Healthy "Chips and Dip" Won't Ruin Your Bikini Body

The weather is nice. You want to take a bowl of chips and dip and sit on a chaise longue somewhere and eat and eat and maybe drink some cold Sauvignon Blanc. But then you also want to hit the beach pretty soon.

What to do? Make "chips and dip" with fruit and yogurt and mow down without having a panic attack and trying on all your bathing suits in front of the mirror while the dog watches you, perplexed. No, I have never done this.

I know--it's not really chips and dip. This is the type of thing moms pull on their kids all the time, expecting the kids to be psyched. And the kids make a pouty face and remember how great it is at Billy's house where a Dorito fountain flows from the cupboards and there are orange "cheese" fingerprints all over the remote. But it's still pretty satisfying, and it's a hell of a lot better for you if you need a snack while you lounge.

A Burrito in a Bowl

I'll admit it. I love Moe's. And Chipotle. And Qdoba. Pretty much any burrito place.

I'll also admit to being an enormous hypocrite--on my way to the local Moe's, I always take a few seconds to judge the people in the parking lot of McDonald's. Then I pull into the Moe's lot, order a burrito and a big bowl of queso, and stuff my face. All classy-like.

Partly out of shame, and partly out of a desire to stop spending $10 every time I was craving a burrito, I decided to make my own, at home. I ditched the tortilla and decided to make a Burrito in a Bowl, and it. was. good.

The nice thing about this type of dinner is that it's easy, fast, and infinitely variable. I started with brown rice and black beans, and then added cucumber, cheese, salsa, jalapeno, and cilantro, but you could easily add black olives, sweet peppers, sour cream, lettuce, grilled chicken--you get the idea.

If I hadn't run out of cucumber, jalapeno, and cilantro because I kept making myself seconds, I'd be eating another Burrito in a Bowl for dinner tonight.

The next time you're craving a burrito, try making one at home, in a bowl. You'll save money, control the quality of your ingredients, and avoid the problematic drive by McDonald's. Maybe that last part is just for me.

Greek Nachos: It's Almost Easter?

Was my title a bit of a reach? Yes.

Anyway. Lamb burgers are great. But there comes a time when you want to do something else with the ground lamb you bought, and you're not in the mood for moussaka.

Enter Greek Nachos: the most delicious thing you've never made. Take classic Greek flavors--olives, feta, tomatoes, lamb, and dill, and broil them over some tortilla chips for, like, five minutes. If you're anything like me, you and your husband (or other special person) will stand over the kitchen counter and eat a whole tray of them without pausing to speak to each other or, I don't know...breathe.

To start, gather your ingredients: one pound of cooked ground lamb, one cup of chopped cherry tomatoes, one cup of crumbled feta cheese, one half cup of chopped kalamata olives, and a quarter cup of chopped fresh dill. You can also add artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, spinach, peppers--anything that sounds good to you.

Turn your broiler on and let it heat up while you assemble your nachos. Begin by arranging one layer of tortilla or pita chips on a baking sheet.

Distribute the toppings evenly over the first layer, omitting the dill. Think about creating a balanced blend of flavors with each chip.

Build as many layers as you like (with the quantities listed above, I built two).

Broil the nachos for 5-6 minutes, keeping an eye on them so the chips don't scorch too much. You're aiming for lightly browned feta, but don't expect it to melt.

Sprinkle the fresh dill over the whole thing and serve immediately. These nachos are delicious at any temperature, but are best when they're hot.

Go ahead. Eat appetizers for dinner.

Brussels Sprouts: Grow Up

Remember being little, and being forced to eat Brussels Sprouts? I doused mine with vinegar. They were terrible. And yet, our parents kept serving them to us.

It took me until I was twenty-five to try them again, and then, all of a sudden, they were amazing. Why did everyone have to steam them? Why couldn't anyone cook them well? I used a Mark Bittman recipe for roasted Brussels Sprouts, and became a Brussels Sprout believer.

So I'm challenging you, readers. If you're still afraid of Brussels Sprouts and they make you feel icky, grow up. Try my recipe for Sautéd Brussels Sprouts, and revel in the delights of well-cooked Brussels Sprouts.

 

Start by washing your Brussels Sprouts, and then cutting them in half. While you're doing this, heat a sauté pan over medium heat.

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, and then put your Brussels Sprout halves in, face down. Do not move them, touch them, or think about them for five full minutes. I'm serious. You'll be happy you did this, as it will keep your sprouts from getting soggy.

After five minutes, flip your Brussels Sprouts over and add a half a cup of white wine to the pan. Allow it to cook down, and then test your Brussels Sprouts by inserting a sharp knife into the middle of one of them. Your knife should slide in with little resistance; if they aren't done yet, add half a cup of water and wait until it cooks off. Test them once more with your knife to be sure they're cooked.

Since Brussels Sprouts are naturally a bit bitter, they pair well with salt and cream. I served mine over brown rice, and added caramelized onions, blue cheese, and a bit of crispy bacon, just to make sure I wasn't being too healthy.

You might think you hate Brussels Sprouts, but, I promise: you just haven't had them cooked well. Go to the grocery store or the farmer's market and buy some (they grow on a stalk!), and give them a try. You'll see.

Baked Eggs Are the Best Eggs

I went to a diner for breakfast yesterday, and it was alright. The bacon was almost as crispy as I wanted it (which was extra crispy), and the coffee featured that nice little soupçon of dishwater flavor that only diner coffee can provide. But the eggs. I ordered an omelet and got about halfway through before I stopped being able to ignore the fact that the eggs were definitely from a creepy giant industrial mix. The edges of the omelet were tough and rubbery, and, if it wasn't for the cream cheese inside the omelet and my extreme hunger, I wouldn't even have made it halfway.

So I devoted this morning's breakfast to making eggs that I would enjoy the whole time. Wanting to use up a weirdly small amount of leftover tomato and ricotta sauce that had been taunting me from the fridge, I decided to go with baked eggs (also known as shirred eggs).

If you've never tried baked eggs, let me give you a few reasons to do so. First, baking eggs produces a better texture than any other method. Think fried without the grease, poached without the residual cooking water, and soft-boiled without the nuisance of a shell. Second, they are a vehicle for literally anything you want to add--caramelized onion, ham, sun-dried tomato, roasted red pepper, spinach, cheese, kalamata olives, mushrooms...you get the point. Third, they provide a purpose for those adorable little ramekins or soup crocks that you never get around to using otherwise.

To make Baked Eggs, start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. You'll need as many ramekins/crocks/other oven-safe dishes as you have people.

 
Starting with about a tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter, two tablespoons of milk, and salt and pepper, add any extra ingredients you'd like to each ramekin.

Crack one egg into each ramekin, and bake them all on a cookie sheet for about twelve minutes, or until the whites have just set (the ramekins' heat will continue to cook the eggs even after they're out of the oven, so aim for slightly underdone).

Garnish with cheese, fresh herbs or greens, or more salt and pepper, and serve, preferably with a piece of toast to help you scoop up all of the eggy goodness.

Because they're already individually portioned and their presentation is far and away more beautiful than a giant bowl of scrambled eggs, baked eggs are a great option to serve when you're hosting breakfast or brunch. Obviously, they're also great when you're on your own, and you just want to remember what a good egg tastes like.