Don't worry - Jared hasn't left me yet.  He's just been working really late this week (like, unreasonably late - midnight and beyond).  This has its upside, and its downside.  The upside: It's been a 'Say Yes to the Dress' and 'Real Housewives of Whatever' marathon over here.  The downside:  I have no one to cook for.  I love cooking for Jared after a long day.  I love being able to sit down together and have dinner (cheesy? yes, but it's true.  Also we don't always 'sit down together' sometimes we watch tv...does that make it less cheesy?). 

To be honest with you, I don't like cooking for myself.  To me, cooking is about sharing with the people that I love and care about.  I cook because I like to feed people...and I love the feeling of sitting at a big table, eating, drinking and talking.  Food is best when shared... in my opinion.

Last year I read an amazing and thoughtful book on this very topic.  Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant examines the eating habits and thought process of people who are hungry....and alone.  I think that when we're by ourselves - the comforting aspect behind the food that we eat really comes through.  I think that we make choices based on what is going to make us feel good, and there's nothing wrong (or unhealthy-ish) about that.

When I'm alone, I usually turn to greek salad.  Store bought or homemade it doesn't matter - as long as it's huge.  I generally toss in some raw broccoli (gross? yes, it is - but who cares, it's MY dinner) and then completely overdress it in red wine vinegar (the feta cheese usually melts into it, turning it into a creamy salad dressing - and I swear to you, I love red wine vinegar so much I could probably drink it straight), add a tiny splash of olive oil and then I cover it in red pepper flakes.  I eat it out of an enormous plastic bowl.  It's not pretty folks, but it feels so right.

Other times when I find myself hungry and alone - I turn to one of my favorite foods of all time.  Sauteed spinach.  I saute a pound (yes a pound, but it wilts) with about 4-5 cloves of garlic, good olive oil and (you guessed it) red pepper flakes.  Sometimes I toss that with rice, sometimes I don't - whatever I'm in the mood for.

I also love eating rice with with a handful of shredded reduced-fat cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. 

And I call myself a foodie.

I'm curious - what do you eat when there's no one around? Why do you eat what you eat?  Is there a recipe for it?  Should I try making it and write about it here? 

Leave your thoughts in the comments or email me

I can't get enough of spicy foods - seriously, the hotter the better - and as I've mentioned, my love of hot sauce runs deep (have you ever had Chipotle Tabasco? Go buy some and put it on everything).  Although I find regular hot sauces (like Frank's...go buy Frank's Red Hot and put that on everything too) to be crazy-delicious, they generally don't have enough heat for me.  So when I saw Habanero Tabasco - I was amped, until I tasted it.  Habanero Tabasco is not a condiment my friends - it's a screaming ball of fire that needs to be taken seriously....

But to be honest...it burned so good.  Now all I needed was a way to use it.

So I did what any Internet-loving foodie would do when in need of a recipe - I turned to Facebook.  And Facebook delivered - like it always does (thanks Kate!).

Last night, I made Caribbean Pork w/ Pineapple (rum-soaked pineapple, my friends).  The recipe was an amazing combination of sweet and spicy - the raisins and rum-soaked pineapple offset the salty spicy flavor of the habanero hot sauce and tasted complex enough to keep my tastebuds interested.

I know what you are asking yourself - why is this a cautionary tale?

Well, to be honest - as I was making this recipe, I thought to myself "3 teaspoons of habanero tabasco isn't enough heat - I need more" so I liberally doused the entire recipe.  And then I tasted the sauce - and my head exploded.  And then I started coughing, and then my lips started burning.  And then....I was filled with regret. (note: Sheila, if you are reading this - believe me when I say, this is the perfect amount of heat for you, the rare exception to this warning)

The good news is that after about 20 minutes of cooking and the addition of the pineapples - the heat mellowed enough for me to eat this without fear of destroying my entire palate.  And as I said above - if you like hot, this recipe is good.

My tip?  Follow this recipe, use 3 teaspoons of Habanero sauce.  I also advise adding about a teaspoon of salt (it need salt to cut some of the sweet).

Serve it over plain brown rice to absorb some of the heat. 

PS...Pork tenderloin is super healthy, so don't be scared to eat it.  It's lean and a nice break from poultry.

Caribbean Pork with Pineapple (via Tabasco.com)

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Juice and grated rind of 1 large lime
  
• 3 teaspoons TABASCO® brand Habanero Sauce, divided
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 1 large clove garlic
  
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  
• 1/4 cup raisins
  
• 2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks
  
• 1/4 cup rum
  

Season pork with salt. Combine lime juice (reserve rind for later), 2 teaspoons of the TABASCO® Habanero Sauce, and oregano and drizzle over pork; toss until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add pork and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer pork to a shallow baking dish. Add onion to skillet with drippings and place over medium heat; cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, broth, raisins, lime rind, and remaining 1 teaspoon TABASCO® Habanero Sauce; cook 5 minutes longer, then pour over pork.

Cover pork and bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine pineapple and rum in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Spoon pineapple over top of pork and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer.

Makes 6 servings.

The weather today was perfect - sunny and not too warm.  In fact, it was the kind of weather that makes you want to fire up the grill, sit outside, relax and enjoy nature.  Sounds nice, right?  The only problem is that we live in Astoria, Queens - and outdoor space is hard to come by (which is a nice way of saying that we have no outdoor space).  Have I let that stop me?  No way.  Today was the day of the indoor bbq.

This morning I remembered that we had some leftover corn in the fridge - which instantly made me think of burgers (does that make sense? I don't know, but when I see corn on the cob - I want a burger to go with it).  However, because I spent my Saturday eating pizza and drinking beer -  I knew that if tonight was going to be burger night - then it was going to have to be more "healthy" and less "ish".

I always turn to Eating Well when I want a healthy recipe that tastes great and includes fresh ingredients.  Seriously, you cannot go wrong with Eating Well - just search for whatever you are craving and they have a healthy way for you to make it.  I found this recipe for Spicy Turkey Burgers with Pickled Onions (once I saw that the burgers were seasoned with ground chipotle, I couldn't say no).  I also found a Guy Fieri recipe for Black Bean and Corn Salad (a seemingly perfect use for my corn on the cob).  Until today, I've never tried one of Guy's recipes, however, after watching his show - Diners, Drive-ins and Dives - I 100% trust his opinion on good food.

Turns out - neither recipe disappointed.  Have you ever had pickled onions?  Jeeeeez they are good - whip these up tonight - they are so simple, and so so delicious.  The all spice and brown sugar really add a ton of flavor to the vinegar (while taking the edge off of it) - and the entire combination just brought the burgers to life.  The little touch of all spice in the burgers really tied everything together.

The corn salad was a really solid side dish - the cider vinegar was the perfect compliment to the sweetness in the red pepper and corn, and the black beans added heartiness.  There was no need for another starch or vegetable with this meal - the corn salad was the perfect side dish.

I grilled the corn and the burgers on my indoor grill, which was nice - but it doesn't hold a candle to the great outdoors.  I guess we'll have to settle for the great indoors for now.

What's your favorite healthy-ish recipe for the grill?  Email it to me, katie.safrey@healthy-ish.com, and I'll give it a try!

Spicy Turkey Burgers with Pickled Onions

• 1 cup red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 small red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 4 whole-wheat buns, split
• 8 teaspoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

Directions

1. To prepare pickled onions: Whisk vinegar, brown sugar, salt and allspice in a medium glass bowl. Cover and microwave on High until the mixture boils, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, bring the mixture to a boil in a small saucepan on the stove.) Add onion and toss to coat.
2. To prepare burgers: Preheat grill to high. Place turkey in a medium bowl and gently mix in cilantro, cumin, ground chipotle, salt and allspice until distributed throughout the meat. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Brush with oil.
3. Grill the burgers until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Toast buns on the grill, if desired.
4. Drain the onion, discarding the marinade. Spread 2 teaspoons mayonnaise on each bun; top with a burger and pickled onions.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

• 4 ears corn, husks removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup snow peas, julienned
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
Preheat the grill to medium.

Grill the corn until lightly charred, about 2 minutes, turning frequently. Transfer the corn to a cutting board and using a serrated knife remove the kernels. Set aside.

In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, then the red bell pepper and the red onion. Saute for 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, beans and corn and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the snow peas and saute for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold.

It's officially a Heatpocalypse in NYC (no seriously, it really is - you can check into it on Foursquare).  It's awful, it's miserable - and I rode in a cab today that was driven by a cranky cab driver  who refused to turn on the air conditioner (which was NOT COOL...literally).  Basically the entire city is a torture chamber.

The only thing to do in this weather is lay around and eat cold cuts and frozen yogurt - which is exactly what we ate for dinner last night - but, as we rolled into day 2 of the heatwave - I started craving real actual food.  I called Jared at work and asked him to handle dinner - and he came home with a bag full of groceries and a recipe for Chicken, Green Bean, Corn and Farro Salad with Feta (note: the recipe calls for goat cheese, but we prefer feta - so we made the substitution).

I love it when Jared cooks dinner for a variety of reasons:
1.  He always makes something that he knows I'd like, and he tries to keep it healthy
2.  I get to watch ridiculous things on television while he cooks  (i.e. "So You Think You Can Dance)
3.  Dinner always tastes better when someone makes it for you

Tonight though, he really outdid himself.  In fact, I suggest that you pick up the necessary ingredients for this salad - and get cookin'.  All of the flavors in this recipe compliment each other.  The mustard plays well against the vinaigrette - the marjoram brings out the flavor of the corn and beans - and the farro just soaks up all of the dressing.  The chicken wins the award for best supporting protein. 

We ate this as soon as it was ready - but in the future I'd probably cook it the night before, drop it in the fridge and let the flavors really get together.

On another note - it doesn't look like this heat is going anywhere anytime soon.  So I'm turning to you - what are your favorite light and healthy summertime recipes?  The less use of the stove the better.  Post or link to the recipes in the comments, and we'll give them a try.

Chicken, Green Bean, Corn and Farro Salad with Feta Bon Appétit  | August 2009

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup semi-pearled farro or spelt berries (use quinoa if you can't find it)
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 12 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups fresh yellow corn kernels (cut from 2 to 3 ears of corn)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 4 ounces fresh fat-free feta, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)

Preparation:
Cook farro in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; cool.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet; cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, then cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes. Cook green beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water to cool; drain. Transfer beans to kitchen towel; pat dry.

Mix farro, chicken, and green beans in large bowl; add corn and green onions.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, marjoram, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in small bowl. Press with back of spoon to release flavor. Whisk in vinegar, shallot, and mustard. Pour over salad in bowl; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Salad can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Divide chilled or room-temperature salad among plates. Sprinkle with feta

Every year there are countless articles and blog posts that provide tips on how to stay on your diet over the 4th of July weekend.  These articles generally tell you to have one beer, eat a hamburger with no bun, stay away from anything that contains mayo, eat fruit salad and bring your own healthy foods with you to the party.  Sounds like a really fun bbq, right?  And on a personal note - when you are bringing food to someone's party - for the love of god - bring normal food.  You are the only one eating your fake cheese, low sodium, fat free everything dip.

When I go to a bbq, I want to have fun.  And I want you to have fun.  Of course I want you to be healthy and not screw up your diet - but in order to do this you need to put the day in perspective.  It's not your last meal, but it's also not a normal day.  Find balance and you'll find that staying healthy at a bbq is no big deal.

Here are some tricks of the trade that I've picked up over the years:
1.  Food is great, but there are other reasons why we go to a BBQ.  Remind yourself that you are there to spend time with your friends (not hover over the buffet).  Try and switch your perspective and remember that the purpose of the bbq isn't JUST to eat - sit in a chair and enjoy being outside, catch-up with your family and friends.  Eat when/if you're hungry.

2.  Play "Let's Make a Deal".  I love salty and savory foods - I like dessert but it's not a deal breaker for me.  So that means that I'll make a deal with myself to enjoy a handful of chips and dip and skip dessert.  And if dessert comes, and it looks amazing - I have one bite, hey, I made a deal (and at least I got my chips).

3.  Know When to Stop.  I find them sometimes when I am at a BBQ - I just keep picking at food all day long, even when I'm no longer hungry.  Think about it - that's insane.  Eat like you would on any normal day - with normal portion sizes.  Would you eat 4 hamburgers and a pound of dip after work on a Tuesday?  No? Then don't do it at a bbq.

4.  Outdoor activities are your friend.  Sneak in a little exercise where you can.  Are people playing bocce?  Play with them.  Lawn darts? Just do it.  Keep it moving and you're likely to eat less.

5.  Stay light when it comes to alcohol.  I'm not going to tell you to have one beer and 8 glasses of water.  Drink your beer, wine or whatever it is that you drink.  Just think about what you are doing.  Pick light beer if possible, and if it's margaritas - consider having just one (the sugar and calories in a margarita are just not worth it to me). 

6.  Have breakfast.  Arriving at a bbq ravenously hungry is a bad idea.  You know it, and I know it.  So eat something.

Remember, you aren't going to gain 5 lbs in a day.  Take it easy on yourself and have fun - and remember that you can go back to your healthy lifestyle tomorrow.  The day after a bbq - wake up, have a big glass of water - and declare the pig-out over.  Then stick with it.

Have a great 4th of July weekend everyone!  If you eat anything awesome that I need to know about - tell me in the comments.

I have spent the majority of my work-week celebrating the joys of mass transit.  If you don't know me, and you've been reading this blog thinking to yourself, "Wow, Katie seems incredibly patient and full of love" - then I've haven't been communicating properly.  I am pretty irritable and impatient - and if I'm being honest - mass transit brings out the hater that lives within.  So when I disembarked from the NJ Transit today at 5pm - let's just say I wasn't awesome to be around.

Which brings me to the hell-ride that was my local grocery store.  I thought - "this would be a nice night to cook" - I thought wrong.  Maybe you didn't know this - so let me share my newly acquired knowledge....DO NOT GROCERY SHOP ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE A HOLIDAY WEEKEND.  Do I sound bitter?  I do?  Ok then, on to the good news...

Due to the crowd at the grocery store and my indecisiveness - this recipe is a Katie Safrey original.  I knew going in to the store that I wanted to make pesto - but when I got too frustrated with the lack of fresh basil, I just grabbed arugula (although, I wasn't sure if the recipe for arugula pesto needed to be modified - walnuts instead of pine nuts? I still have no idea).  Then I started thinking about baked ziti - and figured if I made a pesto and mixed it with some fat free ricotta cheese and ziti - then melted some cheese on top - I'd have a healthy-ish masterpiece on my hands.  And I gotta tell you....I'm proud of the result.

Arugula is so peppery - it makes a really unique pesto, and the ricotta really helped the pasta to hold moisture and added some creaminess.  The beauty of pesto is that you can't screw it up.  Too dry? Add more olive oil.  Not dry enough? Add more arugula.  Needs flavor? Add a bit more parmesan.  And always make a double batch of pesto - you can use it for 2-3 days on crackers, in pasta and on chicken breast.

One day when I'm famous with my own cookbook - you'll be demanding this recipe...so without further adieu....

Saf-tastic Arugula Pesto Bake

Ingredients

For the Pesto:
4 cloves of garlic (I love garlic - if you don't, or are making this for a date, reduce this to two cloves)
2 cups of arugula (packed)
1/2 cup parmesan (grated)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
salt and pepper (taste the pesto, if you need salt and pepper - add it to taste)

For the Rest:
1 lb ziti
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 shakes of chili garlic sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat  the oven to 350.  Put a pot of salted water on for the pasta.  Now it's pesto time - put all ingredients for the pesto in your food processor and combine until smooth (like I said above, if it seems dry add oil).  Combine the pesto with the ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, chili garlic sauce and salt and pepper.  Combine the cooked pasta with the pesto/ricotta sauce and mix well - I used a large foil baking dish (same dish you'd use for baked ziti - can you tell this is a pretty informal recipe?).  Taste this combination - adjust season based on what your tastebuds are telling you.  Top with mozzarella cheese (and if you are on the "ish" side of healthy-ish, top that with a sprinkle of parmesan).  Bake for 15 minutes, remove and enjoy with a glass of Pinot Grigio.