Category: Nom Nom

Chopped Chickpea Salad

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Recently I’ve been obsessed with 2 things: chickpeas and feta cheese. I’ve also been creating new spins on the typical boring “lunch salad” and with that, have incorporated both obsessions. You can make a large mixture of the chopped vegetables to use for several meals and then pile them on a bed of greens when ready to eat. I also like to make my own salad dressing – it’s easy, fast and doesn’t contain all of the “extra” unnecessary ingredients that store bought dressings have.

Chopped Chickpea Salad

For the salad:

  • Cucumber
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Bell pepper
  • Avocado, cubed
  • Can of chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
  • Feta cheese crumbles
  • Mixed salad greens

For the Italian dressing:

  • 3/4 cup Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup White wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano or Italian seasoning mix (like Mrs. Dash Italian Medley)

Italian Dressing: Mix ingredients in a tightly sealed jar or container and shake well. I usually store my dressing on the counter and it’s used within 1-2 weeks, but you can store in the fridge if you don’t use it.

Salad: Mix together chopped vegetables, chick peas and feta cheese. Spoon mixture into bed of mixed greens and drizzle dressing over the top.

Enjoy!

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Bacon Wrapped Sausage & Cream Cheese Stuffed Poblanos

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Did you get all of that? This year in our garden we grew poblano peppers, and we grew a lot of them! Having freshly picked a handful of peppers I started pondering what I could do to use them in bulk for a recipe. Inspired by jalapeno poppers, I thought this recipe would be one that James and I would enjoy for dinner, but also versatile enough that it could be a party appetizer. With football season approaching, this would be a good addition to your tailgating menu!

Ingredients:

  • 2-4 Poblano peppers, depending on size (mine were small so I used 5)
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 3 links of mild Italian sausage, cases removed
  • 1 cup of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
  • Bacon
  • 1 Tbsp of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Halve poblanos and remove stem and seeds. *Avoid touching your face during this step. Wash your hands immediately after to prevent your skin from burning. You can also wear gloves to protect your hands.lrm_export_11169209684684_20190730_2208217873670301608745684476.jpeg
  3. Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil, and saute onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add sausage and use spoon to break up into small pieces as it cooks.lrm_export_11039449261497_20190730_2206120265198448076800617290.jpeg
  5. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together cream cheese, Colby jack cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Add cooked sausage mixture to cream cheese mixture and stir together. lrm_export_11127250782900_20190730_2207398284968720410286513743.jpeg
  7. Spoon sausage and cheese mixture into peppers. Don’t be afraid to fill it so that it’s piled high. Use 1-2 pieces of bacon (depending on size of peppers) to wrap around peppers.
  8. Bake for 30-40 minutes on broiler pan or until bacon is cooked. Tip: if you don’t have a broiler pan you can use a rack from your toaster oven (see photo above)!
  9. Enjoy!PSX_20190730_221410.jpgheart

Happy 4th!

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Happy birthday America! Looking for a patriotic treat that’s perfect for your summer party? I’ve got just the thing! This easy recipe will ‘wow’ your friends and family and the kids will love it too.

Fruit Fireworks

Ingredients:

  • Blueberries
  • Seedless watermelon
  • Mini marshmallows
  • 6″ Party picks/skewers
  • Small star shaped cookie cutter

Cut rind off of watermelon and slice 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces all the way through (so that you have a large surface area for cutting out stars).

Cut stars out of watermelon and place on a plate. *Tip: cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour. This will make it easier to skewer without the juice going everywhere.

Skewer blueberries and marshmallows, alternating, and top with watermelon star.

Enjoy!

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Avocado Toast

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Avocado toast is on trend right now, and I know why. This versatile recipe can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s quick and easy and leaves you feeling perfectly full! screenshot_20190513-103901~31429091412881348894..jpg

Avocado, Egg & Goat Cheese Toast with Arugula and Lemon Oil Drizzle

Ingredients:

  • Any kind of bread, toasted
  • Avocado
  • Hard boiled egg
  • Goat cheese
  • Arugula
  • Lemon vinaigrette*
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Toast bread and spread avocado on toast.
  2. Pile high with arugula and layer on sliced hard boiled egg.
  3. Crumble goat cheese on top and drizzle with lemon oil.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Enjoy!

*Lemon vinaigrette: Mix 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice with 3 tbsp olive oil. Add zest of lemon, salt and pepper, and shake well.

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Grilled Brushcetta Salad

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

The best part of this salad is the surprise hiding underneath! The warm sourdough bread mixed with the chilled balsamic tomato mixture is so yummy! I love this salad for so many reasons. It’s fresh flavors remind me of summer and it’s an easy way to make one of my favorite appetizers into a filling salad!

Grilled Bruschetta Salad

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

  • Greens mixture (we prefer spinach and/or arugula mix)
  • Tub of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • Mozzarella ball from specialty cheese section of store, cut into cubes
  • Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (fancy word for rolled up and cut into strips)
  • Balsamic vinegar (about 2 Tbsp or more if you like)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Garlic clove
  • Sourdough bread (pre-sliced from bakery section of store)
  • 1 lb Chicken breast tenders
  • Favorite balsamic vinaigrette dressing
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prepare bruschetta topping mixture by mixing together tomatoes, mozzarella cubes, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to marinate in the fridge, covered, about an hour.
  2. Optional: marinate chicken in a little balsamic vinegar and dash of Italian seasoning or just salt and pepper prior to grilling. Can also use a shredded rotisserie chicken for time saving dinner!
  3. Grill chicken breast tenders on medium high heat for about 5 minutes a side, until cooked through.
  4. While chicken is grilling, brush each side of sliced sourdough bread with EVOO.
  5. After you remove chicken from grill, place bread on grill for about 1 minute per side. Immediately after you remove warm bread from grill, rub all sides with whole garlic clove.
  6. Salad assembly: place 1-2 pieces of grilled bread on plate and pile high with greens mixture. Add grilled chicken and brushcetta topping mixture.
  7. Drizzle with favorite balsamic vinaigrette dressing and ENJOY!

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Cauliflower “Fried Rice”

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

I could literally sit and eat an entire bowl of Chinese Fried Rice. But how could I do it and not feel guilty about the carb indulgence. It’s a simple switch, using cauliflower instead of rice! And you can barely detect a difference. Like many of my recipes, this one takes less than 20 minutes to throw together and uses only 5 ingredients, two of which are frozen food items.

Cauliflower “Fried Rice”

20 minutes or less
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 10oz bag of frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1 10-12oz bag of mixed frozen veggies
  • Any other veggies you have on hand, chopped
  • 2-4 eggs, based on preference
  • 2-3 tablespoons of store bought jar of teriyaki sauce, but can add more to taste*
  • Optional: add in cooked chicken or shrimp that’s marinated in teriyaki sauce

*For this recipe, I used Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce.

Instructions:

  1. Cook frozen cauliflower rice and frozen vegetables according to package.
  2. Meanwhile, in large skillet saute extra chopped veggies in 2 Tbsp oil (optional). I added leftover 1/2 of zucchini and 1/4 orange pepper.
  3. Add cooked cauliflower rice and cooked mixed veggies to skillet.
  4. Use a spoon to move rice mix to the rim of the skillet, making a small hole in the middle for the eggs (imagine a donut).
  5. Crack the eggs into middle of pan and scramble for a couple minutes.
  6. Add in teriyaki sauce and stir all together. Let cook for a 3-5 minutes on medium heat and add more sauce if you want after tasting. You can also add soy sauce if you want.
  7. Enjoy!

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Doesn’t have to be Tuesday to enjoy TACOS!

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

One of my favorite, quick and easy meals is TACOS. So when Tuesday rolls around, dinner is one less thing have to think about. But it doesn’t have to be Tuesday to enjoy these tacos! It’s one of the very few recipes that everyone likes and I can hide some veggies in it too. We love tacos! They’re really versatile and easy to make in less than 30 minutes. I also enjoy making them because it’s a good way to use up any leftover veggies in the fridge. Here’s my recipe, but adapt as you please!

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 bell pepper, chopped (any color but we like yellow or orange)
  • 1/2 zucchini, diced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes or a few heaping tablespoons of salsa
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Packet of low sodium taco seasoning mix (or make your own: 1 Tbsp cumin and child powder and a dash of smoked paprika and garlic powder)

Optional:

  • Whole grain tortillas or opt for lettuce wraps
  • Shredded cheese
  • Avocado or guacamole
  • Salsa or fresh tomatoes
  • Cilantro

Instructions:

  1. Heat large skillet on medium high heat for a minute or so before adding in oil.
  2. Add oil and saute veggies 2-3 minutes to soften.
  3. Add in ground meat and break up with spatula/spoon. Cook until no longer pink.
  4. Add in seasoning pack and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Stir in can of tomatoes or salsa and lime juice.
  6. Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring halfway.

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    Note: this is what it looks like before it cooks down the 10 minutes.
  7. Serve taco mixture on tortillas with toppings of choice. Optional: I add in the cilantro to the skillet after it’s done simmering and then we put more on top.
  8. Enjoy!

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Cauliflower Mac.

Published on by Charlotte Cajun Queen1 Comment

I think this year will mark 30 years that macaroni and cheese has been my favorite food. There’s something about this cheesy comfort food that always leaves me feeling cozy and satisfied inside. A small twist on a classic recipe will let you enjoy this scrumptious staple with a little less guilt about going back for seconds. Also, this recipe is a great way to sneak in veggies for your kids!

Cauliflower Mac (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz noodles, any medium sized shape (we like shells)
  • 12 oz bag of frozen cauliflower
  • 1 1/2 cups of milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbsp butter, plus 1 Tbsp melted
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp spicy brown mustard (or Dijon)
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (DIY recipe here at the bottom)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In salted boiling water, cook noodles and frozen cauliflower for about 7 minutes. Time may differ depending on noodles. Follow box instructions for al dente.
  3. Meanwhile, melt butter on medium/medium-high heat in large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Slowly whisk in milk and mustard and stir until sauce thickens (a few minutes).
  5. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Strain noodles and cauliflower and add to casserole dish. Stir in cheese sauce.
  8. Add breadcrumbs to melted butter and sprinkle on top.
  9. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
  10. Enjoy!

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Meat Muffins, anyone?

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

Sounds kind of gross I know. But it’s our family’s name for basically meatballs that are cooked in a muffin tin. This recipe is only 4 steps and cooks less than 30 minutes. Also, there are so many varieties to what you could do with this recipe I thought it would be a good “basic” one to share and then you could adopt it and alter it for your family.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (will post recipe below for homemade breadcrumbs – super easy!)
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Mix all ingredients together until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
  3. Use greased Tbsp measuring spoon/scoop to scoop out mixture and fill muffin tin.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Makes about 18 meat muffins.

Meat Muffin adaptations:

  • Top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese during last 5 minutes of baking.
  • Add muffins to pita pocket and dollop with Tzatziki sauce.
  • Top with BBQ sauce during last 5 minutes of baking.
  • Top with cheddar cheese and a sliced jalapeno during last 5 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!

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*Bonus Recipe*

Homemade seasoned Breadcrumbs

Using a food processor, finely chop 4 pieces of bread (whatever you have on hand; I use whole grain sandwich bread). Mix in 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp of garlic powder and pulse a few times to mix. Spread crumbs onto baking sheet and bake at 300° for 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. Keep sealed in a bag in cool dry place for up to 2 weeks.

Fiesta Dip!

Published on by Charlotte Cajun QueenLeave a comment

This is by far one of my most requested “recipes”, so I wanted to share it with all of you! I threw this together for a Cinco de Mayo party several years ago and it’s been a staple dish at many parties ever since. It’s super easy – no cooking involved, just assembly — and it’s pretty too! It’s a perfect side dish for any summer BBQ or your weekly Taco Tuesday fiesta! You can serve it as a dip with tortilla chips or simply as a salad on the side. Here’s what you need for this yummy, healthy dip:

  • One can black beans, strained and rinsed
  • One small can of corn, strained
  • One carton of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • One bell pepper, diced (I use orange to add to the variety of colors)
  • 1-2 avocados, cubed
  • A dash or 2 of cumin & chili powder and salt / garlic salt (to taste)
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Cilantro

Combine all ingredients together and ENJOY!

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