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.

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.

I bought a weird shaped pasta from the grocery store and cooked it till al dente. I added it to the sausage and sauce and then topped it with a bit of shredded parmesan.

My daughter’s friend was over for dinner. I gave them each serving of pasta and some baby spinach on the side. They ate up the pasta in no time and asked for seconds- to me that is a sure sign of a successful dish!

• ½ pound pasta, al dente with a cup of pasta water set aside
• 4 chicken sausage links, chopped in ¼ inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the sausages and sauté on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes till the sausages are golden brown. Keep aside.

• 1 cup fresh tomato sauce or marinara sauce
• 1 red pepper
• 1 orange pepper
• 1 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• Salt
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Start the grill outside or preheat the broiler. Coat the peppers with the oil and grill or roast them till the skin is charred- about 20 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. Take the peppers out and peel the skin and take the seeds out. Place the peppers in a blender with the tomato sauce. Blend till smooth. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed.
Add two cups of the sweet pepper sauce to the sausages and add the pasta and half cup of the pasta water (add more water if needed). Mix well and check for seasonings. Serve with cheese on top.

I could have served it with al dente pasta but I thought of something different- how about polenta?? I had not made polenta in a very long time so I wasn’t sure if I had it in my pantry. I found just enough for the evenings dinner. A lot of people buy the pre-made polenta in a large tube. I don’t think that stuff tastes really good. Make it fresh- it is super simple and delicious. I used a combination of chicken broth, milk, parmesan cheese and a bit of butter. It took all of 10 minutes to make, and I had a delicious, healthy starch to serve for dinner.

I served the vegetables and sausage on top of the warm, creamy polenta. It was unbelievably delicious. It took a bit of convincing for my daughter to try the dish. It was the first time she tried polenta and ate it- I am not sure how happy she was, but she ate it.

Try the roasted cauliflower, broccoli and sausage on polenta- you will love it.

• 3 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 4 chicken sausage links, sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower, broccoli and sausages on a large lined cookie sheet. Drizzle the oil and salt. Mix well and roast for 30 minutes till the vegetables are golden brown and soft. Taste for seasonings and keep aside.

• 1 cup fresh tomato sauce or marinara sauce
• 1 red pepper
• 1 orange pepper
• 1 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• Salt

Start the grill outside or preheat the broiler. Coat the peppers with the oil and grill or roast them till the skin is charred- about 20 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. Take the peppers out and peel the skin and take the seeds out. Place the peppers in a blender with the tomato sauce. Blend till smooth. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed.

Place the vegetables in a large frying pan with 2 cups of the sweet pepper sauce. Mix well and taste for seasonings. Add salt if needed.

• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup polenta
• 3 to 4 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter

Bring the milk and chicken broth to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and pour the polenta in slowly while whisking constantly until it thickens. Turn the heat off and add the cheese and butter. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed. Depending on needed consistency, add more chicken broth or milk if needed.