Menu for the week of April 29th, 2013:

Monday, 4.29: fusilli with sun-dried tomato cream sauce. 

Tuesday, 4.30: veggie plate with corn, sauteed zuchini, peppers, and mushrooms, and roasted Jerusalem artichokes and sweet potato. 

Wednesday, 5.1: white chicken chili.  

Thursday, 5.2: leftovers.

Friday, 5.3: dinner out on Bald Head Island…  our first trip to the NC coast of the season, so seafood of course!!  

Saturday, 5.4: Lee and Lauren’s wedding celebration!  delish catered meal with lots of veggies…  perfect for us!

Sunday, 5.5: another Mexican salad with soyrizo…  this is obviously a favorite!  and a perfect lighter meal after a long weekend of eating!

White Chicken Chili

This is not a new recipe for us…  and will always be in our regular rotation…  I’m pretty sure that this recipe came from a friend of Vanessa Schroder’s mom…  Am I right Vanessa??  We were roommates in medical school, and I’ve been making it ever since!  

This is a frequent go to meal because:

1 - It’s super easy to make…  I actually usually keep all of the canned ingredients in the pantry so when we need something quick, tasty, and homemade to eat, it’s almost ready to go!

2 - It’s a crowd pleaser…  as yummy as it is fast!

3 - It makes a great lunch the next day…  I know that some people hate leftovers, but I ALWAYS double (or even triple) this recipe so that I can have it the next day.  with the listed ingredients it severs 2-3.

There’s really not much else to say about this dish…  Except give it a try!  You can whip it together in under 30 minutes, and I know that you will enjoy!  I like to serve it with cornbread, but have also done it over rice or with corn chips…  

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 can shoepeg corn
• 1 can minced green chilies
• 1 15-oz can great northern beans
• 1 15-oz can navy beans
• shredded cheese for garnish (optional)

1.  Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan/pot over medium heat.  Add the chicken, garlic, and onion, and sautee for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken is browned.

2.  Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cumin.  Add the shoepeg corn and chilies without draining.  Drain and rinse the beans and add.  Cook over low heat at a simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until the chili comes together.  Serve and top with cheese.

Menu for the week of April 22nd, 2013:

Monday, 4.22: leftovers. 

Tuesday, 4.23: thai quinoa bowl with tofu.

Wednesday, 4.24:  black-eyed pea and greens stew.

Thursday, 4.25: monthly CSC happy hour at Tyler’s Taproom in Durham…  a beautiful evening for drinking outside!  

Friday, 4.26: first night in DC!!  happy hour at El Chucho…  1/2 priced aps and tacos…  and we ordered one of everything on the menu!  

Saturday, 4.27: an amazing 10 course Thai feast at Thai X-ing in DC…  on the pricier side, but this type of experience is worth every penny…  check it out!

Sunday, 4.28: post-DC detox!  Mexican salad with soyrizo. 

Black-Eyed Pea and Greens Stew

This will be another addition to our regular rotation…  And this dish IS for making on a busy weeknight.  It does have a longish cook time on the stovetop, but the prep time was minimal (you can make it even easier by buying bagged and pre-washed greens if you can find them)!  And more importantly, this dish was really a knockout.  This had great flavors and a unique heartiness…  warms you inside, but not sooooo heavy.  This is a perfect soup/stew for the summer.  This Cooking Light recipe calls for turkey kielbasa, but we make it with garlic chicken sausage which was a great substitute.  I think it would be equally good with a veggie sausage or even without a meat substitute.  We ate this hearty stew with cornbread, but it would be just as good over rice or with another side.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 8 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (omit or use a vegetarian sausage for a vegetarian option)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 10 oz. mustard greens, washed and chopped

1.  Sort and wash peas.  Set aside.

2.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion to pan, and cook 3 minutes or until tender.  Add sausage, and cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned.

3.  Stir in broth and bring to a simmer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Stir in peas, salt, pepper, red pepper, and bay leaves.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until peas begin to soften.  Uncover and cook 15 minutes or until liquid begins to thicken.

4.  Stir in vinegar, tomatoes, and mustard greens.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaves.

Menu for the week of April 15th, 2013:

Monday, 4.15: crockpot non-refried beans and soyrizo tacos with yellow rice.

Tuesday, 4.16: saag paneer with rice, dahl, and samosas.

Wednesday, 4.17: leftovers. 

Thursday, 4.18: jerk tofu cutlet with Tuesday collards and rice.

Friday, 4.19: black bean burger and broccoli.

Saturday, 4.20: out to dinner in Chapel Hill…  aps and drinks at one of our all-time favorites Lantern and with lines elsewhere, a quick bite at the Mediterranean Deli to complete the meal.

Sunday, 4.21: Greek quinoa stuffed peppers.

Saag Paneer with Peas

We LOVE Indian food…  It’s not always easy to prepare at home, but it’s always worth it!!  I typically make one large dish and a bunch of rice and compliment it with a prepared Indian side (think Tasty Bite or the Indian sides at Trader Joe’s) and fresh samosas from our local Indian grocery (you can find frozen that can be just as yummy!).  This time we had dahl as the add on, which was delicious…  It’s just nice to have multiple flavors on the plate!

Soooo… now to the specifics of this dish…  We make something like this whenever we buy the HUGE bag of spinach from Costco, and this is the best version yet!  Watching countless handfuls of spinach turn into this dish is just a reminder of how much of a green punch this meal packs.  There has to be a whole day’s worth of vegetables in one serving!  So - I did use fresh spinach for this dish, which adds an extra step (wilting the spinach in batches and squeezing out extra moisture) but is a great way to use a bunch of fresh spinach if you have it lying around…  If not, the frozen option works just as well and is slightly faster.  Paneer is a somewhat unique ingredient that we find at our local Indian grocery store, but fresh mozzarella works almost as well, so substitute it if you need to!  The cheese is really a treat in this dish, so don’t skimp on it!

One more note - I would not recommend this dish for a busy weeknight…  It does take ~75 minutes from start to finish, and patience is important when preparing Indian food!  Try not to rush too much when preparing the onion, garlic, and spices or when mixing in the yogurt (if it does curdle it tastes the same, but doesn’t look quite as pretty…).  But when you find the time, this is dish is a real treat, so give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 12 oz. paneer, (Indian cheese), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 (16-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped (remove the seeds and use less to decrease heat) 
• 1/2 tsp. gram masala
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth
• 1 cup frozen peas

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.

2.  Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth or chop it up very finely with your knife.

3.  Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms.  In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side.  Fry another 1-2 minutes and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.

4.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan.  Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile.  Saute the mixture until it’s evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes.  Be patient!  This step is important to deepen the flavor of the dish.  If you feel like the mixture is drying out or burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.

5.  Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin.  If you haven’t already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning.  Cook, stirring often for 3 to 5 minutes.

6.  Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach.  Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.

7.  Turn the heat off.  Add the yogurt, a little bit at a time to keep it from curdling.  Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer and peas.  Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes.  Serve.

Menu for the week of April 1st, 2013:

Monday, 4.1: quinoa and veggie stuffed bell peppers.

Tuesday, 4.2: leftovers.

Wednesday, 4.3:  thai quinoa.

Thursday, 4.4: out to the Federal…  delish as always!  nachos and veggie sliders.  

Friday, 4.5: black bean burgers and side salad.

Saturday, 4.6: dinner party!!  lots of wonderful friends over for spicy peanut shrimp noodles.  a hit as always…

Sunday, 4.7: farmer’s market inspired veggie plate…  arugula and tomato salad, butter beans with mint and lime, chard with rice and ginger, AND roasted jerusalem artichokes and turnips.  HAVE to do this more often…  it was a fun morning at the Durham farmer’s market and a very tasty dinner.  ;) 

Thai Quinoa Bowl

So…  We think that all of the recipes that we post are very very tasty…  That’s why we share them!  But we’ve been searching for a little bit for another OUTSTANDING dish…  one to add to our regular rotation of delishishness!!  And this is it!  Thanks again to Pinterest for hooking me up with new recipes…  This one is from the blog How Sweet It Is (named after the James Taylor song…  of course I’m gonna love it!!).  Jessica posts all kinds of recipes, but most seem to have a healthy flair…  This is one of them.  I think i’m going to have to try her crunchy buffalo chicken salad recipe next…  It is a salad…  ;)

This recipe calls for cooked chicken.  I poached two chicken breasts with ginger and scallions, which was super fast, very tasty (tender and infused with the ginger flavor!), and easy.  Next time I might buy one of those grocery store rotisserie chickens for added speed (and equally tasty flavor…).  This is a fast recipe that is great for a weeknight, and anything that makes it even easier is a plus!  Although, this recipe would also work really really well with tofu (I would probably cube it and pan fry it quickly in a small amount of olive oil), and I will probably try it that way next…  

But honestly, it doesn’t matter what you decide to put in this recipe…  It’s really the sauce that makes this dish, and I will be searching for other ways to put it to use!!  It will go well with any veggies and any protein, so as usual experiment!!  We served it over some shredded napa cabbage because that’s what we had in the fridge, but would go well with any salad green…

All of the ingredients should be easy to find at your regular grocery store…  I do recommend searching down the little 5.5 ounce cans of coconut milk because this recipe doesn’t call for much…  I have already stocked my pantry with several so I will be ready to make this again soon!  Oh - and next time I am going to double this recipe (this makes enough for 2-3 generously sized dinner portions) because I want to have more leftovers!!  It was even more tasty chilled the next day!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (substitute tofu for a vegan option)
• 2/3 cup chopped carrots
• 2/3 cup shelled edamame
• 2/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Ingredients for sauce:

• 4 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. canned coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. creamy peanut butter (it mixes in easier if it’s melted, FYI)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice of 1 lime 
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1.  Prepare quinoa according to directions.

2.  While the quinoa is cooking, prepare chopped ingredients and combine all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well to combine.

3.  Once the quinoa is cooked, stir in the sauce and toss well to coat.

4.  Add in chicken, carrots, edamame and green onions, stirring to combine.  Taste and season with a little salt and pepper if needed.

5.  Toss in half of the peanuts and cilantro.  Serve in a large bowl, topped with remaining peanuts and cilantro. 

Menu for the week of March 25th, 2013:

Monday, 3.25: leftovers.

Tuesday, 3.26: curried chicken and bean soup.

Wednesday, 3.27:  spicy tofu cutlet with entree salad.

Thursday, 3.28: out to the Mellow Mushroom for CSC happy hour.  great turnout and company.  ;)  and tried their gluten-free pizza…  not bad!

Friday, 3.29: sweet potatoes with white beans and kale.

Saturday, 3.30: out to Bandidos…  cashing in a Groupon for some yummy Mexican!

Sunday, 3.31: oat bran and greek yogurt pancakes with grass fed pork breakfast sausages and baked grapefruit for an Easter brunch feast!  Mexican salad with soyrizo for dinner. 

Oat Bran and Greek Yogurt Pancakes:

This was our little Easter celebration…  We’ve been working on tweeking and perfecting this recipe for several months now, and I think I’ve finally got it!  It’s a combo of a Weight Watchers recipe that uses greek yogurt and an oat bran pancake recipe that a friend posted on Facebook…  And now Justin insists that these are his favorite pancakes ever!  The oat bran definitely gives them a nutty and hearty flavor that is really delicious.  We use a gluten-free flour blend (either Trader Joe’s or Bob’s Red Mill), but I’m sure these would be just as good with the real deal!  I’ve also been using soy milk because that’s just what we usually have in the fridge, but have made these with regular milk as well, and they turn out just as well.

This week I added blueberries for something a little different, and well - yum!  I’m sure other flavors would also work well.  Experiment!  This recipe makes 8 medium pancakes, and can be easily halved to make pancakes for two.  Oh - and as a note…  baked grapefruit are DELICIOUS!  Really deserving of their own post, but since it’s as easy as cut grapefruit in half and place under the broiler for on low for 5-10 minutes (until begins to brown), there’s not that much else to say!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour (substitute gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option)
• 1 cup oat bran
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

1.  Mix the dry ingredients well in a medium mixing bowl.

2.  Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth.  The batter will be thick.  You may add extra milk to thin it to achieve the right consistency.

3.  Preheat a griddle or large pan to medium heat.  Spray with nonstick spray.  Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the pan. Spread each of the batter scoops into an even circle.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.  Repeat with the remaining batter.  Serve with fruit and syrup.

Menu for the week of March 18th, 2013:

Monday, 3.18: vegetarian chili over rice.

Tuesday, 3.19: Thai basil coconut lentils.

Wednesday, 3.20:  out to celebrate finding out the gender of our baby!!  lots of falafel and hummus.  and discussing name options!

Thursday, 3.21: just not a night for cooking…  out for tacos…

Friday, 3.22: Mexican salad with soyrizo.

Saturday, 3.23: to Charlotte for Lee and Lauren’s engagement party!  enjoyed some classic NC fare (bbq, mac and cheese, etc…) and the company of great friends at Queen City Q!

Sunday, 3.24: beans and greens.  as usual - super fast and delicious meal!

Thai Basil Coconut Lentils

So last week it felt like spring…  and this week we back tracked into winter…  So sad!  We decided to try this new tasty dish to warm us up.  We’re always down for a pumpkin curry AND we love lentils, so we figured   that this dish was worth trying.  And we were right!  This dish is super tasty and satisfying, and we will definitely be making it again.  We served it over rice, which worked well, but is not necessary…  Whatever you prefer!

We did have some trouble finding tom kha paste - even at our local Asian grocery…  But after checking out the main ingredients (lemongrass, garlic, hot pepper, and ginger) we decided to go with tom kha soup plus some extra coconut milk to thicken it up, and it tasted great!  Will keep my eyes peeled for this paste in the future because it sounds delish…  And I will be making these lentils again, so I want to have it in my cupboard.  

This recipe is from the blog Pinch of Yum.  This dynamic blogging couple advertises simple, tasty, and (mostly) healthy recipes.  Since that’s what we’re about too, I’m so glad that I found this blog.  Check it out!  There are tons of beautiful pictures, and I know I’ll find something else to try here soon…

• 1 cup dried lentils or monggo beans
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• ½ head green cabbage, shredded
• ½ large kabocha squash, cubed (approximately 3-4 cups cubed)
• 1 15-oz can coconut milk
• 1½ Tbsp. tom kha paste
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• Salt to taste
• fresh basil and chopped peanuts for topping

Menu for the week of March 11th, 2013:

Monday, 3.11: home in Cleveland.  after trying Noodlecat last night (Sunday happy hour all day!!!!), we decide to make dinner for mama and papa Tyler…  curry pumpkin soup (from our homegrown organic backyard pumpkin!), broccoli, rice, and buffalo burgers (black bean burger for mom…).

Tuesday, 3.12: we try Piada for the first time…  think Italian version of Chipotle…  very yummy, and lots of healthy options. 

Wednesday, 3.13: out for celebratory appetizers at Paladar, and then snacks at home…

Thursday, 3.14: a restful (and filling) stop at mama and papa Plummers’…  shrimp and grits and Peggy’s spinach salad!

Friday, 3.15: since we haven’t had a chance to stock our fridge back up post-trip, we fall back on an easy favorite…  tamale plate!

Saturday, 3.16: inside out Chinese spring roll salad.

Sunday, 3.17: dinner at Christin and Robert’s!  delicious sides from Whole Food’s and our first grill out of the spring.  and…  good company and a dessert spread to die for!

Inside Out Chinese Spring Roll Salad

We had a couple of days this week where it felt like spring had sprung!  With it in the 70s on Saturday, we were inspired to try out this fresh new salad.  SO tasty!!!  All of the flavors of a spring roll with TONS of veggies…  YUM!  This was exactly what we needed on this warm early spring day.  Give it a try if you need to add a new dinner salad to your rotation!  We try to have a dinner salad at least once a week, and I know that all the veggies keep us healthy.  This receipe made enough for two HUGE salad portions.  You should be able to find the bean threads, napa cabbage, and sweet chili sauce at your regular grocery store, but we used it as an excuse to visit our local Asian market Li Ming’s!

Ingredients for salad:

• 4 oz bean thread (mung bean noodles)
• 4-5 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 2 cups town watercress
• 2 carrots, cut into matchstick thin strips
• 1 small seedless cucumber, cut into matchstick thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick thin strips
• 4 green onions, minced
• 1 15 oz can baby corn, chopped 
• 4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 4 Tbsp chopped mint

Ingredients for dressing:

• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 4 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 4 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp minced ginger root
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds

1. To prepare the bean threads soak them fully submerged in warm water for 10 minutes or till pliable. Drain, then cook the noodles in boiling water until the noodles expand and appear glasslike, 1-2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Cut into 4-inch lengths.

2. Place the cooked bean threads in a large bowl along with the rest of the salad ingredients.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the dressing till well combined.  Toss with the salad to evenly coat. 

Menu for the week of February 11th, 2013:

Monday, 2.11: tamale plate with black beans and rice.

Tuesday, 2.12: carrot ginger soup with salad. 

Wednesday, 2.13: leftovers.

Thursday, 2.14: Valentine’s Day!!  tried a new recipe…  easy and delicious  spicy New Orleans bbq shrimp with rice and broccoli.

Friday, 2.15: out for Valentine’s Day at Mateo.  this amazing new Durham tapas spot just received a James Beard nomination.  congrats!!

Saturday, 2.16: Silver Palate meatless meatloaf with Tuesday collards and quinoa.   

Sunday, 2.17: leftovers.

Tuesday Collards

These tasty greens are as nutritious as they are delicious!!  Packed with vitamins and minerals, collards are one of the best leafy green veggies…  And the best part about this recipe is that it makes this dish more accessible!  Usually collards are an all day simmering affair…  Here they are done in 20 minutes and are just as tender and tasty as ever.  Give them a try!  

This recipe is adapted from the Lee brothers’ Southern Cookbook.  These Charleston natives have written quite the tome, and this book is full of  both classic Southern dishes and several with a new twist.  We’ve tweaked this recipe to make it vegetarian, and it’s still a crowd pleaser! 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. collard greens, stemmed, washesd, and cut into 1/4 inch strips
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and sautee for an additional minute.

2.  Turn the heat to medium and add 2 handfuls of collards to the skillet.  Using a slotted spoon, turn them in the olive oil for a couple of minutes until they wilt.  Steam them in the small amount of water that clings to them, but don’t let them brown. Add more collards, 2 handfuls at a time, and turn them until they wilt, until all the collards are wilted in the pan.

3.  Add the vegetable broth and the red pepper flakes. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the broth comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the greens have turned dark, about 5 minutes.

4.  Add the vinegar and sugar to the greens, toss to distribute, and cook, uncovered, about 5 minutes more to let the cooking liquid reduce and concentrate.

Menu for the week of February 4th, 2013:

Monday, 2.4: black bean and sweet potato enchiladas.

Tuesday, 2.5: quinoa tabbouleh with beets.

Wednesday, 2.6: leftovers for Sarah, white bean soup for Justin in Greensboro with mama Plummer.

Thursday, 2.7: Korean tofu tacos.

Friday, 2.8: dinner at Rory and Devin’s.  met some new friends, and enjoyed root veggie enchiladas, red cabbage slaw, and spicy black beans.  

Saturday, 2.9: out to our favorite local authentic Mexican joint with visiting brother Plummer.  La Superior in North Durham.  delish as always.  yes Mexican heavy week…  but no regrets! 

Sunday, 2.10: Greek style black bean burgers with tzatziki with a side salad.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Another excellent recipe from Vegetarian Times…  And this one is extra special!  We saw immediately that it was the winner of a recipe contest and was submitted by someone from North Carolina.  Not long after we made it for the first time about a year ago, we discovered that it was submitted by the husband of someone that we know!  Just a nice twist…

This recipe is another winter month regular…  Warm and hearty, it will fill you up!  Don’t be scared off by the number of ingredients in this dish.  It is actually pretty easy to put together, and if you dice the sweet potato nice and small, the cook time is even shorter than what is listed below…  Give it a try!  I think this is perfect for a weeknight, and the leftovers are great!

Ingredients for sauce:

• 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 ¾ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. chipotle chile powder

Ingredients for filling:

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 ½ lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
• 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 16-oz. jar prepared medium salsa
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 12-oz. round queso fresco, divided

Ingredients for enchiladas:

• extra virgin olive oil, for brushing baking dish
• 16 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1 avocado, sliced
• ½ cup sour cream, for garnish
• Cilantro sprigs, for garnish, optional

1. To make sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk to combine, then remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

2. To make filling: Heat oil in separate saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.  Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.  Mash mixture with potato masher until combined.  Add black beans, and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.

3. To assemble enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350 F.  Brush 13- x 9-inch baking dish with oil.  Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in bottom of dish.  Fill tortillas with filling.  Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish.  Top with remaining sauce and queso fresco.  Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Adjust oven to broil.  Broil enchiladas 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with lime wedges, avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro sprigs, if using.

Menu for the week of January 28, 2013:

Monday, 1.28: leftovers.

Tuesday, 1.29: entree salad with marinated lentils, goat cheese, and veggies. 

Wednesday, 1.30: leftovers. 

Thursday, 1.31: out to G2B for CSC happy hour #1 of 2013!  we will be going back for some more yummy food…

Friday, 2.1: curried pumpkin soup with rice and a salad.

Saturday, 2.2: sunchoke and fried halloumi salad. 

Sunday, 2.3: Duke Pediatric Cardiology fellowship superbowl party…  pulled out the Foster’s Market curried chicken salad!  as always, a crowd-pleaser.  

Curried Chicken Salad

This is another favorite from Foster’s Market.  If you live in the triangle, you know all about Sara Foster and her gourmet food markets and cafes!  Her menu is full of a host of tempting dishes, but I almost always go with the salad plate so that I can have this rich and flavorful chicken salad as part of my trio.

This dish is a go-to for any party or potluck…  And although it does have chicken in it, we swear by the anti-inflammatory effects of all of the wonderful spices in the curry powder!  There is quite a bit of mayo in this recipe, but we usually substitute low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt for about half of the mayo that is called for.  I think it not only lightens up the recipe quite a bit, but also gives this salad a richer texture…  There is also the option of using a low-fat mayo or Miracle Whip-type product.  Whatever works for you!  And I like to poach the bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (cover chicken by 2 inches of water in a stockpot, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer for 30-35 minutes, then cool and shred!).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 7 scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 cup currants or golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Ingredients for dressing:

• 1 1/4 cups good-quality mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup curry powder
• 1/4 cup honey
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

1. To make the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to mix until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use for up to 5 days. 

2. Mix the chicken, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, green onions, apple, currants, parsley and 1 cup of the coconut in a bowl.  Add the dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss to mix. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with the remaining coconut just before serving.