Cookbook Challenge - Week 12 - Minestrone Soup

I'm rediscovering my Moosewood cookbooks (or discovering them for the first time!). This soup recipe is from The New Moosewood Cookbook (Mollie Katzen's Classic Cooking). I was surprised how thick the soup is, and I did adjust it slightly along the way, so here's my version. I loved it and also shared it with my parents and my aunt who also really enjoyed it - in fact we ate it for lunch a couple days in a row! I think this recipe is one that can easily be adapted to what you might have in your fridge to use up too.

Minestrone
serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion (I just used 2 medium onions)
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 medium carrot, diced (I used two med-small)
• 1 small zucchini diced (or 1 cup diced eggplant)
• 1 small yellow squash diced
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp basil (dried) or 1 TB fresh chopped basil
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced (I had some sweet baby peppers to use up and so used about 5 of those plus about 1/4 of a green pepper that I had previously diced and frozen)
• 3-4 cups of water (or more to the consistency you prefer)
• 1 28oz can tomato puree
• 1 15 oz can cannelini beans (or chick peas)
• 1 cup dry pasta (any shape) (I used rotini)
• 2 medium sized ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup freshly minced parsley
• fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic and salt. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add celery, carrot, eggplant (if using), oregano, black pepper, basil. Cover and cook over very low heat and about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add bell pepper, zucchini, water and tomato puree. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Add beans and simmer another 5 minutes.
3. Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Add pasta, stir and cook until the pasta is tender. Stir in the diced fresh tomatoes and serve right away, topped with parsley and parmesan.

This recipe freezes well! I froze several servings when I made this and easily defrosted and ate it later in the week. A very filling lunch soup!
 

Cookbook Challenge - Week 11 - Tuscan Harvest Soup

Another new recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking For Health, another winner! A hearty vegetarian soup, or vegan if you leave out the parmesan on top. Get chopping and prep everything...

Tuscan Harvest Soup
serves 4-6 (makes about 10 cups)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TB olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 ribs of celery)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carots (about 4 large carrots)
• 1 cup chopped fennel bulb (about 1/2 fennel bulb)
• 2 cups chopped green cabbage (about 1/2 cabbage)
• 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 TB minced fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup finely shopped fennel leaves OR italian parsley
• 3 TB lemon juice
• 1 slice whole grain bread for each serving
• extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle)
• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• chopped fresh tomatoes for garnish

Directions:

1. In a covered soup pot on medium-low heat, cook the onions and salt in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ground fennel, and celery and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the chopped fennel bulb and cabbage, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the squash, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the squash softens but does not fall apart, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. In a blender, puree 1 cup of the beans with 1 cup of the soup. Stir the puree into the soup pot. Add the remaining beans and the black pepper, thyme, and fennel leaves/parsley. Simmer covered for at least 10 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded.
3. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and toast the bread. To serve, place a slice of toast in each soup bowl and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Ladle the soup over the bread and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top.
4. Top each bowl with fresh chopped tomatoes and or shredded Parmesan cheese. 

Nutrition: (does not include tomatoes or parmesan)
per 1 cup: 152 calories, 5g protein, 26g carbs, 6g fiber, 4g fat, 536g sodium

Cookbook Challenge - Week 10 - Polenta with Greens and Eggs

I'm convinced that The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health: More Than 200 New Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for Delicious and Nutrient-Rich Dishes is one of those cookbooks where just about everything sounds good and tastes great!  I went looking for an easy recipe to make after yoga class one night and came across this breakfast/dinner dish. I added in some sauteed onions and sliced baby portabellas to make it a little heartier for dinner. It was delicious! Here's my adapted recipe.

Polenta with Greens and Eggs
serves 4

Ingredients:
Polenta
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole grain cornmeal (I buy cornmeal labeled as Polenta in the bulk bins at Whole Foods)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Greens
1 bunch of Kale
2 TB olive oil
2 garlic cloved, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Onions & Mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, diced
6 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
2 tsp olive oil

Eggs
1 tsp olive oil
4 large eggs
1 TB water

Directions:

1. For the polenta, in a medium saucepan on high heat, bring water and salt to a boil. Gradually pour in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 10 min.
2. For the greens, remove hard stems and tear kale into 2 inch pieces. In a skillet on medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, kale and salt. Cover and cook until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, toss with the vinegar, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. For onions and mushrooms, heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until translucent and tender. Remove from heat and set aside. 
4. For the eggs, in same skillet, warm olive oil. Gently break the eggs into the skillet, drizzle in water, cover and cook on low until the egg whites are set, about 3 minutes.
5. Spoon polenta onto 4 plates, top with cooked kale, onions and mushrooms, place egg on top.

Optional: add grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh tomatoes on top.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 9 - Raspberry Mustard Crusted Chicken Breast

I am behind in posting, but don't worry, I've still been cooking from my cookbooks each week!

This one was from a cookbook I got out of the library actually - Canyon Ranch Cooks: More Than 200 Delicious, Innovative Recipes from America's Leading Health Resort. It was very tasty and used flavors I normally don't cook chicken with - but after it was done, I think it was too much work, I don't think I'll make it again unless for guests.

Raspberry Mustard-Crusted Chicken Breast 
serves 4

Ingredients:

for the raspberry mustard:
4 TB dijon
4 TB fresh or frozen raspberies
3 tsp honey

for the fig vinegar:
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
6 TB chopped dried figs
2 tsp honey

for the chicken breasts:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tsp minced pistachio nuts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. combine ingredients for raspberry mustard in blender until smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight to let flavors mingle.
2. In a small saucepan combine ingredients for fig vinegar. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer over low for 1 minute. Cool, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Strain.
3. With a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts between wax paper to 1/2 inch thick.
4. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, pistachios, salt and pepper. In a shallow pan, place chicken breasts in raspberry mustard sauce and turn to coat. Roll each in breadcrumb mixture.
5. Heat a large saute pan with olive oil. Saute breasts over medium until chicken is cooked through and light brown, about 3-5 min on each side.
6. Reheat fig vinegar in a small pan. Serve each breast with 2 TB fig vinegar.

Nutrition:
per serving: 295 calories, 24g carb, 9g fat, 85mg cholesterol, 30g protein, 620 mg sodium, 3g fiber

Cookbook Challenge - Week 8 - BBQ Pork Chops

I went looking for a quick dinner using what I had at home - and this recipe for BBQ Pork Chops from a cookbook that has been shown no love in my kitchen - The All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide.  The recipe was simple and the results delicious! I will use this recipe again on pork chops or chicken. Thad said it reminded him of bbq from L&L (a Hawaiian bbq chain in California). We were so hungry I forgot to snap a photo!

BBQ Pork Chops
serves 6

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 TB low-sodium soy sauce

Remaining ingredients:
6 (6 ounce) bone in (or boneless) center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler
2. Prepare sauce and place 1/4 cup of sauce in a small bowl, set aside.
3. Trim fat from pork. Combine thyme, garlic salt, pepper and sprinkle over pork. Place on broiler pan coated with cooking spray, cook 6 minutes each side, basting with remaining sauce. 
4. Serve pork chops with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Nutrition:
244 calories, 11.3g fat, 24.6g protein, 9.9g carbs, .2g fiber, 77mg cholesterol, 1.5mg iron, 649mg sodium, 22mg calcium

I served with steamed green beans and brown rice.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 7 - Tilapia with Fresh Herbs

Since I've been going to yoga class with Thad a few evenings a week and working a few days, I've had to look for recipes that could be prepped in advance or cook quickly. This recipe from Jillian Michaels' The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook  fit both of those requirements (plus I had everything in the house for it!). Only slightly adapted. (plus I only used 3 tilapia instead of 4 and only did 9 mushrooms instead of 12 since I was serving 3, not 4-- but the recipe below is calculated for 4)

Broiled Tilapia with Fresh Herbs, Mushrooms and Tomatoes
serves 4

Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
4 garlic cloves
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 TB fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
12 baby bella mushrooms
4 (4oz) tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2 cups grape tomatoes

Directions:

1. Spray baking sheet with olive oil or canola spray (I use my Pampered Chef large bar pan)
2. Place basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in food processor and process until uniformly chopped and well combined.
3. Remove stems from the mushrooms. (I saved them to throw on a stir fry the next night). Fill each mushroom cap with 1/4 tsp of the herb mixture. Place on baking sheet.
4. Arrange tilapia on baking sheet and spread herb mixture over them. Flip and spread the remaining mixture, making sure they are completely covered. Scatter the tomatoes around the fish.
5. NOTE: this is where I got to in the photo. I then covered the sheet in foil and stuck in the fridge so that I could just throw in the oven when I got home from class. 
6. Arrange rack in oven 6 inches from broiler. Preheat broiler.
7. Broil until the fish is firm and flakes easily - about 10 minutes. Place 1 tilapia, 3 mushrooms and some tomatoes on each plate and serve. (I added a side of brown rice as well that I had cooked earlier in the day).

Nutrition:
237 calories, 13g fat, 25g protein, 6.6g carbs, 132mg sodium (not including brown rice)

I didn't get a photo after it was broiled and plated - we were too hungry and I forgot! It was very flavorful and a nice light dinner to have when it's a late evening. I will definitely make again.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 6 - Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts

Again this week I'm cooking from my new favorite - Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients.  I had my parents and my aunt over for dinner and served this - it is now their new favorite meal to request (and in fact I'm making it again tonight for them!). It also gave me a chance to try out using a full size food processor. I had a small one for years, used it a few times but found it more trouble than it was worth to get out, assemble, then clean for what it could accomplish, it wasn't saving me any time. The past several months I've been contemplating getting a large one, but I really hated the thought of spending that much money and then maybe not liking it or not using it enough to justify it. I had this conversation with my friend Maddie and she offered to let me borrow her large food processor for awhile so I could test it out. This recipe was the perfect one for it. I only adapted it slightly, so here's my version below:

Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts
serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast cutlets - 4-6 ounces each (if you don't have cutlets, pound regular boneless skinless chicken breasts to be a thinner and even thickness)
• 2 slices whole grain bread (if you don't have any 'day old' bread that has dried out, toast it in a 375 degree oven for a few minutes, turn off the oven and leave the bread in there for 10 minutes - it will dry).
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 2 TB freshly grated Parmesan
• coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 large egg white
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a food processor bread, walnuts and parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Process until fine breadcrumbs form. Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate. 
• In another shallow bowl, beat egg white until frothy.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each breast into egg white and then into breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.
• In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, 1-3 minutes each side. 
• If your skillet is ovenproof, put skillet in oven, if not, use a baking sheet (I use my Pampered Chef stoneware bar pan). Bake until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 8-12 minutes.
• Remove chicken from oven, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the breasts and serve.

Nutrition:
note - their recipe used 6-8oz breasts rather than 4-6oz, so these calculations are probably a little high for my recipe as written I also used olive oil where they used grapeseed oil. 
per serving: 331 calories, 1.9g saturated fat, 9.6g unsaturated fat, 101mg cholesterol, 8.5g carbs, 44g protein, 603mg sodium, 1.6g fiber.

I served this dish with another recipe from the book, Farro and Mushroom Dressing. This recipe was also a huge hit and we enjoyed leftovers for a couple days with other meals too! I did substitute baby bellas instead of cremini, I did not use ham, and I substituted low sodium chicken broth for the white wine because I didn't have any.

We also had a salad and roasted asparagus with it as well.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 5 - Chicken with Fennel, Carrots & Couscous

This week I went overboard with my cookbook challenge - I actually had 4 items on my menu from my newest, and now absolute FAVORITE, cookbook - Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients. This book is from Whole Living Magazine, part of the Martha Stewart 'empire'. I've always found her recipes to be well constructed and tested - these are no exception! Every single one I made was excellent. In fact I think I may be cooking from this cookbook again next week.

The recipe I'm featuring here is one that used an item I'd never cooked with before - fennel. I was hesitant because generally anise is not a flavor I love - however cooked fennel in this dish does not taste at all like the anise I think of in baked goods. I enjoyed its texture and flavor and will definitely use it again. I love trying new vegetables! I made a couple adjustments to the recipe (instead of all dried apricot, I subbed 1/2 apricot and 1/2 golden raisins), and I think next time I might add some toasted pine nuts or almonds on top for garnish and extra nutritional value.

(photo from Whole Living)

Chicken Breasts with Fennel, Carrots and Couscous
serves 4
(slightly adapted by me)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup couscous
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6-8oz each)
• 1 3/4 tsp paprika
• coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 TB canola oil
• 1 fennel bulb (trim, core, thinly slice)
• 3 large carrots (peeled & thinly sliced)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/3 cup dried apricots (preferably unsulfured), chopped
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup black olives, halved (I used sliced black olives as that's what I had)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

Directions:

1. Pat chicken dry. Rub both sides with 3/4 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp salt. Season with pepper. In large skillet, heat 1 TB oil over med-high. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side, then transfer to plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 TB oil. When heated, add fennel and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp tender and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add remaining 1 tsp paprika, the cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt, season with pepper. Cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate, to the skillet, along with the apricots, olives, orange juice and broth. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft and chicken is cooked through. 12-15 minutes.
4. Bring water to boil in small saucepan, add couscous and stir. Cover and let stand until tender, about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Nutrition:
per serving: 492 calories, 1.4g saturated fat, 8.9g unsaturated fat, 99mg cholesterol, 50g carbohydrates, 46.5g protein, 703mg sodium, 6.5g fiber.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 4 - Trim Chicken Enchiladas

Last year after watching a segment on the Today show, on impulse, I ordered Secrets of a Skinny Chef: 100 Decadent, Guilt-Free Recipes by Jennifer Iserloh (intro by Joy Bauer of the Today show). I got the cookbook and was a little disappointed because it seems to have so many recipes that are not necessarily focused on healthy foods, but rather healthier versions of comfort foods (chicken parm, sloppy joes, steak and potatoes, mac and cheese, chicken pot pie), still using some of the things I've pretty much cut out of our diet. I know, it sounds crazy that I was disappointed, right? Well in changing how we eat and what we eat, I've gone away from those comfort food dishes and re-learned new foods to love and crave. The move to a more whole foods/clean eating/organic mentality is very different than a focus on a low-fat/low-cal one. So, the cookbook sat, unloved, unused. As part of this challenge I decided to try something from this book. Yesterday was our friend Vern's birthday so I told her to pick a recipe and I'd make it for her. We had friends coming over too, so certainly a good reason to celebrate. She picked chicken enchiladas.

Then I began reading the recipe and became skeptical - really? ricotta and mozzarella, thyme and rosemary in my Mexican dish? that sounded more Italian to me! I knew our friends would be up for trying out a new dish on them, so I went with it! I followed the recipe except I used regular burrito size flour tortillas because the local store I ran to had that or tiny taco size ones - no wheat options to choose from. So instead of making 8 enchiladas it made 6 since they were larger than the 8 inch tortillas indicated in the recipe.

I was very pleasantly surprised that everyone (including me!) loved these, and I could see making them again sometime (although I think I might add chopped jalepeno peppers for more heat). I will even try something else from the cookbook now too on a day we're craving some comfort foods but want to be a bit healthier about it!

Trim Chicken Enchiladas
serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 TB olive oil
1 10oz pkg sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 cup low fat or fat free ricotta cheese
1 10oz can enchilada sauce
6 burrito size flour tortillas (or 8 fajita size 8 inch wheat flour tortillas)
2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Warm oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms, peppers, onion, thyme, rosemary and salt. Cook 8-10 minutes until softened. Transfer to a plate.
3. Sprinkle the chicken with chili powder. Add chicken to the skillet on high and cook 5-6 minutes until the chicken starts to brown. Turn the heat off and stir in the ricotta and vegetables.
4. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about a minute. 
5. Pour enchilada sauce in a shallow dish (I used a square baking dish). 
6. Lightly coat each tortilla with the sauce and put scoops of the chicken mix on top of the tortillas (I used a 1/2 cup). Sprinkle with mozzarella. Fold up tortilla over the filling and roll. Place in a 13x9 baking dish. Repeat the process with all the tortillas. Pour any remaining sauce over the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbly and cracked on top.

The nutrition info in the book states 253 calories, 22g protein, 20g carbs, 11g fat (3.4 saturated), 30mg cholesterol, 2g fiber, 572 mg sodium.

(Mine were more because the serving for 8 was divided into 6 and the tortillas were bigger - so probably closer to 350 calories/enchilada and less fiber since I didn't have whole wheat tortillas).

I served with refried beans and cilantro-lime rice.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 3 - Pad Thai with Tofu

Thad picked this week's 'cookbook' recipe - Pad Thai from  Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day . This is a cookbook we received as a gift years ago from a vegetarian coworker friend. She had given us 3 books written by the chefs from Moosewood Restaurant Collective in New York. I've only made one other recipe from this particular cookbook and it was great, so I had high hopes for this recipe. As I was cooking I was a little leary as it wasn't quite looking like what I thought Pad Thai should - but once it all came together and the flavors melded - it was, and it was excellent!

Pad Thai (page 236)
serves 4-6; serving size - 8 ounces
Per serving (without tofu): 296 cal, 11.3g protein, 15g fat, 31g carbs, 71g sodium, 142 mg cholesterol
(note: I've adapted the recipe slightly and added in instructions for the Tofu if you choose to include it. You could also use cooked chicken breast pieces, shrimp, etc if you prefer.)

Ingredients:
2 quarts water
3/4 lb mung bean sprouts
6 ounces rice noodles (instead, I used 6 ounces Al Dente Pasta Spicy Sesame Linguine)
3 TB peanut oil

4 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups grated carrots
4 large eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
2/3 cup chopped peanuts
6-8 scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 TB canola oil (optional)
1 package Firm or Very Firm Lite Tofu (optional)
1/4 cup cornstarch (optional)

Sauce:
3 TB lime juice
3 TB ketchup
1 TB brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce

Directions:

1. (optional - if you are including Tofu) Take tofu out of package, drain and place on a plate or cutting board with a couple paper towels under it and over it. Place a weight over the tofu (bag of beans, etc) and let sit 30 minutes to help draw out more of the liquid. After 30 minutes, cut tofu into 1/2" cubes, then dredge pieces in cornstarch. Heat 1 TB canola oil in a nonstick frypan, then fry the tofu for about 7 minutes, turning often so all sides crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. In a covered pot, bring the water to a rolling boil. Blanch the bean sprouts by placing them in a strainer and dipping it into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Set aside to drain well. When the water returns to a boil, stir in the noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender but firm. Drain, rinse under cool water and set aside to drain well.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients.
4. Prepare the remaining ingredients and have them near at hand before you begin to stir fry. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, swirl them in the oil for a moment, and stir in the grated carrots. Stir fry for 1 minute. Push the carrots to the sides to make a hollow in the center. Pour the beaten eggs into the center and quickly scramble them. When the eggs have just set, pour in the sauce mixture and stir everything together. Add the drained noodles and sprouts and toss to distribute evenly. Stir in the peanuts and scallions, and serve at once.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 2 - Curried Cilantro Lime Chicken

Indian food has never been my thing, I think I had some heavy curry dishes that just turned me off from it years ago. However, Thad loves it and I know it's very healthy, so when I was looking through my Jillian Michaels' The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook for a recipe to try this week, I chose this one - Curried Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Sauce (p124) & Coconut-Ginger Yellow Rice (p208). I was skeptical (especially with the green sauce on the chicken not looking the prettiest and so I didn't take a photo) but Vern assured me that's how it was supposed to look. I was pleasantly surprised that I really liked both recipes and will definitely do them again - very flavorful! I didn't notice the curry flavor I was remembering, and I loved the tangy-ness of the cilantro-lime sauce and the rich texture of the rice.

The chicken with the sauce was 206 calories, 8.5g fat, 26.8g protein, 4.7g carbs, 273.3 mg sodium. The rice was 276 calories, 11.6g fat, 5g protein, 39.9g carbs, 134.2 mg sodium. A couple things I really like about this cookbook - in addition to complete nutrition information, it also lists the health benefits of each dish. The chicken dish is listed as: anti-cancer, heart healthy, boosts metabolism, improves mood, anti-inflammatory. The rice dish is listed as heart healthy, boosts metabolism, anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, healthy skin. I also like that the chicken recipe intro suggested making the rice recipe to go with it (I probably would not have known and would have just served plain rice). There's also helpful tips to help you time things to finish at the same time. Very well thought out cookbook!

Curried Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Sauce
serves 4

Ingredients:
for Chicken:
1 TB virgin coconut oil
1 tsp red curry paste
4 (4-5oz) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp honey

for Cilantro-Lime Sauce:
2 packed cups cilantro leaves
2 TB fresh lime juice
1 TB olive oil
1 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely chopped green chile
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over med-low heat, add the oil and curry paste and heat, stirring, until combined.
2. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook for 1 minute.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the chicken broth and the honey and stir to blend. 
4. Pour over the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes.
5. While the chicken is cooking,prepare the cilantro-lime sauce. In a blender, place the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, honey, chile, garlic, ginger, garam masala, salt and 3 TB water. Puree until smooth, adding another TB of water if necessary.
6. When the chicken is cooked, transfer to a plate and gently tent with foil to keep warm. Put the cilantro lime sauce in the pan and simmer until reduced and thickened. Return the chicken to the pan and flip each brest once or twice to coat with sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the chicken and serve.

Coconut Ginger Yellow Rice
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tsp virgin coconut oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cup coconut milk
thin quarter size slice of fresh ginger
1 cup long grain brown rice
4 lime wedges

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the shallot, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until the shallot begins to soften, 1-2 minutes.
2. Stir in the coconut milk, ginger and 1 1/4 cups water. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and return to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 45-50 min. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.
3. Remove and discard the ginger and fluff with a fork just before serving. Garnish with lime wedges.

Cookbook Challenge - Week 1 - Red Beans & Rice

(I'm going to count Sunday as the end of a week for the purposes of this challenge, so even though it was a short 'week' for the year, I'm going with today as the end of Week 1)

Yesterday on New Years I served a spiral sliced ham from Costco for dinner. Of course that means a ham bone and leftover ham! Thad mentioned red beans and rice, and I've been wanting to make something from a cookbook I got on our trip to New Orleans in October, Gumbo Shop : A New Orleans Restaurant Cookbook.

This was my first time making red beans and rice, so I followed the recipe carefully. The only adjustment I made was only using 1 TB of canola oil to cook up the veggies in a nonstick pan instead of the 1/4 cup the recipe called for. It was plenty! It came together rather easily and smelled delicious. Luckily it also tasted great too - in fact Thad claims it was better than the red beans and rice that we had at the actual Gumbo Shop restaurant in New Orleans.

Red Beans and Rice
serves 6

1 lb dry red kidney beans
2 quarts water
1 ham bone
1 bay leaf
1 TB canola oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Instructions:
Rinse beans well and sort through them. Place in a large pot, cover with the water and soak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (I did 6 hours and it was fine). Place the pot of beans over medium heat, add the ham bone and bay leaf, slowly bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Meanwhile heat 1 TB canola oil in a heavy skillet (I used a nonstick frypan) on medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and saute until soft. Then stir in the garlic, thyme, sage, black, white and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then add tot he simmering beans. Continue cooking until the beans are tender. Add salt to taste. Remove 1/4 cup of the cooked beans and mash through a strainer, then mix back into the pot. Simmer about ten more minutes and serve over steamed rice.

2011 Cookbook Challenge

Anyone interested in joining me for this challenge?

I don't know about you, but I have a couple shelves full of cookbooks. I love looking at them and browsing through recipes but seem to so rarely actually use them. More often than not I find something on a blog or website, or go online and do a search rather than planning and cooking something from those cookbooks.

So, I am going to challenge myself to cook 1 recipe each week from one of my cookbooks. Surely that's a doable challenge. I'll even share here what I cook!

I have several Moosewood cookbooks (primarily vegetarian), books from Rachael Ray, Pioneer Woman, Steamy Kitchen, Martha Stewart, Cooking Light and more. A good variety to choose from certainly. While I am cooking healthy, I'm sure there's something in those not so healthy cookbooks that will work too, even if it's a side or salad or a special Sunday meal.