Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks, and Basil

This is a long over due recipe. I made it right after Thanksgiving and I didn't get a chance to post until now. I made turkey stock with my left over Thanksgiving turkey and also saved some of the turkey meat. I used the turkey stock in place of the vegetable broth and also added some of the turkey meat. We ordered the smoke turkey from Greenberg Smoked Turkey. I loved that the turkey stock and the meat give the risotto a smoky flavor.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 2 1/4 pounds squash)
3 cups 1/2-inch-wide slices leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups arborio rice
4 14-ounce cans (or more) vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)

Direction: 
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add squash and sauté until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to medium bowl.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, leeks, and thyme to same pot and stir until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Return squash to pot. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (about 25 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in basil and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Quick Greek Couscous with Shrimp

This is a very simple weekday dinner recipe. To spice things up a little you can put some paprika on to the shrimp and grill it. I used whole wheat couscous for this recipe. You can find whole wheat couscous from most grocery stores.

Ingredients:
1 1/2  cups water
1 1/3  cups  uncooked couscous
3/8  teaspoon salt, divided
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
3  tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2  pounds  peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1  cup  grape tomatoes, halved
1/2  cup  thinly sliced green onions
1/3  cup  pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4  cup  2% reduced-fat Greek-style plain yogurt

Directions:
1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pan. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add shrimp to pan, and sauté for 3 minutes or until done. Add shrimp to couscous mixture.
3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, tomatoes, onions, and olives in a large bowl; toss. Add tomato mixture to couscous mixture; toss to combine. Serve with yogurt.

Orange Aioli Chicken Sandwich

I had to try this recipe when I found it in cooking light. The whole wheat Oroweat Sandwich Thins seems like a great idea. These thin buns are light, somewhat pillowy but not a waste of space like Wonder Bread. They are whole grain, do not have any high fructose corn syrup, are very low fat, and best of all, each bun is just 100 calories (the typical calorie count for one slice of bread is 90, so you're getting a complete bun for the cost of one slice of bread)!

Ingredients:
Citrus Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
4  tablespoons orange juice
1  teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

Sandwiches:
4 chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4  Oroweat Sandwich Thins
4  small romaine lettuce leaves
2  plum tomatoes, each cut lengthwise into 4 slices
1  peeled avocado, cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. To prepare citrus mayonnaise, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
2. To prepare the sandwiches, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook 5 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 5 minutes or until done. Remove from heat. Cut chicken diagonally across 
grain into thin slices.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon citrus mayonnaise on each of 4 Oroweat Sandwich Thins halves. Top with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 chicken breast, 2 tomato slices, 2 avocado wedges, and close. 

Kale Chips

Why didn't I know about this recipe before! I would make this all the time! These are a low calorie nutritious snack. Like potato chips, you cannot stop at just eating one.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt


Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. 
3. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.