Omg BBQ!

Delicious chicken cooking!

I made this to bring to a barbecue at a coworker's house yesterday, but then he forgot to bring it home with him from work so I took it and we fired up the grill at home tonight instead. This is a new one for me and it's so good!

Fiona's Phenomenal Green Chicken

Recipe adapted from the Nom Nom Paleo™ app for the iPad

6 servings

• 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1¼ cups packed basil leaves
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems
• ¼ cup packed mint leaves
• 3 peeled garlic cloves
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons apple juice
• 4 tablespoons of Paleo-friendly fish sauce
• Zest from 1 lime
• 3 pounds chicken drumsticks or thighs
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Peel and coarsely chop the onion. Wash and dry your herbs. Put the onion, cilantro, basil, mint, garlic, black pepper, apple juice, red pepper, fish sauce, and lime in a blender. Purée the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a gallon-size plastic bag. Pour in the marinade and squeeze out the air in the bag before sealing. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, and up to a day.

Take the chicken out of the fridge at least an hour before you roast it off so it can come to room temperature. Remove the chicken from the bag. Roast the marinated chicken on a medium-hot grill for about 25 minutes, turning every 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the roasted chicken with lime wedges.

Et voila!

 

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Breakfast break!

I'm doing blitz of dinners we ate this week but meanwhile, here's a picture of one of my breakfasts this week.

Poached egg over sautéed spinach with shallots, garlic, and Aidell's chicken apple sausage.

 

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Easy Tandoori Chicken

I love this recipe so much! It makes a lot of food so I end up eating leftovers all week.

Easy Tandoori Chicken

Recipe from the Nom Nom Paleo™ app for the iPad

6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds chicken thighs (skin-on or off)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 cup coconut cream or coconut milk
• 1½ tablespoon tandoori seasoning
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or fat of choice
• 3 limes, quartered

Liberally season the chicken with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Combine the coconut cream and tandoori seasoning in a small bowl. Squeeze the lime juice into the marinade. Stir the ingredients together until well-blended. Pour the mixture into the bowl of thighs and rub the marinade into the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for about 8 hours in the fridge.

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375°F on convection bake or 400°F on regular bake. Place a wire rack on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, and grease the rack with a paper towel dipped in melted coconut oil. Arrange the chicken on the rack (skin-side down if you're using skin-on chicken) and pop the tray in the oven for about 40 minutes, flipping the pieces over at the halfway mark. The chicken’s done when there’s yummy charred bits all over, and the juices run clear when you stab the meat.Serve with lemon wedges.

 

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Paleo Orange Chicken

I have a friend at work who is very fit and follows a mostly paleo diet. We talk about nutrition and exercise, and shes a good person to go out to lunch with because I'm less tempted to eat something I womt enjoy long-term. She also has a blog, and after hunting through her archives I decided to make a recipe I found there. I tweaked it a little, so here is my version:

Paleo Spicy Orange Chicken

Serves 4

• 1lb chicken thighs
• 1 bunch of green onions cut up
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tangelos (or oranges or tangerines) (zest one, juice them both)
• 2tsp fresh ground/zested ginger
• 1tsp siracha
• 1tp Worchestor Sauce (or if you don’t have a soy allergy like me, Gluten Free Soy Sauce)
• 2 tbs coconut oil
• Dash of red pepper (optional)
• Spinach

Cut up raw chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Heat Coconut Oil in a pan and add garlic, green onions, and chicken thighs (if you like spicy things add the red pepper).

Add zest from Tangelo, juice from Tangelo, Ground Ginger, Siracha and Worchester sauce to a separate pan. Put on low simmer, stirring occasionally.

Once chicken has cooked add it to the orange sauce. Cook a bit longer for about two minutes. Then pour chicken and sauce onto a bed of spinach.

 

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Foolproof indeed

Boneless skinless chicken breast is an American staple if one eats meat. That said, I don't like making it that much because it always comes out dry or just terribly boring. This recipe has convinced me that I should eat more of it. It's incredibly moist and has just enough other stuff to make it delicious, without ruining the versatility. I made 4 servings' worth of this stuff and will be putting it on a salad tomorrow, stir fry on Thursday, and something else on Friday (I'm flying solo with the kid this week because my husband is taking care of his mother after minor surgery).

Almost Foolproof Grilled Chicken

• 2 pounds chicken breasts
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary (I skipped this because I wanted versatility and don't love rosemary that much)
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all but the chicken and stir thoroughly. Add in the chicken, using your hands to make sure the marinade thoroughly covers the chicken. Allow to marinate at least 30 min (mine was overnight because I have more time to do stuff in the evenings after the kid goes to bed).

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Once very hot, place chicken breasts smooth side down on pan. Do not touch until caramelized and the chicken releases easily from the pan. This should take 3-5 min. per side.

 

Remove chicken from the grill pan and place on a sheet pan and into the oven to finish cooking, 12-15 min. Chicken is done when the juices run clear. Allow the breasts to rest 5-10 min. Slice against the grain and serve.

 

I served it with Broiled Zucchini and arugula with leftover sherry-walnut vinaigrette. And of course a glass of the wine we didn't finish on Saturday and Sunday.

 

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Kitchen Renovation Cooking Extravaganza!

It is SUCH a relief to be able to use all of our house after having kitchen renovations done.  That very essential room was cut off for three or four days, and I for one missed being able to work in it.

My very fancy tofu in a very fancy bowl.

But now... now it's much, much nicer.  The first day of full operations was Saturday, and to celebrate the occasion, I made a variation of the Seared Tofu with Sugar Snap Peas that appeared in the NYT.

I didn't have fish sauce or sesame oil, so I filled in those amounts with soy and peanut oil, and omitted the sesame seeds (same reason).  Otherwise, pretty much the same thing.

Last night's dinner was a variation of that variation, which turned out to be Orange Chicken (recipe follows).  Tonight was the very easy + tasty Fresh Pasta Sauce with a little sauteed chicken and sausage added, and WOW was that good over egg fettuccine.

Living in a household with someone who is dieting to lose weight (to increase the success chances of surgery) is challenging in a lot of ways.  I have a very long history of not really feeding myself unless I'm feeding others, and I spend most of my day (ergo eating time) out of the house.  With dinners being generally low-calorie (and I've never eaten much dinner anyway), I've been having to really take my personal nutritional needs into account, to make sure that I'm not starving myself.

So besides cooking AWESOME food at home, I've also been schlepping granola, yogurt, fresh fruit, and other tasty nibbles with me to work, to make sure I eat enough.  I'm doing a bang-up job, if I do say so.

But!  Here's the recipe I promised.  Enjoy!

Orange Chicken with Stir Fry Vegetables

My very fancy stir fry in the same very fancy bowl! The kitchen may be usable,
but we have certainly not unpacked all the stuff that used to live in it!

Using the sauce from Seared Tofu with Sugar Snap Peas as a base, I created an orange chicken recipe.  We usually have TONS of greens in our CSA, so this is a good use for that baby bok choy that is so often neglected at our house.


8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 single breasts
1/2 cup chopped onion
Canola oil cooking spray
1 Tbsp peanut oil, divided
3 heads baby bok choy
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced with a vegetable parer
1 cup snow peas
2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 gloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1-1/2 tsp sriracha
4 cups brown and wild rice
1/2 Tbsp butter (for cooking rice, optional)

Cook rice in rice cooker according to directions, adding butter if desired.
While you're waiting on the rice, chop bok choy and slice carrots lengthwise with vegetable parer, making long thin strips; set aside in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine 1 tsp peanut oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sriracha, sugar and orange juice.  Cover and shake or mix until blended.
When rice is done, heat pan over very high heat, and spray with canola oil spray, adding 1 tsp peanut oil, if desired.  Add onion and chicken, and brown over high heat; when chicken is brown and mostly cooked, add bok choy and carrots.  Add additional 1 tsp peanut oil if the pan is dry.  Stir fry until bok choy begins to wilt, about 3 minutes.  Add sauce mixture and let simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Add snow peas and stir, letting cook 1 or 2 minutes more.

Serve over brown and wild rice.  Makes 4 servings.

Bonus: Fresh Pasta Sauce

I could have sworn I'd posted this before.  Well!  Now I will!

This is a highly customizable sauce.  Saute onion and/or meat, throw in veggies, saute until sauce-like, throw over pasta.  You can season it however you like, but I like it best when the flavors of the vegetables are allowed to shine through - I do very little more than a sprinkle of salt on top after cooking, although I may throw in some oregano or basil if I have it handy.

1/2 cup chopped onion
Olive oil or butter, as desired
Garlic, minced or smashed (to taste)
Boneless skinless chicken (optional)
Italian sausage (optional)
1 cup chopped tomato or whole cherry or grape tomatoes
2 to 4 cups chopped fresh vegetables (chopped zucchini or yellow squash, bell peppers, hardy greens, julienned carrots, thinly sliced celery, sliced mushrooms, spinach - you name it!)
fresh or dried herbs (to taste)
salt and/or pepper (to taste)

Heat a pan over medium to medium-high heat, add oil or butter and onion.  Saute until tender, then add meat if desired.  Saute meat until browned (or continue sauteing onion until browned).  Add tomatoes and other vegetables and saute until veggies are tender and tomatoes (whole) split or (chopped) start to fall apart.  Season as desired, letting simmer for a few minutes to incorporate the flavors of any herbs you use.

Serve over the pasta of your choice, and dig in!  Makes about 4-6 servings of sauce.

Garlic-Balsamic Chicken Stew

I was so hungry the day we made this last week that I didn't bother snapping a picture--this was the following day at my desk. It was really good!

Garlic-Balsamic Chicken Stew

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned (I didn't cut or skin mine, but the broth was a little oily so perhaps this is a good idea)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can of chicken broth (I used homemade stock)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons AP flour (or arrowroot powder if you want to make this semi-paleo, but with the wine already in I just went for the flour)
• 1 9-oz. package frozen green beans (I had a 1 lb. bag and used them all)
• 5 plum tomatoes, cut into slices (I used canned diced tomatoes)

Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Combine the wine, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper in a small bowl, then pour over chicken. Add 1 1/2 cups of the broth to the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the chicken is fork tender, 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

 

About 40 minutes before the cooking time is up, whisk the reserved 1/4 cup broth, vinegar, and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in about 1/4 cup of the hot broth from the slow cooker until blended. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the liquid in the slow cooker, without disturbing the chicken. Add the beans and tomatoes in even layers. Cover and cook on high until the mixture simmers and the beans are tender, about 35 minutes.

Bonus picture of the kid chowing down on grapes! :) I don't usually let her eat in her bedroom but really, anything to get her to sit still for hair brushing.

 

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Crispy Smashed Chicken with Chimichurri

I love chimichurri! The original recipe for this chicken suggested salsa but this sounded even better to me, so off I went to find a suitable recipe, which I got from here. I added some broiled asparagus and dinner was served!

Crispy Smashed Chicken

Recipe from the Nom Nom Paleo™ app for the iPad, which I really like!

Makes : 4 servings

Hands-On Time : 30 min

Total Time : 30 min

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons Ghee or fat of choice, plus more if needed (I used coconut oil)
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• freshly ground black pepper
• Lime wedges (optional)
• Mango Salsa or Salsa Roja Asada (optional)

Preparation Steps:

If you're starting with frozen chicken breasts, dunk the package in a large bowl of super-hot tap water and weigh it down with a ramekin or small bowl to keep it completely submerged. A package of two large chicken breasts should thaw in about 10 minutes. Flip it and massage it a few times as it thaws.

Sprinkle the chicken with a few drops of water and place it between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment. Then hulk out and smash the breasts with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or small cast iron skillet until the chicken is uniformly flattened into half-inch-thick paillards.

Melt the Ghee over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet.

In a large bowl, mix the coconut flour, salt, garlic powder, and a few grinds of pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and pat off any excess.

Once the cooking fat is melted and shimmering, place the chicken flat-side down in the skillet, and allow it to cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes.

Don't overcrowd the skillet -- if your chicken pieces are too big, fry them up in separate batches.

Flip the breast over, and cook the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the exterior is crisp and golden brown.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack, and tent it with foil while you fry up the remaining pieces.

Slice up the paillards, and serve it up with your favorite sauce. This chicken is fantastic with some lime wedges and topped with a spicy salsa.

 

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Summer berry balsamic salad

This is my favorite way to eat salad. You can tell because I forgot to take a picture until I'd eaten half of it! Plus it's super duper easy.

Summer berry balsamic salad

1 serving

Prep time: 5 min

• A big bowl of Baby spinach
• 4 Strawberries
• 6 Raspberries
• 2 T. Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 1 T. Toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 rotisserie chicken breast

The beauty of this salad is that, other than toasting the almonds, I didn't have to cook anything. I could have made my own chicken but we went to Costco today and they have the most delicious rotisserie chickens for not much more than it would cost me to buy the raw meat. I also used per-made balsamic vinaigrette, though I usually make my own. I just tossed the spinach in the dressing, sliced the strawberries, sliced up one of the breasts on my rotisserie bird, and threw everything on top of the spinach. Lunch is ready!

 

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Chicken Wings in Three Styles

I seem to be in an improvisational mood these days.


Chicken Wings in Three Styles

Marinate chicken wings in any of the following marinades: the longer, the better.

1: Buffalo Wings

• Buffalo wing sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot)
• Cayenne pepper
• Oregano
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, as desired

2: Balsamic Wings

• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Basil
• Oregano
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, as desired

3: Sweet Smoky Wings

• Olive oil
• Ketchup
• Sweet spicy mustard
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• a few drops of Liquid Smoke
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Salt and pepper, as desired

Bake wings at 350 degrees F (175 C), turning once to brown evenly, if necessary.  I bake mine on a roasting pan, so that the juices drip down and the skin gets crispy.

Blondeez Daily Diary Friday

Apple Raisin Irish Oatmeal warmed me up after a quick bike ride this morning.  Lunch was leftovers from last night, and homemade applesauce as a snack.

Dinner was a one-pot slow cooker meal that I love--Curried Chicken and  Rice.  Since I had the greens left from the beets I looked up an indian-inspired recipe and came up with Braised Beet Greens, which added a little more greenery to our meal. 

Curried Chicken and Rice (from Slow Cooker Revolution)
Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 4-6 hours

• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 onions, minced
• 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. minced or grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, trimmed
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups instant brown rice
• 1/2 head cauliflower (~1 lb.), cored and cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onions, jalapeno, garlic, ginger, curry, and garam masala and cook until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, 8-10 min.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 min.  Slowly whisk incoconut milk, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out lumps, then transfer to slow cooker.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to slow cooker, and coat evenly with sauce.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4-6 hours on low.  Break up chicken into bite-size pieces with wooden spoon.  Stir in rice and 1 tsp. salt, cover, and cook on high until rice is tender, 20-30 min.

Microwave cauliflower with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 min.  Stir softened cauliflower and peas into slow cooker and let sit until heated through, about 5 min.  Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro and serve.

Blondeez Daily Diary Thursday

Breakfast and lunch were not that exciting today--greek yogurt with honey plus Fruit and Nut Granola for breakfast, then leftover Beef, Tomato, and Sweet Potato Stew and Quinoa Tabbouleh for lunch after my second CrossFit workout.  I had some more of that homemade applesauce for a snack.  But dinner was the main event!

First, I had marinated Damn Fine Chicken Wednesday night, which I've been excited to try. And wow, it totally lived up to expectations!  I am so excited to eat more for lunch tomorrow.

Next I made Oven Roasted Golden Beets--my first time cooking beets, which the kid's day care says she loves. 

Then I added steamed artichokes (I really can't get enough of them!).  It made a really colorful plate with the chicken and beets, and of course I finally remembered to take pictures of everything so the blog is prettier!

Blondeez Daily Diary Saturday and Party Prep

I sort of made up for lost time today by spending most of it planning, shopping, and cooking!  My parents helped by entertaining the kid and acting as prep chefs.  Some cooking for today, some for the week to come, and a lot for tomorrow, when we're having a small family party for the kid's second birthday (around 20 people--yes, for my family, that's small!).  Among the guests we have two celiac, one allergic to eggs, a couple paleo fans, one who doesn't eat beef, and one who has problems with ulcers and heartburn.  So on the one hand, most of those food preferences go together.  On the other, it was a lot to think about.

I made a gluten free devil's food cake from a mix (pics tomorrow when it's frosted!) because I couldn't justify buying the ingredients for making it from scratch when I'm not likely to use most of them in the future.  The girl who is allergic to eggs will have her own vegan dessert, thanks to her mom telling me there was no need to try to make an egg and gluten free cake.

First thing, it was high time I made breakfasts for the week.  I cleaned up the slow cooker and made steel cut oats with apples and raisins.

As long as I was chopping apples, I also whipped up some homemade apple sauce on the stove.  The kid loves it and we're working on getting more fruit into her.

By the time those were done it was about time to start dinner!  I pulled out the paleo cookbook for Moroccan Chicken, and then because my parents and the kid are anything but paleo, we added some soft polenta made in the microwave, which was super easy.  And yummy!

After dinner, I threw together more food for tomorrow.  First up, Quinoa Tabbouleh, which I'm super excited for as it's a great high-protein carb with lots of veggies, and everyone except the hardcore paleo types can eat it.

Then I marinated some drumsticks and squeezed a whole lotta lemons (from my parents' backyard) so we can have fresh lemonade tomorrow.  Can't wait!

Irish Oatmeal with Apples and Raisins (America's Test Kitchen's Slow Cooker Revolution)
Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 4 hours

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 8 cups water
• 1 lb. apples (3-3), cored and shredded
• 1/2 cup dried apples, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt

Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Add oats and toast, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir water, apples, dried apples, raisins, sugar, cunnamon, and salt into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until oats are softened and thickened, 4-6 hours on low.  Let oatmeal sit for 10 minutes; stir well adn swerve.  Oatmeal can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.  Reheat oatmeal either in microwave or in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Apple Sauce (The UltraMetabolism Cookbook)
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40 min

•  4 large apples (about 2 lbs.) cored and cut into chunks
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• small pinch allspice
• 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Place the apples in a large pan with the water.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and cook the apples until they are soft, about 20-25 min.  When the apples are cooked, remove only the apples to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, leaving cooking liquid in the pan.

Bring the remaining cooking liquid in the pan to a boil over high heat until it reduces to about 1 or 2 tablespoons (it is like syrup).  Add the reduced liquid from the pan to the food processor along with the cinnamon, allspice, and lemon juice, and process to the desired consistency.

 Moroccan Chicken (from Whole9 Nutrition Guide)
Serves 2-4
Cook Time: 25 min.

• 2 Tbsp. cooking fat, divided
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1/4 tsp. saffron
• 1 can artichoke hearts, halved
• 3-6 sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 lb. diced chicken breast
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup kalamata or black olives
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Heat 1 Tbsp. of cooking fat in a large skillet.  Saute the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, add the spices, and saute for another 2 minutes.  Add the artichokes and tomatoes, cook for 2 more minutes, then place the mixture aside in a bowl.  Add the second Tbsp. of  cooking fat to the skillet, then add the diced chicken.  Cook for 5 minutes, turning the meat often, until the chicken is browned.  Add the veggies back in, then add the parsley, olives,, and lemon juice.  Stir and cook until the juices reduce--5 to 7 minutes.

Soft Polenta in the Microwave (credit to my mom)
Serves 4
Cook time: 15 min.

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. butter
• pinch fresh ground pepper
• 2 tsp. blue cheese (or other cheese, or additional butter)

Combine water, cornmeal, and salt in a microwave-safe dish (at least 6 cups).  Stir and microwave uncovered for 5 min on high.  Stir well, cover loosely with a paper towel, and microwave for another 5 minutes on high.  Stir in butter, pepper, and cheese (or butter), then let cool and thicken for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Blondeez Not Daily At All Anymore Diary--Weekend Update

The week got away from me, in many ways, so I'll just catch you up on meals and recipes of note.  There weren't many.   Seriously, I was in survival mode this week.  But my parents arrived on Thursday to celebrate the kid's birthday, so we had a decent dinner that night!  I roasted a chicken and potatoes and steamed artichokes, then put together a salad with 50/50 lettuce and spinach, avocado, cucumber, and yogurt blue cheese dressing.  A bottle of chardonnay and we were a very happy bunch!  No recipes except for the chicken, which comes from my favorite basic, delicious food book.  How to Cook Everything is a great reference manual--I have often had a random thought or ingredient and looked up his instructions.  A lot of times I have another recipe in mind, but he explains technique with illustrations (like how to truss and carve poultry!) and has wonderfully simple recipes that can be dressed up or dressed down. 

Then last night my parents were at a cousin's for dinner so CJ made crock pot Beef and Sweet Potato Stew, which was a great and comforting meal after a long week.

Roast Chicken with Roasted New Potatoes (from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything)
Serves 4
Cook Time: 60-75 min

• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh (or 2 tsp. dried) herbs--thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, or sage
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 whole (3-4 lb.) chicken, trimmed of excess fat, then rinsed and patted dry.
• 1 1/2 lbs. waxy red or white potatoes, skins on a scrubbed (either baby/new or cut into chunks)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Mix together the olive oil, herb, salt, and pepper.  Place the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.  Toss half of the herb mixture with the potatoes and scatter them in the pan.  Begin roasting.

After about 20 minutes, take the pan out and spoon some of the oil mixture over the chicken and potatoes, then turn the chicken breast side up.  Shake the pan for the potatoes turn and cook evenly.  Roast another 7-8 minutes, or until the breast begins to brown.  Turn the heat down to 325 degrees F and baste the chicken again with the rest of the oil mixture.  Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh read 160-165 degrees F.  Total roasting time will be 50-70 min.

Remove the chicken and test potatoes for doneness.  If the potatoes are not soft, turn the heat up to 425 degrees F and roast for a few minutes while the chicken rests.

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew (crock pot) (from The Paleo Recipe Book)
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours

• 1 lb. beef chuck or otehr stewing cut, in 1-inch cubes
• 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 large onion, cut in chunks
• 1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes
• 8 dried apricots, halved (optional)
• chopped parsley for garnish
• cooking fat (we used walnut oil)
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat a skillet over a medium heat, season the beef cubes to taste with salt and pepper and brown on all sides with some cooking fat in the hot skillet.

Place the browned beef, sweet potatoes, garlic, allspice, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, onion, and tomatoes in a crock pot and cook on high for 8 hours, until the beef is fork tender.  Add the dried apricots and cook, covered, for another 20 min until the apricots are soft.

Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick before serving with chopped parsley on top.

Blondeez Daily Diary Wednesday

Today was a busy day so food wasn't the first thing on my mind, but it's always back there somewhere.  I am a person who thinks about food often and fondly in myriad ways--always trying a new restaurant, finding a new recipe, thinking about modifying my approach to eating, or just thinking "I want chocolate."  I started out as a spectacularly picky eater, and just in the last few years have embraced many ingredients that would have wrinkled my nose before.  But I have always loved food in a visceral way.  I so enjoy the rituals of planning, shopping, cooking, and eating that I could never fathom giving that up, no matter what else I may change about how I do those things.   I know several people who say that if they could take a pill and get all their nutrients and forgo eating, that would be okay with them.  I believe them, but that is definitely not me. 

Over the years I have approached how to eat in a lot of ways.  I didn't think much about it as a child and even as a teenager.  In college the cafeteria was so vile (at least to my picky palate) that grilled cheese, frozen yogurt, and cereal were about the only edible options.  In graduate school, I learned to cook properly and began to appreciate a more diverse diet; I also went on my first weight-loss "diet" ever.  I've tried various nutritional approaches since then, some for health reasons and some as an attempt to control weight. 

Right now I'm an omnivore, trying to reduce the proportion of refined foods in my diet.  One reason that Ultrametabolism Cookbook is close at hand is that I recently tried the elimination program its author suggests, to identify food intolerances and sources of "inflammation" in the body.  I felt better and lost a significant bit of weight (according to the author, as a result of decreased inflammation and therefore better functioning metabolism) but it was too difficult to make everything from scratch--and like most diets, as soon as I stopped following the restrictive plan the pounds showed back up.  Still, I may go gluten and dairy free again soon to try to obtain the benefits I experienced before in the form of increased energy, reduced congestion, and clearer thinking.  In the meantime, I am focusing on eating as many fresh and unrefined foods as I can.

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Enough rambling, on to the food!  My morning jog got cut short by some pretty heavy rain and achy feet, so I headed inside to warm up with more maple spiced oatmeal with currants.  A series of crises at work led to scarfing a small plate of tri tip, potato salad, and roasted summer squash in small spurts between 11:45 and 3 (the catered lunch at work, which I usually avoid but was thankfully okay since I had to cancel lunch with a friend).  By 3 I was hangry (so hungry I was angry!) so I dug into the fruit and nut granola.
 
CJ was in charge of dinner tonight, and he made Chicken Tagine in the crock pot.  It's another new recipe, and I was definitely pleased!  So pleased, in fact, that we scarfed it all down and I forgot to take a picture.  Sorry!  I finished the evening with some dark chocolate with sea salt and almonds from Chocolove to fuel a late night working after the kid went to sleep.

Recipe to be posted later when I the cookbook handy!

Family Dinner Sunday

Hi blog reading people!  This is our first post (unless one of my co-bloggers types fast) and my first post for sure so I'll say a little bit about my food philosophy.  I am lucky to be able to find and afford many organic and natural foods.  I am a recovering vegetable-phobe discovering new ways to add them to my life, and loving it.  I have a sweet tooth that could turn a whole kindergarten class hyperactive so I will likely feature dessert here on a regular basis.  I love to bake my own bread when I have time.  I own a lot of diet/weight loss cookbooks, but I am not on a diet.  I often find myself adjusting recipes to add back healthy fats or natural sweeteners where it calls for artificial flavorings.

I had a cooking-intensive weekend, but it paid off today as I had a mostly stress-free dinner with my in-laws, not to mention plenty of other good food! 

I started my morning with Maple Spiced Oatmeal with Currants before taking my toddler to church for Easter services.  Even the kid liked it--she usually rejects oatmeal but she took a few bites of mine before requesting yogurt and a banana.  Also before we left, I got started on dinner--Lemon Chicken in the slow cooker.  When we got back home, my husband had just put Smitten Kitchen's Boozy Baked French Toast, which I threw together last night, into the oven.  Paired with some spiked coffee, it was the perfect way to relax and feel festive before my in-laws arrived for egg hunting and dinner.

Dinner was the aforementioned braised whole chicken, artichoke mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli with crispy prosciutto and balsamic vinegar (from Nom Nom Paleo), and wine--a nice California white blend.  I knew we would like the broccoli, but the potatoes were the hit of the table.  Even my father-in-law, who isn't a big potato guy, had some.  Finally, we topped it off with banana spice cake (bundt style) and cream cheese glaze, the leftovers of which I managed to photograph before my roommates gobbled it up.

I'll take more pictures in the future, but we just had the idea to start the blog tonight and I was so excited about today's food I had to share!  I've linked recipes above where I got them online, and the couple from cookbooks are below. 


Maple Spiced Oatmeal with Currants  (adapted from the Ultra-Metabolism Cookbook)
4 servings, 3/4 cup each
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: ~35 min

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (original recipe calls for 1 tsp. maple extract)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch allspice
• splash whole milk (original recipe calls for unsweetened soy milk, optional)

Boil water in a medium saucepan.  Stir in oats and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the currants and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the maple, cinnamon, and allspice at the very end, and add milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency.

I immediately divided it into four containers and now I've got breakfast ready to go a couple mornings this week!

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken (from Weight Watchers Slow Good Super Slow Cooker Cookbook)
Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 or 6 hours

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1.5 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 (~3.5 lb.) chicken
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Combine garlic, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Rinse and pat dry the chicken, then gently separate the skin from the meat on the breast, thighs, and legs.  Rub half the spice mixture under the skin and half in the cavity of the chicken.

Heat and grease a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken breast side down and brown, turning frequently, for 6-8 minutes.  Transfer to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.  Add broth to the skillet and deglaze, scraping the brown bits from the skillet while the broth boils briefly.  Add 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice and pour the liquid over the chicken.  Cover and cook until fork-tender (3-4 hours on high or 6-8 on low).

About 20 minutes before cooking time is over, stir lemon zest into the remaining lemon juice and pour into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high until fragrant.  Transfer chicken to a platter and serve with the broth as a sauce.

(WW says to use low-sodium chicken broth, to discard the skin and wings from the chicken, and to skim any fat from the broth.  I have low blood pressure and don't keep low-sodium anything around, the broth didn't seem overly fatty, and my husband said "the skin's the best part!" so I didn't do any of that.)

Cream cheese glaze (borrowed from here)

• 1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon rum extract (didn't have any so I used almond and vanilla)
• 1 tablespoon milk

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Heat in a microwave oven for 15 seconds. Drizzle spoonfuls over a cooled cake.