Southwestern Hay Stack

My husband decided to call this dish a Southwestern Hay Stack. He said even though the name doesn't sound very gourmet, its a pretty descriptive way for you to picture what this meal is about. I had to remind him; "Hey we aint no gourmet family, aight?"  Its basically like a Hawaiian hay stack, but with more of a Mexican flair. 

This meal is something that is deeply satisfying and healthy at the same time. I love win win dishes like that. Its easy to whip up and a meal where you can do lots of the prep ahead of time. Again, a win win. Normally when I make this dish, I add shredded cheddar cheese to it. I forgot to do that today and guess what? It was just as good. So I'm leaving the cheese out of the recipe because if it doesn't need it, why add the expense or calories? Right? 

Ingredients: 

2 cups uncooked white rice 
2 chicken breasts
1//2 cup salsa + extra for garnish
2 tsp fajita seasoning 
2 ripe avacados
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 can black beans
1 can corn
2 tsp dried cilantro 
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt & Pepper

Place your chicken breasts, 1/2 cup of salsa, and fajita seasoning in a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 3-4 hours or until your chicken breaks apart when cut. 

While your chicken is cooking, you can also cook your white rice in your rice cooker. 

When your chicken is almost ready, you can begin to cook your beans. Add your olive oil to a warm pan. Then add your onions, salt and pepper them. Let them sauté until they are translucent. Add your garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then add your beans, corn, cumin, and cilantro. Let those mix on low heat while you make your guacamole. 

Cut and mash your avocado in a small bowl. Add salt, pepper, and lime juice, stir together. 
Take your chicken out of the slow cooker and chop it into small pieces. 

Assemble your "haystacks" part by part. Rice, beans, chicken, guacamole, then add salsa on top as your garnish. 

My husband said I could make this meal once a week and he would be a happy man. He loves fresh tasting healthy recipes, but that also leave you feeling satisfied. Hopefully this will satisfy your family as well. 

Enjoy!

Vietnamese Bahn Mi Sandwich

There is a wonderful authentic Vietnamese joint here in town that sells the most delightful bahn mi sandwiches. My husband has been wanting me to recreate these at home for some time but  I'll admit, I was intimidated. Today I finally decided to make his wish come true and wow, are these sandwiches good! I'm kicking myself for not trying to make them sooner! 

6-8 hoagie type buns

1 carrot, julienned 

1 diaikon (carrot sized), julienned 

1 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons salt

1 pound lean ground pork

1 pound lean ground beef 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2/3 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup hoisin sauce 

1 cup oyster sauce 

Black pepper

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Chopped cilantro as garnish 

Simmer your vinegar, salt, and sugar together in a sauce pan until sugar is dissolved. Combine your carrots and diaikon in a bowl and cover them with the vinegar mixture. Allow the mixture to marinate for at least one hour. 

Add your oil to a large deep skillet and soften onion. Add your garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute. Add 1/2 a cup of the vinegar your veggies are sitting in and simmer for an additional minute or two. Add your stock, hoisin, oyster sauce, and pepper. Allow sauce to reduce for 10 minutes. Add your beef and pork and break it up into peices and cook it through (about 7-8 minutes). 

While your meat cooks place your rolls in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up. Slice down the center without cutting them into 2 pieces. Fill with meat, top with the pickled vegetables, cilantro, and peanuts. 

This is such a flavorful and memorable sandwich. You will love chowing down in flavor town. Enjoy! 

Moroccan Chicken Drumstick Soup

I debated naming this "holy hell this is good" soup, but I figured it wasn't specific enough. I stumbled on this recipe by accident because I had some chicken drumsticks I needed to use in my freezer. This was the perfect application for them. The bones and extra fat add so much flavor to the soup, and since drumsticks are so affordable this is a very inexpensive meal. It's tastes spicy (in a cinnamon way, not a pepper way) and is just a very unique take on a traditional chicken soup. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 pounds chicken drumsticks bone in 

Water

4 carrots peeled and chopped 

5 celery stalks chopped 

1 large onion diced 

2 cloves garlic minced 

1 tsp red pepper flakes 

1 lemon 

1 bunch fresh Tyme 

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg 

3 bay leaves 

Salt & pepper 

Optional add ins: 

1 can navy beans 

1 cup Acine de pepe or orchiette pasta 

Few sprigs fresh Cilantro for garnish 

Add olive oil to large medium heat pot, then add onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and bay leaves and fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken plus about 2-3 extra inches of water depending on how much broth you like. Bring to boil then simmer for 30 minutes.

Cut your lemon in half and juice it into the pot. Then throw in your lemon halves. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 2 hours.

Pull your chicken, lemons, and bay leaves out. Take the skin off the chicken and remove the bones and excess fat. Return just the good meat to the soup. Then depending on how much your broth has reduced, you can add your drained beans, or your cooked pasta. Season again with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with cilantro as a garnish. 

I would say this soup serves 4 people. It is delish and a one you should really try. 

Original recipe inspiration: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/chicken-noodle-soup-recipe.html

Falafel with tahini sauce

Tonight I made falafel with tahini sauce. It was surprisingly easy. It was pan fried but I might actually try baking it next time. 

For the falafel:
1 chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder 
1 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil, for pan frying
Pita or naan bread, for serving

Lemon slices to squeeze over 

For the tahini sauce:

1 single serve cups plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup tahini 
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper 

Pulse onion and garlic in food processor until minced, set aside. Pulse spices, herbs, beans until just chopped. Add back onions and baking soda and pulse till combined. Slowly add flour 1/4 cup at a time till firm enough to mold into patties. Put in fridge while you mix sauce together, preferably leave it In fridge for like an hour. Pan fry in hot oil for 3 minutes per side. Salt as soon as done, squeeze lemon over top and serve with sauce on naan bread. 

Costco Quinoa Salad

Last week my husband and I were sampling while shopping at Costco when a certain sample stopped us both in our tracks. It was a crunchy tart fresh quinoa veggie salad. The sample was so good that the costco employee admitted that we were eating the very last batch of it and that they were sold out. Bummer. We decided to try to recreate it. Here is our first attempt. I'm sure it will keep getting modified until we nail it perfectly.

1 1/2 cups cooked red quinoa

3/4 cup red lentils cooked

1 cucumber peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces 

2 Roma tomatoes chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup scallion or red onion chopped

1 yellow bell pepper chopped 

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/3 cup olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 small lemon 

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste 

Make sure your lentils and quinoa are cooled and mix all together and serve at room temperature.