CAULIFLOWER AND FETA OMELET

SERVES2

• ACTIVE TIME:20 MIN
• START TO FINISH: 30 MIN

• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-wide florets (3 cups)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 oz)
• 1/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

• Beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté cauliflower until browned and tender, 5 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and sauté 1 minute.
• Pour eggs over cauliflower. Cook, lifting edges to let uncooked egg run underneath and shaking skillet occasionally to loosen omelet, until almost set, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide out onto a large plate. Put skillet over omelet and, using pot holders, firmly hold plate and skillet together, then invert omelet back into skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Slide out onto plate and sprinkle with feta and parsley.

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

Tacos don’t need meat. In fact, sometimes they can be much more hearty and satisfying without it. Case in point: these delicious and meatless black bean tacos. Don’t skimp here and buy pre-made hard taco shells, the fresh tortillas are cooked until crisp with the black bean filling inside them, making for a perfectly crunchy and hot taco. I think we might have overfilled ours a bit, and didn’t have much room for the slaw after the fact. Next time we’d probably make 6 or so tacos (instead of 4), and save more room in each one for the slaw. I also felt that the slaw could have a bit more flavor to it – maybe some chipotle mixed with some plain yogurt would give it a nice bite and consistency.

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

Makes 4 tacos (2-4 servings, depending how hungry you are). Recipe from Bon Appetit, January 2009.

INGREDIENTS
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cups coleslaw mix, or finely shredded red and/or green cabbage, and grated carrot
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 white or yellow corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce

DIRECTIONS
Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with feta and slaw. Pass hot sauce alongside.

Fusilli With Peppers, Zucchini, and Feta

I love quick, refreshing meals. Ones that you feel took virtually no time to prepare, yet are still just as satisfying as the 4-hour-long fancy schmancy dinner. It almost feels like cheating.

This dish is just that. A cheaters’ dinner. A summertime tease. It’s got all the fresh and exciting flavors of summer, but something you can eat while the air is still brisk. We’ve had a few 70+ degree days here in Nashville the past couple of weeks. It’s funny how one warm day can change your entire mindset. I’m in summer mode now, and no 30-degree nights with our heat running can change that.

Fusilli With Peppers, Zucchini, and Feta

Makes 4-6 servings. Recipe from Delish.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb baby bell peppers, seeded and quartered lengthwise (or regular bell peppers, sliced into 1/2″ thick slices)
1 large red onion, halved and cut into thin strips
16 oz. long fusilli pasta
2 zucchini, cut into 2-inch sticks, 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a 5-quart Dutch oven; add peppers and onion and stir to combine. Cover pot; cook 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add pasta to boiling water; cook according to package directions. While pasta cooks, add zucchini and olives to onion mixture and cook uncovered, 10 minutes, tossing frequently, until vegetables are tender.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add pasta to vegetables and add feta cheese, black pepper, and reserved cooking water; toss. Transfer to a pasta serving bowl

Baked Shrimp with Feta

I think we sometimes get too caught up on the stove. Sauteing I mean. Just about everything we eat is cooked in a pan on the stove. Which is why this baked shrimp dish was so refreshing. Yes, there are some parts of it done on the stove, but the magic happens in the oven.

Taylor especially loves this method of cooking because while dinner is finishing up “hands-free” in the oven, he can scrub like a pro and have the entire kitchen spotless before it comes out. Yes, he’s that good. I always joke that my presence in the kitchen messes him up, literally. When he cooks by himself? The kitchen is always sparkling clean by the time (or before) dinner is served. When we cook together? Well, there’s always a few more dishes to be done and they don’t quite get done as efficiently. Oops. I don’t know how he does it – he can have two pots on the stove, something in the oven, and be doing the prep dishes while he manages not to burn anything. I’ve got selective focus. Make me do dishes while I cook and you’ll end up with something overdone and chewy or burnt to a crisp. Mmmm.

We served this dish on a bed of our new favorite starchy side dish – israeli cous cous. My favorite is to cook it with a bit of olive oil, cumin, and cinnamon. Practically candy. Little round balls of pasta-like candy. Orzo would work just fine too.

Baked Shrimp with Feta

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Cooking Light.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons bottled clam juice
1 tablespoon white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450°. Combine lemon juice and shrimp in a large bowl; toss well.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. dd oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onion to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add clam juice, wine, oregano, pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp mixture.

Place mixture in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over mixture. Bake for 12 minutes or until shrimp are done and cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately.