Chicken and Asparagus Penne, Bell Pepper & Tomato Sauce

I've been guilty of buying store-bought pasta sauce for way too long. There's no excuse considering how quick and easy this sauce recipe is, plus the added satisfaction of knowing the healthy ingredients you're putting into the sauce! 

I chose asparagus as my green vegetable for this dish because this detoxifying plant is packed full of antioxidants, and vitamins K, C, A and E, and also because the OCD in me enjoys cutting asparagus spears down to the same length as the penne noodles. Feel free to substitute with different greens, like peas, zucchini, etc.

Makes dinner for 2, and leftover lunches for 2

• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
• chicken marinade: 
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne or chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 red bell peppers
• 5 roma tomatoes
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 tsp of each: basil, oregano, parsley
• salt, pepper, and cayenne/chili flakes, to taste
• 1 box (375g) whole grain penne, or pasta of choice
• optional: 1 6oz can tomato paste, plus 6oz water (if you want pasta that is very heavy on sauce)

Begin by slicing the chicken breast into thin strips (about the size of penne). Add all marinade ingredients to chicken and stir to combine. Cover and set aside in fridge. 

Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic cloves. Size and shape won't matter much as they will be pureed in a blender later. 

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, and let cook for 1min. Reduce heat to med-low, and cover for about 5min. 

Meanwhile, wash, then roughly chop the red bell peppers and roma tomatoes. Be sure to remove the seeds from the peppers. Again, the size and shape of these veggies won't matter as they will also be tossed in the blender later. 

Once the onion has been cooking for 5min, add the chopped peppers and tomatoes, stir, increase to medium heat, cover and let cook for another 5-10min (or til the veggies have softened and broken down a bit - ie. the tomato skins will have separated from the flesh). Remove pan from heat and leave uncovered to let cool. 

While these veggies are cooling, bring a large pot of water (enough to cook the penne) to boil. 

Wash and cut the asparagus down to about the same size as the penne, then set aside. For thicker spears, slice the asparagus lengthwise so it all cooks in the same amount of time. 

Once the veggies have cooled down enough, transfer to a large blender (or in batches to a smaller blender like the magic bullet I used), and puree only til you no longer see large chunks of vegetables. Do not overblend! Pour the blended veggies back into pan. Add dried basil, oregano and parsley, then salt, pepper and cayenne/chili flakes to taste. Stir and bring to med-high heat, then add marinated chicken and asparagus. [optional: if you want to make a pasta that is quite heavy in sauce, now is the time to add the 6oz can of tomato paste and 6oz of water. Just stir it in and let simmer with everything else.] Cover, reduce to med-low and let simmer for 8-10min (or til chicken is cooked through). 

Add penne to boiling water and cook per package instructions. Drain once al dente, and rinse to remove excess starch. Add drained pasta to finished sauce in pan and mix thoroughly to coat the pasta. Serve when pasta has been reheated through. 

Feel free to top with more chili flakes, fresh ground pep, parmesan, or chopped parsley!

Lentil and Prosciutto Soup

To satisfy those soup cravings on cold days like these, try this lentil and prosciutto soup out that's hearty enough to satisfy a dinner-sized appetite. Lentils are ridiculously rich in protein, fiber and folate, and a solid source of iron too.

Serves 4

• 1 large onion
• 2 small carrots 
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 roma tomato
• 4 oz prosciutto
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley

Dice the onion, carrots, celery and tomato, then set aside. 

Remove as much of fat off the sliced prosciutto as possible, then cut roughly into 1-inch pieces. 

Heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high. Add prosciutto and saute for a 1-2min to release smoky flavor. Add diced onion, carrot and celery and let cook for 8min, stirring often. 

Add rinsed lentils, chicken broth, pepper and salt to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer 30min. 

With 10min left in simmering time, stir in fresh chopped parsley. 

Serve with bread for dunking. Also tastes great with gnocchi for an even more filling meal. 

Volcano Wraps

On our honeymoon, we went volcano boarding at Cerro Negro in Nicaragua. It was a challenging hike given the strong winds, and overall a petrifying experience. The rewards of this adventure came in the form of a gash in my left shin caused by fallen volcanic rock, black ash lodged firmly into every crevasse of my body, a wind-designed hairstyle that impenetrable by brush, comb or fingers, and a delightful lunch made by our guide at Quetzaltrekkers. This meal tastes extraordinarily good devoured while sitting on a hammock, sipping on a Toña cerveza, but tastes just as good now that we're back home, reminiscing about the goodtimes in Nica. 

Going down the side of Cerro Negro
as slowly and fearlessly as possible. 

Victory meal for volcano boarding survivors.

Makes 4-5 medium wraps. 

Nica journaling

• 3 large carrots
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 roma tomato
• 1 ear of corn (use frozen if fresh isn't available)
• 1 very small onion (more or less to taste)
• 1 squeeze of lime
• salt and pepper, to taste
• soft, medium, whole wheat tortilla wraps
• 14oz squeeze pouch Ducal refried beans (canned variety is close enough if you don't live near any Mexican & South American grocery stores)
• topping: spicy nacho Doritos

 

Peel carrots, then shred through large-hole shredder of your grater. Place shredded carrots into large salad bowl. 

Wash cucumber (you only need half), then quarter lengthwise before slicing thinly. I prefer thin slices, but you can make chunkier if it suits you. Add sliced cuke to salad bowl. 

Wash tomato, slice in half, then remove seeds and slime. Dice, then add to bowl. 

Shuck the corn, then take a sharp knife to slice the kernels off in swaths. I lay the corn flat on a large chopping board instead of holding it vertically so the kernels don't fall everywhere. Add kernels to salad bowl. 

Dice as much onion as you'd like and add to the mix. I use most of a small onion, because although I don't mind the taste of raw onion, it is not meant to overpower the salad. 

Add a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to the salad, then toss to mix. 

Wrap assembly can be done however you like, but this is the order I like:  Squeeze a good dollop of refried beans into the center of the wrap. Pick up the wrap and fold lightly to evenly distribute beans. Re-open the wrap, crush a few spicy doritos into the beans, then pile high with salad mix, before topping off with a few more crushed spicy doritos. Hot sauce can be added if you are a fan of goodness. Fold up, enjoy and repeat as necessary! 

Tabbouleh with Quinoa

Summer salad time! Parsley is seriously overlooked because it's an herb and usually only used as garnish. Nutrition-wise however, parsley is an amazingly healthy green, rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins (A, B, C, E and K), dietary fiber, essential volatile oils, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and folates. Wow, that was a long list of goodness! So here's a way to get a whole lot of good in you, fast: tabbouleh!

This parsley salad makes a great starter or side for two, but sometimes I demolish the entire recipe as a main. Because I'm hungry. And it's completely guilt free.

I've used quinoa instead of the traditional bulgur, and lime instead of lemon. Also opting out of cucumber. Bonus is that I got to use our homegrown tomatoes - yay! 

Yield: 2 sides or 1 main

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 small, ripe tomatoes (or 1 medium)
• 2 green onion
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• juice of 1 lime (approx 2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp sumac
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the quinoa in advance to allow time for it to cool. Add water, cumin, and salt to quinoa in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and set a timer for 15min. Let cool completely after it has cooked. 

Wash all vegetables thoroughly, and dry parsley in salad spinner. 

Mince garlic, dice tomatoes, and thinly slice the green onion and parsley. Use all leafy parts of the parsley, and discard parsley stems or save for some other use (I keep the stems to make vegetable broth).

Juice the lime. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl, along with the lime juice, olive oil and seasonings. Let marinate for 10min before serving. Enjoy! 

Bombay Chicken Curry with Cauliflower and Potato

Apparently I think I'm Indian these days... Because here's another Indian recipe! I just can't help it. I follow my cravings, and these days, they are kickin things up an Indian notch. 

This yellow curry is coconut milk based and features my favorite Bombay curry powder from Market Spice.  Ginger, garlic, onion, and cauliflower top the list of this recipe's antioxidant-rich, cancer-fighting, detoxifying and vitamin-full ingredients. 

 Serves 4

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Chicken marinade: 

• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Bombay curry powder (or any Indian curry powder like vindaloo, madras, etc.)
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp dried red chili flakes
• dash cayenne
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 inch section fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chili pepper
• 1 dried red chili pepper
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 2 tsp Bombay curry powder (or any Indian curry powder)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cup basmati or jasmine rice
• 3 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion
• 1 Roma tomato
• 1 medium potato
• 2 cups cauliflower
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• more fresh cilantro, garnish

Trim any fat off chicken breast and cut into bite-size pieces. Add marinade ingredients to chicken, mix, and refrigerate. Marinade a few hours in advance or overnight to allow time for flavors to sink in. 

Mince garlic, ginger, serrano and dried chili peppers (seeds included for extra heat). Heat a small amount of olive oil to a frying pan over med-high. Add garlic, ginger and chilis. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, til fragrant and the edges of the garlic turn golden brown.  

Empty the can of coconut milk into a large pot over med-low heat. Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, bay leaf, and the fried garlic, ginger and chilis to the pot and stir well to mix. Cover with lid. 

Set rice, water and bay leaves in a rice cooker if you have one, or cook on stove per package instructions.

Add small amount of olive oil to same frying pan used for the garlic mix, and cook chicken over high for a few minutes, browning all sides. Transfer chicken from frying pan to pot. Cover. 

Thinly slice the onion, then pan fry for a few minutes over med-high heat without adding any more oil. While the onion is cooking, finely dice the tomato, peel and cut the potato into bite-size cubes, slice cauliflower into small florets, and chop fresh cilantro.  

Add diced tomato to the onion in the pan and fry for another few minutes, stirring.  Transfer onion and tomatoes from pan to pot. 

Add potato, cauliflower and cilantro to pot. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients. Increase heat to medium, cover, and let simmer for 5min. The pot will start to bubble furiously - stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom. Reduce heat to low-med, cover, and let simmer for 25-30min, or until vegetables reach desired tenderness (30min gets you potatoes that melt in your mouth mmm...)

Serve with rice. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Palak Saag (Curried Spinach)

We were at a baby shower that was held at a beautiful Indian restaurant in downtown San Francisco on the weekend. One of the many amazing delights served was a perfect palak saag. For some insane reason, B isn't a fan of any palak (spinach)-based Indian dishes, so I created my version/attempt of palak saag on a night when he already had dinner plans (aka mystery meat in a bun at some sports arena). 

Note 1: I prefer the spinach not schloppy (pureed), so I've left it in its original cooked form. 

Note 2: This vegetarian recipe makes enough for one large dinner portion, or two smaller lunch portions. Though it would also pair well with a Chicken tikka masala (recipe: here) for a heartier meal. 

Yields 1 large dinner portion, or 2 smaller lunches. 

• 1 cup basmati rice (2 cups water)
• 1 9oz bag of fresh, washed spinach
• 2 inch section fresh ginger
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• 1 green serrano chili pepper
• 1 green onion
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tsp paprika (heaping!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup skim milk

Cook basmati in a rice cooker if you have one, or on the stove per package instructions.

Add about 3 fingers of water to a medium sized pot and heat til boiling (not too much water required as the spinach will shrink). Once the water has reached boiling, add the 9oz bag of washed spinach and blanch for about a minute. Strain in a colander and allow excess liquid to continue to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Mince the ginger, garlic and serrano chili together. Mince as finely as possible. 

Dice green and yellow onion. 

Heat small amount (about 1tsp) of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over med-high. Add ginger, garlic, serrano, green and yellow onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Reduce heat to medium, then add paprika, salt, cumin, and turmeric and continue stirring for another minute or two. 

Meanwhile, dice the tomato and chop the cilantro. Add both to the spiced mixture in pan and stir for a few minutes.

Squeeze any excess liquid from the blanched spinach, then add to the frying pan, along with 1/2 cup of skim milk. Reduce heat to med-low, stirring well to incorporate all ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 5-10min.

The rice should be ready by this point. Serve alongside palak saag. Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Tikka Masala, Turmeric Brown Rice

Meat lovers pizza twice in one week? Ugh. Time for another vegetarian meal to lighten things up. I decided on a meatless version of my Chicken Tikka Masala (recipe: here), subbing out the chicken for cauliflower and potatoes. 

And since I keep reading articles (like this one) that remind me about the amazing health benefits of turmeric, it seemed a good idea to add a scoop in with the brown rice... Wow! The rice turned out gloriously golden, a brilliant pop of color that contrasts vibrantly with the curry! 

I also served this with store-bought naan (boo :( still haven't got my homemade whole wheat naan recipe right) because the curry is pretty spicy and you'll want more than just your mouth soaking up the heat directly! 

Serves 4

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 inch fresh ginger
• 2 dried red chili peppers*
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cups cauliflower
• 2 red potatoes (2 cups)
• 1 roma tomato
• 2 tsp garam masala, heaping
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne*
• 1 can (6oz or 170gr) tomato paste
• fat-free milk (enough to fill emptied can of tomato paste twice)
• dollop of fat-free, plain yogurt
• 1 1/4 brown rice (2 1/2 cups water)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder, heaping
• cilantro, garnish (All I had was fresh mint and that worked too)
• 1 pkg naan

* Feel free to adjust the amount of dried red chilis and cayenne powder to taste! 

Start by prepping the veggies -- Mince garlic, ginger and dried chilis together. Dice the onion. Wash and chop 2 cups worth of cauliflower florets. Dice the potatoes and tomato. 

Measure out the spices and set aside. 

Heat a small amount of olive in frying pan over med-high. Add minced garlic, ginger and chilis. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring, til fragrant and edges of garlic turn golden. Add diced onion and cook for another few minutes. 

Add the spices which have been set aside and stir. Then add diced tomato, tomato paste, skim milk, and yogurt. Stir well to incorporate until the paste becomes a thick sauce. 

Add cauliflower and yogurt, mixing well to coat the veggies in sauce. Once the curry starts to bubble, turn heat to low, cover with lid, and let simmer for about 40min. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom. Feel free to add more skim milk or water to achieve desired consistency. 

Once the curry has been set to simmer, set the brown rice and scoop of turmeric powder to cook (rice cooker or stovetop are both fine).

Closer to serving time, preheat oven to 350, wrap naan in tin foil, and bake for 5-10min so the naan is soft and fresh for dinner.

Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy!