Everybody loves chicken noodle soup. Right? Then, of course, everyone loves fresh, spring vegetables? Yes, you do! Put them together and you come up with this fabulous, tasty and, may I say, healthy soup you will want make many times.
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 4 cups orange/carrot juice blend – This is for real
- 1 – 14 oz. can chicken broth (reduced salt)
- 1 cup, carrots, cut on the diagonal
- 1 cup sliced celery, peeled
- 2 cups dried broad noodles
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (leftovers maybe?)
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
- 2 tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
In a large pot heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for one minute longer.
Carefully, add the orange-carrot juice, chicken broth, 1 cup water and pinch of salt. Add the carrots and celery and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
Add the noodles and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve hot with toasted baquette slices.
Serves 4
Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce
Everyone will enjoy these – food on a stick! How easy is that? You can also use beef and, if allergies are in the mix, make a vegetable wonton dipping sauce as a complement to either protein.
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp. light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Combine all the ingredients except the chicken together in a medium bowl. Add the chicken (or beef) and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for one hour in the refrigerator.
Thread the meat onto skewers and working in batches, grill on the bbq for 1-2 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- 1 tbsp. vegetable sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1/4 tsp. chili flakes
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. water (optional)
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil , cooking for 4 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the soy sauce, ketchup and lime juice. Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature.
Sir in the peanut butter. If the sauce appears to separate or is too thick, add the water, whisking to incorporate. Serve with the chicken.
Yummmmm! This serves 4. Double it up and use beef in one and chicken in the other for a fun night.
Pulled Chicken Tacos With Yummy Salsa
- I’m on a kick with the tacos and before we run off to volunteer at one of the Winery Festivals today, here is another one to make you happy.
Pickled Onions
You will really love the vibrant bite to these and will want to use them on everything.
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup Pinot Noir wine
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 2 drops hot sauce
- 1 1/2 cups sliced red onion, packed down
Put all the ingredients (except onion) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the onion and cook only for 30 seconds. Transfer to a clean 500 ml glass jar. Set aside to cool completely then cover and refrigerate. Before using, be sure to drain off the brine.
Salsa Made With Fresh Pineapple
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
- 1 jalapeno chile, seeded, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- pinch of salt and pepper
Mix all together in a bowl, cover with saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator. Just before using, bring to room temperature for best flavour.
- Pulled Chicken
- 6 chicken legs
- 1/2 cup your best barbecue sauce
- 12 x 6″ corn tortillas (flour ones get too mushy)
Place the legs (the chicken, not yours) in a roasting pan and roast for about 50-55 minutes until cooked completely. Cool down enough to handle and remove the meat, throwing out the bones, fat and skin.
Pull the meat in thick threads and place in the barbecue sauce in a saucepot and stir until hot. (5-6 minutes).
Warm the tortillas by grilling for 5 seconds on each side. Lay them out and divide the chicken equally. Top with the salsa and the pickled onion.
What a great way to start the evening with friends/family. Make it a regular dish to make. Add a glass of wine, throw a steak on the barbecue and such fun ahead.
Chicken With Peaches And Ginger
This is one of the easier recipes ever. On the way home from work, stop in to the grocery store and pick up an already roasted chicken. Just make sure it is about 4 1/2 – 5 lbs.
- 1 chicken
- 1/2 cup either pickled peaches or peach jam (both homemade are best)
- 2 tbsp. grainy mustard
- 2 tsp. minced ginger, fresh
- 1 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bird in roasting pan.
In a small bowl combine the peaches, mustard, ginger, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder until well blended. Brush over the chicken. Cook for about 15 minutes, brushing occasionally with the sauce.
Transfer to a platter and let rest for a few minutes. Serve with a salad, warm rolls and you will have set a feast on the table and it is only Monday night. There you go….
Indonesian-Style Fried Rice
This is so cool! Give it a go and I know you will love it as well. It looks involved but takes only 30 minutes to do.
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 3 eggs, well beaten
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 leek (white and light green parts only) and sliced thin
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 1 tsp. chili paste
- 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- 8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 2 tsp. vinegar
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups spinach leaves, chopped coarsely.
Whew! here we go…
In a wok or deep-sided skillet, heat 1 tsp. coconut oil over medium heat. When melted, add and cover the eggs, cooking until firm. This takes about 3 minutes. Fold in half and remove from pan. Cut into thin strips. Cover and set aside.
Heat remaining oil in the wok and cook the onion, leek, and red pepper until the onions begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander and chili paste. Cook until it becomes fragrant (60 seconds). Remove to a large bowl and set aside.
Same old wok…add the chicken and cook until browned and the juices run clear when chicken is pierced. (make sure it is cooked), add the shrimp and cook only until pink in colour.
Now stir in the rice, remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Stir in the spinach and cook only until the rice is hot. Fold in the egg and serve.
OMG! This is a dish to remember.
Chicken Tortellini Bowl
I seem to be on the side of working mothers and fathers, with busy lives and not much time to fuss and bother, with weekday dinners. Here is another snap to make and also very tasty. Add a slice or two of garlic toast, small salad and, of course, a glass of Pinot Gris (well chilled, naturally).
- 2 x 9 oz. pkg frozen cheese tortellini (I said it would be fast)
- 2 cups each broccolini and cauliflower florets
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (spicy or Italian herb)
- 1/2 cup dried tomato pesto
- 1 9 oz. pkg of roasted/grilled chicken breast strips, thawed
- Shaved asiago cheese
In a large 4 quart pot, cook tortellini as directed, add the broccolini and cauliflower for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to the pot.
Stir in the undrained tomatoes, pesto and chicken. Cook, occasionally stirring until heated through.
Put into bowls, add the cheese and Voila! you did it again. Take a bow! Yummy!
Chicken Caesar Wraps
These make a great weekend lunch. Simple and everyone loves chicken caesar anything.
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp. lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1/4 cup Asiago cheese, grated
- 2 garlic cloves
- pinch of salt and pepper
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
- 12 chicken tenders
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 12 small tortillas
- 12 romaine heart leaves, rinsed and dried
- 12 bacon strips, cooked crisp
- 1 pkg. Provolone cheese, cut each one in 8 strips
Season the chicken and saute in a frypan over a medium high heat. Cook in the oil in 2 batches for 2 minutes each side.
Lay the lettuce leaves on each tortilla, add a chicken tender, 4 strips of cheese and a slice of bacon. Roll up tightly. Serve with the mayo by drizzling the mayo over the top and place the remainder in a bowl for dipping.
Chicken Salad With New Attitude
This salad will make a great lunch fare or even better, a full meal deal, served with a warm roll and chilled glass of your favourite……
This is a good meal for 4 people.
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 (170g) container of Feta cheese
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 large English Cucumber, diced small
- 3/4 lb. baby new potatoes, cooked and halved
- 1/2 small watermelon, cut in 4 wedges
- 4 dried apricots, thinly sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, lime zest and one half of the juice, garlic clove and oil. Set aside.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in a shallow dish. Pour the vinaigrette over the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Preheat barbecue.
Grill on high heat for 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Slice in 1/4 inch strips and set aside.
In a blender make the dressing by pureeing the Feta cheese, water, remaining lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. If needed, add more water.
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, potatoes and half of the dressing and toss gently. Place this in a bowl, add the chicken slices on top, sprinkle with the apricot and drizzle with the remaining dressing. On the side of the plate, add the watermelon wedge. Serve immediately.
A Few More Lunch Ideas To Take With You
This one is easy to make. If you are having grilled chicken for dinner on, say, Sunday, make one more for you to put together this sandwich to take for lunch on Monday. Remember the mantra….cook once, eat twice.
Grilled Chicken And Slaw
- 1/4 of a small cabbage
- 5 tbsp. lowfat yogurt
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. cider vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon, torn
- 1 whole chicken breast, cut in half
- 2 2-ounce sections fresh baguette, cut open lengthwise
Remove outer leaves of the cabbage and core it. Slice very thin shreds and set aside in a small bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add this to the shredded cabbage and tarragon, tossing to coat well.
Place each breast half between plastic wrap and pound out with the flat side of a meat mallet (Girls, just think of mamograms). Season with salt and pepper.
Grill for 2-3 minutes and then turn over, cooking a further 2 minutes. (Do this the night before to save time).
To make the sandwiches, simply cut and place the chicken to fit the baguette and, when ready to eat, top with 1/4 cup of coleslaw.
That makes a better lunch than cottage cheese and plain water. Yuk!
OR try this one…
Tuna Salad Sandwiches, the healthy way
- 3 sun-dried tomato halves
- 1 6 oz. tuna, packed in water
- 1 celery stalk, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup diced fennel
- 3 tbsp. freshly chopped dill
- 1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2-3 drops Tabasco sauce (to taste)
- pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp. nonfat yogurt
- 1 1/2 tsp. mustard
- pinch of salt
- 1 English cucumber, unpeeled and sliced very thin
- 1 cup fresh pea sprouts
- 3 2-ounce pita, cut open
Rinse the tomatoes in hot water and remove the oils and rehydrate in boiling water for 1 minute. Chop and set aside.
In a bowl combine the tomatoes, tuna, celery, onion, carrot, fennel, dill, parsley, lime juice, Tabasco and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
Assemble the sandiches dividing equally in the pitas and top with the pea sprouts and line one side with cucumber slices.
These should break the habit of same old-same old sandwiches.
Yum!
Chicken Pizza
Time to forget about the Christmas fare and New Years over-indulgence….take a night off and enjoy a wonderful pizza.
- 1 x 12 inch Italian bread shell (Boboli)
- 1 cup salsa (homemade is best)
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 cups chopped chicken
- 1/2 cup of dried cranberries OR golden raisins
- 1 tbsp. sliced almonds
- 1 cup shredded Monteray Jack cheese
- 1 tbsp. snipped cilantro
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread shell on a baking sheet. In a small bowl combine the salsa, cinnamon and cumin. Spread this evenly over the bread shell.
Top with the chicken, cranberries (raisins) and almonds. Bake for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for another 6-7 minutes until the pizza is heated through and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the cilantro over the pizza. This makes 6 servings.
This is easy, very tasty and a nice break from the heavy, fatty foods of the past 6-7 weeks of entertaining, being entertained or just eating all the goodies you see.
It is yummy.
Chicken Baked My Way
This recipe has a little Moroccon flavour. It has been adjusted slightly for our tastes. I hope you will try it and enjoy.
- 2 x 2 1/2 lbs. chickens, quartered
- 2 tbsp. grated lime peel
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- pinch of salt
- pinch of freshly grated pepper
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 3 limes, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Wash the chicken under water and dry well with paper towels. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish.
Combine the lime zest, juice, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Spoon over the chicken, making sure to turn it over to completely coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 4-5 hours, turning the chicken every hour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. Save the marinade. Arrange the chicken in a 2-3 quart casserole and brush with melted butter.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Brush with the marinade reserve and bake for another 35-40 minutes. Brush with the marinade a few times during this second timing.
Garnish with the lime slices and sprinkle with the parsley.
This will serve 8 people. You can also heat the marinade and put it in a gravy boat so it can be served as a sauce. With this chicken serve with rice or broad buttered noodles. YUMMY!
Portuguese Style Paella
Get ready for a food adventure when you make this.
Special Equipment: large paella pan
- 2 x 2lb. fryers, each cut into 8 pieces
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- 1 lb. lean pork, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1/2 tsp. saffron
- 1 lb. Italian sausages (chorizo)
- 2 medium sized tomatoes, fresh, peeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cans (10 oz) chicken broth (condensed)
- 1 1/2 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen peas
- 1/2 jar (4 oz. size) pimentos
- 2 limes, cut in 8 wedges each
Wipe the chicken with damp, wet towels. In hot oil, in a large skillet, brown the chicken (about 5 pieces at a time) until golden. Remove it as it browns.
Add the pork cubes to the skillet and brown on all sides. Remove.
To the drippings in the pan, add the onion, garlic, pepper, oregano, and saute, stirring about 5 minutes until the onion is golden in colour. Add the salt, rice and saffron, cook while stirring for about 10 minutes. C’mon, it will be worth it.
In another large skillet, brown the sausages, turning to brown all sides (about 10 minutes). Drain and discard the fat. Place this in a large roasting pan with all the meat.
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and broth to the rice mixture and bring to boiling. Add the shrimp and spoon evenly over the sausage and chicken. Bake, tightly covered with foil for about 1 hour.
If the mixture appears dry, add 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle the peas over the top and do not stir in. Bake, covered, a further 20 minutes.
To serve: place the paella on a paella pan, garnish with the pimento and lime and take to the table.
This will serve 10 people. Now, didn’t I say this was worth it?