Peachy Green Bean Salad

The more I learn about processed food, the more I try to stay away from it. In doing so, I've discovered that when combined correctly, many foods in their natural state are amazing! And since I like to know what I'm putting into my body, I try to prepare my food as often as possible.

There aren't too many things I don't like which allows me to get pretty creative with my food. Drew refers to it as "the weird things I eat." So you can understand my surprise when a co-worker suggested that I blog about my food so that she can try my recipes. What?!? Really? OK, why not? And ta-da! Holy Chef! was born.

Disclaimer: Drew likes his food very simple. I'm pretty sure that the meals I prepare for myself aren't that weird. So don't be disappointed if any of the following recipes seem quite common or normal. 

Since I try to spend as little time as possible preparing Drew's and my lunches for work, I like meals I can make large quantities of so that I am set for the week. All I have to do now is pull out this bowl, scoop a little into a tupperware, and voilà! My lunch is ready!

I found this recipe in a Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Since I didn't have the full pound of green beans the original recipe asked for, I improvised by adding edamame and chicken. I like this salad because not only is it light with a sweet crunch from the peaches, but it can be eaten hot or cold. 

Bon Appétit,
Alex

Ingredients:

• 2 cans white meat chicken breast
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 tsp snipped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large peach, slightly firm
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp lime juice

Directions:

1. Boil edamame according to directions, drain, and set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet cook onions in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or just until beginning to soften. 
3. Add green beans, rosemary, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 7 minutes.
4. Add chicken and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and toss in peach slices, edamame, and lime juice. Serve hot or cold.

Melted Veggie Torpasta

As a newlywed who works 40hrs a week, I firmly believe in leftovers! I would LOVE to spend every afternoon in the kitchen preparing a gourmet meal for Drew, but time just doesn't permit that.

There is a restaurant Drew and I enjoy going to called Divine Pastabilities. They are famous for stuffing pasta into toasted, hollowed out Italian rolls. Unfortunately, my little point-and-shoot camera doesn't do this meal justice. But don't be fooled. If you heart carbs, then you'll love having a mouth full of cheesy pasta and perfectly toasted, buttered Italian bread in every bite. It is absolutely divine!


Bon Appétit,
Alex

Ingredients:

• melted veggie pasta
• 1 Italian roll
• butter

Directions:

1. Open a window
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Cut off one end of the Italian roll and hollow it out with a bread knife.
4. Butter the inside on all sides.
5. Stuff the roll with pasta.
6. Wrap in foil and place in oven for 15 minutes if using leftover pasta and 10 minutes if using fresh pasta. 
7. Check to see if pasta is warm enough. If not, re-wrap it and bake for another 5 minutes.
8. Bake unwrapped for 4 minutes or until roll is toasted.

For those watching their waistlines...

Melted Veggie Torsalad
My brother-in-law once described this as the best way to eat a salad because it's like having a crouton in every bite!

Ingredients:

• melted veggie salad
• 1 Italian roll
• butter (optional)

Directions:

1. Open a window.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Cut off one end of the Italian roll and hollow out the inside with a bread knife.
4. Butter the inside on all sides (optional)
5. Wrap in foil and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Bake unwrapped for another 4 minutes or until roll is toasted.
7. Remove from oven and stuff with melted veggie salad.

Melted Veggie Pasta

I love the challenge of creating a meal out of whatever's in my fridge and pantry. Let's see... pasta, chicken, and a ton of tomatoes....hmmm. Using a red or white sauce seems too easy. So here is the challenge: Can I create a pasta dish full of flavor without using a sauce?

I recently came across a recipe called Melted Tomatoes which consists of slow roasting tomatoes with olive oil and herbs. I thought this would be perfect to toss with my pasta! Because no food creation of mine is ever simple, I added a few more ingredients for extra color and flavor. I'm happy to say it was a hit with my hog (a.k.a. Drew)! Slow roasting the veggies with red wine vinegar and oil brought out a mouth watering sweetness that went perfectly with the cheese, which prevented the pasta from being dry despite it's lack of sauce.


Bon Appétit,
Alex

I apologize now because when it comes to cooking, I rarely measure. Everything is based on preference and what seems "about right". For those who like to be precise, I will do my best to guesstimate how much of each ingredient was used.

Ingredients (this ended up making about 3 servings):

• 1 handful spaghetti pasta ( I used whole wheat) 
• 1 1/2 cups sliced chicken breast
• 6 small tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 handfuls peeled garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cup shredded cheese (whatever kind you prefer)
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil plus more for garnish
• 1 pinch grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Open a window (I never knew, until Drew enlightened me, that gas is the silent killer)
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 
3. Place veggies and garlic in a large casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Bake for 11/2-2hrs or until veggies are nicely browned and slightly shriveled around the edges.
5. About 12 minutes before veggies are done, boil pasta according to directions. Once drained, place back in pot. 
6. Add veggies (allowing all of the juice to drain into the pot), chicken, shredded cheese, and basil. If you so desire, add more salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
7. Serve with parmesan cheese and basil for garnish.

For those watching their waistlines...

Melted Veggie Salad 
I realize that I didn't include a dressing, but the juice and oil from the melted veggies combined with the feta cheese adds enough flavor to not need any.

P.S. I was so hungry after making both of these meals, I forgot to take a picture... sorry!

Ingredients (measurements should be based on serving size): 

• melted veggies 
• fresh spinach 
• fresh chopped basil 
• chopped chicken breast 
• red onion, thinly sliced 
• pine nuts 
• feta cheese 

Directions:

1. Combine spinach, basil, pine nuts, and onion
2. Top with melted veggies, chicken, and feta cheese