Not Just Another Weeknight Chicken...version Trader Joe's

So, we are all always looking for another chicken recipe. How can we make the same ole’, same ole’ new again? And easy, and fast, and healthy, and cheap? This chicken recipe meets all of those requirements. It meets those requirements because you use a little help from the most highly trafficked grocery store that I can(barely tolerate) think of: Trader Joe’s. How can you beat the convenience (and avoid the masses) of Trader Joe’s?? You can’t. Stop trying. Go to Trader Joe’s and buy a jar of Artichoke Antipasto. It’s a little pickle-y for my taste on it’s own, but that can easily be remedied with two other Trader Joe’s conveniences: frozen crushed garlic cubes and frozen chopped basil cubes. I know, you can’t beat that. You won't even have to pull out a knife or a cutting board for this recipe. I promise!

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breast Cutlets, these are the skinny slices of the breast. Make your own here (BUT you’ll need a knife and a cutting board…Sooo… Give your butcher some job security…)
2 Cubes of Crushed Garlic, (Trader Joe’s frozen)
2 Cubes of Chopped Basil, (Trader Joe’s frozen)
1 (large) Splash of White Wine (It’s a good reason to open a new bottle. White wine will be perfect with this dinner!)
8 Tbsp of Artichoke Antipasto, (Trader Joe’s jarred)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While it’s preheating, season your chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
Drop the crushed garlic and the basil into the preheated oil, and then add your seasoned chicken to the pan, followed by a splash of white wine.
Cook chicken approximately 2-3 minutes on the first side, then flip the chicken over and coat the cooked side of each piece of chicken with about 2 tablespoons of the Artichoke Antipasto. Put a lid on the skillet and let all of those delicious flavors marry for approximately 5-6 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

And there it is. Done. Delicious. Easy. Especially easy if you serve it with steamed veggies and microwave Seeds of Change garlic quinoa rice from Costco! You could add a little something extra to your chicken by giving it a squeeze of fresh lemon juice while cooking, and adding some capers or chopped green olives near the end of cooking.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Roasted Chicken and Root Veggies:

This is one of my main dinner staples. When I get home from a hard day at work, the last thing I want to do is slave over a hot stove. This recipe is simple and the hardest part is changing the oven’s temperature part way through… The majority of the work in this recipe goes into cutting the veggies, which I find pretty therapeutic…Pretend those veggies are the problem that you had to deal with at work today and cut them up and eat them…Voilà! Problem solved. (Or you can just use the grocery store’s help and buy their pre-cut veggies if you’re not nearly as crazy as I am…)
Serve this recipe with a side salad to add something green to your plate without a lot of work. I usually do an arugula salad dressed with extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper.

Ingredients –

1 large Sweet Potato, cubed into 1” chunks
1 cup of Rutabaga, cubed into small bite sized pieces
½ cup of Turnip, cubed into small bite sized pieces
1 Carrot, cut into 1” chunks
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1” chunks
½ a small onion, cut into ½” wedges
4-ish cloves of garlic (I like it garlicky!!), smashed with the side of your knife and palm of your hand
2 tbsp of Olive Oil, don’t use the expensive stuff here…It’s getting cooked…
4 pieces of chicken thighs, whole, skin on
Season to taste. You can use salt and pepper, maybe some ground garlic, but I prefer McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. It has everything it in already and can be added in one step (I’m lazy…). For this recipe, I use about a tablespoon of seasoning on everything, veggies and chicken.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Line your baking dish with foil, any oven-safe dish really, this recipe is not only versatile, it’s very forgiving…You could use a baking sheet (like me), or a square casserole, just line whatever dish you pick with foil so that you don’t have to clean the pan when you’re done (…Again, I’m lazy).
In a large bowl, combine veggies, garlic, onion, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and seasoning of choice. Stir to coat veggies. Place veggie mixture into your prepared baking dish.

Wash your chicken (!!!) and pat it dry. Place the chicken pieces on top of the veggies that you’ve already put in their designated baking dish. Coat the chicken pieces with the remaining olive oil and season to taste.

Here’s the hard part: you have to set the timer…AND change the oven temperature…I know, it’s a lot to ask, but the end result is worth it…
Put your prepared dish into your preheated 425-degree oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes (this gives you that sinfully delicious, heart-attack inducing, crispy chicken skin). After the 15-20 minutes are up, turn the oven temperature down to 350 and bake for approximately 40-45 more minutes, this time varies because not all ovens run exactly to temp. Check your chicken’s doneness by sticking a knife in the thickest part of a piece and twist it just so to make the juices run. If the juices run clear, your chicken is done! If the juices run pink-ish or red, cook your chicken longer because it’s not done; and I don’t think eating or serving raw chicken will win you any new friends.

Thai Green Curry Chicken

This Thai Green Curry Chicken is such an easy, quick, weeknight meal that really takes the boring out of the same old chicken. Another major time saver for this recipe is minute rice or precooked rice that you can just throw into the microwave for a minute and a half and be done with. I have a rice cooker and I’ve tried to make rice a million times, I’m just not good at it, so I take all the help that I can get from the store when I want to have rice with dinner. Also, Costco usually has this precooked rice in a large package of six bowls in the pantry area, or a quinoa and rice mix in the freezer section. Both are delicious and major time savers. Another option is to serve this curry with brown rice Pad Thai noodles, which are widely available in grocers’ international foods section.
Thai Kitchen makes a very good green curry paste, and all of their curry pastes (red, green, and roasted red…) are on sale this week at Whole Foods. Their green curry paste is gluten free, but it isn’t very spicy so I add a couple of chilies to my curry to spice it up. Side note about chilies: the skinnier and pointier the chili, the spicier. So, if you like spicy, go ahead and pick the pointy chilies.
You’ll notice that I only use one chicken breast in this recipe, my reason behind that is to decrease the cost while still keeping it balanced and healthful, but this recipe is very versatile; you can use more meat and less veggies or even substitute shrimp for the chicken. If you substitute in shrimp, just add it when you add the green curry paste to your coconut milk so that it doesn’t overcook.

Thai Green Curry Chicken:

1 Chicken Breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 Serrano chilies, minced, seeded if you’re sensitive to spicy food or Optional
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 inch of Fresh Ginger, minced
2 cups of Veggies (I used: Frozen peas and green beans, fresh bell pepper, and fresh broccoli, but you can use whatever you like…), cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbsp Thai Green Curry Paste, I use Thai Kitchen brand (it’s GF!)
1 13.5 oz. can of regular (not light) Coconut Milk (shake well before opening!)
1 sprig of basil (Thai basil if available), torn into pieces by hand
1 tbsp Thai Fish Sauce, I use Thai Kitchen brand (it’s GF!)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté meat until almost cooked through (adding salt and pepper to taste, remembering that fish sauce is salty!); then add in chilies, garlic, ginger, and veggies to meat. Cook together for approximately 3-5 minutes over medium heat; you’re only trying to cook the veggies to remove their “rawness”; you still want them crunchy and fresh tasting in your curry. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in curry paste and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add fish sauce and torn basil just before serving.

Serve over jasmine rice in a bowl and you’re set!

Shopping List for Dinners Oct. 14-18th

I have a confession. I shop at Whole Foods (WF). I shop at Whole Foods almost exclusively, besides my weekly stop at my neighborhood farmer’s market and my very occasional stop at Trader Joe’s when I am feeling fierce enough to battle that jungle. I know, I know… “Whole Foods is big business, it’s too expensive, blah, blah, blah…” But I think that Forbes once told me that Whole Foods is a great company to work for AND Whole Foods has TONS of gluten and dairy free options, not to mention all of their organic products. I should also mention that I try to eat organic as much as possible, but especially when the food has a soft exterior, think: plums, berries, potatoes, celery, etc... Beware: Foods labeled as ‘’natural” are not the same as organic foods. Organic foods will be labeled as such. (Learn more about identifying organic produce here)
Anyway, I’m not saying that you need to shop at Whole Foods too; I’m saying that I like it and it’s what I use to make my shopping lists.
The relationship between Whole Foods and me was meant to be, fate, if you will…

This is my shopping list (by department) for dinners during the week of
October 14 – 18th for the following dishes:
Monday – Thai Green Curry Chicken
Tuesday – Roasted Chicken w/ Root Veggies
Wednesday – Roasted Cauliflower Sausage Pasta Bake
Thursday – Wayside Style Wings
Friday – Lemongrass Basil Chicken

I'll post pictures and the recipes after I make them for dinner each night!

Pantry:
Coconut Milk (2 Cans)
Green Curry Paste (I like Thai Kitchen)
Fish Sauce (I like Thai Kitchen)
Water Chestnuts (1 Small Can)
Jasmine Rice (Any rice will work, I just like the flavor of Jasmine)
Tomato Paste (1 Tube)
Fire Roasted Diced Tomato (1 Can, Muir Glen on sale this week at WF)
Dried Red Pepper Flakes
Gluten Free Pasta, (I really like Tinkyada’s brown rice dried pasta, it doesn’t get mushy or soggy and most importantly it tastes good!)
Olive Oil

Produce:
Garlic
Yellow Onion (1)
Ginger (4 Inches) – If you buy too much, it freezes really well.
Lemon Grass (1 Stalk)
Serrano Chilies (4)
Jalapeno (2)
Scallions
Basil
Bell Pepper – (1) Any color you like. I tend to buy green because they’re cheaper.
Celery (2 Stalks)
Carrot (1)
Rutabaga (1)
Parsnip (1)
Hard Squash (1, On sale this week at my WF)
Cauliflower (1 Head)
Zucchini (2 Small)

Meat:
2 lbs. Chicken Wings (split, tips removed)
Chicken Breast (3, boneless, skinless)
Chicken Thighs (3, boneless, skin on)
½ lb. Turkey Sausage

Frozen Foods:
Green Beans (1 Bag)
Peas (1 Bag)
Sweet Potato Fries (1 Bag, Alexia has a coupon at WF this month)

Ground Turkey Larb

In 2006 I was working at a day spa when I met a Cosmetologist named Lisah. Lisah is one of those people who can make friends with anyone because she is genuinely nice and has such a great sense of humor that it’s hard not to like her. For Lisah’s 21st birthday she invited us to a party at her house, and me, unsuspecting as I was, I brought a huge bag of tortilla chips…Thinking it was a “pot-luck” type of party…I was wrong, Ooopppss! We arrived to a huge spread of traditional Laos food, none of which I recognized because at that point the most exotic thing I had ever consumed came from Wonderful Chinese Food restaurant (yes, that’s really what it’s called) in a strip mall in my home town.
Lisah’s birthday spread included: Spicy Green Papaya Salad with Crispy Chicken Feet (Seriously, eat crispy chicken feet if you have the opportunity. I wouldn’t lead you astray…), Crispy Rice Salad (Nam, but also nom, nom, nom), and Grilled Oysters… Needless to say, I was a little weary of eating this food that I didn’t even recognize. Luckily, my manners (but mostly my faith in Lisah’s good judgment) encouraged me to try these new dishes and I don’t regret it for a second! It was at that point that I became indebted to Lisah forever (dun, dun, dun…), for inspiring me to try new foods, to live outside of my comfort zone, and experience new things. Since that night at Lisah’s party, I’ve tried many different kinds of food and am always looking for new inspiration for my cooking. I like to challenge myself and test my skills for personal growth. To be honest, I have very few dishes that I make regularly because I always want to try something new. So now, it’s my turn to inspire you. Try something new, and think of Lisah and me when you do. Thanks, Lisah!!! You’re the best!

Ground Turkey Larb (Laab or Laap):
Larb is a traditional Lao minced meat dish that can be made with any ground meat. I find that ground chicken or turkey lend themselves nicely to the flavors of the herbs and the dressing. Stronger flavored meats, like beef can over power the herbs. This recipe is delicious because appeals to all five taste sensations, as most Asian dishes do. The five taste sensations are: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Umami (or Savory). This Larb tastes even better the next day!
Please see the notes at the end of the post related to serving and preparing lemongrass.
Dressing:
Fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes, if your limes aren’t juicy, put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds and they’ll yield much more juice, or you can use your palm to forcefully roll whole limes back and forth on your counter top to soften them up.
5 sprigs of Cilantro, stemmed, chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce, I use Thai Kitchen (it’s GF!!)
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons honey

Larb:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots (cloves), thinly sliced, lengthwise
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 2 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and minced
1 4 inch piece lemongrass the softer white portion of the stalk, minced *See Notes
3 Thai chilies, or 3 Serrano chilies, stemmed, thinly sliced
Sea Salt, to taste, remembering that fish sauce is salty
1 ½ pounds ground turkey, preferably dark meat
½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated

Optional:
Roasted Chopped Nuts to garnish
Green Beans
Sliced Cucumber
Cabbage
Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and honey. Set aside.
Larb: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots (Your friends will be really impressed if you discuss the subtle nuances in the flavors of onion vs. shallot…By “impressed”, I mean bored.), garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chili, and salt to taste. (It’s important to season every layer when you’re cooking. When you add another ingredient to the pan, season to taste.) Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the dressing to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the Larb onto the prepared lettuce leaves and serve.
NOTES: When you order Larb (Laab or Laap) at a restaurant, they garnish it with roasted, chopped peanuts. I like to garnish our larb with roasted chopped almonds to add crunch. Larb (Laab or Laap) can be served with sticky rice and an assortment of vegetables, such as green beans, sliced cucumber, or cabbage.
Lemongrass is kind of an unusual ingredient, but it can be found in most grocery stores. It is a long, skinny stalk that’s usually light green in color and lighter near the root end (see picture). When you are ready to prepare your lemon grass, peel off the outer most layer of the stalk and discard. You’ll notice that the stalk is very stiff, so, you’ll want to pick a very sharp knife to mince it. To make the mincing easier, tenderize the portion of the stalk that you plan to use with the dull edge of your knife by hitting the lemongrass repeatedly and forcefully until the stalk is softer. Once it’s softened, use the sharp edge of your knife to mince your lemongrass.

If we’re being honest, my Larb recipe isn’t exactly traditional, but it hits all of the same flavor notes as the real thing and has ingredients that are pretty easy to come by. The recipe does not include the traditional toasted rice powder because it’s not easy to find and it’s a lot of work to make on a weeknight. But, if you’d like to use the traditional toasted rice powder and can’t find it at your local store, there’s a great (and simple enough) recipe at: SheSimmers.com
Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Streusel Breakfast Bars

These bars were created in honor of October and the glory that is fall in Northern California. Since I moved to San Francisco, I miss out on my family’s fall traditions, like trips up to Apple Hill in Camino, CA and baking apple pies with my mom. These Pumpkin Streusel Breakfast Bars warm my heart just like a family trip to Apple Hill, or baking with my mom. They taste just like pumpkin pie, but in cake form, with a crunchy-nutty topping! One word: YUM!

Ingredients -

Streusel Topping:
¼ cup Coconut Sugar
2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ground Ginger

Pumpkin Bars:
2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
½ cup Gluten Free Almond Meal
½ cup Gluten Free Coconut Flour
1 ¼ cups Coconut Sugar
2 teaspoons Gluten Free Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
¾ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon*
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger*
¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg*
¼ cup Coconut Oil, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
2 Eggs, Beaten
1 cup Pumpkin Puree, plain, not the pie filling
1 tablespoon Vanilla
1 cup Walnuts, Chopped (Optional; can be replaced with another nut of choice…Or Cacao Nibs!! Yum!)
*If you have Pumpkin Pie Spice, use 2 ¼ teaspoons here instead of these three ingredients separately.

Prepare:

Gather all ingredients, including your eggs

Tools:
1 Large Mixing Bowl
2 Small Bowls and 2 Forks (to beat eggs and make streusel topping)
1 Whisk
1 Electric Mixer or a VERY strong forearm and your whisk
1 Cup, ½ Cup, ¼ Cup Measures
1 Tablespoon Measure
1 Teaspoon, ¼ Teaspoon Measures
1 Off-Set Spatula
1 11 x 7 Inch Baking Pan or Sheet

One thing that I’ve learned in gluten free baking is that speed is key. If batters sit too long their consistency changes and can yield less than desirable results. So, when I am baking, I get every thing I’ll need for the recipe (tools, ingredients) out first and have them ready to go on my workspace so that I can move quickly. I also try to write my recipes in order so that batters aren’t sitting for an extended period of time. “User friendly”, I think they call it…

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Liberally grease baking sheet with coconut oil

In a small bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients with a fork, or by rubbing the mixture with your (clean!) hands (one less dish to clean!).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Whisking is a necessary step to break up the usual clumps that form in gluten free flours. You want your batter to be as lump-free as possible and whisking makes that possible. In a separate small bowl, combine your nuts with one heaping spoon of your dry ingredient mixture. Stir to coat nuts and set aside. This step ensures that your nuts won’t sink to the bottom of your bars. You’re welcome.

Next, add the coconut oil to the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer just until crumbly. Add beaten eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla, and beat until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Your batter will be very viscous (or tight). Add in the nuts and stir to combine.

Pour (or scrape) the batter onto your prepared baking sheet. Smooth the batter with an off-set spatula or a butter knife so that it fills the bottom of the pan completely. Getting your spatula a little wet might help this process along.

Sprinkle on the streusel topping evenly.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. A toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the bars should come out clean when they are done. Baking times vary by oven, so start with the minimum amount of time suggested and then check them. You can always bake something longer, but you can’t fix burnt baked goods.

Cool your bars in the pan on a wire rack for about half an hour or so. Use a very sharp knife to carefully cut your bars into the desired portions, remove them from the pan, and continue to let them cool completely on the wire rack…if you’re patient. But, if you’re like me, eat them when they’re cut and try your very best to save some for later…unsuccessfully.

Enjoy!!

Blueberry Oat Bars minus the Starbucks

Recently, I was thinking about how different life in San Francisco is compared to what it was when I was growing up in the suburbs. All I knew was big business, Starbucks, Target (which I’ll never betray! I LOVE YOU TARGET!!), McDonald’s (blleehhhhhh!!), Chipotle, etc., etc… But I can’t lie; moving to San Francisco changed me, it changed me for the better. I became aware of the need to support my local businesses and the relationships, the sense of community, which is built when you’re a regular at your local businesses. Supporting local business is important because the people who own these businesses are your neighbors, trying to live their dream by owning their own business and being their own boss. Who am I not to support someone living his or her dream? Local businesses recognize and appreciate your business and create a sense of community that can be lacking in this big city. Almost immediately after moving to San Francisco a sense of community became a necessary ingredient in my personal happiness. With my personal happiness comes inspiration to create recipes that meet our dietary restrictions and fulfill my cravings for the food from the big businesses of my hometown! Lucky you!! So, here it is, without further ado…

Blueberry Oat Bars minus the Starbucks:

Once upon a time, Starbucks made a deliciously sinful blueberry oat bar full of refined sugar, gluten, and maybe even dairy…GASP!!... and I loved that blueberry oat bar for breakfast with my dirty chai latte. Alas, I replaced my regular (suburban) Starbucks visits with visits to my (urban) local coffee shop but still longed for a delicious blueberry oat bar that I could enjoy considering our dietary restrictions. Thus, GF, DF, Refined Sugar Free Blueberry Oat Bars were born (or made, if that word grosses you out less…)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ cup agave nectar, or less depending on the sweetness of your berries and your palate
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ¾ cup gluten free oats, uncooked
1cup gluten free almond meal
½ cup of gluten free coconut flour
¾ cup coconut sugar, firmly packed
½ cup chopped nuts; I used walnuts (this is an optional ingredient)
½ teaspoon gluten free baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing your baking sheet.
**I use coconut oil when I bake because of all the dairy free options, it behaves the most similarly to butter and has the fewest ingredients, all of which I can read and recognize.

Prepare:

Gather all of the recipe ingredients

Tools:

1 mixing bowl
1 sauce pan
1 11 x 7 inch baking pan
1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup measures
1 tablespoon measure
1 teaspoon, ½ teaspoon measures
A fork (or clean fingers!)
Heat proof spatula
Improvise your tools as needed (I can’t always find all of my measuring spoons…)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grease 11x7-inch baking pan with coconut oil

Blueberry Filling:
In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, agave nectar, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let the blueberry-filling simmer uncovered. Stir in lemon juice. Since I do not use cornstarch to thicken the blueberry filling, it’s important to let the blueberry-filling simmer uncovered, letting it reduce until it thickens naturally, approximately 10 minutes, depending on whether you used frozen or fresh berries.

Crust and Topping:
While your blueberry filling is simmering away, combine oats, almond meal, coconut flour, coconut sugar, nuts (if using), baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt

Add melted coconut oil, mixing until crumbly. You can use a fork but clean fingers make quick work of this step!

Reserve approximately one-third of your mixture for the crumbly topping and firmly press the remaining mixture onto the bottom of your greased 11x7 inch baking pan, creating the crust.

Bake your crust for 10 minutes.

Spread your prepared blueberry filling over your partially baked crust, leaving ¼ inch of space around the edges, so the filling doesn’t spill over onto the bottom of your oven.

Sprinkle reserved oat topping mixture evenly over the blueberry filling and lightly press the topping down into blueberries.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, if the bars are not properly cooled, they tend to crumble apart.

Once cooled, use a very sharp knife to carefully cut your blueberry oat bars into desired portions.

Store tightly covered

You can freeze the bars in an air-tight container or a freezer bag and pull them out one at a time for breakfast or a snack, defrost them by microwaving them for about 20 seconds.

Enjoy!!