Here are my grocery picks for the week in order to make Chicken soft tacos and Mexican Chicken Salad:
Romaine lettece
Black beans
Salsa (Medium)
Chedder Cheese (Light Old or Medium Cheddar)
Ground chicken
Pre-packed cooked chicken breast strips (found in the luncheon meet section)
Soft tortillas (Whole wheat or white – white definitely tastes better)
Taco seasoning (found in the salsa section – PC makes a good one)
Thanks Wikipedia: Kale is considered to be one of the most highly nutritious vegetables, with powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory.[1]Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin and reasonably rich in calcium.Kale (also called Borecole) is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms. The species Brassica oleracea contains a wide array of vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. The Cultivar Group Acephala also includes spring greens and collard greens, which are extremely similar genetically.
Chickpea and Kale Soup
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large boiling potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 lb kale, stems and center ribs cut out and discarded, then leaves finely chopped (4 cups)
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (28 fl oz)
2 cups water
1 (14-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 lb Chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage), casing discarded and sausage cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup) (Optional)
Cook onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in oil in a wide 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic are softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add potato, kale, broth, and water and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, then add chickpeas and chorizo and gently simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. (c/o www.epicurious.com)
This recipe makes 8 servings and would be great to freeze in ziplock containers for lunch. Bring some romaine lettuce – pre-washed and chopped – in a small ziplock bag, add dressing, shake and you’ve got a great lunch!!!
Ingredients
6 small tomatoes, (3-inch), cut them into small 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or Canola Oil – your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
5 slices white or whole wheat sandwich bread, with crust
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups of Campbell’s low sodium chicken stock (I believe the mini containers of stock are two cups…)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cups skim (or 1%) milk
8 ounces (about 2 1/4 cups) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 ounce (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread tomatoes in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes have softened, about 20 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
Process bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with remaining tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
Whisk 1/2 cup stock into the flour in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in nutmeg, cayenne, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add milk and remaining 1 1/2 cups stock. Whisk in flour mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes, whisking frequently. Add cheeses; cook, stirring, until melted. Pour over macaroni, stirring to combine.
Put eight 4 1/2-by-1 1/4-inch ramekins on a baking sheet. Put 2 tomato slices in bottom of each ramekin. Divide macaroni mixture evenly among ramekins. Top each with a tomato slice. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and thyme sprigs. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cups (loosely packed) thinly sliced romaine lettuce
2 cups diced seeded tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
6 6-inch pita breads, top 1 1/2 inches trimmed
Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add next 4 ingredients and toss to combine. Season salad with salt and pepper. Carefully open pita breads at cut end. Fill each with salad and serve.
Featured in Bon Appetit, Meatless Dinner: Aug ‘01
Spanakopita, from the Moosewood Cookbook
Yield: 8 servings
Time: 1½ hours
Ingredients:
½ c olive oil
2 c onion, minced
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2½ pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp flour
1 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1 c ricotta or cottage cheese
1 Tbsp black pepper, or to taste
1 pound phyllo pastry leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375º.
Sauté onion, salt, basil, and oregano in 2 Tbsp oil for 5 minutes, until the onion softens.
Add spinach and cook over medium-high heat for at least 5 minutes, until spinach wilts.
Turn heat down to medium, stir in garlic and flour, and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses and pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired.
Get your phyllo dough out of the fridge and unwrap. Lay out a sheet of the dough in the baking dish (it will overlap the sides). Brush with oil, lay another on top, brush with oil, and repeat for a total of 8 sheets.
Spread half of the spinach mixture over the dough. Lay out another 8 sheets of phyllo as above. Spread the rest of the spinach on top, then lay out the remaining sheets. Brush the top with oil and tuck the phyllo sheets into the pan.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until golden-brown and crispy.
Portuguese Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes – ChefMD™ Recipe
And health benefits too!
Portuguese Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes:
Preparation time: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Four servings (makes about 7 cups of soup)
165 calories per serving, 20% from fat
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped white onion
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup diced (one-half inch pieces) unpeeled sweet potato
3 to 4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or chili puree with garlic, such as Lee Kum Kee brand
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
One 15- or 16-ounce can Great Northern or cannelloni beans, undrained
4 cups packed sliced Swiss chard or collard greens
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
Preparation:
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion; cook three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, sweet potato, and chili garlic sauce; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered five minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans; return to a simmer. Stir in Swiss chard or collard greens. Simmer five minutes or until sweet potatoes and chard or greens are tender. Stir in vinegar, if desired, and ladle into four serving bowls.
Substitutions:
Diced, peeled butternut or delicate squash may be substituted for the sweet potato. Kale, turnip, or beet greens may replace the Swiss chard or collard greens.
Tips:
Leftover soup may be covered and refrigerated up to three days or frozen up to three months. The soup may be pureed, simmered until thickened, and served as a sauce for cooked whole wheat pasta, underneath a wild-rice pilaf, or on top of a baked potato. Chili garlic sauce is an Asian condiment found in the ethnic section of your supermarket. It gives a dynamic flavor to this quick-cooking soup.
*http://healthcorner.walgreens.com/display/874.htm
1/2 cup sour cream (Real is better but light is okay)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (Real is better but low fat is okay. Do not use Salad Dressing/Miracle Whip)
3 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1-1.5 teaspoons curry powder (I like curry!)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped peeled and seeded english cucumber
1 green onion finely chopped
Mix ingredients together and serve with toasted pita or veggies. Yum!
*You can buy an indian curry at Loblaws that includes all the spices – like Tumeric and cumin. I use this…
This is a recipe that contains little to no instruction. We provide the ingredients and you provide the creativity — just keep tasting until it’s perfect!
Canned or fresh cooked Beets (Canned are easiest but don’t buy them pickled)
Thinly chopped celeryThinly sliced Spanish Onion
A splash of Red wine vinegar, Olive Oil, grape seed oil, mint (dried or finely chopped fresh), salt and pepper.
A DROP of sesame seed oil
Combine the dressing and mix with veggies. Let marinate over night for best results!
Enjoy!
