recipephile

Classic, Easy and Healthy Marinara

For the last few weeks I have been trying my hardest to follow a strict diet.  Low in calories, fat and carbs and high in protein.  The plan that I am following does not cut out carbs completely, but really limits what you can and cannot have. In an effort to spice things up a little bit I have taken some of my classic recipes and am altering them to meet some stringent dietary requirements.  It has not been easy, but the challenge has been lots of fun.

I grew up on marinara sauce and everyone in my family claims that they make the best.  My mother beats everyone -- she has never revealed her secret, but I know that there is something she does and keeps it from us so that her "Queen of Marinara" reign continues to hold.  The version I have made for years required only slight adjustments to make it diet friendly.

The end result works great with whole grain pastas, a piece of chicken baked in the oven with low fat cheese as an accompaniment to delicious turkey meatballs... go ahead and get creative.  Soon you will be slathering this sauce on just about everything.

- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
- 1 tbsp chopped oregano
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon zest (optional)

In a large sauce pan heat up the olive oil.  Sautee the onions until translucent and then add in the garlic.  This should take about 3-4 minutes. Toss in the herbs and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and let simmer on low for 10-15 minutes making sure the sauce does not boil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I always add in about a tsp of lemon zest to my sauce.  It adds a fresh flavor and lovely little zing.

Olive Oil At The Dermatologist's Office

So I visited the dermatologist today and as I was sitting in the waiting room I noticed a display case with bottles of oil and samples. What??  Why is my dermatologist hawking olive oil?? Is he expecting me to wipe it onto my dry scalp or into my skin to make it glow?

I grabbed a sample and on my arrival at home I gave it a try.

The brand name is Lykovouno (pronounced Lee-ko-voo-no), which is an ancient village on the southeastern slope of the valley of Sparta, an area renowned for its fine quality olive oil.
Then I read the Web site and soon learned why my derm was displaying the oil.

Lykovouno Olive Oil is produced on the private estate of San Francisco Dermatologist Dr. Peter Panagotacos. Thw estate, which is in Greece, was started in 1985 on the slope of his ancestral village of Lykovouno with the help of his cousin, who still lives there. Over 3,500 Koroneiki trees were planted at that time. It was the doctor's intention to produce the finest quality olive oil to be sold back home in the United States.

The olives are hand picked, cold pressed, and hand bottled on the family estate. According to the site, "Lykovouno Olive Oil is pure Koroneiki olive oil, solely produced on this estate, not blended with other oils. It is unsurpassed for its exquisite and flavorful aroma, possesses excellent organoleptic qualities. It has a fresh fruit-of-the-olive taste and aroma with hints of fruit, pepper and grass." I tasted it at home and loved its grassy and smooth qualities.  You buy it at some stores throughout Northern CA or you can order on the site.

Tzatziki With Mint, Basil and Meyer Lemon

The other day I posted a recipe for my twist on the traditional jambalaya. With the addition of cumin and saffron the flavor reminded me of Middle Eastern food. So I decided to serve it with something cool and refreshing that would complement the flavors of the dish.

If you've eaten a Gyro (spoken by many as Jyro, but traditionally pronounced Yeero) before or had a mezze at a Greek restaurant you have tried this dip. The traditional contains Greek yougurt, cucumbers, mint, dill, lemon, salt and pepper.

I had all of those ingredients, except for the dill, so I decided to pair the dish with my own version of tzatziki. It was a perfectly refreshing accompaniment to a spicy and flavorful dish.

Here is what you will need:

- 2 cups chopped cucumber

- 1 tbsp chopped mint

- 1 tbsp chopped basil

- 6 oz of non fat yogurt

- The juice of 1 meyer lemon

- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix everything together (except for salt and pepper) and mix well.  Add salt and pepper to your liking. You can serve immediately, but I think tzatziki tastes better after setting in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Tzatziki goes great with grilled meats or as an appetizer dip served with toasted pita.