roasted garlic broccoli

I bring to you a quick and easy recipe to get those veggies packed into your meals… in a way you will want to eat them! God knows I need all the help in that department I can get.

I am sorry about the lack of posts this past week. And I’m sorry if you have written me a comment and I have not responded. I was really on top of my updates for a while there. School just got super crazy within this last week and I am still trying to get on top of it. This whole Spanish senior thesis thing is driving me up a wall, mainly because (a) I have to re-read two Spanish books probably by next week, (b) I want to be in a blow-off non-literature-based Spanish class instead of writing this, and (c) I don’t want to have to present this in April… which I will have to do in front of a bunch of professors, unfortunately. I am already nervous.

Between that, having to write my chemistry senior thesis, all of my other classes and labs, and the start of hockey season (Let’s go Blues!), I have surrendered myself to the fact that I will probably have a minimal social life this semester.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
6 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
juice from half a lemon

Preheat oven to 375°F. On a baking sheet, toss together broccoli, olive oil, salt, and garlic. Spread out in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-23 minutes, until broccoli is cooked through and a little crispy in some parts. Squeeze lemon juice over broccoli and serve.

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papa g.’s famous caesar salad

Papa G.’s Famous Caesar Salad. No, I did not come up with that name myself. My dad did. And I could only publish the recipe if I stuck to his name.

I have been backlogged for forever, so this recipe should not have made an appearance on here for a couple of weeks. But, due to the polite request (read: mild harassment) of my father, I am posting it now.

This recipe has been in my family for ages, which is why I was initially torn about whether or not to relinquish it to the public. I remember trying to learn every step in the kitchen by my dad’s side. Then came the scary task of attempting to make the salad myself, which sometimes proved to be a tedious process as I tasted and tested until the proportions were just right. Now I have made this salad so much, I can tell when it is right solely by its appearance.

I absolutely hate ordering Caesar salads in restaurants because, nine times out of ten, I get what tastes like jarred Caesar dressing with a tiny bit of Parmesan and a couple of croutons over limp lettuce. But, this salad? I would replace every other Caesar salad with this salad if I could. Seriously.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 2-oz. tin anchovy filets, thinly sliced and oil reserved
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 large (or 3 small) hearts of romaine, torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup croutons (whatever kind you want)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
juice from half a lemon

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, sliced anchovies and reserved oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard until well combined. Toss romaine with dressing until evenly coated. Add in croutons, sugar, Parmesan, and lemon juice and thoroughly mix. It is recommended to serve in frosted bowls (just place you bowls in the freezer an hour or so before you’re going to eat!).

(healthy) seared tuna with lemon garlic sauce

It has officially been a week since the start of the New Year. To aid in all the weight loss and healthy eating resolutions, here is a quick and simple entrée that will look as good on your plate as it does on your waistline. One serving of this tuna (about a 4 oz. tuna steak) will run you around 250 calories. According to me, that’s practically nothing.

I hope you all are still sticking strong with your resolutions. I tend to think that week two of pretty much anything is always the hardest. Besides maybe sunbathing on a beach in the Caribbean.

My resolutions? Stop feeling guilty for absolutely everything—that has become a brand new talent of mine in the last couple of years—and stop picking at my split ends. Because that’s gross. And probably really bad for my hair.

I have felt a bit of unnecessary guilt and spied a split end or two in my hair during the past week, but I think I’ve done pretty good evading these bad habits, all things considered.

But, honestly, whether you have a healthy-eating resolution or not, you should try this tuna. I mean, 250 calories? Ten minutes in the kitchen? What do you have to lose?

seared yellowfin tuna with lemon garlic sauce

Makes 4 servings
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
For the tuna:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 medium yellowfin tuna steaks
Salt and pepper

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season tuna with salt and pepper. Place tuna in heated skillet and let cook for about 8 minutes, until tuna is light pink in the center, turning once (cooking time will depend on the size of your steak).

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add olive oil. Add garlic and stir constantly for about 1 minute, until garlic is golden. Stir in white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and continue cooking for about 3-4 minutes, until sauce is just slightly reduced. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve over tuna.