We’re wrapping up a week of healthy dinners here on Lemon & Mocha with a lightened up twist on a classic: Crispy Baked Fish and Chips. Tender, flaky fish coated in a crispy exterior and some homemade french fries, all served alongside a creamy tarter sauce – yum!

We’ve done a few things to the original dish to lighten it up with the most obvious being that we’re baking the breaded fish and french fries instead of frying them. I’ve baked breaded chicken many, many times, but I had never tried it before with fish. It came out so well! The fish was tender and perfectly cooked while the outside was crispy.

The breading in this recipe is interesting and helped in aiding with the crispiness factor. No panko or nuts here; instead the fish is breaded with crisp rice cereal! Also known as Rice Krispies cereal or whatever Trader Joe’s or store brand you prefer. A bowl of Rice Krispies was my go-to during my first trimester so we have plenty of boxes stockpiled in the house. I love that the breading process is only a two step as well. The fish pieces get dunked in some frothy egg whites and then coated in the crispy rice cereal. That’s it!

The baked french fries were also a big hit for Matt and I. I’ve baked fries before, but the trick about preheating the baking sheet in the oven was a new one for me and I definitely think it helped make them crispier. Finally, the tarter sauce has been lightened up as well! I’m not sure about you, but in addition to using tarter sauce on my fish, I love dipping my fries in the stuff. This healthier homemade version is made with a Greek yogurt base and has no mayonnaise. I am a self-proclaimed mayo addict and I was prepared to not like this yogurt version, but it was really good! I didn’t miss the mayo at all and felt like I was eating regular tarter sauce.

The only downfall for this whole meal is that it is not make-ahead friendly, but I’ll let it slide every once in a while for a delicious and healthy fish and chips dinner! Happy Friday, everyone!

Crispy Baked Fish and Chips

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

for the chips

• 3 medium russet potatoes, about 1¼ pounds, scrubbed clean
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Smoked paprika
• Coarse sea salt

for the fish

• 2¾ cups crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
• 3 large egg whites
• 1½ pounds skinless, boneless pollock (or other firm white fish, such as cod), cut into 2-inch by 4-inch pieces
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Olive oil cooking spray

for the tarter sauce

• ⅔ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons pickle relish
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
• Salt

Directions

for the chips

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, making sure oven racks are in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Use convection oven setting if available. Place a baking sheet on the top rack to preheat.
2. While the oven is preheating prep the fries. Cut the unpeeled potatoes into ¼-inch thick sticks. Place them in a large bowl then add the olive oil. Toss to coat then sprinkle with the smoked paprika and toss to coat. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Add the potato sticks and spread in an even layer, leaving the extra oil behind. Bake the fries on the top rack for 25-30 minutes, or until browned and crispy, flipping the fries once halfway through. When they come out of the oven sprinkle generously with the coarse sea salt.

for the fish

1. Set a wire cooling rack onto a baking sheet and lightly spray with the olive oil cooking spray.
2. Set up a breading station with 2 bowls. In the first, combine the cereal (lightly crushing with your hands), 2 teaspoons of salt and some ground black pepper. In the second, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until frothy. First dip the fish pieces in the egg whites then dip in the cereal mixture to completely coat. Place on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the remaining fish pieces, positioned on its side so more of the crust is exposed if possible.
3. Lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray. Bake the fish on the bottom oven rack for 12 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through. Serve with the chips and tarter sauce.

for the tarter sauce

1. Combine the yogurt, relish, lemon juice and hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before using.

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 Recipe from July/August 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine.

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I love a good lettuce wrap, especially when it has fresh and tangy flavors like these Asian Chicken Meatball Lettuce Wraps. Today I’m sharing another healthy dinner recipe with you all, this time from my favorite little cookbook, the Cook This, Not That! cookbook. This is one that I’ve made sporadically over the years ever since buying that cookbook and every time I make it we talk about how we should have it more often.

The chicken meatballs only have six ingredients, but they are packed with flavor. You can grill them on a grill or grill pan for a nice char. I’ve also baked them successfully. Just like with any good lettuce wrap or taco the key to keep you diving back in for more is a layering of flavors. In addition to the grilled chicken meatballs these wraps are also stuffed with a simple pickled cucumber salad and a delicious ginger scallion sauce. I cannot say enough good things about this sauce! I want to drizzle it over all my protein and rice dishes forever.

If you don’t feel like fussing with the lettuce wraps you could always just serve this as a plated meal over the brown rice, but the lettuce does add some welcome freshness to the dish. Sometimes I have trouble finding ground chicken in the store so I’ve also made this dish with ground pork, which goes incredibly well with the pickled and ginger flavors. I hope you all enjoy this one!

Asian Chicken Meatball Lettuce Wraps

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

for the pickled cucumber salad

• ½ large English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
• ⅓ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

for the ginger scallion sauce

• 6-8 scallions, bottoms removed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

for the lettuce wraps

• 1 pound ground chicken or pork
• ½ red onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (if you don’t like spicy food remove all seeds and pith)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Boston lettuce leaves, for serving
• Steamed brown rice, for serving

Directions

for the pickled cucumber salad

1. Combine the cucumber, onion, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes (if using) in a mixing bowl. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Or make ahead as it will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

for the ginger scallion sauce

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the scallions, ginger, soy sauce, oil and vinegar. Letting the sauce sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before eating will deepen the flavor.

for the lettuce wraps

1. Preheat a lightly oiled grill pan or grill over medium-high heat. If using a grill you might want to skewer the meatballs to make them easier to turn and cook.
2. Combine the ground chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl until just combined. Be sure not to over-mix. Divide into 12 evenly sized meatballs. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from the heat and use the lettuce to make wraps stuffed with the rice, grilled meatballs, pickled cucumber salad and ginger scallion sauce.

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Lauren Uncategorized 6 Comments

This week is all about tasty and healthy dinner recipes! I have so many dessert recipes coming up that I had to make sure I started off with plenty of real food recipes so Matt and I wouldn’t just be eating dessert for dinner every night. I’m always looking for new healthy dinners to rotate through so I was excited to try some new ones out.

This Cheese and Pear Stuffed Pork recipe came from my recipe binder archives, this time by way of Cooking Light Magazine. The combination sounded intriguing so I thought I would give it a shot. I made it on a night my Dad was coming over for dinner, which was a bold move since he can be a little particular about food. But Mikey liked it! I mean Dad liked it!

The pork tenderloin is split open and then pounded thin before being stuffed with a creamy and crunchy mixture of blue cheese, walnuts, panko bread crumbs and tart sautéed pears. The whole thing gets rolled up and stuck together with toothpicks, which is a lot easier than it sounds.

Due to all the prep steps to get this pork tenderloin stuffed and rolled, it’s not exactly a weeknight dish, but the great part is that once you have the pork tenderloin prepared you can cover it and stick it back in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. I served it alongside some green beans and roasted potatoes, but you could also go really light and just serve it over a spinach and pear salad. Enjoy!

Cheese and Pear Stuffed Pork

 

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Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped Anjou pear (or other firm, tart pear), leave skin on
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see note)
• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 12-ounce pork tenderloins
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
• Ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper and cook for 6 minutes. Add the chopped pear, white wine, Italian seasoning and some ground black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Let cool slightly then stir in the walnuts, blue cheese, panko and parsley.
3. Butterfly the pork tenderloins by slicing them lengthwise up to, but not through, the other side. Put the first butterflied pork tenderloin between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until ¼-inch thick. Top the flattened pork with half the pear mixture, being sure to leave a ½-inch border. Roll from the long side and secure with toothpicks. Tuck in the end edges when you secure with the toothpicks as well. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat for the remaining pork tenderloin.
4. In a saute pan large enough to fit both pork tenderloins, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Saute both rolled pork tenderloins for 5 minutes, turning to make sure all sides get browned. Remove from the heat and transfer the pork to a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pork reaches 145 degrees F (being sure to temp the pork not the filling). Move the pork from the baking dish to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the pork before serving.
5. In the pan used to saute the pork, bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Scrape the pan to make sure you get all the browned bits. Cook for 4 minutes and serve over the pork. Alternatively, you could slice the pork then carefully add to the broth and let cook in the broth as the sauce forms.

Notes

To toast walnuts, bake for 3-5 minutes in a 350 degrees oven, being sure not to let burn.

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 Recipe from September 2011 issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

Wow! Wow! Wow! I do not know how else to start this post, but that’s all that flashes in my brain when I think about these epic Pepperoni Pizza Rolls. The rolls are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and packed full of pepperoni pizza flavor. There’s plenty of garlic and herb seasoning as well as melted mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices. When they come hot out of the oven a little melted butter, fresh parsley and Parmesan gets brushed on top before serving. Dip a bite into some warm marinara and it’s just like eating a slice of pepperoni pizza except, dare I say it, better!

Tomorrow is National Pepperoni Pizza and since it’s also pizza Friday I thought it would be perfect to post a recipe for pepperoni pizza. I had all of the ingredients ready to go, but couldn’t get motivated to deal with either my pizza stone or my countertop pizza oven and the rolling and stretching of the pizza dough involved. I started brainstorming for an easier solution and came up with these epic Pepperoni Pizza Rolls.

The shredded mozzarella and chopped pepperoni slices get kneaded right into the pizza dough. You then make the dough into a ball, cut it into eight pieces and roll each piece into its own little ball. The little dough balls get baked at 475 degrees F for twelve minutes and voila! Time to eat!

The secret that makes these even easier is that we’re using Sunny Anderson’s 1-2-3 pizza dough as the base for this recipe. I first saw this published in my Food Network Magazine a few years ago and decided that I finally needed to try it. The 1-2-3 is for the only ingredients involved: 1 tablespoon of garlic and herb seasoning, 2 cups of plain Greek yogurt and 3 cups of self rising flour. I halved this to get eight Pepperoni Pizza Rolls, although they’re so good that if you’re making them for more than just your family you will want to double the recipe I have below! It sounds odd, but the ingredients get mixed together with a dough hook in a stand mixer (or you could mix and then knead by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer) and somehow create the most delicious dough.

If you don’t want to use self-rising flour I included a note in the recipe, but it really helps making them even easier. I promise that even the most novice home cook could nail this recipe – and it only takes twenty minutes to make including the baking time! These are definitely going to be a new regular recipe of mine. Try them out – I know you will love them just as much as we do!

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

 

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Yield: 8 rolls

Ingredients

• 1½ cups self rising flour
• 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup sliced pepperonis
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
• Marinara, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, lightly spray with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Add the self rising flour, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning and garlic powder to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with a dough hook on medium speed until combined, stopping and scraping down the sides and bottom at least once. Continue until the dough comes together.
3. Add the mozzarella cheese to the bowl of the stand mixer. Chop the sliced pepperonis and add to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on medium-low speed until incorporated. Take the dough out of the bowl, form into a large ball and place on a cutting board. Slightly flatten the dough ball then cut into 8 even wedges. Roll each wedge into a ball and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.
4. While the pizza rolls are in the oven, combine the melted butter, chopped parsley and grated Parmesan in a small bowl. Sprinkle in a little Italian seasoning. When the rolls come out of the oven, brush the tops with the melted butter mixture. Serve hot with the marinara sauce.

Notes

If you don’t have self-rising flour use the following substitution: 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 2¼ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt plus ⅛ teaspoon salt.

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 Pizza dough recipe adapted from June 2017 issue of Food Network Magazine.

Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission for my referral. This does not affect the retail cost of the item. Thank you for supporting Lemon & Mocha!

Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

The Olive Garden holds a special place in my heart. Many years ago during high school that was the preferred dinner spot for my friends and I. We would get all dressed up, as a joke to ourselves that this was our “fancy” dinner spot, wait the hour at the crowded restaurant to be seated and then stuff our faces with salad, breadsticks and pasta. Of course, it was always someone’s birthday so we could get the free chocolate cake and we would rotate through the group as to whose turn it was to be “celebrated.”

These days I don’t eat there that often, but whenever I do all the nostalgia of those days comes rushing back. Their unlimited salad isn’t just about nostalgia, though, it’s actually just really good. So back in 2009 when Food Network Magazine published their copycat version of the Olive Garden salad I made it right away.

The salad is simple: romaine lettuce mix with shredded carrots, croutons, Parmesan cheese, olives and pepperoncinis (both of which I leave out). What makes the salad special is the light, tangy and subtly creamy Italian dressing.

I was surprised when I checked out the ingredient list for their copycat version of the salad dressing. Most of it seemed like fairly normal items you would expect: olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt. But then I saw the secret – Miracle Whip. Miracle Whip? Yes, I know, but it totally makes this dressing taste just like you’re sitting at Olive Garden. I had never used Miracle Whip before, but I discovered it is a sauce similar to mayonnaise except it has added sugar, paprika, garlic powder and other spices. It also has this zippy tanginess to it, which helps the dressing achieve both the tangy and creamy qualities while still looking like your regular Italian dressing.

Since then I’ve made this salad countless times and I’m finally sharing it with you all!

Copycat Olive Garden Salad

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

for the dressing

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Miracle Whip
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

for the salad

• 1 10-ounce bag American salad blend (romaine blend with shredded carrots and cabbage)
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 4 pepperoncinis, optional
• 2 tablespoons sliced black olives, optional
• ½ cup croutons
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

for the dressing

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. If too thick add 1 additional tablespoon olive oil.

for the salad

1. Add the salad blend to a large salad bowl then top with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine before serving.

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 Recipe slightly adapted from June/July 2009 issue of Food Network Magazine.

Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission for my referral. This does not affect the retail cost of the item. Thank you for supporting Lemon & Mocha!

Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments