Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cherry Sauce

This cherry sauce is great with pork or chicken! It tastes rich, but doesn't have any added fat. I am definitely adding this one to my monthly rotation. 

Ingredients

1/2 lb fresh cherries, pitted

3 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

3 Tbsp agave nectar

1/4 tsp. thyme

Enough cabernet sauvignon to completely cover the cherries

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Flour 

Salt 

Garlic

Olive oil

1. Remove pits from cherries, and place them in a saute pan.  Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.

2. Cook over medium heat and allow sauce to achieve a low boil.  Taste sauce after 10-15 minutes and either remove or continue cooking to desired consistency.

 3. It's almost done here. As your sauce is cooking, rinse chicken thighs. Season each side with salt and garlic, then press the thigh into a bed of flour. Remove any excess flour. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a skillet, and cook each thigh for about 3 minutes per side (or until golden brown). Place browned thighs on a cookie sheet that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Finish cooking thighs on broil for about 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven. This makes them crispy without frying, but be careful you don't leave them too long. They can burn quickly if you don't keep any eye on them.

4. Remove thighs from oven. Spoon cherry sauce over them, and serve!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Goat cheese is lower in fat and calories than cheese made with whole cows' milk, and it's also very rich and creamy. This filling really dresses up a chicken breast!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 medium package of goat cheese (about 6 oz)

2 green onion stalks

1 Tbsp herbs de provence

Something to bind chicken breast while cooking (toothpicks, twine, silicone bands, etc.)

1. Combine goat cheese, onion and herbs in a small bowl. 

 2. Slice each chicken breast through the thickest part about 3/4 of the way through. Do not cut it all the way through! Add filling.

 3. Close the chicken breast and bind it with bands or toothpicks.

 4. Cook on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes per side. This will vary based on the size and thickness of the meat.

5. Remove toothpicks (I haven't done so in this picture, yet.) and serve with a side of veggies.

Portobello "Pot Pie"

This is a variation of a stuffed portobello "pot pie" recipe a friend told me about. You will get all the flavor and richness of a more traditional pot pie, but the phyllo dough is much lower in fat and calories than most other crusts. 

Ingredients

Several large portobello caps

1 large onion

2 medium sized carrots

4 small red potatoes

1 cup shredded chicken (optional)

1 carton of condensed portobello mushroom soup

1 package of phyllo dough sheets (thawed)

Olive oil

1. First, clean several large portobello mushroom caps. 

2. Chop onion, potatoes, and carrots into bite size pieces. Saute in one tablespoon of olive oil until onions are transparent. 

 3. Add condensed soup and half of the recommended amount of water to the veggies. Season as desire. I usually add garlic, salt, pepper, and basil.

 4. If you forget to thaw your phyllo dough the night before baking, you can put the roll in the microwave for 30 - 60 seconds. (Tip courtesy of Alton Brown on the Food Network).

 5. Place portobello cap on the phyllo dough. Sometimes larger portobellos are a little bland, so adding a little spice before you add the filling improves the flavor. Top with veggie filling and shredded chicken.

 6. Wrap portobello and filling with a phyllo sheet. Brush with olive oil so the corners will stick to each other. I used four sheets on this one, but you can add more or less based on how flaky and how many layers you prefer. Brush each layer lightly to increase flakiness and ensure that the dough stays wrapped around the veggies.

 7. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes at 375 degrees depending on the number of pies and their size. Once the dough becomes golden brown, it's done.

8. Here's what it will look like after it's been cut.

Whole Wheat Ravioli Stuffed with Browned Turkey

Sometimes I like to make my own pasta. This is not a quick task by any means, but playing with the dough and shaping it can be a lot of fun. I use a pasta machine, but the dough can be rolled out on a flat surface and cut with a knife or ravioli cutter.

Dough Recipe:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
7 egg whites ( I really never use egg yolk, but if you do, use four whole eggs.)
2 tsp olive oil

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well (hollow spot) in the center of the mixture, and add the olive oil. Add the egg whites one at a time while stirring with a fork or use the dough hook attachment on your mixer. I always use my mixer because it's a lot easier on my arm. Mix until all of the ingredients come together to form a mass. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.

After resting, roll out the dough with a rolling pin or run it through your pasta machine. Cut into long strips or follow the directions on your ravioli attachment.

Here's my process:

1. I placed part of the dough in my pasta machine.

2. I made these into fettuccine style noodles. Here's the wikipedia entry for pasta shapes and sizes. I put them on a drying rack for about an hour, then stored them in a large sandwich bag in the refrigerator for later use. 

3. I also wanted to make ravioli, so I browned some lean turkey with garlic, basil, and rosemary for the filling. 

4. I rolled out two flat sheets of pasta and placed them on either side of the opening on the pasta machine. Then, I added the filling about 1 tbsp at a time while rolling the dough through the machine. Here's what it looked like.

5. I pulled them apart and dusted them with flour to help prevent sticking.

6. I let the ravioli sit for about 15-20 minutes so they were more likely to stay together through boiling. I boiled them in salted water until they rose to the top and plumped, then served them with a basil and garlic tomato sauce and the remaining browned turkey. 

This definitely takes more time than opening a box of pasta and boiling it, but there's really nothing like enjoying fresh pasta. 

Favorite Recipe: Simple Sweet Potato, Leek and Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of leeks

3 large sweet potatoes

1 package of lean chicken sausage

1 carton chicken stock

1 1/2 cups of milk

garlic, salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop leeks and sausage.

2. Saute leeks and sausage in a large soup pot until sausage is browned.

3. Bake sweet potatoes in the microwave (time will vary based on potato size). Remove the skin and place potato in a food processor with 1/2 cup of milk.

4. Pour sweet potato puree over leeks and sausage. Add stock and milk. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot.

Sauteed Veggies with Turkey Ham Over Whole Wheat Pasta

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini Squash

2 Yellow Squash

1 Bunch Green Onions

2 Large Portobello Caps

1/4 - 1/2 lb Lean Turkey Ham

2 Crushed Garlic Cloves

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Chop veggies and saute with olive oil and crushed garlic cloves. Dice ham and add to mixture.

Boil whole wheat pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Spoon mixture over cooked pasta and top with goat cheese.

A little cracked pepper adds a nice flavor.

Very Simple Dinner: Quinoa, Sauteed Carrots and Seared Turkey Ham

Quinoa is an easy to prepare alternative to rice. Here's a section of the Wikipedia entry for its nutritional value:

In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlikewheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.^[10] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

1. Start off by rinsing and draining your quinoa.

2. Add one part quinoa to two parts water. I prefer chicken stock because it adds a richness to the flavor, much like when used to prepare rice.

3.Sauté one package of baby carrots with olive oil, garlic and basil.

4. Cut a 1/4 inch slice of turkey ham and sear it for 1-2 minutes on each side in a non-stick pan.

Favorite Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf by Bobby Flay

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
• 1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.

Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

PHOTO UPDATE:

1. Place veggies in food processor.

2. Process until very finely chopped. 

3. Season meat with garlic paste, red pepper flakes, salt, and balsamic. 

4. Saute processed veggies in chicken broth until al dente. 

5. Let veggies cool, then mix into seasoned meat. 

6. Brush with glaze and bake.