Weeknight Meal | I Can Cook That

Crab Cakes with Spicy Mustard Sauce

I have recently started using Cooking Light’s new diet plan. Subscribers receive a calorie-driven weekly meal plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks customized for their dieting goals and food preferences curated by the editors of Cooking Light. It allows you to substitute in other options if you aren’t digging the ones selected, and even has the option to list “Dining Out” or “Leftovers” if you have a non-cooking meal.

So far, I’ve been really impressed with the selection of recipes and how tasty they are. The recipes also take into account time constraints, so they aren’t like 2 hour recipes on a week day (very much appreciated!) If you want to try the Cooking Light Diet Plan along with me, use the code DIETSAVE20 to receive a special discount!

I wanted to begin sharing some of the recipes I have been sent to give you an idea of what options are offered. This recipe for Crab Cakes with Spicy Mustard Sauce was an awesome weeknight meal. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is super satisfying. (I am a huge fan of quick weeknight dinners; in fact, I have a whole section of “weeknight meals” on my blog.)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used stone ground)
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

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Chicken Satay

I have been meaning to make this recipe forever; seriously, years. I don’t know why it took me this long because it’s a pretty easy recipe, but for some reason I kept putting it off. And boy do I regret that. It’s so tasty! Honestly, what isn’t better with some peanut butter?

Chicken Satay is skewered chicken marinated in a peanut sauce that is typically eaten as an appetizer or street food. By adding a side of brown rice, this turns into an easy dinner!

This recipe actually has you ground your own peanuts with some other ingredients to make a sauce rather than starting with peanut butter. The result is really tasty!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (~2 limes)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot, peeled
1/3 cup light coconut milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 serrano chile, stem removed
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt

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Charred Lemon Chicken Piccata

I love Chicken Piccata, it’s a simple recipe that really delivers on flavor. Plus, I usually have the ingredients needed on hand! Cooking Light’s latest issue has a recipe for Chicken Piccata that browns the lemons to intensify the lemon flavor while taking away some of the “bite.”

This recipe would go great with a side of green beans and/or mashed potatoes. You could also add the chicken piccata over some egg noodles or other pasta, like I have with my past recipe for Chicken Piccata with Spaghetti.

Ingredients:

2 small lemons, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 garlic cloves, halved
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon grated shallot
1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
1 oregano sprig
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

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Halibut with Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes

I spent the last two weeks in total holiday mode. With my birthday, Christmas, and getting engaged all in the past couple of weeks, it’s been one big celebratory meal! I’ve done very little cooking and a whole lot of eating, so it’s time to get back into a normal cooking/eating schedule again.

This recipe for Halibut with Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes from Cooking Light is a really simple weeknight meal option. I served it with a simple salad; green beans or asparagus would also work great with this recipe.

I changed the recipe slightly because my supermarket was out of basil; this version uses some oregano leaves to give a pop of flavor.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (I used basil infused olive oil)
2 (6-ounce) halibut fillets, skinned
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 oz cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves

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Browned Butter and Lemon Brussels Sprouts

I love love love Brussels sprouts. I truly don’t understand why I was told they were gross when I was a kid, they are a favorite veggie of mine now! So I’m excited to share this recipe for Browned Butter and Lemon Brussels Sprouts!

Most recipes for Brussels sprouts include bacon, however. And as much as I love bacon, sometimes you just want a truly vegetarian side. Cooking Light had this recipe for Browned Butter and Lemon Brussels Sprouts in its November 2014 issue and it sounded so yummy! Lemons brighten up the flavor of the Brussels sprouts and works really well with the browned butter.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup water
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Cardamom Glazed Carrots

Carrots are a staple on most Thanksgiving tables. My dad loves super mushy carrots, which just don’t do it for me. I want a bit of a crunch! So this recipe for Cardamom Glazed Carrots from Cooking Light is perfect for me; sorry, Dad!

The cardamom adds a lightly floral taste which works so nicely with the fresh ginger. This recipe takes just 15 minutes to make so it’s a great weeknight option as well. The recipe serves 6, so multiply as needed.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or margarine to make vegan)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

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Steamed Spinach with Curry Butter

Sometimes your sides need a bit more pizzazz. This simple recipe for Steamed Spinach with Curry Butter from Cooking Light adds a ton of flavor (and a little bit of heat if you want it) with little effort and time. The recipe below makes enough for 4 people but can easily be multiplied to fill a crowd (this would be a yummy side at Thanksgiving!)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or olive oil to make paleo)
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
2 (16-ounce) containers fresh spinach
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Slow Cooker Sausage and Sweet Potato Chili

Nothing warms you up quite like a bowl of homemade chili. I love how hearty chili is while still being a relatively healthy dinner choice. And when made in a slow cooker, it’s waiting to greet you when you get home!

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of slow cooker recipes; I have almost 30 slow cooker recipes on my blog as of this post! And chili is a perfect slow cooker meal — brown your meat, saute the onions and peppers, throw everything else in, cover, and let the slow cooker do it’s magic.

I was sent this slow cooker chili recipe from Redpack tomatoes for Slow Cooker Sausage and Sweet Potato Chili, along with a kit containing some of their yummy crushed tomatoes. I had never made chili with sweet potatoes in it before but it sounded absolutely delicious! I adapted my recipe slightly, mainly due to me using a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes instead of a 14.5 oz can (oops).

Redpack also will be hosting an awesome promotion from today, Oct. 22 to Nov. 12 during which they will give away two slow cookers a day for three weeks on its Facebook page — that’s 44 slow cookers! Just go to RedPack Tomatoes Facebook Page to enter.

Ingredients:

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from its casings
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups beef broth
1 (28 oz) can Redpack Crushed Tomatoes in Thick Puree
1 (28 oz) can Repack Petite Diced Tomatoes in Juice
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 jalapeno, minced (optional)
cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

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Fish with Bacon Tomato Butter

I know you’re probably not going to believe me on this, but this recipe for Fish with Bacon Tomato Butter is a Cooking Light recipe. Bacon? Butter? Yup. Still Cooking Light. Everything in moderation, my friends.

The problem here may just be the “in moderation” part. The Bacon-Tomato Butter is just the best. THE BEST.

This was originally a grill recipe so I used my indoor grill pan. Actually grilling (on a gas or charcoal grill) would add a really great smoky taste to this though so I highly recommend trying the original recipe out. This is also a great kind of “fridge cleaning” recipe. Is it just me who ends up with like two pieces of uncooked bacon that get lost in the fridge for me to find way past their prime?

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 tablespoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar

4 (6-ounce) firm white fish fillets (I used Chilean Sea Bass)
1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, to taste

1 slice center-cut bacon, chopped
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons butter

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Shrimp Rotini with Arugula Pesto

We are in that weird beginning-of-fall/end-of-summer phase right now, where the weather can be anywhere from 50-80 degrees. So my weeknight dinners are just as random. I keep going in between comfort food choices like Mushroom and Sausage Ragu over Polenta to lighter meals like Autumn Apple Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dijon Dressing. So sticking with tradition and flip flopping again, after posting a recipe for Pumpkin Cake Bites earlier this week, I bring you a seafood pasta recipe with pesto!

This recipe uses arugula as the primary ingredient in the pesto, so it’s really perfect for this time of year. It also comes together in no time (which is why I love meals that use pesto) while adding such freshness to a recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked mini rotini
1 1/2 cups arugula

1/4 cup basil leaves, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup white wine

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Autumn Apple Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dijon Dressing

It’s September which means apples are right in their prime season! Although apples are available year-round, most apples ripen in the August-October time frame. I’ve had a craving for apples ever since September began so I was so excited when I was contacted recently about trying an apple variety called SweeTango that I’ve never had before.

SweeTango apples a variety bred at the University of Minnesota and are a cross between the Honeycrisp and Zestar! varieties. The apples are crisp and sweet with a hint of citrus, honey, and spice and have a nice crunchy and juicy texture that’s perfect to eat raw. They have a beautiful coloring too — SweeTango is a blush apple with deep red coloration over a yellow breaking background. The variety first hit store shelves in limited quantities in 2009, and has since grown to achieve distribution across the U.S. and Canada.

I received two SweeTango apples in the mail and couldn’t wait to try them! One I saved for me to just enjoy on its own and the other went into one of the most delicious salads I’ve ever had, Autumn Apple Salad with Cinnamon Honey Dijon Dressing! This salad is packed with a bunch of different textures and flavors which is what I really love about it. But the true star of the salad is the SweeTango apple!

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 cups red leaf lettuce, torn
2 cups spinach leaves, torn
1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons dried cherries
2 tablespoons golden raisins
the juice of 1 lemon
1 SweeTango apple, thinly sliced

Dressing:

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of salt and pepper

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Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Creamy Polenta

With the weather starting to cool off a bit, I had a hankering for something a little more hearty that I could still prepare on a weeknight. This recipe from Cooking Light incorporates mushrooms and turkey sausage into a tomato sauce to make a filling but lighter meal. The polenta is kicked up a notch with the addition of some cream cheese to add some decadence to the whole dish. I kept this recipe mostly in tact and just messed with some of the amounts for the ingredients. To see the original recipe, click here. Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
20 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 large (or 4 small) garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter

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Cheese Ravioli with Pesto

I have another busy week this week so I needed some easy meals that can be prepared quickly. Pasta is usually a great option and this recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Pesto is no exception. It comes together in about 15 minutes!

I found this recipe on Cooking Light. The pesto is more of a “pesto” and stays pretty chunky. But don’t be fooled, those little flecks of green are packed with flavor!

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 plum tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted, divided
Fresh basil leaves (optional)

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Margherita Pan Pizza

The September Issue of Cooking Light has a super yummy looking pizza on the front. The pizza shown was a Deep Dish Mushroom and Onion Pizza but the photo made me think of pan pizzas I used to love as a kid.

So I decided to try to make my own in my cast iron pan (paid link) but give it a more “grown up” twist by making a Margherita Pan Pizza.

The result was a nice thick and chewy crust with the perfect amount of tangy tomato sauce, creamy melted mozzarella, and fresh basil!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon fresh active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)

For the tomato sauce:

1 (15 oz) can tomato puree
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings:

8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or julienned

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Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

As kids are going back to school (or may even be back!) and the “busy season” of work creeps closer, it’s necessary to find recipes that can be prepared ahead of time so that weeknight meals can be on the table as quickly as possible. My favorite tool for really yummy dishes that I can just reheat is my lovely slow cooker.

Cooking Light had a recipe for Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice that is perfect for weekend prep and weeknight meals. This particular recipe has a good amount of prep time before putting everything in the slow cooker so I’d suggest making it on a weekend versus a weeknight morning. (If you want to make this before work, set aside 30-45 minutes to get everything ready to put in the slow cooker.)

A couple of notes before I dive into the recipe. You actually soak the dried red beans in water overnight, so don’t forget to do that that night before you plan on making this recipe. Also, dried kidney beans apparently contain a toxin that is not killed at low temperatures (like in a slow cooker) so you have to boil them for 10 minutes before slow cooking. (Who knew?! Definitely don’t skip that step!) This recipe makes 8 servings so you can also freeze the red bean mixture for future meals if you won’t finish it during the week. Ok! Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

1 pound dried red kidney beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 oz andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped poblano chile (~2 chiles)
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (12-ounce) can lager-style beer
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne pepper)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

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