Beef Tenderloin with Adobo Paste

This is a really great and quick recipe. It can be a little spicy, so watch out for that chili powder!

Beef Tenderloin with Adobo Paste

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (I recommend .5) tablespoon chili powder
16 ounces beef tenderloin, cut into 4 fillets

1. Preheat grill or broiler.

2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, and chili powder. Mix to a smooth paste.

3. Spread 1 teaspoon paste on each side of beef fillets. Broil to desired doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Nutrition facts per serving: 215 calories, 25g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 10g fat (2g saturated), 0g fiber

Salmon with Blueberry-Mango Salsa

Who would have thought that fruits would make great salsa! Well, they do especially in this recipe. :)

Salmon with Blueberry-Mango Salsa

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup peeled, diced mango
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons sugar or 2 teaspoons evaporated cane juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 4-ounce salmon fillets
Pinch each of sea salt and ground pepper

1. Combine blueberries, mango, onion, pepper, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, sugar or cane juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Lightly crush with a fork to release the juices. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and sear for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until just cooked through.

3. Serve fillets with salsa.

Nutrition facts per serving: 205 calories, 19g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 11g fat (2g saturated), 1g fiber

Chicken Scaloppine with Mushrooms and Tarragon

Really good, though very light, almost like a soup. It would go perfect with rice/pasta. Yummylicious!

Chicken Scaloppine with Mushrooms and Tarragon

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons diced shallots
2 cups sliced mixed variety mushrooms (oyster, cremini, portobello, and/or button)
4 tablespoons marsala wine
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. On a flat surface, pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper with a meat mallet until 1/2 inch thick. Cut each pounded breast in half.

2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Dust chicken with flour and saute in olive oil until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan; add shallots and mushrooms. Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, tarragon, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by half. Place chicken breasts on plates; spoon sauce over the top.

Nutrition facts per serving: 260 calories, 29g protein, 13g carbohydrate, 8g fat (2g saturated), 2g fiber

Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

Best beans I've (Monica) ever made!

Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
3 tablespoons diced yellow onions
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons ground chipotle chili
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 4-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1. Lightly spray a large saucepan with cooking spray. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the beans, chipotle, chicken stock, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt; simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the beans are slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Puree half the bean mixture in a blender or food processor; place in a bowl with the rest of the beans and mix together.

2. Preheat the broiler.

3. Combine the olive oil and chili powder in a small bowl; mix to form a paste. Rub the paste over the chicken breasts.

4. Broil the chicken 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Top with the black bean sauce.

Nutrition facts per serving: 330 calories, 37g protein, 29g carbohydrate, 8g fat (3g saturated), 11g fiber

Gnocchi gustosi con porri e speck

(Tasty gnocchi with leeks and speck)

EASY

Preparing: 15 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 300 gr precooked flour for polenta (corn-meal mush)
• 6 dl milk
• 80 gr speck cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 leek
• 30 gr freshly grated Parmiggiano
• 20 gr butter
• salt

Directions:

1. Wash the leek, take 1/3 and cut into slices, chop the rest. Brown the chopped leek and the speck with half butter, then remove them. Put the sliced leek and a tablespoon of water in the same pan with the sauce (made before); add salt and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Bring the milk to a boil with half liter of water and salt, pour the flour and cook the polenta; mix browned leek and speck, half Parmiggiano and then stop cooking.
3. Spread the polenta out into a half-inch layer on your work surface and let it cool. Cut it into 2-inches disks and arrange them, partially overlapping, into a buttered pan. Sprinkle the sliced leek, the remaining Parmiggiano and butter. Bake them for 5 minutes in a preheated 220°C oven.

Risotto di Zucca (pumkin)

Ingredients:

• Pumkin 1/2 kilo
• rice 3.5 cups
• oil/butter
• bay leaves
• salt
• nutmeg
• parmeggian cheese
• broth: vegetable cube or use onion+carrot+celery+salt

How to make it:

• First make the vegatable broth from scratch or use the vegetable cube: let it boil.
• Peel the pumpkin and cut it into small squares.
• To add flavour to the broth add some pumpkin pieces.
• In a pot put some oil or butter and then the pumpkin cubes. Let it cook in medium heat until tender (make sure you don't burn it!)
• Add a bit of salt, bay leaves and nutmeg to the pumpkin mash. Afterwards add the rice.
• Stir the rice with the pumpkin and slowly add a cup of hot broth.
• When the broth is absored add another cup and don't forget to stir!!
• Continue the process until the rice is cooked.
• Once cooked, add some parmeggian cheese to have additional flavour.
• Serve hot with parmeggian cheese and a bit of nutmeg on top.
• Buon apetito!

Basil-and-Garlic-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

In a small bowl combine Parmesan cheese, basil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garlic; set aside.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound lightly to about 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Spread cheese mixture on chicken. Fold in sides of each chicken breast; roll up, pressing edges to seal. Fasten with wooden toothpicks.

For sauce, in a small bowl combine lemon peel, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

For a charcoal grill, arrange medium-hot coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place chicken on the grill rack over drip pan. Cover and grill for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170°F), brushing occasionally with sauce the last 10 minutes of grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust grill for indirect cooking. Grill as above.)