Chicken, Vegetable & Couscous Stew

The inspiration for this inviting supper comes from combining hearty chicken soup with Middle Eastern couscous stew. One of the dishes I love ordering at North African or Middle Eastern restaurants is a two-step stew. First, the waiter delivers a bowl of couscous, loaded with flavorful cooked vegetables and chickpeas. Next, he pours a tureen of steaming hot broth over the entire bowl. Not only is there a real "wow" factor of having the dish created in front of your hungry eyes, but keeping the grains separate from the hot broth until serving preserves the texture of the couscous (like cereal and milk). 

A tantalizing mix of textures and temperatures mingle in this one-pot meal - the warm fluffy grains of couscous, the soft tender vegetables, and the firm hunks of juicy chicken are topped with melt-in-your-mouth sautéed fennel and a cool parsley garnish. Get cooking!

To wow yourself, your friends, and your family - serve this dish just like they do at the restaurant. Give everyone a bowl of couscous and strained chicken and vegetables (just ladle it from the pot with a slotted spoon), and come around and fill their bowls with a measuring cup or tureen of hot broth. Then garnish with the fennel and parsley. 

Time: 45 minutes (and the couscous only takes 5 minutes)

Hands-on time: 15 minutes

Serves: 5-6 (you can store it in the refrigerator or freeze in individual containers)

Stew Ingredients 

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 medium-large carrots, chopped

2 ribs of celery, chopped

1/2 bulb of fennel, tall stalks and leaves discarded and bulb finely chopped (reserve other 1/2 for garnish)

1 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds then diced into quarters

1 large yellow boiling potato (like Yukon Gold), peeled and diced

2 14-oz cans chopped tomatoes, with their juices (or 1 box of chopped tomatoes like Pomi, 26 oz)

4 cups chicken broth (approx. 1 32-oz box like Swanson or Pacific) (can sub low-fat or unsalted as desired)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (for garnish)

Couscous (I use the Near East brand). Use whole wheat couscous if you can find it at your local market. Follow the directions on the package. It takes 5 minutes to cook. 

Stew Recipe

Heat the oil in a heavy, 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and 1/2-tsp of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken has just started to brown - approximately 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside. 

Add the onions, carrots, celery, fennel, and zucchini to the pot and cook, stirring until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes.

Stir the chicken back in, and add the potatoes, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil. Partially cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sautéed fennel and parsley before serving.

Sautéed Fennel: 

Slice the remaining fennel bulb into thin slices. Heat 1 tsp olive oil to a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the fennel, and sauté, stirring/flipping the pieces occasionally while the soup cooks, about 30 minutes. When done, the pieces should be brown and shriveled - they will taste sweet and the anise flavor that is so prominent in the raw vegetable will be mild.

Red Quinoa, Chicken, & Goat Cheese Power Salad

Welcome to 2012! Holiday indulgences are in 2011 - a whole *year* ago...now it's time to focus on powering up for a healthy 2012. Toss this salad in your tupperware for a satisfying lunch that's loaded with health-promoting foods.

What's in this salad that's so good for you?

Red Quinoa: Whole grains don't have to be boring brown. These little red pods are a complete protein. Proteins are made of amino acids, which are like charms on a bracelet. You attach specific charms to the bracelet in a certain order, and that bracelet becomes a protein. Your body can make a lot of charms itself, but it needs you to supply nine of them through your diet. A complete protein contains all of the charms that your body can't make. The bottom line? Quinoa is a great source of protein. It's also high in fiber, which slows digestion, curbs blood sugar spikes, and can help you lose weight. 

Pomegranate Seeds: As long as you don't eat a pomegranate seed in Hades, you can sprinkle these on almost any meal, any time for a delicious burst of flavor. 

In Greek Mythology, Persephone, daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, was dragged into the underworld and crowned Queen of the Dead (lovely, I know). She was eventually freed and allowed to return topside, but since she had eaten a pomegranate seed while down under, she was forced to return to the land of the dead for half the year...forever. When Persephone was up on earth, her mother Demeter was thrilled, and made plants grow (our Summer and Spring), and when Persephone went back down to Hades, Demeter wept, and caused leaves to fall and the earth to become barren (our Fall and Winter). (Disclaimer: I was president of the Greek club in high school for two years, and studied Ancient Greek for 6 years...so that's why you were forced to read that).

And now, back to why pom seeds are so "wonderful." They've got those powerful antioxidants we're always hearing about - the chemicals naturally found in foods that keep our blood vessels smooth, plaque-free, and chugging along. Many stores sell the seeds in the refrigerated section, so they're ready to sprinkle on breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Avocado: Startling but true, and maybe worth saying outloud, all fat is not bad. All fat is not created equal. We've got trans fat and saturated fat on the "naughty" list (but honestly, there's some research going on that these aren't even so cut and dry), and then unsaturated fats on the "nice" list. Unsaturated fats don't raise cholesterol, and may even help lower blood cholesterol, according to The Color Code, by Drs. James Joseph and Daniel Nadeau, and Anne Underwood (2002). If you're looking for phytochemicals that fight cancer, antioxidants that support heart health, and vitamins and minerals, you've also come to the right fruit.

Don't go ava-crazy though - moderation counts here. One half of an avocado (one serving) has about 150 calories, so watch your portion size and don't add them to your diet, but substitute them for something that's less healthy like croutons, which are calorie-full and don't have all these health benefits.

Also...Chicken (protein!), Lettuce (water that fills you up with very few calories), Beets (possible heart-helper and cancer-fighter) and Goat Cheese (deliciousness, calcium, optional). 

Red Quinoa, Chicken, & Goat Cheese Power Salad

Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken, sliced

Beets, cooked & sliced

Goat Cheese

Red Quinoa, cooked

Pomegranate Seeds

Avocado, cut into chunks

Lettuce or Spinach (your favorite - this salad would be great with any)

Directions:

Combine ingredients and toss with your favorite low-cal dressing (or just squeeze fresh lemon juice on top). 

Help!

Q. How do I cook the chicken? 

A: Check out a ton of different methods from boiling to baking in parchment paper here. For safety, make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Q: How do I cook beets?

A: Take the short cut and buy them whole, pre-cooked, and refrigerated like I did at Trader Joes. You can also find them in the can or jar (just make sure there's no added salt). You can also roast them yourself by following these directions. 

Q: Where can I find red quinoa?

A: On the shelf at Trader Joes or at Whole Foods for sure. Amazon.com sells it, and you can check your local health foods store. If you find it somewhere else, please let me know so I can post it!

Q: How do I get pomegranate seeds out of a pomegranate?

A:  Once again, I got them at Trader Joes in the refrigerated section. However, you can certainly buy pomegranates and do it yourself. Instructions here from Gourmet.com.

Q: What's the best way to cut an avocado?

A: Great question! Get your answer from Real Simple.  

Speak to you soon :-)

Caroline

Fall!

Happy first weekend of fall everyone! I couldn't wait to get up and bake this morning. I got a new cookbook called "100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know," and I wanted to fill the apartment with the homey smell of their warm blueberry muffins.  The recipe includes an inspired extra step: topping the muffins with a coffee-cake crumble. You have not, I repeat - have not - had the best blueberry muffin ever, until you have had one topped with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar-butter crumble.

You know when you go to Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts or what-have-you and you get a muffin and it weighs ten tons and is basically a dense, chewy, anvil-like substance full of goodness-knows-what-ingredients and I-don't-want-to-know-which-preservatives? This muffin is LIGHT! It's airy! It has a (ok maybe dangerous) quality of disappearing in your mouth quickly after chewing! It may fill you with child-like wonder to partake in a muffin experience where you're eating a nice breakfast treat instead of a small cake. And it's an experience worth having.

You can buy the book or borrow it from your local library to get the recipe in your hands. It's also available on this google books website (hooray!) for the time being. 

Oh, and in an attempt to be both greener AND craftier, I re-purposed this gift box as a muffin carrier. I placed parchment paper at the bottom and then laid the muffins carefully inside. I think it's a nice way to bring muffins to a friend or say hi to your new neighbors without having to pile them on a flimsy plate or foil container. And you can get really creative and decorate the box with a colored satin ribbon, a DIY label (like this one from Martha Stewart), or fun stickers. If you plan to make a lot of muffins...you could invest in a sticker like these ones from zazzle, and put them on all your boxes like a signature design.

Balsamic Roast Chicken & Smashed Cauliflower Potatoes

Apparently it's a thing now to put freeze-dried, pulverized cauliflower powder into processed foods to make them "healthier." Now, I like throwing nutrient-rich foods like whole grains, veggies, and fruits into food, and freeze-dried cauliflower powder is more wholesome than some additive or artificial thickener, but it doesn't have the same health benefits as a whole fruit or vegetable (be it fresh or frozen).

When you add fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables to your meal, you're amping up a few wonderful things:

1. Water content: makes you feel full on fewer calories

2. Fiber: helps you stay full longer; aids in blood sugar control

3. Vitamins and Minerals: keeps your body running smoothly, helps prevent disease

4. Phytochemicals (like antioxidants): protects your body from damage and disease by acting like a force field around your cells

So, freeze-dried cauliflower powder is better than some ingredients, but nowhere near as healthy as home-prepped veggies. Pureeing fresh or frozen vegetables is a much better way to go.

Here's what Marion Nestle, nutrition expert, author, and Professor at NYU says to the AP about the whole thing: "Oh what will they think of next...what a silly idea." 

Today's recipe toes the trend by swapping some potatoes for real cauliflower in our mascarpone mashed potato side dish. Serve it alongside tender chicken topped with sauteed peppers in a balsamic vinegar sauce for a flavorful, delicious dinner.

 Balsamic Chicken with Peppers & Smashed Cauliflower Potatoes

adapted from Cooking Light

Things you probably have to buy are in bold:

Ingredients for Chicken Dish:

3/4 tsp salt, divided

3/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed*

1/2 tsp black pepper, divided

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp oregano

4 (6-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

cooking spray

2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 1-1/2 medium peppers)

1 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper (about 1 medium pepper)

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 3 small-medium shallots)

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

*If you don't have a mortar and pestle (and I don't), try putting the seeds in a plastic bag and lightly tapping them with a meat mallet until they break open. Then combine the rest of the spices in the same bag. It's like shake-and-bake! (except not really at all I guess). 

Ingredients for Cauliflower Smashed Potato Dish:

1 medium-sized Yukon gold potato (about 1#), peeled and cubed

1 head of cauliflower, de-stemmed and cut into hunks

1/3 cup 2% milk

3 TBLS mascarpone cheese

1/2 tsp salt

Recipe-Chicken:

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 450 Fahrenheit. Combine 1/2 tsp salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano in a small plastic bag and shake to combine. Brush chicken with 1-1/2 tsp oil. Sprinkle spice rub over chicken. 

Step 2: 

Add 1-1/2 tsp oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over and cook 1 minute.

Step 3: 

Arrange chicken on an 11x16-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450 Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until done. (Done = thermometer in the middle of the breast reads 165 Fahrenheit or above). Use the pan for the balsamic peppers (below).

Recipe-Balsamic Peppers:

Step 1:

Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper slices, shallots, and rosemary. Saute 3 minutes. 

Step 2: 

Stir in broth, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Step 3: 

Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

Recipe - Cauliflower Smashed Potatoes

Step 1:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft.* Drain, and place in large bowl.

Step 2:

While potatoes are cooking, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook ten minutes, or until tender. Drain and add to bowl with potatoes.

Step 3: 

Add the milk, mascarpone cheese, and salt. Mashed to desired consistency. For an even smoother bite, use an immersion blender. 

*to get the best nutritional bang for your buck, steam instead of boil vegetables. You lose nutrients in the water. I didn't have a great steaming apparatus handy last night, but here's how you do it: 

Stovetop Steaming: place a colander or steamer basket on top of a pot of water. The colander/basket should fit snugly, and the water in the pot should just barely touch the bottom of your steaming apparatus. Once the water comes to a boil, add the veggies and loosely or half cover. 

Microwave Steaming: If you like to microwave (great time-saver but sometimes controversial cooking method): place veggies in a microwave safe bowl and fill with a little water (like the amount you'd wash them with). Cover the bowl with a vented microwave safe lid or plastic wrap with one corner left open to vent. 

Thanks to About.com for some great tips on steaming

Nuts for Shortbread

This is one of those times you look at an ingredient list and you think to yourself, there is absolutely no way this could taste bad. Butter? check. Sugar? check. Vanilla extract? Salted cocktail nuts?? CHECK. I tore this magically simple recipe out of a Gourmet Magazine in 2006 (sigh. moment of reverent silence for the now defunct magazine that gave me some of my most favorite recipes. My heart sinks a little bit when I think that I will never read "the last touch" page again). 

Reasons I love this recipe:

5 ingredients. 

Prep = chopping some cocktail nuts.

No fancy equipment (I'm looking at you, stand mixer).

Low maintenance. Just bake for 20 mins (I'm looking at you, biscotti).

You're required to use your hands.

Now without further ado, and with a flourishing bow to the forever beloved Gourmet Magazine, I present to you, this buttery, butterscotchy, salty, nutty, crumbly cookie, perfectly designed for a cup of tea (or nibble any time of day as I have quickly learned since baking them last night)...

Mixed-Nut Shortbread

Gourmet Magazine, August 2006

Active time: 15 minutes; Start to Finish: 45 minutes

Things you probably have to buy are in bold:

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup salted and roasted mixed cocktail nuts, coarsely chopped

Recipe:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and pre-heat to 375 Fahrenheit.

2. Stir together butter and 1/3 cup of sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until combined well.

3. Stir in vanilla and flour, and mix with your hands, just until the dough forms.

4. Transfer dough to a lightly greased baking sheet and spread evenly with your fingers to form an 8-inch square.*

5. Sprinkle nuts evenly over dough, pressing down to help them adhere.

6. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over nuts and bake until the shortbread is deep golden: 20-25 minutes.

7. Cool on baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut into 18 (roughly 3-by-1-1/2 inch bars).**

*Alternatively, you can spray cooking spray on a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper. This will make clean-up time easier. You need the cooking spray so the parchment paper won't slide all over the place when you press the dough.

**I went to the gym while the dough cooled. When I came back 40 minutes later, it had totally cooled so when I cut it, it broke into pieces instead of nice rectangles. I thought it was nice and rustic looking, but if you want rectangles, it's probably best to cut it while it's still a little warm.

Bonus Features:

Embarrassing but True: I used a tape measure to get a perfect 8x8' square...

Delicious Topping Options: Dip half the bar in melted semi-sweet chocolate (or smear on with a knife), rest on parchment paper and refrigerate to harden. Top with cranberries, craisins, or fruit as desired. 

Mediterranean Chickpea Patties & Greek Salad

Just because we're not summering in some exotic location doesn't mean we can't eat like we are. Get your fill of Mediterranean flavor with this healthy vegetarian meal. A mix of tastes, textures, and temperatures, this dish has got it going ON. Warm, crispy, pan-fried chickpea patties flavored with fresh basil, cumin, and garlic only take 2-3 minutes of stove time. In this heat, who wants to spend the whole night sweating over a burner? Not this girl.

Assuming you have some semblance of a pantry, I've put items in bold you'll probably need to buy. See? It's not that long a list now! Doesn't that feel better?

If you keep pantry staples like beans, basic spices, eggs, flour, olive oil, canned meats, whole grain pasta and rice, canned tomato sauce, and peanut butter on hand, you'll spend less time in the grocery store and can get meals on the table way faster.

Recipe from Health Magazine (March 2010)
Prep: 16 minutes; Cook: 4 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients for Chickpea Patties: 
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 egg, whisked
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients for Salad:
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1 cucumber, sliced

Ingredients for Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Step 1

Pulse chickpeas, parsley, garlic, salt, & pepper in a food processor until roughly chopped and mixture forms a paste

Step 2

Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add whisked egg and 2 TBS flour. Form into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Put 2 TBS flour on a plate, and some on your hands, and roll the patties to coat. Tap off excess flour.

Step 3

Heat 2 TBS oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Dry on paper towels to soak up extra oil.

Step 4

For salad: mix together salad greens, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and sliced cucumbers.  Place two store-bought stuffed grape leaves on top (dolmas).
For dressing (makes 8-servings): Mix together 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon), and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad.

***

Serving suggestions: Have a salad for dinner and jazz it up the next day with a hunk of crusty baguette smeared with tangy Greek tzatziki. Mash the stuffed grape leaves onto the bread and layer with salad and chickpea patties.
Note: Tzatziki is a Greek spread made with thick, tart, Greek yogurt, cucumbers, dill, and garlic. Look for it near the hummus spreads at your local market. Yum! 

Tomato Vegetable Casserole

This comforting vegetable casserole is a snap to prepare - peel two potatoes, slice up a few veggies, sprinkle with seasonings and let the oven do the rest. Baking softens the vegetables and brings out their natural sweetness, while the parmesan cheese and italian seasonings add a savory, salty crunch on top.

You may want to keep this recipe in your "potluck" folder because it's a pretty, make-ahead dish that can be cooked in a disposable pan. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite recipes. 

Tomato Vegetable Casserole

by Giada De Laurentiis 

Ingredients:

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings

1 large zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons dried Italian-style bread crumbs or Italian-style panko

Fresh basil to garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

2. Toss the potato, sweet potato, bell pepper, carrots, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish to coat. Spread vegetables evenly in the pan.

3. Arrange the onion slices evenly over the vegetable mixture. Arrange the zucchini over the onion. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Arrange the tomato slices over the zucchini. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

4. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs. Sprinkle the Parmesan mixture over the vegetables in the baking dish.

5. Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs, if desired.