Recipes

I love soups and stews. They’re filling, a great way to sneak in vegetables and hard to mess up. Often I’ll leave a soup simmering on the stovetop for a few hours. Plus our Dutch oven yields at least fifteen servings. In this recipe, I used bison in place of beef. It has more protein, less fat and has less cholesterol. So if you’re looking for the ultimate meal that is high in protein, veggies and fiber but low in fat and carbs, this is the recipe for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs boneless beef, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used bison stew meat)
6 medium carrots, chopped
3 large celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped (oops, none in the fridge)
2/3 cup pearl barley
10 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups broccoli, chopped
8 cups beef broth (I used 8 cups water plus 2 small beef bouillon cubes)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions
Heat Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and meat. Cook until well browned. Add vegetables and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spices, barley, vinegar and beef broth. Reduce heat to low and cook for 75 to 90 minutes. In last 20 minutes, add corn and broccoli. Ready to serve.

Wraps are easy to prepare and make great substitutes to sandwiches. Today I looked in my refrigerator and just started pulling out ingredients. Lo and behold it turned into a delicious meal. So whether you call it a burrito or a wrap, I call it lunch. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 whole wheat tortilla or wrap
1 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and sliced
2 ounces organic carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ounces organic celery, thinly sliced
1 tbsp homemade hummus (one of Heather’s secret recipes)
1/3 cup cooked black beans (be sure to soak and rinse)
1 tsp lime juice

Directions
Warm whole wheat wrap or burrito in microwave for 30 seconds. This makes it pliable and easy to work with. Spread hummus evenly on wrap, then place chicken pieces in center. Add carrots and celery so that they are pointing in the same direction as the chicken. Spoon black beans on top and drizzle with lime juice. Carefully, roll tortilla up. Voila! Lunch is served!

Chicken cacciatore, chicken with green curry, chicken with spinach & pesto, chicken enchiladas, chicken with thai peanut sauce, and chicken pineapple stir fry. Over the past couple years, I’ve shared a lot of chicken recipes. So what else can you do with chicken? This weekend I made chicken marsala. I found two recipes on FoodNetwork.com courtesy of Tyler Florence and Emeril Lagasse. Then I made it my own. To say it was delicious is an understatement. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was rich and creamy. But was is healthy, Eric? The way I prepared it, yes. That’s the great thing about cooking for yourself. You can make changes. Instead of 1/4 cup of cooking oil, I used 2 tablespoons. Instead of 2 tablespoons of butter (I saw other chicken marsala recipes that asked for 4 Tbs), I used 1. This was also the first time I cooked with Marsala, the English equivalent to Spanish Sherry. It has a nutty flavor and compliments the chicken and mushrooms. So here you go!

Ingredients
2 skinless boneless, chicken breasts (cut in halves and pounded thin)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms (brown or porcini)
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 large onion, diced

Directions
In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour, salt and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic and onion are tender and mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

I love Indian food! The aromas, fragrances, and flavors. Curry powder is one of my absolute favorites. It’s easy to prepare and healthy for you. So enjoy this cooking video!

Tired of the same old baked chicken? Then try this delicious cacciatore recipe from our friend’s family cook book. Thanks, Andrea!

Ingredients
1.5 pounds chicken, chopped (we used both light and dark meat)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, diced
1 green, yellow, orange & red bell pepper, sliced
10 brown mushrooms, sliced
1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (don’t forget to save some for the chef)
1/2 cup chicken broth (we used chicken base and water)
1 Tablespoon basil
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
* we added a small can of enchilada sauce for some more kick

Directions
In a crock pot, add the fresh cut vegetables. Coat chicken with olive oil and place on top of vegetables. Then add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, broth, and herbs. Cover with lid and set on Hi for 2.5 hours or Lo for 6 to 7 hours.

Serve over rice or pasta.