Chicken and Papaya Stir-Fry

A 15-mile bike ride this morning and 4 hours in the garden this afternoon—not much time (or desire) to cook anything for dinner. But I received a new Food & Wine magazine yesterday and was leafing through it at lunch when I came across this recipe. Imagine… I actually had both a ripe papaya and poblano peppers. This combination is unusual and I took it as a “sign” that this would be our dinner. :)

My alterations to the original recipe: used light soy sauce instead of regular, and decreased the second measurement (the one tablespoon not in the marinade) to 2 teaspoons; used 8 ounces chicken; since I was using my nonstick electric wok, I decreased the oil to ½ teaspoon; omitted the scallion.

I served this over steamed basmati rice with steamed snow peas tossed with a soy-ginger dressing on the side. Jack and I both gave it two thumbs-up. He asked “how much papaya is left?”, I replied that I had only used half, and he commented “well, I wouldn’t mind this for dinner again tomorrow.” No, dear, there’s a papaya and black bean salad planned for the rest of that tropical fruit!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken and Papaya Stir-Fry

Recipe By : Food & Wine July 2007

Serving Size : 4

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons dry white wine -- (I used dry sherry)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut into 1" pieces

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion -- thickly sliced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 large garlic clove -- minced

1 whole poblano pepper -- (or Anaheim chile), thickly sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 pound papaya -- peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2" x 3" strips

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

1 large scallion -- sliced

In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, wine, and cornstarch. Add the chicken and turn to coat.

Heat the oil in a wok or a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the poblano and crushed red pepper and continue stir-frying until the peppers have softened, about 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Transfer the chicken to a platter.

Add the orange juice ot the wok and boil until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the wok, add the papaya, and stir-fry until hot, about one minute. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a platter. Garnish with scallion.

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Per serving: 227 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (20% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 66mg Cholesterol; 508mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Fish tacos, chilled vegetable soup

Muggy, muggy, muggy. We had several very hot and humid days in a row and I’m wondering if somehow time has skipped ahead to late July or August. Technically, it’s still spring and there are many things to do, but I feel like I get very little accomplished during the day lately. Work outside until I can’t stand the heat, come in the house and sit beside a fan for a while. Repeat.

These days, I live to grill. :) Without air conditioning, this little brick oven of a house can get quite steamy in the summer and, while baking is strictly a no-no, I also turn off my stove at the gas supply because the 11 pilot lights can contribute to the heat as well. This is the same stove that contributes much-needed heat in the winter months, so I can’t complain about it.

This menu was perfect for a hot summer day. Lime juice was squeezed over tilapia fillets then grilled. These were placed on a steamed corn tortilla with a spoonful of cilantro-cabbage coleslaw over the fish. I can’t believe that I once thought of fish tacos as “weird”! I swear, if I lived alone, I’d still make a full recipe and sit and eat it all and enjoy every bite until I burst.

Served alongside was a spicy and cold vegetable soup. Although not fond of cold soup, Jack really enjoyed this one (probably because it was spicy) and had a second bowl. I used yellow bell peppers instead of red, so the soup was a nice golden color. I also cut the amount of olive oil in half and decreased the amount of cilantro drastically since Jack doesn’t like it. I sprinkled extra on my serving because I love cilantro! I added a few shakes of ground dried chipotle chili as well.

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Servings: 4

Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method

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1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

4 whole sea bass fillets

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

8 whole corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds toasted, ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tomato cut into thin wedges

Sprinkle one tablespoon lime juice over the fish, then sprinkle with seasoned salt. Coat with cooking spray. Place on a grill over hot coals. Grill for 4 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily. Wrap tortillas in foil and place at the back of the grill until heated through.

Combine the cabbage, 1 tablespoon lime juice, cilantro, green onions, chile, mayonnaise, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir tomato in gently.

Cut each fish fillet into 8 pieces. Place a piece of fish in each tortilla. Spoon slaw over and roll up.

Source:

"Whole Foods"

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Per serving: 260 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (17% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 54mg Cholesterol; 669mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : Other fish fillets can be subbed for sea bass-- snapper, roughy, tilapia are a few. Avoid strong flavored fish such as salmon or mackerel.

Cut fish before grilling and skewer to make grilling easier.

Farmers’ Market Chilled Salsa Soup

Serves 8

Buy the freshest from-the-farm vegetables you can find for this invigorating cold soup. If ripe tomatoes and hot chiles are available, make your own salsa, or purchase your favorite brand—that it’s already in the jar makes it easier to take on a picnic.

4 large cucumbers, peeled
4 green bell peppers, seeded
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 cups diced scallions (about 2 bunches)
1/2 cup Mexican-style canned mild green chiles
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups salsa for garnish

Directions:
1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise, and slice into chunks. Dice green peppers. Place cucumbers, peppers, cilantro, scallions and green chiles in blender or food processor, and process until smooth.

2. Add garlic, vinegar, salt and olive oil, and mix well. Add water, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar. Add more water to thin soup if needed.

3. Fill two ice-cube trays with soup, and freeze overnight. Chill remainder. Pack frozen cubes with chilled soup in large insulated containers. At serving time, pour soup into cups, and top with large spoonful of salsa.

Per Serving: 130 CAL; 3 G PROT; 7 G TOTAL FAT (1 SAT. FAT); 16 G CARB.; 0 MG CHOL; 690 MG SOD.; 5 G FIBER; 7 G SUGARS

(Source Unknown)

I know that I complain a lot about the work and the heat, but I just love living on the farm. Two years ago I divided the water lilies in our goldfish pond and, having way too many to use, I advertised in the Pennysaver that they were “free to good homes”. One man came by to pick a few up and gave me some cannas which he had divided from his garden. They made a gorgeous screen between the driveway and patio that year (alas, I forgot to dig them up in the fall so they froze…). A woman gave me some Siberian iris which she had divided from her garden. These have survived. So well that I had to move them earlier this spring to a larger area.

How beautiful!

The amount of work which this farm requires, especially during the nice-weather months, amazes me. There’s always something to do, and my hammock is calling to me as well. ;) Today the thermometer is inching up toward 90˚ and I find that I can work better if I go outside for 20 minutes, then inside for a half hour. I’ve accomplished surprisingly much so far today, but this may be it. My last session out, as I was tugging maple seedlings out of a bed of pachysandra, I noticed a lot of three-leaved vines growing in the groundcover as well. Uh oh. I quickly dumped all of the weeds into the wheelbarrow and came indoors to—douse my legs with beer! Yes, it works. The alcohol breaks the bind which the poison ivy oil has on the skin. Of course, you can use rubbing alcohol as well, but that was the whole way upstairs in the bathroom cupboard and time is of the essence. It should be applied 10 minutes after exposure. Now I’m not entirely certain that I brushed up against any of the plant, but better safe than sorry. So I opened a bottle of Killian’s Red (not my favorite Dogfish Head Raison d’Etre) and applied it liberally with a paper towel. I walked into Jack’s office, where he is working, and his head snapped up. Yep, beer perfume sure is the way to attract him. I split the remainder of the bottle with my husband and now neither of us wants to work any more this afternoon!

But we will. Another session or two outside and I will feel better about setting aside a couple of hours tomorrow to celebrate Memorial Day—in a hammock.

Lunch today was a quickly put-together one. I had some cold whole wheat pasta in the refrigerator, and some cooked black beans, both leftovers from previous meals. When I looked in the veggie drawer of the refrigerator I quickly decided on a pasta salad. Jack is not fond of cold meals, but some days I just can’t fathom turning on the stove. Besides, I turned off my big ol’ commercial stove at the wall at the gas line so the 11 pilot lights wouldn’t be contributing heat to the kitchen.

This turned out to be a great salad. Next time I will decrease the carrot and add tomatoes (which I am out of right now) and I think that will make it even better.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Mexican Pasta & Bean Salad

Recipe By: Vicci

Servings: 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 teaspoon canola oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

4 ounces black beans, cooked -- (about 1/2 of a 15-ounce can)

1 large garlic clove -- crushed

1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

3 ounces carrot -- shredded

3 ounces red bell pepper -- chopped

1/4 cup frozen corn kernels – thawed

1 small avocado -- diced

4 ounces cooked pasta -- whole wheat preferred

1 ounce queso fresco – crumbled

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl, combine the oil through the chipotle pepper. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with baked tortilla chips.

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Per serving: 409 Calories (kcal); 20g Total Fat; (41% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 5mg Cholesterol; 45mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 10 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

For a few weeks, we have been eating our meals outside as often as possible (I’m finally able to get Jack to admit that it’s not so bad sharing your meals with a couple of bugs). Sunday breakfast is especially enjoyable, although in a couple of weeks it will be too hot to eat outside since the patio is on the east side of the house. We set up a stool for Spooky to lounge on, and before I know it an hour will have passed.

A very civilized way to begin the day.

I now need to finish my outside work then take a shower—I’m reminding myself of the smell of the basement party rooms of the various fraternity houses which my friends & I frequented during our college years… not really a pleasant memory! :)

Grilled Chicken & Mango Kebabs (and baby bugs to look at!!!)

SUMMER IS HERE!!!

At our house, the season is signaled not by a date, but by the appearance of the first case of mangos from Sam’s Club. Yes, they carry these mostly year ‘round but to me mangos are a summertime-only treat. I bought a case this past Monday and by Friday night, the start of Memorial Day weekend, they were perfectly ready to use. Mango daiquiris were first (the dilemma—plain rum or coconut rum? Jack chose coconut.). And this was followed by a grilled dinner featuring mangos. I found this recipe in an issue of Canadian Living 4 years ago and it remains a favorite.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Grilled Chicken and Mango Kebabs

Recipe By: Canadian Living

Servings : 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 teaspoon lime rind

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 large garlic cloves -- minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut into 1/2" cubes

2 teaspoons honey

1 large mango -- cubed

1 large bell pepper -- 1/2" pieces

2 ounces sweet onion -- cut into 3/4" "skewerable" chunks

2/3 cup rice -- cooked and kept warm

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime rind through the hot sauce.

Place chicken in a covered container and pour about 1/3 of the marinade over; toss to mix, cover, refrigerate for 20 minutes to 4 hours.

To the remaining marinade, add the honey. Set aside.

Preheat grill on medium-high heat.

Thread pepper and onion pieces on skewers. Thread mango cubes on a separate skewer. Thread chicken cubes on a separate skewer and place on a large plate or baking tray. Spray chicken on all sides with cooking spray and place on grill. Cook, with the lid closed, for 3 minutes. Turn chicken and baste cooked part with the marinade. Add the pepper and onion skewers (as with the chicken, spray with cooking spray first) and place on grill. Brush peppers and onions with marinade. Close lid for 2 minutes.

Turn vegetables and chicken skewers and brush with marinade. Cover grill and cook for 2 minutes. Spray mango skewers with cooking spray and add to grill. Turn chicken and vegetable skewers a final time and brush with marinade. Also brush mangos with marinade. Cover and cook for one minute. Turn mango skewer and brush all skewers with more marinade. Cook one last minute.

Remove everything from the skewers, drizzle and remaining marinade on top and toss gently. Serve over hot cooked rice.

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Per serving: 553 Calories (kcal); 10g Total Fat; (15% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 85g Carbohydrate; 66mg Cholesterol; 405mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fruit; 22 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

We’re not doing much of anything special for the holiday weekend. I need to get that garden planted so next week I can pick up a couple of bales of hay and mulch between the rows. We desperately need rain and I’ve been putting off this chore but with any luck some storms will come in later today (or so the weather weenies forecasted).

My spirea have been invaded by tiny green aphids and the part for my sprayer which I had ordered 2 weeks ago finally arrived yesterday. I only spray pesticides when necessary and, in this case, the little pests can be taken care of with insecticidal soap. So I was checking out the plants last evening and saw baby praying mantises everywhere. Babies! We have a lot of the adults hanging around later in the summer, but I’ve never seen any so tiny.

Bear in mind that the leaves are only 1”-1 ¼ “ long.

And since I had the camera outside…

Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Vegetables

It was another work-outside day. The beans and spinach are up in the garden, so I planted the zucchini and cucumber plants which I had started last month and then had to do some extensive fence repair. I think that bunny rabbits are adorable, but not when they're in my garden!

I went for a run mid-day to energize myself (oddly, it seems to work) and found that, since my run last Thursday, the bazillions of blackberry bushes in our fields have burst into flower. What a fragrance! Not as sweet as the wild honeysuckle, which peaked last week, but still very intoxicating.

By the time 6pm rolled around, I was tired and decided to rely on pasta to build a quick dinner around. The asparagus patch is still producing quantities, and I had some frozen pesto sauce, so I put those together with some other veggies which were in the refrigerator. All told, it took about 20 minutes to make dinner and it was really good.

Because pesto sauce is high in fat (although it's mostly the good, monosaturated kind) I blended 2 tablespoons with a quarter cup of milk to make a creamy sauce, and I added some extra fresh basil to pump up the basil taste. Now, for my pasta dishes I allow portion control to slip a little. Jack thinks that 2 ounces of dried pasta per serving is ridiculous, so he gets 4! So I suppose that this recipe actually makes 3 servings if you're being "good". ;)




* Exported from MasterCook *

Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Vegetables

Recipe By: Vicci
Servings: 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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5 ounces whole wheat pasta
6 ounces asparagus
4 ounces red bell pepper
4 ounces zucchini
2 tablespoons drained pesto sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 ounce parmesan cheese -- grated

Prepare pasta as directed, omitting oil.

Using a large nonstick saute pan, stir-fry the vegetables until crisp-tender.

Stir pesto sauce and milk together until combined. Add to vegetables. Add drained pasta and stir until all is heated through. Stir in fresh herbs, if desired.

Divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle with cheese and s&p to taste.


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Per serving: 360 Calories (kcal); 7g Total Fat; (15% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 15mg Cholesterol; 288mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Note: I didn't give instructions on how to cut the vegetables because it depends on the shape of the pasta being used. Linguine would require longer, thinner juliennes while small shells need to be paired with veggies chopped into smallish pieces.

Chilly Day Chili

A chilly, rainy spring day deserves chili!

This is a recipe which I have worked on for a few years now and I think that I finally have it right. I made it for my parents once and Mom & I decided not to tell my Dad that there was “fake meat” in it. He raved about this chili at dinner, then a few days later as he was describing it to friends, Mom couldn’t hold the secret any longer and confessed. She has since made it several times and even my youngest brother, who would eat only meat for all three meals if he could get away with it, enjoyed the chili. Of course, he will never know that it’s good for him!

This chili is packed with good stuff. I love the smokiness which the ground chipotle gives it. With 3 servings of vegetables, 25g protein, 11g fiber, and 5g total fat (only 1 saturated) per serving, this chili is a nutrition-packed, warming meal. I serve it topped with sour cream, shredded lowfat cheddar, cilantro (lots for me!) and have steamed corn tortillas alongside.

For the next day, leftover chili is served on a bed of shredded lettuce with cheese, tomato, and avocado for a filling taco salad (baked tortilla chips alongside).

Now, for those who eat red meat (which which we do not), you can sub lean ground beef for the ground turkey and low-sodium beef broth for the chicken broth and it will have a meatier taste, yet with the veggie crumbles and beans, will be healthier and lower in fat than chili made with all ground beef and a lesser quantity of beans.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Vicci's Chili

Recipe By: Vicci

Servings: 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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8 ounces ground turkey

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried ground chipotle pepper -- optional

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano -- (Mexican oregano preferred)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/8 teaspoons ground black pepper

3 large garlic cloves -- minced

8 ounces Morningstar Farms veggie crumbles -- (Boca's burger crumbles may also be

used)

29 ounces canned crushed tomatoes

3 ounces tomato paste

18 ounces canned black beans -- approximately 2 15-ounce cans (may also use a mixture

of black, kidney, and/or pinto beans). Drain and rinse before using.

6 tablespoons light sour cream

Heat a a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add ground turkey. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned. Scoop turkey onto a large cutting board and allow to cool for a few minutes. Place the skillet back over the heat and add the chopped peppers. Stir for 2 minutes, then add the onion and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, for a minute. Add the broth, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil.

In the meantime, chop the ground turkey into small bits. Add to the tomato mixture along with the burger crumbles. When the mixture comes to a boil, cover and turn down the heat. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.

Uncover and add beans. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes, stirring as it thickens.

Serve topped with sour cream.

Yield:

"9 cups"

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Per serving: 283 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (16% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 31mg Cholesterol; 1060mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : Other toppings for the chili can also include (lowfat) shredded cheese, minced cilantro, chopped tomato and/or avocado.

Rice Noodles with Vegetables in Curry Sauce

I knew that I was going to come home late Monday afternoon and prepared dinner as much as I could beforehand. Because my refrigerator is overflowing with vegetables (and the asparagus patch is producing, too), I decided to make a vegetarian dinner. Curried vegetables sounded nice, and there were quick-cooking rice noodles in the pantry, so I put together an Asian-inspired meal.

Before leaving in the morning, I made the sauce ahead of time and cut most of the vegetables. This is a really simple recipe, and although I used asparagus, broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, and onion, you could also use bean sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, and many other veggie varieties. The sauce contains light coconut milk and skim milk, to cut down on the saturated fat, but all light coconut milk may also be used. I add a little coconut extract almost at the end of the cooking time to pump up the coconut flavor more (adding it earlier in the process, however, allows the flavor to cook away).

All told, the entire meal took about 20 minutes to put together after I got home, and it was very good. I love cilantro, and my herb garden is overflowing with it, so I used a heavy hand with my serving. Jack doesn’t hate it, but he isn’t fond of it either, so the cilantro on his portion was eliminated (he “made up” for it by adding extra chopped peanuts). ;)

* Exported from MasterCook *

Rice Noodles with Vegetables in Curry Sauce

Recipe By: Vicci

Servings: 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1/4 cup light coconut milk

1/3 cup skim milk

3/4 teaspoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon sweet curry powder

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 clove garlic -- crushed

5 ounces rice noodles -- wide linguine-type

2 teaspoons canola oil

18 ounces mixed vegetables -- fresh; any preferred combination; cut into 1/4" matchstick shapes or small pieces

1 small onion -- vertically sliced

1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro -- optional

Mix first 7 ingredients, coconut milk through garlic, in a small bowl. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, stir in rice noodles, turn off heat, cover, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes or until the noodles have softened. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside until needed.

While the noodles cook, heat canola oil in a large saute pan or a wok. Stir-fry the vegetables (add the harder veggies such as carrots and asparagus first, stir fry for a couple of minutes, then add the softer vegetables such as snow peas, mushrooms, onion, etc.) until just tender. Stir the coconut extract and the lime juice into the sauce and add the sauce to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, fold in the rice noodles.

Serve in bowls, sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.

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Per serving: 504 Calories (kcal); 12g Total Fat; (20% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 93g Carbohydrate; 1mg Cholesterol; 784mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 4 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 4 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 15 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates