The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

Summertime has me on the lookout for meals that easily incorporate the beautiful, fresh produce hitting the markets so I can quickly resume enjoying these longer sunny days. Bonus points for any recipe that easily scales to work as well for two as it does for twelve. This recipe is a winner on both counts — midsummer is zucchini’s time to shine, and pasta dishes are convenient for both fast dinners for one and feeding a crowd on short notice.

Whole wheat pasta – which is becoming more readily accessible in supermarkets – can certainly be used in this recipe. In fact, pairing whole grains with zucchini’s nutritional bounty (manganese, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin A and fiber) will only make this recipe better. And with a mere quarter of a tablespoon of olive oil per serving, this meal feels indulgent without the guilt.

Summertime Zucchini Pasta
1/2 pound dry, uncooked fettuccine or other pasta
1 large or 2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/8″ disks or half moons
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
10-12 basil leaves
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, saute the zucchini in a large, non-stick frying pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray until just tender, approximately 5 minutes. Turn down heat, remove zucchini to a bowl and set aside. Add olive oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until just beginning to soften. Turn off heat, add cooked pasta and zucchini and toss to combine. Plate and sprinkle each serving with a few basil leaves and one tablespoon cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Ever peer inside the vegetable drawer and discover something you’d forgotten about? Something fresh and colorful you’d purchased with good intentions, but never quite got around to preparing? Something that, if not dealt with soon, will probably be destined for the compost bin? Happens to me all the time.

Just the other night I was digging around the fridge looking for something to make for dinner (planning is not my strong point) and found a couple of pretty bunches of asparagus that I’d picked up a week or so earlier and promptly forgotten about. Not one to let a good veggie intentionally go to waste (especially one full of potassium, vitamin A and folate), I set out to incorporate the asparagus into that night’s dinner. A few additional ingredients and about fifteen minutes later, and dinner was born.

I can’t tell you how much I love flexible dishes like this. You can use whatever pasta you have on hand. You can add chicken or shrimp for a little protein. You can trade the goat cheese for a little shaved Parmesan. The possibilities make my mouth water. Make it as written or make it your own, just don’t forget to check your veggie drawer first!

Pasta with Asparagus and Pine Nuts
12 ounces pasta (your choice)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1.5″ pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces goat cheese

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and garlic and cook until the pine nuts are toasted and garlic is just crispy (but being careful not to burn) – 1-3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, another 2-4 minutes.

Add the asparagus mixture to the cooked, drained pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into serving dishes and top with goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

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Compromise. It’s a fine art when trying to balance somewhat responsible eating habits with really good food. Especially when you find yourself undeniably hooked on good-tasting but not-so-healthy eats, like bar food. Case in point: I’m addicted to the boneless wings with spicy garlic sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings. While on a five day ‘staycation’ last week, we ate lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings three times. You read that right: three times in five days. The meaning of moderation was clearly lost on me. So, when the vacation was over and it was time to get back to reality, I had a hard time breaking that craving. I wanted my wings!

Not one to deny myself much when it comes to food, I set out to find a way to not only make my own boneless wings at home, but to find a good approximation of that spicy garlic sauce. I wanted something I could enjoy on a more regular basis without having to either let out my pants or break the bank, while still reserving trips to the wing joint for splurges and special occasions. So, I pulled out an old baked chicken strips recipe and put it to work as my husband hit the Internet to see what people were saying about this addictive wing sauce. The results were pure magic – healthier than pub grub but just as tasty.

Because the baked cornflake breading is more delicate than a traditional deep-fried coating, I opted to serve the sauce on the side to keep the textures fully intact. But you can certainly give the nuggets a quick run through the sauce for a more “authentic” wing feel. Don’t like spicy sauces? Give a nice honey mustard or barbecue sauce a try.

Boneless Chicken “Wings”
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 cups cornflakes (unsweetened), finely crushed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut chicken into approximately 1 3/4-inch by 1-inch chunks. In a shallow bowl, combine the egg, honey, and mustard. In a separate dish, stir together the cornflake crumbs and pepper.

Dip chicken pieces into the egg mixture and roll in the cornflake crumb mixture to coat completely. Place a wire cooling rack onto a rimmed baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. Arrange chicken pieces on the rack.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until outsides are golden and chicken is no longer pink.

Yield: 4 servings

Almost BWW Spicy Garlic Sauce
(modified from Meemo’s Kitchen)
1 cup hot sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

In a small sauce pan combine first seven ingredients. Heat over medium heat until sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk egg yolk and water together. Add cornstarch and continue to whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Slowly add warm hot sauce mixture to egg mixture. Continually whisk to create an emulsion.

Use immediately or cover and chill until needed.

Yield: 1.5 cups

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com

I spent six days traveling recently, and I realized just how far we can wander from our normal eating habits while away from home. We dash from meeting to meeting or tourist stop to tourist stop, grabbing a coffee and a bagel here and an antipasto platter there, all while trying to pass these things off as “meals.” About midway through my trip, I realized that I was feeling run down and not quite myself, and I knew that the foods I was eating (or, more appropriately, the foods I wasn’t eating) had a lot to do with it.

I upped my water intake. I made better meal choices, even when they weren’t the most convenient, and I made sure that I was getting plenty of veggies. Next thing I knew, I felt my energy levels picking up and I was back in the game. Inspired by this not-so-subtle reminder about how important “real” food can be to your diet, I came home and made some homemade comfort food with a nutritious kick: roasted cauliflower.

I love all roasted vegetables, but I think cauliflower is my hands-down favorite. It’s also loaded with good things like fiber, potassium and folic acid. It pairs nicely with so many things, from chicken to fish–even tossed into a little whole wheat pasta. Or you can just eat the florets all by themselves. That’s what I did!

Roasted Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, trimmed into florets
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

Place florets in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper.

Roast 20-25 minutes until tender, crispy and golden, turning once. Devour.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com