Tangelo Broccoli Beef

The season for tangelos is drawing to a close, but the ones that are still available are extremely juicy.  It seemed criminal not to attempt to use that excessive juice in a savory meal.  I just had to try it.

If you're not familiar with tangelos, they are the tart cousin of the orange - in fact, they are a cross between tangerines and pommelos.  They can be fairly sharp, almost unpleasantly so, in my opinion.  But they are so incredibly juicy that they definitely beat their citrus cousins in that category. 

Instead of a more traditional Broccoli Beef recipe, I thought I would combine that concept with a citrus sauce featuring our friend the tangelo.  The result is a slightly sweet, beautifully juicy (how many times can I use that word in one blog post?) and subtly unusual meal.  I threw in otherwise common ingredients for an Asian dish, to let the tangelo truly stand out.  The result was a quick and easy stir fry that is anything but pedestrian.

Use any cut of beef you like - I tend to go for leaner cuts, but anything would work here.

Tangelo Broccoli Beef

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon canola oil

florets of 1 head of broccoli, cut into uniform pieces

3/4 lb. to 1 lb. top sirloin, visible fat removed, cut into 1/4" strips

pinch of salt

juice of 1 large tangelo (about 1/3 cup of juice)

2 teaspoons Sriracha or other hot chile sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 scallion, thinly slice

toasted sesame seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add the broccoli and cook, stirring constantly and shaking the pan on occasion, for about 1 minute, until broccoli is bright green.   Add steak and season with salt.  Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until most of the pink is gone from the beef.

2.  Whisk the tangelo juice, hot sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, and ginger together in a small bowl until well combined.  Pour over the beef and broccoli and reduce heat to medium.  Stir in the scallions. Continue to stir and cook until the beef and broccoli are coated in a tangelo glaze.  

3.  Serve with toasted sesame seeds if you like.  This is great over brown rice, but soba noodles would work nicely too.

Enjoy!

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

This is a simple and quick soup to pull together.  You just need a couple of interesting ingredients in your pantry (namely Thai curry paste and coconut milk), and you can whip this up in no time!  It also just happens to be yet another great way to use up some leftover roast chicken.

I made home-made stock in my slow cooker and used a good amount of it for this soup.  You can, of course, use the stock in a box - it's what I use for most of my soups, and it does just fine!  The result, whether you use home made or store-bought stock, is a slightly spicy, exotically flavorful broth with some tasty chicken and veggies floating throughout.  And I discovered to my great delight that it is extra delicious the next day!  So definitely make more than you can eat in one sitting, as the leftovers are even better.

It's light, it's healthy, it's good.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons canola oil

2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste

3 cups chicken stock

one 14 oz. can of lite coconut milk (unsweetened)

juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons crushed lemongrass

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

pinch red pepper flakes

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 cups cubed/chopped cooked chicken

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil.  When it's hot, add the curry paste.  Stir and cook until fragrant.  Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, lemongrass, ginger, and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

2.  Stir in the scallions, bell pepper, and chicken and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes, or until chicken is heated through.  Salt to taste and serve.

Enjoy!

Mango Dal

Lentils don't appear to be a particularly interesting food group, but India has given them a whole new life in the form of dal.  Dal takes something ordinary and makes it virtually unrecognizable.  There is a huge variety of types of dal, and I don't pretend to know even a fraction of them.  But I will say that today I tried a type I'd never had before, and I made it in my own kitchen. 

Dal, meet mango.  I understand from some rudimentary internet research that it is actually a very traditional dish, but my passion for Indian food had yet to take me here.  Put my favorite fruit into a lentil dish?  I'm there. 

This is a spicy, warm dish that you simply have to try.  Every bite is packed with unexpected flavor.  Ginger and mango naturally go together - they are soul mates.  Add in traditional Indian spices like cumin and coriander, and you're well on your way.  The fresh bite of cilantro finishes the whole thing off.  Lentils are ordinary no longer!

Note:  Don't wait for all the liquid to be absorbed - this is meant to be a slightly soupy dal.

Mango Dal

adapted from Eating Well magazine

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup yellow or green lentils (I used green)

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

pinch cayenne pepper

1 mango, peeled and diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Rinse lentils in a colander and drain.  Combine with 2 cups of water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and turmeric in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, coriander, and cayenne, and cook for an additional minute.

3.  Add the onion mixture and the diced mango to the pot of lentils and stir to combine.  Bring back to a simmer and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until lentils are very tender and starting to fall apart.  Stir in cilantro and serve.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Soup with Thai Flavors

My first exposure to Thai food was many years ago, and the dish was tom yum gai, an explosively flavorful soup.  I fell in love immediately.  Fast forward to today, when I made this incredibly easy soup that is not quite tom yum gai, and not quite Thai, to be frank.  But its flavor is definitely in the ballpark.  It has a serious punch of lime, lemongrass, cilantro, and onion, with a spicy kick to round it out.  It is, in a word, yummy.

This soup also happens to be extremely healthy, completely vegetarian, and cheap to put together.  It's another one to add to the ever growing "remind me to make this next time I have a cold" list.  But there's no need to wait to get sick. 

And a cheater's note:  you can buy crushed lemongrass in a tube in the produce section.  If you opt to go that route instead of buying fresh, use about two inches.

Vegetable Soup with Thai Flavors

adapted from Bon Appetit

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

pinch of salt

4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 four-inch piece lemongrass, smashed with back of knife

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (Asian chili sauce)

1 five-oz. package baby spinach

1 cup 1/2-inch cubes extra firm tofu

juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-low heat.  Add onion and garlic, and season with a pinch of salt.  Saute until tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes.

2.  Add broth, lemongrass, and Sriracha.  Increase heat; cover and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat and let stand for about 15 minutes.  Uncover, remove the lemongrass and discard.

3.  Add spinach, tofu, lime juice, and cilantro to broth.  Place over medium heat and cook until spinach wilts, and tofu is heated through, stirring occasionally.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Cold Sesame Noodles

Sesame noodles are apparently pretty common Chinese takeout fare, but I have to say, I've never actually ordered them myself.  They're tasty and easy, and this recipe is no exception to that rule.  I made a spicy celery salad on the side, and the flavors complemented each other quite well. 

The tahini is really the most noticeable flavor in this dish, so if you're not a fan of tahini, you should probably skip this.  You can always use peanut butter instead.  I also think this dish would be great (albeit completely different) if you eliminate the tahini and increase the sesame oil a little bit.  There are all kinds of variations on this theme that you can try out. 

I used soba noodles, but the original recipe called for Chinese egg noodles.  Just about any long thin pasta will work.

Cold Sesame Noodles

adapted from Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 pound soba noodles

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons sesame paste (tahini)

1/4 cup water, plus more if needed

1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or other hot sauce)

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Cook the noodles according to package directions, until just tender.   Drain and toss in a bowl with the sesame oil.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.  Meanwhile,  in a large bowl, thin the sesame paste by stirring enough water to achieve the consistency of heavy cream.  Whisk in the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and Sriracha.  Stir in about 3/4 of the scallion and the ginger.

3.  Just before serving, toss the chilled noodles with the sauce.  Garnish with remaining scallion.

Enjoy!

Stir Fried Chicken with Baby Bok Choy

It seems almost ridiculous to share a recipe for a stir fry.  Stir fries, by their very nature, don't really require a recipe.  But this is one that is particularly easy, quick, and delicious, so I thought I ought to share.

I think we all can agree that the only hard part about a stir fry is all the chopping that has to be done before the heat comes on.  Well, in this one, there is barely any chopping at all.  If you have a garlic press and a microplane, then the only chopping you have to do is to the cut the stem bottoms off the bok choy.  And you can use kitchen shears to cut up the chicken.   This is the lazy man's stir fry, my friends.  And it tastes pretty great.

Serve over steamed brown rice, or go crazy and make some yummy noodles.

Stir Fried Chicken with Baby Bok Choy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or other Asian chile sauce)

1/2 pound baby bok choy

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Mix together the sherry, soy sauce, and Sriracha, and set aside.  Chop the stem bottoms off the bok choy and separate the leaves.

2.  Heat one teaspoon of oil in a wok over high heat.  When it's hot, add the bok choy and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until just wilted and still crisp tender.  Remove from wok and set aside in a bowl.

3.  Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the wok and heat over high heat.  When hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook for only about 10 seconds, stirring, before adding the chicken.   Stir fry until chicken is browned and nearly done.  Add the sauce and bok choy to the wok and toss everything together, cooking about one additional minute.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Lion's Head (Pork Meatballs with Napa Cabbage)

Obviously it is not uncommon for me to try cooking something I've never cooked before.  But occasionally I am so crazy that I try cooking something I've never even eaten before.  I know.  I'm a maniac.

Tonight's dish was motivated by a particularly beautiful head of napa cabbage that I picked up at the farmers market last weekend.  I sought out a recipe that put a spotlight on this lovely pale green cabbage, and found Lion's Head.  I was intrigued.  And considering I got the original recipe from Rachael Ray, I'm guessing it's not the most authentic Chinese cuisine.  But it's tasty.

This is a meal meant to be served over rice, but I chose to have it as a shallow sort of soup.  It reminded me of matzo ball soup, only with giant meatballs instead of matzo balls.  The flavors are mild, so if you're looking for something with more zing I'd add ginger or maybe hot chilies to the meatballs.  As it stands, it's a comforting and hearty meal that is pretty inoffensive, and maybe even yummy.  You be the judge.

Feel free to substitute ground turkey or chicken, though if it's too lean it will be too dry.

Lion's Head

adapted from Rachael Ray's Book of 10

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground pork

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 egg

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

3 scallions, green parts only, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 small to medium head of napa cabbage, cored and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine pork, soy sauce, egg, garlic, scallions, bell pepper, and one tablespoon of the cornstarch in a bowl.  Stir together until combined, but do not overmix.  It's kind of gross, but you should probably use your hands.  Form into six large meatballs.  Dust the meatballs evenly with remaining cornstarch.

2.  In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over high heat.  When it is starting to ripple, add the meatballs and fry for about 2 minutes on each side, so the meatballs are nicely browned all over but not cooked through.

3.  In a medium to large Dutch oven or soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a bubble.  Add half the cabbage, followed by the meatballs, followed by the remaining cabbage.  The pot should be pretty much filled up to the top.  Put on the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove the lid and let simmer for about a minute.  The cabbage should be mostly wilted and the meatballs should be cooked through.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Karahi Chicken

My sister and I took an Indian cooking class a few months ago taught by the lovely and talented Neelam Batra.  She told us about her published cookbooks, and I immediately fell in love with one of them.  It's called Chilis to Chutneys, and it features an assortment of recipes that combine Indian flavors with more western style dishes.  And thank heavens, it does NOT refer to itself as "Indian Fusion." 

The fact is, I love Indian food.  With most of my heart.  An even bigger portion of my heart, however, I use to love my husband, who does not dig the Indian food.  So this cookbook is a great solution - it brings Indian spices within his comfort zone.  Case in point with this dish.  At first glance, it's just your typical stir fry.  But when you take a bite, it surprises you with some bold Indian spices that you weren't expecting.  He definitely liked it.

It also features one of my favorite flavors, cilantro.  I realize there are cilantro haters out there - and they will want to skip this dish.  But it reminds me of a delicious cilantro chicken my mother always made that is one of my all time favorites of her recipes.  Something about cilantro and tomato - it's just a beautiful combination.

I improvised a bit with what I had on hand, so this is my version of Ms. Batra's recipe.  Feel free to change up the spices to use whatever Indian goodies you have in your cupboard.

Karahi Chicken

adapted from Neelam Batra's Chilis to Chutneys

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 14.5 oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained

1 generous cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the onion and ginger, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the garlic and tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until a cohesive sauce starts to form, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add cilantro, garam masala, cumin, salt, pepper, and chicken.  Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is mostly cooked, about 5 minutes.  Add bell pepper strips, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes to marry the flavors.  Serve over rice, or with naan.

Enjoy!

Spicy Pork Noodle Bowls

We don't eat a lot of pork in our house, but occasionally I have the urge to make it.  I especially enjoy it in the venue of Asian food.  There is something unfailingly satisfying about a noodle bowl, and lean pork seems like the perfect protein to feature in such a versatile dish.

This is one of those throw-together-on-a-weeknight dishes that is healthy and incredibly delicious.  Try not to scarf it down as quickly as I did, so you can actually savor the incredible combination of spices, and just the right degree of saltiness, with a backdrop of buckwheat soba noodles and hearty kale.

I think it's pretty obvious, but this is one of those recipes you should follow loosely according to your preferences.  The options are literally endless.

Spicy Pork Noodle Bowls

adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

salt

4 oz. buckwheat soba noodles

3/4 lb. thin cut boneless pork chops, trimmed, cut into 1/4" slices

freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon five spice powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 bunch kale, stems and tough ribs removed, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot chile sauce

1 scallion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Cook soba noodles according to package directions until al dente, usually about 3-4 minutes.  Drain.

2.  While noodles are cooking, season pork with salt, pepper, and five spice powder.  Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.  When hot, add the pork and stir fry.  When pork is almost cooked through, add kale, vinegar, soy sauce, and hot sauce.  Stir and cook until pork is cooked through.

3.  When noodles are cooked and drained, add them to the skillet and toss to combine everything.  Serve topped with sliced scallions.

Enjoy!

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers

It was good to get back into the kitchen, even though I'm still not well. I couldn't stand eating takeout or going out to eat every meal, and I finally gave into the siren song that was coming from my grill pan to make this dinner. It was incredibly satisfying to have something healthy and filled with flavor that I made with my own hands again. Nothing like a few days without cooking to make you remember why it is such a therapeutic process.

These burgers are simple and delicious. The yogurt sauce is pretty fantastic too, and its creamy mildness serves a great contrast to the sharp spice of the burger. We had ours on sandwich thins, which have been popping up in the supermarket lately, but the original recipe called for pitas. Either way, I recommend the hearty whole wheat, so it can stand up to the intense flavor and juiciness that it will have to contain.

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers
adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground chicken
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
cooking spray
3 whole wheat pitas
1/2 hot house cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plan low-fat yogurt (pref. Greek)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, cardamom, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Stir until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors marry.

2. Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, spray with cooking spray. Divide the chicken into three patties, about 3/4 inch thick, and cook until done, about 5 minutes each side, until juices run clear when the patties are pierced.

3. While the patties cook, make the yogurt sauce by stirring yogurt with remaining cumin, a pinch of salt, and cilantro. Assemble the burgers by putting about a tablespoon or so of yogurt sauce into each pita, along with a chicken patty and cucumber slices.

Enjoy!

Chicken Chop Suey (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe is the ever-loved, ever-comforting, ever-not-really-Chinese-but-we-can-pretend chicken chop suey. Ellie's version is much lighter, of course. And I have to say, it tastes great. There's no intensity of flavor here, and if you are looking for that, this might not be the recipe for you. If you tried to add chilies or other spicy ingredients, it would lose all of its subtle warmth.

This is a basic stir fry with a few extra touches thrown in to make it more exciting. Most notably the won tons. I had never bought won ton skins before, but I am officially converted. (Yet again, Ellie introduces me to a new favorite ingredient!) Here they are baked instead of fried, and you really wouldn't know the difference, other than a lack of greasiness. They taste just like those fried won tons you get in Chinese restaurants.

Overall, definitely a success, and just what the doctor ordered for my cold.

Chicken Chop Suey
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

Four 3-inch square wonton skins, separated
cooking spray
pinch of salt
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon dry sherry
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
2 small cloves garlic, or one large, thinly sliced
1 small head napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
3 stalks celery from the heart, thinly sliced
4 oz. canned bamboo shoots, drained and cut into thin strips
1 cup fresh* shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken or veggie broth*
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup cubed or shredded cooked chicken
toasted sesame seeds

* Note: You can also do what I did and use dried mushrooms; reconstitute them in boiling water and then use that water instead of broth.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat toaster oven (or oven) to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Lay the won ton skins on the baking sheet and spray them with cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for about 5 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Set aside to cool.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and sherry until smooth. Set aside.

3. Heat canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add the scallions, garlic, cabbage, celery, bamboo shoots and mushrooms (unless using reconstituted mushrooms, in which case add them when you add the chicken later). Stir fry until cabbage softens and starts to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Add the broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the sherry-cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Add chicken (and reconstituted mushrooms, if using) and heat through. Serve topped with sesame seeds and broken-up won tons.

Enjoy!

Beef with Broccoli

Beef with broccoli was always one of my favorite things to order in Chinese restaurants. I had oodles of broccoli in the fridge that needed to be used, so I thought I'd partake in my monthly beef in the form of one of my favorite Asian dishes.

This is a very easy recipe. Like any stir fry, it requires that you do all the prep work first before you start cooking. You need to be ready to throw things into the pan and keep an eye on them, keeping things moving almost constantly. Don't try to multitask here. Follow the directions and you'll be rewarded with a flavorful, reminiscent-of-takeout-from-your-favorite-Chinese-joint meal.

If you want to make it spicy, chop up a chile and throw it in with the veggies. Or if you want to just add a hint of extra flavor, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top of your meal before serving.

Beef with Broccoli
adapted from Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound thin ribeye or flank steak
4 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Trim excess fat from steak. Cut it into evenly sized pieces, no more than 1/4 inch thick and 3 inches long. Combine beef, 1 1/2 tablespoons broth, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a medium bowl and stir to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons broth, wine, sesame oil, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce in a small bowl for sauce, stirring to dissolve cornstarch completely.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add beef with marinade and stir fry until no longer pink, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

4. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to pan and heat over high heat. Add ginger; stir carefully (oil will spit at you) for about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and stir fry until dark green, about 1 minute. Add bell pepper and remaining 1/2 cup broth. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp tender.

5. Return beef and juices to the skillet. Stir the sauce in its small bowl, and add to the skillet, tossing and stirring until sauce thickens, about 30 seconds. Serve over rice, or on its own.

Enjoy!

Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Sauce (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe was the ever-popular Thai appetizer, chicken sate. Of course Ellie Krieger gave it a new, healthy spin. The dipping sauce is the stuff of legend - spicy, creamy and rich without a single truly sinful ingredient. The chicken marinade is lovely, but I slathered so much of the dipping sauce on each bite that I probably didn't fully appreciate it.

I opted to do this as an entree rather than an appetizer, and I didn't thread the chicken on skewers before grilling it. I made a cucumber-avocado salsa (also an Ellie recipe!) to have on the side and round out the meal. It was a festival of flavors on my plate, to be sure. I definitely recommend this one. I made a few changes from the original recipe, but the spirit is Ellie's.

As a little shout-out to the love of my life, I should mention that I actually made this a night early (on Wednesday) because Thursday is my husband's birthday and I'm taking him out to dinner. He'll be free of my cooking for a night! (That's a joke. I think.)

Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Sauce
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

the chicken
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
cooking spray

the dipping sauce
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
juice of 1/2 lime
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch curry powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the marinade: Whisk chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, lime zest, and ginger in a dish. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

2. Meanwhile, make the peanut sauce by combining all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pureeing.

3. After the chicken has marinated for an hour, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade and discard the excess. Cook chicken 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

Chicken Biryani

When I was a child, my mother occasionally made a biryani side dish from Trader Joe's. It was mysterious to me at the time - who wants raisins in their rice? And funny spices that they don't recognize? Not me, I thought.

I thought wrong. The trick is the "little bit of this, little bit of that" mentality. I found this incredibly simple version of chicken biryani in an issue of Cooking Light, and it was like the light bulb flicked on. So that's why this whole raisins in your rice thing actually works! With delicately exotic garam masala and ground cumin, a hint of garlic, a whisper of cilantro, onion and tomato, it's like a family reunion of gentle flavors. And they all add up, thanks to the help of a minced jalapeno, to be quite powerful indeed. (And really, you skeptics out there, there are very few raisins here. You'll barely notice them.)

If you're looking for a more fun twist on the same-old chicken and rice, here it is. This is a one pot wonder that will whip up in about 40 minutes, and keep everyone happy. Even if they think they don't want raisins in their rice.

A note: this needs some kind of refreshing side dish. I served it with chopped cucumber drizzled with a little lime juice. Some kind of raita would be lovely as well.

Chicken Biryani
adapted from Cooking Light
serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large (or 1 small) onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon garam masala*
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked basmati (or similar) rice
small handful of raisins
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
handful chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and saute for 3 minutes. Add onion and jalapeno and saute for another 3 minutes, until onion is starting to soften.

2. Add ginger, garam masala, cumin, salt, and garlic, and stir. Add tomato, rice, raisins, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let simmer 15 minutes, or until rice is tender.

3. Stir in cilantro and almonds. Serve with lime wedges.

* garam masala is available in most markets. It is an Indian spice mix made up of peppers, cloves, bay, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, mace, star anise, and coriander in varying combinations. Try it. You'll like it.

Enjoy!

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce (CEIMB)

It's Thursday, which means it's time for a CEIMB recipe! This one is not for the faint of heart, particularly with the tweaks I gave to it. It's spicy, zingy, and delicious, with a subtle richness to it at the same time. I thought it was remarkably flavorful. Ellie Krieger has proven, once again, that healthy does not equal boring. In case there were any of you out there who were still holding out.

Peanut butter and noodles don't seem like the most obvious combination, no matter how much Thai food you might eat. (And I eat a *lot* of Thai food). But when you thin out the peanut butter with lime juice, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, suddenly it's not just something you spread on your English muffin. It's a sauce, people. And you just made it in your trusty food processor in about 30 seconds.

I changed up the veggie profile a bit, focusing on the broccoli and adding in avocado as a garnish. It was good. Really, really good.

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair
florets of 1 head of broccoli
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
juice of 1 small lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 scallion, cut into pieces
1/2 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small avocado, pitted and sliced for garnish
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, put broccoli in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

3. While everything is cooking, puree the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, brown sugar, and red pepper in a food processor until smooth.

4. Toss the pasta with most of the sauce, reserving about two tablespoons or so. Serve pasta topped with broccoli, drizzle with remaining sauce, and garnish with avocado slices and toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

It is an occasional and beautiful thing where I startle myself with how effortlessly I pulled together a delicious meal. I realize it sounds like I'm being extremely egotistical, but I promise I'm not. This meal was just so insanely easy and quick. It only took about 10 minutes, including prep time. And it tasted so, so good. Not to mention the smell. Prepare to swoon!

This is a much healthier and simpler (yet better) version of those Asian lettuce wraps that seem to grace the appetizer menu at every major chain restaurant these days. I guarantee that once you try this recipe, you'll never waste $14.95 at P.F. Chang's again.

A little spicy, a little salty, with a delicate crunch and a heart of meaty goodness - I give you American-Asian fusion in a pinch.

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Eat Well
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 small cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 pound extra lean ground turkey
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
6 large lettuce leaves (iceberg or butter lettuce)
handful fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant but not browned.

2. Add turkey and stir with a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and vinegar, stir, and cook another minute.

3. Serve the turkey mixture in the lettuce leaves, topped with cilantro.

Eat with your hands if you're a brave soul; otherwise you might want to go the knife-and-fork route.

Spicy Vegetarian Mulligatawny

Even people who never really watched Seinfeld probably know about the soup nazi episode. And I'll admit that I, like most people, heard about the magical spicy and sweet soup called mulligatawny for the first time from watching that episode. Of course I went on to try it myself at many an Indian restaurant, and it is pretty amazing, to say the least.

There is a reason Elaine pined for this soup. It has an intense flavor of curry and other Indian spices, along with a distinct sweetness from the apples and vegetables. The texture is chunky and fantastic. It's just good, people. Really.

Here is a healthy, vegetarian version that is not exactly traditional Indian fare, but it certainly gets the job done. Keep a glass of water handy, and serve with some whole wheat naan or pita bread to complete the meal.

Please note that the quantities are somewhat variable, depending on the size of each fruit or vegetable that you happen to use. Plan the ratios to emphasize the ingredients you like most (i.e. bigger apple, smaller bell pepper, if you so choose).

Spicy Vegetarian Mulligatawny
adapted from Cooking Light Complete Cookbook
serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium-large Gala apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt to taste
14 oz. low sodium vegetable broth
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons good quality mango chutney
2 tablespoons tomato paste
chopped fresh parsley for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add apple, onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in flour, curry powder, ginger, crushed red pepper, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, tomato, chutney, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 8 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

That's right, it's that easy. Enjoy!

Soba-Vegetable Salad

Cold soba noodle salads make great suppers for warm summer (or pre-summer) days. This one is no exception. Filled with great Asian flavors and fresh crunchy vegetables, it makes a satisfying and refreshing light meal.

Feel free to add in any other crunchy vegetables you might have on hand - sugar snap peas would be great in this salad, as would celery and cucumber. Also, I'll give a warning that the raw shallot was a little too intense for our taste, so if you're not a fan of raw onion you might substitute scallions or chives, or leave out the allium family altogether.

Soba-Vegetable Salad
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz. soba noodles
1/2 small shallot, very thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2 or 3 leaves of fresh basil, torn
4 or 5 leaves of fresh mint, torn
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon canola oil
a few drops toasted sesame oil
pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
juice of 1/2 line
salt to taste
a couple of handfuls chopped romaine lettuce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.

2. In a medium to large bowl, combine noodles with shallot, carrot, bell pepper, basil and mint.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, canola oil, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, lime zest and juice, and salt. Add to the noodle salad and toss lightly to coat. Serve over bed of romaine leaves.

Save this one for a day when all you want is something healthy and full of flavor. (Isn't that every day?) Enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken with Herbed Soba Noodles

This is another easy, quick, healthy and flavor-packed recipe from our friend Rachael. A food processor makes the prep time on this dish all of, oh, about 5 minutes. And the actual cooking time is only about 15.

But more importantly, the herbs that coat the noodles deliver a huge flavor punch. The chicken is slightly spicy, and together they'll make your mouth sing. Not literally, because singing with your mouth full is rude.

So break this recipe out on a week night. Use your favorite fresh herbs in whatever combination works for you. It's good to stick with the soft leafy ones, so I wouldn't go with rosemary or thyme for something like this.

Sauteed Chicken with Herbed Soba Noodles
adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 scallions, roughly chopped
1 generous handful fresh cilantro leaves
1 generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
slightly less generous handful fresh tarragon leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil (divided)
1 large chicken breast, butterflied and halved OR 2 chicken cutlets
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch salt and freshly ground pepper
3 oz. soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, process scallions, cilantro, parsley, tarragon, garlic, and ginger with vinegar and half of the oil. Don't get it completely smooth; let the herbs stay a bit chunky.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. While it's warming up, heat remaining vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Season the chicken cutlets with cayenne, salt and pepper, and cook in the skillet until just done, about 4-5 minutes each side. Remove from skillet. Thinly slice it after it has been resting for 5 minutes.

4. Cook the soba according to package directions. Drain and put back in the pot. Add the herb mixture and toss until well combined. Serve topped with chicken.

Eat up and enjoy!

Salmon Packets

This is one of the first meals I perfected on my own. It was inspired by a Giada de Laurentiis recipe that I saw on her show several years ago. That was when I was first starting to experiment in the kitchen, though I was definitely quite the amateur. I made this meal so many times, changing it a bit here and there, and eventually perfected it. On my own. No cookbook in sight. I decided this would be my Go To recipe, the meal I would impress friends, family, and most importantly, the future love of my life with. They do say, after all, that the way to a person's heart is through their stomach.

Well, the irony of course is that a year or so later, I fell in love with my husband, a man who doesn't eat seafood. I never got to test my theory that this would be the meal that would make the love of my life fall in love with me. And I think it's safe to say that if I had made this for him, he would have refused to eat it. After I dropped him off at the airport this morning for his solo trip to Chicago, I stopped on the way home to pick up salmon fillets, mushrooms, and spinach. I was going to make my piece de resistance.

And I did. So here it is, in all its glory. I chose to show you a picture of it (above) before it was cooked, since it is admittedly much more attractive that way. But trust me, it's delicious. If you make it for the object of your affection, I'm sure he or she will fall at your feet. Assuming they like seafood. And mushrooms, for that matter (though those are negotiable in this recipe. The salmon is not.)

Salmon Packets (a.k.a. Heartbreaker Packets)
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (loosely packed) baby spinach
6 cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass (or lemongrass paste)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 pound salmon fillet (preferably wild + Pacific)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
handful cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400. Place a large piece of foil, about 8 x 11, on a baking sheet. Create a lip by folding up the edges so that juices don't run over the sides during preparation.

2. Pile the spinach onto the middle of the packet. Don't be shy, as it will virtually disappear when it cooks in the salmon juices. Place mushroom slices and lemon grass on top. Drizzle lemon juice over it.

3. Place the salmon piece(s) over the vegetables. Top with ginger and cilantro leaves. Drizzle sesame oil and soy sauce over the top. Create a packet with the foil, folding over the top and the sides to enclose the salmon and veg. It should be completely enclosed.

4. Bake for 25 minutes. Check to see if the salmon is done by carefully opening the foil packet. If it isn't done yet, return to oven but leave the packet open. Cook another 5 minutes or so, until salmon is cooked through. Do not overcook.

This is excellent served over brown rice. Make sure you spoon out some of the juices from the packet over the top of your salmon. Enjoy!