Tag Archives: zucchini

Fit, Flavorful, Fast Dinner Ideas – Ragu and My Funny Family

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I have to admit, making long complicated recipes is NOT a family tradition. I do it sometimes, but not on typical nights when I am trying to fit in running, working out or watching the kids play their sports – you know, HAVING FUN!  Instead, I tend to fly by the seat of my pants and let creativity reign, based on what I happen to have in the fridge, produce bin and pantry. So, I guess you could say dinner traditions in my family of five are rooted in being quick and easy yet fresh and flavorful – you’ll see this with the two RAGÚ pasta sauce recipes I’m sharing today (Eight-Minute Egg & Zucchini Ragu and Low-Carb Chicken Club Zoodles).

Ragu pasta sauces are simmered in tradition and the perfect meal solution for my busy nights.

jen and dean college

Yeah, here we are in 1986 — the early Ragu days.

One ingredient that is always on hand help me pull off a speedy supper is RAGÚ® Pasta Sauce. When I say I’m a fan, I mean it – I’ve been eating the RAGÚ® Traditional Sauce (and now Organic Traditional) for 30 years beginning when I first met my husband in college (It’s the only sauce we eat)! Who has time for homemade, really?!

I appreciate how RAGÚ® does all hard work, and when I pop open the jar it tastes just like grandmother’s secret recipe that had been simmering all day.  That’s because RAGÚ® has super high standards and uses no artificial anything or high fructose corn syrup – it’s slowly simmered to add layers of insane flavor, just like Assunta’s (the single-mom founder) original recipe from way back in 1937.

So, this first vegetable pasta recipe is seriously made in eight minutes – Egg & Zucchini Ragu. It’s my go-to meal solution when totally slammed but in need of a nutritious meal packed with protein and fresh veggies. By the way, did you now that a serving of Ragu pasta sauces is the equivalent of two servings of veggies?!

Eight Minute Egg & Zucchini Ragu

Eight Minute Egg & Zucchini Ragu

  • 2 large zucchini, spiralized or cut in julienned strips
  • 1 cup Ragu Organic Traditional Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 to 4 eggs (depending on appetite)
  • Salt and Red Pepper flakes, to taste
  • Garnish – snipped basil

Directions: Place zucchini in microwave-safe bowl, top with lid slightly cracked. Steam in microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until softened, but not mushy.  Add pasta sauce and microwave for an additional 30 to 45 seconds, stirring well after to combine. Heat olive oil in small skillet and cook eggs sunny side up, until yolks set to preferred consistency. Top eggs on pasta and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with snipped basil. Serves 2.

Low Carb Chicken Club Zoodles

My second under ten minute dinner fix (Low Carb Chicken Club Zoodles) is a yummy use for nights when I have some slowcooker chicken already in the fridge (I make big, big batches at once) or have swung by the store for a rotisserie chicken.  I love to use zucchini in place of traditional noodles to keep the grains and carbs down – I like to eat a higher protein diet and prefer most of my carbs to come from fruits and veggies.

Low Carb Chicken Club Zoodles

  • 2 large zucchini, spiralized or cut in julienned strips
  • 1 cup Ragu Organic Traditional Sauce
  • 12 ounces shredded slow cooker or rotisserie chicken with skin removed
  • 4 slices par-cooked bacon
  • 1 ounce shredded cheese of choice

Directions: Place zucchini in microwave-safe bowl, top with lid slightly cracked. Steam in microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until softened, but not mushy.  Add pasta sauce and chicken and microwave for an additional 60 seconds, stirring well after to combine. Wrap bacon in paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds or per package instructions. Sprinkle top of pasta with bacon and cheese before serving. Serves 2.

davis spoon balancing 2015I have another family dinner tradition to share – and it’s just being silly. With three now teenage boys, it can get pretty crazy and rowdy at the dinner table. More than one time, I’ve spewed water out my nose – the utensil balancing contests always crack me up.  We’ve been doing it for years, as you can see – youngest son holds the record number of spoons and forks balance.  Yes, we’re weird – but these are indelible (if insane) memories to enjoy along with the RAGÚ®  Pasta Sauce.

Fit, Flavorful and Fast Family Dinner Ideas with @Ragu #SimmeredInTradition #Ad

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So, what are your favorite family dinner traditions – recipes or activities? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer 

Hatch Salmon Cakes Recipe + More Green Chile Fish Dinners

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Hatch Green Chile Salmon Cakes with Summer Veggie Saute gets a kick of southwestern green goodness from Stubbs Green Chile Anytime Sauce.It’s that time of year – Hatch Green Chile Season! I’m sure I’ll have several new recipe creations to share with you, but let me start off the Hatch love fest with three delicious dinner ideas using fish and Hatch green chile. The first is a brand new recipe of mine – Hatch Green Chile Salmon Cakes with Summer Veggie Saute!  If you have dietary needs, this recipe is Paleo friendly, gluten-free, dairy free and low carb.

Hatch Salmon Patties with Zucchini and Tomatoes makes a southwestern-inspired summer dinner.

There are fire-roasted Hatch chiles in the patties and also a delicious sauce stirred into the veggie saute. I’ve made Hatch sauces from scratch before, but the Green Chile Anytime Sauce from Stubbs BBQ Sauces was awesome and had all that familiar flavor of Hatch, lime and garlic – it’s quite spicy, which my husband and I love! It’s perfect for a sauce, marinade or dip! I was sent bottles of the Anytime Sauces to experiment with, and I love them — check out their entire line of Anytime Sauces that also includes Sweet Black Pepper and Texas Sriracha versions. Yeehaw!

Enjoy some heart-healthy fish and the flavors of the southwest with this easy-to-make, one-dish dinner.

I can’t help but blog about Hatch Green Chiles all I can each year during their short August to early September season. These Hatch salmon cakes aren’t the first time I’ve paired up fish with the chile pepper – my Hatch Green Chile Trout is a personal favorite for quick-to-fix, one skillet meals (I keep a stash of roasted chiles in the freezer at all times).

Tilapia Green Chile Nachos with Stubbs BBQ Green Chile Anytime Sauce

Stubbs BBQ has lots of  Hatch Chile recipes on their site using the Stubbs Hatch Anytime Sauce. Up next in my Hatch Queue are the Green Chile Tilapia Nachos!

2011 HAtch green chili tv segment crop

Don’t feel like fish? Check out some of the award-winning recipes I’ve hatched up in years past like Hatch Green Chile Chicken Cheesecake and Hot Mess Hatch Green Chile Burgers on Squash “Buns”.

The next recipe I NEED to make is this one for Green Chile Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

Green Chile Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Hatch Green Chile Salmon Cakes with Summer Veggie Saute

Are you a Hatch Green Chile fan? Please share your Hatch love in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Print
Hatch Green Chile Salmon Cakes with Summer Veggie Saute
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 
Spice up a healthy fish dinner with the amazing flavor of Hatch green chiles and get out of your salmon rut!
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup fresh wild salmon, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup minced roasted, peeled and seeded hatch green chiles
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 large eggg, lightly beaten
  • 6 tablespoons almond meal divided
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/3” discs and quartered
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup Stubbs Everyday Hatch Green Chile Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Instructions
  1. In medium bowl, mix together salmon, chiles, green onions, salt and pepper until combined. Next stir in egg and ¼ cup of almond meal.
  2. Form salmon mixture into four 1-inch thick patties; sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons almond meal over each patty, lightly pat down. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-heat. Cook patties in hot oil until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer patties to paper towels to cool off a bit while cooking veggies.
  3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet. Add zucchini and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until starting to soften, but not getting soggy. Add halved tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring, for another 1 minutes. Add hatch green chile sauce and stir for a few more minutes until heated. Stir in 2 tablespoons of green onions.
  4. To serve, place mound of veggies on plate and top with salmon cake. Drizzle with additional Hatch sauce if desired.

Summer Suppers – Black Bean, Zucchini & Corn Taco Recipe

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Y’all know I like to get my daily dose of lean protein — particularly beef, fish and Greek yogurt (though not all mixed together)!  But sometimes I like a meal that focuses on veggies and alternative proteins – I don’t discriminate!   This recipe for Black Bean, Zucchini and Corn Tacos shows off my favorite bean source for protein (the black bean) and some yummy seasonal produce – it’s the perfect recipe for al fresco feasting, inviting vegetarians over dinner  or a #MeatlessMonday meal.

veggie black bean tacos

Black beans are plain awesome, not just because they taste good but because they work in so many different types of cuisines – South American, Mexican, Cuban, Indian, Creole, Cajun and more!  They are super-packed with phytonutrients, rank low on the Glycemic Index (meaning they provide long-lasting energy) and are, I’m pleased to report, the highest-fiber bean around.  In addition to providing 15 grams of fiber per 1 cup serving (almost 60% of DV), the same size serving offers about 15 grams of protein.

I like to put black beans in my omelets, in soup, on salads, sprinkled on baked sweet potatoes – and of course as the star of tacos.

black bean tacos

Black Bean, Zucchini and Corn Tacos Recipe

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped ¼’
  • ¾ cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen)
  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
  • 8 tortillas (I like the corn-flour mix tortillas)
  • Cilantro springs for garnish

Add olive oil to skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add zucchini, corn, onion and jalapeno and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until veggies are softening and zucchini is starting to turn lightly brown.  Add black beans, garlic, chile powder, cumin and salt to skillet and stir around for approximately 2 more minutes, or until heated through.

If desired, lightly crisp tortillas over gas burner or in a skillet. Add 1/8 of mixture to each tortilla, top with ½ ounce of crumbled cheese, and garnish with cilantro. Serves 4 (2 tacos each)

 

watermelon pureeIf you are wondering what I’m drinking with the tacos (the pink beverage) – it’s watermelon juice and a Nuun Hydration Electrolyte Tab. In the Texas heat, it’s hard to stay properly hydrated – but Nuun is a tasty, sparkling and sugar-free way to keep everything in check. To make the drink, pour about 8 ounces of watermelon juice in a glass (just the stuff that collects in the bottom of your bowl when cutting up a melon or you can puree watermelon chunks) and add ½ Nuun tablet in the flavor of your choice – they even have watermelon!

Just a little hint of things to come starting July 1 – WATERMELON!!! I’ll be talking all things watermelon , every day, for one week – including how watermelon juice actually can benefit athletic performance and recovery!

So, what are you eating for dinner tonight? Please share in the comments, I am always looking for new ideas!

Bumper Crop Boogie | How to Blanch and Freeze Summer Vegetables

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The sun-drenched colors, the succulent flavors; summer vegetables make me want to dance! In my opinion, a person can’t have too much of a good thing when it comes to summer season vegetables. But, often in the warmer months, even though I don’t have my very own garden, the produce bin in the fridge runneth over. When I see a sale on corn for under a quarter a cob, I can’t pass it up. When my parents bring me surplus zucchini from their urban community garden, I welcome the windfall. I can’t pass up a farmer’s market or roadside stand without pulling over to check out the local selections. You get the idea and it’s inspired a ton of great recipes, like my Green Chile & Pork Stuffed Zucchini.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com summer veggies

This week, I had more veggies on hand than my family could scarf down in a week. So, rather than sit there and watch them wrinkle and rot, I decided to take a few extra minutes and prep the abundance for the freezer. Not trying to go all Little-House-On-The-Prairie on you but “putting up your vegetables” for the winter, or whatever time of year, is a great way to reduce needless waste (did you know 40% of America’s food goes uneaten?) and enjoy the fresh flavors of the season later.

Getting your veggies ready for the freezer is easy; the main point to remember is that most vegetables (except for herbs, green peppers and, in my opinion grape tomatoes) will need blanching. Blanching is just another term for par-cooking vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time. The process of blanching stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color, texture and vitamins. The type of vegetable and how big of chunks it is cut up into (if at all) dictates the amount of time to blanch. The University of Colorado Extension Services has some good tips on how to prepare, blanch and pack your veggies for the freezer.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - tray freezing veggies

How to Prepare a Jumble of Fresh Corn, Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes for the Freezer

  1. Husk and remove silk from corn.
  2. Rinse grape tomatoes and set aside. I skip blanching and put my grape tomatoes straight in freezer.
  3. Slice zucchini into 1/2 inch slices; cut slices into quarters.
  4. Boil large pot of water.
  5. Add corn and blanch (boil) for 5 minutes.
  6. After 1 minute, add zucchini and blanch for 4 minutes along with corn.
  7. While veggies are blanching, prepare a big bowl of ice water.
  8. Remove zucchini and corn with tongs or a slotted spoon and place in ice bath to stop cooking process.
  9. After a few minutes, remove veggies to clean towel to drain excess water.
  10. Use sharp knife to remove corn kernels from cob.
  11. Lay veggies (including tomatoes) in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.
  12. Freeze vegetables for several hours, until hardened.
  13. Repackage vegetable mix into zip-top bags, leaving a little bit of room at the top for expansion.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - frozen vegetables bag

Even though it might seem easy to dump blanched vegetables into a container for freezing, they’ll all end up hardened together into one big lump. That’s why tray freezing is so cool (pardon the pun) and totally worth the extra step involved. Whether you want a small portion or a large portion, you can scoop out exactly what you desire if you’ve tray frozen your vegetables before pouring into a freezer bag. Vegetables blanched and then frozen in this manner will have a life of at least 12 months in a freezer set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wondering how to cook this mix of tomatoes, corn and zucchini? Just thaw out a portion from your freezer stash and toss into a skillet that has been heated with oil good for sautéing. I like grape seed oil. Cook on the stove top for just a few minutes until heated through, but not overcooked and soggy. For flavor, toss in some garlic, chopped herbs and a dash of soy sauce. The mix also works great in other recipes and could easily be incorporated into my Crustless Calabacita Quiche!