BLT Bonanza (plus a bonus recipe for Brussels Sprout Chips!)

I get the whole bacon craze, I just am not that insane over bacon (though it was a dark chocolate & bacon bar that caused me to fall off the vegetarian wagon).  That being said, if you slap that bacon on a carb and add tomato & lettuce, you better get out of my way because I'm going to go all Shark Week on it!  So a few months ago, I had a mad scientist moment in the kitchen and concocted this sinfully good BLT Pasta.  Yes, there is lettuce in the pasta, because hey, it's a green, it will saute up like spinach.  So, with the cherry tomatoes and Boston lettuce this week, just grab yourself a slab of bacon and your favorite pasta and you're on your way to pastavana (pasta nirvana, but somehow it just sounds like a yoga pose, a yoga pose that I really hope exists and includes eating pasta).

Bacon Lettuce Tomato Pasta

But wait, there's more!  With last week's green leaf lettuce and the tomatoes in store, I whipped up some Triple Decker BLT's.  Now a traditonal BLT needs no recipe because duh it's toasted bread with lettuce, a slice of tomato and crispy bacon.  Easy enough.  But most folks slather mayo on them, and since the Mister has an egg allergy, and I forgot to pickup Veganaise at the store, I decided to pull out some leftover homemade basil & almond pesto and slather that on instead.  I never want to see mayo near my BLT ever again!  Pesto is king!!!  For the pesto, use this Cilantro & Pistachio Pesto recipe as a base and sub in the basil and almonds for the cilantro and pistachio.  OR...I just came across a recipe for Broccoli Pesto that I'm dying to try, so why not weave another Crop Share veggie from this week into your BLT and use some of the broccoli for a pesto!  I know I'll be leaving out the cheese and adding more garlic to my version, because if you don't have dragon breath after eating pesto, then you didn't do it right.  The Boston lettuce will work great for your "L" but I suggest grabbing some larger tomatoes in store for your "T" as the cherry tomatoes will just fall the heck out of your sandwich.  BUT!  As an added bonus I made Brussels Sprouts Chips, as a healthy side to my leaning towers of bacon.  Let me just say, move over Kale Chips, there is a new green chip in town and it is the muscles from Brussels!  So I'll provide the recipe for those after the photo.

Baked Brussels Sprouts Chips

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh Brussels Sprouts, ends trimmed, exterior leaves discarded

1 - 2 Tbsp olive oil

Coarse ground salt & pepper to taste (or instead throw on some Dizzy Pig's Cow Lick Seasoning -- in store -- that's what I did!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pull apart leaves of Brussels Sprouts and spread evenly on a baking sheet.  You may need to core them a bit more to get all of the leaves off.  Then drizzle with olive oil and toss in your seasoning of choice.  Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until the chips have started to brown and caramelize.  Proceed to eat them all before you walk away from the oven.

Spicy Chickpea Quinoa Wraps

The Boston lettuce for the boxes this week is beautiful, and if there's one thing that this variety of lettuce is great for it's lettuce wraps!  Maybe it's the novelty of feeling like you're playing with your food, but I'm a big fan of things wrapped in lettuce.  There's really nothing like Korean BBQ scooped up into a giant leaf of lettuce.  Though perhaps the piece of lettuce makes me feel better about the horrifying quantities of pork belly I can consume.  So I'm not even going to try to recreate that sort of deliciousness, as I will leave that firmly in the hands of the masters.  Instead, here's a healthy, super-quick dish that's chock full of flavor and will make about enough for you to use up the entire head of lettuce.

Spicy Chickpea Quinoa Wraps

Ingredients:
1 head Boston lettuce, rinsed and leaves removed for wraps
1 Tbsp olive oik
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tsp of curry powder (or more if you live in my house and there can never be too much curry)
1/8 tsp cayenne (omit to avoid the heat, or if your curry powder is already on the spicy side)
15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (you can also toss in some quartered cherry tomatoes too)
1 cup cooked quinoa
Plain Greek yogurt or reduced fat sour cream for serving


Cook quinoa to package directions while you prepare the filling.

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion is translucent.  Add in garlic & ginger and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Stir in chickpeas, curry and cayenne (optional) and stir to fully coat.  Pour in can of tomatoes, including any liquid and stir to fully blend.  Bring mixture to a low simmer, remove from heat and stir in quinoa.  Allow to rest for a minute or two.

Serve a scoop of the curried quinoa mixture in each lettuce wrap, and top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or reduced fat sour cream, if desired.


Inspired by the Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas & Quinoa from Fat Free Vegan.

Grilled Eggplant Dip

Wellp, Miss Paula Dean has done it again. I think this dip would make a great lunch, appetizer or snack. I know it's too col to be out there grilling, but I know that doesn't slow many of you down. For those of you who don't grill in this weather, you should own a grill pan anyway or a panini press will do the trick!

Ingredients:
1 tsp of your favorite all-purpose seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
4 tablespoon tahini
6 garlic cloves, each cut into 3 to 4 lengthwise wedges
2 eggplants
3 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Boston Lettuce leaves
Paprika
Grilled pita bread, for serving

To view the rest of this recipe, please visit: http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/grilled_eggplant_dip/

Blackened Salmon Sandwiches

Move over tuna sandwiches. Here's a fresh new sandwich to have for lunch. These sweet potato fries would be the perfect side. 

The spice rub can be stored in an airtight plastic container for up to one month.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
4 four-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
4 slices crusty bread
1 head Boston lettuce
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced crosswise

To view the rest of this recipe, please visit: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Blackened-Salmon-Sandwiches-Martha-Stewart-193564)

Grilled Island Chicken Lettuce Wraps

To make a good lettuce wrap, you've gotta have the perfect wrapper. That means fresh lettuce. Boston lettuce also known as butter lettuce is the perfect leafy green to load up and roll. This easy recipe makes for a perfect healthy lunch. The apples give it a nice little crunch and the fresh veggies give it a nice balance.

Ingredients:
For chicken and marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
half teaspoon dried oregano
quarter teaspoon salt
quarter teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 chicken breasts

Vegetables for wrap:
Boston lettuce
1 large lemon
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber
large handful of green beans with ends trimmed
1 medium sweet onion
1 pepper
handful of spinach
1 large apple

To view the rest of this recipe, please visit: http://www.letstalkfitness.com/grilled-island-chicken-lettuce-wraps