Terre Pruitt's Blog

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Posts Tagged ‘roasted vegetables’

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Roasted Parsnips “Fries”

Posted by terrepruitt on August 26, 2019

It will not come as a surprise to many of you that I roasted parsnips. I mean, if you have read any of my recipes you know that I pretty much roast all my veggies. One way I do it is I cut them into strips and call them “fries”. I know, they are not fries as they are not fried, but they are so good and they kinda look like fries, I want to call them that. Sometimes a recipe is something you can use as an idea to make a dish of your own or it is just a guide because you have to figure things out a little bit with your particular oven or even with the specific produce you purchased. Not sure if you have ever thought of making parsnips “fries”, but let me tell you, they are sooooo good roasted. They are odd because they are slightly sweet yet they have a little (teeny-tiny) kick to them.

I have received them in the organic produce box where they were pretty small. And then also when they were larger. The key is to try to cut them to be the same size so they cook evenly. So as with all things they are different sizes so you will probably need to adjust the baking time to suit your desired crispness.

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3 parsnips
olive oil
Season salt

Cut the parsnips into “French fried sized” strips. Spread the “fries” out on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and seasoned salt. Then turn the oven onto 450° F. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, mix up the “fries” and sprinkle with more olive oil and season salt. Then put back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Here is where you will need to decide if they are done or toss them on the pan and put them back in. Some of them may be done and some may not. Sometimes I remove the done ones (of whatever I am cooking) and put the rest back in the oven. You decide.

When they are done, just serve them with whatever dipping sauce you would like. We don’t dip them. We like them as they are.

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Do you like parsnips? How do you cook them?

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Posted in "Recipes", Food, Vegetables | Tagged: , , , | 7 Comments »

Bruschetta Orzo

Posted by terrepruitt on July 29, 2019

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFit, City of San Jose Exercise Classes, Cambrian Yoga & Cardio Dance, CYCDSo this is pretty very much like the Five-Vegetable Pasta I made and I posted about in the post titled Bruschetta Pasta. Basically the only difference is the way I cut and cooked the zucchini and the pasta itself. I used that recipe to make this. I didn’t realize when I decided to make it that it was going to be such a hot day. My original plan was to cook all the vegetables in the oven, but I decided while I was waiting for one batch to cook I might as well cook the mushrooms on the stove.

 

 

 

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—1 medium or large eggplant, cubed (very small)
—4 medium sized tomatoes, cubed
—2 zucchinis, cubed (tiny)
—1 lb of mushrooms, chopped (tiny)
—1/2 of a large onion, chopped (tiny)
—olive oil
—two tablespoons of butter
—garlic powder
—garlic salt
—pepper
—sweet basil
—balsamic vinegar

—1 1/4 cup orzo
—2 1/2 cup water
—2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon

—Parmesan cheese, grated, as desired

Heat the oven to 450°F.

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Put the cubed eggplant on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt. Mix it up, then spread the eggplant evenly over the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then take the pan out of the oven and stir the eggplant adding more garlic salt. Bake for another 15 minutes, then take the pan out of the oven and stir the eggplant adding more garlic salt. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Stirring or tossing if necessary to ensure even roasting.

Put the cubed zucchini on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt. Mix it up, then spread the zucchini evenly over the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then take the pan out of the oven and stir the zucchini adding more garlic salt. Push the zucchini over to one half of the baking sheet to make room for the tomatoes. Put three of the tomatoes on the other half of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake for another 10 minutes, then take the pan out of the oven and stir the zucchini adding more garlic salt. Check on the tomatoes. Toss them gently. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

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When you have about 15 to 20 minutes left of cooking for the veggies heat the butter in a pan. Add the orzo to the melted butter. Toast the orzo – just giving it a little color. Then add the water and bouillon to the pan. Stir until the bouillon is incorporated. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer – or even lower. Let all the water evaporate. Stirring every once in a while.

After the orzo and the veggies are all cooked add half of the orzo to a large bowl/dish then half of the eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt (if you even need to), pepper, and basil. Then stir. Then add half of the cooked tomatoes and half of the raw tomatoes. On top of the tomatoes add the rest of the orzo and vegetables. Add more salt (if need be), pepper, and basil. Stir gently.

Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

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So, I have discovered that I love orzo. I cook it in broth and it is amazing on its own. I thought it would make this dish amazing too, but I liked this dish better with linguine. My husband is loving this and I like it too, I just think I like the veggies with the other pasta better.

What about you? Linguine or orzo for this?

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Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Zucchini Slicing Made Easy

Posted by terrepruitt on June 11, 2018

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitYou may know that I love to roast vegetables in the oven.  That is my favorite way to cook them and my favorite way to eat them.  Roasting is so easy to me.  I can wash and chop/cut then put it in the oven with a timer (that is the key, because I don’t really want to “forget about it”) and then go do something else.  I have been craving zucchini lately.  Roasted zucchini slices.  Even though I enjoy cooking, I am not great at it.  I don’t have knife skills at all.  In fact when I am using a knife I always hear my friend telling her daughter to hold the knife properly because the daughter was using her index finger on the top of the knife and that is how I cut.  It helps to keep my wrist aligned, but apparently it is not the proper way to hold and cut with a knife.  So the explanation about my knife skills – or lack there of – leads me to my zucchini slices.  I don’t always cut them all evenly.  If I take a lot of time I can do them even, but by the time I am wanting to throw the veggie in the oven I do not have a lot of time so I want to do it quick.  And quick is when they become very uneven.  When they Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitare uneven some end up burning while the others are not cooked.  A couple of weeks ago I realized I could use my mushroom slicer.  I know, I know, this is one of those things where I am very late to the party and many of you know this and probably do it.  But I am confident not everyone has thought about it.

Sometimes I think of things to post about and I decide not to because I think everyone knows it.  But then I read a blog post or I watch one of those “life hack” videos and I realize that even though I have known that particular thing “forever” not everyone does.  It is a good idea to share and those that know can comment or just ignore it and those that don’t can learn something new, right?

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I know people have used egg slicers for mushrooms.  I am sure for other veggies too.  The reason I like this particular mushroom slicer is that is has blades and not wires.  I think I had a wire one and it broke.  So I was excited to have found this one.  I don’t even remember where I got it!

I have been enjoying a lot of zucchini slices lately.  I have been just ahead of the peak zucchini season, but now it is here so I will keep on enjoying them.

Do you like zucchini?  How do you slice ’em?

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Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Posted by terrepruitt on March 22, 2017

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitRecently we received Brussels sprouts in our box.  I didn’t remember if I had ever had Brussels sprouts besides at a restaurant that roasted them with bacon.  I am not sure if I had cooked them before.  I vaguely remember doing so and my husband saying he liked them.  I must not have NOT liked them if I cooked them and didn’t remember them.  If you have read any of my vegetable posts then you know how I cook my veggies.  In fact the Brussels sprouts pictured here are not the ones that we received in our box.  I had cooked those thinking I wouldn’t post about them because I always post about roasting veggies because that is basically all I do with them.  I thought you all would not be interested in that because you had read it before.  But then I realized that it is more likely that some of you reading had probably not seen all my previous roasted veggies post, so I thought I would post about the Brussels sprouts when I bought more to cook.  Since my husband enjoyed the ones I roasted that we got in the box, I thought I would buy more and do it again.  They are pretty easy to cook.  But I feel that way with roasting in general, that is why I roast my veggies.  I can wash ’em, cut ’em, put ’em on a pan, throw ’em in the oven and let them cook without having to think about it.

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about 1 pound of Brussels sprouts
olive oil
garlic salt
garlic powder
pepper

Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Wash the Brussels sprouts.  Cut the end off of each Brussels sprout, the end where the sprout was growing from the stalk.  Then cut the Brussels sprouts in half.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Put the Brussels sprouts on the pan, spreading them out a bit.  Drizzle some olive oil on the Brussels sprouts.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, salt, and pepper if you’d like.  (I didn’t use pepper.)  Then put them in the oven for about 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes take them out and flip them over, moving them around.  If they seem a bit dry you can always put more olive oil on.  Sprinkling on more seasoning if you would like.  Then put them back in the oven for 15 minutes.  Take them out after the 15 minutes has passed and move them around again, flipping them over, if they are browned to your liking then serve them.  Or you can put them in for a few more minutes like I did.  I like them browned.

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We just ate them like that.  I didn’t add any bacon or cheese or sauce.  We rather enjoyed them.  I do remember having been afraid of Brussels sprouts because I had always heard how awful they were.  Well, they are not.  They are pretty good.  Some even have a little sweetness to them.  They are super easy to make — and I love that.

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Are you a fan of the Brussels sprout?  How do you cook them?

Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: , , , , | 8 Comments »

Couscous, Fennel, and Garbanzo Beans

Posted by terrepruitt on April 25, 2016

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I always say I don’t like beans, because I don’t for the most part.  I don’t like BEAN beans.  I like green beans, but I don’t think of them as beans because they are long.  Or more so because green beans are eaten fresh like a vegetable and not dried like a “bean bean”.  I do like garbanzo beans though.  And I like red kidney beans but only in Red Beans and Rice and in THIS bean salad.

I like garbanzo beans or chickpeas as they are also known, because they taste buttery.  They add a butter flavor to dishes — to me.  And I really like them roasted.  So I decided to roast them with the fennel.

I actually roasted them both on the same pan.  I put parchment paper on a large jelly roll pan.  I cut up the fennel and — well, if I am posting a recipe I put is in that form.

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–2 cups prepared Couscous
–olive oil
–1 bulb Fennel
–1 can Garbanzo beans
–handful of grape tomatoes
–garlic salt
–pepper (if you like)
–1 1/2 tablespoon butter

Drain the beans and rinse them.  Set them aside to dry.  Cook the couscous according to the package (I used left over couscous).  Preheat the oven to 450° F.  Cut up the fennel and put it on a parchment paper lined oven pan.  Drizzle olive oil on it and sprinkle garlic salt on it.  Toss it.  Then put it in the oven for five minutes.  After five minutes take the pan out and put the beans on the pan.  (I kept the fennel and the beans separate on the same pan because I was not sure they would cook to my liking at the same time.  This gave me the option of taking one off the pan.)  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Take them out of the oven and toss both the fennel and the beans (keeping them separate).  Adding more salt if you would like.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Cut the tomatoes in half.

Add the butter to the couscous and mix it withe the roasted veggies.  Add the cut up tomatoes before serving.

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Of course, since I was just throwing veggies in leftover couscous I didn’t think to photograph any of it until the end and it came out so lovely – at least I think so.  Probably the bright red tomatoes.  They make dishes look pretty.  And it tasted fairly good.  I really like fennel.

As a note, since I used leftover couscous, I heated it in a pan with a little butter, then I added the roasted veggies.  The recipe is written using just made couscous.

If you like roasted tomatoes you could roast them, too.  I prefer tomatoes raw so I put them in just before serving.

Couscous is great. It is like pasta you can add anything you want to it.  It can be a side dish or a main dish.

Do you like couscous?

Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Roasted Green Beans

Posted by terrepruitt on July 28, 2015

You know how I love to roast veggies, right?  Well this is such a super easy one.  I usually don’t roast my green beans because they are not my husband’s favorite vegetable so when I cook them I like to do Green Beans, Onions, and Walnuts because I just love that.  Since my hubby is not that fond of green beans, I don’t cook them that often and I save my cooking of them for that recipe.  But recently I just wanted something to throw in the oven.  Like I normally do.  Wash it, season it, throw it in the oven, and walk away.  That is one reason why I love to roast veggies.  Well, we just happen to have received green beans in our produce box . . . so that is what I ended up roasting.

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Often I try to go into the room to work, because they are quarantined in my office, but usually once I go in they want to play.  Anyway . . . with the extra time I am spending in my office, it is nice to have an easy time with dinner.  And you know roasting veggies is my “go to!”

This isn’t so much about the recipe (because it is so easy) as the idea of roasting green beans.  It could be that someone hasn’t thought about doing it yet.

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Roasted Green Beans

1.5 pounds of green beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
garlic
pepper

Preheat the oven to 450° F

Wash and trim the green beans.  Line a cook sheet with parchment paper.  Put your beans on the pan.  Then drizzle the oil over the beans.  Toss the beans so the oil gets on all the beans.  Spread the beans out so they are one layer on the sheet.  Sprinkle the beans with salt, garlic, and the pepper.

Put the beans in the oven for anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.  How long you cook your veggies is up to you.  You can check on them and decide how well done you like them.  Sometimes I like them not so done and sometimes I like them well done.  When roasting I am ok with them well done.  With other methods I like them less done.

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Of course you can season them with whatever you would like.  Salt, garlic, and pepper is simple seasoning.  And sometimes that is nice.

Do you like green beans?  Do you like them roasted?  How do you cook green beans?

Posted in "Recipes", Food, Vegetables | Tagged: , , , , | 12 Comments »

Bruschetta Pasta

Posted by terrepruitt on August 5, 2014

You may have read my post regarding how much I loved Dinner of Herbs eggplant bruschetta recipe. I said I could put the eggplant mixture on anything. Well, I actually bought the ingredients to make the bruschetta, I even remembered the bread! But when I arrived at home I looked in my refrigerator and realized I had some zucchini I needed to use. Plus I had some mushrooms I needed to use. So I decided this would be a great time to put the eggplant and tomato mixture with a little extra over pasta. So I am just adding zucchini and mushrooms to the way I made the bruschetta.  Here is what I made:

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Ingredients:

–1 medium or large eggplant, cubed (very small)
–4 medium sized tomatoes, cubed
–1 lb of mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped
–2 zucchinis, grated
–3/4 of a large onion, chopped (tiny)
—olive oil
—two tablespoons of butter
—garlic powder
—onion powder
—salt
—pepper
—sweet basil
—balsamic vinegar
—Parmesan cheese, as desired
—1 package/box/container of pasta (I prefer linguine)

Heat the oven to 450°F.

Put the eggplant on a baking sheet. (I used parchment paper on the baking sheet.) Drizzle with olive oil. Mix it up, then spread the eggplant evenly, in one layer (the eggplant I used was too large to be one layer), over the baking sheet. After baking for about 10 minutes, move the eggplant around on the pan.  After another 10 minutes, gently stir/toss the eggplant and sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake for about an additional 25 minutes. Stirring or tossing if necessary to ensure even roasting. In between roasting the eggplant, spread 3/4 of the tomato out over a baking sheet. (I used parchment paper on the baking sheet.) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and onion powder. (Tomatoes are too delicate to be mixed as done with the eggplant.) Bake until the edge pieces are browning.  Stirring gently, if you want.  I ended up cooking the tomatoes for about 30 minutes.

Somewhere in between cooking the mushrooms and zucchini as instructed below, you might want to cook your pasta. I prefer my pasta hot. You can plan and cook accordingly.

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Once all the veggies are cooked to your satisfaction put half of the cooked and drained pasta in a large bowl, then add half of all of the cooked vegetables.  Add the basil, vinegar, any additional salt and/or pepper you desire.  Then add the rest of the pasta and cooked vegetables along with half of the raw tomato and onion.  Toss it all.  Taste it to see if you want more basil, vinegar, salt and/or pepper.  Put the rest of the raw tomato and onion on top. Serve the pasta sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

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This is the first recipe I wrote FIRST, then followed.  I made a few adjustments to the recipe as I was cooking, and noted them before posting.  I think layering the pasta, then veggies makes for easier mixing.  Of course, you can mix it anyway you’d like.  I loved this.  I loved the flavor as I did when I made the eggplant bruschetta.  What I would do next time is use 3 tomatoes instead of four.  The flavor of the tomatoes overpowered everything.  I am looking forward to having the leftovers, as I believe left over pasta is often better than the freshly made dish.  The flavors have time to meld.

This is an easy dish, there is nothing complicated about any part of the process, but with all of the chopping it is a bit labor intensive.  The separate roasting of the eggplant and tomatoes makes it a long process.  I didn’t want to roast them at the same time.  But if you chop while things are cooking . . . . .

I will probably make it again.

What about you?  Does it sound good?  Which of the vegetables is your favorite? 

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Amateur Chef’s Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes – Time Bake

Posted by terrepruitt on March 16, 2013

My last post was about how I have two late Nia classes in San Jose so I use my “Time Bake” feature on my oven.  I think something that would be GREAT to put in the oven to have ready when I get home is the Rantings of an Amateur Chef’s Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes.  I made these this week for the first time and I don’t think I will make potatoes any other way again.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaBasically you boil the little red potatoes in salted water.  Then you drain them and let them cool.  Then you smash each one individually only so much as to make them a bit flat, but not so much they break apart and end up mashed.  Then you put them on a pan that is covered in aluminum foil AND parchment paper.  Oil and salt each potato and bake them.

I only used 8 potatoes.  The recipe instructions include placing the potatoes on a towel to dry and covering the potato with a towel for smashing, but I am not sure that is necessary.  I did it that way because I was thinking the towel helps soak up some of that water and less water makes for a crispier potato.  Plus I usually follow instructions when trying a recipe for the first time.  I will try it without the towel next time because I don’t need the extra laundry.  I will let you know if the towel is imperative.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaThe initial cooking time (boiling) was longer for me and I didn’t turn it to simmer.  “Simmer” on my stove is almost off so I left it a little below medium and boiled them for about 40 minutes.  I used the foil and the parchment paper as per the recipe.  But my potatoes took a bit longer than 30 to 40 minutes.  BUT . . . . I also put asparagus on my pan.  The pan I was using is so large it takes up an entire rack in my oven and I didn’t want to put another pan on the rack above or below, so I decided my asparagus and potatoes could share a pan.  They both came out GREAT.  But the potatoes needed a few more minutes than the asparagus.

I was so excited to eat the piping hot crispy gems that I forgot to take a picture of them once fully cooked.  Not taking a picture was due to my excitement AND the fact that we were already eating the rest of dinner and so I was in a rush to get them from pan to plate!  But they were delicious.

The smashed potatoes would be a perfect thing to put in the oven on Time Bake.  But . . . . maybe not, huh?  Parchment paper.  That stuff kind of freaks me out in the first place.  I mean it is PAPER in the oven.  I don’t know that I would want that baking with me not home . . . . .

If you like potatoes these little smashed potatoes are GREAT.

Do you like potatoes?  Can you imagine these little crispy nuggets on your plate?

 

See comment below for an alternative way to make these — all bake, no boil!

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Baking Time – Time Bake

Posted by terrepruitt on March 14, 2013

Since my current Nia class schedule has me teaching at dinner time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have been using the “Time Bake” setting on my oven.  When talking about using this feature with some of my Nia students one student commented that her oven is really old and must not have that feature.  I confirmed with my mom that our oven had that feature and my husband’s childhood home oven has that feature too.  Both of those ovens are almost 50 years old.  So it could just be that the “Time Bake” feature is not something my student needed to use so was unaware of it.  Does your oven have a “Time Bake” setting?  I often use mine to cook dinner (meat), but I could understand if someone is going to be gone all day long they might not want to leave meat in the oven all day.  I am not gone that long so I don’t worry about leaving meat in the oven for it to start cooking while I am gone.  Also the oven isn’t on that long before I’m back to check on it.  The oven’s time bake feature is perfect for vegetables or potatoes, ya know, something you would feel comfortable not being refrigerated all day if that is what your schedule requires.  Time bake might be something you have on your oven and have not thought of using.  It really comes in handy.

On the days I have a Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumbalate Nia class we end up eating dinner really late.  I would rather eat late with my hubby than eat early without him.  It really helps me get dinner on the table faster when I have it cooking while I am gone.  Depending on what I am cooking there might be some partial cooking before I leave.  Lately I have been roasting eggplant and I roast it a bit on both sides before I leave.  Then put onions and cheese on it and leave it in the oven.  I have it start baking before I get home then when I arrive home it is done.

As you know if you’ve read a post or two of mine, I love having leftovers.  I try to plan it so that on my late nights I will have a left over protein (pork, chicken, steak) so I only have to cook a veggie.  Also, if you’ve read a post or two of mine you know I love to roast my veggies, so there you go; Time Bake is perfect.  I can prepare my veggies for roasting and leave them in the oven and it turns on and roasts them while I am gone.  When I get home I can heat the meat quickly and have fresh hot veggies.  LOVE IT!

But there are other things that “Time Bake” has helped me cook.  Pizza, chicken, casseroles, you name it.  It is a great feature on my oven.  It helps me cook and get dinner on the table.

What about you?  Does your oven have Time Bake?  Do you use the Time Bake feature on your oven?

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Fennel Turkey

Posted by terrepruitt on March 5, 2013

I had received fennel before in my organic produce box.  I didn’t know what to do with it.  So I did what I always do with vegetables.  I roasted it.  It was really good.  I was surprised. I might have received it another time after the first, but I am not sure.  In my last produce box I received another fennel bulb. I was going to roast it to go with dinner.  I had taken some ground turkey out of the freezer to defrost.  When I went to cook the fennel I realized I didn’t have anything to cook with the turkey.  If I am cooking ground turkey to put in something, like a tortilla, I don’t mind it being just cooked meat.  If I don’t have something like that to put it on or in, I liked to add something to it.  So I decided to cook the fennel in a pan, then add the turkey to it.

I didn’t have any onions so I used those dehydrated kind.  Normally my flavor is onion, as in I use the onion to flavor the dish, but this time I wanted the fennel to do it so I didn’t use a lot of the onion.  Had I had a fresh onion I would have used about 1/4 in order to allow the fennel to be the main flavor.

You know I love to cook veggies and ground turkey.  It is one of my “staple” menu items.  This combination turned out really well.

I didn’t measure as I cooked so I am guesstimating as I type:

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, ZumbaFennel Turkey

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 bulb fennel, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
package of ground turkey
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 bunch kale chopped
2 turns of pepper grinder

Pour olive oil in pan along with the chopped fennel and onion.  Cook until tender.  Add the ground turkey, the garlic salt, the season salt, and the thyme.  Stir the fennel and meat while cooking.  Add some salt (not all of it).  Cook until the turkey is almost done.  The idea is to just wilt the kale so make sure the turkey is done enough.  Then put the kale in the pan and add the rest of the salt.  Cook only until the kale is wilted.  Then add the pepper.

We had this for dinner this week.  We ate it will pasta.  I like linguine.  I put my fennel turkey on the side, whereas my husband piled his on top of his pasta.

I really enjoyed the flavor of the fennel.  So much so that when I was in the grocery store the next day I almost bought some more.  Then I remembered I am going to get more in my produce box this week.  Yay!  I am happy that I have received a few things I would not have just gone out and purchased.  And I am happy that I have learned I do like these things enough to now go out and buy them.  Fennel is really good!

Tonight we had the leftovers in a tortilla with cheese.  You know me and leftovers!  Awesome.  Leftovers really help when I have a late Nia class.  Currently my evening Nia classes are late, so being able to have dinner on the table within 15 minutes of getting home is necessary.  I grilled my tortilla.  It was really good.  Fennel has a nice flavor.

Have you tried fennel, the vegetable?  If you cook it, how do you cook it?

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