I decided to make my own. I got some boneless, skinless chicken breast; cut it in small pieces and marinated them in tamari. I then sprinkled them with corn starch and sauteed them- instead of deep frying. I saved loads of calories by simply sauteing the chicken pieces.

I then assembled the sauce with fresh navel oranges, rice wine vinegar, tamari, garlic and honey. With the help of some more cornstarch, I had a delicious, thick sauce- perfect for orange chicken.

While shopping for the chicken, I found Chinese broccoli (at Whole Foods). My husband and I usually buy the greens in Chinatown in NYC and love eating it as often as we can. So, when I saw it in the market, I was super excited. I simply sauteed it with garlic and served it with the chicken and brown rice.

It was a delicious meal- my daughter and husband loved it.

• 1 pound chicken boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tamari

Place the chicken pieces in a zip lock bag and add the tamari. Mix well and marinate for 4 to 5 hours.

• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil

Take the chicken out in a medium bowl and sprinkle the cornstarch-mix well. Heat a non-stick frying pan with the oil. Saute the chicken pieces, turning once till both sides are golden brown. Make sure the chicken is not cooked all the way, so just about a minute on each side. Take the chicken out and keep aside.

Sauce

• 2 navel oranges, juiced or ¾ cup store bought orange juice
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 2 teaspoon water
• 2 green onions, chopped

Bring the orange juice to a boil in a small bowl. Add the garlic, tamari, honey, vinegar and chili sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes and lower the heat. Mix the corn starch in water and add to the sauce. Bring to a boil and cook till the sauce thickens. Check for seasonings. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes, till the chicken is cooked through. Serve with gai lan and brown rice.

Sauteed Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)

• 10 ounces Chinese broccoli, with ends cut off and the leaves sliced in half

Blanche the greens in boiling water. Cook for a minute and shock in cold water. Take out and pat dry with paper towels.

• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large frying pan. Add the oyster sauce and mix well. Add the Chinese broccoli and cook in the liquid for 3-4 minutes. Serve with the chicken.

Keema is essentially ground meat. Typically it is either goat or lamb keema cooked with a vegetable- either peas, cauliflower, potatoes or spinach. I use turkey to create a healthier dish for my family.

I made this dish a bit different and paired it with lentils. I cooked the lentils separately in a pressure cooker. You don’t need to have one- just follow the same instructions but cook the lentils on the stove. It will take longer and a bit more liquid but you will get the same results.

The rest is quite simple, I sauteed some spices, onions and garlic. I added the ground turkey meat and cooked it for a while and then added the meat. To make the dish creamy, I added some Greek yogurt.

It was a delicious dish I served with fresh rotis and a spinach salad.

• ½ cup yellow gram lentils (chana dal)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

In a pressure cooker, add the lentils, broth, salt, turmeric and ginger. Cook for about 10 minutes or till the lentils are soft. If cooking in a regular pan, add more broth if needed and cook the lentils for at least 30 minutes or more till the lentils are soft. Keep aside.

• 1 pound ground turkey (dark meat)
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon black cumin (shahi zeera)
• 3 cloves
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ½ cup full fat yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
• ½ cup cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon. Saute on medium heat for 30 seconds and add the ground turkey. Saute on medium high heat, separating the meat with a wooden spoon. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes till meat is golden brown. Add the onion and garlic. Mix well. Add the cooked lentils with the liquid. Add the salt, coriander powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Mix well and add the yogurt. Mix well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover with lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to cook off any extra liquid, mixing consistently.
Taste for seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and serve with fresh cooked rotis.

My husband loves paella, especially the kind with lots of red sauce- he is crazy about anything with red sauce.

I made this paella with arborio rice since it is creamier than the regular one. I cooked it like a risotto but didn’t stand in front of the stove, stirring constantly. Instead I added most of the broth at once and let it cook. It resulted in a very delicious and perfectly cooked paella.

To start the process, I crumbled up the leftover chorizo and cooked it with the onions and garlic. I added rose wine because that is what I was drinking. Tomato sauce and chicken broth later, I had a yummy dish. By adding the frozen peas, I had a one pot meal.

A neighbor and my daughter’s friend stopped by and joined up for dinner. They both ate up the paella and complemented on the taste.

Next time you have leftovers- make a paella!

• 4 to 5 leftover jumbo shrimp, cut in small pieces
• 2 chorizo links, cut in small pieces
• 1 large white onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ½ cup white or rose wine
• 1½ cups tomato sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth, heated
• Salt
• Juice on one lemon
• 1 cup frozen petite peas

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the sausage pieces and sauté on medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the wine, scrape any bits stuck at the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Add the Arborio rice and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir well. Place the lid and lower the heat to medium low. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom. Take the lid off and add the tomato sauce and stir. Place the lid back on and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Take the lid off and check for doneness and seasonings. Add salt and lemon juice. Sprinkle the frozen peas and chopped shrimp and cover on low heat for 5 minutes. Take the lid off and mix well and serve.

My favorite kind of sausage is the chorizo which has tons of flavor and a bit of a kick. It is a pork sausage with paprika and garlic and it is absolutely delicious. If health was not a consideration, I would eat chorizo everyday!

I bought some fresh chorizo and a pound of shrimp. I decided to make a simple cilantro garlic sauce to marinate and baste the shrimp and the chorizo with. That is all there is to this meal.

I made some garlic bread and a salad and I was done! We enjoyed everything on the deck and were not able to finish everything- perfect leftovers for another meal tomorrow!!!

• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, placed on skewers
• 1 pound fresh chorizo (about three large links with skewers through them)

Garlic Cilantro Sauce

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of two limes
• 2 teaspoons salt

Mix the garlic, cilantro, oil, lime juice and salt in a bowl. Mix well.

Place the shrimp skewers and sausages on the grill. Brush with the cilantro garlic mixture. Grill till the shrimp turn pink and the sausages are cooked inside.
Serve with grilled corn.

I wanted to echo the same flavors I added to the chicken tikkas. I bought a bag of shredded cabbage and I had a head of broccoli. I decided to cook them together and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. I also added shredded coconut that I buy frozen from the Indian stores on Oak Tree road in Edison. They package and freeze fresh, grated coconut- it is great to have on hand for sauteed vegetables or meats and even desserts.

The vegetables took about 20 minutes to cook- so ideal for the summer. I finished the dish off with a good squirt of lemon juice. It wakes up all the flavors and makes everything delicious.

The chicken and the cabbage went really well together. I grilled some corn on the side and also made a garlic bread. It was perfect- we opened a Rose and enjoyed the meal outside….

• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 8 to 10 curry leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
• Salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Juice of half a lemon

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the curry leaves, mustard and cumin seeds. Saute for about 20 seconds. Add the ginger and sauté on medium heat for a minute. Add the green cabbage and broccoli florets. Saute on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the coriander, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover with a lid for about five minutes till the broccoli is tender but not over done. Taste for seasonings. Add the lemon juice and serve.