Hubby and I have started a new adventure... eating healthier!! (Don't worry, some of the old favorite recipes will be posted... eventually!!) Here are a few of the recipes made today that we enjoyed! We started the day out right with Scrambled Eggs with Sauteed Mushrooms & Feta. Made a quick vegetable soup for lunch -- in my opinion, it still needs work! Then we proceeded to make marinades and sauces for dinner. Chimichurri to marinate the meat, and a Greek white sauce called Tzatziki for a condiment for the whole dinner. We rounded out the meal with a lightly dressed green salad and roasted tomatoes!! Hope you'll try a few of these recipes!
SCRAMBLED EGGS with SAUTEED MUSHROOMS & FETA Serves 1, Easily increased to share!
4-5 brown Crimini mushrooms (or use whatever type of mushrooms you have)
1-2 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
3 eggs *We do 2 eggs a person --TC
1/2 tsp. Spike (or more, to taste) *We use Geasoning! ;) --TC
1 oz. Feta cheese (about 2 TBSP crumbled Feta)
Quickly wash mushrooms and cut in fourths or smaller if they're large. Beat eggs with Spike seasoning. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in nonstick frying pan and saute mushrooms until they're starting to soften and brown, and liquid has mostly evaporated. Remove mushrooms from pan and put in bowl. *We do NOT add oil to the mushrooms. We put them in a dry pan, stirring occasionaly. allow them brown. Just before removing to a warm plate, season lightly with sea salt & pepper or your favorite seasoning.--TC
Wipe pan with paper towel (save a paper towel & enjoy the extra flavor! -TC), then add another tsp. olive oil and heat over very low heat. Add eggs and immediately start to turn with plastic turner, scraping bottom and sides of pan continously for 1-2 minutes, until eggs seem about half cooked. (Timing will depend on how high you have the heat, but they should still be quite runny when you add the mushrooms.) *We add mushrooms on the top of fully cooked eggs! -TC
Add mushrooms back into eggs, along with 1-2 tsp. of any accumulated juice which has drained out of mushrooms. Continue to stir and scrape pan about 1 minute more, until eggs are starting to set. Add half of Feta cheese, stir once, and turn off heat. Eggs will continue to cook after the heat is off, so be careful not to overcook. Scrambled eggs should be very soft. Remove eggs to serving plate, and sprinkle with rest of the Feta cheese and serve immediately. --Courtesy of KalynsKitchen.com.
CHIMICHURRI (wet marinade & condiment)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup coriander leaf *also known as Cilantro --TC
50-60ml red wine vinegar (4 TBSP or 2 fl oz)
100-125ml olive oil (8 TBSP or 4 fl oz) *I used 6 TBSP --TC
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp salt juice from half a lime
*Served with lime wedges to squeeze over hot grilled meat! --TC
In a blender, add the garlic and onion and chop finely. Puree in the herbs in by handfuls, alternating with oil and vinegar. When all the leaves, oil and vinegar are combined, blend in cayenne, pepper and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste. Before using, add lime juice.
NOTE: Marinade meat (chicken, steak, pork or turkey loin for a few hours or over night covered in the fridge. Jasmine also recommends putting a bit more after cooking/grilling is complete & tent for 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving. Pretty herbaceous with a bite!! YUM! --TC
--Courtesy of Jasmine at http://cardamomaddict.blogspot.com/2009/08/worlds-longest-barbecue-chimichurri.html
Saturday, October 17, 2009
So much to write about... so little time!
I am proud to announce that I am a newly certified Foster Parent!! Whoo-Hoo!
That being said, my posts will be sporatic, but hope they help entice you into trying a recipe or an adventure to a restaurant or this part of the world (for now!).
This afternoon, I have started prepping for tomorrow night's dinner (doubling the following recipe so we have leftovers during the week!) The chicken is marinating and tomorrow I will finish the second half of this heart-healthy, belly-warming, tastebud-pleasing recipe! Great with some brown rice or roasted sweet potatoes! ENJOY!
AFRICAN CHICKEN STEW Serves 4
1 lb. skinless & boneless chicken breast, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP grated ginger
*I added 1 tsp minced lemon grass –TC **you can find the minced ginger & lemongrass in a tube in your refrigerated produce section – I use “Gourmet Garden’ brand
1 tsp dried oregano
1 TBSP fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, or water
non-stick vegetable spray
1 Spanish onion, half sliced, half finely chopped
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, with juices *I used 'Petite Chopped' --TC
1 habanero chile pepper, chopped *I used ½ a serrano chili, in 2 chunks, you could also use a pinch of red pepper flakes or extra black pepper for heat! --TC
1/4 cup ketchup *I used 2 TBSP tomato paste & 2 TBSP water --TC
1/3 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*I used chopped peanuts & lime wedges for garnish --TC
Place the chicken in a 1-quart resealable plastic bag. Combine the garlic, ginger, oregano, and broth in a small bowl. Add the seasoning mixture to the bag and massage it to coat the chicken with the seasonings. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours to overnight.
Bring chicken to room temperature before cooking. Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces until they are white on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Coat the pot again with cooking spray. Sauté the sliced onion until limp, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped onion and cook 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes with half their liquid, the chile pepper and ketchup. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce 10 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Blend the peanut butter in the remaining tomato juice until smooth. Add it to the pot. Return the chicken to the pot. Simmer until the chicken is white in the center, about 15 minutes. Serve, accompanied by cooked brown rice. We served this with steamed zucchini & yellow squash & Basmati Rice! YUM!
Per serving: 341 calories, 11 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 25 g. carbohydrate, 33 g. protein, 5 g. dietary fiber, 563 mg. sodium. –Courtesy of http://www.aicr.org/, originally tweaked by The Traveling Culinarian - Fall 2008.
That being said, my posts will be sporatic, but hope they help entice you into trying a recipe or an adventure to a restaurant or this part of the world (for now!).
This afternoon, I have started prepping for tomorrow night's dinner (doubling the following recipe so we have leftovers during the week!) The chicken is marinating and tomorrow I will finish the second half of this heart-healthy, belly-warming, tastebud-pleasing recipe! Great with some brown rice or roasted sweet potatoes! ENJOY!
AFRICAN CHICKEN STEW Serves 4
1 lb. skinless & boneless chicken breast, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP grated ginger
*I added 1 tsp minced lemon grass –TC **you can find the minced ginger & lemongrass in a tube in your refrigerated produce section – I use “Gourmet Garden’ brand
1 tsp dried oregano
1 TBSP fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, or water
non-stick vegetable spray
1 Spanish onion, half sliced, half finely chopped
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, with juices *I used 'Petite Chopped' --TC
1 habanero chile pepper, chopped *I used ½ a serrano chili, in 2 chunks, you could also use a pinch of red pepper flakes or extra black pepper for heat! --TC
1/4 cup ketchup *I used 2 TBSP tomato paste & 2 TBSP water --TC
1/3 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*I used chopped peanuts & lime wedges for garnish --TC
Place the chicken in a 1-quart resealable plastic bag. Combine the garlic, ginger, oregano, and broth in a small bowl. Add the seasoning mixture to the bag and massage it to coat the chicken with the seasonings. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours to overnight.
Bring chicken to room temperature before cooking. Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces until they are white on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Coat the pot again with cooking spray. Sauté the sliced onion until limp, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped onion and cook 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes with half their liquid, the chile pepper and ketchup. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce 10 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Blend the peanut butter in the remaining tomato juice until smooth. Add it to the pot. Return the chicken to the pot. Simmer until the chicken is white in the center, about 15 minutes. Serve, accompanied by cooked brown rice. We served this with steamed zucchini & yellow squash & Basmati Rice! YUM!
Per serving: 341 calories, 11 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 25 g. carbohydrate, 33 g. protein, 5 g. dietary fiber, 563 mg. sodium. –Courtesy of http://www.aicr.org/, originally tweaked by The Traveling Culinarian - Fall 2008.
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