Savory Waffle: Cheddar & Scallion Waffle with Mustard Syrup

After an impromptu waffle iron buy last night, we decided to make waffles this morning! This savory waffle is delicious with the mustard syrup! And the best part is, it is so easy to make!

Cheddar & Scallion Waffles with Mustard Syrup

Ingredients (Makes 4-6 waffles, or 1 Belgium waffle)
Waffles:
1 cup flour
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg
3/4 cup of milk
3/4 of 1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar (I used monterey jack)
3-4 tablespoons of scallions, chopped

Mustard Syrup:
1/2 cup syrup
1/8 cup dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
Waffles:
1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.
2. Whisk the milk, the cooled melted butter and 1 egg in a separate bowl until combined; pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. (A few small lumps are fine.)
3. Preheat a waffle iron; lightly brush with vegetable oil, then fill with batter three-quarters full and cook until the waffles are golden and crisp.

Mustard Syrup:
1. Combine the syrup, mustard and salt in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. When the mixture begins to bubble, turn the heat to low. Stir until well combined.
3. Pour into a serving container and serve immediately.

Pour the syrup over the waffles to serve and enjoy!

Recipe source: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/haylie-duff/mustard-maple-syrup.html and http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/top-notch-waffles.html

Mustard-Roasted Fish

I love mustard. And I love finding new fish recipes to try, because with our busy schedule we need a quick and healthy dinner. So when I found this mustard roasted fish, I was more than in! It is as good as it looks too! And as any fish recipe, super easy!

Mustard Roasted Fish

Ingredients

4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces crème fraîche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (or aluminum foil.) (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the crème fraîche, two mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it’s barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it’s done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Recipe source: http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=336&S=0

Parmesan Baked Chicken Strips

This has become a staple in our household. We like to call them “Grown-up chicken nuggets.” Baking the chicken instead of frying, and a little special spicy ketchup brings these chicken strips to the next level!

Parmesan Baked Chicken Strips

Ingredients
1 lb chicken tenders, or chicken strips
1 1/4 cup panko, bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten cooking spray

Spicy Ketchup
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 tbsp – 1/4 cup Sambal chili paste (or any hot sauce), I recommend you taste as you go so it’s not too spicy
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
Pinch of Salt

Directions

Combine all the ingredients for the Spicy Ketchup and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare a baking sheet by adding a wire rack on top of it and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Add the panko to a shallow dish and mix in the Parmesan and coarse salt. Drizzle the oil and mix well. Set out the flour and eggs both in separate dishes.

In small batches, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess, dip in egg, and lastly coat well with panko. Transfer to the rack. Bake the chicken until desired tenderness, about 12-14 minutes, turning when halfway through. Serve nuggets with the Spicy Ketchup.

Recipe Source: http://rasamalaysia.com/baked-chicken-nuggets/2

Mushroom Stroganoff

Stroganoff is the epitome of what we view as Russian food. I took a Russian staple and decided to make it healthy. I found this recipe for mushroom stroganoff and decided it would be a great alternative to the typical beef stroganoff. This recipe is also dairy-free!

Mushroom Stroganoff

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup raw cashews
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 pound assorted mushrooms
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 cups mushroom broth or low-sodium vegetable broth (I used chicken broth because that is what I had on hand)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or dill, for garnish

Directions

Place cashews in a small bowl and cover by about 1 inch with boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes. Drain, discarding soaking liquid. In a blender, combine cashews, 1/4 cup water, vinegar and salt, and blend until smooth; add more water a tablespoon at a time as needed to make a cashew cream.

Halve or quarter smaller mushrooms and thickly slice larger ones. Place mushrooms and shallots in a heavy pot and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown; add broth a few tablespoons at a time to keep mushrooms from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook, adding more broth as needed, until mushrooms are browned and softened, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir in remaining broth, mustard, paprika and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until mushrooms are very tender and sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of cashew cream. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over pasta or rice with the remaining cashew cream on the top.

Recipe source: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/mushroom-stroganoff

BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Apple Slaw

I made these sandwiches after deciding what to do with leftover chicken from the night before. My husband had just brought home a spicy BBQ sauce so I thought I would try a BBQ chicken sandwich. I found this apple slaw recipe and thought I had to add it! The slaw definitely makes this sandwich one of my favorites!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Apple Slaw

Ingredients

• leftover chicken, or grilled/baked chicken breast (shredded)
• BBQ sauce of your choice
• buns
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 honeycrisp apple (or any tart apple)
• 2 cups broccoli, carrots, and purple cabbage, julienned (I usually buy the pre-made broccoli & carrot slaw from my grocery store) * You can really use any vegetable slaw you can find if you are going pre-made.
• salt & pepper

Directions

• Shred the chicken and mix it with enough BBQ sauce to coat the chicken and some extra to make it saucy. Warm the chicken and the sauce in a small pot.
• If you are not using pre-made veggie slaw, julienne the broccoli, carrots, and cabbage. Also, julienne the apple.
• Add the veggies, apple, dijon, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together
• Once the chicken is warmed through, start building your sandwich. Add the BBQ shredded chicken to the bun and top with the apple slaw.

Recipe Source: http://www.closetcooking.com/2014/01/apple-bbq-pulled-chicken-sandwiches.html

Broiled Tilapia with Mustard-Chive Sauce

This is a great easy fish to make for a weeknight meal. It takes only about 15 minutes to prep and cook. The sauce is by far the star of this dish, it would also be great on chicken!

Broiled Tilapia with Mustard-Chive Sauce

Ingredients

Fish:
Cooking spray
4 (5 to 6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sauce:
1/4 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey (I used agave)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the fish: Preheat a broiler. Spray a small baking sheet or glass baking dish with  cooking spray. Set aside.

Drizzle the tilapia fillets on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the fillets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and broil until cooked through and the flesh flakes easily with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

For the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, agave nectar, and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice and chives. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer the tilapia to a serving platter and drizzle with the sauce.

Recipe source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/broiled-tilapia-with-mustard-chive-sauce-recipe.html

Whitefish with Garlic Butter

This recipe is packed with flavor! It takes a simple whitefish and elevates it with this awesome garlic butter! It is a unique and easy dish, and if there is any garlic butter left over it is great to use on other dishes!

Whitefish with Garlic Butter

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons minced shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced prosciutto di Parma
• 1 tablespoon almond, rice, or all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 (7-ounce) skinless cod fillets
• Garnish: lemon wedges

Directions

1. Stir together first 10 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a wide, deep, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper, and cook 4 minutes. Turn fillets over; cook 1 minute.

3. Spoon 1 tablespoon butter mixture over the top of each fillet; transfer skillet to oven, and bake at 450° for 2 minutes or until fish is just cooked through and opaque in the center.

4. Add any remaining butter to pan, and let melt, stirring with juices in pan; spoon over fish, and garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roast-cod-with-garlic-butter-10000001973668/

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Turkey Bacon

One of my favorite, and easiest salads to-date! I am now officially obsessed with turkey bacon. This is a must try! The best part about salads is that you can adjust the ingredients depending on your preference. I added chicken to mine (and extra turkey bacon)!

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Turkey Bacon

INGREDIENTS:

For dressing:
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp finely minced shallot
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Pinch black pepper
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

For salad:
2-3 c kale (approx 1/2 a bunch)
1 lb brussels sprouts, shredded using a mandolin or sharp knife
3-4 slices turkey bacon, baked and chopped (I added 6 or 7 slices)
1/4 c almonds, sliced
1/2 c Pecorino cheese, finely grated

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix. (Alternatively, I sometimes throw everything in a mini food processor and let it do the chopping.) Add in olive oil, whisking (or processing) until combined.

Mix sliced kale and shaved brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Throw in bacon, almonds, and cheese. Pour dressing over the top and toss salad until all ingredients are distributed throughout.

Note: I added chicken breast into my salad for extra protein. And as usual, I made double the amount because  this salad was just as good the day after!

Recipe Source: http://www.sugarandgrace.com/2013/05/02/kale-and-brussels-sprouts-salad-w-bacon-and-pecorino/

Chicken Paillard

There is so much you can do with chicken. This recipe is a great, fresh, clean chicken recipe that I will definitely make over and over again.

Chicken Paillard

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breast Halves (pounded to 1/2-inch thickness)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt
• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Hazelnuts (finely ground)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 3 Carrots (peeled and julienned-I used baby carrots so I just used a mandolin to slice them thin)
• 1/4 cup Sliced Olives
• 1/2 bunch Fresh Parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 Orange (zest and juice)
• 1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

Directions

Preheat large cast iron pan or non-skillet over medium-high. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Brush one side of the chicken breasts with dijon mustard. Dredge the chicken with hazelnuts. Drizzle the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then flip and continue cooking for 2 more minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan and cook remaining chicken. Set cooked chicken on a plate and tent with foil until ready to serve.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm chicken topped with carrot slaw.

Tip: Coating the chicken with crushed hazelnuts is a great alternative to breading, and is also gluten free.

Recipe source: http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Chicken-Paillard-Daphne-Oz