Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients: 
2 Yellow Squash
2 Green Zucchini
1 Red Pepper

* Sea Salt
* Black Pepper
* Olive Oil
* Crushed Dry Basil
Preparation
Leave peel on squash and zucchini and cut in half 2x, widthwise and lengthwise. In a bowl mix together salt, pepper, basil, and oil. Coat the squash and zucchini well in the oil dressing.
Preparation - Indoors
If grilling indoors, you are most likely using a cast iron griddle or griddle pan. Heat griddle over medium heat with a light spray of oil. On one of the burners, char the pepper turning until the skin blackens and can be removed. Do not worry during this span of time if the pepper catches fire (just turn it to put it out). Place squash and zucchini on the griddle and leave face down for 7 - 10 minutes leaving deep grill marks caramelizing the surface. 

Preparation - Outdoors
If grilling outdoors, place squash, zucchini and pepper on the grill grate over medium / high heat. Turn pepper occasionally until it is charred all the way around. Cook squash and zucchini for 5 - 7 minutes on direct flame until leaving deep grill marks and caramelizing the surface. 

Remove from heat and cut pepper, zucchini, and squash into 1/2" chunks. Mix together in a large bowl dressing with additional olive oil and sea salt and let rest before serving. 

Serving
Goes well along side steak, chicken, burgers, and anything else that can be grilled. 

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients: 
2 pcs Boneless Skinless Chicken
1 Orange or Red Pepper
1 Medium Red Onion
3 Tbsp of safeflower oil
6 8" flour tortillas
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (Substitute Colby Jack, Monteray Jack, or Cheddar Jack)
1/4 cup of sour cream 

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Garlic Powder
* Paprika
* Cumin
* Coriander
* Cayenne Pepper (optional - adds a kick)

Recommended to use a cast iron skillet for this
Le Creuset Fennel Cast-Iron Skillet, 10" (Google Affiliate Ad)

Preparation:
Thinly slice onion and pepper between 1/8" and 1/4" thick and set aside. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with 1 tbsp of oil.  Season chicken with all dry seasonings/spices and cook on skillet until chicken cooks through (color should change to a golden brown (3 - 4 minutes). Set aside and cover with aluminum foil to let rest. 

Raise heat on the skillet and add remaining oil.  Add in onions and peppers to skillet and season with salt and pepper only. Mix together quickly to ensure that all sides of the onions and peppers are exposed to the hot surface but not long enough for them to burn.  Slice chicken against the grain in 1/4" to 3/8" wide strips. Reduce heat on skillet to low and mix together chicken into the peppers and onions and cover with aluminum foil.  Stir up occasionally to keep this well mixed and to avoid burning either chicken or vegetables. 

Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds to become pliable. 


Serving:

Use a trivet and bring skillet to the table still sizzling.  Assemble fajitas by layering in cheese and sour cream on a tortilla followed by the chicken and vegetables mix. Fold bottom edge over and roll entire tortilla. 

Quick and Easy Nachos

This is a recipe for nachos that combines flavor and healthiness. 


Ingredients: 
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Medium Red Onion
56 Grams of Soy Crumbles
1 small Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Package of crunchy taco shells
3 oz of Mozarella cheese (shredded)


Olive Oil *
Kosher Salt *
Black Pepper * 
Garlic * 
Paprika* 
Cumin * 
Coriander * 


Preparation:
Dice onions and peppers into 1/4 inch dice and saute in a medium skillet with oil, salt and pepper until soft and onions become translucent. Add in soy crumbles seasoned with garlic, paprika, cumin and coriander as well as tomato sauce. Stir and cover to reduce. 

On a stoneware baking dish, break up 6 taco shells into tortilla chip size and stick in a 375 degree oven for a few minutes to crisp up. Once all liquid has reduced out of vegetable mix, spread over the tortilla chips. 

As an optional extra, add re-fried beans to half or all of the chip mix. 




Cover in mozzarella cheese and put in the oven and let cheese melt (approx 10 minutes). 

Serving: 
Serve in the baking dish and have everybody grab some - entire recipe serves 2. 


Nutrition Info: 
As far as weight watchers points plus goes, this scores rather well: 


Without Refried Beans (1 serving): 6 pts
With Refried Beans or 2 servings of the cheese (1 serving): 8 pts

Butternut Squash Risotto

I started making risotto as a consequence of watching Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen and have morphed it into what this recipe has become today. 


Ingredients: 
1 Medium Red Onion
1 Orange Pepper
1 butternut squash (medium)
1 can of chicken stock (can substitute with vegetable stock as well)
1/2 Cup of Arborio Rice
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4 Cup of Chardonnay (any good dry white wine can be substituted)
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*
Olive Oil* 


Preparation: 
Dice onion and orange pepper into small (1/4") dice. Chop the butternut squash into roughly 1/2" chunks. In a large skillet (I like the stainless for this one) heat up olive oil (spray just enough to coat the bottom) over medium heat add in onion, peppers, and half of the squash seasoned with salt and pepper. Stir until vegetables soften and onions become translucent. Move vegetables to the outsides of the pan and add butter and rice. Stir mixing in the rice with the vegetables.  Mix in wine, chicken stock, and 2 cans of water, add salt pepper and cover. 


Periodically stir until liquid begins to get absorbed by rice and vegetables, after about 30 minutes use a spoon to crush up the squash in the pan.  Add remaining chunks of squash, cover and stir.  Let simmer for 15 more minutes and stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let rest until all liquid has been absorbed. 


Serving:
This serves 2 (technically) although you could easily serve this to 3 or 4 people comfortably. This can hold up against pork, beef, chicken, and even by itself. 


Nutrition Info:
One serving of the rice scores about 6 Weight Watchers points plus points.