Chicken Teriyaki

I know, it's been forever since I have posted.  I have been busy and when I am busy I don't have time to find new recipes and just stick to the same old basics.  Eventually we get bored and then I go and search, which is what I did this week.  In the chicken department we usually eat boneless skinless chicken-and by usually I mean almost exclusively.  I am always on the lookout for a way to make this cut of chicken juicy without adding a lot of  sugar or fat.  Which is why I was excited when I found this recipe for chicken teriyaki.    It was simple yet flavorful with minimal added sugar or fat.  I cut down the cooking time as my chicken was pounded very thin but adjust so that the chicken is fully cooked.  I also substituted the fresh garlic and ginger for the frozen cubes.  I didn't get a picture before it was all gone.

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 C. Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbls. Vegetable Oil
4 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 tsp. Ginger, minced or 1 frozen cube

Place the chicken in a pan.  Combine remaining ingredients and let the chicken marinate for an hour at least.  Preheat the over to 350.  Bake chicken uncovered for 10 minutes.  Turn chicken and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.  

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

In my recent attempt to find healthy salads I came across this recipe in the Spice and Spirit cookbook. The only change I made was to substitute the sugar with splenda. Since the vegetables are so crisp it was still good a few days later as leftovers. Note that the cookbook indicated that this serves 8-10 people. We had it at a meal with 12 people and other side dishes/salads and there was a lot left over(and no, not because it wasn't good).

1 large broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 zucchini, diced
4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 C. oil
1/3 C. Vinegar
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbls. Splenda
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/3 tsp. pepper

Toss together all salad ingredients. In a seperate bowl combine or whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Serve chilled.

Chickpea Salad with Tehina and Garlic Dressing

Sorry it's been a while since I have posted. I am working full time now and have very little time for anything else-including cooking.
Lately I have been searching for healthy salad recipes. I know it sounds dumb-isn't all salad healthy? Well when you dump gobs of mayonnaise, oils and sugar into the dressing and then onto the salad then no, it isn't. In attempt to bring some variety into my Rosh Hashanah menus I found some new salad recipes and I will be sharing several with you in the next few weeks.
This first one I found on this blog that I came across recently. I didn't get a chance to photograph my salad but it pretty much looked the same. I did use my progressive dicer to make this salad (thanks for the recommendation Talia) which made it simple to throw together.
The only change I made to the recipe was changing measurements to quantities as I prefer recipes that way so I assume you do too.

2 cans chick peas, drained
2 cucumbers, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
6 scallions, diced
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:
1/2 cup Tehina
4 Tbls lemon juice
2 Tbls water
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables and toss. Mix dressing and pour over salad before serving.

Quinoa with Pesto and Toasted Almonds

I had some pesto leftover in my fridge so I figured I would try it with quinoa. I came across this recipe on Oprah's website and it was perfect.

1 tsp. Olive oil
2 cups quinoa
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup dairy free nut free pesto or whatever pesto you like
1/2 cup sliced almonds , toasted

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in quinoa. Cook until golden, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally during the first 5 minutes and more frequently during last 2 minutes of cooking. Add chicken broth and salt; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until quinoa is just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork; stir in pesto. Transfer quinoa to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature, topped with toasted almonds.

If you don't know how to toast almonds all you do is preheat the oven to 350°. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden and fragrant about 6 to 8 minutes.

No Cook Cauliflower Salad

I came across this cauliflower salad on a blog I regulalrly read. I didn't have pimento olives so I used sliced manzillo. I only used a half red onion as I thought it was going to be too onion-y. I replaced the sugar with splenda. I also made the dressing seperatly as I made the salad ahead and just tossed the dressing on before serving. It was delicious and I am making it again this week.

Here is the salad undressed.

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1/2 red onion, diced small
1/2 C. sliced green olives
1 medium can corn, drained
1 can (10 ounces or larger 14.5 ounces) chick peas, rinsed and drained

Dressing:
4 Tbls. Olive oil
3 Tbls. Lemon Juice
2 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper (or more, to taste)
2 tsp. splenda

Combine all salad ingredients. Mix dressing and toss with salad.

Pesto Chicken

I made a really yummy pesto chicken last week. I took pictures and had planned on putting them up later in the week and then I dropped my laptop. Bye bye all unpublished pictures. Oh well. You'll have to use your imagination for this one.

1 recipe of Dairy Free Nut Free Pesto
Chicken for grilling(I used some pounded boneless skinless chicken breasts and some legs and thighs)

Madinade the chicken in the pesto for several hours or overnight. Perheat grill to medium high heat. Grill to your liking. I grilled the boneless skinless breasts for about 3 minutes per side. The chicken with a bone was about 20 minutes per side.
Really good served with rice.

Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

As you know we are lovers of hummus. I like to try a new recipe every few weeks. When I came across this one I thought it was perfect as I had a few red peppers in the fridge that needed to be used soon.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can Chickpeas, drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (If you need instructions take these)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

In an food processor combine garlic, chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

Roasted Spicy Cauliflower

I love cauliflower and usually just roast it with some kosher salt, pepper and olive oil. Last week I decided to try a variation which I found on one of my favorite healthy cooking blogs. The results were a delicious, beautiful cauliflower with a kick.

1 large head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
2 Tbls. Olive oil
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
pinch salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Placed cut up cauliflower, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper into mixing bowl and stir well to combine and coat cauliflower with oil and red pepper. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Roast until softened and golden brown for 25-30 minutes.

Basil Mayonnaise

When I told you about the pistachio crusted chicken breasts that my family really enjoyed I mentioned that it was good with a salad dressing or mayonnaise based sauce. One of our favorites is basil mayonnaise which I found on a wonderful website called Challah Crumbs. I know it is mayonnaise based however in moderation this is a great dip for chicken or vegetables. I can get my kids to eat a lot more vegetables with this dip next to them. I have made this with frozen basil however it is better with fresh basil.

1 cup Mayonnaise
¼ cup Fresh Basil
1 Tbls. Lemon Juice
1 clove Garlic, minced

Place all in the jar of a blender or food processor. Blend until the basil is well chopped and season to taste. Can be made a day before serving.

Spicy Grilled Chicken

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I just began working full time out of the house and haven't had much time to cook or post. I made this grilled chicken recipe last week and we loved it. I didn't use the lime zest as we didn't have one. It had a slight kick to it but not overwhelming that the kids couldn't eat it.

1/3 C. vegetable oil
2 Tbls. lime juice
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into cubes

Mix the oil, lime juice, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken for 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until juices run clear.

Crazy Chicken Marinade

I came across this chicken marinade and it sounded good so I figured I'd give it a try. It was really good. This one would go well in a pita with some homemade hummus. I found that there was not a lot of marinade left to boil so I skipped that step. Otherwise aside from cutting the chicken into cubes I stuck to the original recipe.

4 limes, juiced or 6 Tbls. lime juice
2 Tbls. Olive oil
2 Tbls. Chili powder
1 tsp. Sage, dried
1 tsp. Oregano, dried
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into chunks

Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, sage, oregano, and cumin together in a small bowl. Marinade the chicken, coating evenly and tossing every 30 minutes for a total of an hour and a half. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove the chicken to a platter and allow to come to room temperature. Grill the chicken on medium-high heat basting with the marinade remaining marinade until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant

I have mentioned before that I am not a huge eggplant fan. However my husband loves it-I'd even go as far as saying that prepared correctly it is his favorite food. I am happy to make it and will from time to time try it. On occasion I even like it. This was one of those times. I made honey garlic grilled eggplant with an eggplant I had sitting in the fridge. The only change I made was I didn't include the chili as I didn't have any.

1 eggplant (2 if using small Italian eggplants)
1 Tbls. Honey
2 Tbls. Olive oil
2 Garlic Cloves, mashed
2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper

Peel stripes of skin off the eggplant to create a zebra like pattern of skin and no-skin. This is not only decorative, but makes the skin easier to bite. Slice eggplant into ½ inch thick circles. Lay out a large sheet of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant generously with salt on both sides and lay out on paper towels. The eggplant will release a lot of liquid. This will help get rid of bitterness (if any) and make the eggplant more succulent and less watery after it’s cooked. Let sit for 15 minutes, then dry both sides well with paper towels.
In a large bowl, mix honey, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Dunk both sides of each eggplant slice into this marinade.
Preheat the grill to high. Grab a wad of paper towel with tongs, dip it in oil, and brush it on the grill.
Place the eggplant slices on the grill, cover, and turn down the heat to medium. Grill until marked, about 3 minutes. Turn 90 degrees to make cross-hatch grill marks. Grill until marked, about 3 more minutes.
Brush the slices with remaining marinade, flip and repeat the grilling procedure on the other side. Regulate heat so that the eggplant is browning, but not burning. Remove to a plate, and drizzle with olive oil.

Spicy Broccoli

I started getting fresh broccoli deleviered to my house on a regular basis and I was looking for creative new ways to make it that would appeal to my kids. I found this recipe for spicy broccoli and although I knew only 1 of my kids would try it I figured it sounded so simple to make and healthy that it was worth a shot. The 1 who tried it liked it as did all the grown ups who ate it. Since it was already simple and healthy I didn't make any changes to the recipe.

1 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil
3 C. Broccoli, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
3/4 C. Canned Tomatoes, crushed

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute broccoli, garlic, and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 7-8 minutes. Enjoy!

Paula Wolfert’s Hummus

In browsing the web a few weeks ago I found this recipe for Hummus. As you can tell from amount of hummus recipes I have shared we are big fans of hummus. I was intrigued by this particular recipe however as it called for dried chickpeas rather than canned. I had never used dried chickpeas and decided I wanted to try this one. I found that while there are a couple more steps they are not labor intense. The only key with this recipe is that since you need to soak the chickpeas overnight you do have to plan ahead to make it. We did think it was quite delicious!

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 cup sesame seed paste(tahini)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, and more to taste
Cayenne, hot Hungarian paprika or za’atar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil

Rinse the soaked chickpeas well and drain them before putting them in a saucepan and covering them with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil; skim, add one-half teaspoon salt, cover and cook over medium heat, about 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are very soft (you might need to add more water). Crush the garlic and one-half teaspoon salt together until pureed. Transfer the puree to the work bowl of a food processor, add the sesame seed paste and lemon juice and process until white and contracted. Add one-half cup water and process until completely smooth. Drain the chickpeas, reserving their cooking liquid. Add the chickpeas to the sesame paste mixture and process until well-blended. Thin to desired consistency with reserved chickpea liquid. Adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon juice. The hummus can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Serve, sprinkled with paprika or za’atar and parsley and drizzled with oil.

Pistachio Crusted Chicken Breasts

I found this recipe in the Passover By Design cookbook. I never got around to making it on Passover but did try it after. The recipe is for chicken tenders on skewers but I was too lazy to make it that way so I kept it simple. The original recipe also has a raspberry sauce to serve it with but I wasn't interested in serving it with a sweet sauce and knew nobody in my family would enjoy that. I served it with a mayonnaise based sauce but any sauce/dressing will do. It was a big hit and I will be making it again both during the year and on Passover.

4 Bonesless skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
1 C. White Wine
1 C. Shelled Pistachio, coarsely chopped

Flatten chicken. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place them in a bowl and add wine. Marinate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Roll piece of chicken in nuts, pressing them so the nuts adhere to the chicken. Bake 13-15 minutes, turning once.

Herb Roasted Chicken Legs

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. When I first saw that this recipe included cilantro I was excited as it is one of my favorite herbs and I have a nice amount growing in my yard(If you live nearby and want to make this please come by and take some). Then when I saw how simple it was I was even more excited to try it. It comes from weelicious.com which is one of my favorite cooking websites. Speaking of which, I am compiling a list of my favorite food sites so if you have one(healthy or not) that you think I would enjoy please email me and I will take a look.
Back to topic-I made this one as it says with both boneless skinless chicken breast and with legs. If you use the boneless skinless chicken breast I would recommend pounding them and cooking for about half the time. If you don't pound the chicken(which I did) it will take the full 40 minutes to cook through. We all enjoyed this one, especially my daughter who couldn't get enough.

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 Tbls. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
2 lbs Chicken Legs

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place tall except chicken into a ziploc bag and mix well. Add the chicken legs, coat with the mixture, close and marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge. Place chicken legs in a greased baking dish, pour the marinade over and roast for 40 minutes.

Tiny Taco Meatballs

I had some ground turkey in my freezer and was trying to decide between tacos and meatballs when it came to me-how about taco flavored meatballs? Well a quick google search showed that I wasn't the only one who had this idea. I found this recipe and we were not disappointed. The only change I made was I used ground turkey rather than ground beef. They would probably be good half beef and half turkey as well-it was just what I had in the freezer. I served them over brown rice and some of my more adventurous family members enjoyed them with a little taco sauce poured on top.

2 eggs
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds ground turkey
Taco sauce, optional

Combine the first five ingredients. Add the turkey and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400° for 14-18 minutes. Serve with taco sauce if desired.

Thai Quinoa

I had planned on posting a different recipe today however I made this recipe for Thai Quinoa and it was so good that I needed to share. I never got a chance to take a picture because it was gobbled up so fast-I hardly got a spoonful of it myself as it was such a hit with my guests but the spoonful I got was delicious. The combination of the jalapeno, basil and cilantro were wonderful. I did make one change. I didn't have any mango so I threw in a handful of craisins instead. I served it at room temperature. Next time I am doubling this one.


1 Cup dry quinoa
3 cups water
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
6 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves gently torn (discard stems)
1⁄3 cup minced red onion (about 1/2 small red onion)
1 handful Craisins
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
fine sea salt
1 tablespoon lime juice

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly either in a strainer or in a pot and drain. (Do not skip this step or a bitter-tasting, natural soap-like coating will remain.) Once the quinoa is drained, place it into a medium pot with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 10–15 minutes or until the grains turn translucent and the outer layer pops off. In the meantime combine the minced jalapeño, basil, cilantro, red onion, and craisins in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the oil, soy sauce, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
Add the drained quinoa and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Chicken

Are you looking for a use for all the sun dried tomatoes you have? I know I was. I came across this one for Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Chicken.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
15-18 Garlic Cloves
1 Onion, sliced
1 Green Pepper, sliced
1/2 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil), chopped
1/4 cup White Wine
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp.Ground Black Pepper

Rinse and cut all visible fat off of chicken breasts. Coat a pan with Pam and preheat oven to medium heat. Mince 2 of the garlic cloves, and place them in the pan with the chicken breast. Surround the chicken with the remaining garlic cloves. Cook the chicken for 2-4 minutes on each side, or until the chicken and garlic cloves are browned. Remove the chicken from the pan. Lay the onions, green peppers, and tomatoes over garlic cloves in a 9X13 baking pan. Arrange the chicken over the tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and garlic. Pour wine and broth over chicken, and sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve chicken breasts with the vegetables and pan juices.

Sun Dried Tomatoes

In attempt to use and preserve all the tomatoes I bought on sale I decided to "sun dry" some. I really had no desire to leave the tomatoes outside and let the cats that roam eat them so I found a way to dry them in the oven.

Cut Roma tomatoes into quarters. You can also try this with cherry tomatoes cut in halves. Place cut tomatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Place in oven at 175F degrees for 8 hours. Larger pieces may require more time. Store in a glass jar filled with olive oil to cover tomatoes, or in a plastic container in the refrigerator for non-oily tomatoes. You can also store these in the freezer.