carrot risotto

i’m going to keep this short and sweet because you need to stop everything you’re doing and go buy LOTS of carrots to make this recipe ASAP. i’ve discovered loads of great recipes on Food 52 lately, this being one of them. 

my favorite thing about this risotto is that although it’s a hearty dish, it somehow feels light and totally seasonally appropriate. i shot this recipe back in april and intended to share it with you as a vegetarian easter dinner idea. yeah… work has been keeping me pretty busy lately - sorry about that! mostly sorry because i’ve kept this recipe from you for so long. 

we roast, caramelize, puree and shred the carrots first. the recipe might seem like a lot of work for risotto but by doing the carrots 4 ways, you get a rich, full-bodied carrot flavor. it's worth every step and then some. 

carrot risotto

adapted from katherine martinelli via food 52

yields 6 servings

ingredients:

7 carrots

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 TBSP butter

1 c. arborio rice

½ c. dry white wine

2 TBSP butter

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

4 oz mascarpone

½ c. grated parmesan cheese

34 oz vegetable stock

preheat oven to 375º F. 

slice 4 of the carrots into thin, even rounds. divide them in half - try to keep the smaller ones together and the larger ones together. it will help with even baking. 

caramelize the smaller rounds in a medium sized skillet over medium-low heat. melt the butter and add in the carrots sugar and salt. give them a gentle stir and watch them closely. once they’re golden on one side, flip them over and cook. it will take about 10 - 15 minutes. place them on a paper towel to cool. if any of the pieces get slightly overdone, that’s ok. 

roast the other half of the carrot rounds on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil. sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and pop them in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until tender and golden. 

shred 2 of the carrots on the large grate of a cheese grater and set aside. chop the remaining carrot into small pieces and cook in a small sauce pan with 1c. water. boil until they’re soft & can be mashed into a carrot puree. 

put the chicken stock into a stockpot and heat over medium-low. coat the bottom of a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil. add the onion and cook until slightly translucent. add in the shredded carrots & and cook for 3 more minutes. add in the rice and smashed garlic cloves. cook for 1 minute and then pour in the wine. stir for 1 minute and then add in the carrot puree & 1 ladle of vegetable stock. stir continuously adding in a ladle of broth as it gets absorbed by the rice. the rice will be finished when it’s al dente & the liquid is absorbed & no longer soupy. add in the roasted carrots & half of the caramelized carrots, parmesan and mascarpone cheese. garnish with remaining caramelized carrots. 

improv style:

you can use chicken stock if you don’t have vegetable stock. you can omit the white wine and add in extra stock instead. i like the flavor the wine gives it - i use kendal jackson chardonnay because i love the buttery richness that an oaky chardonnay gives the dish. you could also use a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. 

holiday leftovers part 3

Remember when I said my family always makes WAYYYY too much food?! Well, it's so true. One year I found myself making dinner for 18 when I was only serving 6 people. I had a mountain of leftover mashed potatoes and after 4 nights in a row of reheating the leftovers, I had enough leftover mashed for a lifetime. Ok, lets be real, more like a few weeks but you get my point... I found myself with a ton of mashed potatoes and I couldn't even think about eating anymore. That's when it hit me. GNOCCHI made from the leftover mashed potatoes. Something that felt completely different from the original dish but used up the remaining leftovers. If you, like me, find yourself with an excess of mashed potatoes and don't fee like reheating them, you have to try this. Leftover mashed potatoes are always so dry and gross anyway. 

This is the type of recipe that will vary depending on how you make your mashed potatoes. Use it as a guide but know that you might have to adjust the amount of flower depending on how wet or dry your leftover potatoes are. There's nothing worse than a super gummy or heavy gnocchi. 

gnocchi from leftover mashed potatoes
makes about 180 gnocchi (enough for 4 generous servings)

ingredients:
2 c. leftover mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ c. flour (more or less depending on consistency)
¼ c. grated parmesan
salt to taste

Start by sprinkling a large work space with a dusting of flour. If there are any beads of water surrounding your leftover mashed potatoes, pat them dry with a paper towel. Put your leftover mashed potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill, letting the pieces fall in a thin, rectangular shape in the middle of your work space. This will remove any lumps and skin that might have been in the mashed potatoes and will fluff them up resulting in a lighter gnocchi. If you don't have one of these, just do your best to fluff it with a fork. You'll sacrifice texture a little bit but it will still turn out. Pour your beaten egg over the mashed potatoes & sprinkle with 1 c. of the flour to start & the parmesan cheese + salt. Depending on how wet or dry your potatoes are, the amount of flour you'll need will vary.

Start to mix the dough together with your hands like you would any bread or pasta. Be gentle but make sure it's well incorporated. Sprinkle with more flour, as needed until the dough comes together and isn't too sticky to the touch. It shouldn't feel too fragile (like it won't stick together) but it definitely shouldn't be tough. It will be slightly elastic as you're kneading it. When the dough is the right consistency, divide it into 4 equal parts. Roll each section into a long, thin snake. Cut about 1 cm thick pieces. This will become your little gnocchi. On the back of a fork, gently roll the dough, creating little ridges in the gnocchi. This is an important step because this is what makes the pasta stick to the dumpling! Toss onto a lightly floured baking sheet and repeat. Turn up the Beyonce and get in your zone... if you're into that sort of thing.

In a large pot of boiling water, toss about 20 gnocchi in at a time. You'll know they're done when the rise to the surface. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or into a pan with your favorite sauce. Keep cooking them a few at a time until you've made your way through the batch. If you're not ready to make the gnocchi, you can freeze them uncooked on a baking sheet for a few hours. You can then transfer them into a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Or you can cook them and lightly toss them in olive oil to keep them from sticking. This will make the sauce not stick to them as well but it will work just fine if you're feeling a strong urge to cook them immediately. 

improv style:
you can make these with leftover roasted potatoes or even roasted sweet potatoes. you could even add in some roasted garlic for a twist on flavor. 

i like to serve them with all sorts of different sauces. i did a vodka sauce with mascarpone but brown butter and sage, fresh pesto, or even baked with alfredo sauce are all great ways to do it. 

breaking the silence

Life has been BUSY. Busy but so so so so so so good. I'm breaking the long silence with one of my favorite recipes lately. A good friend of mine in Chicago made this salad for me in May and I've been doing a version of it ever since. She's an amazing person. The kind of person that you meet and instantly feel like you've known forever. She's got such a warm and inviting energy and she's weird. Weird in the best possible way. This salad is such a great expression of how I see her because it mixes some usual suspects with some things I wouldn't think to put into a salad. She's the kind of person that just makes you happy to be around and is always surprising you with her endearing quirks. 

When she first made it for me I was nervous. She combined some of my favorite ingredients with some things I thought I didn't like/wouldn't like together. The salad didn't really make sense in my brain but I went with it. Because I was her guest and because I'm always open to new food combos. I'm so glad I was too because it made me a believer that raw kale can be tasty. This is a kale salad but before I lose some of you, I want to warn you that this is a great intro to kale salad recipe. It's health food light thanks to some awesome ingredients. 

I'm not going to lie, unless kale is blended into my morning smoothie it's usually too aggressive a veggie for my pallet. It's so earthy and fibrous. BUT, this salad does such a great job of distracting you from all of that AND I have three tricks up my sleeve that really makes all the difference for any kale salad. 

Trick 1, chop that kale into thin, small shreds! It makes eating the salad a lot more enjoyable and it's so much easier to chew. 

Trick 2, dress your salad a few hours before you're going to eat it and up to 3 days before! Kale is an incredibly fibrous veggie and unlike lettuce, it won't wilt and get soggy once you put the dressing on it. In fact, the dressing helps break down the kale a bit. 

Trick 3, remove that thick vein that goes down the middle of the leaf. it's super fibrous and not very palatable. 

Now that I've set you up with the basics, lets get into it.

kale salad for beginners

yields 4 servings

6 c. chopped dinosaur or curly leaf kale

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 c. green beans, chopped

2 carrots, choped

½ c. cooked tortellini 

1 TBSP red pepper flakes (to taste)

¼ c. lime cilantro vinaigrette (to taste)

2 TBSP tahini (sesame seed paste)

⅛ c. parmesan shavings

salt + pepper

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and give it a few good stirs. Don't be afraid of the red pepper flakes. I thought for sure that one would get stuck in the back of my throat and have me coughing up a storm. Turns out they somehow melt and just add a nice depth of flavor, not crazy spiciness. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight. This will keep 3-4 days in the fridge.

improv style:

use seasonal veggies and veggies that you like. i love green beans cooked but the raw green beans in this salad really works. i'm telling you, my friend is magical - every ingredient just works.

if you don't want to make your own dressing, you can use store bought. trader joes makes an awesome lime cilantro vinaigrette. green goddess dressing would be a good option too. whatever your favorite store bought dressing is should work. 

if you don't have tahini, don't go out buying it (unless you want to of course). i like the subtle creaminess it adds to the dish. it's easily left out. 

you can keep this dairy or gluten free by leaving out the pasta and cheese. the tortellini adds a nice texture - little bit creamy, little bit of that awesome pasta chew. the cheese adds a bit of a salty bite and helps tone down the earthy kale. if you're into kale salads, you can definitely leave these two out and go on with your bad self!

get creative!

i made them extra schloppy for ye!

Are you sick of being healthy yet? If so, I've got the perfect recipe to get you fired up again. Since I stumbled upon this recipe in Food Network Magazine a few weeks ago, I can not stop making it. It's one of my new favorite go-to's and I'm not even a sloppy joe fan. I think they had me convinced to try it when I saw the pickles on top. 

This recipe is health food masked by comfort. Lentils, carrots, and red bell peppers are mixed with a little ground beef (or turkey if you want to be EXTRA good). It's got a meaty texture and it's packed with veggies and lots of protein thanks to the lentils and meat combo. I've altered the recipe a bit to make it less processed but this recipe is easily adapted to your needs. 

What's better than comfort food that's good for you?! It's secret health!

 Hope you guys are having an amazing 2013 so far. I've had a lot of fun playing with my new lens courtesy of santa! Can't wait to take more amazing shots to share my recipes with you guys this year! What do you think of the new lens?

lentil sloppy joes

adapted from food network

yields 6 servings

ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ TSP dried oregano

½ c. dried brown lentils

4 c. water

4 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP worcestershire sauce

8 oz ground beef

salt + pepper

6 whole wheat buns

6 slices sharp cheddar cheese

handful of spinach leaves

pickle slices

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and let soften 2-3 minutes before adding the carrots and bell pepper. Cook until softened then add in your garlic and oregano and cook 1 minute more. Pour in the lentils and give em a good stir before adding your water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low. Add in your tomato paste and worcestershire sauce and let simmer for 40 minutes until the lentils are tender and the water is absorbed. If the lentils are still hard, add in a little more water and keep cooking. 

In another pan, brown your ground beef. Add it into your softened lentil mixture and cook another 5 - 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Toast your buns or leave em soft… whatever you prefer and add some leaves of spinach, a slice of cheddar, a schlop of the joe mixture and put some pickles on top - voila!

Serve them with your favorite side. I think baked sweet potato fries make the perfect companion!

improv style:

this may seem like a time consuming recipe but most of the cooking is inactive. you can make this a few days in advance so it's a quick meal for the weekday. the mixture gets better with time too, just like spaghetti sauce. 

not a fan of one of the veggies listed? leave it out or substitute it for one of your fav's. if you want to be extra healthy, you could add more lentils and completely replace the meat OR use ground turkey or chicken breast. 

if you don't have tomato paste, you can use ½ c. ketchup or diced tomatoes instead. using beer instead of water would probably be a fun (albeit un-healthy) way to mix it up. 

not a fan of pickles? weird. but i hear you… try pickled jalapenos or fresh ones! you could even chop it up and put it inside the cooking mixture for an extra kick. speaking of heat, put some of your favorite hot sauce in with the mixture. 

you can keep it dairy free without the cheese or use a different cheese like pepper jack, mmmmm! white buns, wheat buns - pick your favorite. lower carb option? make it open faced! SO. MANY. DIFFERENT. WAYS.

t-day leftover idea

Thanksgiving is two days away and I can almost, ALMOST taste it! While I know most of you are probably thinking/stressing about, well hopefully not stressing too much over cooking on the big day, I wanted to share an idea with you for what to do with all those leftovers!

Have some leftover turkey and can't stand the thought of ANOTHER sandwich? Because lets be real, sometimes you can only go 3 days eating the same thing over and over again. Have a little leftover red wine? Veggies? Mashed potatoes? Seriously, I came up with a solution to transform the leftovers into the perfect comfort food dish with a twist!

Red wine turkey pot pies are so easy, completely improv-able, and depending on if you have leftover mashed potatoes, might just become red wine turkey shepard's pie! See where I'm getting at here? I made this recipe with what I had on hand. You should do the same and transform your thanksgiving leftovers into a comforting dish perfect for winter!

red wine turkey pot pie

yields 4 individual pot pies

ingredients:

4 TBSP. butter

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled + cut into rounds

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 TBSP flour

1 ½ c. red wine (I used cabernet)

½ c. chicken stock

1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves

salt + pepper

2 c. turkey, cubed or shredded into bite sized pieces

1 c. frozen peas

1 sheet puff pastry

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400º F. In a medium pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions and carrots and cook until slightly softened. Add in your garlic and cook for an additional minute. Dump in your flour and give it a good stir until it becomes a paste attached to your veggies. You're looking for the flour to absorb the butter and not be white anymore. Cook for about a minute and add in your red wine. Whisk until the wine and veggie mixture has no lumps from the roux (your flour + fat mixture). Add in your chicken stock, thyme, and salt + pepper to taste. Stir frequently until it gets nice and thick. Add in your turkey, frozen peas and let sit for a few minutes with the heat off while you prepare your puff pastry. 

Ladle the pot pie filling into your ramekin's. Cut circles (or whatever shape you prefer) out of your puff pastry and press against the edge to create a seal. Cut a few slits into the top of the pastry to let the air vent (like you would with pies) and brush the tops of the puff pastry with your egg (just scramble it up). Top with some flaky sea salt and pepper and pop it into the oven for 15 minutes or so. The top will be golden brown and the inside will be bubbly. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

improv style:

use whatever wine you have/like to drink. i prefer bold red's so that's what i used. if you don't like red wine, you could substitute it for milk or white wine. actually, if you don't like red wine, i would do  1 ½ c. milk and then ½ c. white wine. use all milk if you're not down with the hootch.

i used peas, onions and carrots because i like them and had them on hand. if you have leftover green beans, shallots, pearl onions, etc… use them up! i like thyme but rosemary would be a great substitution. puff pastry is good but any biscuit dough would do. you could even top with leftover mashed potatoes. spruce them up with some shredded gruyere cheese or parmesan. 

this is such an easy dish to improv and a great way to use up those holiday leftovers!

far from boring health food

I'm all about trying to make healthy choices when it comes to eating. Yes, you have to live and eat well but you also have to treat your body good. It's the only one you get. It's all about balance for me. One of my favorite lunch time restaurants is called protein bar. They have an amazing selection of wraps, salads and my personal favorite, quinoa bowls. Their prices are pretty steep so I've started making my own versions to bring into work. 

This is health in a bowl that tastes nothing like "health". Seriously, I'm very particular about what types of healthy food I'll eat. I have to trick my butter loving, fatty taste buds into the good for me foods. This quinoa bowl is super filling, flavorful and taste bud approved. 

Tomorrow I'll even show you how to turn this into a fun halloween themed lunch or side dish! Kids will go crazy for it. Or, if you're a halloween loving adult like me. Seriously, it's my favorite holiday! That or Thanksgiving. Pretty much anything involving food, orange, fall and dressing up!

mexican black bean quinoa bowl

inspired by protein bar

ingredients:

2 c. cooked red quinoa

1 - 15oz can of black beans drained & rinsed

4 oz can diced green chiles

½ c. salsa verde

1 TSP ground cumin

½ c. chopped tomatoes

2 TBSP shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 avocado diced

salt + pepper to taste

lime wedges to garnish

In a medium sauce pan, cook beans, green chiles, salsa and cumin over medium heat until warmed, about 5 minutes. Add in cooked quinoa and heat through. At the last minute, add in tomatoes and diced avocado. Stir, plate and top with shredded cheese and a lime wedge. 

improv style:

there are a MILLION ways you can improvise this dish! lets talk types of quinoa… there's white which is most common, red and black. I like the contrast that the red quinoa gives to the dish color wise. taste and texture are almost the same. white quinoa is a little more mushy but barley. any type you choose will be great! 

lets talk veggies. corn, jalapenos, diced peppers, peas, carrots, green onions, raw onion (preferably red or white), cilantro, and many many other ingredients would make great additions or substitutions to the dish. 

i love salsa verde but you could use any salsa here. additionally, chipotle would be fantastic if you're into smokey subtle heat. tabasco or your favorite mexican hot sauce would be delish too! also, no salsa? not to worry. you can use your favorite taco, fajita, or mexican seasoning mix and add a teeny bit of water to get it coated (try 1 TBSP of liquid at a time). 

i've made this with meat in the past too. chicken, steak, even marinated shrimp would work well. just make sure you season your meat!  it makes a great side but when you add in meat, it's a super hearty dinner or lunch in a bowl!

you can leave the cheese or avocado out but i think they make the dish. not into cheddar? chihuahua cheese or queso fresco would be delish. also, if you're feeling like a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt, that would be fantastic too! this dish is pretty hard to mess up!

** note these images are missing avocado. mine went bad before i could shoot the recipe but i still prefer the dish with which is why i included it as an ingredient in the recipe!

bahn meatloaf sliders

So remember that post from a few days back where I told you about not being a fan of meatloaf… well, turns out, leftovers of that amazing bahn meatloaf make for REALLY good slider sandwiches. Remember that sauce you saved for later? Yep, slather some of that on a sweet hawaiian roll, a slice or two of your leftover loaf and top with your extra veggies. Hot or cold, these things are killer! 

bahn meatloaf sliders

adapted from bon appetit

ingredients:

leftover bahn meatloaf slices

hawaiian sweet rolls

leftover hoisin glaze

leftover matchstick veggies (carrots, cucumber, radish, cilantro)

you know how to make a slider. assemble and be happy!

improv style:

you can add all sorts of fun things to the sandwiches. how about some onion strings if you ate up all your fresh veggies? your favorite asian sauce would be great if you didn't have leftover glaze (think siracha, hoisin, maybe even a bit of dark soy mixed with ketchup).

no sweet hawaiin rolls? brioche, challah, plain white bread, whole wheat buns, pretty much your favorite chewy bread will do. trying to be healthy? make the meatloaf with ground chicken or turkey breast and do an open face sandwich on whole grain bread. your options are endless!

comfort with a twist

My man likes meatloaf. I hate meatloaf. I don't know why, I'm just not that into it. Even a "good" meatloaf is still just meh to me. I've made it my mission to find a recipe that gives Matt what he loves without making me curl my nose. Selfish, right?! I have to say, this recipe has me reconsidering this whole meatloaf thing!  With a little help from Bon Appetit, I've made a meatloaf we both enjoy!

No, it's not your traditional meatloaf, but it is technically a loaf made of meat so I'm going to call it a win. Matt LOVES bahn mi sandwiches and when I saw the hoisin-glazed mealoaf sandwhiches in their March issue, I knew I had to try it. Just enough Asian infusion to take a regular hunk of meat and make it dreamy. It's bursting with flavor and the fresh, crunchy veggies on top combined with the sweet and tangy glaze make this recipe memorable. While meatloaf (even bahn meatloaf) isn't ever going to be a meal that I could eat every day of the week, I'll consider this dish a win! 

bahn meatloaf

adapted from bon appetit

ingredients:

for the loaf:

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

2 c. bread cubes (I used white bread finely diced)

½ c. milk

1 tsp. ground star anise (was about 3 whole, ground up)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 TBSP olive oil

2 carrots finely shredded

1 celery stalks finely diced

1 bunch of green onions diced, including dark green parts

7 garlic cloves finely chopped

¼" of ginger minced

2 eggs

2 TBSP. hoisin sauce

salt + pepper to taste

for the glaze:

¼ c. hoisin sauce

2 TBSP ketchup

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP siracha

1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

1 TBSP soy sauce

for the salad:

1 c. matchstick sliced carrots

1 c. matchstick sliced radishes

1 c. matchstick sliced cucumber

½ c. chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil and set aside.

In a skillet, drizzle with olive oil and cook carrots and celery until they start to soften. Add in green onions and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more until softened and fragrant. Let cool in pan. In a small bowl, combine bread cubes and milk and let the bread absorb the liquid. In a large bowl, combine spices and eggs and stir until combined. Add cooled vegetable mixture and bread slices in with the egg mixture and stir. Add in your beef and pork and work together with your hands until well combined. Dump mixture onto baking sheet and form into a loaf shape. In this case, I made 6 mini loaves - do what you prefer.

In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients and top a few spoonfuls over your loaf. Put remaining sauce in the refrigerator (you'll want it for leftovers or if your man insists on over saucing his slices). Bake for 40- 45 minutes if doing mini loaves or 1 hr 20 minutes for 1 loaf. It should read 165º F internally when inserted in the center of the meatloaf. All ovens and loaf sizes will cook slightly differently. Temperature never lies! Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with fresh veggie salad. I like to serve it with a side of cilantro rice as well. 

note: this recipe can be made 1 - 2 days in advance and kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator before baking. it also freezes really well. 

improv style:

beef, pork, turkey or chicken. pick your  meat or your combo of meat. just make sure you have 2lbs. 

sweet challah, brioche or hawaiian bread would be a great substitution for white bread cubes. you can also use whole wheat if you like but i find it's a bit drier. use whatever kind of milk or cream you have on hand. i used non-fat. 

star anise?! it's a common asian spice that has anise like qualities. i hate licorice but this spice adds something special to the mix. if you don't have it and don't want to buy it you can substitute for chinese five spice. a hint of cinnamon might be nice here if you're into that sort of thing. lots and lots of fresh garlic makes this delish. i recommend you stick to it. if you don't have fresh ginger, you can substitue for 2 tsp. of ground ginger. i like to think fresh makes a difference though. 

i use carrots and celery because i like the added veggies. if you don't have one or the other on hand, leave it out. you can also add in your favorite veggies like bell peppers and maybe even broccoli chunks. 

for the glaze you can choose your own adventure. keep it sweet or make it spicy. this recipe is right in the middle. matt's not a big fan of spicy so i keep it on the milder side for him. you can adjust the measurements here very easily. this one isn't science, just yummy sauciness. 

winner, winner chicken dinner!

A few months ago I was lucky enough to take a bucket list trip to visit one of my best friends in Peru. I've been wanting to see Machu Picchu for a long time and the fact that Meg moved to Cusco made it the perfect, stars aligned moment to bite the bullet and buy the ticket! 

The colors and flavors of Peru took my breath away. I wasn't really familiar with the cuisine until I did a little research. Depending on where you're at in the country, they're known for different things. Cuy - Guinea pig, alpaca, ceviche, potatoes (over 3,000 varieties), and quinoa to name a few. We were lucky enough to have the chef at our hostel create a feast of peruvian dishes for us to try. I guess that's the perk of being best friends with the owner's girlfriend :)

We feasted on lomo saltado, aji de gaina, potato dishes of all sorts, Mazamorra morada - a purple corn pudding that tastes like Christmas, ceviche, peruvian fried rice, and 3 other amazing dishes that I didn't catch the name of. We feasted like kings. My favorite was the lomo saltado - a simple steak dish with peppers and onions served with french fries AND rice. Everything in Peru seemed to be served with two forms of starches. 

One thing I really enjoyed were all the different ways they used and prepared quinoa. For our first meal in Cusco, Meg took us to one of her friends restaurants. Almost immediately upon sitting down they brought us some little nuggets of chicken crusted in quinoa. Um, GENIUS! I immediately proclaimed to Meg that this would be making an appearance on the blog, and here it is!

I love the idea of using this seed (although I think of it as a grain) to create a healthier, protein + fiber packed chicken finger. I baked mine but if you're feeling naughty, frying would make them spectacular. That's how they were served to us in Peru and I have to say, I preferred the crunch frying gives it. And lets be real, how naughty could it be when you're using such healthy things?! 

quinoa chicken fingers

yields 4 servings

ingredients:

4 chicken breasts or 8 - 10 chicken tenders

2 eggs beaten

2 c. cooked quinoa (I used red but you can use any type)

1 c. panko bread crumbs

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

salt + pepper to taste

drizzle of olive oil

In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and set aside. In another shallow bowl, combine: quinoa, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt + pepper.

Pat your chicken dry with some paper towels and then dunk them in the egg mixture. Pick one piece up at a time, allow the excess egg to drip off and then dump it in the quinoa breading mixture. Pat hard so that you get as much of the coating to stick to the chicken breast. Place on a baking sheet (TIP: I like to put my wire cookie cooling racks on top of the baking sheet so that they bake up extra crispy). Repeat until all chicken pieces are coated. Depending on how much mixture sticks to the chicken you may need to add more breading. This isn't science, just dump some more of the breading ingredients and continue dipping. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and place in oven. 

Bake at 350º for about 20 - 25 minutes depending on thickness (15 - 18 if using chicken tenders). Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

improv style:

you can make this gluten free by using all quinoa or using GF bread crumbs. i served this with a roasted red bell pepper sauce but you could add all sorts of fun seasonings/flavors to the chicken tenders before baking. consider using this spice mix or your favorite curry spices lightly dusted on the tenders before dipping into the breading. also, marinading the chicken in some buttermilk or dairy with spices would be a great idea. give the meat some flavor while tenderizing it!

you could even serve these as little chicken nuggets by chopping up the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces. this is how we had them as an appetizer in Cusco. next time i make these i'm totally doing bite sized pieces. 

i used red quinoa but you could use brown quinoa or even experiment with other grains/nuts. additionally, i used panko bread crumbs but experiment with your favorite or whatever you have on hand. i liked a 2:1 ratio but maybe you'd like more or less bread crumbs in the mixture? if you like your tenders extra crispy, i recommend frying them in a little bit of oil instead of baking. watching your cholesterol? you can whip up egg whites instead of using whole eggs.

these can also be frozen before baking and kept in an air tight bag/container for a few months. so make a double batch and freeze half so you can have tons of chicken on hand for later!

cinco de mayo: a love story

My parents met at a Cinco de Mayo party 20 some years ago. My Aunt's neighbor knew a great guy and it just so happened that her sister in law was a fabulous single woman. She brought a blueberry pie that he couldn't get enough of, it was love at first bite...

A few months after they first met, my dad invited her over to his apartment for a dinner party. As a food lover, my mom was VERY impressed with his cooking + hosting skills. He made Kay's Green Enchiladas. My mom thought she hit the jackpot, a handsome, caring, and compassionate man who could also cook. Little did she know he only had 4 dishes up his sleeve - hot dogs, buttered noodles, god's eye (don't ask), and kay's enchiladas. 

Until a year ago, I didn't know who Kay was, and to be honest, I didn't really care. I was just thankful for her fabulous recipe. I recently found out that she was a co-worker of my Aunt's. While I've never met Kay, I'm sure glad my aunt did!

You might take one look at this recipe and go running for the hills. Don't get me wrong, it's not complicated, It's just.... well, untraditional. It has cream cheese and parmesan cheese in it. Seriously, Kay might just be a genius. These enchiladas will change your thought on what an enchilada should be. They have a fairly traditional green tomatillo sauce that's accented with green chilies and some cilantro. But the combination of the shredded chicken with sharp red onion bits and cool, slightly tangy cream cheese make the filling to die for. Wrapped in a flour, YES flour tortilla and then smothered with that delightful green chile tomatillo sauce. All sprinkled with parmesan cheese that gives it a nice crunchy golden top make these enchiladas perfection. Give it a try and I guarantee you'll start questioning why everyone doesn't make enchiladas with cream cheese and parmesan. 

kays green enchiladas

adapted from kay, my aunt's co-worker

yields 8 - 10 enchiladas depending on how generous you are with the filling

ingredients:

for the filling:

4 large or 6 small chicken breasts shredded

8 oz cream cheese

½ c. heavy cream or half n half

¾ c. finely chopped red onion

8 - 10 flour tortillas

for the sauce: 

1 small can chopped green chilies

1 - 12 oz can tomatillo, drained

2 T. fresh cilantro

¼ c. chicken stock

1 c. greek yogurt

½ c. heavy cream

1 egg

salt + pepper to taste

to top:

¼ c.  parmesan cheese

dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350º F. Warm tortillas in the oven for 10 minutes or microwave for 15 seconds until warm. While tortillas are in the oven, put all of your sauce ingredients into the food processor or blender and blend until combined. Set aside and assemble your filling. 

In a  medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, red onion, cream cheese, and greek yogurt. Stir until combined. Fill tortilla with the chicken mixture, fold over both sides and roll (or however you prefer your enchiladas).  Put into a 9x11 pan, roll and repeat. When you've assembled all of your tortillas, poor sauce over the top, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until bubbly and hot through.

Serve with your favorite toppings, I like a dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream and some chopped fresh cilantro. 

improv style:

you can use any kind of chicken you like - thighs, breasts, rotisserie, canned (although fresh is always better if you have it). i'm sure shredded pork would be delish too! 

don't have greek yogurt? you can substitute plain non-fat yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream or half and half. the original recipe called for heavy cream and half and half but i actually like the tang and texture the yogurt gives to it. if you can't find canned tomatillos, i've found that salsa verde will do in a pinch. sometimes if i'm feeling crazy i'll add in some frozen corn or black beans. you cold make these completely vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and bumping up the beans and veggies. if you're not a fan of onions, you can leave them out OR try cooking them in a pan first so they caramelize a bit. this will get rid of their sharpness but you'll still get the great depth of flavor. 

you can use corn tortillas if you like but i prefer the chewy flour tortillas. plus they're much easier to work with since corn tend to be more rigid and break. traditional enchiladas call for you to fry the tortillas first but i find this to be an unnecessary step that adds more fat and calories so i skip it all together.