Mmmmm coconut milk! Who doesn't love the creamy, slightly sweet taste of coconut milk! Here is a dish that makes a creamy curry coconut milk sauce with apples and onions, poured over chicken and baked in the oven. It tastes like you spent a lot of time on it, but it's actually really simple! The sauce is also delicious over veggies, if you are a vegetarian.
Apple Chicken Curry (enough for 2)
One boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in half (or two breasts, if you are really hungry!)
One apple, cored and chopped
1/4-1/2 onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons (or more!) of curry powder
2/3 cup coconut milk (I use lite coconut milk to cut back on calories)
1/4 cup chicken (or veggie) broth
rasins (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken in baking dish.
2. In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute the apples and onions for 5 minutes.
3. Add the curry powder and flour, stir.
4. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk, bring to a simmer.
5. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with raisins, if desired.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes.
Serve with rice and veggies.
Monday, November 8, 2010
"Ghetto" Chicken and Dumplings
Okay, so it's not REALLY ghetto, but I call it that, because it uses a LOT of shortcuts! This one is definitely husband-approved, especially as it gets colder. Enjoy the eas of using of your crock pot for this one, and you don't even have to thaw the meat (I know some people say this is dangerous because the crock pot doesn't heat it fast enough, but I haven't died yet)!
"Ghetto" Chicken and Dumplings (this makes enough for 2 very hungry people, with a little left over)
1 chicken brest, frozen
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium), plus some
seasonings (garlic powder, pepper, salt, anything else you like!)
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies (I use the Publix bag of mixed carrots, lima beans, corn and green beans)
1 small can biscuits (I use the Pillsbury Grands 5 count)
1. Pour chicken broth in the crock pot. Stir in cream of chicken soup. Add seasonings.
2. Place frozen chicken in the crock pot. Add enough chicken broth if necessary to just cover chicken. Cook on LOW about 3-4 hours.
3. Remove chicken from crock pot. Shred with two forks, and replace. Stir in veggies. Continue to cook on low another 3-4 hours.
4. About 2 hours before serving, open biscuits. Cut them into fourths and drop on top of the liquid in the crockpot.
When you go to serve, you should have a layer of golden brown biscuits on the top, and delicious simmering chicken and dumplings on the bottom!
"Ghetto" Chicken and Dumplings (this makes enough for 2 very hungry people, with a little left over)
1 chicken brest, frozen
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium), plus some
seasonings (garlic powder, pepper, salt, anything else you like!)
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies (I use the Publix bag of mixed carrots, lima beans, corn and green beans)
1 small can biscuits (I use the Pillsbury Grands 5 count)
1. Pour chicken broth in the crock pot. Stir in cream of chicken soup. Add seasonings.
2. Place frozen chicken in the crock pot. Add enough chicken broth if necessary to just cover chicken. Cook on LOW about 3-4 hours.
3. Remove chicken from crock pot. Shred with two forks, and replace. Stir in veggies. Continue to cook on low another 3-4 hours.
4. About 2 hours before serving, open biscuits. Cut them into fourths and drop on top of the liquid in the crockpot.
When you go to serve, you should have a layer of golden brown biscuits on the top, and delicious simmering chicken and dumplings on the bottom!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Quickie Hot Cocoa
So now it's fall, and the cooler nights are upon us, even here in the South! Perfect for some hot cocoa! But what happens when you have no mix (and no ingredients to make mix)? Here's a tastier alternative to chocolate syrup in warm milk!
This can be made "Karly-Friendly" aka Vegan by subbing almond or soy milk for the regular milk.
This makes about 4 servings--I halved it, but the recipe is easier to write whole (1/3 looks prettier than 1/6 cup!). I only used 2 Tbsp sguar for our 2 servings.
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 c baking cocoa powder
1/3 cup water
dash salt
4 cups milk (whole, 2%, 1%, skim, almond or soy)
3/4 tsp vanilla
cinnamon, whipped cream or whatever else you like on cocoa!
1) In a saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa powder, water and salt. Heat to boiling, boil for 2 minutes. Add milk, heat to serving temp (not boiling).
2). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Whisk til foamy. Pour and serve :)
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
"Karly-Friendly" recipes! (Vegan raspberry mocha cake and pumpkin bread)
Hello readers! Sorry it's been awhile...my creativity in the kitchen has been sub-par lately. But I'm back on a roll!
Now you may be thinking "What the heck is a Karly-Friendly recipe?!" Well, foodies, I'll tell you. My friend Karly is doing The China Study diet. This basically entails cutting out all animal proteins except fish, and replacing it with plant protein, on the basis that Americans get too much of their protein from animal products. In other words, she's gone vegan.
Well, Miss Karly recently had a birthday, and her hubs, Brad, threw her a party. A SURPRISE party. To be nice (and because I love to cook), I asked him if he wanted me to make her birthday cake--that way, he wasn't trying to hide one. I then decided to make a VEGAN cake, so she wouldn't have to cheat on her diet. I found the recipe for Vegan Raspberry Mocha Cake, and it was a SMASH HIT! The term "Karly-friendly" was coined because she is also in our bible-study group, so if I bring snack (last night was a vegan pumpkin bread, even though Karly wasn't there--also a smash hit, and nothing feels like autumn like pumpkin bread!), I always have to tell her if it's "karly-friendly!"
So from now on, if a recipe is marked "Karly-Friendly" on my blog, it is 100% vegan :)
On to the recipes!
Vegan Raspberry Mocha Cake with Chocolate Ganache
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4c. water
2tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups original flavor almond milk
3-4Tbsp double-strong coffee (or one shot espresso)
raspberry jam
fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup Ghiradelhi chocolate chips (or other vegan chocolate chips)
1 Tbsp almond milk
3 Tbsp strong coffee
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9inch cake pans with canola oil or vegetable shortening.
2. In a bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, and oil. Stir in water. Stir in vanilla.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.
4. Measure out almond milk, stir in coffee.
5. Alternate adding flour mixture and almond milk mixture to sugar mixture.
6. Pour into prepared pans, bake for 40 mins. When done, cool on a wire rack.
7. Once cool, place bottom layer of cake on a plate. Spread with raspberry jam. Place top layer of cake. Glaze with ganache, let it drip down the sides. Garnish with fresh berries.
Chocolate Ganache
1. In a bowl over simmering water, melt chocolate chips mixed with almond milk. Remove from heat; add coffee.
2. Let cool slightly, to set up. Glaze cake.
**if ganache is too thin, put in the fridge until it reaches the consistency you like.
Super-Moist pumpkin bread (from Allrecipes)
*for me, this made one 9x5 loaf, and a few muffins. For the muffins, bake at 350 for about 25mins.*
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups pumpkin puree (one 15oz can)
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup raisins (optional--I used them)
2/3 cup shredded coconut (optional, I didn't use it)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, applesauce, and coconut milk.
4. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, stir until combined. Fold in walnuts, raisins (if using) and coconut (if using). Pour into prepared pan (NO MORE than 3/4 full or it will overflow!). Use extra batter to make muffins.
5. Bake 1 hour 15 mins. Check periodically--if it is browning too quickly, cover with foil--it will reflect the heat off the top to keep it from browning too much, but still cook the inside. (I had to do it with about 25 mins left, when I put in the muffins!).
6. Cool on a wire rack.
Eat and be merry!
Now you may be thinking "What the heck is a Karly-Friendly recipe?!" Well, foodies, I'll tell you. My friend Karly is doing The China Study diet. This basically entails cutting out all animal proteins except fish, and replacing it with plant protein, on the basis that Americans get too much of their protein from animal products. In other words, she's gone vegan.
Well, Miss Karly recently had a birthday, and her hubs, Brad, threw her a party. A SURPRISE party. To be nice (and because I love to cook), I asked him if he wanted me to make her birthday cake--that way, he wasn't trying to hide one. I then decided to make a VEGAN cake, so she wouldn't have to cheat on her diet. I found the recipe for Vegan Raspberry Mocha Cake, and it was a SMASH HIT! The term "Karly-friendly" was coined because she is also in our bible-study group, so if I bring snack (last night was a vegan pumpkin bread, even though Karly wasn't there--also a smash hit, and nothing feels like autumn like pumpkin bread!), I always have to tell her if it's "karly-friendly!"
So from now on, if a recipe is marked "Karly-Friendly" on my blog, it is 100% vegan :)
On to the recipes!
Vegan Raspberry Mocha Cake with Chocolate Ganache
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4c. water
2tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups original flavor almond milk
3-4Tbsp double-strong coffee (or one shot espresso)
raspberry jam
fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup Ghiradelhi chocolate chips (or other vegan chocolate chips)
1 Tbsp almond milk
3 Tbsp strong coffee
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9inch cake pans with canola oil or vegetable shortening.
2. In a bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, and oil. Stir in water. Stir in vanilla.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.
4. Measure out almond milk, stir in coffee.
5. Alternate adding flour mixture and almond milk mixture to sugar mixture.
6. Pour into prepared pans, bake for 40 mins. When done, cool on a wire rack.
7. Once cool, place bottom layer of cake on a plate. Spread with raspberry jam. Place top layer of cake. Glaze with ganache, let it drip down the sides. Garnish with fresh berries.
Chocolate Ganache
1. In a bowl over simmering water, melt chocolate chips mixed with almond milk. Remove from heat; add coffee.
2. Let cool slightly, to set up. Glaze cake.
**if ganache is too thin, put in the fridge until it reaches the consistency you like.
Super-Moist pumpkin bread (from Allrecipes)
*for me, this made one 9x5 loaf, and a few muffins. For the muffins, bake at 350 for about 25mins.*
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups pumpkin puree (one 15oz can)
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup raisins (optional--I used them)
2/3 cup shredded coconut (optional, I didn't use it)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, applesauce, and coconut milk.
4. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, stir until combined. Fold in walnuts, raisins (if using) and coconut (if using). Pour into prepared pan (NO MORE than 3/4 full or it will overflow!). Use extra batter to make muffins.
5. Bake 1 hour 15 mins. Check periodically--if it is browning too quickly, cover with foil--it will reflect the heat off the top to keep it from browning too much, but still cook the inside. (I had to do it with about 25 mins left, when I put in the muffins!).
6. Cool on a wire rack.
Eat and be merry!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
L'Shana Tovah!
OY VEY my sorely neglected blog! I am SO SORRY!
I vow to remember to update at least once a week!
However, I plan to make a very special meal on Saturday, so I wanted to share about it! Today began the 2-day Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and it is symbolized by feasting! People traditionally eat apples and honey, for a sweet new year. I'm hoping to have 2 friends over, plus Craig and I--and some extra food for leftovers! I know this meal is DEFINITELY not kosher, mixing milk and meat..but I'm more going for a layout of traditional foods for friends to try, not really to stay kosher. Some of these are new recipes for me...like the sweet potato latkes and the honey cake. The roasted chicken and kugel I've done before. I'll be sure to update you on how they came out!
So my menu will be:
Roasted chicken--this one is easy. Get a chicken, rinse well, pat dry. Rub olive oil all over the chicken, and then sprinkle with pountry seasoning. You can add other seasonings too, if you like. Place in a roasting pan, and cook at 350 degrees, 15 mins to every 1lb of weight. Most chickens now have the little pop up thing in the thigh, so you'll know the internal temp is 170-180.
Sweet potato latkes--a nice twist on regular potato latkes! I've never made them before, so I'm excited to try. I hope they come out good!
(8 servings)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I may use egg substitute)
Chopped onion, to taste (I'll probably chop up quarter or half of one)
1Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves (optional)
1. Place sweet potatoes and onion in a colandar. Squeeze to get out all the water.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Fry pancake-sized amounts in hot oil, 2 or 3 at a time. Drain on paper towels.
**It is important with latkes to let the oil get hot again before each batch!**
Applesauce Kugel (for 6)
I love Kugel! It's so delicious--sort of a firm noodle pudding. This is a healthier version of a typically high-fat favorite.
1/2 of a 16 oz package of egg noodles (no-yolk works well)
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. fat free sour cream
3/4 c. egg substitute
1/2c. sugar
4 oz. (1/2 c) applesauce
1/2tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp. raisins
cinnamon (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 9 dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook noodles al dente. Drain well.
3. Combine melted butter, sour cream, egg substitute, sugar, lemon juice, and applesauce in a large bowl. Add noodles and raisins. (Note: to plump raisins, soak them in hot water for 10 mins, then drain. You can also add them to the boiling water with the noodles.)
4. Put in baking dish. Sprinkle cinnamon on top if desired (you can also make a "crust" by sprinkling crushed graham crackers on the bottom of the pan).
5. Bake 45-60 minutes, until set. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
Dinner will be rounded out with some steamed veggies or maybe a nice green salad. I may make Matzo Ball Soup too, but I use a mix for that because I'm lazy :) I'm considering baking or getting some challah bread as well.
On to dessert, a Rosh Hashanah tradition: Honey Cake! This is also a lighter version of a typically high-fat dessert...so dieters and health conscious, no worries! This is a new recipe I found, so hopefully it comes out great! Honey cake is better if made the day before, and then wrapped tightly--and it keeps REALLY well; up to 1 week when wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container at room temp!
Honey Cake
1 Tbps canola oil
1/4c applesauce
3 egg whites
1/2c. honey
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
1/4c. almonds
1/4 c. fresh brewed coffee, room temp.
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease with cooking spray and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Mix oil, egg white, honey, brown sugar, and applesauce in a bowl on medium for 3 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds.
4. Alternately add flour mixture and coffee to the egg white mixture, mixing well. The batter will be THIN. Pour into prepared pan, rap hard on counter to break up air bubbles.
5. Bake 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack in the pan.
I may make some apples stewed in spiced red wine to accompany my cake.
L'Shana Tovah! (That's well wishes for a new year in Hebrew!)
I vow to remember to update at least once a week!
However, I plan to make a very special meal on Saturday, so I wanted to share about it! Today began the 2-day Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and it is symbolized by feasting! People traditionally eat apples and honey, for a sweet new year. I'm hoping to have 2 friends over, plus Craig and I--and some extra food for leftovers! I know this meal is DEFINITELY not kosher, mixing milk and meat..but I'm more going for a layout of traditional foods for friends to try, not really to stay kosher. Some of these are new recipes for me...like the sweet potato latkes and the honey cake. The roasted chicken and kugel I've done before. I'll be sure to update you on how they came out!
So my menu will be:
Roasted chicken--this one is easy. Get a chicken, rinse well, pat dry. Rub olive oil all over the chicken, and then sprinkle with pountry seasoning. You can add other seasonings too, if you like. Place in a roasting pan, and cook at 350 degrees, 15 mins to every 1lb of weight. Most chickens now have the little pop up thing in the thigh, so you'll know the internal temp is 170-180.
Sweet potato latkes--a nice twist on regular potato latkes! I've never made them before, so I'm excited to try. I hope they come out good!
(8 servings)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I may use egg substitute)
Chopped onion, to taste (I'll probably chop up quarter or half of one)
1Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves (optional)
1. Place sweet potatoes and onion in a colandar. Squeeze to get out all the water.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Fry pancake-sized amounts in hot oil, 2 or 3 at a time. Drain on paper towels.
**It is important with latkes to let the oil get hot again before each batch!**
Applesauce Kugel (for 6)
I love Kugel! It's so delicious--sort of a firm noodle pudding. This is a healthier version of a typically high-fat favorite.
1/2 of a 16 oz package of egg noodles (no-yolk works well)
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. fat free sour cream
3/4 c. egg substitute
1/2c. sugar
4 oz. (1/2 c) applesauce
1/2tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp. raisins
cinnamon (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 9 dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook noodles al dente. Drain well.
3. Combine melted butter, sour cream, egg substitute, sugar, lemon juice, and applesauce in a large bowl. Add noodles and raisins. (Note: to plump raisins, soak them in hot water for 10 mins, then drain. You can also add them to the boiling water with the noodles.)
4. Put in baking dish. Sprinkle cinnamon on top if desired (you can also make a "crust" by sprinkling crushed graham crackers on the bottom of the pan).
5. Bake 45-60 minutes, until set. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
Dinner will be rounded out with some steamed veggies or maybe a nice green salad. I may make Matzo Ball Soup too, but I use a mix for that because I'm lazy :) I'm considering baking or getting some challah bread as well.
On to dessert, a Rosh Hashanah tradition: Honey Cake! This is also a lighter version of a typically high-fat dessert...so dieters and health conscious, no worries! This is a new recipe I found, so hopefully it comes out great! Honey cake is better if made the day before, and then wrapped tightly--and it keeps REALLY well; up to 1 week when wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container at room temp!
Honey Cake
1 Tbps canola oil
1/4c applesauce
3 egg whites
1/2c. honey
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
1/4c. almonds
1/4 c. fresh brewed coffee, room temp.
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease with cooking spray and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Mix oil, egg white, honey, brown sugar, and applesauce in a bowl on medium for 3 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds.
4. Alternately add flour mixture and coffee to the egg white mixture, mixing well. The batter will be THIN. Pour into prepared pan, rap hard on counter to break up air bubbles.
5. Bake 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack in the pan.
I may make some apples stewed in spiced red wine to accompany my cake.
L'Shana Tovah! (That's well wishes for a new year in Hebrew!)
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Okay folks. This one isn't really husband-approved, for the reason that he didn't like the spice of the mango chutney. However, I REALLY liked it, so it still gets put on here, with a note of caution: it has a little bit of a kick. It's also a little time consuming. This was my first time eating butternut squash, let alone cooking with it, and I was happy with the results. Hubby is just a big baby about spices :-)
If you don't know, mango chutney is essentially mango preserves with ginger. Chutney is used often in Indian cooking; I found this in the ethnic food section of our local Publix grocery store. You can use it for many things, including making a glaze for chicken (the recipe is on the jar we bought).
This made enough for two, and there was filling left over. I made it as a vegetarian main dish; originally the recipe (from Taste of Home) called it a side-dish. I thought it made WAY too much for a side dish.
Adjust as you like--already have some leftover cooked rice? Use that. Want to use brown rice or some other rice? Sure.
1 Small butternut squash
1/2 cup (uncooked) brown rice
3 Tbsp dried cranberries (I used a Sunmaid Craisin/Raisin mix)
3 Tbps mango chutney
3/4 tsp curry powder
Pinch brown sugar
Salt and pepper
Butter or margarine
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Start rice. (Brown rice takes about 45 minutes to cook.) 1/2 cup brown rice needs about 1 1/4 cups water.
3. Slice the butternut squash in half longways. Scoop out the pulp/seeds. Place skin-side-up in a glass baking dish. Pour enough hot water into the dish that it comes up about 1/2 inch. Bake 30-40 minutes until tender. Let cool enough to handle. LEAVE THE OVEN ON.
4. Scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash, leaving about a 1/4 inch shell.
5. Mix the flesh with the other ingredients. Scoop filling into the shells. Dot with butter/margarine.
6. Bake, filling side up, 20-30 minutes.
**coming this week--a curried couscous and veggies dish, and FINALLY the white bean cassoulet!**
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tofu Parmesan
Okay, it sounds weird. But it's delish! The thing with tofu is you have to let it drain on paper towels REALLY well, or it'll be soggy and nasty. Even my husband, who is not a tofu, fan, will eat this!
Still need to get you guys the recipe for the vegetarian bean cassoulet, pancakes, and uhh banana creme pie? I haven't made that last one yet. Also this week--stuffed butternut squash!
Tofu Parmesan
1 package extra-firm tofu (you may not use the whole package)
1 egg, beaten
bread crumbs
pasta sauce (any variety)
mozzerella cheese
Pasta
1. Cut tofu how you please (it comes in kind of a square-rectangle--I like to cut it so that I still have wide, but thinner, pieces, but you can cut it into long rectangular chunks too. DRAIN tofu you are using on paper towels (takes about an hour, changing out the paper towels every so often). Store what you are not using in a container with water.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking dish by spreading a little pasta sauce over the bottom (keeps stuff from sticking).
3. Heat nonstick spray in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Dip the tofu in egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Put in the skillet and cook on both sides until crisp.
5. Place in the baking dish. Cover with sauce and cheese to your liking. Bake 15-20mins.
6. Serve over pasta.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
OH I almost forgot--PICTURES!
SLACKER--and Jamaican Red Bean Stew
So I completely forgot all the stuff I meant to put up here...I need to look back. The vegetarian bean cassoulet, the corn-black bean chowder, spinach enchiladas, tofu parmesan...too much! But I'm on summer break now, so I'll catch up, especially since this week is a "boring" week--meatless tacos tomorrow (still on the vegetarian fast), left overs on Tuesday, pancakes on Thursday (YES breakfast for dinner, I LOVE it!)--the only days that will be recipe interesting are Wednesday and Friday. An apple-curry sauce over chicken (veggies for me), and a pasta-chickpea-spinach-sundried tomato concoction on Friday.
As for today, Jamaican Red Bean Stew! I realize it probably isn't really Jamaican at all, as I'm sure my islander friends will tell me....but this is what it was called in my Quick Fix Vegetarian Cookbook. This was decently tasty, but I thought it had too much liquid--however, in the crock pot, it's a delicate balance, because you don't want to not have enough liquid and have things dry out/burn. I wrote the recipe as I did it today, but next time I may use a bit less of the veggie broth. Also, I thought it could be spicier, but my husband liked it as-is. May want to add more garlic too (I just used the garlic-onion tomatoes to save a step--if you use fresh minced garlic, saute it in olive oil or olive oil spray for a few minutes before adding it to the crockpot). So season to taste-- :) We had it with homemade corn bread (recipe follows as well). Enjoy!
1 can garlic-onion diced tomatoes, drained
3 scallions (green onions), chopped
2 cups sliced baby carrots
1 sweet potato, peeled and in large (1/2 to 1 inch) dice
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I used ground red pepper)
1 cup veggie broth
1 13.5-14oz can light unsweetened coconut milk
2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1. Add tomatoes, scallions, carrots, sweet potato, curry, thyme, allspice and red pepper to crock pot (and the fresh sautéed garlic, if using). Stir.
2. Add the broth, coconut milk and beans. Stir.
3. Cook on LOW 6-8 hrs.
Corn Bread
3/4 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 8oz can creamed corn
2 eggs, slightly beaten (can probably use 1/2 c. egg substitute)
1 cup milk (can use reduced fat or skim)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan (I use a glass one) with nonstick spray.
2. Mix flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl mix eggs, milk, corn and oil. Mix well.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix until well combined.
5. Pour in the prepared dish. Bake 20-25 minutes (I do the full 25).
Leftover cornbread is also really good warmed up with jam or preserves as a snack!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Massaman Curry
Hello there, friends!
It's been a BUSY weekend, but I finally got a free second to post!
This is a massaman curry, which is a curry with potato in it. This uses curry paste instead of powder, and can be VERY spicy if you use too much of the paste! I buy mine at the Asian Market here in town, it's about a dollar for a can. We only use about a tablespoon of it, but if you like more heat--my friend Kris uses the WHOLE can!! Usually here in the Roubos house, we eat it over brown rice. This is pretty versatile, use whatever veggies you like, and you can use chicken or tofu. I'll write the recipe for chicken, but note that if you use tofu, it's best to saute it separately, then pour the sauce and veggies over it, rather than cook it in the sauce as you would the chicken, or it will get soggy.
Massaman Curry and Vegetables (serves 2)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 or 3 red potatoes, diced (depending on the size of the potatoes)
1 can lite coconut milk
1 Tbsp (or more!) of red mossoman curry paste
veggies (we use a bag of fresh broccoli and carrots, they are the kind you find with the fresh produce that you can steam in the bag--it's just more convenient to use that!)
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the curry paste and the coconut milk until combined and simmering.
2. Add the chicken and potatoes. Stir. Cook, covered, 10 minutes.
3. Add the veggies. Stir. Cook covered, another 10 mins.*
Serve!
* you can also steam your veggies separately, then add the chicken/sauce over them. I like to do this to make sure they stay crisp.
Later to come: a vegetarian bean cassoulet, and a corn and black bean chowder!
It's been a BUSY weekend, but I finally got a free second to post!
This is a massaman curry, which is a curry with potato in it. This uses curry paste instead of powder, and can be VERY spicy if you use too much of the paste! I buy mine at the Asian Market here in town, it's about a dollar for a can. We only use about a tablespoon of it, but if you like more heat--my friend Kris uses the WHOLE can!! Usually here in the Roubos house, we eat it over brown rice. This is pretty versatile, use whatever veggies you like, and you can use chicken or tofu. I'll write the recipe for chicken, but note that if you use tofu, it's best to saute it separately, then pour the sauce and veggies over it, rather than cook it in the sauce as you would the chicken, or it will get soggy.
Massaman Curry and Vegetables (serves 2)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 or 3 red potatoes, diced (depending on the size of the potatoes)
1 can lite coconut milk
1 Tbsp (or more!) of red mossoman curry paste
veggies (we use a bag of fresh broccoli and carrots, they are the kind you find with the fresh produce that you can steam in the bag--it's just more convenient to use that!)
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the curry paste and the coconut milk until combined and simmering.
2. Add the chicken and potatoes. Stir. Cook, covered, 10 minutes.
3. Add the veggies. Stir. Cook covered, another 10 mins.*
Serve!
* you can also steam your veggies separately, then add the chicken/sauce over them. I like to do this to make sure they stay crisp.
Later to come: a vegetarian bean cassoulet, and a corn and black bean chowder!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
EEEP I didn't mean to neglect you! Several recipes to follow...
Sorry guys, life caught up with me! I have many recipes to post, and some pictures to put up, but I'm on the work computer, so the pics will come later. Also, starting today I am going on a vegetarian fast! I got a vegetarian cookbook, so many of my recipes up will be veggie-friendly. Of course, my hubby will still be eating meat, so there may be some meaty recipes up too. I'll be on this fast until hubby hears if he was selected for an interview...so depending on how long that takes, we'll see how long vegetarianism lasts! Also, though I am fasting from sweets as well, there may be some sweets recipes up if we bring something to a potluck. Keep checking back!
So I'll start with the crockpot recipe from 2 Sundays ago...Bavarian Pot Roast. This came out pretty darn good! It was different for sure. I do have a pic I'll post later. For now:
Bavarian Pot Roast (the recipe says this makes enough for four, but we had enough for 2 + lunch-sized leftovers)
1lb bottom round oven roast, trimmed of fat (our roast was 1.87lbs, and I cut it in half and trimmed probably about 1/4lb of fat off the bottom of it! And this is a LEAN cut of meat! If you don't trim, you can just remove the fat after cooking)
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1/3 cup no salt added tomato sauce (I got a small 8oz can and froze what was left for later)
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 carrots, peeled & sliced (or use baby carrots)
potatoes (I cut 3 or 4 petite red potatoes in quarters, no peeling!)
1Tbs + 1tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs + 2tsp water
1. You can skip this step, but I sauted the onions with a little olive oil cooking spray. Put in a large bowl.
2. Brown the roast on all sides in the same pan you sauted the onions in (don't COOK it, just brown it). Place in the crockpot.
3. Add apple juice, tomato sauce, vinegar, salt, cinnamon and ginger to the bowl with the onions. Mix well, pour over roast in the slow cooker.
4. Cook 7 hours. With about 2 hours left, add the carrots and the potatoes.
5. Remove roast from slow cooker to slice. Mix the water and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves, add to the juices in the crock pot. Whisk until thick (with the crockpot still on).
6. Serve!
Coconut Tilapia
A staple in our house, because I don't like fish that much, but I love coconut!
1/2 lb tilapia filets (either two 1/4-lb ones, or cut a big one in half)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp flour
1/3-2/3 shredded coconut (to taste...I like a lot, hubby likes not so much, so I prob use more than this!)
1 Tbsp creole seasoning (we use Zatarans, it's like 1.50 for a big thing of it at the grocery store), or more if you like more spice
cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray.
1. Put the cornstarch and egg in separate bowls. In a 3rd bowl, mix together the flour, coconut, and creole seasoning.
2. Dip the fish fillets in the cornstarch; shake lightly to remove excess. Then dip in the egg; let excess drip off. Finally, coat in the coconut mix. Place on the baking sheet. (I sometimes take some in my hands and press it on the fish once it's on the baking sheet).
3. Spray the tops of the fish with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 12-16 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets
(if you used frozen, if they were thawed completely. I get mine fresh and freeze them myself if I don't use them right away, and if they don't thaw completely before cooking I keep them in the 16 minutes. They are easier to handle if they are thawed all the way though!)
Apricot Chicken
The first time I made this was for a Valentines Day date (trying to use ingredients found in the biblical book Song of Songs), but hubby liked it so much we make it often! This makes enough for 2, but I kept the ingredients for the sauce at 4 because I like the sauce on my side dish (usually barley). If you don't like it saucy, cut the liquid ingredients in half.
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 in cubes
Salt/pepper
1/4 onion, chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp basalmic vinegar (we used a raspberry blush basalmic vinegar)
5-10 dried apricots (depending on size), with half of them cut in half (leave the rest whole)
1/2 cut apricot preserves (low-sugar ones work in this recipe)
1/2 c. chicken broth (we use low-sodium)
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme (rosemary also does well)
1. Heat a skillet with some olive oil cooking spray (or just regular non-stick spray).
2. Season the chicken with the salt/pepper, and cook until brown on the outside but still pink inside, 3-5 mins.
3. Add the onion (if using) and cook about 2 mins more, until soft.
4. Add the basalmic vinegar, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add the apricots and the chicken stock, bring to a simmer.
6. As soon as it simmers, stir in apricot preserves and thyme. Cover and simmer 10-15 mins.
7. EAT!
For Valentines Day, we served this with Jasmine rice, but for everyday, we eat it with barley (the pearled stuff that takes 45 mins, not the quick-cooking), which is a whole grain and has high nutritional value with lower calories than rice (100 cals per 1/4 dry cup, which cooks up to a LOT). Jasmine rice is white rice and does not have much nutrient value to it. You could also use browrn rice. And of course, a nice green veggie!
Basic Shepherd's Pie, but a healthier version! This is enough for 2 + leftovers
So this is easy, and when I first made it, I told my hubby that I felt "ghetto" because well, it isn't complex, and we were super-newlyweds and I wanted to impress him with my cooking prowess. He told me it was fine (between mouthfuls!). I use ground turkey breast--did you knwo the plain ground turkey has as much fat and calories as ground beef?! I was SHOCKED! It's becasue the plain ground turkey uses who knows what parts--white meat, dark meat, etc., but the breast uses, obviously, the white-meat breast!
Potatoes (I use red potatoes, no peeling)--enough to make mashed potatoes with (varies depending on the potatoes you are using)
1/2 lb ground turkey breast
2 cups mixed frozen veggies, thawed (nuke 'em for 1 minute)
1/2-3/4 c. ketchup (could use tomato sauce too)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1/8-1/4 tsp chilipowder
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1. Boil the potatoes until tender; mash (add milk, butter, garlic, parmesan cheese if you choose). Set aside.
2. "Brown" the ground turkey breast (it actually turns white, not brown) in a medium skillet, drain off any liquid (shouldn't be much, unless it was frozen first, then there might be some from ice crystals).
3. Add the veggies to the skillet. Mix.
4. Mix the ketchup, mustard and chili powder together. Pour over the meat and veggies, mix well.
5. Dump the meat-veg mixture in a 8x8 glass baking dish. Spoon and spread the mashed potatoes on top.
6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until heated through. If desired, add a little shredded cheddar cheese on the top the last 2 minutes of bake time.
EAT!
Spicy Mango/Sweet Potato Chicken
Do yourself a favor--GET FROZEN MANGOS. Lesson learned--fresh ones are a pain. They are a pain to peel, don't yield much, and are hard to tell when they are good and ripe. We like this over whole wheat pasta or rice. You can also adjust the seasonings to make it spicier!
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large mango, peeled and cut into cubes (or use the frozen equivalent, just thaw it first!)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp teryaki sauce OR tamari soy sauce for a different taste (get it at an Asian market--I just use the teryaki and it's fine)
1/4 c.. water
1 Tbsp + 1/2tsp honey
hot sauce, to taste (I just use a dash or two of Tabasco)
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes--I use just a dash of the ground, because it gets HOT)
1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 3/4 tsp water
Whole wheat pasta or rice, cooked
1. Boil the sweet potatoes JUST until fork-tender, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet (I actually used a wok) sprayed with non-stick spray on medium-high heat, cook the chicken cubes until no longer pink in the center (about 5mins). Remove from skillet, set aside.
3. Spray with a little more cooking spray. Add garlic, saute about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the teryaki/soy sauce, water, honey, and hot sauce, bring to a simmer.
5. Whisk in the dissolved cornstarch until thickened.
6. Add the chicken, sweet potato, mango, and red pepper flakes. Stir gently; cook and stir until hot.
7. Serve over whole wheat pasta or rice, with a green veggie!
OKAY! I think I'm all caught up now. Enjoy!
Later today/tomorrow I'll post the pics, plus a Mossoman Curry recipe we are having tonight (Thursday). On friday we are having a vegetarian white bean cassoluet, so I'll let you know how that goes too!
So I'll start with the crockpot recipe from 2 Sundays ago...Bavarian Pot Roast. This came out pretty darn good! It was different for sure. I do have a pic I'll post later. For now:
Bavarian Pot Roast (the recipe says this makes enough for four, but we had enough for 2 + lunch-sized leftovers)
1lb bottom round oven roast, trimmed of fat (our roast was 1.87lbs, and I cut it in half and trimmed probably about 1/4lb of fat off the bottom of it! And this is a LEAN cut of meat! If you don't trim, you can just remove the fat after cooking)
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1/3 cup no salt added tomato sauce (I got a small 8oz can and froze what was left for later)
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 carrots, peeled & sliced (or use baby carrots)
potatoes (I cut 3 or 4 petite red potatoes in quarters, no peeling!)
1Tbs + 1tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs + 2tsp water
1. You can skip this step, but I sauted the onions with a little olive oil cooking spray. Put in a large bowl.
2. Brown the roast on all sides in the same pan you sauted the onions in (don't COOK it, just brown it). Place in the crockpot.
3. Add apple juice, tomato sauce, vinegar, salt, cinnamon and ginger to the bowl with the onions. Mix well, pour over roast in the slow cooker.
4. Cook 7 hours. With about 2 hours left, add the carrots and the potatoes.
5. Remove roast from slow cooker to slice. Mix the water and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves, add to the juices in the crock pot. Whisk until thick (with the crockpot still on).
6. Serve!
Coconut Tilapia
A staple in our house, because I don't like fish that much, but I love coconut!
1/2 lb tilapia filets (either two 1/4-lb ones, or cut a big one in half)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp flour
1/3-2/3 shredded coconut (to taste...I like a lot, hubby likes not so much, so I prob use more than this!)
1 Tbsp creole seasoning (we use Zatarans, it's like 1.50 for a big thing of it at the grocery store), or more if you like more spice
cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray.
1. Put the cornstarch and egg in separate bowls. In a 3rd bowl, mix together the flour, coconut, and creole seasoning.
2. Dip the fish fillets in the cornstarch; shake lightly to remove excess. Then dip in the egg; let excess drip off. Finally, coat in the coconut mix. Place on the baking sheet. (I sometimes take some in my hands and press it on the fish once it's on the baking sheet).
3. Spray the tops of the fish with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 12-16 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets
(if you used frozen, if they were thawed completely. I get mine fresh and freeze them myself if I don't use them right away, and if they don't thaw completely before cooking I keep them in the 16 minutes. They are easier to handle if they are thawed all the way though!)
Apricot Chicken
The first time I made this was for a Valentines Day date (trying to use ingredients found in the biblical book Song of Songs), but hubby liked it so much we make it often! This makes enough for 2, but I kept the ingredients for the sauce at 4 because I like the sauce on my side dish (usually barley). If you don't like it saucy, cut the liquid ingredients in half.
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 in cubes
Salt/pepper
1/4 onion, chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp basalmic vinegar (we used a raspberry blush basalmic vinegar)
5-10 dried apricots (depending on size), with half of them cut in half (leave the rest whole)
1/2 cut apricot preserves (low-sugar ones work in this recipe)
1/2 c. chicken broth (we use low-sodium)
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme (rosemary also does well)
1. Heat a skillet with some olive oil cooking spray (or just regular non-stick spray).
2. Season the chicken with the salt/pepper, and cook until brown on the outside but still pink inside, 3-5 mins.
3. Add the onion (if using) and cook about 2 mins more, until soft.
4. Add the basalmic vinegar, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add the apricots and the chicken stock, bring to a simmer.
6. As soon as it simmers, stir in apricot preserves and thyme. Cover and simmer 10-15 mins.
7. EAT!
For Valentines Day, we served this with Jasmine rice, but for everyday, we eat it with barley (the pearled stuff that takes 45 mins, not the quick-cooking), which is a whole grain and has high nutritional value with lower calories than rice (100 cals per 1/4 dry cup, which cooks up to a LOT). Jasmine rice is white rice and does not have much nutrient value to it. You could also use browrn rice. And of course, a nice green veggie!
Basic Shepherd's Pie, but a healthier version! This is enough for 2 + leftovers
So this is easy, and when I first made it, I told my hubby that I felt "ghetto" because well, it isn't complex, and we were super-newlyweds and I wanted to impress him with my cooking prowess. He told me it was fine (between mouthfuls!). I use ground turkey breast--did you knwo the plain ground turkey has as much fat and calories as ground beef?! I was SHOCKED! It's becasue the plain ground turkey uses who knows what parts--white meat, dark meat, etc., but the breast uses, obviously, the white-meat breast!
Potatoes (I use red potatoes, no peeling)--enough to make mashed potatoes with (varies depending on the potatoes you are using)
1/2 lb ground turkey breast
2 cups mixed frozen veggies, thawed (nuke 'em for 1 minute)
1/2-3/4 c. ketchup (could use tomato sauce too)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1/8-1/4 tsp chilipowder
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1. Boil the potatoes until tender; mash (add milk, butter, garlic, parmesan cheese if you choose). Set aside.
2. "Brown" the ground turkey breast (it actually turns white, not brown) in a medium skillet, drain off any liquid (shouldn't be much, unless it was frozen first, then there might be some from ice crystals).
3. Add the veggies to the skillet. Mix.
4. Mix the ketchup, mustard and chili powder together. Pour over the meat and veggies, mix well.
5. Dump the meat-veg mixture in a 8x8 glass baking dish. Spoon and spread the mashed potatoes on top.
6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until heated through. If desired, add a little shredded cheddar cheese on the top the last 2 minutes of bake time.
EAT!
Spicy Mango/Sweet Potato Chicken
Do yourself a favor--GET FROZEN MANGOS. Lesson learned--fresh ones are a pain. They are a pain to peel, don't yield much, and are hard to tell when they are good and ripe. We like this over whole wheat pasta or rice. You can also adjust the seasonings to make it spicier!
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large mango, peeled and cut into cubes (or use the frozen equivalent, just thaw it first!)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp teryaki sauce OR tamari soy sauce for a different taste (get it at an Asian market--I just use the teryaki and it's fine)
1/4 c.. water
1 Tbsp + 1/2tsp honey
hot sauce, to taste (I just use a dash or two of Tabasco)
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes--I use just a dash of the ground, because it gets HOT)
1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 3/4 tsp water
Whole wheat pasta or rice, cooked
1. Boil the sweet potatoes JUST until fork-tender, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet (I actually used a wok) sprayed with non-stick spray on medium-high heat, cook the chicken cubes until no longer pink in the center (about 5mins). Remove from skillet, set aside.
3. Spray with a little more cooking spray. Add garlic, saute about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the teryaki/soy sauce, water, honey, and hot sauce, bring to a simmer.
5. Whisk in the dissolved cornstarch until thickened.
6. Add the chicken, sweet potato, mango, and red pepper flakes. Stir gently; cook and stir until hot.
7. Serve over whole wheat pasta or rice, with a green veggie!
OKAY! I think I'm all caught up now. Enjoy!
Later today/tomorrow I'll post the pics, plus a Mossoman Curry recipe we are having tonight (Thursday). On friday we are having a vegetarian white bean cassoluet, so I'll let you know how that goes too!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
A homemade mocha frappuccino?
DID I JUST GO THERE? Oh yes, friends. Yes I did.
This evening, after hanging out with my friend E, I was craving a frap. So I went on ye ol' interwebs, and thanks to Recipezaar, I found a frap recipe. It got good reviews, so we tried it...DELISH! So now, I share it with you, including my changes. This makes enough for 2 glasses. (OH, and can you make it low-cal? YES YOU CAN!)
Also, coming up (probably tomorrow): A photo of the white bean spinach pasta (The first recipe I ever posted), along with a recipe for tomorrow nights dinner (if it goes well), a pot roast with a twist! And maybe a photo of that too. Later in the week will be a spicy mango-sweet potato chicken dish, an apricot chicken dish, and a simple shepherd's pie.
I'm excited, because I ordered a vegetarian cookbook from Amazon--can't wait to try recipes and share them with you all...of course I'll give the author credit! And of course with summer coming, I'll have a lot more time to be creative in the kitchen, so get ready for baked goodies as well....homemade bagels (easier than you think), a honey wheat sunflower bread (time consuming, but worth it), and my first attempt at homemade pastas and ice cream (without a ice cream maker! I have a cookbook that tells you how to still-freeze).
And now, on to Mocha Frap Deliciousness.
1/2 cup milk (regular, lowfat, fat free, we used Light Vanilla Soymilk because I'm lactose intolerant)
1Tbs+1tsp sugar (we used 4 packets of splenda)
2Tbsp chocolate syrup
1/3 cup strong coffee (I actually used decaf because it's 9pm, and we it was a hazelnut blend)
2cups (maybe more?) of ice
1. Throw milk, sugar, chocolate and coffee in a blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Add ice. Blend until thick.
(Ours came out a little thin, even with 2 cups of ice...so maybe add more? It was still delicious, and not bad for a first attempt!)
Variations I'm going to try: adding peppermint extract to make a Mocha Mint Chip frap, changing out the chocolate for caramel syrup, adding a little flavored creamer to it.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
This isn't a recipe but...
This is the fruit salad I had with my lunch today. Strawberries, peaches, and fresh blueberries courtesy of Dr. Roubos and the lab at UF he works at! Add a Dannon Light and Fit Pomegranate Berry yogurt and a Powerbar Simple Energy (Roasted Peanut flavor) granola bar, and you have a tasty lunch!
Also, I wanted to try out how to post pictures! I made the sweet potato curry last night, but didn't actually get to photograph it--it's a staple in our house though, so there will be other opportunities. Tonight is Coconut Tilapia--I'll remember to take pics this time and post with the recipe!
Monday, May 17, 2010
An easy, refreshing dessert
So I was in Michigan this weekend, therefore I didn't do much cooking. However tonight when we got back, we had some Bear Creek brand Tortilla Soup. It's a mix you get at the grocery store, and it was quite good! I've had their potato soup, and while homemade is better, it is good in a pinch!
Sunday nights are usually a light dinner in Michigan--they call it "lunch." From what I can tell, "lunch" is a light meal (cold cuts, etc.), but DINNER is a large, hot, noontime meal. So dinner comes first on Sundays, right after church, and lunch (or supper, interchangeable) comes later in the evening. Last night was was they called "Barbeque" which is actually more like sloppy joes/chili that you eat on a roll. It's got ground meat, rice, and some kind of sauce, but not really bbq sauce? Anyway, mommy-in-law whipped up this refreshing side/dessert to eat with it (actually, she told me how, and I made it). What I really like is you can adapt this to your taste and dietary needs--you can use whatever fruit you like, fat free sugar free pudding, lite cool whip, skim milk, etc. This recipe is exactly what we did last night (but I picked out the mandarin oranges, because I don't like them).
Ambrosia Salad
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1/3 cup milk
1 8oz container cool whip
1 can mixed fruit cocktail, drained
1 can pineapple, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1. Put pudding mix in a large bowl. Add milk, whisk until combined (will be like a thick paste)
2. Add cool whip.
3. Fold in fruit.
4. Chill if desired (we ate it right away!)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Crockpot Potato Soup
MMMM who doesn't love a bowl of steamy, creamy potato soup! This one is fast and easy, and is a basic recipe, so you can adjust as you like! I've sprinkled cheese on top, dumped it over slightly steamed broccoli, and of course just eaten it with crusty bread. You can make it vegetarian too (see * notes at the bottom of the recipe). This is much easier with an immersion (hand) blender, but if you just have a regular blender, no problem--just be CAREFUL blending hot liquids!
8-10 hours in the crock pot on LOW
8 cups of peeled, diced potatoes (use red potatoes, in the bag....it took about 6 of those, because they are kinda small)
1 can cream of chicken soup (we use Campbell's Healthy Request)*
2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth*
seasonings as you like: chopped onion (I'd saute it first), chopped green onion (no saute required), garlic, salt, pepper, etc. etc.
1 8oz package cream cheese (we used fat free!), softened
1. Dump the potato, soups, and seasonings in the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
2. Add the softened cream cheese, stir, recover. Stir it every once in awhile, until it's all melted and incorporated (there may still be some bits, but that's okay)
3. If you have an immersion blender, put it in the soup and pulse until cheese is blended in and desired consistency is reached (We like some potato chunks still in it). If you don't have an immersion blender, CAREFULLY put 2-3 cups of the soup in a regular blender, puree, and return to the crockpot.
4. Dress up as you like! Bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese, pour it over lightly steamed broccoli.....and Enjoy!
*To make vegetarian, use cream of potato, onion, or celery soup, and vegetable broth
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Polenta Pizza, aka Pizza Mush
This was an interesting one! Polenta is essentially a grits-like concoction of corn meal and water that you can season with various things; it is a staple in Caribbean and spanish households. I liked it; it was a good quickie meal that was pretty healthy. It doesn't come out really like pizza, since polenta is soft---but it was pretty tasty!
2/3 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups water
basil, oregano, garlic, etc.
tomato sauce/pizza sauce/Ragu/whatever you like
Pizza Toppings (we just used turkey pepperoni)
mozzerella cheese (we used fat free, but anything works)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
1. Bring corn meal, water and salt to a boil; cook, stirring, about 3-5 mins, until thick. As it thickens, add garlic, basil, oregano--whatever you want to season it with.
2. Pour polenta into an 8x8 dish, cover with waxed paper, chill until firm. (I stuck it in the freezer for 20-30mins).
3. Top polenta with sauce and toppings, but NOT CHEESE. Bake 10mins.
4. Add cheese. Bake 3-5 mins more, until cheese is bubbly and melted.
We just had a salad with this. We let it cool while we at the salad, so that it would set up a bit and make it easier to serve.
Coming soon: Cinnamon pancakes and a very versatile Banana Cream Pie!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Curry, yum!
Lately I have had a serious craving for Indian/Asian/Mediterranean cuisine, especially curries. I love cooking with curry, because it is so versatile, and you can adjust to your own tastes. I am in the process of looking up some good Indian recipes. I'm a big fan of the Hare Krishna lunches they serve around UF/SFC! Vegetarian (they call them karma-free; the Hare Krishnas believe that it is bad karma to eat animals for the pleasure of our own stomachs and that it will come back to us--I'm not a vegetarian, but I appreciate and respect their opinion!), well-spiced, and absolutely DELICIOUS (I recommend trying it if you get the opportunity!).
Tonight's dinner will be a vegetarian sweet potato/spinach curry that is fast an easy to make. I like this because during the week we are often short on time. Canend tomatoes and chickpeas,, as well as frozen spinach, make this a snap, and the meal itself takes less than 10 minutes to throw together! We like it over brown rice (which takes much longer than the actual meal to cook!), or barley, and another veggie or salad. It is also tasty as leftovers, and sometimes has move of a kick because it has had time to absorb the curry-seasoned liquid.
Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Curry (recipe found originally at recipezarr.com)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-1 1/2 inch chunks
2 tsp (or more) of curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
sprinkle cinnamon
1 can (undrained) diced tomatoes with onion and garlic
1 can (drained) of chickpeas
3 Tbsp water
1 package frozen spinach, thawed (I just do it in the microwave while I'm preparing other stuff)
1. Boil the sweet potatoes until JUST tender (otherwise they will fall apart when you mix them in). Drain, set aside.
2. In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, and spices; bring to a simmer.
3. Add the spinach, stir, return to a simmer.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, stir well so that all ingredients are mixed together. Cover, cook 3-5 minutes.
5. EAT!
Tonight's dinner will be a vegetarian sweet potato/spinach curry that is fast an easy to make. I like this because during the week we are often short on time. Canend tomatoes and chickpeas,, as well as frozen spinach, make this a snap, and the meal itself takes less than 10 minutes to throw together! We like it over brown rice (which takes much longer than the actual meal to cook!), or barley, and another veggie or salad. It is also tasty as leftovers, and sometimes has move of a kick because it has had time to absorb the curry-seasoned liquid.
Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Curry (recipe found originally at recipezarr.com)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-1 1/2 inch chunks
2 tsp (or more) of curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
sprinkle cinnamon
1 can (undrained) diced tomatoes with onion and garlic
1 can (drained) of chickpeas
3 Tbsp water
1 package frozen spinach, thawed (I just do it in the microwave while I'm preparing other stuff)
1. Boil the sweet potatoes until JUST tender (otherwise they will fall apart when you mix them in). Drain, set aside.
2. In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, and spices; bring to a simmer.
3. Add the spinach, stir, return to a simmer.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, stir well so that all ingredients are mixed together. Cover, cook 3-5 minutes.
5. EAT!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Thurdsays=Busy=CASSEROLE!
We have church on Thursday nights here in the Roubos household. Now, since I have allergy shots and I don't get home til after 5pm sometimes, and Dr. R doesn't get home til 5pm usually as well, and we have to be at church at 6:40...this gives us a bit of a time crunch! This is where the infamous casserole comes in. I love this one, which has chicken, broccoli, and cheese. You could probably cook the chicken ahead and have it in the fridge, or use thawed frozen broccoli, but I like to do it fresh, and the oven has to preheat anyway!
Enjoy this quick and tasty casserole for two!
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 in cubes
1 head of broccoli, chopped (can use less if you don't like that but, but I LOVE it!)
1 can cream of chicken soup (we use the Campbell's Healthy Request)
1/3 soup can of milk (we use skim)
shredded cheddar cheese (I probably use about 1/3c., you can use more or less)
Salt/pepper, as you like
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. While oven is preheating, place broccoli in a pot with about 2 inches of water. Boil 4 minutes, drain.
3. In a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, cook chicken until no longer pink.
4. Put cooked chicken, broccoli, soup, milk, cheese, salt and pepper together in a casserole dish. Mix well. (ours is a round glass pyrex one, about 2 quarts I think)
5. Mix breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle on top of the casserole. (Sometimes, I just sprinkle the bread crumbs on dry and dot with a little butter instead of mixing it)
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
We like it with another green veggie, or a salad!
I think I need to start taking pictures of things I make! Tomorrow is Breakfast for Dinner night, and we'll probably have my special whole wheat cinnamon pancakes! YUM!
Eat well and be well, loves!
Enjoy this quick and tasty casserole for two!
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 in cubes
1 head of broccoli, chopped (can use less if you don't like that but, but I LOVE it!)
1 can cream of chicken soup (we use the Campbell's Healthy Request)
1/3 soup can of milk (we use skim)
shredded cheddar cheese (I probably use about 1/3c., you can use more or less)
Salt/pepper, as you like
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. While oven is preheating, place broccoli in a pot with about 2 inches of water. Boil 4 minutes, drain.
3. In a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, cook chicken until no longer pink.
4. Put cooked chicken, broccoli, soup, milk, cheese, salt and pepper together in a casserole dish. Mix well. (ours is a round glass pyrex one, about 2 quarts I think)
5. Mix breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle on top of the casserole. (Sometimes, I just sprinkle the bread crumbs on dry and dot with a little butter instead of mixing it)
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
We like it with another green veggie, or a salad!
I think I need to start taking pictures of things I make! Tomorrow is Breakfast for Dinner night, and we'll probably have my special whole wheat cinnamon pancakes! YUM!
Eat well and be well, loves!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Fad Diets--What's the big deal?
So, if you know me, you know I have a pet peeve with fad diets. You know the ones I'm talking about--South Beach, Atkins, even Slim Fast or the Special K Challenge. Now, you may be saying
"What's so wrong with those diets? They work, don't they? And YOU aren't on one, so why do YOU care?" Well, friends in Blog land, let me TELL you why!
I may not be on a diet, or need to be on a diet (though I perpetally THINK I need to be...we need not get into that here), but I am a stickler for good nutrition. And good nutriton means balanced meals. And balanced meals include all your food groups and all your major food components: Fats, Proteins, and Carbs. YES my friends, you need FAT in your diet! You know what happens if you don't have SOME fats? Your skin gets dry/nasty, your hair gets dull/dry/falls out, and it can even slow down your thinking and function, because fats is what protects your nerves and other essential organs from damage! Now I'm not saying go eat McDonalds every day, but you do need some GOOD fats, such as olive oil, some nuts (almonds, walnuts), canola/soybean/sunflower/peanut oil, etc. Stay away from saturated fats/hydrogenated oils/trans fats. My other thing is I have considered many of these diets to lose a "few quick pounds" before a big event, so I have researched many of them in detail. What I found was horrifying (especially about Slim Fast and Special K!). Read on, if you dare.
Many of these "fad diets" exclude one of these groups, usually the carbs. "CARBS ARE BAD!" they scream. "Protein is what you need to stay full!" This is a true statement, protein WILL keep you fuller, longer. But so will fat, and so will fiber! Also--you NEED carbs. Carbs are where your energy comes from. Protein helps to rebuild muscle and recover from exercise, carbs give you the energy to DO all that. Ever see someone on Atkins or South Beach (in phase I anyway)? They are CRANKY and TIRED! Why? These diets eliminate CARBS! (and south beath does most fruits and veggies too!) Some carbs are better than others. Whole grains, AKA complex carbs, such as 100% whole wheat bread, oatmeal (I like multigrain quaker oats), brown rice=GOOD carbs. Simple carbs, such as white bread, white rice, etc.=BAD CARBS.
(There is a debate about potatoes, but generally speaking they are okay. Sweet potatoes are better, but a baked potato isn't going to kill you. Neither will occasionally eating simple carbs. But if you are going to avoid carbs, those are the ones to try to stay away from!) **more on good carbs/bad carbs in another post***
Now you may say "Okay genius, so I see why carb-restricting diets aren't great. What's wrong with Slim Fast or the Special K diet?" Good question. These diets SEEM to work well, and promise rapid weight loss in short amounts of time---but they are packed with SUGAR! If you follow the Slim Fast diet, you can consume up to 78 grams of SUGAR just in THEIR products alone! Same for Special K bars and shakes (their cereal is okay).
My main issue with these diets? They aren't sustainable. As soon as you start eating normal food again, you gain back the weight. This is why people are frequently on a weight roller coaster and always "dieting!" The BEST diet is eating a healthy, balanced meals--preferably small meals 5-6 times a day. If you need help, Weight Watchers is a great, proven way to success--they teach you how to eat right for YOU, not follow some fad or restrict what you eat.
However, your best bet is a balanced diet made up mostly of whole foods. Whole foods are, as one wise man once told me, anything that grows from the ground, flies in the air, swims in the sea, grows on trees...You get the point. Fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans and legumes, lean meats, low-fat diary, some nuts and seeds (but be careful, as many nuts and seeds are high in fat!) are whole foods. Non-whole foods are processed foods. Most of the recipes here try to incorporate mostly whole foods!
And of course, you need to reward yourself and spluge once in awhile. An occasional dish of ice cream, piece of cake, or your other favorite indulgence will NOT kill you if you save it as just that--a treat! Research has shown that staying away from ALL sweets (if you crave them) actually leads to more people binging on sweets when given the opportunity, in contrast to dieters who allow themselves the occasional sweet. Remember: 1 pound of fat=3500 extra calories above and beyond what your body needs/you burn through exercise. So having an occasional treat will NOT make you fat! (This was a difficult one for me to learn, I'm thankful to the nutritionist who explained this to me point-blank!)
Eat well and be well, my loves!
"What's so wrong with those diets? They work, don't they? And YOU aren't on one, so why do YOU care?" Well, friends in Blog land, let me TELL you why!
I may not be on a diet, or need to be on a diet (though I perpetally THINK I need to be...we need not get into that here), but I am a stickler for good nutrition. And good nutriton means balanced meals. And balanced meals include all your food groups and all your major food components: Fats, Proteins, and Carbs. YES my friends, you need FAT in your diet! You know what happens if you don't have SOME fats? Your skin gets dry/nasty, your hair gets dull/dry/falls out, and it can even slow down your thinking and function, because fats is what protects your nerves and other essential organs from damage! Now I'm not saying go eat McDonalds every day, but you do need some GOOD fats, such as olive oil, some nuts (almonds, walnuts), canola/soybean/sunflower/peanut oil, etc. Stay away from saturated fats/hydrogenated oils/trans fats. My other thing is I have considered many of these diets to lose a "few quick pounds" before a big event, so I have researched many of them in detail. What I found was horrifying (especially about Slim Fast and Special K!). Read on, if you dare.
Many of these "fad diets" exclude one of these groups, usually the carbs. "CARBS ARE BAD!" they scream. "Protein is what you need to stay full!" This is a true statement, protein WILL keep you fuller, longer. But so will fat, and so will fiber! Also--you NEED carbs. Carbs are where your energy comes from. Protein helps to rebuild muscle and recover from exercise, carbs give you the energy to DO all that. Ever see someone on Atkins or South Beach (in phase I anyway)? They are CRANKY and TIRED! Why? These diets eliminate CARBS! (and south beath does most fruits and veggies too!) Some carbs are better than others. Whole grains, AKA complex carbs, such as 100% whole wheat bread, oatmeal (I like multigrain quaker oats), brown rice=GOOD carbs. Simple carbs, such as white bread, white rice, etc.=BAD CARBS.
(There is a debate about potatoes, but generally speaking they are okay. Sweet potatoes are better, but a baked potato isn't going to kill you. Neither will occasionally eating simple carbs. But if you are going to avoid carbs, those are the ones to try to stay away from!) **more on good carbs/bad carbs in another post***
Now you may say "Okay genius, so I see why carb-restricting diets aren't great. What's wrong with Slim Fast or the Special K diet?" Good question. These diets SEEM to work well, and promise rapid weight loss in short amounts of time---but they are packed with SUGAR! If you follow the Slim Fast diet, you can consume up to 78 grams of SUGAR just in THEIR products alone! Same for Special K bars and shakes (their cereal is okay).
My main issue with these diets? They aren't sustainable. As soon as you start eating normal food again, you gain back the weight. This is why people are frequently on a weight roller coaster and always "dieting!" The BEST diet is eating a healthy, balanced meals--preferably small meals 5-6 times a day. If you need help, Weight Watchers is a great, proven way to success--they teach you how to eat right for YOU, not follow some fad or restrict what you eat.
However, your best bet is a balanced diet made up mostly of whole foods. Whole foods are, as one wise man once told me, anything that grows from the ground, flies in the air, swims in the sea, grows on trees...You get the point. Fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans and legumes, lean meats, low-fat diary, some nuts and seeds (but be careful, as many nuts and seeds are high in fat!) are whole foods. Non-whole foods are processed foods. Most of the recipes here try to incorporate mostly whole foods!
And of course, you need to reward yourself and spluge once in awhile. An occasional dish of ice cream, piece of cake, or your other favorite indulgence will NOT kill you if you save it as just that--a treat! Research has shown that staying away from ALL sweets (if you crave them) actually leads to more people binging on sweets when given the opportunity, in contrast to dieters who allow themselves the occasional sweet. Remember: 1 pound of fat=3500 extra calories above and beyond what your body needs/you burn through exercise. So having an occasional treat will NOT make you fat! (This was a difficult one for me to learn, I'm thankful to the nutritionist who explained this to me point-blank!)
Eat well and be well, my loves!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Vegetarian Crock Pot Chili
In our house, church is at 4pm on Sundays, which means by the time we get home at 6pm, we don't feel like cooking! So we absolutely LOVEEE our crockpot! We also try to incorporate some vegetarian meals--first off, because I don't like to eat meat all the time, and secondly, it is pleasing to our budget!
This isn't so much a chili as a bean and barley stew. We had it with salad and the leftover bread from Saturday night's pasta :-) I found the recipe on About.com when I was searching for some vegetarian crock-pot stuff.
The only difference I'd make it I'd like to start using dried beans instead of canned ones. I'd really like to go by the rule "If the ingredients look like a science project, I don't want to eat it." Well, the ingredients in canned beans don't really look like that, but did you know they are canned with sugar syrup and high frucotse corn syrup? BEANS! For real! Why do you need to add sugar to beans! I mean I undersatnd maybe having some in canned tomatos, because they are so acidic, but BEANS?! UGH!
Anyway, this was easy and cheap. It made enough for hubby and I to each have a bowl, and freeze a bunch too--so maybe 6 servings? If you have a hungry hubby (or a hungry you!) at home though, it may be less! As a note, hubby doens't like stuff real spicy, so you can doctor this up as you like by adding more onion, garlic, or other seasonings! I thought it could use more heat, but hubby liked it as-is. You could also probably use a variety of beans--maybe red and white, or red and black? Let me know if you try it!
Enjoy!
2 cans red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes with onions and garlic
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 package Chili mix (we used mild, you can use regular, hot, whatever. We just used Publix brand, but McCormick makes some too if your grocery store doesn't have it's own brand of mix)
3/4 cup pearled barley (NOT quick cooking! Find it with the dried beans/lentils)
3 cups water
1 small (8oz) can no salt added plain tomato sauce (again, used publix brand)
1. Put first 7 ingredients in the crockpot. Stir. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.\
2. Add tomato sauce. Stir. Cook on low another 3-4 hours. (6-8 hours total--we did ours for about 7)
Serve!
This isn't so much a chili as a bean and barley stew. We had it with salad and the leftover bread from Saturday night's pasta :-) I found the recipe on About.com when I was searching for some vegetarian crock-pot stuff.
The only difference I'd make it I'd like to start using dried beans instead of canned ones. I'd really like to go by the rule "If the ingredients look like a science project, I don't want to eat it." Well, the ingredients in canned beans don't really look like that, but did you know they are canned with sugar syrup and high frucotse corn syrup? BEANS! For real! Why do you need to add sugar to beans! I mean I undersatnd maybe having some in canned tomatos, because they are so acidic, but BEANS?! UGH!
Anyway, this was easy and cheap. It made enough for hubby and I to each have a bowl, and freeze a bunch too--so maybe 6 servings? If you have a hungry hubby (or a hungry you!) at home though, it may be less! As a note, hubby doens't like stuff real spicy, so you can doctor this up as you like by adding more onion, garlic, or other seasonings! I thought it could use more heat, but hubby liked it as-is. You could also probably use a variety of beans--maybe red and white, or red and black? Let me know if you try it!
Enjoy!
2 cans red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes with onions and garlic
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 package Chili mix (we used mild, you can use regular, hot, whatever. We just used Publix brand, but McCormick makes some too if your grocery store doesn't have it's own brand of mix)
3/4 cup pearled barley (NOT quick cooking! Find it with the dried beans/lentils)
3 cups water
1 small (8oz) can no salt added plain tomato sauce (again, used publix brand)
1. Put first 7 ingredients in the crockpot. Stir. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.\
2. Add tomato sauce. Stir. Cook on low another 3-4 hours. (6-8 hours total--we did ours for about 7)
Serve!
Spinach-Cannellini Pasta
So I'm a little behind already! I was looking for an easy recipe to make for company on Saturday night before we went out to see the play Curtians, and I found this one on the Cookinglight.com Web site. It was easy, tasty, and relatively inexpensive to do. The original recipe did not have chicken in it; I added it on a whim. The secret here is to use fresh ingredients--if you used like, canned grated parmesan cheese and the jarred minced garlic, it will taste stale.
Enjoy!
This makes 4 servings. We served it with a simple salad and bread.
2 chicken breasts
Italian Dressing (we used Wishbone Fat Free Italian)
1 box of penne, rotelle, or rigatoni pasta (we used Whole Wheat Penne--real spaghetti prob would not be the best choice)
1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained
1/2 cup fresh asagio cheese, grated (we subbed fresh Romano and grated it at home, it's cheaper and tasted great! Also didn't measure it...just kinda eyeballed it)
1/2 bag of baby spinach, stems removed, chopped (we used a bag of Publix Baby Spinach)
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1. Marinate chicken in the Italian dressing, at least 20mins.
2. Set your broiler on High, broil chicken about 6-8 minutes per side (depending on thickness), basting with extra dressing before turning. Cut into bite-sized pieces
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
4.Meanwhile, mix the chopped spinach, salt, pepper, and fresh grated cheese in a bowl.
5. In a small pot over low heat, mix the garlic, olive oil, and beans
6. Drain pasta, return to the pot. Add the warm olive oil/garlic/bean mixture, mix well. Add the spinach mixture, toss. Add chicken, toss.
Serve and enjoy!
Enjoy!
This makes 4 servings. We served it with a simple salad and bread.
2 chicken breasts
Italian Dressing (we used Wishbone Fat Free Italian)
1 box of penne, rotelle, or rigatoni pasta (we used Whole Wheat Penne--real spaghetti prob would not be the best choice)
1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained
1/2 cup fresh asagio cheese, grated (we subbed fresh Romano and grated it at home, it's cheaper and tasted great! Also didn't measure it...just kinda eyeballed it)
1/2 bag of baby spinach, stems removed, chopped (we used a bag of Publix Baby Spinach)
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1. Marinate chicken in the Italian dressing, at least 20mins.
2. Set your broiler on High, broil chicken about 6-8 minutes per side (depending on thickness), basting with extra dressing before turning. Cut into bite-sized pieces
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
4.Meanwhile, mix the chopped spinach, salt, pepper, and fresh grated cheese in a bowl.
5. In a small pot over low heat, mix the garlic, olive oil, and beans
6. Drain pasta, return to the pot. Add the warm olive oil/garlic/bean mixture, mix well. Add the spinach mixture, toss. Add chicken, toss.
Serve and enjoy!
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