Baked Shrimp with Feta

Main Dishes

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

I can’t think of a better recipe to wrap up my first week of Greek cooking than this baked shrimp with feta. Apparently it’s a very popular dish in the fish tavernas around Athens. It’s relatively quick and easy to prepare and I think it would be a great rustic-meets-elegant meal for a dinner party. I love the idea of everybody having their own individual serving of this pretty and colorful main course.

I also want to note that while it’s great hot out of the oven, it makes a killer cold salad as well. I packed some of this for a North Shore picnic last holiday weekend along with the Greek Lentil Salad, and a garbanzo bean salad (recipe to come next week!). So while I was eating this…

I was watching this…

It’s hard to see, but there’s a kite surfer getting some pretty major air in the photo. Sorry for the bad image quality; I used my cheapo point and shoot. The water close to shore was impossibly blue and clear and it was fun to get some water time in… I’ve been working too much lately. Anyways, I don’t know if it was the views or the food, but it was probably the best beach picnic I’ve ever had. I’m sort of thinking the shrimp had something to do with it…

Baked Shrimp with Feta

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced
* 1 large clove garlic, minced
* 4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
* 1/2 teaspoon honey
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, roughly chopped
* 1/3 cup parsley
* 1 cup white wine
* salt and pepper
* 1 cup crumbled sheep’s milk feta
* lemon wedges

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan and cook the onion over medium-low heat until very soft. Add the garlic, half of the tomatoes, honey, cayenne pepper, and cumin and raise the heat to medium and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add the oregano, about 2/3 of the parsley, and the white wine and season with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for about five minutes.

Divide the sauce between four individual baking dishes. Arrange the raw shrimp on top of the juice and then sprinkle with the remaining tomatoes and feta cheese. Drizzle on the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and bake until the shrimp are pink and all of the ingredients are heated through.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serve hot, at room temperature, or even chilled, with lemon wedges.

Marinated Zucchini Salad

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

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You can’t read food blogs in August without getting bombarded by zucchini recipes. Well, here’s another one to add to the pile… and I should warn you that I have another zucchini recipe or two on the back burner that you’ll be seeing in the next week or two.

If it’s too hot to cook and you’re feeling a little bit lazy, this is the recipe for you. Actually, I can barely even call it a recipe. Raw, paper-thin zucchini slices get marinated in a lemon and garlic-infused olive oil and are finished with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and some freshly chopped basil. That’s it. Easy.

Easy, but delicious. Gotta love simple and elegant Southern European fare.

Marinated Zucchini Salad

Yield: 4 side servings

Ingredients:

* 1 pound zucchini, cut as thinly as possible
* 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 Tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, smashed
* salt and pepper
* 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Place the zucchini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in a medium to large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Just before serving, taste and adjust the salt and pepper and garnish with fresh basil.

Garlicky Kale with Toasted Coconut

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

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I’ve always loved kale but have struggled to find ways to incorporate more of it into my diet. My two go-to recipes are green smoothies and Acquacotta, or Tuscan peasant soup (Marcella Hazan has a killer recipe for this in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking).

Now I can happily add this one to the list. The recipe is based off of Heidi Swanson’s kale salad recipe in her gorgeous new cookbook, Super Natural Every Day.

I fiddled with the proportions a bit, upping the greens and decreasing the coconut. I also added a hefty dose of garlic, since I love me some garlicky greens. The kale get nice and crispy, the coconut nice and toasty with a bit of chew. And it’s all bathed in a flavorful soy-sesame dressing atop a bed of millet, or other grain of your choosing.

Garlicky Kale with Toasted Coconut

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 2 Tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos or gluten-free tamari
* 1 large bunch kale, stems and large ribs removed, and roughly chopped (about 6-8 cups unpacked)
* 1-1/4 cups unsweetened large-flake coconut
* 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 2 cups cooked millet (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set the rack on the top third of the oven.

In a small bowl combine the olive oil, sesame oil and Bragg’s or tamari. Place the kale, the coconut and the garlic in a large bowl and toss with about 2/3 of the oil mixture.

Spread the kale across a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes (tossing the mixture halfway through baking) or until some of the kale has turned crispy and the coconut is a light golden brown.

Place the millet on a large serving platter, if using, and top with the kale mixture. Drizzle the remaining oil mixture over the top. Serve immediately.

Note: This salad tastes best immediately after making it. You can refrigerate some for later, but the kale and coconut will lose some of their crunch.

Date with Fate Chai Chia Pudding

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

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Ever used chia seeds for something other than a Chia Pet? In the book Born to Run, Christopher McDougall profiles the world’s original ultra marathoners, the Tarahumara Indians. Supposedly they used a chia seeds in a drink to sustain themselves for long runs. Even though I’m a sporty girl, the only time you’ll catch me running is to avoid getting hit by a car. But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in adding some of these nutritional powerhouses into my diet (they’re a great source of Omega-3).

It was my raw vegan friends who inspired me to use the seeds to make a pudding. The most basic chia pudding recipes just mix the seeds with some non-dairy milk and some stevia, I was hoping for something a bit less gloopy (chia seeds absorb the liquid and gelatinize, making it something like a tapioca pudding) and a bit more interesting. I set my mind on a pudding version of my favorite Date with Fate Smoothie with a little extra chai spice for good measure. Healthy pudding with no dairy and no added sugar? Sign me up.

Date with Fate Chai Chia Pudding

Yield: 1-2 servings

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup almonds
* 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
* 3/4 cup water
* 8 dates, pitted
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* pinch nutmeg
* 1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks
* chopped almonds for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until very smooth and fluffy. Sprinkle with chopped almonds, if desired.

Note: I used my Vitamix for this pudding. I’m not sure whether a regular blender will work, since the Vitamix pulverizes the seeds, allowing the pudding to thicken very quickly and get a very smooth texture. One option for those without a high speed blender would be to use 3/4 almond milk in lieu of the almonds and water, and blend this with the dates, banana and spices. Mix this with the chia seeds and let sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pudding is thick. This will give it a texture closer to tapioca pudding rather than the smooth pudding shown here.

Colorful Asian Slaw with Sweet Miso Dressing

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

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Colorful Asian Slaw with Sweet Miso Dressing

In this non-traditional recipe, coleslaw’s nutritional value gets a major upgrade. A colorful blend of red and green cabbage, orange carrots and green cilantro gets marinated in a simple lemon, miso, ginger and tamari dressing. Stevia, which has become my best friend over the past couple weeks, is added to achieve your desired level of sweetness.

Give it a shot at your next picnic, barbecue, or Asian-themed meal. You might never go back to the mayonnaise-doused version ever again.

Asian Slaw with Miso Dressing

Ingredients:

* 1/2 head of a large cabbage, finely shredded (green, red, or a combination of the two)
* 1 cup grated carrots
* 1/4 cup water
* 2 Tablespoons white miso
* 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
* 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 1/2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari, or Braggs liquid aminos
* 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
* 8-10 drops stevia or to taste (or substitute sugar to taste)
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the water, miso, ginger, lemon juice, tamari, apple cider vinegar, and stevia. Stir in the cabbage, carrots and cilantro and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Sauteed Zucchini with Corn and Roasted Green Peppers

Vegetarian

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

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Sauteed Zucchini with Corn and Roasted Green Peppers

When I was a little girl, one of my cousins was vegetarian. The whole concept was very foreign to me… meat and potatoes were pretty standard fare in our household. Once, we were all eating dinner at my grandmother’s house. Most of use were eating, you guessed it, meat and potatoes, but my grandmother had prepared a special vegetarian dish for my cousin. It was a zucchini pie made with a Crescent roll crust brushed with just a hint of mustard.*

Twenty-some years later, it’s like I can still taste it. Suddenly, being a vegetarian didn’t seem so bad or weird. And that’s coming from a girl who didn’t really like vegetables until well into her tween or teen years.

Well, I can’t eat Crescent Rolls anymore and my cousin is no longer vegetarian. But I’m pretty sure that this dish of sauteed zucchini, corn and roasted green peppers could similarly convince somebody that vegetarian food can still rock the house.

* If anybody is interested in the recipe for the zucchini pie that changed my life, the closest thing I found online was on Allrecipes.

Sauteed Zucchini with Corn and Roasted Peppers

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

about 1 pound zucchini, cut into small, 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus extra if needed
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1 poblano or green bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into thin strips*
2/3 cup Mexican-style sour cream**
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the zucchini in a colander and mix with the salt. Let stand over a plate or the sink for about 1/2 hour to draw out any bitter liquid. Rinse and pat dry or drain for several minutes in the colander.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until the zucchini has browned and is just tender. Remove the zucchini to a bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon, attempting to keep as much of the butter and oil mixture in the pan as possible.

Add the onions and cook, stirring until translucent. Add the corn and the pepper strips and continue to cook until the onion begins to brown. Stir in the sour cream and zucchini and cook until the sour cream has reduced to a thick glaze. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

* Need pepper roasting instructions? I use this technique.

** If you cannot find Mexican-style sour cream, you can substitute heavy cream or regular sour cream.

Grilled Fish Wrapped in Grape Leaves with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce

Girl Cooks World

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April 23, 2019

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Grilled Fish Wrapped in Grape Leaves with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce

Here’s another food on a stick recipe for you guys, although this one is a little more fancy-pants than the kind I usually post around here. But don’t worry, there’s nothing too difficult going on here. Firm chunks of fish get a quick soak in chermoula, a marinade common in Northern Africa, before getting wrapped in grape leaves and cooked quickly on the grill.

Although they’re pretty tasty just like that, these little packets of fish goodness become extra special when paired with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. Even if you don’t want to go through the trouble of hunting down grape leaves, definitely try the marinated fish with the sweet and sour sauce. It’s bright, flavorful and easy to adapt to your desired level of heat.I ended up using shutome (swordfish) and nairagi (striped marlin), but I’m sure any firm white or pale fish would work well here.

Grilled Fish Wrapped in Vine Leaves with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

* about 15-25 preserved grape leaves

* 1 1/2 pounds firm white fish fillets, skinned and boned
* 6-8 wooden skewers, soaked

Chermoula Marinade:
* Small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Dipping Sauce:
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1/3 cup sugar
* Pinch saffron threads
* 1 onion, very finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2” piece fresh ginger, grated
* 2 hot chili peppers, minced (seed the peppers if you’d like a more mild sauce)
* Small bunch cilantro, minced
* Small bunch mint, minced

Directions:

Blend the chermoula ingredients in a blender or food processor and set aside.

Rinse the vine leaves and let them soak in cold water.

Cut the fish into small chunks, place in a large bowl and coat with the chermoula marinade. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for an hour.

Prepare the dipping sauce by heating the lemon juice and the sugar in a small saucepan over high heat and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and let boil for about a minute. Remove from heat, let cool and then add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Drain the vine leaves and place one flat on a kitchen work surface. Place a piece of fish in the center and wrap up the fish into a small packet (note: if the vine leaves are very big, cut into smaller pieces or in half…you want the leaves just large enough to wrap once around the fish with a little overlap to seal. You don’t want multiple layers of grape leaves around the fish as it changes the taste and texture of the dish… things get a little too chewy and the flavor of the grape leaves start to dominate).

Thread the fish packets onto the wooden skewers and repeat with the remaining fish and grape leaves.

Heat the grill to high heat and cook the kebobs for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with the sweet and sour dipping sauce.

The Best Advices for a Healthy Lifestyle

Archive

Girl Cooks World

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April 19, 2019

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The Best Advices for a Healthy Lifestyle

When it comes to what a healthy lifestyle means, experts from the World Health Organization point out that three dimensions define this concept:

decreases the risk of disease and increases life expectancy. There are certain diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, which can be avoided by adopting appropriate behavior;
the opportunity to enjoy more of life’s possibilities. Not only physical health is essential, but also mental health. An equally important role as the social well-being is to spend quality time with those around you and to build solid communication relationships;
determining loved ones to follow your example. Once you adopt certain habits, family members and close friends can do the same as you.

Therefore, in the WHO’s view, a healthy lifestyle means changing your daily habits so that you can improve your physical and mental health, enjoying more aspects of your life.

If you want to adopt a healthy lifestyle, it is essential to understand the principles that define it. Then you will be able to put them into practice. Of course, there is no general recipe valid for everyone because each body is unique and reacts in its way, but specific fundamental rules are good to keep in mind to have a healthier lifestyle. And these refer to the following aspects:

1. Making health a priority

One of the defining elements of a healthy lifestyle is to make health a priority. Prevention remains one of the most potent weapons you can fight to avoid developing medical conditions challenging to treat or aggravation the manifestations of existing ones. This way, you will reduce the risk of severe diseases and increase life expectancy.

From this perspective, regular check-ups at the doctor are essential to monitoring the state of health constantly. In this case, you will be able to intervene in time and correctly in case of problems. Medical tests play an equally important role, usually recommended once every six months or even more often if a chronic condition, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

2. Pay special attention to healthy eating

Your body is like a complex machine that needs fuel and lubricant to function correctly. Thus, healthy eating and proper hydration are key elements. A good diet does not mean moderate consumption of food not to gain extra pounds. It means a balanced diet based on a wide variety of foods, rich in nutrients, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

3. Adopting an active lifestyle

No matter how busy your daily schedule is, don’t forget that “mens sana in corpore sano”. No matter how many personal or professional plans you make, you can’t complete them if you don’t take care of your body, both physically and mentally. From this perspective, an essential aspect is to adopt an active lifestyle.

Even if it seems complicated to put into practice, you can do this, even when you have an office job. Try to get up once about 30 minutes from your chair and do a little movement.

According to Mayo Clinic, it would be good to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, mowing the lawn) or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise. In addition, try to practice sports that strengthen all your muscle groups (cardio, weights training, or treadmill). In general, your target should be 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.

4. Balanced thinking and emotional well-being

You often forget that a healthy lifestyle means taking care of your mental health out of a desire to solve as many problems as possible. Your body is subjected daily to emotional and physical stress. You want to be as competitive as possible and cope successfully with all the challenges. Balanced thinking and emotional well-being mean accepting the present with realism, pragmatism, and a constructive attitude.

Give yourself time without perceiving this as a selfish gesture. Therefore, invest in hobbies that will help you regain the positive energy you need, take care of gardening,00 or things that make you happy and relaxed. Do not hesitate to make changes in your life, from finding a better job to renovating or remodeling your home.

The keyword that defines a healthy lifestyle is balance. And it refers not only to the prioritization of physical and mental health, socialization, a correct relationship between time spent at work and personal life, but also how you manage to make time to spend with your loved ones or do things that matter to you.

Mexican Red Wine Cooler with Fresh Lime

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 17, 2019

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No, you’re not imagining things- there have been a lot of alcoholic beverages around here lately. And that trend is going to continue through next week. After that, I’m cutting myself off for a bit. But until then, let the good times roll…

This refreshing red wine cooler is like sangria’s slightly ghetto cousin. But what it lacks in sophistication it makes up for in terms of ease and speed- the only additions to the wine are a fresh lime juice syrup and some sparkling water. You’ll easily be able to make a batch in minutes. And if you choose a fruity red, it’s actually very reminiscent of a Cape Codder.

Mexican Red Wine Cooler with Fresh Lime

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 cups red wine
1 cup sparkling water
ice
slices of lime for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Combine the lime juice, sugar and water in a pitcher and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the red wine and sparkling water and stir gently to combine. Pour over ice and garnish with a slice of lime, if desired.