Crock Pot Greek Mashed Potatoes

Today I'm going to be sharing a new experiment with you for Crock Pot Greek Mashed Potatoes. This is one of those recipes that started out one way in my head; then wound up another. Not a bad thing mind you, just different.

Haricot Verts with Feta, Cranberries & Pistachios {Cookbook Giveaway Week}

For today's Cookbook Week recipe, I'm sharing this Haricot Vert with Feta, Cranberries & Pistachios salad. Haricot vert is French for “green beans” and are longer and thinner than the American variety of green beans. I like to use these instead of regular green beans on occasion; however, the American green bean would also work just as well in this recipe. 

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Here we are...Day 5 of Salad Week is here already! Today I made Mediterranean Pasta Salad using fresh garden cucumbers, tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese. A simple, flavorful salad you can make in 30 minutes that goes well with just about anything else you decide to serve. 

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                          Yield: 8

Cook Time: 15 minutes                                          Serving: 1/2 cup

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c. Farfalle Pasta, dry (I used Barilla, but you can substitute any type of pasta you wish)
• 1/2 Cucumber, skin on, small dice
• 12 Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp. Red Onion, minced
• 1/4 c. Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano (or 1 tsp. Fresh Oregano, chopped)
• 3 tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and cool. 
2. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, oregano and pasta to a bowl; then add in the vinegar and oil. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 152, Carbs 23.5g, Fat 4.8g, Protein 4.5g, Fiber 1.3g, Sugar 2.4g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Did you miss any salad recipes this week? 

Which one was YOUR favorite?

Monday-Red Bliss Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Tuesday-Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Ginger-Wasabi Vinaigrette

Wednesday-Greek Farro Salad

Thursday-Corn Salad with Honey-Wasabi Vinaigrette

I'll be taking the next few days off for Memorial Day Weekend. 

Enjoy your time with family and friends! xo 

Greek Farro Salad

Welcome to Day 3 of Salad Week! 

If you follow my blog regularly, you know that my mother was in from FL a couple of weeks ago. She doesn't come to NJ often and when she does, she doesn't get a chance to visit with her extended family often.  Heck, I live here and I don't see my aunts, uncles and cousins besides weddings and funerals much anymore either and the furthest one only lives an hour away! So this time, I arranged to have whomever can make it from our family come to my home for a get together. Nothing fancy, just some apps, drinks, dinner, salads and desserts. Just about everyone brought something too which is always helpful and a special thank you to my Mom and cousin Dawn for doing all of the dishes for me since that was also the day I cut my hand! 

I made some Penne with Vodka Sauce (in the cookbook), Chicken in a Lemon Butter Sauce (in honor of my family in MI that couldn't be here), Asian Chicken Wings (the kids favorite and also in the cookbook), a tossed salad, Homestyle Potato Salad (another one in the cookbook) and I also made this Greek Farro Salad. 

This salad was a total "everything but the kitchen sink" salad I threw together using the few olives, spinach and feta cheese I had left in the refrigerator and didn't want to throw away. It was delicious and my family really enjoyed it.  All in all, we had a BLAST! There was a TON of food left over, even after I sent some of it home with others (go figure) so I didn't have to cook for a couple of days afterward...bonus! 

Greek Farro Salad
Prep Time:  20 minutes                       Yield: 8
Cook Time: 10 minutes                       Serving: 1/4 c.
Total Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. Farro
• 2 c. Water
• 1/4 c. Kalamata Olives, chopped
• 1 Scallion, chopped
• 1/4 c. Fresh Spinach, packed and torn into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/4 c. Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions 

1. Place water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Add the farro, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until farro is cooked and the water is absorbed. Remove from the pot, place in a bowl and allow to cool. 
2. Add the olives, scallion, spinach, oregano, feta, lemon zest and juice and oil. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 156 , Carbs 19g, Fat 7.6g, Protein 4.4g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar .3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

My Big Fat Greek Sweet Potato

I have a confession to make. I didn't make up the name for this recipe. Alexandra Ricardi did when I posted the picture on Facebook last week asking for suggestions. I don't know Alexandra other than the fact that she is a loyal CEK reader and also follows my Facebook page. And little does she know until she reads this post, I'm going to give her a signed copy of Carrie's Experimental Kitchen Cookbook for helping me out! :)

I guess it's true what they say how your taste buds change because I only started to like sweet potatoes within the last 5 years. Now I prefer them to eating regular potatoes, though the little one doesn't like them any way I've tried to prepare them so when purchasing them, I generally only buy 1-2 at a time. It was one of those nights when I didn't have a lot of time to prepare dinner (which happens about 98% of the time!) so I made these quick twice baked stuffed sweet potatoes to go with our meal using some of ingredients I had left from making other recipes. I also microwaved the potato instead of baking it to save some time and the entire dish was ready in under 30 minutes. If you wish to bake your potato, place it in a 350 degree oven for approximately 45-60 minutes depending on the size. 

I thought these sweet potatoes were delicious; however, hubby is not a huge fan of Feta cheese so to him they were just ok. They were so creamy when mashed that I didn't even need to use any butter; which also helped to cut down on the calories and fat. I served these with grilled chicken tenders and a tossed salad. 

My Big Fat Greek Sweet Potato
1 Large Sweet Potato
1/4 c. Feta Cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp. Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 tsp. Fresh Parsley
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Scrub the potato skin under warm water; then pierce the skin in several places with a fork or tip of a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Place the potato on a microwave safe dish lined with a napkin or paper towel and microwave on high 8-10 minutes or until the inside is soft when a knife is inserted into the middle. 
2. Remove the potato, cut in half lengthwise; then scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl. Place the skins in an oven safe dish. 
3. Add 2 tbsp. of the cheese, yogurt, parsley, salt and pepper to the potatoes and mash well. I used the back of the fork and whipped until it was creamy. 
4. Place the potato mixture back into the shells, sprinkle with the remaining Feta cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has started to melt. Serves 2. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 215, Carbs 38.4g, Fat 3.8g, Protein 8.1g, Fiber 6.3g, Sugar 12.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Greek Black Bean Sliders

Today is National Cheeseburger Day and who doesn't love a good cheeseburger every now and then! So to honor this event, I decided to try a burger that I have never eaten, let alone make...the black bean burger! According to an article last fall on DoctorOz.com, eating beans several times per week may lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colorectal cancer, and helps with weight management. Since beans are hearty, they fill you up faster causing you to eat less. If you haven't noticed, I have this new found love for beans. I never particularly cared for them growing up, but I've been trying to incorporate them more and more into my family's diet. I originally tried to make these even healthier by grilling them, but they just flattened out into a big, old bean mess; so frying them in small amount of oil was definitely the way to go. 

Since it is Cheeseburger Day, I opted to put the cheese on the inside (my personal preference) since I don't eat the slider bun, but you could also sprinkle it on top before adding it to your bun.  This distinctive burger was loaded with my favorite flavors and was much easier to make than I had originally thought. The kids and I loved them though hubby is in London on business so he'll just have to wait to try them tomorrow (if there's any left that is!) ;)

Greek Black Bean Sliders
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed
3 tbsp. Scallions, chopped

1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano

1/4 c. Feta Cheese, crumbled

2 Garlic Cloves
1/3c. Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 Portobello Mushroom, rough chop
1/2 c. Oats (I used Old Fashioned Quaker Oats)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 Slider Buns (I used Kings Hawaiian, the kids favorite!)

Directions:
1. Place the black beans in a bowl and mash them with a fork. 
2. Add in the scallions, oregano and Feta cheese
3. Add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and mushroom to a food processor. Pulse until the pieces are finely chopped and add to the beans. 
4. Next, add the oats to the food processor and pulse until they are finely ground; then add these to the bean mixture. 
5. Mix all ingredients together until well blended; then divide into eight portions. 
6. Roll each portion into a ball (about 2-3"), then flatten. 
7. Heat a non-stick frying pan and drizzle some oil on the pan (about 1-2 tbsp). Add the bean burgers and brown about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil. Makes 8 sliders.

Enjoy! 

*Time SaverTip: Make burgers the night before, then keep refrigerated. When ready to eat, place burger on a paper towel lined microwave safe dish, then cook on high for 1 minute or bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes until heated through. 

*Nutritional Information Per Burger (without the bread): Calories 93, Carbs 15.3g, Fat 1.8g, Protein 5.4g, Fiber 3.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Shared at Amee's Savory Dish 9/28/12

Greek Salad

I just love this salad, especially this time of year when the tomatoes and cucumbers are so fresh from local growers. This salad usually calls for peppers to be added as well, but no one in my family particularly cares for them, so I leave the skins on the cucumbers for that beautiful contrasting color. Speaking of color, not only is it gorgeous, this entire salad only took me about 10 minutes to make...BONUS!

Greek Salad
2 Large Cucumbers, skins washed
4 Plum Tomatoes
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
5 oz. Kalamata Olives
2 oz. Feta Cheese, crumbled
Prepared Dressing 

Directions:
1. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4" thick and add to a bowl. 
2. Next, cut the tomatoes into wedges (approximately 6 slices per tomato) and add them to the cucumbers.
3. Add the onions, olives, cheese and prepared dressing and mix well. Serves 8-10. 

Dressing:
3 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended. 

Enjoy! 

Guest Blogger-Greek Feta Burgers from Running with the Deviled Eggs

How's everyone doing so far? Even though I'm having a fabulous time, I REALLY do miss all of you! Today we dock in Venice, Italy in the afternoon and I can't wait to walk the cobblestone streets and take a night time gondola ride. 


I'm so excited to have our next Guest Blogger here with us today. This is her first time doing this sort of thing and I'm THRILLED and HONORED that she decided to share herself and her wonderful recipe with us. Please join me in welcoming Katrin! 

Katrin, or Betty Martha as her close friends like to call her is the lady behind Running with the Deviled Eggs blog. A recent newleywed and mother of 1 fabulous teenager (Little Ugh), Katrin spends her time in her kitchen dancing around to music from all genres while trying to prepare healthy and tasty dishes for her family.  She tries to keep her ingredients as fresh and as local as possible, keeping frozen or pre packaged foods out of her cupboards. When she is not in her own kitchen she spends her time at work, in another kitchen, baking cakes, cupcakes, and other various desserts. Her mantra - Food for your mouth, Fuel for your soul!

Running With the Deviled Eggs is a food diary with everyday recipes for the novice to advanced cooks with a little tune to keep you dancing in the kitchen. When Carrie put our a call for some help guest posting I was so excited to be asked I said yes immediately! I never get asked, I'm like the kid who's picked last to play basketball (white girls can't jump).  So of course I feel honored to help her out while her kitchen is being revamped but more than that, I love Carrie's blog!  Her creativeness makes me drool ALL the time.  I only hope my recipe will make you drool like hers do for me! (Awe, thanks Katrin and my daughter and I were drooling over these burgers too!)

Last week there was a sale on lean ground beef $1.88/lb! We don't eat beef all that often but how could I resist that price? It meant meatballs and burgers were comin'. Burgers are meant to be juicy, flavorful yet simple. There's no need to load it up with fillers or toppers. Sometimes subtlety works. This is just the case here.

Now, I can't say for sure but I believe the fact that I froze the patties and cooked from frozen may have had an extra helping hand in the moistness factor. I plan on trying it out again soon (with a different recipe) just to test the theory but at least you know you can freeze them well and cook from frozen.

I've said it before, when cooking I don't necessarily measure ingredients, I eyeball consistencies, taste (where I can) and use the "little of this" mantra and this recipe is no exception. The amounts are generalizations of my recollections so feel free to add, omit or change flavors up a little

Greek Feta Burgers

Enough to make 4 1/4lb burgers
1 lb lean ground beef
1 egg
1/3 c. whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 red onion grated
1 clove garlic grated
4 tbsp. chopped feta
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together in one bowl. If a little wet add in a bit more bread crumbs. Form into 4 patties making the inner part thinner for a more even cooked burger. I placed them between layers of parchment and tossed them into a freezer bag and into the freezer for a few days before we grilled them (about 5-7 minutes per side from frozen!) Top with homemade tzatziki, cucumbers, feta, tomatoes or olives. Mine just had tzatziki! YUM!

You can aldo find Katrin on Facebook and Twitter

Click HERE for the original post. 

Feta & Sage Mini Chicken Meatloaf

So if you can't tell by my picture, I'm spilling a secret. These are actually mint leaves in the photo, not sage leaves. I completely forgot to save one for photo purposes after the meatloaf was done and used all of what I had in the recipe. Oh well, nobody's perfect right! These little meatloaves were still delicious and I loved the flavors of the sage and Feta cheese combined together. I also wanted to use a mini square loaf pan so that I could get individual portions, but feel free to make it full size. I have to say, my little one doesn't generally like ground chicken or turkey, but DEVOURED these. So I don't know if she liked the taste or that they were cute and little for her to eat! In any event, it was another healthy meal the whole family enjoyed. 

Here are some storage tips I found for fresh sage since it's a spice that I myself only started using a few years ago. 

Fresh sage leaves should be aromatic and should have no soft spots or dry edges. To store, wrap in paper towels and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and use within 4 to 5 days. According to About.com, fresh leaves may also be covered in olive oil and stored in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks. Use the flavored oil for sauteeing or in salad dressings. To freeze fresh sage leaves, wash and pat dry, remove leaves from the stems, and pack loosely in freezer bags. Freeze up to 1 year. Be aware that freezing will intensify the flavor of the herb and adjust accordingly. Dried sage is preferred by most cooks and comes in whole leaf, rubbed, and ground form. Rubbed sage has a light, velvety texture, whereas ground sage is more of a free-flowing powder. As with all dried herbs, store closed containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Use within 6 months for best flavor.

Feta & Sage Mini Chicken Meatloaf

1 lb. Ground Chicken

1 tbsp. Fresh Sage, chopped

1 tbsp. Red Onion, finely chopped

½ c. Reduced Fat Feta Cheese, crumbled

1 Egg white

¼ c. Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Form into 6 portions, then place into a greased mini loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until the proper internal temperature is reached. Serves 6. 

Nutritional Information: 

Calories 195, Carbs 4g, Fat 14g, Protein 14g

Enjoy!

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into MyFitnessPal and may not be 100% accurate.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a gluten free seed originally from the Andean region of South America. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and can be used as a substitute for rice or couscous. Quinoa contains eight amino acids and many people eat it to reduce their consumption of meat. It is also a good source of fiber and contains B vitamins and iron. I have only tried making this once before and served it hot as a side dish and the family hated it. I thought it was ok, but not something I'd make again, but I vowed to give it another try this time making a cold salad with it. AND, since I was sent home with 2 bags of it from the food conference I went to recently, this past weekend seemed like as good a time as any. 


Of course, I gave it my own flare with some of the flavors I love to use most and voila! I have a new salad that my family LOVED. It was filling and flavorful and I will definitely be experimenting with it again. 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
1 1/2 c. Water
1 c. Organic Quinoa
12 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
1 Scallion, chopped
1/4 c. Reduced Fat Feta Cheese Crumbles
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste


Add water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add in the quinoa, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed then remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Add to a bowl along with the olives, tomatoes, scallion, cheese, vinegar and oil. Mix well and refrigerate. Serves 8 (1/2 cup). 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 191.2, Carbs 18.6g, Fat 11.4g, Protein 4.8g, Fiber 1.8g

Enjoy!

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Sparkpeople and may not be 100% accurate.


Shared on Amee's Savory Dish 5/25/12

Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak

I love that the weather is getting warmer (well most days) which allows me to grill more often. Yes, technically I know I could grill all the time for those die-hard year-round grillers out there, but there is something about trekking outside in the cold/snow that doesn't make it very appealing. So when shopping recently, I purchased a flank steak and couldn't wait to experiment with a new way to prepare it. I only started stuffing them myself several years ago after buying them already done at the butcher. Once you get the hang of it, it's really quite simple. You just have to make sure to roll and tie the meat tightly together. I also found that if you prepare it hours before you actually need it, then refrigerate it after cutting them down into the 6 portions, it does hold up better on the grill (very little oozing out!). And don't get me wrong, those two end pieces don't look as pretty as the rest, but they certainly taste the same. This combination of sun dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese was like heaven in your mouth and even if you don't like beef, it would also make a nice filling for stuffing chicken or pork...hmm...maybe that will be my next experiment!

Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak
1 1/2-2 lb. Flank Steak
1/2 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/4 c. Fresh Basil, chopped
8 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 c. Feta Cheese, crumbles
Kitchen String


Using a meat tenderizer, pound flank steak until it is rectangular in shape and even thickness. Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olives and cheese to a bowl and mix well. Evenly spread the mixture on top of the steak, leaving a 1/2" border around all sides.  Roll up the flank steak lengthwise and tie with six pieces of kitchen string; spacing them out to where you will slice them. Using a sharp knife, cut the rolled steak into six individual pieces. Season with salt and pepper just prior to grilling and grill until desired doneness.


Enjoy!  

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 299, Carbs 3.8g, Fat 15.3g, Protein 34.2g, Fiber 1.2g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Shared on Caroles Chatter 5/19/12

Mixed Greens with Fresh Raspberries, Feta Cheese and Pecans in a Raspberry Vinaigrette

Good morning, I hope you all had a lovely Passover/Easter celebration. I don't know about you, but I could really go for one of these salads today after what I ate yesterday! 


Not all recipes have to be complicated and this is one of them! I was grilling some pork chops for dinner recently (recipe to follow) and just wanted a simple salad to go with it. The combination of sweet raspberries with the sharpness of the feta cheese and maple flavor of the pecans made this salad the perfect accompaniment to our meal. 

Mixed Greens with Fresh Raspberries, Feta Cheese & Pecans in a Raspberry Vinaigrette
5oz pkg. Organic Mixed Greens or Baby Romaine, rinsed
1/4 c. Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. Pecans, chopped
1 pt. Fresh Raspberries
Prepared Raspberry Vinaigrette


Add the lettuce, cheese and pecans to a bowl and mix well, coating all of the leaves. Then gently add the raspberries and mix so as not to crush them. Serves 4. 


Raspberry Vinaigrette
2 tbsp. Raspberry Vinegar
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper


Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. 


Enjoy! 

Tomato, Basil & Feta Meatloaf

Cooking in this house is all about seeing what I happen to have laying around at that particular moment and using up the odds and ends so that it doesn't go to waste. The day I made this meatloaf, I did just that. It was very flavorful and came out perfectly moist. I also prefer to use ground beef vs. the beef, pork, veal mixture since I don't care for veal. 

Tomato, Basil & Feta Meatloaf
1 lb. Ground Beef (85%/15% lean)
1/2 c. Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. Plum Tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, chopped
3 oz. Crumbled Feta
1/4 c. Panko
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper


Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well blended. Form into a rectangular shape and place in an oven safe dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until the meat has reached the proper internal temperature. Serves 4-6. 


Points+=4 per slice


Enjoy!