Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Coconut Chicken Thai Curry


Coconut Chicken Thai Curry
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: 
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into 1" pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 2 zucchini, cut into ½" x 2" spears
  • 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, sliced
  • 1 cup green onions, chopped (about 8 stalks)
  • half a yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste (or 1" piece of fresh ginger, grated)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons red thai curry paste
  • 1 16 ounce can coconut cream (or coconut milk or light coconut milk)
  • salt and pepper
  • red pepper flakes for garnish if you like it spicy
  • 2 cups cooked rice (or cauliflower rice or a baked sweet potato for Paleo/Whole30), for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat a wok or your largest skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil and cook the chicken breast until golden brown and cooked thru, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
  2. With the heat still over high, melt another tablespoon of coconut oil in the wok. Add in all the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until starting to brown slightly on the edges, but still crisp tender, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the thai curry paste and stir to combine. Add in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Add the chicken back in, and cook for another few minutes until heated thru.
  3. Spoon the coconut chicken thai curry over rice (or cauliflower rice) and serve warm. Top with red pepper flakes if you like more spice.
  4. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3 days.

Bangkok Coconut Curry Noodles


bangkok coconut curry noodle bowls
serves: 4 servings  Pinch of yum
INGREDIENTS
For the Coconut Curry Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (or a paste - I like this stuff)
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 14-ounce can regular coconut milk
  • ½ cup reduced sodium chicken or veggie broth (optional - see notes)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hot chili paste (sambal oelek)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
For the Bowls:
  • 4 ounces rice noodles - I use brown rice noodles but they can be hard to find - so I buy these ones
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • half an onion, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup chopped asparagus
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • sesame seeds for topping
  • limes for serving
  • a handful of fresh basil for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Noodles: Soak the noodles in a bowl of cold water. Start this right away - they need at least 20 minutes or so of soaking. When they're soft, drain and rinse.
  2. Sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and ginger; stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the curry paste; stir fry for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes or so while you prep the rest of the ingredients - it should thicken slightly. If you're adding the broth to make the sauce go farther, you might need a little extra simmer time for the sauce to thicken.
  3. Vegetables and Assembly: In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onion, carrots, broccoli, and asparagus. Stir fry for about 5 minutes until the broccoli and asparagus are bright green. Add the noodles and toss around in the pan with the vegetables. Add the sauce and toss together until just combined (if you cook it too long at this point, the noodles might get too sticky). Serve topped with the purple cabbage and sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime or basil leaves if you want.
NOTES
If you want more of a saucy, soupy consistency to the curry, add the broth with the coconut milk. Otherwise leave it out - you won't have as much sauce and it will be more like a velvety, sticky sauce on the noodles (also yummy). The pictures here show the version WITH the broth.

For a vegetarian or vegan version, make sure your curry paste is vegetarian, or make your own, and omit the fish sauce in this recipe or use a vegan alternative (you could make up for the missing saltiness with more soy sauce).

For those who like spice, add more chili paste or anything else you like to get a touch more heat! I would rate this as mild +.

Healthy Cookie Dough Balls




Healthy Cookie Dough Balls
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Almond Flour
  • ¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ¼ Cup Coconut Oil (softened)
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 2 Tablespoons Almond Butter (I use Justin's)
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
  • Mini Dark Chocolate Chips to taste
Instructions
  1. Mix all the all the ingredients together in a bowl. Using your hands for this, as opposed to a spoon or spatula, seems to be the best way to combine everything.
  2. If you find that the mixture is too dry, continue to add a tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches the desired dough-like consistency.
  3. Roll the dough into small balls, and store in the refrigerator or freezer. I really love these frozen!

Magleby's Chocolate Cake

Magleby's Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter, water and cocoa to boil.  In separate bowl stir together flour, sugar and salt.  Pour liquids over dry ingredients.  Gently mix and then add eggs, baking soda, sour cream and vanilla.  The secret is mix as little as possible.  Bake 325 for 35-40 min.

Easiest cake is 9x13 with chocolate frosting.  OR Make layered cake with two 9 inch round pans.  Freeze layers before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 stick butter
3 Tbs Milk
1 Tbs cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
2 drops almond extract
1/4 tsp vinegar

Bring butter, milk, and cocoa to a boil.  Boil over medium heat then pour over powdered sugar, almond extract and vinegar.  Mix and frost!

Vanilla Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
Mix well then add:
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
beat until creamy.


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Cajun Chicken Pasta


Cajun Chicken Pasta
Photo and Recipe from Budget Bytes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Total Cost: $7.15
Cost Per Serving: $1.19
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Blackened Seasoning
  • 2 tsp paprika (smoked or sweet) $0.20
  • ½ tsp garlic powder $0.03
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
  • 1 tsp dried oregano $0.10
  • 1 tsp dried thyme $0.10
  • ¾ tsp salt $0.05
  • freshly cracked pepper (20-25 cranks of a mill) $0.05
For the Pasta
  • 1 large (3/4 lb.) chicken breast $1.50
  • 1 Tbsp butter $0.10
  • 1 green bell pepper $0.85
  • 1 red bell pepper $1.00
  • 1 yellow onion $0.35
  • 1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes $1.39
  • 1 oz. cream cheese $0.25
  • 12 oz. fettuccine $0.88
  • 3 whole green onions $0.28
Instructions
  1. Combine the herbs and spices for the blackened seasoning in a bowl. Slice the chicken breast into very thin, two inch long strips. Place the chicken strips in a second bowl, pour half of the blackened seasoning over top and toss the chicken to coat in the spices.
  2. Prepare a large pot of water for the pasta. Bring it to a boil over high heat and then add the pasta. Cook the pasta until tender and then drain in a colander.
  3. Meanwhile, thinly slice the bell peppers and onion. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot and the butter is melted, add the chicken and sauté until cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet, add the sliced vegetables, and sauté until they are tender and slightly wilted. Remove the vegetables from the skillet.
  4. Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium low. Add the can of fire roasted tomatoes and the second half of the blackened seasoning. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and add it to the skillet. Whisk the mixture until the cream cheese has melted into the tomatoes and created a creamy sauce.
  5. Add the cooked chicken and vegetables back to the skillet with the sauce and stir to combine. If your skillet is extra large, add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine with the chicken, vegetables, and sauce. If your skillet is smaller, you can add the drained pasta back to the large pot it was cooked in (with the heat turned off), then add the chicken, vegetables, and sauce to the pot and stir to combine.
  6. Slice the green onions and sprinkle over top before serving.

Quick Spiralized Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes


Quick Spiralized Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes
Recipe and Photo from Skinny Taste
Servings: 2 • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 2 • Weight Watcher Points+: 3 pt 
Calories: 117 • Fat: 5 g • Carb: 20 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 4 g • Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 31 mg  • Cholest: 0 mg

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3/4 lb grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • pinch red crushed pepper flakes
  • Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 1 large zucchini, spiralized with thicker blade (I used two)


Directions:

In a large non-stick pan set over high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, and crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, until the tomatoes soften, 15 minutes. 

Increase heat to medium-high, stir in the zucchini and basil, season with salt and cook 2 minutes. Serve right away.

Makes 2 cups.

Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta




Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta
Recipe and Photo from Budget Bytes
 
Total Cost: $3.72Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Cost Per Serving: $0.93
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16
  • 1 small onion $0.25
  • 2 cloves garlic $0.16
  • 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes $0.59
  • ½ tsp dried oregano $0.03
  • ½ tsp dried basil $0.03
  • pinch red pepper flakes (optional) $0.02
  • freshly cracked pepper to taste $0.05
  • ½ tsp salt $0.03
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.11
  • 2 oz. cream cheese $0.48
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan $0.42
  • ½ lb. penne pasta $0.89
  • ½ (9 oz.) bag fresh spinach $0.50
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10) minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander.
  2. While waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a ½ cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
  4. Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy. Add half of the Parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted in. Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
  5. Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3-5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
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