?

You must not skimp on the bacon. 

My twist on the classic BLT flouts this sacred rule, of course. Fear not! It still makes for a fantastic sandwich. Instead of using mayo to add moisture and creaminess to the sandwich, I used grilled eggplant. Rubbed down with a little bit of olive oil, the eggplant becomes wonderfully succulent and tender. To compensate for using less bacon, I added a bit of piave cheese to sandwich. It imparts that extra bit of saltiness that you want in a BLT. As a bonus, it also adds the distinctive aroma and flavor that you get from a good aged cheese. Combined with the olive oil and eggplant, it creates a lovely Italian background for a slice of smoky, delicious American bacon.

I used piave cheese since it seems to be on sale everywhere lately, but you can substitute with any hard Italian cheese. Parmesan, asiago, or romano would all work well. Keep reading to learn how to put this Italian-inspired egglant BLT together. Read more… →

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Back to Top
12

Login