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Healthy Chicken & Broccoli

   

Healthy Chicken & Broccoli1 Here is another healthy dinner for you to make. I have made chicken and broccoli before but this version is a bit quicker and healthier. I used frozen broccoli instead of fresh- you can use either one. I happen not to find fresh broccoli so I used the frozen.

I drizzled a bit of oil on the broccoli and roasted it to get rid of excess moisture.

In the meantime I mixed up a quick sauce and instead of my usual chicken thighs, I used chicken breast. I sliced the breast pieces really thin and marinated them. Obviously chicken breast has less fat and is healthier than thighs. Personally I prefer the taste of dark meat but to be healthy- I used the breast.

Overall the dish was delicious and I served it with brown rice- enjoy!!!
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Cherry and Walnut Couscous Served with Lamb Chops

   

Cherry and Walnut Coucous This is one of those meals that look really complicated but are super easy to make. One of the things I did with this particular dish- I bought the lamb chops frozen and already marinated. I usually never buy prepared proteins but these lamb chops are amazing and they are from my favorite store- Trader Joes.

I always have some on hand in the freezer. They are great to take out when you don’t have any plans for dinner and don’t have a lot of time. I served the chops with couscous. I always have whole-wheat couscous in my pantry. I cooked some with chicken broth and I added walnuts and dried cherries to it. I thought of serving a salad with the meal but then I decided to just add some lemon juice, olive oil and salt to mixed greens and placed them on top of the chops.

The meal was great to look at and best of all- it tasted delicious. The greatest thing about the meal was that it took almost no time to prepare…. definitely make this meal- it will be part of your repertoire.
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Morel Mushroom Rice Pulao

   

Morel Rice Pulao I never knew morel mushrooms are used in Indian cuisine. I was talking to my Mom about cooking for some friends who are vegetarian and I wanted to make a rice dish with mushrooms. She told me about how many years ago, this rice dish was served at very fancy weddings. Especially since morels are and were very expensive to buy so only the very wealthy could afford to serve them.

I was very surprised to hear that morels are used back home- I usually associate the mushrooms with Italian cuisine. Anyway, she explained to me how the rice dish is made and I replicated it with very good results. I used dried morels and reconstituted them in some hot water. I also managed to find mushroom broth which elevated the flavor factor by many notches.

Overall, it was a delicious dish- especially served with a variety of vegetarian dishes.
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Spinach and Roasted Corn

   

Spinach and Roasted Corn This is one my favorite vegetarian, Indian dishes to make. Usually spinach is paired with paneer or some kind of meat in Indian cuisine. Years ago, we had corn and spinach at a restaurant and I thought it was delicious. The spinach is cooked the same way as in the other dishes but somehow corn gives it a wonderful, unique flavor.

I changed it up a bit- of course. I used the roasted corn I buy from Trader Joes. It has a delicious smoky flavor. I also cooked the spinach with dried fenugreek- which brings a unique earthy flavor. It also mimics the smoky flavor of the roast corn really well.

I made it when a friend came over. Everyone loved it including the kids. Make this dish next time you are looking to make something different…

  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2-inch ginger, peeled

Process the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor. Keep aside.

  • 1 16 oz pack frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Blend the thawed spinach until smooth. Keep aside.

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 1 pack fire roasted frozen corn from Trader Joes (or 3 cups regular corn)
  • ¼ cup dried fenugreek leaves (methi)
  • ¼ cup half and half

Heat a heavy saucepan with the extra light olive oil. Add the cumin seeds and sauté for 20 seconds on medium heat. Add the onion mixture and sauté for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the tomato puree and sauté for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the blended spinach, salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and coriander powder. Mix well. Add the corn and fenugreek leaves. Mix well and cook on a medium low heat, covered for 15 minutes. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to high. Add the half and half and stir constantly while cooking for another 5 minutes. Taste for seasonings.

Chilean Sea Bass with Sweet Pepper and Spinach Risotto

   

Chilean Seabass with Risotto It is nice to start the New Year off in a healthy way. You can’t get any better than Chilean sea bass- can you? It is one of my husband’s favorite fish. My daughter and I like it too. I don’t end up making it too often- I think because I tend to forget it is there and also because it is kind of pricey- but it is still a lot cheaper than eating it in a restaurant.

I simply sauteed the fish with salt and pepper and a squirt of lemon juice. I wanted for the fish flavor to come through loud and clear. For the accompaniment- I decided on a risotto. I used a red pepper pesto I had in my fridge. I also added baby spinach at the end to make it a complete meal.

It was fabulous- healthy and delicious. If I could eat like this everyday, I would be really thin and really healthy…
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Paneer Makhani (Indian Cheese Cooked in a Tomato Butter Sauce)

   

Paneer Makhani This is a very popular dish served in Indian restaurants. Some friends were coming over with their kids and I thought of making Indian food that day. Since I was cooking a vegetarian meal, paneer was definitely on the menu- I just didn’t know what kind to make.

As I thought about all my choices, paneer makhani came to mind. I looked in my blog and realized I have never made it before- how can that be?? It is one of the more popular Indian dishes out there.

This version is the easy and quick one- it is done in about half an hour. There are other versions out there with more complex flavors but I don’t see any reason for that- this one is delicious and simple and best of all a big hit with everyone.

All you need is a can of crushed tomatoes, onions, ginger and garlic. One key ingredient is roasted cumin seeds- they impart a lovely, sweet, nutty flavor- not as smokey as the regular cumin seeds. I usually roast some cumin and always have it on hand. Another important ingredient is dried mint- I garnished the dish with some. It provides a delicious flavor as well. In case you don’t have the dried variety, add some fresh mint into the processor with the onions, ginger and garlic.

Try this dish next time you want to have a healthy, quick and easy Indian dish…
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Roasted Cauliflower Manchurian

   

Cauliflower Manchurian This dish came out delicious. Cauliflower manchurian is very popular at Indian Chinese restaurants- especially amongst vegetarians.

We usually stay away from the dish as the cauliflower florets are dipped in a batter and fried. It is delicious but not too healthy.

When I decided to recreate it at home, I knew I was not going to fry- so the next best thing was roasting- it actually makes the vegetable yummier. I simply roasted the vegetable with salt and olive oil.

As the cauliflower was roasting, I made a sweet, savory sauce to complement the sweet vegetable. I mixed ketcup, sweet chili sauce and tamari. The whole process took almost no time and soon I had a delicious, healthy dish to serve my family.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I made delicious brown rice cooked in mushroom broth- it was by far the best brown rice I have made. The whole meal was really good- my daughter’s friend was over for dinner and enjoyed the meal with us.
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