Author Archives: Laura Torres

Ziti with Roasted Vegetables

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This is a standby meal that I make frequently for my family and for guests. It’s inexpensive, vegetarian, and everyone seems to like it. I love the roasted vegetables, especially the eggplant. I don’t have many good eggplant recipes, so when I see them in season at the grocery store, I’m eager to make this dish. If you don’t have the exact vegetables called for, substitute away. I’ve probably never made this quite the same way twice! I’ve included a recipe for homemade tomato sauce, but I frequently use canned sauce. The Trader Joe’s brand marinara is especially good. Ziti … Continue reading →

Triathlon or Bust 9: Chocolate Milk and Jelly Beans

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Over the last few years I’ve watched my road biker husband drink all sorts of weird, powdered concoctions in the name of “recovery.” I called them his performance-enhancing drugs, which isn’t that funny given all the recent scandals about doping in professional bike racing. But my point was, what’s wrong with regular food to meet even a competitive athlete’s needs? After realizing the importance of proper nutrition after starting my triathlon training, and how difficult it was to get it right, I was on the verge of giving in and trying one of the yucky-looking protein shakes. Then I read … Continue reading →

Triathlon or Bust 8: Open Water Swim Safety

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It is two weeks before my first triathlon, and I have yet to train in open water. My first ill-fated attempt in Santa Barbara ended because the ocean water was too cold. I went to Lake Natomas near my house yesterday, but the water temperature was only just above 50 degrees. Even with a wet suit, I could only stay in about 10 minutes before recognizing signs of my body temperature dropping too low. Part of the problem was I’d left my swim cap at home, and it was actually painful to put my head in the water. I knew … Continue reading →

Red Ribbon Coffee Cake

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Here’s another great recipe developed by my dietitian friend. She enjoys cake just as much as the next girl, but is a whiz at cutting out extra calories and fat. This coffee cake is a great morning treat, but it’s delicious any time of the day! Red Ribbon Coffee Cake Streusel Topping: 2 Tablespoons margarine 1/3 cup flour 1/2 cup granulated or brown sugar (I use brown sugar) 2 Tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped (optional) Red Ribbon: 1 egg white 1/4 cup red preserves, jelly or jam Cake: 1 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown … Continue reading →

Low-fat Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

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I used to live next door to a dietitian whose hobby was to take people’s favorite dishes and make them low-fat and healthy. Lucky me, I got to be the lab rat for tasting. This was one of my favorites that she transformed. I don’t even care what the original recipe was, because this one is so delicious, I wouldn’t make it the old way anyhow. Black Bean Tortilla Casserole 2 cups onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups green pepper, chopped 3/4 cup salsa or picante sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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The best pumpkin muffins ever. Try them and see if you don’t agree! This recipe is a little different than most muffin recipes where you fill the muffin cups halfway with batter. For these, you want to mound the batter in the cups because they don’t rise as much as regular muffins. Also, I had no luck with this recipe using jumbo muffin tins. They overcooked on the outside and were raw on the inside. I couldn’t get this right. Besides, a jumbo size one of these muffins is probably more than you need, because of the rich, heavy, cake-like … Continue reading →

Triathlon or Bust 7: Bike Gear for Beginners

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I’ve probably enjoyed bicycling as exercise more than any exercise I’ve ever tried, and stuck with it for about three years now. I’m actually looking forward to the bicycle leg of my upcoming triathlon, because this is where I have the best chance of a respectable time. Road biking is a lot of fun, and I wish I would have tried it sooner than my mid-thirties, but I was always a little mystified about what gear I would need and what kind of a bike to buy, and how much it would cost. Lucky for me, my husband helped me … Continue reading →

Salmon with Pineapple Orange Salsa

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This is an outstanding salmon dish introduced to me by an outstanding cook – my sister. She shared this recipe with me when I was first dating my now-husband. I think it’s one of the reasons he married me. This and my chocolate chip cookies with toffee bits, but that’s another blog. The salmon has a light, caramelized coating and the fruity/spicy salsa gives it some extra sweetness and zip. The salsa is so tasty, you’ll want to heap it on the fish, almost like a small side dish. It’s also very easy to prepare. So if you’re trying to … Continue reading →

Chicken Chalupas

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I recently edited a cookbook for our church congregation and got lots of great recipes with very little overlap. But three different people submitted this recipe. These are people I trust, so I tried the recipe and it is delicious, and my family loved it. So, here is the triple- (quadruple, including me) recommended recipe. Chicken Chalupas 1 dozen flour tortillas 4 large chicken breasts (cooked and diced) 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 pint sour cream 1/2 pound grated Monterey Jack cheese 4 green onions, sliced 1 can sliced black olives 1 small can green chili peppers 1/2 … Continue reading →

Top Chef Finale

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Last night the final contestants for Top Chef, Tiffani and Harold, finally got to do what they’d been waiting for: show their skill in creating a multi-course meal of their choosing. Both did very well and impressed an all-star panel of judges. There were a few missteps, but you could see that Lorraine Bracco wanted to lick her plate clean on several occasions. I was so hungry by the end of the episode I went upstairs to see what was in the pantry, and was so disappointed not to find any Kobe beef or artichoke risotto. I had to settle … Continue reading →