Chicken with Bulgur Pilaf October 31, 2009

The following low calorie and time efficient recipe is from Real Simple. I gave it a go this week and it turned out super yummy! Bulgur wheat is an easy and healthful grain; give it a try and you wont be disappointed. The thing I really liked about this dish is that it was FAST! Dinner was on the table in 30 mins. which is perfect after a long day at work.

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 15m; Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• kosher salt and pepper
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups medium-grain bulgur
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the broth, bulgur, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and bring to a boil.
3. Nestle the chicken in the bulgur, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the bulgur is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken to plates. Add the spinach and basil to the bulgur, stir until slightly wilted, and serve.

 

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chicken-bulgur-pilaf-00000000006984/index.html

Recipe rating: 3.5. out 5 stars

Lemon Pepper Rice w/ Spinach & Feta September 2, 2009

This really isn’t much of a recipe and all the ingredients are listed in the title but I thought I would blog about it anyway since it has been a recent side dish staple for me. I make a large serving double serving of it at the beginning of the week and I use it for my lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Cook 1 serving of brown rice (Usually 1 cup, dry).

Defrost 1 cup of chopped frozen spinach.

Mix the rice and spinach together.

Add 1tbsp. olive oil.

Season liberally with lemon pepper.

When ready to serve I top with a sprinkle of fat free feta cheese (If you are vegetarian, just don’t add the cheese).

Easy! See I told you, not much of a recipe but it sure does spice up what can become the  same ol’ boring brown rice. Plus you get extra vitamin & mineral goodness with the addition of spinach!

Black Bean & Tomato Quinoa July 12, 2009

 

A client of mine gave me the following recipe from Sunflower Farmers Market. I added a few more vegetables to the original recipe because I had them on hand and who can’t use a little more veggie love in their life? I am a big fan of grain based salads; they are hearty and filling while still refreshing. They also keep well in the refrigerator for a few days and provide for quick and easy lunches. 

 

Black Bean & Tomato Quinoa a la’ Sunflower Farmers Market 

Ingredients 

1 cup quinoa, dry 

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small container of sweet cherry tomatoes, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots (my addition) 

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced (my addition)

1 lemon

1 lime

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to taste

Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste 

Directions

1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

2. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl and add the black beans and chopped vegetables.

3. Squeeze the juice of the lemon and lime into  the bowl. Pour in the olive oil to coat the ingredients or to your desired amount.

4. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Mix together and enjoy. 

 

Recipe rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Quinoa with Butternut Squash & Cranberries April 27, 2009

The following is dish is something that I whipped up the other evening based on some of the items I had in my pantry and freezer. The flavors are more fall than spring but hey… it worked and was quite yummy. 

 

1 cup quinoa cooked according to the directions

1 cup cooked & chopped butternut squash (I had some cooked squash in my freezer so I just reheated it and chopped it up)

2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup cranberries (add the cranberries to the quinoa just before it is finished cooking and it will soften them up a tad)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. white wine vinegar 

Salt n’ Pepper to taste 

Mix all ingredients together while the quinoa is still warm. Serve.

 

 

I know; nothing too brilliant but it was easy, healthy and yummy.

Butternut Squash Risotto November 3, 2008

I had some extra pureed butternut squash from a recipe that I made this weekend so I searched online for a recipe that would utilize it. The following recipe came from Rachael Ray magazine and is by no means, vegan… I still thought it sounded yummy. I used vegan margarine instead of butter and I used 1/2 the parmesan cheese that the recipe called for.

 

Notes: I had to cook the risotto a lot longer than 18 minutes and I had to add more water after the warm chicken broth was gone (which also meant adding more seasonings). My mother makes incredible risotto and has always taught me that to make it correctly, you need to be patient and loving with it. You can’t ignore it or it will be undercooked or worse, gummy! After all was said and done… this was a wonderful dish with great fall flavors. I served it with grilled chicken and a fresh garden salad.  

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/30-minute-meals/butternut-squash-risotto/article.html

Recipe Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing September 5, 2008

Sometimes I actually get a little thrill when a problem presents itself in a recipe and I am forced to be creative while cooking. I found the following recipe in this month’s Real Simple (really good issue by the way). The problem is that after I combined the stuffing part of the recipe together I realized that I had way more stuffing than I had to room to stuff in my medium sized zucchinis. So I decided that instead of stuffing my little courgettes (that’s what my English friends across the pond call them) I would just chop and roast the zucchini then combine them with the stuffing ingredients. It turned out to be a really wonderful and hearty side dish. My beau and I both agreed though that the Cannellini (Italian white) beans were unnecessary. They didn’t ruin the dish or anything but they didn’t really add anything flavor wise. It’s up to you; Next time I am deleting the beans.   

My revisions to the recipe below.

I chopped my zucchini into 1″ chunks, tossed them in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. 

I combined the quinoa stuffing made per the recipe with the roasted zucchini (with the addition of 1 tsp. Herbs De Provence). I covered with foil and followed the recipe from that point forward. 

Next time, I will try to find larger zucchini so that I can stuff them but I think that the recipe served in this almost casserole style would be a great side dish to take to a potluck. Finally this dish can easily be turned into a vegetarian option by deleting the cheese or by using a soy substitute. And for those vegetarians out there, I would leave the beans in the recipe. You need all the protein you can get!!

http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1834016

Confetti Chicken Rice Salad August 25, 2008

The following rice salad was created out of the necessity to make dinner using the very limited ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry. I usually do my grocery shopping on Sunday nights but just didn’t get to it this Sunday. Necessity is the mother of all inventions, right? Rice salads can be a light yet hearty and satisfying entree. This is a very flexible dish and can easily be turned into a vegetarian option by using sauteed tofu or chick peas instead of chicken and by deleting feta cheese or by using an alternative. It was a bright and colorful dish and makes for great lunch leftovers the next day.

Ingredients: 

2 grilled chicken breasts ( marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dried basil)

1 zucchini, thinly sliced (dressed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper)

2 cups cooled brown rice

1 cup chopped carrots (I used my very cool, Pampered Chef hand chopper)

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 green onions chopped

1/2 English cucumber chopped  

5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade 

1 jar of quality marinated artichoke hearts, drained with liquid reserved

White wine vinegar, to taste

Lemon juice, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice and let cool to room temperature, set aside.

2. Grill marinated chicken breasts. I used my George Foreman Grill at 350 degrees for 12 minutes

3. Put seasoned zucchini on a baking sheet and cook underneath the broiler in your oven until nice and grilled. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. Meanwhile chop and drop into a large mixing bowl your carrots, onions, tomatoes, green onions and basil.  When zucchini cools, chop and add to the bowl. Add the drained artichoke hearts to the bowl.

4. A trick that I learned a long time ago is to use the liquid from the marinated artichoke hearts as the base for salad vinaigrette. The liquid already has the oil, vinegar and spices. I usually add a little white wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice to the mix (it depends on the brand you use). Whisk together and set aside.

5. When the chicken cools enough to handle, cut into 1 inch chunks and add to the mixing bowl.

6. Add the room temperature brown rice to the mixing bowl.

7. Drizzle the vinaigrette to the salad. Start with a little and add to taste (don’t over dress).

8. Serve and top with a sprinkle of feta cheese…Why? Because Feta makes it Betta!  

 Simple, Easy, Breezy and Flexible!

Brown Rice, Tomatoes & Basil Salad July 8, 2008

I was at my sister’s house after 4th of July this weekend. On Sunday I looked through her refrigerator trying to come up with something to make for dinner that could utilize some leftover food from the weekend BBQ. One thing that stood out to me was a large ziploc bag of sliced tomatoes (originally for hamburgers). The bag was filled and unless her small family intended to have sliced tomatoes at every meal for the next week; those tomatoes might definitely go bad. I found a recipe in Ina Garten’s book “Barefoot Contessa Family Style” It was a chilled brown rice, tomato and basil salad. This sounded wonderful and I would be able to use all of those tomatoes! I paired the salad with a roasted chicken and leftover corn on the cob. It was a simple yet flavorful meal. For an extra bonus, take leftover chicken and shred it into the leftover salad for a perfect little lunch for the next day.  

Recipe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32830,00.html

Mistress of Mish-Mash June 20, 2008

When I lived in Hillcrest a few years ago I had a tiny kitchen with a lack of counter space, an old stove top and an oven that did not work. While living there I had to master the art of what I call ‘Mish-Mash’. Now mish-mash may not be the most appetizing name but that’s really what it is.  A one pot meal that combines fresh ingredients to create a tasty, comforting plate or bowl of food. Now the following recipe is not going to win any awards. It is just a simple and healthy dish that is easy and affordable to make. Plus anyone can make a mish-mash. As long as you have a knife, a cutting board, a large skillet and some fire to cook it over, you can master the mish-mash too! It’s also quite versatile and can be made with what you have on hand or what is fresh and in season. As far as the protein is concerned, I usually use lean ground turkey but I’ve also used tofu. I wouldn’t normally think that this recipe was blog worthy but I made it for my boyfriend today and after he finished his second helping he said “You should put this up on your little bloggy thing” J  The following are my usual go to ingredients.

 

So without further ado…

 

Turkey Mish-Mash of the gods (I added “of the gods” in part to be funny, but really it just might be that good!)

 

Ingredients:

1 lb.(-ish) Ground Turkey (or tofu)

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 Garlic clove, minced  

(Note: Don’t get lazy and used the pre-minced stuff, get a garlic clove and mince it. The flavor is soooo much better even if it does make your fingers a little stinky).

2 small zucchini, chopped

2 small yellow squash, chopped

1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1 pkg. sliced mushrooms

Olive Oil

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp(-ish) of Thyme, dried

Brown Rice, cooked according to the directions. About 2 cups cooked.  

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (as always if you are vegetarian, delete the cheese or use an alternative. My suggestion is to use an alternative. It adds to the mishy-mashiness of the dish)

 

Directions:

1. Drizzle a little olive oil and sauté your ground turkey in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper. After the turkey is nice and cooked (but not overdone), remove your meat from the skillet and put into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add a little more olive oil to your skillet (don’t you just love the word skillet? Say it with me now. SKILLET! J) Drop in your onions and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent.
3. Next add your zucchini and yellow squash. Sauté for approx. 2 minutes.
4. Add your thyme and some salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add your yellow pepper and mushrooms. Cook for approx. 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. But Don’t Overcook Your Veggies! Mooshy Mish Mash is not for the gods. That is why I always add my vegetables to the skillet in stages based on how long they take to cook.  
6. Add your ground turkey to the skillet and cook long enough to marry all those yummy flavors, about 2 minutes.
7. Dump the ingredients of your skillet into to the large mixing bowl. Add the cooked brown rice and parmesan cheese and give it a gentle mix.   
8. Serve in a plate or a bowl. If you are feeling advantageous sprinkle some freshly chopped Italian parsley and a touch of parmesan cheese to garnish and SERVE.

 

Rating- 3.5 out of 5 stars

Number of times I used the word skillet in this entry – 7 J 

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe turkey-mish-mash-of-the-gods    

Stuffed Red Peppers with Parmesan, Quinoa & Walnuts June 19, 2008

I found a version of this recipe in Everyday Food Magazine, I was going to paste a link but apparently Ms. Stewart made it very difficult for me to find this recipe on her site (Agh!). It called for the use provolone cheese where I opted to use freshly shredded parmesan. I had parmesan in my fridge and thought the nuttiness of the cheese would compliment the walnuts. If you are vegetarian, just delete the cheese or use a soy alternative. My favorite alternative is Veggie Cheese which you can find in a regular grocery store, click on this link to peruse their many products  http://www.galaxyfoods.com/ourbrands/usa/veggie.asp

Sometimes when I make a dish such as the following I decide to “keep it simple” when it comes to what I am serving it with. For example, if you are making a labor intensive main course, go with simple veggies and a salad. If you are making a more complicated side dish, go for a simple main course. I paired these stuffed bell peppers with marinated mahi mahi from Trader Joe’s which I grilled right on the good ol’ George Foreman. But to be honest they are filling enough to be served on their own.

 

Shopping List

4 red bell peppers (choose squatty ones that will easily stand upright when you bake them)

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

Coarse salt and Pepper

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

½ cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (or as the original recipe called for “grated aged provolone”)

 

1.       Preheat the oven to 450◦, with rack in upper third. Slice a very thin layer from the base of your pepper so it sits upright. Slice off the top, just below the stem and remove the ribs and seeds. “Rinse and Repeat” with the other peppers. Discard the stems, chop the tops and set aside.

2.       In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, coriander and chopped pepper tops; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.       Add quinoa and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until quinoa is tender, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in parsley, walnuts and ¾ cup of cheese; season with salt and pepper.

4.       Divide evenly, stuff peppers with quinoa mixture; place in a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until peppers are tender, about 45 to 55 minutes . Uncover; top with remaining cheese and bake until cheese melts, 10 minutes more.

 

 

These were so good! Nutty and flavorful and so very nutritious!  Plus quinoa is such a tasty alternative if you are stuck in a rice rut.

 

 

 

 

 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe stuffed-red-bell-peppers-with-quinoa-and-walnuts