Main Course

Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans (No Soak)

February 11, 2020 By Patti 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Traditional Cuban Black Beans Recipe made conveniently and time-saving by using the Instant Pot. Go from dry beans to table in less than an hour, with this no soak recipe.

Cuban Black Beans

Black beans are a healthy addition to your diet which are high in fiber, protein, and folate (Resource). This recipe proves to be a flavorful main or side dish. Serve them in the traditional Cuban style, over white rice and garnished with chopped onions. Fresh Cuban bread and butter are a great accompaniment.

I also love the versatility of this recipe. Leftover beans are great in recipes like Black Bean Quesadillas or Black Bean Burritos. They can also be frozen to use at a later time. I like to freeze them in 1 cup portions. This amount can be used in any recipe that calls for a can of beans.

Using the Instant Pot is a great way to greatly speed up the process of cooking dry beans. Additionally, using the Instant Pot reduces the cleanup by allowing the sauteeing and pressure cooking, in the same pot. Enjoy this Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans recipe is a great and frugal option for a meatless meal.

Dry Beans

Pantry Staple – I like to use dry beans as they are so convenient to have around the house as a pantry staple. In most cases, I feel they are a healthier alternative to canned beans, which often are packed in cans containing BPA.
Cost Savings – Dry beans are one of the most frugal of healthy meal options. Canned beans are often 4 times the price of dry beans.
Avoid Unwanted Additives – By cooking your black beans from scratch, you can avoid any unwanted additives, ensure the quality of ingredients used, and control the amount of salt used.

Instant Pot for Convenience

Reduce Cleanup – One of my favorite features of the Instant Pot is using the Saute setting to cooks vegetables or brown meat before adding to a dish. By using the Instant Pot you are able to use the same pot that you use for the final dish.
Time-Saving – The Instant Pot greatly reduces cooking time. In the case of cooking dry beans, it also allows you to skip soaking the beans overnight, as is traditionally required.

Other Instant Pot Resources

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans

Traditional Cuban Black Bean Recipe made conveniently and time-saving by using the Instant Pot. Go from dry beans to table in less than an hour, with this no soak recipe.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time37 mins

Natural Release10 mins

Total Time57 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cuban

Keyword: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

3 Spanish onions finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon oregano dried
1 teaspoon cumin dried
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons pepper
1 pound black beans dry
5 cups water
white rice cooked

Instructions

Finely chop onions, reserving 1/2 cup for garnish.
Set Instant Pot to Saute setting and saute onions in olive oil until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to the onions. Saute for another 2 minutes to bloom spices.
Add water and black beans to Instant Pot.
Press "Cancel" to stop the saute function on the Instant Pot. Then, set it to "Pressure Cook" at high temperature for 25 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure.
Let sit to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
Serve over white rice and garnish with reserved chopped onions.

20-Minute Italian Cookbook Review with Shiitake Mushroom, Pumpkin & Rosemary Risotto Recipe

October 2, 2019 By Patti 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

20-Minute Italian Your Traditional Favorites, Faster, Easier and with a Modern Twist is a beautifully illustrated cookbook by Andrea Soranidis of The Petite Cook blog, released October 1, 2019.

This gorgeous cookbook is filled with 75 quick and easily made traditional Italian recipes you can enjoy for a quick weekday meal or any special occasion. Each recipe is accompanied by mouth-watering, full-page photographs to entice your taste buds, all made in 20 minutes or less.

There is something to satisfy everyone’s tastes, including vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options.

20-Minute Italian Cookbook Chapters

Andrea has organized 75 mouth-watering recipes broken into the following chapters:

Quick & Easy Antipasti for All Occasions
Flashy Pasta & Risotto Dishes to Make on Repeat
Perfect Meat & Poultry Dishes in No Time
Exciting Fish & Seafood Mains in a Blink
Pulses & Grains Ready in Less than 20 Minutes
Speedy Nutritious Salads
Effortless Everyday Sides

About the Author

Andrea Soranidis was born and raised in Sicily. She moved to the UK as a young adult and now splits her time between both London and a small town in Germany.

She has spent time traveling the world and developing her culinary style. She is a skilled and award-winning food and travel blogger at The Petite Cook. Her recipes have also been featured in national magazines and websites.

Shiitake Mushroom, Pumpkin & Rosemary Risotto Recipe

This recipe is reprinted with permission from 20-Minute Italian by Andrea Soranidis Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.

Print Recipe

Shiitake Mushroom Pumpkin Rosemary Risotto Recipe

In Northern Italy, risotto is considered a simple, everyday comfort food. For me, it’s something to prepare mostly on special occasions, or for a cozy dinner date with my better half. Among all the risotto recipes I’ve made over the years, this is probably my favorite. When pumpkin and mushroom season finally hits, I make this risotto on repeat! Any kind of mushrooms will work here; I like to use fresh shiitake mushrooms because they can be found easily at the market and vaguely remind me of delicious, hard-to-find, expensive Italian porcini mushrooms. A mix of wild and porcini mushrooms would work well too.

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
1 shallot finely minced
5 oz shiitake or wild mushrooms roughly chopped
5 oz muscat or Hokkaido pumpkin flesh finely cubed
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
10.5 oz vialone nano or carnoroli rice
1/4 cup white wine good quality
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
1 tbsp butter good quality

Instructions

Heat a small pan with the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, mushrooms and pumpkin and sauté gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
In the meantime, heat a large pan over low heat. Add the rice and toast it for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it has turned translucent, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to avoid burning it. Add the wine, turn up the heat to medium-high and allow it to evaporate. Return the heat to medium-low, then pour in one ladle of stock, and allow the rice to absorb it. Season with salt to taste.
Stir the sautéed vegetables into the pan with the risotto, and continue to cook, gradually adding in stock and whisking constantly with a whisk until the rice is soft but still has a bite, about 15 minutes.
Remove the risotto from the heat, add in the Parmesan cheese, butter and rosemary, then shake the pan vigorously to combine all the ingredients. The risotto should reach a smooth consistency.
Divide the risotto among plates, and serve it immediately.

Notes

Tip: I like this risotto less creamy than the classic risotto, but if you want it super gooey and rich, add an extra pat or two of butter. If you have a hard time finding muscat pumpkin, substitute with Hokkaido pumpkin.

Disclaimer

The 20-Minute Italian Your Traditional Favorites, Faster, Easier and with a Modern Twist cookbook was sent to me by Page Street Publishing Co. for review. The opinions are my own. As an Amazon affiliate, I receive a small fee whenever you purchase products though links listed in this post. This will not affect the amount of the item. I only include links to products that would benefit my readers.

Cedar Planked Salmon Salad with Citrus Ginger Vinaigrette

July 30, 2019 By Patti 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Enjoy this Cedar Planked Salmon Salad with Citrus Ginger Vinaigrette, for an easy and healthy weekday dinner. The perfect dinner salad to enjoy the fresh flavors of summer.

I was fortunate to be asked to be part of the Inaugural Cedar Bay Grilling Blogger Recipe Challenge. Cedar Bay has provided me with two of their 24-ounce Planked Atlantic Salmon Fillets to create my recipes with. Each of the recipes created for this challenge will be judged on visual appeal, creativity and taste; and are eligible for a cash prize. Please wish me luck guys!

Are you looking for a way to hold onto the last bit of summer we have left? What better way than to enjoy a flavorful, fresh dinner salad featuring goat cheese, dried cranberries, candied pecans, strawberries, and bacon. With a little meal prep, you can have a healthy dinner on the table in about 20 minutes (salad dressing can be made and bacon cooked and crumbled ahead of time).

Cedar Bay Applewood with Orange & Ginger Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon

Cedar Bay offers a full fillet of Atlantic Salmon on pre-soaked cedar planks. This provides a very convenient way to serve a high-quality salmon dinner to your family and friends already prepped for you. The plank is pre-soaked and the salmon seasoned perfectly; you just have to choose the spice rub that interests you (either Sugar & Spice or Orange Ginger).

You can easily thaw in the refrigerator overnight and cook on the grill or in the oven, and serve in less than 20 minutes.

Citrus Ginger White Balsamic Vinaigrette

There is nothing better than homemade salad dressings made with only fresh and high-quality ingredients you want to serve your family. This vinaigrette includes orange juice, lemon juice, freshly grated ginger, and garlic, to marry with the orange and ginger flavors in the salmon; and finished with a light white balsamic vinegar and high quality extra virgin olive oil.

Assembling Cedar Planked Salmon Salad

To accompany the fresh orange and ginger flavors of the salmon, I’ve added fresh summer flavors. This dinner salad starts with a bed of spring mix greens and adds sweet, salty and sour flavors from dried cranberries, goat cheese, bacon, strawberries, and candied pecans. It is then drizzled with the Citrus Ginger White Balsamic Vinaigrette on top of your salad and topped with a piece of Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon.

Cedar Bay Grilling Company products can be found throughout the US and Canada, at Kroger, Publix, Hannaford, Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Ralph’s, Giant, Giant Eagle, Stop n Shop and Roche Bros. Visit Cedar Bay Grilling Company for a purchase location near you and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for great tips and recipes.

Cedar Bay Grilling Company's Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon Salad

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cedar Planked Salmon Salad with Citrus Ginger Vinaigrette

Enjoy this Cedar Planked Salmon Salad with Citrus Ginger Vinaigrette for an easy and healthy weekday dinner. The perfect dinner salad to enjoy the fresh flavors of summer.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Ingredients

1 Cedar Bay Applewood with Orange & Ginger Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon Filet (24 ounces)
5 ounces Spring Mix Greens
2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup candied pecans
6 large strawberries sliced
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
1 t. garlic finely ground (about 2 cloves)
1 t. fresh ginger finely ground
1 t. sugar
1 t. pepper
Dash of salt
2. T. lemon juice
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup white balsamic vinaigrette
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Salad Dressing:

Grate garlic and ginger with a fine grater or zester, place in a small mason jar or similar container that closes securely.
Add sugar, pepper, salt, lemon juice, orange juice, white balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil to the mason jar and shake to mix well.
Set aside.

Salmon:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place Cedar Planked salmon directly on the middle rack and place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below to catch dripping juices.
Cook 18-20 minutes, until the flesh becomes flakey. It is perfectly cooked when it is still slightly pink in the center of the fillet.
Cut into 4 pieces.

Salad:

While salmon is cooking, place spring mix greens in 4 bowls or plates.
Top greens with goat cheese, dried cranberries, candied pecans, strawberries, and bacon.
When salmon is done, drizzle with Citrus Ginger White Balsamic Vinaigrette and top with salmon.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Discard the plank after 1 use.
Keep the salmon frozen until 24 hours before cooking.
Once Salmon has defrosted, do not re-freeze!

Grilled Curry Chicken Skewers

July 31, 2018 By Patti Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

This Grilled Curry Chicken Skewers Recipe takes chicken to the next level. The beautiful color and spicy flavor of the chicken makes this dish special. Serve right off the grill warm, or enjoy cold for a picnic or added to a salad. I hope you enjoy this chicken marinade recipe and it brings variety to your family meals.

While it does take some time to marinade (I prefer overnight), it takes very little prep and cooking time. I like to make a batch for leftovers whenever I’m already using my grill.

Print Recipe

Grilled Curry Chicken Skewers

Grilled Curry Chicken Skewers Recipe add a beautiful color and spicy flavor to chicken making a special dish.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Marinading Time4 hrs

Total Time4 hrs 25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: servings

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chicken boneless and skinless

Marinade

2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
1/2 cup soy sauce low sodium
6 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

Cut chicken into cubes (about 1 1/2 inches).
Combine curry powder, olive oil, soy sauce and garlic in a zip top bag; combine ingredients.
Add chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for 4 hours to 2 days (I usually marinade overnight).
Start grill.
Add chicken to skewers.
Grill, turning occasionally, until done (about 15 minutes).
Serve warm, or enjoy cold for a picnic or added to a salad.

Notes

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water while grill is warming up (about 1 hour), to prevent burning.

Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

June 30, 2017 By Patti Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Easy Cheesy Eggplant Casserole combines the hominess of your favorite comfort food, while still adding veggies to your family’s diet. This casserole is so easy to make and your family and friends will love the cheesy goodness.

It is the perfect side dish for a family dinner, or take it to a pot luck or covered dish dinner to share with your friends. This is a family favorite around our house and we rarely have leftovers. I hope you enjoy this comforting casserole as much as we do.

Print Recipe

Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

Easy Cheesy Eggplant Casserole combines comfort food with adding veggies to your family’s diet.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants peeled and cubed
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Boil cubed eggplant for about 25 minutes. The eggplant will be tender, but not mushy.
While eggplant is boiling combine milk, butter and cheddar cheese in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until cheese is almost completely melted.
Drain eggplant and spread evenly in a 2 quart casserole dish. Pour cheddar cheese sauce over eggplant.
Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese, and then sprinkle with panko bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until mozzarella cheese is melted and top is golden brown.

Recommended for this recipe:

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole)

June 7, 2017 By Patti Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

I absolutely love Greek food and Moussaka is the perfect go-to comfort food. Moussaka is a Greek Eggplant Casserole that is traditionally made with ground lamb or beef, but soy crumbles can also be used for a vegetarian alternative. Since it does take a bit more time to prepare than most of my go-to dinner dishes, I don’t make it as often as I’d like, but thoroughly indulge when I do.

Print Recipe

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole)

Moussaka is a Greek Eggplant Casserole, and perfect for comfort food. It is traditionally made with ground lamb or beef, but soy crumbles can also be used for a vegetarian alternative.

Prep Time1 hr 45 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time2 hrs 45 mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Greek

Servings:

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Ingredients

For Eggplant:

3 medium eggplant
3/4 cup olive oil extra virgin

For Meat Sauce (or Vegetarian Option):

1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef (or 1 package frozen soy crumbles)
3 tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tsp fresh oregano)
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dry red wine
salt and pepper to taste

For Bechamel Sauce:

4 tbsp butter
6 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
1 tsp salt
white pepper to taste

For Moussaka Assembly:

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Peel and slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil, and bake in a single layer for 10 minutes on each side. They will be golden browned. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
For meat sauce, heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic cook about 15 minutes or until translucent; add and ground meat (or Frozen Soy Crumbles) to the pan and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the meat is browned or the Soy Crumbles have thawn completely. Add the remaining meat sauce ingredients, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until moisture has evaporated. Set this mixture aside.
For Bechamel sauce, melt butter under low heat in a medium saute pan, add flour and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes. This will be a white sauce, so don't allow it to brown at this point. Slowly whisk in milk. Continue stiring until mixture is thickened and smooth, about an additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Set sauce aside.
To assemble moussaka, place one layer of eggplant slices on bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, overlapping slices. Spread the eggplant with 1/3 of the meat sauce, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Add two more layers of eggplant, meat sauce, and cheese. Cover the layers with the Bechamel sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake Moussake for about 1 hour, or until mixture is bubbly and golden browned on top. Let sit for about 20 minutes after removing from oven, cut and serve.

Recommended for this recipe:

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole) is traditionally made with ground lamb or beef, but soy crumbles can also be used for a vegetarian alternative.

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

May 29, 2016 By Patti 5 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce made in a slow cooker. This recipe is great to make in large batches and always kept on hand (it freezes well) for a quick weekday dinner.

The taste of homemade marinara sauce can never be replaced by a jar sauce. Not only does homemade marinara sauce taste so much better, but I’m able to control the quality of the ingredients and amount of salt in the recipe. Jar sauces (even high quality and organic brands) often contain way too much salt.

It does take time to make a homemade pasta sauce, so I choose to make large batches of sauce, in a slow cooker and freeze in portion sizes. I find 3 cup portions are the most useful since many recipes call for a jar of pasta sauce (equaling 3 cups). Marinara sauce is so versatile in the typical American diet. I know my family frequently enjoys a wide variety of Italian dishes. I hope you enjoy this slow cooker marinara sauce in your family’s favorite dishes, just like we do.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce made in a slow cooker.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 10 mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: cups

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
2 medium onions chopped
6-7 cloves garlic minced
4 tablespoons dried oregano
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian and vegan alternative)
4 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes
4 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
3 6 ounce cans tomato paste
5 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, oregano and broth or water; cook an additional 30 minutes.
While the onion mixture is cooking, place whole tomatoes in your slow cooker, crushing tomatoes with back of wooden spoon. Add cans of tomato sauce and bay leaves to slow cooker.
Once onion mixture is ready, add to slow cooker and stir to combine.
Cook on high for 7-8 hours.

Notes

This recipe is for a 8 quart slow cooker. If your slow cooker is a different size, you will need to modify the recipe accordingly.

Recommended for this recipe:

Caprese Sandwiches

August 22, 2015 By Patti 12 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Caprese sandwiches make the perfect quick and light lunch or dinner entrée. The freshness of the tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese with the perfect touch of basil pesto make the perfect combination on a warm day or evening. Give them a try on a warm summer day with your favorite wine.

My husband and I enjoyed our first Caprese sandwiches at the Viansa Winery in Sonoma, CA. Viansa has beautiful grounds and Italian styled buildings. Each time I make these, we always think of the day we spent at Viansa at a small table outside overlooking the vineyard and enjoying amazing wine with our Caprese sandwiches.

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Caprese Sandwiches

Caprese sandwiches make the perfect quick and light lunch or dinner entrée. Give them a try on a warm summer day with your favorite wine.

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Sandwiches

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Patti from CooksRecipeCollection.com

Ingredients

1 loaf Ciabatta bread
7 ounces fresh basil pesto sauce (or 3/4 cup homemade basil pesto sauce)
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
3 tomatoes sliced

Instructions

Cut the Ciabatta bread in half, to create a top and bottom.
Spread fresh basil pesto sauce on inside of both bread halves.
Lay slices of fresh mozzarella cheese on evenly on bottom half of bread.
Lay tomato slices evenly on top of mozzarella slices.
Close top and bottom of Ciabatta bread and slice into individual portions.
Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Save

Scallops with Stir Fried Vegetables

September 13, 2013 By Patti 11 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

For those nights when you want a more special meal while still staying on the healthy side, Scallops with Stir Fried Vegetables may be just the recipe you’re looking for. This scallop recipe gives you a bit of Japanese Steakhouse taste at home, and it’s also a dish that can be presented beautifully for a special dinner occasion.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Scallops with Stir Fried Vegetables

An elegant scallops dish with a Japanese steakhouse flair.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time30 mins

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Author: Patti

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil divided
1 1/2 pounds scallops
1 medium onion cut in half then thinly sliced
7 ounces fresh shiitake mushroom remove caps and slice, discard stems
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup mung bean sprouts
2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small bunch scallions sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

Dry scallops with a paper towel. This will allow for a nice sear on the scallops. Set aside.
Cut onion in half, then slice each half into thin slices. Set aside.
Remove mushroom stems and discard. Slice caps and set aside.
Mince 2 cloves garlic. Set aside.
Shred 1 cup carrots. Set aside.
Slice scallions to use for garnish and set aside.
Heat 2 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. This will be used for the vegetables.
Add onions and stir fry until lightly brown, about 3 minutes.
Add mushroom caps to onions and cook an additional 2 minutes. The onions and mushrooms will be almost tender.
Add ginger and garlic and cook about another 1 minute.
Add carrots and bean sprouts and cook another 2 minutes. At this point all vegetables should be soft.
Remove vegetables from heat and add the soy sauce and lemon juice.
While vegetables are cooking, heat the other 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. This will be for the scallops.
Cook scallops in a single layer until nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Remove scallops to a plate to rest while vegetables cook.
To plate: Divide vegetables even between 4 plates, add scallops on top of vegetables and garnish with scallions.

Recommended for this recipe:

Pork Souvlaki (Greek Pork Kabobs)

February 25, 2009 By Patti Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Lean Pork, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Bell Peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 Medium Onion, peeled and cut into six wedges
16 Cherry Tomatoes, whole

Marinade:
2 Oranges, juiced
4 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 t. Fresh Thyme, chopped
2 t. Coriander Seeds, crushed
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag, add pork pieces and marinate for at least 2 hours in refrigerator.
Remove pork from marinade, reserving liquid.
Alternate pork with onion, pepper, and tomatoes on skewers to make kabobs, leaving a small space between each ingredient for even cooking.
Brush vegetables with reserved marinade.
Broil in oven four to five inches from heat, or on outdoor grill.
Turn to ensure even cooking until pork is thoroughly cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Garnish with orange slices and fresh thyme.