K Sarah Designs

Tasty Eats // Shaved Brussel Sprout, Shallot & Bacon Saute

I love brussel sprouts. Sadly, they get a pretty bad rap sometimes, but I honestly think if they're prepared properly, everyone would love them!

Growing up, I thought I hated brussel sprouts because I'd only had them the way my grandparents fixed them - boiled whole or steamed... and let's be honest, that preparation isn't going to convert anyone to the brussels sprout fan club.

Anyway, I love most brussel sprouts - roasted ones that have that outer crispy brown layer, or cut in half & sauteed with various goodies, or raw & thinly shaved in a salad. But my ultimate favorite way to enjoy them is this way that I'm sharing today... I mean, it has bacon, and who can say no to bacon? :)

This recipe was an attempt to mimic the sauteed brussel sprouts at a favorite local restaurant, and I think it's pretty close! You saute thinly shaved brussel sprouts with sliced shallot, olive oil, and butter, then add a healthy dose of salt, pepper, lemon juice, and crumbled bacon - seriously easy and SO delish!!

And even if you're not a fan brussel sprouts, I think this recipe may just change your mind... I hope you give it a try!

 

Shaved Brussel Sprout, Shallot & Bacon Saute

- 2 lbs. Brussel sprouts, washed, bottoms cut off & outer layers removed
- 1 large or 2 small shallots
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1/2-1 tsp. salt (sometimes I use garlic salt)
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 4-6 slices of crisp bacon, crumbled
- juice of 1/2 or 1 whole lemon, depending on taste

Start by very thinly slicing your brussel sprouts. You can slice them by hand, or if you have a mandoline, that works well, too. Then slice your shallots very thinly, too.

In a non-stick pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and shallot. Saute for a few minutes, until shallots have wilted and softened.

Next, add the butter and shaved brussel sprouts to the pan and saute for a few additional minutes, until they have started to soften. Add the the salt & pepper and continue cooking & stirring often for another few minutes, until the brussel sprouts are bright green and tender. Right before serving, add the fresh lemon juice and crumbled bacon, and mix well.

Enjoy immediately!

 

Happy Tuesday!

Tasty Eats // Shaved Asparagus, Cucumber and Radish Salad

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Today I'm sharing another new favorite salad - it's a shaved asparagus salad, and though I really liked the first one I shared, I ended up liking this one way more. I think it's because the cucumber and radish add some really great flavors and textures that complement the asparagus so well.

So if you're looking for another great summer salad to add to your rotation, I hope you give this one a try!

 

Shaved Asparagus, Cucumber and Radish Salad

- 5 radishes, sliced very thin
- 1 English cucumber, sliced thin, peel left on
- 8 large asparagus stems, shaved into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles, optional
- 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. sugar or stevia
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a large salad bowl, combine the radish and cucumber slices with the asparagus ribbons.

In a smaller bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Add the dressing to the veggies, and toss to combine. If using, sprinkle on the goat cheese crumbles and gently toss once more to combine. I didn't add feta or goat cheese this time, and it was still great - flavorful and light and refreshing!

Let sit for 15 minutes or so to let the veggies soften and absorb the dressing a bit. Serve, and enjoy!

I served this salad with these chicken skewers, and they were great together! I'm pretty sure the salad would be great with anything, though :)

 

Recipe via Pots and Pins

Tasty Eats // Cilantro Ginger Chicken Skewers with Sweet Chili Glaze

It's definitely been feeling like summer the last couple of weeks here in Sacramento... we've already had a handful of nearly 100 degree days, which means lots of outdoor grilling and cold salads!

Shish Kabobs, or any kind of meat and veggie skewers really, have always been a favorite meal of mine - they're tasty and fillling, yet still pretty light from all the grilled veggies.

For this recipe, the chicken is marinaded in a cilantro, garlic, and ginger-heavy mixture, thrown on the grill, and then are finished off with a sweet chili sauce. So easy and delicious - just perfect for summer!

 

Cilantro Ginger Chicken Skewers with Sweet Chili Glaze

- 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 inch knob fresh ginger, finely grated
- 6 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 bunch cilantro, thoroughly washed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- sweet chili sauce for basting
- veggies for grilling (I like red & green bell pepper, red onion, and mushrooms best)

 

In a food processor, combine the grated ginger, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is uniform and well blended.

Add the chunks of chicken and the marinade to a ziplock bag, making sure the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade (the marinade is pretty thick, so you have to move it around in the bag for a bit). Place in the refrigerator, and marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

When you're almost ready to grill, soak your bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to help prevent burning. Cut up your grilling veggies into 1 inch pieces, and alternate adding the veggies and the chicken to the skewers.

When the grill is hot, add the skewers, and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until the chicken is completely cooked through. Remove them from the grill, and immediately brush or spoon the chili sauce on. *A note on the chili sauce - I used the Trader Joe's sweet chili sauce as my base, but then added some rice wine vinegar, siracha sauce, and a bit of stevia to thin it out a bit.

Serve, and enjoy!

 

Tasty Eats // A favorite chopped salad

I saw this chopped salad recipe floating around pinterest a while back, and couldn't wait to try it! It's actually a Biggest Loser recipe, and it looked so fresh, simple and healthy, which are all great things in my book.

Chopped salads are always a favorite of mine, since you get little bits of each ingredient in each bite :) It turns out I loved this one, too - it's great as a side salad, but can easily be turned into a meal by adding grilled chicken, too.

It's so easy to throw together, and the bright flavors will keep this one a staple through the summer months!

 

Easy Chopped Salad

- 1 head fresh lettuce (I love Romaine, but any kind will work)
- 1 large English Cucumber
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, or a handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 small red onion
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1/3 cup olive oil (for dressing)
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice (for dressing)
- 1 tsp. honey (for dressing)
- lots of salt and pepper, to taste
- grilled chicken, optional

 

For the salad, wash and dry the lettuce, and tear or cut it into bite-size pieces. Peel and de-seed the cucumber, and cut into bite-size bits. Wash the tomatoes, and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Peel the onion, and slice as thinly as possible. Wash and roughly chop or chiffonade the basil.

Toss the above ingredients into a large bowl, and mix together until well combined.

For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, and lots of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until well combined.

Add the dressing to the salad, and toss and serve immediately. If using, top with grilled chicken for a more filling salad. Enjoy!

I've also added goodies like chopped avocado, garbanzo beans, crumbled blue cheese, feta, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, etc... it's all yummy!

Happy Tuesday!

Tasty Eats // Shaved Asparagus Salad

I'm excited to share one of my favorite recent recipes with you today - shaved asparagus salad!

I've been wanting to prepare asparagus this way for a long time, and finally got around to it this past weekend. I'm happy to report that this is now my favorite way to enjoy asparagus!

The shaved ribbons of raw asparagus are sweet and crisp, but thin enough to be tender. They're lightly dressed in a lemon and shallot vinaigrette, then finished with sliced almonds, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley... It's such a delicious and refreshing salad, and I know it will be a great one to enjoy during warmer weather, too.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

- 1 lb. thick asparagus spears
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1-2 Tbsp. finely minced shallot
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 Tbsp. sliced, roasted almonds
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved

First, thoroughly wash the asparagus, and snap off the tough ends. (Tip: it's important to snap off the ends rather than cut them off, because this allows them to naturally break off where the tough part ends and the tender part begins).

Next, make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and shallot - set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the shallot to mellow a bit.

Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the asparagus lengthwise into strips. I found that the best way to do this was to hold onto the tip, and run the vegetable peeler from the top down to the bottom. Add the strips to a large bowl. I ended up slicing up the tips and adding them to the salad, but you could leave them out and save them for an omelette or stir fry or something, too!

Next, whisk the olive oil, salt, and pepper into the shallot mixture, and pour over the asparagus strips. Add the chopped parsley, roasted almonds, and parmesan to the bowl, and gently mix with your hands so that all of the asparagus is lightly, evenly coated. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Let sit for another 10 minutes or so before serving, and enjoy!

And while I loved this salad as is, I also liked that this recipe seems like an easy one to adapt and play with, so I'm excited to try different versions.

Even changing up the nuts with pine nuts or walnuts, or switching out the parmesan for crumbled blue cheese or feta would be great! Seriously, such a tasty (and not to mention pretty!) way to enjoy asparagus.

*Recipe adapted from this one on Chow

Tasty Eats // Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

I have a great muffin recipe for you today!

I loved these muffins, and what's really great about them is they are flourless, oil & butter free, and mostly sugar-free (they do have natural sugars from the bananas & honey!), so they're pretty darn healthy, too.

The main ingredients are oats, ripe bananas, eggs, greek yogurt, and honey, and these all combine to create quite a tasty muffin that is perfect for breakfast! I hope you give em a try!

 

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

- 2.5 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt (low fat or non fat works great!)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 Tbsp. chia seeds (or ground flax seed)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 ripe bananas
- Optional toppings like walnuts, blueberries, chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with silicone or foil liners.

Place the oats in a food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor (except for the toppings), and blend until everything is mixed together & the oats are smooth... I could have blended mine a bit longer for smoother oats, but they were still great!

Stir in your desired toppings, and evenly distribute the batter among the muffin wells. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

I loved these because they tasted good, had some substance, and weren't overly sweet. Perfect for a breakfast muffin, and they're a great way to use up those overly ripe bananas!

Tasty Eats // Chinese Lettuce Wraps

These lettuce wraps are one of my absolute favorite dinners. Seriously, I could probably have them every week, multiple times a week, and not get sick of them! I love that they're so easy and quick to throw together, but are also really healthy and seriously delicious.

Lots of mainstream chinese restaurants (like P.F. Chang's) have versions of them, usually as an appetizer, but they work great as an entree, too.

This meal is super flavorful + filling without being heavy, which is awesome, and if you have leftovers, it makes a great lunch the next day, too! I hope you give it a try!

 

Chinese Lettuce Wraps

- 1 lb. ground chicken (or turkey) breast
- 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch nob fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated/minced
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 of an 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- lettuce leaves, washed & patted dry (I like crisp lettuces like inner romaine leaves or iceberg the best!)
- 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

Cooking Sauce

- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp. water
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
- 1/2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (or more if you like it hotter)
- dash of fresh pepper

Heat a large, nonstick skillet on high. Add the chicken, yellow onion, salt, and pepper, and cook until chicken is nearly done, making sure to stir often to break up the meat. Add in the minced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, it's time to make the sauce! In a microwave safe bowl, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili sauce, and pepper. Microwave for about 20 seconds, or until the peanut butter & honey melt a bit. Stir until the sauce is smooth, then add into the skillet & stir to combine.

Add the chopped green onion, cilantro, and water chestnuts into the skillet, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are heated through.

Serve with the cold lettuce leaves, and sprinkle on chopped peanuts & extra cilantro, if desired.

Trust me - you will want to give this recipe a try!

*A couple notes - this recipe serves 2-3 people as is, but is very easy to double if you're feeding more people or want to have leftovers. And you can also make extra sauce to serve on the side, if you like!

*Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Happy Tuesday!

Tasty Eats // Reuben Sandwiches

Did everyone have a good St. Patrick's day? I had a traditional St. Patrick's day dinner with family, and it was awesome. We had corned beef and cabbage, mashed potatoes, and Irish soda bread (it was my first time making it, and it was super easy & delicious!)

Anyway, it's always exciting to have leftover corned beef, because that means homemade reuben sandwiches!

Have you had them before? They're traditionally a grilled sandwich made with corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, and served on rye bread. So good!

Here's how I like to make them:

 

Reuben Sandwiches
(makes 2 sandwiches)

- 2 large, thick slices corned beef
- 1 cup sauerkraut (I recommend Claussen Premium Crisp Sauerkraut)
- Sliced swiss cheese
- Thousand Island Dressing (recipe below)
- 4 slices rye bread 

Easy Thousand Island Dressing

- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup light sour cream or greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup ketchup, or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 heaping Tbsp. sweet pickle relish (again, I recommend the Claussen brand)
- 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste

Normally, this sandwich is grilled, so you would just butter the outside bread, layer the ingredients, and grill it like a regular grilled cheese sandwich. Or, if you have a panini press, that would be great, too!

I don't have a panini press, and I wanted to eliminate the butter (there's already cheese and a creamy dressing going on, so butter seemed sort of unnecessary).

Anyway, here's what I did:

I toasted the rye bread, and set it aside. I quickly made up that batch of thousand island dressing (just add all the ingredients to a small bowl & mix well).

Next, I thinly sliced the corned beef, and cooked it/heated it up in a non-stick skillet. After cooking for a few minutes on medium heat, I flipped the corned beef, and layered on the slices of swiss cheese. Meanwhile, I heated up the sauerkraut in the microwave until hot.

Once the swiss cheese was starting to melt, I assembled the sandwiches! Layer both slices of bread with the dressing, then add the corned beef & melted swiss. Layer on the sauerkraut (I like a lot, but feel free to add less if you're not a fan of it), and add the other slice of bread.

Cut in half, and enjoy!!

I love this version because you get all of the great flavors of a reuben, but without the greasy, buttery outside (of course, that version is good, too!)

If you celebrated St. Patrick's day and happen to have leftover corned beef, I recommend giving this a try! It's a great lunch or dinner sandwich.

Happy Tuesday!

Tasty Eats // Kale Chips

Have you tried kale chips before? I remember the first time I made them a couple of years ago, I was pretty skeptical about the whole idea, but ended up being surprised at how tasty they were (and still are!)

Much like the roasted chickpeas that I posted last week, these are a great snack when I'm in the mood for something salty + crunchy, but don't want it to be unhealthy. They are delicious!

And again, this is a good, basic starting point recipe, but you can adjust seasonings depending on what you're in the mood for.

 

Baked Kale Chips

- 1 bunch kale (any kind will work), thoroughly washed and dried
- 2-3 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

After thoroughly drying the kale (it helps to lightly press the leaves with a kitchen towel to make sure they're completely dry), remove the leafy parts from the thick stems. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces, and lay out on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer (you will probably have to do this in 3 or so batches).

Drizzle about 1 tsp. of the olive oil over the kale, and mix well (I find it works best to use your hands & to sort of rub the oil into the leaves to make sure they're evenly coated with a light layer of oil). Next, sprinkle the kale evenly with about a third of the salt and pepper, and place in the oven.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the kale is crispy with brown edges, but not burnt. Enjoy!

*Note: you can adjust this recipe in all sort of ways. I've used a roasted garlic infused olive oil before that was great. You can also add things like season salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic salt, vinegar, parmesan, and lots more!

Tasty Eats // Roasted Chickpeas

You guys - I've found a new favorite snack. These roasted chickpeas are totally addicting, and even better, they are pretty healthy, too! They're a great alternative for those times when you're craving a salty, crunchy snack like chips, and I love that you can switch up the seasonings depending on what flavors you're craving.

This one is pretty standard, and is a good place to start. I hope you give them a try!

Roasted Chickpeas

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil. After rinsing and draining the chickpeas, spread them out on a clean kitchen towel, and pat/gently roll them with a paper towel so that they are completely dry... They need to be totally dry in order to get extra crispy!

Add the chickpeas to the foil lined baking sheet, and toss them with the olive oil and seasonings. Combine well, until all of the chickpeas are evenly coated.

Bake for 15 minutes, stir well, then bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chickpeas are browned and well-roasted, but not burnt. Let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

*Note: I have found that they are at their best & most crispy the same day you make them. They tend to soften by the next day, so it's probably best to make them in small batches (1 can at a time).

Happy Tuesday, eveyone!