Ja cię kocham…

Yes, that is a homemade birthday cake.  And yes, I baked it.  And yes, it actually turned out!   At some point I will learn how to put icing on a cake, but right now I’m just excited that the cake itself wasn’t underdone.  Let’s just say that I was going for a rustic look.

Emmy, of Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, and I decided to throw The Mommy a fantastic birthday dinner that surrounded her with good food, family, and lots of laughter.  Being The Mommy means that she cannot stand by and let us have all of the fun in the kitchen.  She wanted to help cook, too!

The Mommy prepping the tomatoes for the Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Chicken

My sister was a good sport because she and I were supposed to cook everything together, but unfortunate circumstances (mainly traffic and last minute food purchases) led me to arrive a mere 30 minutes before dinner.  I manged to bake the cake and make the salad, but the majority of the work was done by my sister.  Thanks, Emmy!  Although, I don’t think she completely minded because normally we celebrate The Mommy’s birthday at my house and I do all of the cooking.  Now that Emmy has a house of her own and is getting married in LESS THAN A WEEK it was her turn to show off her culinary skills that she has mastered for her husband-elect.

Above: Please note the Birthday Wine glass on the table.  The Mommy uses it every year!

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Emmy sauteing the chicken on her new stove!

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Emmy did a fantastic job hostessing for the very first time!  Not only is it so exciting to have been there and shared in the joyous occasion, it is equally wonderful to share it with all of you!  Our (mainly Emmy’s) meal served 8 people and was incredibly inexpensive.  This feat in itself is something that should make Emmy proud.

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And just because it’s fun: I bought The Mommy a pot of herbs from Trader Joe’s and we used it as a centerpiece.  It smelled fabulous as we ate!

So please take notes!  This is how you can prepare a charming and flavorful dinner for 8 people without having to break the bank but all the while being super proud.

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Now onto the food!

Pea Pesto

Emmy made this fabulous Pea Pesto served with crostini and crackers.  (I’d like to note how simple it is!   A few ingredients can take you a long way!)

Source: Giada DiLaurentiis
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

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Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Chicken

Source: Food Network
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

8 boneless, skinless breasts of chicken
3 cloves minced garlic
1-1 1/2 packages thawed, drained frozen spinach
1/2 cup white wine
4-6 ounces. Feta cheese, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons Olive oil
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2-3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Cut a two inch pocket into the thickest part of each chicken breast. Stuff each pocket with spinach and feta cheese and seal with a tooth pick. Season each breast well with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium high heat and saute the breasts until golden brown on all sides. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with tin foil.

Add onion to remaining oil in pan and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in white wine and bring to a simmer. Stir in tomatoes and basil. Bring to a simmer and return chicken to the pan and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove lid and season sauce to taste. Serve with butter noodles tossed with parsley.

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Smashed Red Potatoes

I’ll have to double-check with Emmy about how she prepared this one!  I know it involved milk and red potatoes with the skin on it.  I mentioned preparing this first and then putting it in a crock pot while we prepared the rest of dinner.

If you are able to prepare anything and put it in the crock pot or in a warmer drawer of your oven, I highly suggest it!  It alleviates so much stress of having to make sure everything is served hot.

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Steamed Broccoli

Ingredients:

3/4 c. water
lemon slices (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
2 small or 1 large bag frozen broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (optional)

Directions:

This is how The Mommy makes her broccoli: Place water in a small pasta pot or large skillet.  Add lemon slices, garlic, and broccoli.  Place on medium heat and cover.  Turn broccoli every minute or so to make sure that all broccoli is getting adequate steam.  When broccoli is ALMOST done, turn off the heat, and drain.  The broccoli will keep steaming when you transfer it to your serving dish and cover it.  (If you wait until your broccoli is fully cooked there is a good chance that it will keep cooking and turn yellow and mushy.)

Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and gently toss when ready to serve.

This is how Emmy makes her broccoli: Place the water and broccoli in a microwave-safe casserole dish (she omitted lemon slices), cover it and heat in the microwave for 4-5 minutes.  Toss it if some broccoli remains frozen and heat for an additional 30 seconds to minute.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

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The Mommy’s favorite Salad – Purple and Blue Crunchy Salad

Unfortunately I had already tossed the lettuce before taking the picture so you can’t see all the purples and blues that are hiding underneath!

We call this “crunchy” salad because The Mommy LOVES when her salads are very crunchy.  The radicchio and walnuts add the crunch that she considers to be a stress reliever

Ingredients:

dressing of your choice – mom likes balsamic or citrus vinaigrette*
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
half a head radicchio, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup walnuts
2 oz. feta cheese, cubed
salt and pepper to taste (we like LOTS of freshly cracked pepper)

Directions:

Place 1 Tbs. of dressing at the bottom of a large serving bowl, add remaining ingredients and gently toss.  Garnish with extra blueberries, walnuts, and feta.

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Southern-Style Strawberry Cake

Source: Joy the Baker

Ingredients for Cake:

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix (without pudding)
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry jello
1 Tablespoon self rising flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced.

Directions for baking cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cake, combine to cake mix, Jello, flour and sugar in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Add the oil.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition  Add the water and strawberries and mix well.  Divide the batter evenly into three 8-inch round baking pans that have been oiled and floured.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the layers pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the layers from the oven to wire racks.  Let them cool, still in their pans, for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of each pan, then unmold each layer onto the racks to cool completely.

Ingredients for icing:

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 box (1 lb.)  powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
pink food coloring
4 sliced strawberries

Directions for icing:

To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the cream cheese and butter.  Beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain.  Add half of one box of the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Beat until incorporated.  Taste test it.  If it isn’t sweet enough, add the second half of the box and mix until incorporated.  If you would like a smoother consistency, and a slash of milk.  If you would like a thicker consistency, and a bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved.

Put the coconut in a small bowl and sprinkle with two or three drops of pink die.  Mix with hands to distribute the color and wash hands immediately.  Once the cake is frosted, decorate the top of the cake with the shredded coconut and sliced strawberries.

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After an amazingly satisfying meal, we sat and had coffee and chatted.

Starting in the front and going counter-clockwise: Emmy, Dad, my hubby (looking at the ceiling for some reason), Emmy’s husband-elect, Uncle D., Kitty, The Mommy.

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The party didn’t stop there!  The Mommy loves the fact that Emmy lives in a prime location for walking to different parks, restaurants, and shops so we stopped at a local Mexican restaurant for drinks.

And if you haven’t noticed, I’m in absolutely NO pictures because (clearly) I’m the photographer.  Emmy took some photos as well and will be posting about this fabulous day so maybe she has some of me in my flour-covered Phillies t-shirt.

Anyway, thank you for stepping into the lives of Ja Cie Kocham and Cleanliness is Next to Godliness!  We certainly had fun together and hope that you can take something away from our charming and inexpensive birthday dinner!

This was an absolute last minute meal.  Jay picked me up from the train station later in the evening and asked me what I wanted to do for dinner.  All that I knew was that I wanted chicken.   What kind of chicken was beyond me.  We stopped at Wegmans for some cutlets where we happened to walk by the gourmet cheese section.  In a matter of minutes I lost Jay in the abyss of cheese.  When he finally surface he had a nice chunk of Blue Stilton Cheese.

The thoughts about what to do with my chicken started to come alive.

This recipe is really simple.  I just made a rue sauce with the Stilton.  Ooooh was it good!  Good thing that we stopped at Wegmans.  This one is a keeper.

Chicken with Blue Stilton Cheese Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil
4 thin chicken breast cutlets
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. butter (I used yogurt butter)
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. cream/half and half (optional)
1/2 cup skim milk
2 oz blue Stilton or your favorite blue cheese

Directions:

Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready and within reach.

Preheat a large skillet to medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Add chicken to skillet.  Cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

While chicken is cooking, preheat a small saucepan to low heat.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Whisk in flour.  At this point your are going to continually whisk.  Once the butter/flour mixture thickens, whisk in cream.  Gradually whisk in skim milk until desired consistency.  Add cheese and a generous amount of pepper.  Whisk until incorporated and cheese is melted.

On a serving platter, arrange chicken and top with cheese sauce.

Today we had a heat index of 105 degrees F.  And I was outside pretty much allll day looooong.  Needless to say, I wasn’t about to have anything hot for dinner.  I needed something cool and refreshing.  It was a night for salad.  I did it a little differently.  Instead of throwing it all in a bowl, I decided to make a platter out of it and put the lettuce on the side.  So go ahead.  Make a salad platter.  It makes the simplest of meals look beautiful and fancy.

My platter from Left to Right:

Red bell peppers
Green hot peppers
Avocado
Bacon
Chicken
Eggs
Scallions
Mushrooms
Roma tomatoes

I used endive lettuce and ranch dressing.  I know I should have used blue cheese, but I just love ranch!

ENJOY!

Ah yes, you put the lime in the coconut.  Go ahead.  Start singing away!  I won’t stop you!

When I came across this recipe title, I was sold.  Limes and coconuts are so refreshing… especially at the beach…. in the Caribbean… with crystal blue water and spectacular white sand… and a glorious breeze.  Ahhhhh….  pina colada anyone?  How about a margarita?  Now we’re talking!

This chicken is phenomenal.  The coconut milk and lime juice are perfect compliments to the curry, cumin, and coriander.  Although the title whisks me away to the tropics, the spices remind me of Indian fare, which I love!  Depending on your preference you can take it easy or go nuts with the cayenne pepper.  In this house, we like to walk on the wild side.  The chicken can marinate for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 2 hours.  Whatever fits your schedule.

Okay… back to singing… put the lime in the coconut...

Lime and Coconut Chicken

Source: Mildly Adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen/Fine Cooking, Winter 2006

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp oil
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
pinch cayenne
1 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh limes, cut into wedges
*I added shredded coconut as a garnish

Directions:

Starting on thick side of the breasts slice the chicken breasts almost in half, then open.

Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, wax paper or inside a large, open, Ziploc bag.  Using a small heavy pan, bottle or smooth meat mallet lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.

Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and limes.  Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl or ziploc bag and chill in the refrigerator for up to two hours.

Remove each breast from the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.  Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn.

In a heavy skillet or grill pan, heat 1 Tbs. oil over high heat and cook the chicken in batches to prevent over crowding the pan.  Place the breasts in the hot pan and cook without turning for a couple minutes.  Flip the breasts over and cook until the other side is golden.

Place cooked breasts on a plate in a warm oven or under foil while cooking the remaining chicken. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice, shredded coconut and cilantro. Serve with sauce on the side.

I’m not going to lie.  I completely made this recipe up.  Now I’m sure that somewhere out in cyberspace there is a recipe similar to this, but for me, this was totally original.  The only inspiration that I had was my craving for Mexican food and steak.

I knew that I didn’t want nachos.  As delicious as they are, I have no control over how many I eat.  My family is known for ordering nachos as our main meal when we go out to eat.  Forget nachos as an appetizer to nibble, I want the whole plate!  Because of this obnoxious need I have to eat all of the nachos, I steered clear from them for this meal.  I wanted the flavor without the tortilla chips.

What I really liked about this recipe is how versatile it is.  It’s great on steak, chicken, and fish, and then make great wraps the next day for lunch.  When I made this recipe, I also snuck a piece of chicken in the mix, and I think that it turned out better than the steak.  The chicken was soooo moist from marinating in the fresh lime juice.  It was super tender and juicy even after microwaving it the next day at work for my wrap.  Fan-flipping-tastic!

I had every intention of making my own salsa for this recipe, but I didn’t want to spend $6 or$7 on tomatoes when I was already buying avocados at $1.50 each.  Instead I bought a much cheaper, fresh pico de gallo.  Just in case you don’t know what pico de gallo is, it’s a Mexican condiment very similar to salsa.  The only difference is that pico de gallo isn’t nearly as watery as salsa.  It’s pretty much just coarsely chopped tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos.  It’s very fresh and very good.

Lime Chili Steaks with Pico de Gallo and Homemade Guacamole

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 steaks or chicken breasts with all fat removed
3-4 limes
3 avocados  (Make sure that when you squeeze them, the flesh gives just a little.  That’s how you know they are ripe.)
1/4 of a red onion, coarsely chopped
1-2 jalapeno, seeds removed and thinly sliced
a handful of cilantro
salt and pepper
4 Tbs. chile powder (I used a blend of ancho, chipotle, and Mexican chile powder)
1 Tbs. olive oil**  (Only if you are using an indoor grill or skillet.)
1 container pico de gallo
1 small container sour cream
handful of scallions, chopped, for garnish

Directions:

If you are using an outdoor grill, preheat it to medium-high.  If you are cooking it indoors, skip this step.  You will preheat your grill pan later.

Roll all of the limes on your cutting board, placing an ample amount of pressure on them while you roll them.  This helps them to get ‘juicier’.   Juice all but one lime into a medium-sized bowl.  Place meat in with the lime juice.  Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.

While meat is marinating, juice your final lime into another medium-sized bowl.   Peel the avocados and cut the flesh into large chunks, placing them into the second bowl of lime juice.  For instructions on how to cut an avocado, click here.  Add onion, jalapeno, cilantro to lime/avocado mixture.  Toss gently.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

If you are using an indoor grill pan or large skillet, preheat it with 1 Tbs. olive oil to medium-high for steak and medium for chicken.

On a large plate, rub steaks/chicken with chile powder.

Regardless of which grill you are using (indoor or outdoor)…

Steak:  Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until at desired cooking temperature.
Chicken:  Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until no longer pink.

Let meat sit for 10 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.

Then place on serving plate.  Top with pico de gallo, guacamole (avocado mixture), and sour cream.  Garnish with scallions.

This recipe has typical North African flare because it incorporates the subtle heat with the sweet and savory flavors.  What makes this meal most impressive is the use of pantry ingredients.  I was ready to go to the store to get what I needed for the dish when I realized I had everything already.  That gets an “A” in my book.

This dish looks slightly similar to my Florida Keys-Style Citrus Chicken and my Moroccan Chicken with Lentils found in my Eat-Clean Anniversary post.  Despite appearances, they all have their unique flavor that sets the apart from one another.

Paillards are simply cuts of meat (poultry, beef, pork) that are flattened so they cook quickly.  If you have a meat mallet, go wild, but I’m always a fan of the skillet.  A few whacks with the skillet and the chicken is evenly flattened.  Make sure to place plastic wrap on top of and below the chicken first so you don’t spray your kitchen with chicken juice.  You’ll end up having to disinfect your entire kitchen.   And that’s no fun.

Upon my first bite, the orange and honey flavor immediately popped while the paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes gave it even more personality.  This isn’t your typical chicken dish.  Although it’s simple to prepare, your mouth is going to burst with flavor.  If you’re not too crazy about the heat, avoid the red pepper flakes.  If you LOVE heat, throw in some more.  The recipe didn’t call for a garnish, but I added some dill to give it some color.  I then served the chicken with my all-time favorite Trader Joe’s Grains Harvest Blend (Israeli-style couscous, orzo, red quinoa and baby garbanzo beans).

Be ready to get whisked away to Northern Africa in minutes!

North African Grilled Chicken Paillards

Source: Mildly adapted from Blue Kitchen

Serves 4

For sauce:
1/4 cup orange juice (fresh is best!)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1  cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For paillards:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil  (If you do not have an outdoor grill, you will need 3 Tbs. but keep 1 Tbs. separated.)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
salt to taste

Preheat your grill.  If you don’t have a grill, ignore this step, duh.

Chicken: Make sure that your chicken is rid of any fat.  Then place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and on top of a cutting board.  Pound with meat mallet or skillet until 1/4 inch thick.

Sauce: Simmer all of the sauce ingredients except for the butter in a small saucepan, uncovered for 2 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Set aside.

Spiced Oil: Cook cumin, paprika and pepper in oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer spiced oil to a small bowl, reserving skillet for sauce.  Do not wash the skillet.

If you are using an indoor grill pan, preheat it to medium high and add 1 Tbs. olive oil.

Brush the cumin-spiced oil on each side of the chicken.  Season with salt and place on grill.  Grill 2 minutes, then turn over and cook until it is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes more.

Pour sauce through a mesh sieve into reserved small skillet, discarding solids.  Bring to a boil.  Add butter and gently stir until butter is just incorporated. Season sauce with salt and spoon over chicken. Serve.

Where do you get your cookbooks?  Do you search solely online?  When you travel to different states or countries do you add a cookbook to your collection? What makes a cookbook standout to you?

Personally, I love cookbooks that have pictures to go with every recipe.  A drab book of food with no pictures will not grab my attention.  Bookstores like Barnes and Noble or Borders and craft stores like Michael’s or A.C. Moore tend to have bargain bins.  And in these bins or on these shelves are TONS of cookbooks filled with vibrant pictures and incredible recipes.  I have been known to find these cookbooks for $1 each at a craft store or for $4 at Barnes and Noble.  I venture upstairs to the more expensive cookbooks but they just don’t have the pictures that I want.  I like to see the dish.   From appetizers to world cuisine, I can find just about any type of cookbook in the bargain bin.  Next time you are at a bookstore, grab a cup of coffee and go perusing in the bargain section.  It’s amazing what you will find.

This recipe comes from one of my bargain cookbooks, and I’m very excited to share it with you.  Oh, and it’s on sale on amazon.com for $0.23!!!  Click the link below to get this steal.  It’s a fabulous cookbook!

Florida Keys-Style Citrus Chicken

Source: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of 30-Minute Dinners, p. 59

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 or 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbs butter and/or olive oil
1 tsp. lime zest
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 orange

Directions:

Rinse chicken; pat dry.  In a large skillet cook chicken and garlic in butter/oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.  During this time, make sure to stir the garlic occasionally while flipping the chicken once.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine lime zest, lime juice, ginger, and red pepper.

Peel and slice orange, reserving juice.  Cut orange into quarters.  Add orange juice to the lime juice mixture.  Place juice into skillet and place orange slices on top of chicken.   Cook, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until the oranges are heated through.

Spoon drippings over chicken to serve.  Sprinkle lime and orange zest on chicken for garnish.

*I served my chicken on top of Israeli couscous.

I wish I could relive this moment over and over….

Despite the fact that our wedding day has passed, Jason and I continue to create and enjoy memories that are tender, loving, and sweet.

 

One fond memory is this weekend’s feast in celebration of our upcoming anniversary – made from scratch and made from love.

 

As I mentioned in my previous post, we wanted a fun and exciting meal, but we didn’t want to gorge ourselves into utter guilt and discomfort.  Our meal was made from just about all clean ingredients (we did have some wine spritzers!).  Eating clean simply means that you are staying away from processed foods.   Slightly processed items such as spices and extra virgin olive oil are perfectly fine, but the key is staying away from packaged goods with chemicals and scary toxins.

I will be the first to admit that I am not always good at eating clean.  Cake and ice cream just tempt me beyond belief (you know, the kind with all that high fructose corn syrup and “natural flavors”, which are nothing more than chemicals), but just know that it is okay to eat that kind of stuff as a treat every once in a while.  Just don’t make it a daily ritual.

I am reminded of an episode of Oprah I watched last year; a girl in her twenties was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and was basically handed a death sentence.  She decided that it was not her time, bought a juicer and began consuming loads of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Her clean diet saved her life.  She is now in remission.  REMISSION!!!  Healthy food has power, people!  It saves lives!

Now that I have said my piece, I will step off of my soap box and focus on our anniversary meal ;o) …

Jason and I thoroughly enjoyed our clean meal.  We ate until we were full and an hour later, we felt great!  (Even ready to eat a little more!)   The next day, my little pudgy belly was flatter, and I felt incredible!   Need I say more?!

 

Here is our wonderful pre-anniversary dinner menu with recipes:

Roasted Eggplant Dip with Herb Rubbed Pita

Adapted from: Martha Stewart Living, July 2009

Serves: a hungry crowd

 

Ingredients for Dip:

3 medium eggplants
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (the recipe calls for full-fat, but I used non-fat and it turned out well)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from two lemons)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Chop up eggplant into small chunks.  Place on baking sheet, toss in 2 Tbs. olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes or until browned and tender.

Using a knife, press the flat side of the blade back and forth across the garlic with 1.5 tsp. salt to create a garlic paste.

Add eggplant and garlic into food processor.  Gradually add the remaining olive oil while processing.   Once done with processing, place mixture into a bowl.  Gently stir in yogurt and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Ingredients for pitas:

1/4 cup finely chopped mint
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Coarse salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4-6 pitas, sliced horizontally if thick

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degree F.  Stir herbs together in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Rub over pitas, and slice into triangles.

Place on baking sheets and bake for 10-14 minutes until golden brown.

 

 

Pumpkin & Pear Soup

Source: Oxygen Magazine, June 2009

Serves: 4-6

 

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup fresh ginger, minced
3 pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 small cans pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups chicken broth

 

Directions:

Put first four ingredients in a large soup pot and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Puree in batches in a blender or use a stick blender to blend until soup is smooth.

 

 

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

Source: The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook, p. 150

Serves: 12 (we made 4 servings for our meal)

 

Ingredients:

8 cups water
3 tsp. sea salt, divided
1 lb dried lentils, rinsed drained and picked over

1 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbs. ground cumin, divided
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. chili powder
2 garlic clove, peeled and minced

1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh parsley or cilantro

 

Directions:

Combine water and 1 tbs. salt in stock pot over high heat.  Add lentils.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to medium heat.  Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20-25 minutes.  Drain well.  Rinse under cold water and drain well.  Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix 1 cup oil, vinegar, 2 Tbs. cumin, 2 Tbs. chili powder, garlic and 1 tsp. salt.  Pour all but 2 Tbs. of this dressing over lentils.  Toss gently and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbs. oil.  Add onion and saute until well cooked, about 5 minutes.  Onion should appear dark brown and soft.  Add chicken or turkey and saute 2 minutes more.  Add 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbs. cumin, 2 tsp. chili powder and cinnamon.  Saute until chicken/turkey is cooked through.

Arrange lentils on a large serving platter.  Place sliced chicken on top of lentils.  Use any remaining dressing to pour on top.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.  Serve at room temperature.

 

 

Marinated Zucchini with Mint

Source: Everyday Food, July/August 2009

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients:

3 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 Tbs. olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh mint

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.  On two large rimmed baking sheets toss zucchini with 2 Tbs. oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast until tender and brown underneath, about 10-15 minutes.

On a serving platter, sprinkle zucchini with garlic and 2 Tbs. oil and vinegar.  Let stand for an hour.  (If you don’t have time to let it stand, don’t worry about it.  It tastes great served immediately!)

Sprinkle with fresh mint.