March 3, 2015 · 1:29 pm

Curried Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomatoes

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NGREDIENTS:

2 tsp              Olive Oil, divided

4 cloves         Garlic, chopped

1 ea                Red Jalapeño or Fresno Chile, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs             Ginger, chopped

1 lb                Flat Leaf Spinach, tough stems trimmed

tt                    Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1 ea               Onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp        Curry Powder

1 tsp              Chili Powder

2 15 oz cans  Chickpeas, rinsed

1 24 oz can     Whole, peeled tomatoes

a/n                   Flatbread or steamed white rice for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chile, and ginger; cook until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Working in batches, add spinach by the handful, tossing to wilt between additions. Cook until fully wilted and bright green, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper; reserve. Wipe out skillet and reserve.

Heat remaining 1 Tbs oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add curry powder and chili powder and cook until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and tomatoes with juices, squeezing tomatoes with your hand as you add, and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until tomatoes are broken down and sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Fold in spinach puree.

Serve with flatbread or streamed white rice.

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Filed under International Inspirations, Vegetarian Fare, What's for Dinner?

March 3, 2015 · 1:15 pm

Southwestern Chopped Salad

IMG_1220INGREDIENTS (Salad):

1 Lg           Head of Romaine Lettuce

1 can         Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 Lg           Bell Pepper, orange

1 pt            Cherry Tomatoes

2 cups        Corn, fresh or thawed

5 ea            Green Onions, chopped

INGREDIENTS (dressing):

1 cup           Cilantro, loosely packed stems removed and roughly chopped

1/2 ea          Avocado (or 1/2 cup greek or plain yogurt)

2 Tbs           Fresh Lime Juice (about 1/2 lime)

1-2 cloves   Garlic

1/4 cup        Olive Oil

1 1/2 tsp      White Wine Vinegar

1/8 tsp          Salt

DIRECTIONS:

For the dressing, puree all ingredients in a food processor/blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

For the salad, finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes and green onions. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Toss with desired dressing.

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Filed under Healthy Lunches, Sensational Salads, Vegetarian Fare, What's for Dinner?

March 3, 2015 · 1:00 pm

Soba Noodle Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

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INGREDIENTS:

6 oz            Soba Noodles, low sodium

1/2 cup      Peanut Butter, no stir

1/4 cup      Brown Rice Vinegar

1 Tbs         Agave Nector or Maple Syrup

1 Tbs         Fresh Ginger, minced

2 tsp          Soy Sauce, low sodium

1 clove      Garlic, peeled

1 Tbs         Lime juice

1/2 cup      Chopped Cilantro, divided

1 ea           Cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1 sm          Red Bell Pepper, sliced (1 cup)

2 Tbs         Peanuts, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

– Cook noodles in boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold running water.

– Puree peanut butter, vinegar, agave nectar, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, lime zest and 1/4 cup cilantro in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy, adding 2/3 tbs if warm water to thin if necessary.

– Toss together noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot and peanut mixture. Garnish with remaining cilantro and chopped peanuts, if using.

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Filed under Healthy Lunches, Sensational Salads, Vegetarian Fare

March 3, 2015 · 12:44 pm

Isreali Couscous with Cranberries, Walnuts and Sunflower Seeds served with Roasted Butternut Squash

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INGREDIENTS (Couscous):

3 cups         Chicken Broth, low sodium

2 cups         Pearl (Isreali) Couscous

1 cup           Dried Cranberries

1/2 cup        Sunflower Seed Kernals

1/4 cup        Walnuts

1/4 cup        Almonds, slivered

INGREDIENTS (Vinaigrette):

1/4 cup        Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Tbs           Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp         Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp         Black Pepper, ground

DIRECTIONS:

– Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan; stir couscous into boiling broth, reduce to low heat, and simmer until couscous is tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain couscous of any broth that did not absorb while cooking.

– Stir couscous, cranberries, sunflower seed kernels, walnuts, and almonds together in a bowl.

– Whisk vinegar, syrup, salt and pepper together in a small bowl; drizzle over couscous mixture and toss to coat.

– Serve with butter nut squash peeled, cut up and roasted at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

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March 3, 2015 · 12:03 pm

Chicken – Kale Pasta

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INGREDIENTS:

1 lb          Whole-Wheat Penne Pasta

6 oz         Chicken – skinned, boned and cut into 1-in pieces

tt              Kosher Salt

tt              Freshly Ground Pepper

2 Tbs       Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Unsalted Butter

4 cloves   Garlic, minced

1 cup        Chicken Broth, reduced sodium

3/4 cup     Dry White Wine

5 oz           Kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

2 cups       Grape Tomatoes, halved

1 cup         Parmesan Cheese, shaved

DIRECTIONS:

– Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain. Return pasta to pot and cover to keep warm.

– Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken in a single layer in hot oil and melted butter in a large skillet over high heat without stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn chicken. Cook 2 minutes or until done.

– Add garlic to skillet. Reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add broth and wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer 6-8 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add kale, stirring until kale wilts.

– Add kale mixture to reserved pasta. Stir in tomatoes, 1 cup shaved parmesan and reserved chicken; toss gently. Top and serve with additional shaved parmesan, if desired.

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Filed under Chicken Dishes, Fall/Winter Favorites, What's for Dinner?

April 23, 2014 · 6:23 pm

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

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INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 lbs                  Chicken Thighs, skinned

1 Tbs                        Olive Oil

1 lg                           Onion,  sliced thinly

2 tbs                        Brown Sugar, light

1/2 cup                   White Wine, dry

1 lg                           Orange, finely grated zest

3/4 cup                   Dried Apricots, ready-to-eat

1 Tbs                        Cilantro, fresh chopped

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINADE:

2 tsp                        Cumin, ground

1 tsp                         Coriander, ground

1/2 tsp                    Black Pepper, coarsely ground

1/2 tsp                    Salt

3 cloves                  Garlic, crushed

1 sm                         Red Chili, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup                    Orange Juice

DIRECTIONS:

To make the marinade, mix all of the marinade ingredients in a large flat dish such as a gratin dish. Add the chicken thighs and turn them in the marinade so they are well coated. Cover and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or over night. Heat the oil in the tagine base over medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and fry gently until it is just beginning to brown; remove from the pan. Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Add the chicken pieces to the tagine and fry until they are evenly brown. Return the onion to the tagine with sugar, wine and orange zest. Stir well and add a little more salt and pepper. Cover with the tagine lid and simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Add the apricots, re-cover, and continue simmering for 1 1/2 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender. When the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it becomes syrupy.

 

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Filed under Chicken Dishes, Comfort Cuisine, Fall/Winter Favorites, International Inspirations, Moroccan Tagines

March 7, 2013 · 8:16 pm

Chicken Marsala

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INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs            Chicken Breast, scaloppine or bias cut into bite sized pieces.

8 oz              Crimini Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 ea          Shallot, finely chopped

2 cups          Marsala Wine

2 cups          Chicken Broth

1/3 cup        All-Purpose Flour

tt                   Salt and Pepper

tt                   Lemon

an                  Butter and Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Dredge chicken pieces in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in a skillet until hot.  Place dredged chicken in skillet to brown on both sides.  As chicken will be browned in several batches place cooked chicken in oven safe dish and place in warm oven.  Repeat until all chicken has been nicely browned.  Add more olive oil to the pan if necessary and sauté shallots and sliced mushrooms until brown.  Add the marsala to the pan and bring to a simmer to cook out the alcohol.  Add the chicken broth and return the cooked chicken to the pan.  Simmer to reduce the sauce.  Add butter to thicken as needed and salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.  Serve over pappardelle pasta.

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Filed under Chicken Dishes, What's for Dinner?

March 7, 2013 · 1:02 pm

Tortilla Soup (aka taco soup)

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INGREDIENTS:

1 cup            Chicken, Beef or Vegetable Broth, low sodium

1 ea                Roma Tomato, halved

1 ea                Carrot, halved

1 ea                Celery Stalk, halved

1 slice            Onion, thin and peeled

1 clove           Garlic, peeled

1 slice             Yellow Squash, thin

1 slice             Red Bell Pepper, thin

1 slice              Cabbage, thin

1 ea                  Mushroom

tt                      Salt and Pepper

1 tsp                Taco Seasoning (or taco sauce)

dash                Cumin

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup             Chicken Breast, cooked

1/2 ea                Jalapeno, fresh

1/4 cup             Olives, pitted

1/4 cup              Corn, canned and drained

2 oz                     Tortilla Chips, baked

Place all soup base ingredients into the Vitamix or other blender in order listed and secure lid – I like to double all ingredients for our family of four.  Select hot soup program.  If adding optional ingredients, select variable 2.  Drop in optional ingredients and blend for an additional 10 seconds.

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Filed under Blender Bests, Fall/Winter Favorites, Super Soups, What's for Dinner?

March 7, 2013 · 12:39 pm

Spring Green Smoothie

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INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup          Green Grapes

1 ea                  Orange, peeled, halved and seeded

1/2 ea             Lemon, peeled and seeded

1/2 ea             Cucumber, cut into large chunks

1/2 ea             Green Apple, seeded

1 cup               Kale, pine removed

1 cup               Parsley Leaves

1 cup              Pineapple Chunks, frozen

2 cups           Ice Cubes

Place all ingredients in the vitamix or other blender in the order listed.  Select smoothie program and complete cycle.

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Filed under Blender Bests

March 7, 2013 · 12:03 pm

Persimmon Salad

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INGREDIENTS:

3              Persimmons, diced (about 1/2″)

1               Apple, cored and diced

1/2          Papaya, seeded and diced

1T            Mint, fresh and rough chopped (optional)

2 Cup     Baby Spinach

VINAIGRETTE:

1             Orange, juiced

1/2        Lemon, juiced

1 tsp      Orange Zest

1 tsp      Lemon Zest

1T          Agave or two dates

1T          Olive Oil

1T           Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 tsp  Allspice or Cinnamon

Blend all vinaigrette ingredients.  Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with vinaigrette to distribute evenly.  Serve over a fresh bed of spinach.

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Filed under Fall/Winter Favorites, Sensational Salads