Cajun Chicken Pasta
February 8, 2012 · 11 comments
in chicken/poultry,healthy,pasta
This is one of the first meals I ever made for Tom. I believe it was number two or three, actually. The first was this incredibly fatty creamy chicken pasta dish, which we obviously loved because it had about 4000 calories per serving. The other was soutzoukakia. I actually went to Tom’s apartment while he was at work and made them so they’d be ready when he got home. I was so excited, and at the first taste I realized the meatballs were woefully undersalted. Sigh.
This dish I managed to successfully make the first time around, and while we loved it, it didn’t get made again more than once or twice. I’m sure a large part of the reason is that I started getting a lot more health conscious and ditching most things that had a lot of cream (which included the aforementioned creamy chicken pasta dish).
I recently saw the very recipe I’d first made for Tom on Prevention RD. Like me, Nicole tends to healthify recipes. So, of course, I instantly put a more calorie-appropriate version of this dish on the menu for the following week. The next day, I saw someone pin a similar recipe on Pinterest by The Pioneer Woman and I liked that she used some chicken broth in her dish, which further cut the amount of half and half I’d have to use in mine (I, too, was shocked about the lack of additional cream on her end).
I completely forgot to add the mushrooms to this (which is why I had extra for those chicken sausage subs) but I’m including them in the list below because I know for a fact they’re great in this dish. And every dish, for that matter.
This meal serves 4 pretty heartily and, at that size, clocks in at about 450 calories per serving, which is not bad for a one-dish meal, particularly one with a cream sauce. If you stretch it to 5 servings, you are allowed 2 cookies for dessert instead of 1, obviously.
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Inspired by Allrecipes and The Pioneer Woman
10 oz. whole wheat linguine
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts (about 8-10 oz.), sliced
3-4 tsp. Cajun seasoning, divided
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the linguine. Cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, season the chicken breast with 2 tsp. of Cajun seasoning. Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan and, once hot, add the chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan.
Add the bell peppers and onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, mushrooms, and 1-2 tsp. of Cajun seasoning; cook until the mushrooms have given up their juices and peppers are crisp-tender.
Stir in the chicken broth, and scrape up all the browned bits. Boil over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and pour in the half and half. Simmer until it begins to thicken. Taste and add salt or additional Cajun seasoning if necessary.
Add the chicken and pasta into the sauce and continue stirring over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes to re-warm chicken and allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and serve.
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Key Lime Yogurt Cake with Coconut
February 5, 2012 · 14 comments
in breads and muffins,breakfast/brunch,sweets/desserts
I’ve mentioned many times my adoration for anything lime-flavored. Whether it’s a pie, curd, cheesecake, beverage, or Sour Patch Kid, I’m going to love it. That’s all there is to it.
A friend of mine recently picked up an extra bag of key limes, and I definitely didn’t have a problem taking them off her hands (especially when the exchange happened during a brunch meeting that involved chorizo/jalapeno/egg/potato hash, thankyouverymuch).
This cake (or bread, if you want to make it sound a little healthier) is inspired by Ina Garten’s lemon yogurt cake, which I’ve made a few times in various forms. While the cake is not exactly going to be featured in any healthy eating magazines any time soon, it is a less horrible for you than other things I could have made with the key limes. Plus, I adapted the recipe to make it a little lighter by using nonfat Greek yogurt, canola oil, reducing the sugar by a smidge, and eliminating the glaze altogether (personally I think it’s sweet enough with the citrus-sugar mixture that gets poured over the top).
I had some shredded coconut in my freezer, which was a welcome addition to this cake…a cake I freaking loved, by the way. The yogurt and lime syrup make this extremely moist, and the key limes have a tangy, robust flavor. Plus, toasted coconut is awesome. Always.
Key Lime Yogurt Cake with Coconut
Makes 1 loaf
Inspired by Barefoot Contessa
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup plain Greek (or other strained) yogurt
1 cup sugar, divided
3 large eggs
1 tsp. grated key lime zest (from about 4-5 key limes)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
Toast the coconut either by spreading it onto a sheet pan and baking in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, checking and stirring it ever 5 minutes, or by heating it in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring or shaking frequently until golden and toasted. (As you can see, I went a touch too far with mine. Oops.)
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 3/4 cup sugar, eggs, lime zest, and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the canola oil into the batter until just incorporated.
Set aside 3 Tbsp. of the toasted coconut. Fold the remaining coconut into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the key lime juice in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Place a cooling rack above a rimmed baking sheet, and put the still-warm cake on the rack. Poke a few small holes into the top of the cake with a toothpick, and then pour the lime-sugar mixture over the top of the cake, and sprinkle with the 3 Tbsp. toasted coconut. Allow the lime-sugar mixture to soak into the cake.
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(Chicken) Sausage Subs
February 2, 2012 · 11 comments
in burgers and sandwiches,chicken/poultry
…or hoagies, or grinders, or whatever it is you call stuff between thick, oblong bread.
I do fairly well with meal planning every week, but around day 5 it often starts to unravel. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t bother planning a meal for Friday because, inevitably, something didn’t get made and will get pushed to that day, or I’ll just cook something from the pantry/fridge/freezer to use up extras.
This particular week was a bit of a mess because in addition to not cooking on a day I was supposed to, I also ended up having to use the only chicken I had in the freezer for Monday’s meal, after realizing the chicken I had just bought for that meal the day prior smelled…off.
The only thing of substance I really had on my fridge the night we had these subs was chicken sausage. Oh, and mushrooms because I completely forgot to add them to a dish they were supposed to be in the night before. Oops. (Yeah, this week was not so great, huh?) I started looking around for other ingredients, and we had 2 leftover rolls from Italian beef earlier in the week and half a block of mozzarella in the fridge. Definitely the makings of sausage subs. Trader Joe’s frozen tricolored peppers and a trusty can of fire-roasted tomatoes also came in quite handy.
Now, obviously you can just stick the whole sausage link on a bun and eat it that way, but where’s the fun (or mess) in that? :) Tom and I both really loved these, which is not particularly surprising considering they contain both bread and cheese. I used chicken sausage, part-skim mozzarella, and a minimal amount of oil, so these were actually fairly healthy, too (especially when paired with a salad).
We made two (overstuffed) subs with these, but I’m typing the recipe for four, since some of the ingredient amounts are easier that way.
Chicken Sausage Subs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 links (12 oz.) spicy Italian chicken sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced or 1.25 cups frozen bell pepper strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I use fire-roasted)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 long sandwich rolls
4 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced (fresh mozzarella would be fabulous also)
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Place the sausage slices in the hot oil and brown on one side. Flip and brown another minute. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes, until mushrooms start to release their juices.
Add the diced tomatoes, crushed red pepper, oregano, and salt to taste. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and then simmer for about 5 minutes to combine flavors.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Place open buns onto a broiler-safe pan. Broil for just a minute (or less, depending on your broiler and how close you are to the flame), until they start to get slightly crispy and golden. Top each bun with 1/4 of the sausage mixture and 1 oz. of cheese. Place back under the broiler for a minute until cheese is melted and bubbly.
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Lighter Chicken and Dumplings
January 29, 2012 · 6 comments
in chicken/poultry,healthy,soups and stews
My dad makes the world’s best chicken and dumpling soup. He used to make it at his restaurant every Saturday and I loved when a trip home would overlap with a Saturday, because I’d get to eat a big bowlful. I’ve never asked for his recipe, partly because I know it would make like 5 gallons of soup and partly because I know it’s not the best for me.
This recipe is very different from my dad’s, in that it’s not as creamy and it’s not as soup-like (and it’s also not as fatty :). I did not expect this to be the same, and it isn’t, of course. However, this chicken and dumplings is a seriously wonderful meal, especially considering it’s not all that bad for you. It’s comfort food at its finest. I consider a meal pretty great when I’m ready to eat my lunch leftovers by 10:00 the next morning (and even greater when I actually do…oops).
The broth in the stew is absolutely fantastic. Simmering the dark thigh meat and wings together gives it a great depth of flavor (I mean, just look at that color!). You’d honestly think the broth had been simmering away for hours. The dumplings are light and fluffy and—thanks to a great trick of wrapping the Dutch oven lid in a kitchen towel while they simmered—weren’t soggy or sticky-topped.
The only change I’d make to this the next time around is to increase the stew amount by just a bit, which I’ve indicated below. I think there are plenty of dumplings for the intended servings, but the stew to dumpling ratio was just a little off for me.
Lighter Chicken and Dumplings
About 8 servings
Adapted from The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook via Annie’s Eats
For the stew:
2.75 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
2 tsp. canola oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4″ pieces
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry sherry
6.5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. freshly minced thyme
1 lb. chicken wings
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the dumplings:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
a couple turns of freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup well-shaken, chilled buttermilk
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and hot
1 large egg white
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the chicken to the hot oil, skin side down, and cook until browned and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the chicken and brown on the other side for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate. Drain all but 1 tsp. of fat from the pot.
Add onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 7-9 minutes. Stir in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the thyme and chicken broth. Add the chicken thighs and any accumulated juices to the pot, as well as the chicken wings. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until thigh meat offers no resistance when poked with a paring knife, but still clings to bones, about 45 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat and transfer chicken to cutting board. Allow the broth to cool for 5 minutes before skimming the fat from the top. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Cut or shred chicken into bite sized pieces (use thighs only or thighs and wings). Return meat to pot. (At this point, you can cool the stew to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to a simmer before continuing.)
To make the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and baking soda in a large bowl. In a medium bowl (or right in the measuring cup you’ve used for the buttermilk), stir the butter into the buttermilk, until the butter forms small clumps. Whisk in the egg white. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just incorporated.
Return stew to a simmer. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Wrap the lid of the Dutch oven in a clean kitchen towel.
Using a greased tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dough over simmering stew, spacing about 1/4″ apart (about 24 dumplings total). Cover the pot with the wrapped lid and simmer gently until dumplings have doubled in size and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 13-16 minutes.
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Potato-Leek Soup
January 25, 2012 · 13 comments
in healthy,potatoes,soups and stews,vegetarian
Many, many years ago, Tom cooked for me for the first time. He made a creamy potato soup and it was incredibly delicious. I admit, I was impressed, considering the only thing I’d seen him “cook” before was mixing together a packet of taco seasoning and ranch dressing (“Southwest sauce,” obviously).
A few months later, he cooked for me for the second time—and made the soup again. This time? Not so good. He burned the bottom and if you know anything about burning soups, you know that once you stir that burnt bottom into the soup, there’s no turning back. The whole pot is going to taste like it came out of a smoke stack (or like my specialty of broiler-burnt bread).
That was the end of that soup.
I’ve made a couple versions of potato soup over the years but not many. Potato soups tend to be creamy and heavy and, while delicious, aren’t always the best choice for me.
This soup, on the other hand, is quite healthy. There is no cream or bacon (it’s okay, I promise) and while there is some butter, each serving ends up having only about a teaspoon of it. The soup has a great texture and it tastes very simple and pure, if you will. The leeks lend a bit of sweetness, the chili powder just a hint of spice, but otherwise this tastes like…potatoes. Which is a good thing.
Zachary loved this soup, which was weird because he never seems to want to eat soup and he doesn’t like mashed potatoes (weirdo). I suspect all the soup-making he’s been doing in his new kitchen is helping, though. (His dog’s favorite is garlic, apparently.)
There are many different ways to wash your leeks; just remember to wash them well, unless you like dirt in your food or something. I usually just slice them and the put them in a bowl of water, letting all the dirt sink to the bottom. Or, I slice and then use a salad spinner to rinse them under water and have the added benefit of spinning them dry (which won’t necessarily keep them looking pretty but considering they’re being pureed, anyway, it’s fine). David also has instructions for preparing them.
Potato-Leek Soup
Slightly adapted from David Lebovitz
Serves 6
2 Tbsp. butter
4 leeks, sliced and washed
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. chili powder*
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or water
1.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. freshly ground white pepper (optional) or black pepper for finishing*
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium heat.
Add the sliced leeks and season them with salt. Cook the leeks until they are soft and wilted, about 5-7 minutes. Add the thyme and chili powder and stir for about 30 seconds, allowing them to release their flavors.
Pour in the broth or water. Add the potatoes and bay leaves.
Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender when poked with a sharp knife, about 15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup with white pepper, if using. I used an immersion blender but a blender (being careful not to overfill) will also work. A food processor isn’t the best, since it will cause the potatoes to be too gummy. Season the soup with salt to taste.
Ladle into bowls and serve with freshly ground pepper (if using) and any other garnishes you like.
*I didn’t have white pepper. I was too lazy to go to my favorite spice store, and there was no chance I was going to the grocery store and paying an exorbitant price for a thimble of pepper. Instead, I used a hot chili powder and then served the soup with freshly ground black pepper.
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Spicy Asian Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
January 22, 2012 · 17 comments
in asian,chicken/poultry,healthy
I’m on a serious roll making things from the “recipes-I-saved-a-million-years-ago” binder that has previously been collecting dust on top of my fridge. Although, I must say, I think I had originally torn out this page from Real Simple magazine because of a different recipe on the page. It’s funny how your tastes change, because this recipe sounded way more appealing to me than the other one.
Brussels sprouts may seem like an odd choice in an Asian dish but they really make a lot of sense. I mean, they are part of the cabbage family and cabbage is obviously quite common in Asian cooking. And I’m a firm believer that brussels sprouts just don’t get enough love. (Roast them at a high heat with some olive oil and salt and pepper, and then tell me you don’t like them).
This dish cooks up in no time, is easy to make, and healthy, too. And did I mention I really liked it? Because I really did. Though, I’ve determined that, despite living by and frequenting several types of markets, I can never find small red chilies except at Whole Foods. I was too lazy to go to Whole Foods, so I just used my trusty jar of Sambal Oelek. The nice thing about that is you can make this as spicy as you want, based on your preferences and how much you add.
Between the ease of prep and the flavor (which I, personally, enjoy with a bit of heat), this will definitely be a repeat in our house.
Spicy Asian Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Real Simple
Servers 4
1 large egg
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
4 tsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1″ knob of ginger, peeled and grated/minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1.5 Tbsp. light brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced, or chili paste to your preference (we used 1 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. chopped roasted peanuts
Cooked brown rice (made from 1 cup, dry) for serving
Beat the egg in a large, shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl or plate, add the cornstarch. Dip the chicken in the egg and then dredge in the cornstarch, shaking of