Lunch

Masalawala Shepherd’s Pie

March 7, 2018 2 Comments

Masalawala Shepherd's Pie|www.mannaandspice.com

Winter is not done with us. Or so says the weather people as I throw the remote at the TV. No, really. I didn’t actually throw the remote at the TV, Hubby. Our TV set is totally okay.

My instagram feed, though, is filled with stories of snow, temps below what normal should be, and lots of winter comfort foods. The comfort foods make this weather *ALMOST* bearable. Creamy tomato soup on repeat please.

But wait, I have to tell you about this masalawala shepherd’s pie. Technically, it’s cottage pie because it’s made with beef, not lamb but because remixes are my jam these days I’ll go with shepherd’s pie. I mean, have you checked out the Instant Pot butter chicken that’s already become a reader favorite this year?

Every year, I make slow cooker corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day. Totally on fleek! This year, I wanted to break with our tradition and make a low carb, all-in-one whole30/paleo meal. Hubby, you’ve been put on notice. Also, the rebel in me very much alive and wants to do away with traditional this time around. Can you blame me though? I’m all about layering in spice- take a look at the link in this window to see who you’re dealing with, here. And, shepherd’s pie can be kinda bland. There, I said it. It took me years to publicly admit that basic is good but spice is ?.

Masalawala Shepherd's Pie|www.mannaandspice.com

So back to this masalawala shepherd’s pie. It’s the midwestern equivalent of a casserole- and do we ever love our casseroles. Saucy, smokey ground beef cooked with lots of delicious veggies (time to clean out that fridge!), in a rich tomatoey sauce. All topped with the fluffiest of whipped cauliflower. I mean, that sounds so cozy right now, in the middle of what’s supposed to be yet another storm for us in New England. Let’s make one thing clear though. Spice is not the same as *SPICY*. I’m talking about notes of flavor that hit your mouth and tongue in different places and bring out subtle flavors. It’s not set-your-mouth-on-fire type of spice. So those of you freaking out over the heat level, take a deep breath. You can customize the heat- add, subtract, or totally omit. Your call, my friend. Totally your call.

The best part of all shepherd’s pie are the spuds on top. You know you want those pillowy, fluffy, clould-like mashed taters. I did a thing- a delicious thing- where I took those out those coveted spuds (sorry, Hubby) and broke the hearts of shepherd’s pie lovers everywhere. But remember how I said it was a delicious thing? I made the FLUFFIEST, CREAMIEST, low-carb cauliflower “potatoes” to knock your shepherd’s pie loving socks off. I didn’t even miss the potatoes. In fact, they’re a little bit cheesy and garlicky too. ALSO, they’re a whole lot of paleo and whole30 friendly. In fact, this entire one-dish wonder is a low-carb, whole30, paleo, dairy-free, gluten free dance party. I’ll be dancing between spoonfuls over here. Let’s just have a Meredith Grey dance party and dance it out.

Masalawala Shepherd's Pie|www.mannaandspice.com

About that whipped cauliflower topping. I used a blender to puree steamed/boiled, riced cauliflower, with the rest of the ingredients. Swapping out heavy whipping cream with full-fat coconut milk or Nutpods is what gets you that creamiest ever result. Use the unflavored please. If you love the convenience of an emersion blender, go ahead and use it to puree the cauliflower but your mixture will be denser. It’ll still taste just as good, but you may not get the fluffiest of peaks. I used frozen cauliflower rice and simply steamed it with a clove of garlic until it was tender. That’s my shortcut way but you can use fresh cauliflower florets if that’s what you have on hand. ALSO, feel free to double the whipped cauliflower for an extra kick of luxury!

I’ve been using nutritional yeast to add a hint of a cheesy flavor in dishes for a little over a year now. I used some in the whipped cauliflower topping to give the dish a more cheesy, and complex flavor- remember, we’re doing away with the traditional here? If you’re not doing whole30 or paleo, you can sub in regular grated parmesan cheese with the same results. Or if that cheesy tang isn’t quite your thing, get rid of it entirely. No guilt or shame.

Masalawala Shepherd's Pie|www.mannaandspice.com

Traditionally, the meat and veggie combo is almost always made up for ground lamb, peas, carrots, and sometimes onions with some minimal spices like salt and pepper. To make this dish paleo and whole30, and just a little bit more lower carb, I replaced the peas with frozen green beans. Sometimes I add mushrooms, for an extra meaty flavor but I skipped it because I didn’t have any on hand. Also, you can make this fully meatless by adding a pound of sliced mushrooms and taking out the meat, obvi. The sauce is strong enough to hold the flavor of meat OR veggies so don’t worry about that.

FINALLY, what makes this masalawala? What IS masalawala? It literally means ‘of spice’. The additional of cumin and coriander lends a smokiness to the shepherd’s pie, while adding a complexity that makes you go back for seconds (and thirds). I added some crushed red pepper, not normally used in shepherd’s pie for a little bit of heat. You can add a little, a whole lot, or not at all depending on what you can tolerate. Finish that off with the earthiness of thyme and garlic and you’ve got a hit dish for St. Patrick’s Day. Or everyday.

Masalawala Shepherd's Pie|www.mannaandspice.com

Masalawala Shepherd’s Pie

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
Yield: 6-8 1x

Scale

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING:[/br]
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp coconut aminos (or 1 tbsp worcestershire/soy sauce)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce (optional)
1–1 1/2 cup broth
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped (4 large carrots)
2 cups frozen cut green beans (or peas)
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp minced parsley
FOR THE WHIPPED CAULIFLOWER TOPPING:[/br]
2 12 Oz bags riced cauliflower (or 6 cups riced cauliflower)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast (or 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, peeded
1/4 cup original nutpods/coconut milk (or heavy whipping cream)
3 tbsp ghee (or butter)
Broth if needed to thin out potatoes
Oven 350 for 30 mins, broil for 5 mins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add olive oil to a saucepan and heat on medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add carrots, green beans, and salt. Stir together and cook for 3 more minutes, Add ground beef and cook until beef browns, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, coconut aminos, thyme, and parsley. Slowly add in broth, stirring to prevent scorching. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
While the filling is cooking, steam or boil riced cauliflower with the clove of garlic until tender, about 8 mins. Add into blender/food processor bowl with remaining ingredients, and blend until fully pureed, adding 1 tbsp broth at a time, if needed to get the mixture moving.
Add beef and veggie mixture into the bottom of a 9X13 pan (use an 8X8 pan if you want a more dense, and thicker pie). Cover with the whipped cauliflower mixture and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn the oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes to get that nice, crusty browned top.
Serve with a crisp green salad.

Ultimate Orange Chicken Meatballs

February 22, 2018 Leave a Comment

This post was supposed to go up earlier this week, as is the common theme, which is a casualty of #momlife. The kids are on break this week, apparently a thing ALL of New England does in February, so we headed back to the Midwest. I was fully prepared with my pipedream of writing during the flight back to Boston but there’s something to be said about being stuck on a full airplane, at the gate, watching the Emoji movie because that’s the only way I could keep my kids from playing that game where they try to rip each other’s eyeballs out of their sockets. It didn’t end there. We ended up having to get off the plane- daunting with four kids- and then getting back on a little while later, after having to sit in the runway for a few hours- I just wanted to hurry up and get home and sink into my pajamas, a bunch of chinese takeout and Netflix.

Specifically, orange chicken- my most favorite chinese takeout dish ever- – the one with all the crispy bits of fried chicken perfection, glazed with the most delicious sweet, tangy, orangey sauce. I also rarely order it because it’s a little too indulgent. But it shouldn’t have to be, which is why I’ve been on a mission for the last year to give this indulgent classic a healthier, fresh ingredient list makeover, like my eggroll in a bowl or beef & broccoli, without skimping on the flavor. No added sugar would be a plus.

What I ended up with is even better than what I expected my iteration of orange chicken to be. I mean, think about it. These orange chicken meatballs are:

√ Flavorful, without the bloat inducing soy sauce. Or use soy sauce if you’re not into the whole whole30/paleo thing. I’ll stick to my beloved coconut aminos because I’m that person. Also, have you tried my cashew chicken stir-fry?

√ Unfried but still have every bit of that crispy bite with the crunch that satisfies you.

√ Sweet and tangy without using sweeteners, but feel free to use honey if you want to add a layer of richness. No judgement from me!

I swapped out frying battered pieces of chicken for ground chicken meatballs, with mixing in potato starch to keep the meatballs whole30 and paleo compliant. Or use cornstarch with the same results. The starch not only binds the meatballs but creates a crispy, browned exterior, which is sometimes just what I need/want/must have if I’m ordering takeout. I also swapped out the soy sauce with coconut aminos because I can still have this while I’m doing a round of whole30 or continuing to eat paleo; it adds to my menu and also gives me options for delicious bites.

Now let’s talk about my unconventional way to sweeten the sauce without actually using sugar or honey: balsamic vinegar and orange juice. With orange chicken, the balsamic vinegar compliments the tangy profile of orange juice. This a major trust exercise because why would you add balsamic vinegar in chinese takeout? But when it’s reduced, it becomes this syrupy goodness that makes everything it touches sweeter, without adding anything else. Seriously, just trust me. Combined with the fruitiness of fresh orange juice, the balsamic vinegar adds body to the sauce. Pro tip- zest the orange BEFORE you squeeze the juice out. I’ve done it the other way around in the past and it ain’t pretty. And when you’re zesting, just zest until you see the pith (white part of the orange). The pith is what makes citrus rind bitter so please, leave that behind.

The versatility of these orange chicken meatballs are totally me living my best life right now. They can be:

√ The perfect make ahead meal. Cook the meatballs, make the sauce and store each separately, in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to eat them, simply thaw, heat and toss the meatballs in the sauce, thinning out the sauce if needed.

√ Served as the protein in a meal OR as an appetizer. That’s right. Put a toothpick in each meatball and serve as a bite-size, fun appetizer that’s both perfect as a make ahead sort of situation and portable. Your guests will thank you. And so will I.

√ Eaten by themselves- read, hovering over the stove, back to toward the kids so they can’t see you. That’s the real mom position when eating. Or serve with rice/cauliflower rice if you want to be nice and share. Maybe even atop lo mein style noodles in lieu of spaghetti and meatballs? I might be onto something here!

Did I mention that these are kid-friendly? Because apparently, if it’s in the shape of a ball, kids think you can play with your food and will eat them up. And for that reason, I made the meatballs on the smaller side- little fingers and little hands deserve a little bit of comfort too!

Ultimate Orange Chicken Meatballs

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 22-23 meatballs 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken breast
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or more if desired
1/2 tsp kosher salt (omit if using soy sauce)
3 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
4 tbsp potato starch/arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)+ more as needed
2 stalks green onion, sliced finely (white and green parts)
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp neutral oil like avocado oil (more if cooking meatballs in batches)
For the sauce;
zest of one orange or 1 tbsp
1 cup orange juice (3 oranges)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper or more to taste
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken broth (more if you like a thinner sauce)
1 tbsp potato starch/arrowroot/cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the oil for the meatballs and mix well. Add 1 tsp potato starch/arrowroot/cornstarch at a time if the mixture is too wet.
Wet hands with warm water or oil. Roll out golfball sized meatballs. For uniform size, scoop out with a tablespoon measuring spoon and roll until round, smooth ball forms. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Cook meatballs, 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned and fully cooked. Cover and set aside. Repeat, adding 1 tbsp each time you cook another batch of meatballs, until all meatballs are cooked.
In a medium saucepan, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and sautee for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients, except for the potato starch/arrowroot/cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let cook for 6-7 minutes, until sauce thickens and reduces. Add more broth if the sauce becomes too thick. Reduce heat to low and whisk in potato starch/arrowroot/cornstarch mixture. Remove from heat. The sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon and have a slight sheen to it.
Toss meatballs in sauce. If sauce becomes too thick after adding meatballs, return to low heat and stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth at a time, until sauce has desired consistency. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Serve with white rice or cauliflower rice or as a stand alone appetizer.

Chimichurri Shrimp with Fried Cauliflower Rice

February 9, 2017 Leave a Comment

We are here.

We’ve indulged little too much on Super Bowl Sunday, between all the cheesy dips and the decadent desserts. Now, the thought of a Valentine’s Day dinner, complete with the chocolatey treats and buttery, rich sauces can be a bit daunting because the new year isn’t so new anymore and the resolutions to eat better have been cast aside, for heavier comfort foods. Your Facebook and instagram feeds have gone from pictures of “eat your colors” to “I’m just gonna eat Nutella with my finger, straight out of the jar because it’s that kinda day.”

Hey, we’ve all been there. I see you, friend. I hear you. As I was writing this post, I was texting with a friend who as requesting more low-carb meals because the struggle is indeed real. This one’s for you, old friend.

We are in this cramped boat together. I just finished a second round of whole30 and have noticed that I’m slowly working my way back to eating sugar and carbs a little too freely– those pita chips made from leftover pita from a party, going stale have been calling my name and I’ve been looking at them longingly- for the sake of nostalgia, not the sake of wants. Old habits are indeed hard to break, especially when you start seeing pictures of things like Accidentally Outrageous Brownies (sorry!). I want to eat well but I also want FLAVOR in my food- I would get bored with just salad and grilled something for every meal. But I also want something that’s quick and healthy. Times like these are when I turn to my chimichurri shrimp with fried cauliflower rice.

Delicately cooked shrimp, tossed in 5 Minute Mint Chimichurri Sauce and served atop stir-fried cauliflower “rice” loaded with the delicious flavors of onions, garlic, and red pepper. Drizzle with a little bit more of the chimichurri and it’s a meal that looks gourmet, without the butter and cream filled sauces that set off the calorie count in the wrong direction, without even the slightest compromise on flavor. This is a meal that can be served as a dine-in Valentine’s Day dinner without the guilt or bloat afterwards ?. So go ahead and “indulge” with you sweetie!

Using cauliflower to give your favorite (rich) foods (like potatoes, pasta, and cream sauces) a guiltless, healthy makeover was all the craze over the last couple of years, like with this Deceptively Healthy Roasted Cauliflower and Red Pepper Spaghetti. Or try the Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash.

I’ve always personally loved cauliflower; the Autumn Harvest Bowl is proof of that throughout the fall, when butternut squash and cauliflower are abundant. But sometimes, some dishes just need that boost from something with grainy texture– like rice. Except not rice. This is where I love riced cauliflower. When I first started ricing cauliflower, I used to do it by hand; as in grate it with a box grater- as difficult and time consuming as it sounds, it took me about 5 minutes to do a full head. But when I (finally) replaced my food processor, I started running the cauliflower through the processor.

These days, I see pre-riced cauliflower at grocery stores- Trader Joe’s and Costco- if you want to go the convenience route and save yourself a few minutes. If you do buy pre-riced cauliflower, make sure to squeeze out the excess moisture by wrapping the cauliflower in a clean dishtowel and wringing out the water, otherwise the “rice” will end up becoming waterlogged and overcooked.

One of the best things to cook is shrimp because it takes such little time. I usually cook shrimp for no more than 5-6 minutes, to make sure it stays tender and moist. When overcooked, shrimp becomes tough and rubbery and loses all flavor. It’s like chewing a piece of leather. Not that I’ve chewed leather before. Shrimp is best cooked on medium-high heat, about 3 minutes on each side, until it turns pink and doesn’t have the semi-transparent quality it has when raw.

You know the BEST part of this meal? There is no need for sides- it’s a built-in, time saving meal that looks fancy, with sides layered into the dish itself. The lazy, exhausted, fighting-sleep-at-6-PM me is screaming with joy inside because I keep that yummy chimichurri sauce in the fridge for times like this. And can I just say I especially felt like a rockstar this time around because I had pre-riced cauliflower ready to go? So, while the shrimp were cooking (don’t forget to keep a close eye on them!), I chopped my onion and peppers and smashed that garlic. I have conquered dinner!

So go, live, eat, and conquer Valentine’s Day without the guilt but keep every bit of that indulgent. My plans?

I’ll keep you posted ?.

Chimichurri Shrimp with Fried Cauliflower Rice

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 4 1x

Scale

Ingredients

2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used tail-on)
4 cups cauliflower, cut into florets and riced*
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup mint chimichurri sauce, plus more for serving alongside shrimp and rice

Instructions

Toss shrimp with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the shrimp over and cook for another 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque and cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat and toss with 1/2 of the chimichurri sauce and set aside.
Return skillet to medium high heat. Add remaining olive oil to the pan. Add onion and peppers and cook until softened about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tsp salt, pepper,and garlic and stir. Add in cauliflower rice, stir to combine all ingredient. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, until cauliflower is tender but firm. Remove from heat. Add remaining chimichurri sauce.
Plate with cauliflower rice at the bottom, divide shrimp among 4 bowls/plates. Garnish with additional chimichurri sauce if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

!*TO RICE CAULIFLOWER: Cut 1 head of cauliflower into florets, removing all tough stems. Add in single layer batches (do not overcrowd) to food processor bowl. Pulse 3-4 times for 5 seconds each to break the florets down into desired texture. I like mine to be on the coarser side. Repeat until all the florets are “riced”. You can also grate the cauliflower on the coarse side of a box grater. 1 large head usually yields about 6-7 cups of cauliflower.

Instant Pot Chicken Meatball+Kale Soup

January 24, 2017 Leave a Comment

2017 has already been a year of firsts for me. I’ve ventured outside my comfort zone in an effort to be more open minded about things I’d written off. Like kale and pressure cookers. And a redoux of the chicken soup I’ve been making for years to turn into a chicken meatball+kale soup. What is even happening in here?

As a college student, I imagined adults in the real world to do things like change out of their pajamas before noon and eat weird looking vegetables like kale. I, on the other hand, was perfectly content with eating things like noodles in a cup, while in my pajamas at 2 PM and writing papers. Noodles in a cup > kale. Until now. After this chicken meatball and kale soup, I’m finally winning this adulting thing. Finally, redemption from the years of showing up at my kids’ school carpool lane with mysterious stains on my shirt and disheveled everything- I’ve turned into a fully fledged adult who eats kale. I’ve even redeemed myself from my irrational phobia of pressure cookers.

When I first got married, we got a pressure cooker as a wedding gift. Within two months, and the first time using it- because why should you ACTUALLY know how to properly operate said gadget?- I tried to open the pressure cooker without releasing the pressure, tugged at the handles and the pressure release valve, and then watched in horror as the pressure came full force and painted a giant yellow circle on my kitchen ceiling. I looked at that yellow stain every single day while The Mister and I lived in that apartment and swore off pressure cookers. Pressure cooking? errrrmmmm, no thanks to that yellow stain redoux. I got by with a little help from the stove, slow cooker, and oven.

P.S. We didn’t get our deposit back for that apartment.

Fast forward to a decade later where I’ve watched the Instant Pot grow in popularity for the last few years and I finally caved and got one on sale a couple of months ago. And then I stared at the box and gave myself a pep talk- I may have had repressed fear and anxiety from the yellow stain incident. Out came the pressure cooker and as my inaugural dish, I made gumbo with 15 minutes of hands-on time. This pressure cooker’s game is strong. I have learned a few things over the two months that I’ve been using the Instant Pot:

The cooking time listed in recipes is how long it takes for the food to cook AFTER coming to pressure. The pressure cooker may take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes before actually coming to pressure. All of this depends on the amount of liquid in the cooker and how long it takes to heat up. I like to either add hot liquid to speed up the process or keep the pot on the sautee program so the liquid heats up faster and the contents come to pressure faster.
If I’m cooking vegetables, I prefer to do a quick release to stop the vegetables from overcooking. I use this rule for soups or stews with meat and vegetables as well. There should be enough liquid in the soup to keep the meat moist after a quick release.
The Instant Pot, while convenient, is not a replacement for the stove, slow cooker, or oven. I still prefer my roasts slow cooked, like corned beef. They retain so much more flavor from breaking the connective tissue slowly. There are others who swear by it and abandon all their other appliances.
Liquid doesn’t evaporate in the Instant Pot the way it does in a slow cooker or on the stove so if you add 5 cups of broth, you’ll end up with 5 cups of broth at the end. You’ll probably have to add 1-2 cups additional liquid if you follow the recipe stovetop/slow cooker.

If I were to use one word to describe this soup, I would say TENDER.

KALE: Fibrous kale becomes meltingly tender- I’ve decided that this is my favorite way to cook kale. The trick is to remove all stems and chop the kale leaves into bite size pieces so that when the soup cooks, all the fibers break down and the bitterness mellows out too. I used tuscan//lacinato//dinosaur kale for its mellow flavor compared to its counterpart, curly kale because 50 cents a bunch is too good of a deal to say no. You can still use curly kale with the same results. If you like your kale to have a hardier and stronger flavor, you can add it in after the soup cooks too.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS: Let me tell you again, TENDER. TENDER. TENDER. These have to be some of the most tender meatballs I’ve ever had. Can you say TENDER? I used a slight modification of my italian chicken sausage recipe to make the meatballs whole30 compliant. You can also use pre-made italian sausage with the casings removed and rolled into meatballs for a shortcut because life happens and sometimes you have to roll with it. Use a tablespoon and roll the sausage mixture into balls and drop into the broth. I got 32 meatballs.

MIREPOIX: Can we say veggies galore? The combination of chopped onion, celery and carrots is enough to bulk up any soup. Since this soup is a light broth-based soup, I love the addition of extra vegetables. I always have these three ingredients stocked because you can use in so many soups and fillings, like pot pie. You can get these veggies pre-chopped too, if you’re looking to cut down on prep time.

I like to use low-sodium vegetable stock as my soup base because it tends to have sweet undertones which highlights the sweetness of the carrots and meatballs. Chicken stock will have more savory undertones but will work just as well.

I like the addition of a beaten egg at the end, while the soup is simmering on sautee for 2 minutes. It reminds me of egg drop soup and it adds texture and more protein to the soup. You can easily skip this step if eggs aren’t your thang but they’re very much in my top 5 faves like breakfast enchiladas. Feel free to sprinkle grated parm at the end for extra flavor- my kids love it this way!

Instant Pot Chicken Meatball+Kale Soup

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 ½ lbs. ground chicken breast
2 tbsp. arrowroot powder or ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tbsp. dried oregano
½ tbsp. basil
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast or grated Parmesan cheese

For soup:

6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
4 celery stalks, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten (optional)

Instructions

INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE SOUP BASE: On the HIGH SAUTEE setting, add olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add celery, onions, and carrots. Saute for 3 minutes, until vegetables start to become soft. Add garlic, salt, thyme, and red pepper. Add in kale and stir to combine. Add vegetable stock and continue to cook.
MAKE THE MEATBALLS: combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix well. Use a tablespoon to measure out meatballs. Wet hands to help create smooth balls and roll chicken mixture into meatballs. Continue to wet hands, if you feel the chicken sticking to your hands. Add chicken to the soup by gently dropping into the cooking soup. Do not stir or the meatballs will break apart.
SET THE INSTANT TO HIGH PRESSURE: Cancel the sautee setting using the cancel/keep warm button. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL PRESSURE and adjust pressure to HIGH. Secure lid on the pot and set to pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pot come to pressure. Once the cooker is finished, do a quick release and return the soup to the saute setting.
ADD EGGS: Slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a circular motion throughout the pot and cook for 2 minutes or until eggs are set. Turn Instant Pot off. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE SOUP BASE: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat Add celery, onions, and carrots. Saute for 5 minutes, until vegetables start to become soft. Add garlic, salt, thyme, and red pepper. Add in kale and stir to combine. Lower heat to low. Add vegetable stock and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
MAKE THE MEATBALLS: combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix well. Use a tablespoon to measure out meatballs. Wet hands to help create smooth balls and roll chicken mixture into meatballs. Continue to wet hands, if you feel the chicken sticking to your hands. Add chicken to the soup by gently dropping into the cooking soup. Do not stir or the meatballs will break apart. Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes.
ADD EGGS: Remove lid and slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a circular motion throughout the pot and cook for 2 minutes or until eggs are set. Remove from heat. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE MEATBALLS: combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix well. Use a tablespoon to measure out meatballs. Wet hands to help create smooth balls and roll chicken mixture into meatballs. Continue to wet hands, if you feel the chicken sticking to your hands.
ADD TO SLOW COOKER: Add olive oil, celery, onions, carrots,kale, ,and all the spices into the slow cooker. Cover with vegetable stock. Add in shaped meatballs.
COOK ON HIGH FOR 4 HOURS OR LOW FOR 6 HOURS.
ADD EGGS: Remove lid and slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a circular motion throughout the pot cover and cook for 30 minutes on high or until eggs are set. Turn off slow cooker.. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad {paleo, whole30 compliant}

October 25, 2016 1 Comment

Friends, we are here today to up your weekday chicken game. Do not take this claim lightly- I’m about to introduce you to an obsession that has become the sweetheart of my entire family. I’ll be honest, I started writing this post a couple of weeks ago and I got distracted because #life and left it unfinished. It turns out a lot happens in a week or two. Like you finish your insane fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants whole30 idea SUCCESSFULLY and decide, hey I can continue this thang because you’re a grown-up and you can eat healthy if you want, dammit. Save for the much anticipated delayed wedding anniversary date night where you end up getting tiramisu bigger than Rome only to realize that sugar is actually really, really sweet. Especially when you haven’t had it for 30+ days. Lesson learned.

But no matter, you won’t let that ruin your night so you walk it off and march on. Plans be waitin’ and the show must go on…literally. So then, what did the rest of my night entail? Guys, we went to see HAMILTON. THE HAMILTON that’s taking up the world by storm. Ever since the soundtrack came out, it’s been playing in my car, non-stop but seeing it live was pretty magical. Now, my days, and evenings are spent singing (off key) songs from the musical, thinking about food and/or taking pictures of food. Always with the taking pictures of food. And somewhere in there, I’ve been managing to keep the kids alive. Major win! With Halloween around the corner, it is most certainly all Hamilton, all the time in this house. And if we can get our kids to love history, I’m gonna call that a major parenting and nerd win.

Remember when I first told you I was doing the whole30? I finished the 30 days and I feel amazing. So much so that I realized I don’t actually NEED that much sugar in my life and I’m feeling ambitious enough to keep up this rekindled love for simple, fresh foods. One of the best parts for food blogger me was reinventing old classics to make them whole30 compliant. I’ve had a lot of fun turning italian chicken sausage into a breakfast staple by subbing in arrowroot flour for the breadcrumbs and omitting the parmesan completely. The result? dah-lish-ous! In the process, I’ve also come up with some new recipes I’m extremely happy with. Like my buffalo chicken cobb salad with a spicy, smoky dressing.

Until very recently, I was not a very big buffalo sauce fan. In fact, I preferred honey sriracha wings to buffalo wings. But lately, I’m obsessed with all things buffalo. It’s spicy without being overpowering; has a tang to it that can make you lips pucker in a gotta-go-back-for-more sorta’ way; and it has the ability to bring chicken’s A game to the table.

When I tell you we’re all obsessed with this salad, I mean O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D. As in, the first time I made it, I made what I thought was enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day. I tripled this recipe and brought all of it with me to a family dinner as a ‘just in case we need more’ contingency plan which I didn’t fully expect to happen, because hello control freak me. When I saw the last of the salad being polished off, I wanted to yell ‘noooooooooooooooo’ in slo-mo and grab the remaining shreds of salad in the bowl, tuck the bowl under my arm and sprint like a long distance runner. I resisted that urge and I think the world is a better place for it. People who don’t like salad went back for seconds. The power of this salad tho…

There’s just something about grilled chicken that’s spicy and tangy, tossed with a plethora of veggies and hardboiled eggs, topped with a creamy dressing loaded with flavor and laced with buffalo sauce. It brings heat, zest, bold flavor, and lots of addictability. Also, please don’t mistake this for a side salad. This is a MEAL. As in no more pushing lettuce around on a plate while waiting or the main course to arrive. This buffalo chicken salad is no small time salad. It will call the shots at your party. And guys, full disclosure, you may have a riot on your hands when you get to the last serving and people are at the table waiting to pounce on it. Imagine doing this as your post trick-or-treating meal. Then you can gorge yourself on candy and not feel bad because you ate your veggies. No, I didn’t just say that right after I swore off sugar. You know nothing of this.

If you’re doing this as a paleo/whole30 recipe, be sure to use a complaint mayo. I make my own these days (a post for another day) and I’m pretty sure I never want to get the jarred stuff again. Let me tell you, life changing yummy power. I’ve seen recipes for cobb salad dressing that add buttermilk and sour cream but I’m not the person who can go to the store for one ingredient that’s gonna stay in my fridge until the next time I clean it out. Plus it’s whole30 complaint which means it can’t have any dairy. I made it with classic ranch dressing type ingredients and perked up the flavors with the addition of hot sauce and fresh lemon juice. And wow does that hot sauce wake this dressing up. It’s like a double espresso shot of salad dressings.

The chicken, by itself, is so simple and so outrageously good. It’s two-ingredient perfection. Chicken breasts marinated in hot sauce; that’s it. I used Frank’s original hot sauce but the extra-hot sauce has a special place in my heart. Marinating the chicken is optional- if you’re running short on time, you can just toss the cooked and diced chicken in the sauce afterward but if you marinate, you’ll end up with a deeper flavor and add another layer of complexity. If you do marinate and grill, do it in a well ventilated room because the chili peppers in the sauce will burn and do a number on your lungs. I still maintain, albeit with bruised lungs, the pain was worth the taste of the chicken.

My dear friends, please please please don’t make the unforgivable mistake for overcooking your hardboiled eggs to the point where they are rubbery and the yolks have a gray ring around them. Allow the eggs to cook via steam so the yolks and whites set without taking on the toughness that I know too well. Then, there is the issue with losing half the whites with the shell. I don’t know about you, but my hardboiled eggs used to look like they were mauled while being peeled. I recently learned that all of this is avoidable with a few amendments to my previous method.

bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on high heat. Using a spoon with a long handle, gently lower eggs, one egg at a time into the boiling water.
once the eggs are in the boiling water, continue boiling for exactly one minute. After a minute, remove the pot from heat, cover and let stand for 9-10 minutes. The heat will gently cook the whites and yolks, while keeping the eggs moist.
after 10 minutes, drain hot water and replace with cold water to stop the eggs from cooking.
Gently crack the shell and peel away the shell. I crack the flatter end of the egg where there is an air pocket so it relieves some of the suction and stops the whites from peeling with the shell.

I think this salad has replaced the autumn harvest salad and the tandoori chicken caesar salad as my favorite salad. If you liked the caesar salad, you’re going to LOVE this buffalo chicken cobb salad, even without the bacon. Friends, please do yourself a favor and make. this. salad. Eat now, thank me later. kthanksbye!

Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad {paleo, whole30 compliant]

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 seedless cucumber, chopped
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large or 2 medium avocados, pitted and sliced
4 eggs, hardboiled, peeled, and quartered
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (less for milder chicken)
FOR THE DRESSING:
1/2 tbsp dried chopped onion
2 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise (use whole30/paleo compliant if needed)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dill weed
1 tbsp dijon or stone ground mustard
1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp milk or hot water
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

MARINATE THE CHICKEN: coat the chicken with 1/2 of the hot sauce, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Set aside.
MAKE THE DRESSING: combine mayonnaise with all the ingredients except for oil and water/milk. Stir with a whisk until well blended. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking the mayonnaise mixture until fully combined. Add the milk/water, 1 tbsp at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Add more liquid for thinner dressing and less for thicker dressing. Adjust salt and hot sauce accordingly. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
GRILL THE CHICKEN: Coat a large pan with oil and cook chicken over medium heat for 5-8 minutes on each side, until the chicken is completely cooked and juices run clear. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: Add lettuce in the bottom of a large bowl along with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. Arrange egg quarters and avocados on top of the lettuce. Dice the chicken and toss with the remaining hot sauce. Add to salad. Top with dressing and serve immediately.

Bomb Tikka Masala Sauce

October 10, 2016 2 Comments

Friends, I’ve been holding out on you. I’m guilty of recipe hoarding with this fab, anything but ordinary, bomb tikka masala sauce. I’ve have this in my draft box for weeks, while life just got the best of my time. But I will hoard no more, even if it means breaking out of my whole30 challenge bubble and posting a recipe other that was not originally a whole30 one (note: can be made whole30 compliant). This sauce, oh this sauce, is something I can’t wait to eat again- and I certainly couldn’t wait to share with you. Especially when the masala sauce goes double duty in chicken tikka masala enchiladas. WHAAAAAAAAAAA???? I can’t even. Just you wait, my friends. JUST. YOU. WAIT.

I never knew what tikka masala anything was until I was an adult. I know. ME. An wholly raised Indian, raised in the most traditional of ways never met tikka masala until later in life. To my credit, tikka masala isn’t actually ‘authentically’ indian. Such deception, in the creamiest of ways. It lures you in with promise of rich comfort and keeps you interested with its complex, tomatoey and nutty flavors. And you’re like , HELLO, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE? Just like that, you’ve been spoiled for the rest of your life thinking you’re having something authentically indian. Then your world shatters when you find out that it’s deceit. But I’m here to tell you, it’ll be okay. Tikka masala is so good, it doesn’t matter that it’s actually a British creation. It’s tikka masala sauce; all can be forgiven.

My most critical critic comes in the form of a 5 -year-old. The Little Diva would thrive reviewing food for a living. She has never been one to shy away from giving a 100% unbiased review of my cooking, followed by a very encouraging “don’t worry- you’ll get the recipe right eventually. EVENTUALLY!” as she happily skips off to play. When I watched her eyes grow wider and then a huge grin appeared on her face, I knew the tikka masala sauce simmering away on the stove had been conquered. The secret is in the paste, with freshly ground spices and a nutty base. Tikka masala paste, you’ve been put on notice. You are delicious.

Does it take a little bit of time to make? Yes. Will you love it and love me for it later? Absolutely. Make the paste once and have it ready in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for six months. The payoff and the wow factor make this masala sauce worth breaking that sweat. So go on, flex those culinary muscles, whip up a batch and invite your family and friends over for a friday night dinner. With the tikka masala paste in hand, you’ll be cooking like a boss.

Tikka masala paste is very versatile. You can go full cream and make a very rich and decadent sauce. I find that when I substitute milk for a part of the cream, it makes for a lighter, but still just as flavorful sauce. Want to make it vegan//paleo//whole30 compliant? Easy peasy. add canned coconut milk in place of the milk and cream. Full fat coconut milk will make this sauce creamy and rich while a reduced-fat version will give you a lighter sauce. For a vegetarian version, add lightly fried pieces of paneer; for a vegan version, pan-fried tofu cubes. And for the omnivores, boneless marinated pieces of chicken (in the paste) make this the ultimate chicken tikka masala. The possibilities are really endless here. I’m thinkin’ leftover thanksgiving turkey tikka masala. Or the chicken tikka enchiladas I’ll be posting. #drool.

You know how I’m always pushing to toast your spices? TOAST those spices because toasted spices —> winning sauce. Toasting spices draws out oils in nuts and concentrates flavor. In spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, it heavily perfumes the mixture and less becomes more. So the takeaway from this toasting conversation: toasting= winning at flavor ✨. If you can’t find the spices required to make garam masala, usually stocked at south asian grocery stores, pre-ground garam masala is readily available at most stores this days. Go ahead, use it- judgement free zone here.

You’ll end up with an orangish thick paste, with flecks of green and red. Love that green. That green, my friends, is the fresh and bold mint and cilantro that perks up your taste buds and creates the mmmmmmmm! lip smackability factor. I get it, you’re tired, you’re hungry– you want deliciousness for dinner. A quick deliciousness that wipes away the work week and transports you into an indian restaurant (or your mom’s kitchen) and as you use your warm, chewy naan to sop up this bomb sauce, you know you’ve hit the culinary jackpot. Go ahead, do the macarena and celebrate like the 90s are back.

Anything But Ordinary Tikka Masala Sauce

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Yield: 2 cups masala 1x

Scale

Ingredients

FOR THE TIKKA MASALA PASTE:
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tbsp garam masaala (recipe follows)
3” knob ginger, peeled and sliced
2 onions, peeled and quartered (I used one red and one white)
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup, roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup mint, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon and zest
1/2 cup unsalted almonds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tsp turmeric
3 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
FOR THE MASALA SAUCE:
2/3 to 1 cup tikka masala paste (less paste to keep it more mild)
3 cups milk
1/2 cup cream (to make vegan/whole30/paleo compliant, use coconut milk and water to equal 3/12 cups of liquid)
8 oz tomato sauce
2 tbsp cooking fat such as coconut oil/ghee/vegetable oil
FOR GARAM MASALA:
2 tbsp coriander
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp allspice berries
2 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp green cardamom pods
2–3 black cardamom pods

Instructions

MAKE THE GARAM MASALA. In a dry pan, over high heat, toast all the spices for the garam masala until fragrant, 2-3 minutes tossing occasionally to prevent burning. Please in a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind into a fine powder. Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 1 year.
TOAST THE ALMONDS AND COCONUT. In the same dry pan, toast the almonds and coconut until the coconut becomes golden brown and releases a nutty fragrance. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
PUREE ALL TIKKA MASALA INGREDIENTS. Place the toasted almonds, coconut, and all remaining ingredients into a food processor and pulse until you have a mostly smooth paste. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three weeks and in the freezer for up to six months.
MAKE THE MASALA SAUCE: Heat cooking fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once fat is heated, add 2/3 to a full cup of the tikka masala paste, depending on your spice preference. Saute until the paste is fully cooked and begins to separate from the fat, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk and cream, or coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add grilled chicken/tofu/paneer if desired*.
Serve with white rice and/or naan.

Notes

*if adding chicken, marinate cubed chicken in 1/3 cup tikka masala paste for at least 1/2 hour and grill or cook stovetop until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Autumn Harvest Bowl

October 7, 2016 6 Comments

I have three words for you. autumn. harvest. bowl.

Talk about clean eating. Yes, clean eating is delicious. This salad is cleaning eating; it’s seasonal eating. This salad is autumn in a bowl. It’s leaves changing colors, beginnings of crisp, cool mornings, and pulling out those gorgeous boots you got on clearance last spring and have been dying to rock all summer. It is teeming with creamy, slightly sweet butternut squash; caramelized red onions; tender yet crispy cauliflower; slightly tart dried cranberries; roasted pumpkin seeds; and firm, tangy seasonal apples. There is just so much happening here. The textures, the flavors, the yumminess. It’s almost too much to handle. ALMOST. And Homer J. Simpson, you DO make friends with salad. If it’s this autumn harvest salad.

Speaking of autumn, have you been apple picking yet? This year, like clockwork, we went apple picking. Apple picking is one of my favorite activities in the fall, next to pumpkin picking and I look forward to it all year. In fact, it’s become something of a tradition at our house to go as soon as humanly possible after Labor Day weekend. We come home with a giant loot that we munch on for days/weeks. And then it hits me- we have a whole bushel of apples and munching on them isn’t quite making a dent so then I start incorporating them into recipes. Sure, apple pie sounds great but seriously, with my sugar dragon roaring, I can’t risk eating an entire apple pie by myself because #sugarmakesmyworldgoround. ESPECIALLY with halloween and thanksgiving around the corner (seriously?! It’s OCTOBER already!)

My sugar dragon has been majorly out of control and ever since I got back from summer to fall life, I’ve been feelin’ it. And not in a good way. I’ve been looking for a way to detox and go back to CLEAN eating. Like real, actual clean eating I can be proud of. When I tell people I’m a food blogger, they expect gourmet, fab food but my reality has been either very semi-homemade or shortcut-based cereal eating for dinner. Total slacking happening here which is why you don’t see me post evidence of my slackmanship. So I’ve been experimenting these last few weeks with different ways of eating. I picked up a book at the library a couple of weeks ago, just as I was walking past the bestsellers and happened to pick it up. I’d heard of The Whole30 in passing before and have thought about doing some recipes. As I was reading, I realized that this might be my way out of my sugar addiction. Enter the whole30. It’s like bootcamp for taming my sugar dragon. Also, please note, I wish I was cool enough to have thought of the phrase sugar dragon but I lifted it from the pages of whole30.

The general premise? You eat whole, unprocessed foods for 30 days. Unprocessed meats (with nitrites), veggies, fruit, seafood, seeds and most nuts are supposed to be the foods that provide fuel for your body. What did I cut out of my diet? Grains of all kinds, soy, dairy, processed meats, legumes, gluten, and ALL refined sugar (natural and artificial). Yes, ALL S-U-G-A-R, including maple syrup and honey. Why would someone subject themselves to this horrible torture? Because you’re trying to break the cycle of sugar addiction, which by the way is in everything as I learned. Even sriracha! I now read the labels on every food item before buying it. It’s amazing how much sugar we are unknowingly consuming! It seems so, so, so difficult but it’s all tough love- and tough love is something I desperately need to get back to my real lyfe of self-care. And there are so many possibilities of so many things you CAN have. I haven’t repeated a single dinner, yet. All you have to do is spend some time prepping and then it’s smooth sailing.

I’ve been modifying my recipes to fit into whole30. Like this blast-from-the past italian chicken sausage. I subbed in nutritional yeast and arrowroot flour for the parmesan and breadcrumbs, and all of a sudden it’s whole30 compliant! I’m two weeks into it and I feel great (now). The first couple of days, I felt like I’d been hit by a garbage truck, filled with sugar, on its way out of my driveway, after having collected my lifetime supply of all things sugar. That first night, I was like a crazy person, talking to myself and trying to will myself to not crave sugar or carbs. I’ve noticed a definite change in my skin, as I’m no longer breaking out. Yes, starch and sugar have THAT much of an effect. I’m not exhausted by 5 which means I’m not secretly celebrating when it’s time for the kids to go to bed. Seriously, WHO IS THIS PERSON in my body?! I might even start believing that I’ve got IT together!

Chia seed pudding, minus the honey, has been a lifesaver when I just need a quick meal. The key is in the dates. But wonderful things like autumn harvest salad have made an appearance in my life and I’m not in a hurry to say goodbye. One of the best things about this bowl is that is so versatile to change and adaptable to different ingredients. It doesn’t have to be an exclusive whole30 kinda thang. But don’t skip the cauliflower, roasted squash and apples. Add but don’t take away. If you don’t have butternut squash, feel free to sub in sugar pumpkin, kuri or acorn squash, or even delecta. This is a fall friendly bowl so give it some autumn produce love. The creaminess from the squash is a great stand-in for creamy cheeses like goat or feta. The key to drawing out the natural sugars and perfect caramelization? High heat roasting.

Cauliflower is a very understated vegetable. It is deceptively delicious and a more nutritious sub for potatoes in roasted garlic cauliflower mash or can take on a whole new flavor profile in roasted red pepper and cauliflower spaghetti. In the autumn harvest bowl, cauliflower takes on the rightful role as as the ‘bulk’ food, especially after it hangs out in the oven with red onion and draws out the subtle sweetness.

Growing up, I DESPISED apples. I would eat other fruit but if you gave me an apple, I would cry. But now, apples > candy. When I had (adult) braces, I lamented biting into a whole apple instead of having to pre-plan and cut into slices. The first week I got my braces off, I ate a million apples. I was like a kid in a candy store, filled and abandoned. It was then that I discovered a world beyond red delicious. Tart and crisp galas, soft golden delicious, and ohmygosh honeycrisp, the apple every appleseed dreams of becoming. The apples in this bowl have impressive showmanship. They add a burst of natural flavor, crisp texture, and offset the sweet creaminess of the squash.

Then we build onto the bowl and this is where it gets fun and creative. Toasted pumpkin seeds add additional crunch to cut through the creamy goodness. Friends, you must toast the pumpkin seeds. You must, you must, you must- untoasted pumpkin seeds are criminal. Start telling yourself, it doesn’t take long and the payoff will make you feel like a baws. For whole30 compliant cranberries, make sure you get cranberries sweetened with apple juice, because dried cranberries, in the normal form, are little sugar bombs. I prefer the apple juice sweetened cranberries because they’re not so sugary sweet and have an unapologetic tang. Some juicy, plump golden raisins would be great as an alternative to the cranberries too!

Friends, the dressing is a very basic, four ingredient dressing I’ve been making for years. It’s foolproof but really brings the bowl together. At this point, if you’re looking for even more bulk, diced grilled chicken is a classic addition. I added grilled chicken to mine for leftovers and I didn’t even end up going back to seconds. That’s how filling it was. I think some citrusy shrimp would be great here too. So go ahead, personalize and make this the dish that makes you friends.

Autumn Harvest Bowl

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled diced (4–5 cups)
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (5 cups)
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3–4 medium apples, cored and diced
1/3 dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice)
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tbsp divided
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
A handful of chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Toss butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Spread out on baking sheet in a single layer.
Toss onions and cauliflower with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Spread out on baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast vegetables in oven for 15-20 minutes, until squash becomes soft and cauliflower starts browning. Flip with spatula and roast for 5 more minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, place pumpkin seeds in a dry and toast over high heat, until the seeds become light golden brown. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine lemon juice and remaining salt and pepper. Whisk rigorously with a wire whisk and slowly drizzle in remaining olive oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine squash, onions, cauliflower, apples, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and parsley. Drizzle in dressing and gently toss with a spoon until well coated.
*Add grilled chicken if desired*

Succulent Corn Curry

August 2, 2016 2 Comments

Ohhithere! Yup, it’s me. The return of the lost blogger. In my defense, my summer has been packed, I mean PACKED with things like travel. So much travel. International. Domestic. You name it, I’ve done it– at least it seems this way. But I’m hopeful you’ll take be back in spite of my prolonged absence because I come bearing corn kadhi (curry). Not just boring ole kadhi, this one is teeming with peak season, sweet, yellow corn. Ya know, the wondrous fruit and vegetables stands that decorate the midwest roadside come prime summer harvest time, bursting with delicious corn? Yes, THAT corn is the star of this show. I hope we can go back to the way we used to be over a bowl of steamy rice, smothered with sweet yet savory peak-season-veggie corn curry. Be still my ❤.

I came back from India (!) to a CSA box overflowing with ears of corn. And lucky me and my wholy midwestern family, we got two shares to make up for our holds from vacation. Now, I have 20+ ears of fresh, organic corn, with endless possibilities. And yes, I did take lots of pictures which I’m working on posting soon.

I missed this. I missed these foodversations with you, my dear readers. And I have this sense of comfort, writing, blogging, photographing while pausing every few minutes with “Sweetie pie, please put your pants back on. And no, that cheeto behind the couch doesn’t belong in your mouth” or “Guys, I just need five minutes. If you’re not bleeding or need emergency medical attention, then you can wait while I finish this paragraph.” This truly my happy place in my world of piles of laundry, sinks full of dishes, and dirt being tracked in through the patio door. so.much.dirt.

Sadly, summer is winding down and we’re in the dog-days of August. Sure, it’s hot but there is an endless bounty of fresh produce, post-play popsicles to be had, and the last couple of weeks before the kids go back to school (yay!). I’m gonna invoke my safe-space, judgement-free zone privilege here, be real here, and say ‘yes, a thousand times yes, I’m so ready for my kids to be back in school so we can all benefit from being apart for a few hours a day.’ But that quiet. Oh those quiet mornings with my boy(s), now that Little Man is starting preschool. Pardon my mid-post dreaming.

Life right now, however, consists of copious amounts of tex mex like chicken tamale pie, unbeatable enchiladas, and indian food, like this corn kadhi. What is this kadhi business, you ask? Kadhi is a yogurt based curry, thickened with gluten-free (yes!) chickpea flour, and simmered to perfection. And then it’s tempered as a final step, with warm, whole cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole dried chilies, and curry leaves. I love the addition of smashed garlic to the tempering mixture for added punch and flavor. Plus I just love garlic. Did I happen to mention that the moment I opened the CSA box and The Mister saw the corn, he cried out “CORN KADHI!” like the midwesterner he is?

I didn’t grow up with indian recipes that made use of corn. I remember roasted corn with lime, salt, and chili powder- that’s the extent of my corn savviness from my childhood so when The Mister asked me about it years ago, I said “challenge accepted” and set out to make a no-frills and comfort based indian dish that starred corn. Enter corn kadhi. And while I’ve tried many variations over the years, this version is the one I love most of all. The simplicity of it alone makes this a great weeknight dinner, clocking at under 30 minutes from start to finish. And you know what I love the absolute most about this dish? No chopping vegetables. Winner winner, kadhi dinner!

It’s also comfort on a plate. Ladled over a plate of fragrant, white basmati rice, the gravy is filled with subtle tartness, laced with the aroma of curry leaves and fried garlic. Go ahead, close your eyes and take a whiff. I’ll wait for you. I feel like I’m transported into my mom’s kitchen, as she prepares dinner and I’m ten and insisting on helping her. Watching her work is art in motion. Her expert hands adding a handful of this and a spoonful of that; grabbing fitstfuls of vibrant cilantro, expertly smashing garlic cloves, and tossing it all into the pot. And as she leaned in to smell the kadhi, I would get up on my tiptoes and quietly inhale the warmth of the gravy myself. Then she would add the chickpea fritters. H-E-A-V-E-N. Mom, sorry but you may have a lot of internet strangers (my friends) at your door in like five secs.

And while my mom adds chickpea fritters to her traditional kadhi, I’m a little bit less traditional with mine with the addition of corn. The thing about this corn curry is that while it’s ah-mazing with fresh corn on the cob, it works just as well with frozen corn on the cob because um, corn. So go ahead, don’t be afraid to celebrate corn on the cob in the fall or wintertime. In fact, I make corn kadhi in the fall at last once a month from the corn I’ve frozen from my CSA box. Thank goodness for CSA boxes that help me venture outside of my comfort zone and become a culinary adventurer.

Succulent Corn Curry

Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 8 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
3 ears corn, husked and cut into fourths (12 pieces)
5–6 cups water
2 tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder or to taste
2 tsp cumin seeds
5–6 curry leaves
5–6 whole dried chilies
1 tsp mustard seeds
4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed lightly
1/4 cup cilantro chopped plus more for garnish
sliced jalapenos for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic and ginger and let cook until it turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Add chickpea flour and stir with wire whisk until it becomes fragrant. Slowly whisk in yogurt to form a paste. Continue whisking to prevent lumps. Add in turmeric, chili powder, and salt.
Slowly whisk in water, one cup at a time, until no lumps remain. Bring to a rolling boil on high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add corn cobs and reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking the curry, Heat remaining oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add garlic cloves and stir until fragrant and the garlic starts to change color. Add curry leaves coat with oil. Cook for 30 seconds, until the leaves start becoming crisp. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and dried chilis. Stir to coat with oil. Be careful of splatter!
Remove saucepan from heat. Add mixture from saucepan to the curry and immediately close the lid. Remove from heat and add in cilantro.
Serve hot with white basmati rice or roti.
Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro.

Better Than Takeout Beef & Broccoli

March 2, 2016 Leave a Comment

My favorite type of takeout is a very close call between chinese and thai. I grew up with mostly indian food, and some indianized versions of good ole’ american fare. I didn’t know that burgers weren’t supposed to have garlic and ginger paste, garam masaala, or cilantro in them until I was well into my teenage years. And if it didn’t have a healthy coloring of yellow from turmeric, it was bland and tasteless; it was one of the laws of nature in my house. If american fare was foreign to my family, takeout chinese and other types of asian cuisine might as well have come from Tatooine as far as we were concerned. Luckily for me, I went to a friend’s house for dinner one night, while in high school, and her family ordered chinese food. Thus began my love affair with chinese takeout.

Fast forward to present-day where a night of Netflix binge watching and chinese (or thai) takeout after the munchkins are tucked into bed, is my ultimate way to unwind. It’s even better if there is a backlog of chores that I’m ignoring at the moment. There’s just something so rebellious about putting off work to play. So this weekend, I made The Mister binge watch a ~~few episodes~~ the ENTIRE SEASON of Fuller House while seriously wanting chinese takeout. Don’t look at me with that smug smile- you know you, child of the 90s did the exact same thing, lounging around in your pajamas, relishing in the glory that was your childhood (or teenagedom). It simply can’t be helped.

I didn’t get my takeout fix and it carried over into the week so I gave in and decided to do something about it, which is kinda hard to do when you’ve reset your healthy eating vows for like the 10,000,000th time in the last 3 months and said it was the last and final time each. single.time. I did the next best thing: I made broccoli and beef myself.

Dear reader, you may commence drooling as I have, even though I just ate every last grain and morsel of this very bowl that I photographed. Major perk of being a food blogger: you get to eat the props. How could I say no to a slightly sweet, slightly salty sauce laced with ginger undertones, perfectly tender but still crisp broccoli florets and those amazingly delicate strips of beef? You try saying no when it calls to you. And guess what? My version if broccoli and beef is a lot leaner and cleaner than the takeout version so go ahead and indulge.

The sauce is rich and thick and I actually doubled the recipe for the sauce and saved half of it for topping when reheating or just for those of us who like extra saucy broccoli and beef. ALWAYS more sauce. ALWAYS. Honestly, you can the eat broccoli and beef by itself but if you want to stretch it and have more portions, serve with hot white rice, noodles, or veggie noodles. Veggie noodles, you ask? Yes, a thousand times yes! But veggie noodles deserve a solo post of me gushing over them, so let’s save that for a different conversation. If you’re looking for a low-carb option, do yourself a favor, if you haven’t already had eggroll in a bowl, make this ASAP! But back to the sauce, the recipe as written is regular saucy. Double if you want very saucy.

What really flavors both the beef and the sauce, in a big way, is sesame oil. A little stretches far because it has such a solid foundation, which is perfect because even though you’re not adding a lot of fat, every drop of fat, is PACKED with strong, bold punches that make this dish taste even better than takeout. Most major grocery stores now sell sesame oil in the ethnic foods section. If you don’t have it on hand or can’t find it, use an oil that has a high burning point, like canola or vegetable oil. *Tip for storing sesame oil: always store sesame oil in the refrigerator once opened; it will stay fresh longer and won’t become rancid.

Broccoli and beef is also the perfect meal for a quick weeknight dinner. Start to finish, it’s ready in half an hour, including all the prep work. So bust out that late 90s Pandora playlist and do a happy dance ?. If you’re using pre-cut, frozen broccoli florets (not chopped broccoli, please), then you’ve already taken another shortcut and shaved off 5 minutes. Speaking of broccoli, my munchkins are broccoli lovers. They wanted to know if I could make a dish of just the sauce and broccoli next time. What would that be called; broccoli and broccoli?

I used thinly sliced beef chuck because that’s what I had on hand but thinly sliced flank steak, sliced against the grain, is ideal. When I say against the grain, I mean, take a look at the way the muscles run in the steak, usually lengthwise. Slice widthwise, into about 1/4-inch strips. It helps to freeze the steak for 2o minutes beforehand. Please don’t slice a fully frozen steak; you’ll end up damaging your knives and possibly yourself. So take my word for it and JUST. DON’T. TRY. IT. Because I care about you, my dear, wonderful internet friend, I will give you that wisdom on the house.

So go ahead and enjoy this takeout fakeout treat and then instagram your m&s creation(s): @mannaandspice or save the recipe to yummly!

Better Than Takeout Beef & Broccoli

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 4 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 lb thinly sliced beef (preferably flank steak)
1 small onion, finely diced
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp plus additional, 1 tsp sesame oil divided
2 –3 cups fresh or frozen cut broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic minced
1 inch grated ginger (1–2 tsp)
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
1–2 green onions, chopped (optional)
4 cups cooked white rice or noodles (optional)

Instructions

MAKE THE SAUCE: combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 cup water, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add 3 tbsp of sauce to meat and set aside. Mix 1 cup cold water with cornstarch and stir into remaining sauce. Set aside.
COOK THE BEEF: In a wok or heavy bottomed pan, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil on high heat. AWhen the oil is almost smoking, add onion and cook for 1 minute. Add beef and stir to combine. Cook for 5-8 mins until meat is seared on all sides and onion is caramelized. Add broccoli and saute until broccoli is tender but still crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Add sauce and cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. The sauce will thicken quickly. If it is drying out, add 1/4 cup water at a time, until sauce reaches desired consistency. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
GARNISH and SERVE: top with chopped green onion and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with white rice or noodles, if desired.

Hot Oven Baked Sliders

February 1, 2016 4 Comments

You guys, I have the biggest crush on my oven. I mean, anything that can bring me hot, toasty, melty, gooey, delicious sammies deserves to be crushed on. Saying these hot oven baked sliders are good is like me telling you that the earth revolves around the sun. It’s not an opinion, it is a fact. Period. So when I say these sliders are 100% ~~worthy~~ a requirement for your Super Bowl Sunday spread, I am merely stating a fact. You should also add this homestyle game-day chili to your menu.

I mean, mountains of shaved and shredded meat, cheese, tangy sauce, on a sweet hawaiian roll, topped with a buttery poppyseed-y dressing. Then baked to perfection, until the cheese and the bread become one and the sauce melts into the meat. And the dressing. Oh the dressing. It will seep into the buns and the buns will glisten in all their glory. Now this is a meal fit for kings…or football fanatics.

That being said, I haven’t had much time (or patience) to figure out my spread because, basically, the manna & spice younglings have been dropping like flies in the last week. Because flu season. So today, after banishing every single germ that could have entered my house (read: cleaning and disinfecting the house), I decided, I simply must pull myself out of my sickness-induced funk and tell you about these fan-thaaahhhhh-asssstic lovelies. And they come with a stamp of approval from The Mister.

You know, the more that I think about it, the more I realize that he is the Jeffery to my Ina. And once, I did send him a box full of baked goods, similar to Ina’s shoebox full of brownies for Jeffery. Back to last night as I pull these sandwiches out of the oven and The Mister leans over my shoulder and goes, “Want me to test one out for you? You know, as the family taste tester.” His sense of smell is amazing.

This was promptly followed by “Ohmygod, this is one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had!”

Okay, okay, enough about us. Let’s go back to these out-of-this-world sliders. You guys, you won’t believe how easy they are to put together, how quickly, they come together, and how perfect they are for feeding a crowd. Did I mention that they’re totally customizable? And um did I tell you how they’re so, so easy, I think I’d even trust The Mister to put them together? Yes, they’re THAT easy!

Hot oven baked sliders= love because they can be made so many different ways. This time, I made two versions. And really, I had a hard time deciding which one I liked more. But the beauty of making two different kinds is you have a little from column A and a little from column B. With one version, I used turkey and baby swiss and the other I did with buffalo chicken and pepperjack cheese. Now, let me tell you, I’m not the biggest fan of buffalo sauce. I know, it’s like a cardinal sin to admit that but I just don’t really care for it. Buffalo sauce in this recipe though, was just wow. No, no, no, I mean I was silently questioning all of my life choices, wondering what else I needed to re-explore because I dismissed it previously. Yes, it was THAT NOM!

Let’s talk dressing. It’s a very simple, no-fail dressing I made with melted butter (I used Smart Balance), dijon mustard, brown sugar or honey (I used brown sugar for the turkey and baby swiss sliders and honey for the buffalo chicken sliders and they are almost identical in taste). And you just just pour it all over the assembled sliders, before popping them into the oven. Oh, and guys, when I say pour, I actually mean smother. Oh yes, S-M-O-T-H-E-R.

Admit it, these sliders look impressive. Honestly, putting poppy seeds on anything makes it look impressive. It says “Hello, I know what I’m doing in the kitchen. I mean, who else do you know that uses poppyseeds? Ex-accccttttllllyyy” Actually, the poppyseeds add a crunchy texture to the sliders and stand up well to the string-ish nature of the cheese. But seriously guys, you can customize the contents of these sliders.

Just a few ideas:

roast beef and cheddar
leave out the cream cheese in the buffalo chicken sliders if you don’t like cream cheese and swap out for more cheese
add pickles
pastrami and french dressing

and the list goes on and on. So you get it when I say, these sliders are like the most versatile things ever. And when you serve them this weekend, prepare to bask in the glory of being the best cook ever.

Some tips:

freezing the rolls beforehand helps to prevent tearing when slicing them in half. I froze mine for an hour and was able to slice right through them. The dressing on top will bring back any moisture that is lost when freezing them.
use a sharp bread knife or a serrated knife to slice the bread-it will allow the weight of the knife to cut the bread rather than force you to exert pressure on the bread and bruising the bread.
The dressing recipe, as written makes enough for 12 sliders. Simple double (or triple) the recipe if you’re making making more than 12 sliders.

Hot Oven Baked Sliders

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 12-24** 1x

Scale

Ingredients

TURKEY SLIDERS
12 sweet hawaiian rolls
12 slices shaved turkey breast
12 slice baby swiss cheese
1 tbsp dijon mustard
6 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
BUFFALO CHICKEN SLIDERS
12 sweet hawaiian rolls
1 1/2–2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot (I used Frank’s Red Hot Original)
oil for grilling chicken
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese or other cheese of choice
5 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup jarred jalapenos
FOR DRESSING (enough for 12 rolls)*
5 tbsp melted butter or butter spread
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried onion flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
MAKE THE DRESSING
In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, mustard, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar (or honey), garlic powder, onion flakes, and poppy seeds. Whisk together until well blended.
TURKEY SLIDERS
Using a very sharp knife, cut the rolls in half, without separating them into individual rolls. Place bottom half of rolls in lightly greased 9X13 dish. Layer turkey slices onto rolls. Layer cheese slices on top of cheese. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, paprika, worcestershire sauce, and dijon mustard. Stir until combined well. Spread the sauce on the inside of the top half of the rolls. Place onto the rest of the sandwich.
Pour dressing over the top of the assembled sandwiches. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.
BUFFALO CHICKEN SLIDERS
Rub chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat enough oil to cook chicken in a saucepan, over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear and chicken is completely cooked. Take off heat and move onto a plate or bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken and set aside.
Heat butter on medium heat and add hot sauce in. Stir to combine and cook until butter has melted into the sauce. Add shredded chicken back into pan and cook until sauce has thickened.
Using a sharp knife, slice rolls in half, without breaking them off individually. Place bottom half on a greased 9X13 dish. Layer shredded chicken mixture on top of rolls. Scatter jalapenos evenly. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Spread cream cheese gently on inside of the top half of the rolls and place cream cheese side down on top of the chicken.
Pour dressing over the sliders and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.
Serve hot.

Notes

*the recipe, as written, makes enough for 12 sliders. If you are making a double batch, double the recipe
**the recipe is for two types of sliders. 1 serving is 1 slider.