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.

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.

Anyway, since there were so many mangoes around, I decided to make a cake- well, it is more like a tea bread.

I blended enough mangoes to equal one cup and made a super fast and easy bread. I love making these kinds of treats that are relatively healthy. I usually pack a slice as dessert for my daughter and give some to my husband as a snack during the day with tea.

To give the cake an extra boost of flavor and a surprise, I added some cardamom. I love mango and floral cardamom together- it makes me want to drink masala tea, lounging in a comfortable chair on my deck…

Make the mango cardamom cake this season…

• 2 mangoes cut and pureed in a blender (about 1 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup evaporated cane sugar
• ½ cup extra light olive oil
• 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and keep aside.
Beat the sugar and olive oil for 2-3 minutes on high. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between. Add the pureed mangoes and keep aside.
In the meantime, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom and salt into a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix well and pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or till the bread is done. Invert onto a platter and cool before serving

For the spices, I used a combination of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. I roasted them with curry leaves and ground everything up. Everything was mixed with the greek yogurt and marinated for several hours. It resulted in a super flavorful chicken. Everyone loved it, especially my husband.

I think this chicken will be part of the summer meals repertoire- it is perfect to serve with grilled corn and other vegetables. Try it- you will love it.

• 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lemon, cut in half

Roast the spices and grind. Keep aside.

• 10 curry leaves, roasted and ground.

Mix the ground spices, salt, curry leaves, yogurt and tamarind together. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours if not over night.
Cook on the grill outside or under the broiler.

Serve with a squirt of lemon juice.