I have a great idea for dinner this week – Thai Coconut Chicken and Noodles. This dish comes together quickly, easily and tastes way more complex than the ingredients suggest. I was able to find all of the ingredients at my local, big box grocery store. Agave nectar, red curry paste, coconut milk and fish sauce are great pantry staples that you will use over and over again once you have them. Any noodle will do, really, but I used udon noodles, which are a Japanese wheat noodle. I served mine over a bed of baby spinach to add color and dark leafy greens to the mix. Ethnic comfort food at its best. Saucy and delicious! Enjoy.
Thai Coconut Chicken and Noodles February 26, 2012
Toasted Kale and Coconut Salad February 19, 2012
Photo: Heidi Swanson
I’ve had lots of kale around these days, adding it to soups, stews, posole and making my favorite Kale Salad with Apple and Spiced Pecans. Well, it was my favorite until I tasted this Toasted Kale and Coconut Salad!
I’ve been looking for new ways to use kale and came across this recipe. Chopped kale and coconut flakes (I get them from Bob’s Red Mill) get tossed with olive oil, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil before being toasted in the oven. Both the coconut and the kale get sort of crispy (think kale chips). It feels oddly indulgent, served warm, with a crunch to it, a little salt to it from the soy sauce and tons of flavor. The recipe recommends serving it over whole grains – quinoa or farro would be nice – but in my experience, it’s not necessary.
Heidi Swanson does it again. If you’re looking for a great cook book featuring natural wholesome ingredients with lots of flavor, then your next kitchen purchase should be Super Natural Every Day.
On another note, you will see that I’ve added a button for the Urban Farm Handbook Challenge. It is encouraging me to take baby steps every month towards building my garden. I am happy to report that I successfully set up my compost bin this weekend. I bought a Garden Gourmet model and it went together in a snap. Literally. No tools required, just recycled plastic. Love it! I still have to make my fertilizer and get worms, but like I said…baby steps…
Simple Roast Chicken and Split Pea Puree February 12, 2012
In the wake of Paula Deen’s “revelation” that she’s had diabetes for years, I am feeling good about the fact that I actually cook and share recipes for what we eat at home knowing it keeps us (and you!) healthy. In Frank Bruni’s article on the Paula Deen topic, he writes that in conversations with top chefs about what they eat at home, they often mention roast chicken and vegetables. I had to LOL. It’s true! They do cook like real people at home. I knew it.
That said, I think this the perfect time to share my recipe for Simple Roast Chicken. This week, I served it with Split Pea Puree – an easy, fabulous and filling favorite. Enjoy them both in good health!
BTW, you may have noticed that the “small indulgence” section of GYYB recipe index is, um, small. There’s a reason for that. If I baked and we ate as much dessert as we truly wanted to, well, we’d have health issues too. We watch what we eat (without suffering!) most of the time so we may treat ourselves occasionally. It’s also why we exercise almost every day. After all, life without a sweet treat here or there sounds dreadful, no?
Herbed Quinoa and Chickpea Salad February 5, 2012
Had the neighbors over for Carnitas Friday night. It simmered away in the slow cooker all day making the house smell delicious! To go along with it, I made Zesty Coleslaw (a house favorite) and this Herbed Quinoa (KEEN-wah) and Chickpea Salad.
Most weekends, you will find me with a pot of whole grains on the stove – farro, brown rice, couscous, or in this case, quinoa. I make a batch or two up for the week while I am puttering around at any given moment. Once the grains are cooked, dishes come together quickly – all week. For example, cooked couscous can be served with hot milk, maple syrup, nuts and raisins for a delicious breakfast porridge. It can also be turned into tasty couscous cakes or salads for lunch and dinner.
Same thing goes for cooked quinoa. In this case, I simply tossed it with fresh herbs, chopped vegetables, chick peas, fresh lemon juice, rice vinegar and olive oil. For my next trick, I think I’ll make a batch of Curried Quinoa Salad to go with seafood some night this week. Yum.
