Note:  This post is brought to you by my handsome boyfriend Jared, who is the true embodiment of the phrase, "when in doubt....ask the Internet."

How often do you find yourself opening the fridge to the sight of perishable ingredients used in meals from earlier in the week but the recipe didn't call for all of it?  It especially happens when you're only cooking for 2 or even just yourself.  This happens to us all the time and since I have the stronger stomach, I end up being the one sitting on the ground with a garbage bag finding last months expired milk or a carton of eggs that are now older than the chicken that laid them.  The internet is a great place to turn to prevent (or prolong) this adventure in refrigerator discoveries.

Last week Katie found a great recipe that called for only 1.5 ounces of prosciutto...I went to the deli to pick up the meat and thought to myself, I don't want to take a number, wait in line and then ask this guy for 4 slices of prosciutto.  So I ended up getting a quarter pound, because hey, italian meats can be used in anything.  We had a great meal but a couple of days go by and the prosciutto still sat there waiting in the fridge.  Since this is Healthy-ish.com, every one of the recipes that we make starts with the word "Healthy", and italian meats aren't usually part of that lexicon.  Google is a great place to turn to when you're looking for ideas and this is where I found a super easy, very tasty meal for "Healthy Prosciutto".  Credit and thanks goes to healthyfoodforliving.com for this recipe for 2 that used up the rest of the meat and a bag of mixed greens.  The pork stays tender and the prosciutto gets crispy, then the salad and pears/cheese go great together.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Chops with Caramelized Pear Salad
Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 boneless 4-6 oz pork chops, trimmed of any excess fat
• 4 slices paper-thin prosciutto
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 ripe Anjou pear, cored and sliced thin
• 4 cups mixed greens, such as baby romaine and spinach
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp pure maple syrup, divided
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese

Preparations:

1. Lay two slices of prosciutto, slightly overlapping lengthwise, on a cutting board. Place one of the pork chops at one short end of the prosciutto, and roll it up so that the chop is fully wrapped. Repeat with the other slices of prosciutto and pork chop.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet oven medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto-wrapped pork chops to the skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until almost done. Remove to a plate and cover with foil (pork will continue to cook).
3. Reduce stove heat to low. Add the pear slices to the skillet along with 2 tsp maple syrup, and saute until pears are caramelized and slightly soft, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together the mustard, remaining 2 tsp maple syrup, cider vinegar, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss dressing with the greens and top with the pear slices and cheese.
5. Slice pork width wise and serve with salad.

The pasta that I ate for dinner tonight was not meant to be.  In fact, until I was physically making this pasta - I had no idea it even existed.  You see, I had this idea that Jared would make a fantastic guest blogger tonight.  He actually agreed to this (I know, right? all I had to do was ask), and went off to the store to get the ingredients for a healthy gazpacho.  But alas, at the grocery store he was stricken with a headache that was so bad - that by the time he got home, he didn't even want a glass of water (let alone prepare and eat and entire pot of chilled soup).

So where does that leave me?  WIth my finger poised to dial for take-out, I suddenly remembered the ripe tomatoes that were bestowed upon me this weekend (fresh from the farm of the summer camp where my dad is working).  Then I started thinking about the bulb of garlic and fresh basil in the fridge.  And from those ingredients, my very own recipe for Simple Spicy Pasta Pomodoro was born.

I started thinking about doing a quick saute of the tomatoes and garlic and then stirring in some basil at the last minute.  As I was sauteing, the tomatoes started to fall apart - and I quickly changed my tune, grabbed the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes and made a quick pomodoro sauce.

You guys, the sauce.  The sauce was...so...good.  And I can't take credit for it.  The credit is due to the tomatoes - they were so ripe, they were no-fail.  I put this sauce over fettucine (because I had some on hand) but I'd do angel hair pasta next time (less pasta, more sauce).  Also, keep in mind that I tend to like my food well seasoned and spicy, so taste as you go and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Happy Monday everyone - eat well this week!

Spicy Pasta Pomodoro
Serves 1 really hungry healthy-ish girl

Ingredients:
2 ripe medium sized tomatoes (doesn't matter what kind, as long as they are red)
3 cloves of garlic (yup 3)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 tablespoons parmigiano reggiano
small bunch of basil, torn (I used about 8 leaves, but you can do this to taste)

Preparation:
Heat oil over medium heat in a small saute pan.  Add garlic, saute until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, stir.  Continue to saute tomatoes until they begin to fall apart.  Add balsamic vinegar, and heat for 5-8 more minutes until flavors are combined, and tomatoes have become a chunky sauce.  Take sauce off of heat and stir in basil and parmesan cheese.  Taste, and adjust season.  Enjoy!

Personally, I have no problem with vegetarian dishes - especially during the summer.  To me, meat doesn't make a meal - and sometimes it's nice to enjoy the flavors of fresh, seasonal vegetables when they are shining on their own...in other words: ripe fresh vegetables, simply prepared.


Jared however, doesn't always agree with me on this.  Whenever I tell him that dinner doesn't include meat, he gets a bit nervous.  So when I found a recipe for Summer Squash and White Bean Saute from Eating Well, I knew I had my work cut out for me.

Luckily, I didn't have to try very hard because this recipe is what summer cooking is all about.  The lack of ingredients made Jared a little apprehensive "where's the chicken, where's the rest of the food?" and I have to admit, I wasn't sure if the vegetables would be able to stand on their own without a ton of seasoning.

The best addition to this recipe is the red wine vinegar.  I added 2 tablespoons (instead of 1), and I was surprised how the vinegar really helped my palate to taste all of the different flavors - the oregano, parmesan garlic all came to life with a little help from the vinegar.  I also added about 1 teaspoon of salt, which I think helped to pull all of the flavors together (I also find that a touch of salt helps ripe tomatoes to taste even better).  

As for Jared, the vegetarian critic?  I believe his feedback was "mmmmm".....

I served this over brown rice (which worked out well), but in the future I'm planning to toss it with pasta or orzo.  I think it would also be great with quinoa.  I love the adaptability of the dish (swap the zucchini for corn - swap the white beans for black beans...whatever you're in the mood for).

Oh yeah, and one serving is under 200 calories - which pretty much rocks.

Enjoy!!


Summer Squash & White Bean Saute (from EatingWell.com)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15- or 19-ounce can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed (see Tip)
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, summer squash, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, tomatoes and vinegar; increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan.

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.

Last night I was so excited to tell you about this recipe.  Then tonight, I got even more excited when I tasted the leftovers (after a day of relaxation in the fridge).  So without further adieu...I give you....

A recipe from Rick Bayless for Beef and Potato Salad with Smoky Chipotle.  Before I get into how delicious this recipe is, and how amazingly easy it was to prepare - I have to ask, Rick Bayless will you marry me?  Seriously, this recipe is that good.

Once the warm beef hit the potatoes and mixed with the chipotles and a dash of vinegar and salt - the result was incredible.  Once the creamy avocado was mixed it - it was literally perfect.  This dish was so simple - simple preparation, easy to find whole ingredients.  It's the healthy-ish definition of meat and potatoes.

This recipe is listed on Rick's website as an appetizer that serves as a topping for tostadas.  Since it was Sunday (our big supper day) we spooned this on to soft warm corn tortillas, with a small side of spanish rice.  For tonight's dinner, I slimmed this down a bit by eating it as a cold potato salad right out of the fridge.  I HIGHLY recommend the latter.  Once the tortillas were gone I could really taste the flavors.  I also cut the rice because it's Monday (no need to carbo-load two nights in a row).  To keep this healthy-ish, be sure to portion this for 4 (although it's tempting to do 3).  There is 3/4 of a lb of beef and 3 potatoes in this recipe - if you are cooking for two, you will have the perfect amount for leftovers. 

In other news - this went really well with Corona Light (add a pinch of salt and a lime and you won't miss the calories).

So make this - seriously, go make this.  And happy Monday - eat well and enjoy your week!

Beef and Potato Salad with Smoky Chipotle (Salpiccon de Res al Chipotle)

Ingredients
3/4 pound stewing beef (preferably from the chuck), cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt
3 (about 3/4 pounds) medium-size boiling potatoes, cut into roughly 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1 medium, ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

Scoop the beef into a medium saucepan, cover it generously with water, add 2 teaspoons salt and set over high heat.  When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low.  Skim off the grayish foam that rises during the first few minutes of simmering.  Partially cover and simmer until the meat is fall-apart tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a plate to cool.  Scoop the potatoes into the meat broth (if there isn't enough to cover the potatoes, add water) and simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. 

Use the slotted spoon to scoop the potatoes into a medium bowl, sprinkle with vinegar.  Break the up the meat into coarse shreds and stir it into the potatoes, along with the chipotles, onion and olive oil.  Let cool completely, then taste and season with salt if you think necessary.  Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. 

Just before serving, scoop the mixture into a wide serving bowl and mix in the avocado.