Yup. Tomato soup with cabbage. Sound gross? Wait until you blend it.
1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken broth (depending if you want brothy or thick soup) - This also works with beef broth, but most grocery-store brand beef stock is so horrible it's easier to work with chicken. If you have good beef stock, this soup is exceptional.
1 14 oz can diced tomatos with juice
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 T tomato paste
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 T olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 a bay leaf
thyme, oregano, salt & pepper to taste
Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes if you like it hot
Heat olive oil. Saute onion about five minutes, then add garlic and stir about 30 seconds. Add tomato and chicken broth, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Add cabbage. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer about 20-30 minutes. Blend and serve. Tastes good with crutons and perhaps sprinkled with some parmesean cheese.
When I was a kid, my friend's mom used to serve tomato soup with chopped up hot dogs in it. Sometimes I throw some all natural chicken franks or tofu dogs in this soup when I need it to be a little heartier. Sure it's not something you'd serve company, but for a quick, easy lunch to bring to the office or weeknight dinner, it's fine.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Beany Soup Extra
I experimented even more with the beany noodle soups after staring at some bean sprouts and broccoli that needed to be used up. After scanning one of my Asian cookbooks and not coming up with anything that sounded promising with the ingredients I had on hand, I remembered the old mantra, things that taste good, taste good together. So, broccoli and bean sprouts are both enhanced with garlic and lemon, as is the chick pea noodle soup. So...why not mix the lot?
I started by sauteeing a shallot, then added about 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli. Tossed in some minced garlic and the chick peas, sauteed a little longer, then added the chicken broth. In place of cayenne and paprika, I added sirachia and cumin. Bring to a boil, add the noodles (or cook noodles separately, it's easier to make sure you have the right ratio of noodle to broth). Before serving add a handful of bean sprouts to each steaming bowl. Or, if you're like me and taking it to work the next day for lunch, add the bean sprouts just before turning off the burner, letting them cook in the hot broth.
I started by sauteeing a shallot, then added about 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli. Tossed in some minced garlic and the chick peas, sauteed a little longer, then added the chicken broth. In place of cayenne and paprika, I added sirachia and cumin. Bring to a boil, add the noodles (or cook noodles separately, it's easier to make sure you have the right ratio of noodle to broth). Before serving add a handful of bean sprouts to each steaming bowl. Or, if you're like me and taking it to work the next day for lunch, add the bean sprouts just before turning off the burner, letting them cook in the hot broth.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Beany Noodley Soups
This is an expansion on the chickpea noodle soup I learned about from 101 Cookbooks. It was so good and basic, I realized, beans are good, nooldes are good and broth is good, so what's stopping me from putting it altogether? Usually bean soups have thick texture, more like hot pureed bean dip with a little broth mixed in than brothy soup. I like bean soups, but they don't fit the one-pot weekday meal I'm generally looking for. The texture is so thick and the taste so strict and beany, it's hard to eat a big bowl at once. When made with just beans, they're better as first-courses or a quick cup for a snack (which isn't a bad idea when it comes to snacks, beans are filling and healthy). But add some more broth and noodles and suddenly you have real one-pot, rib sticking comfort food! the chickpea noodle soup blew my doors, and the simplicity is a winner for the most harried of week-nights. I made a few variations of the soup with different beans and minor changes in flavors - all with things you will typically have in your pantry. The beany noodle soups are now a staple in our house. I hope you enjoy!
If you like the soup thicker with beans than noodles, add two cans beans. The best part about these soups is that they are so easy to customize; Two cans of beans or one, a whole lemon or lime or a half, spicy or mild, it's all managed by starting with less and adding more later if you want.
Base Ingredients - for two, double for four
2 cups chicken broth (Swanson's organic is my favorite bang for the buck)
up to 1 cup water for thinning
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup small egg noodles or spelt noodles
Chickpea Soup
1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 - 1 T paprika
1/4 t or to taste cayenne
1 T Olive oil
1 t salt
fresh ground pepper to taste (optional)
Heat pot, pour 1/2 T olive oil, saute garlic 30 sec-1 min. Add broth, lemon, tahini and chickpeas, salt and stir. Bring to a boil. Smash chickpeas with a potato masher. This step is optional, but it allows for some of the chick peas to stick to the noodles, better mixing the flavors. Add noodles, paprika and cayenne. Drizzle with olive oil and pepper if using before serving. Repeat, substituting different beans and ingredients.
Pinto Beans
1 14 oz can pinto beans
1/4 - 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
Juice of 1/2 - 1 lime
1 t salt
1/2 T chili powder
1 t cumin
cayenne to taste
cojita cheese or sour cream in place of olive oil if you want. If not, olive oil is fine
White Beans
1 14 oz can white beans (canellinni)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t white pepper
1 t salt
1 T butter
1 t mustard powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley (or dill would probably be good too)
olive oil
sprinkle with fresh parmesean cheese before serving
Now you have three soups that can all be made out of cans from your fridge and pantry plus a few spices. Only the White Bean recipe has fresh parsley, although it would also be good in Chickpea and Cilanto good in Pinto. But sometimes we can't get to the store and we don't always have fresh herbs on hand, especially in the winter. Beany Noodley soup comes together in well under half an hour and the flavor gets better with age. I love it for lunch the next day so I usually double the recipe whenever I make it. The soup also freezes well and when you double it to make four servings you're using a whole lemon and lime so you don't have to package up and protect an errant half-lemon for later use.
If you like the soup thicker with beans than noodles, add two cans beans. The best part about these soups is that they are so easy to customize; Two cans of beans or one, a whole lemon or lime or a half, spicy or mild, it's all managed by starting with less and adding more later if you want.
Base Ingredients - for two, double for four
2 cups chicken broth (Swanson's organic is my favorite bang for the buck)
up to 1 cup water for thinning
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup small egg noodles or spelt noodles
Chickpea Soup
1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 - 1 T paprika
1/4 t or to taste cayenne
1 T Olive oil
1 t salt
fresh ground pepper to taste (optional)
Heat pot, pour 1/2 T olive oil, saute garlic 30 sec-1 min. Add broth, lemon, tahini and chickpeas, salt and stir. Bring to a boil. Smash chickpeas with a potato masher. This step is optional, but it allows for some of the chick peas to stick to the noodles, better mixing the flavors. Add noodles, paprika and cayenne. Drizzle with olive oil and pepper if using before serving. Repeat, substituting different beans and ingredients.
Pinto Beans
1 14 oz can pinto beans
1/4 - 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
Juice of 1/2 - 1 lime
1 t salt
1/2 T chili powder
1 t cumin
cayenne to taste
cojita cheese or sour cream in place of olive oil if you want. If not, olive oil is fine
White Beans
1 14 oz can white beans (canellinni)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t white pepper
1 t salt
1 T butter
1 t mustard powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley (or dill would probably be good too)
olive oil
sprinkle with fresh parmesean cheese before serving
Now you have three soups that can all be made out of cans from your fridge and pantry plus a few spices. Only the White Bean recipe has fresh parsley, although it would also be good in Chickpea and Cilanto good in Pinto. But sometimes we can't get to the store and we don't always have fresh herbs on hand, especially in the winter. Beany Noodley soup comes together in well under half an hour and the flavor gets better with age. I love it for lunch the next day so I usually double the recipe whenever I make it. The soup also freezes well and when you double it to make four servings you're using a whole lemon and lime so you don't have to package up and protect an errant half-lemon for later use.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Chickpea Noodle Soup - Hummus if it were soup!
My inspriation:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001540.html
I stumbled across this website when I was googling "how to print your own recipe book," for Christmas presents. She's a San Francisco based vegetarian food writer and photographer with a very practical approach to food buying and cooking. I have barely scratched the surface of her website, but her simple recipes with economical rather than outlandish ingredients seem very appealing. Especially since we're trying to eat less meat. And she has separate categories named kale, chickpea, yougurt, soba noodles, tomoato, egg and just about every other favorite ingredient of mine. I'll be checking in regularly to be sure.
Last night we had plans to meet friends at the Portland holiday brewers festival at 5 pm. At 3 pm I decided to take the dogs for a run/walk (we run up the hills and walk down them). I returned at 3:30 with plenty of time to shower, dress and meet the friends, until, halfway through my shower my stomach growled and I realized I hadn't eaten anything since the two small blueberry pancakes at 10 this morning and a) didn't want to deal with trying to eat at brewfest and b) didn't want to drink heavy, heady, holiday brews on an empty stomach, I winced in anticipation of the headache. Luckily, just that morning I found this website and this particular recipe for chickpea noodle soup. Broth, chickpeas, noodles, garlic, all things I always have in the pantry. I was out of the shower and in the kitchen by 4:00...in my bathrobe, but with my hair at least blown sorta dry (I have low maintenance hair). By 4:20 the whole thing was simmering and the noodles cooking. At 4:30 the noodles were done and I turned off the heat, leaving the noodles to cook some more and the broth to cool. I did my make-up and figured out at least which jeans I was wearing. At 4:40 still in a sweatshirt I went back downstairs to stuff my face. Texted friends that we were running late. It's a quick meal, not a miracle. Friend texted back "me too, meet up at 6?" Ah, small favors. Poured the soup into a bowl and sat with it for awhile, letting the scents waft up my nose - I'm recovering from a cold so the steam bath felt lovely. Lemon, olive oil, garlic, paprika, four indespensible flavors for more than one culture, they danced so comfortably together as I sat there drinking them in. 32 oz of broth, $3.00, 1 can chickpeas, $1.10, 2 cloves garlic 0.14 cents, 1 T paprika 0.10 cents, lemon juice .50 if real lemon, noodles .50, total, $5.20. $5.20 for a fantastic meal cooked in 30 minutes (and eaten in 45). This one is a keeper. Someday I will make the website version with fried noodles and high quality fresh pasta, but for cupboard staple soup, this is amazing.
My variation, cooked and eaten in less than 45 minutes
1 32 oz box chicken broth (or homemade if you have it)
2-4 clove garlic depending on how garlicky you want it, minced or pressed
2 T olive oil
1 14 oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups small egg noodles (1/2 more if you like it extra noodley)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 T paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme (or dill, or cumin or use your imagination)
1 small or 1/2 bay leaf
Heat olive oil over medium heat until it sizzles, toss in minced garlic and saute 30 sec-1 min until garlic is softened and aromatic. Add chick peas and saute 30 more secs. Add broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, paprika, cayenne and thyme, bring to a boil and let simmer 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to lightly mash the beans so they are just broken up. Add egg noodles and cook according to time on package. When noodles are al dente, remove from heat and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with tobasco sauce, pita triangles, yogurt or tzatziki sauce.
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001540.html
I stumbled across this website when I was googling "how to print your own recipe book," for Christmas presents. She's a San Francisco based vegetarian food writer and photographer with a very practical approach to food buying and cooking. I have barely scratched the surface of her website, but her simple recipes with economical rather than outlandish ingredients seem very appealing. Especially since we're trying to eat less meat. And she has separate categories named kale, chickpea, yougurt, soba noodles, tomoato, egg and just about every other favorite ingredient of mine. I'll be checking in regularly to be sure.
Last night we had plans to meet friends at the Portland holiday brewers festival at 5 pm. At 3 pm I decided to take the dogs for a run/walk (we run up the hills and walk down them). I returned at 3:30 with plenty of time to shower, dress and meet the friends, until, halfway through my shower my stomach growled and I realized I hadn't eaten anything since the two small blueberry pancakes at 10 this morning and a) didn't want to deal with trying to eat at brewfest and b) didn't want to drink heavy, heady, holiday brews on an empty stomach, I winced in anticipation of the headache. Luckily, just that morning I found this website and this particular recipe for chickpea noodle soup. Broth, chickpeas, noodles, garlic, all things I always have in the pantry. I was out of the shower and in the kitchen by 4:00...in my bathrobe, but with my hair at least blown sorta dry (I have low maintenance hair). By 4:20 the whole thing was simmering and the noodles cooking. At 4:30 the noodles were done and I turned off the heat, leaving the noodles to cook some more and the broth to cool. I did my make-up and figured out at least which jeans I was wearing. At 4:40 still in a sweatshirt I went back downstairs to stuff my face. Texted friends that we were running late. It's a quick meal, not a miracle. Friend texted back "me too, meet up at 6?" Ah, small favors. Poured the soup into a bowl and sat with it for awhile, letting the scents waft up my nose - I'm recovering from a cold so the steam bath felt lovely. Lemon, olive oil, garlic, paprika, four indespensible flavors for more than one culture, they danced so comfortably together as I sat there drinking them in. 32 oz of broth, $3.00, 1 can chickpeas, $1.10, 2 cloves garlic 0.14 cents, 1 T paprika 0.10 cents, lemon juice .50 if real lemon, noodles .50, total, $5.20. $5.20 for a fantastic meal cooked in 30 minutes (and eaten in 45). This one is a keeper. Someday I will make the website version with fried noodles and high quality fresh pasta, but for cupboard staple soup, this is amazing.
My variation, cooked and eaten in less than 45 minutes
1 32 oz box chicken broth (or homemade if you have it)
2-4 clove garlic depending on how garlicky you want it, minced or pressed
2 T olive oil
1 14 oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups small egg noodles (1/2 more if you like it extra noodley)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 T paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme (or dill, or cumin or use your imagination)
1 small or 1/2 bay leaf
Heat olive oil over medium heat until it sizzles, toss in minced garlic and saute 30 sec-1 min until garlic is softened and aromatic. Add chick peas and saute 30 more secs. Add broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, paprika, cayenne and thyme, bring to a boil and let simmer 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to lightly mash the beans so they are just broken up. Add egg noodles and cook according to time on package. When noodles are al dente, remove from heat and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with tobasco sauce, pita triangles, yogurt or tzatziki sauce.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Scrambled eggs, Veggies and Quinoa
This one is great when you need something really fast - with the added benefit of a comfort food element, even though it's healthy. Also one a 10-year old could prepare all by themselves if you have a young cook in the house. This of this as a veggie stir fry with scrambled eggs, served over quinoa. Americans tend to eat eggs only for breakfast, but they are so versatile and economical, I encourage thinking about the egg beyond the breakfast table. The veggies can be anything you have in the fridge. I'll give a few examples of what I've tried.
Serves 4
Scrambled eggs
4 eggs, lightly beated with a wisk (1 egg per person)
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1/2 T butter
Veggie options
-1 leek, 1 cup chopped mushrooms, 2 cups loosely packed greens (spinach, mustard or chinese broccoli)
-1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped onion - extra additions can be 3/4 cup frozen corn, chopped cilantro, lime juice, tobasco
-Peas, corn, carrots and lima beans (with freezer veggies, add fresh onion and garlic to liven the flavor, cilantro, mustard greens and other fresh herbs are also nice kicks to frozen veggies)
-Leftover roasted cauliflower and sweet potato
-Leftover green beans and mustard greens
Quinoa
Cooking quinoa is about a 2-1 ratio liquid to solid. A single serving is about a 1/4 cup. To make 4 servings, 2 cups chicken broth or just salted water, 1 cup quinoa.
I'll use the coleslaw, bell pepper veggie mix for the instructions. First get the broth boiling for the quinoa. When boiling rapidly, stir in quinoa, add about 1/2 T olive oil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy. Meanwhile, heat saute pan or wok over med-high heat, add 1 T oil (veggie or pure olive, not extra virgin). Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes, add coleslaw mix and pepper and saute for about 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and stir in chopped cilantro and a few dashes of tobasco if you want a little kick. Squeeze half a lime in too if you want. If you don't want to use three pans, here you can move veggie mixture to a plate or bowl and set aside. Heat 1 T butter in pan, when brown and bubbling, pour in eggs. Let set over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Stir slowly. Let set again about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir again. Repeat until cooked. Add eggs to veggies. When quinoa is ready, divide into four bowls and divide veggie and egg mixture evenly over each heap of quinoa. Season with salt and pepper, tobasco, soy sauce, sesame oil, whatever you want. Enjoy!
Serves 4
Scrambled eggs
4 eggs, lightly beated with a wisk (1 egg per person)
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1/2 T butter
Veggie options
-1 leek, 1 cup chopped mushrooms, 2 cups loosely packed greens (spinach, mustard or chinese broccoli)
-1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped onion - extra additions can be 3/4 cup frozen corn, chopped cilantro, lime juice, tobasco
-Peas, corn, carrots and lima beans (with freezer veggies, add fresh onion and garlic to liven the flavor, cilantro, mustard greens and other fresh herbs are also nice kicks to frozen veggies)
-Leftover roasted cauliflower and sweet potato
-Leftover green beans and mustard greens
Quinoa
Cooking quinoa is about a 2-1 ratio liquid to solid. A single serving is about a 1/4 cup. To make 4 servings, 2 cups chicken broth or just salted water, 1 cup quinoa.
I'll use the coleslaw, bell pepper veggie mix for the instructions. First get the broth boiling for the quinoa. When boiling rapidly, stir in quinoa, add about 1/2 T olive oil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy. Meanwhile, heat saute pan or wok over med-high heat, add 1 T oil (veggie or pure olive, not extra virgin). Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes, add coleslaw mix and pepper and saute for about 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and stir in chopped cilantro and a few dashes of tobasco if you want a little kick. Squeeze half a lime in too if you want. If you don't want to use three pans, here you can move veggie mixture to a plate or bowl and set aside. Heat 1 T butter in pan, when brown and bubbling, pour in eggs. Let set over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Stir slowly. Let set again about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir again. Repeat until cooked. Add eggs to veggies. When quinoa is ready, divide into four bowls and divide veggie and egg mixture evenly over each heap of quinoa. Season with salt and pepper, tobasco, soy sauce, sesame oil, whatever you want. Enjoy!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Greens!
Eat dark, leafy greens. You have definitely heard that before. Seems like a good idea too, but you don't know where to begin, save for the weekly spinach salad. The Greeks are great at greens, they serve them with every meal, boiled in nothing more a little salted water and flavored with olive oil and lemon juice. I have been experimenting with various recipes and trying all kinds of ways to get more greens into our diet. In the US, I've found that mustard greens, kale, collard and swiss chard are the most abundant and economical. Arugula, chickory, watercress and others are fun to try if you want, but they are more expensive. I am also very lucky to live close to a giant Asian grocery store filled with gorgeous produce, including all kinds of greens never seen in typical American grocery stores.
Basic Boiled Greens - serves 4
1 1/2 pounds leafy greens (most often, I do a mix of kale and mustard greens with this)
sea salt
fresh pepper
olive oil
fresh lemon juice
Trim greens, removing stems from the middle and chop leaves. Bring about 1 inch of water in a pot to a boil, add salt and greens. Boil uncovered for about 5-15 minutes until dark green and softened (kale will take 15 minutes, spinach will take 5 - time depends on the delicacy of the green). When done, squeeze water with tongs and drain in a colander. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice to taste.
Chinese style greens - replace salt with soy sauce and olive oil with sesame oil, no lemon juice but if you want you can toss a 1-inch piece of peeled ginger in with the boiling water and greens. Remove before serving.
Greens with Tomatoes and Garlic
2 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a press
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pound greens
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper
Heat 1T olive oil in a pot, add garlic and saute about 30 seconds, just to release the flavor, add tomatoes with their juice and 1 inch water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, add salt and greens and cook 5-15 minutes. Season with lemon juice, pepper and olive oil. Crushed red (hot) peppers are also a good addition to this style.
Green Beans with Mustard Greens
I discovered this when I needed to use up some mustard greens and had a fresh batch of green beans to cook up. The good folks at Cook's Illustrated came up with a way to make excellent green beans in one pan without parboiling them first. This not only means less dishes to wash, but the beans also retain their full nutritional value as nothing is drained. I'm going to try this recipe with broccoli and cauliflower too, we'll see if it works!
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 cup chopped mustard greens
2 T butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1t dried thyme
salt and pepper
lemon juice
Heat 1 T butter in pan, add beans, salt and pepper and toss to coat and saute until browned, stirring a few times, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup water to pan, bring to a boil, add mustard greens, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 5 minutes until mustard greens are bright green and soft and beans are cooked through. Add remaining T butter, thyme and lemon juice and stir until butter is melted completely. Serve immediately.
Basic Boiled Greens - serves 4
1 1/2 pounds leafy greens (most often, I do a mix of kale and mustard greens with this)
sea salt
fresh pepper
olive oil
fresh lemon juice
Trim greens, removing stems from the middle and chop leaves. Bring about 1 inch of water in a pot to a boil, add salt and greens. Boil uncovered for about 5-15 minutes until dark green and softened (kale will take 15 minutes, spinach will take 5 - time depends on the delicacy of the green). When done, squeeze water with tongs and drain in a colander. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice to taste.
Chinese style greens - replace salt with soy sauce and olive oil with sesame oil, no lemon juice but if you want you can toss a 1-inch piece of peeled ginger in with the boiling water and greens. Remove before serving.
Greens with Tomatoes and Garlic
2 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a press
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pound greens
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper
Heat 1T olive oil in a pot, add garlic and saute about 30 seconds, just to release the flavor, add tomatoes with their juice and 1 inch water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, add salt and greens and cook 5-15 minutes. Season with lemon juice, pepper and olive oil. Crushed red (hot) peppers are also a good addition to this style.
Green Beans with Mustard Greens
I discovered this when I needed to use up some mustard greens and had a fresh batch of green beans to cook up. The good folks at Cook's Illustrated came up with a way to make excellent green beans in one pan without parboiling them first. This not only means less dishes to wash, but the beans also retain their full nutritional value as nothing is drained. I'm going to try this recipe with broccoli and cauliflower too, we'll see if it works!
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 cup chopped mustard greens
2 T butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1t dried thyme
salt and pepper
lemon juice
Heat 1 T butter in pan, add beans, salt and pepper and toss to coat and saute until browned, stirring a few times, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup water to pan, bring to a boil, add mustard greens, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 5 minutes until mustard greens are bright green and soft and beans are cooked through. Add remaining T butter, thyme and lemon juice and stir until butter is melted completely. Serve immediately.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Day 2- Leftover Roast Chicken
After meal 1 of roast chicken, fresh from the oven. I shred the leftover chicken from the bones and put in a lidded pyrex container in the fridge. There it's accessible for an easy sandwich or tacos or whatever else you want to do with it. Here's a few new ideas you can try.
Easy Vietnamese-influenced sandwich - Nothing beats a real Bhan-mi, a sandwich of pate, pork, pickled veggies and spices on a baguette. I don't tend to have pate or baguettes handy, which I suppose is a travesty, but I manage.
Chicken, Broccoli & Quinoa or Couscous - Quinoa, how's that for healthy! It's actually pretty rib-sticking good too and as easy to make as a pot of spaghetti. Couscous will also work with this if quinoa just isn't your cup of tea. With both, a little goes a long way, so 1/2 cup will easily feed 2+ people.
1 cup chopped broccoli, stems too
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 leek
1/2 cup couscous or quinoa
3/4 cup shredded chicken
1 T butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1T olivie oil
1 T dry sherry or lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
Melt butter in saute pan, add broccoli, leek and mushrooms. Saute about 5 min, cover and cook for about 5 min more or until broccoli can be easily pierced with a fork and mushrooms have softened and shrunk. Meanwhile bring 1/2 cup broth to a boil, add olive oil, if quinoa, add, cover and simmer approximately 10 minutes until fluffy. If couscous, add, cover and remove from heat. Remove cover from broccoli & mushrooms and add chicken just to heat it up. Add sherry or lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir. If veggies are stuck to the pan you can add 1 T of water. Mix veggies and chicken with quinoa or couscous. Serve immediately.
Lime Chicken Enchiladas - I use yogurt instead of sour cream, but you don't have to. These are actually made without cheese and still taste awesome. You can add cojita cheese if you want to the top before you add the yogurt. You're call.
Serves 2
4 corn tortillas (or small 8-inch flour, whichever you prefer)
1 Tveggie oil
juice of one lime, + 2t lime zest
juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup yogurt
1t cumin
1/2-1t cayanne pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1 cup shredded chicken
Preheat oven to 350. Mix orange juice and lime juice together, pour 2 T over shredded chicken and toss. Add cumin, cayanne, chili powder, yogurt and lime zest to remaining juice and mix thoroughly. If using corn tortillas, heat veggie oil in a non-stick pan until barely smoking. Add tortilla and fry, about 30-secs per side. Place on paper towel. Fry remaining tortillas placing a paper towel between each one to remove excess oil. Lighty grease baking pan. Place 1/4 cup chicken on each tortilla and roll tightly, placing in pan, edge-side down. Top with yogurt mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes, until yogurt mixture is bubbling slightly.
Easy Vietnamese-influenced sandwich - Nothing beats a real Bhan-mi, a sandwich of pate, pork, pickled veggies and spices on a baguette. I don't tend to have pate or baguettes handy, which I suppose is a travesty, but I manage.
2 pieces of bread - any bread will do. My favorite is Oregon local Dave's Killer Bread.
Mayonaise (low-fat if you want)
Suriacha sauce
Pickled Veggies (I do carrots, cabbage and raddishes)
Shredded Chicken
Chicken, Broccoli & Quinoa or Couscous - Quinoa, how's that for healthy! It's actually pretty rib-sticking good too and as easy to make as a pot of spaghetti. Couscous will also work with this if quinoa just isn't your cup of tea. With both, a little goes a long way, so 1/2 cup will easily feed 2+ people.
1 cup chopped broccoli, stems too
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 leek
1/2 cup couscous or quinoa
3/4 cup shredded chicken
1 T butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1T olivie oil
1 T dry sherry or lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
Melt butter in saute pan, add broccoli, leek and mushrooms. Saute about 5 min, cover and cook for about 5 min more or until broccoli can be easily pierced with a fork and mushrooms have softened and shrunk. Meanwhile bring 1/2 cup broth to a boil, add olive oil, if quinoa, add, cover and simmer approximately 10 minutes until fluffy. If couscous, add, cover and remove from heat. Remove cover from broccoli & mushrooms and add chicken just to heat it up. Add sherry or lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir. If veggies are stuck to the pan you can add 1 T of water. Mix veggies and chicken with quinoa or couscous. Serve immediately.
Lime Chicken Enchiladas - I use yogurt instead of sour cream, but you don't have to. These are actually made without cheese and still taste awesome. You can add cojita cheese if you want to the top before you add the yogurt. You're call.
Serves 2
4 corn tortillas (or small 8-inch flour, whichever you prefer)
1 Tveggie oil
juice of one lime, + 2t lime zest
juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup yogurt
1t cumin
1/2-1t cayanne pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1 cup shredded chicken
Preheat oven to 350. Mix orange juice and lime juice together, pour 2 T over shredded chicken and toss. Add cumin, cayanne, chili powder, yogurt and lime zest to remaining juice and mix thoroughly. If using corn tortillas, heat veggie oil in a non-stick pan until barely smoking. Add tortilla and fry, about 30-secs per side. Place on paper towel. Fry remaining tortillas placing a paper towel between each one to remove excess oil. Lighty grease baking pan. Place 1/4 cup chicken on each tortilla and roll tightly, placing in pan, edge-side down. Top with yogurt mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes, until yogurt mixture is bubbling slightly.
Serve with Mexican confetti Rice: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Confetti-Rice-3091 I make this with Mexican tomoato sauce instead of regular to give it a good kick. If you don't want a kick, try adding some oregano or cumin along with regular tomato sauce.
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