Recipe Time: Curry in a Hurry!

Bad news, guys. I didn't win the Powerball. Well, I did get the Powerball, but the rest of the numbers didn't cooperate. Looks like my dream of coming home from work to my very own personal chef will have to wait until I win more than $4 in the lottery.

I'm just going to put it all out there... cooking dinner can be a drag after a long day at work. That's right... I said it... a drag. Sometimes you just want to kick back with a glass of wine and sink into the comfort of your couch. For me, the key to defeating my lazy side lies in a little weekend prep work. If I take just 30 minutes to an hour to prep on Sunday, my weeknight meals are that much easier. So today we're going to talk curry - a really simple dish to make when you're in a hurry. If you do all the cutting and chopping beforehand, this meal can be thrown together in about 15 minutes, leaving you ample time to catch up on all your favorite reality TV shows. No shame... I have my favorites too.

Let's dive right in with the weekend prep work...

Mince 2 cloves of garlic.

Wash and chop about 1/2 lb. green beans (you can really use as many as you like here).

Wash and chop a small red bell pepper.

Wash thoroughly and thinly slice an 8 oz. package of mushrooms -  we chose baby bella but any type will do.

Peel and cut 1 white onion into slivers.

If you don't have a zester or grater, wash and slice the rind off 1 small lemon.

Then finely dice the rind and save the lemon for another use.

Prep work done! Bing, bam, boom! Now, here's what you do when you're ready to eat...

In a measuring cup, add 1 1/4 cup coconut milk (disregard the picture... we added too much!). We chose to use unsweetened coconut milk, but the dish will be much more satisfying if you go sweet. It's just a matter of preference.

Now add 2 Tbs. of soy sauce to the coconut milk...

...along with 2 teaspoons of sugar (if you used unsweetened coconut milk).

Toss in about 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and stir the contents of the cup to distribute the ingredients more evenly.

Grab your curry powder and crushed red pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs. of coconut oil (or any cooking oil that you prefer). Add the garlic, lemon zest, 1 1/2 Tbs. of curry powder and 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir fry until fragrant (about 15 seconds).

Now add all the veggies (except for the mushrooms) and saute until everything is almost completely cooked.

Add the mushrooms last because they cook the fastest.

We chose to add pre-cooked frozen shrimp to the mix - they will only need to heat up since they're already cooked. See? I told you this was easy!

Now stir in the coconut mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly - about 2 minutes. 

While the sauce is cooking, slice a handful of basil into long, thin strips.

At the very last moment, add most of the basil (reserving some for a garnish) and turn off the heat.

Now doesn't that look delicious?

Plate it up over the grain of your choice - rice, quinoa, freekeh, etc. - and enjoy your curry in a hurry!

And of course, this wouldn't be a proper post without a few nutrition stats. The main ingredients in curry powder are usually turmeric, cumin and coriander. All three of these spices are beneficial for your health.

TURMERIC - This bright orange spice is a natural liver detoxifier, a potent anti-inflammatory and a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent. It also aids in fat metabolism and weight management. But I consider it's most fascinating feature to be its ability to stop the growth of new blood vessels, which tumors need to grow. Turmeric is being studied more frequently for its ability to inhibit the growth of cancer.

CUMIN - This spice has many benefits of its own! Cumin improves blood flow and increases oxygen delivery to your cells. It also boosts your metabolism and helps your body absorb maximum nutrients from the food you eat.

CORIANDER - Did you know the spice coriander is just dried cilantro seeds? Coriander is great for keeping cholesterol in check, protecting against urinary tract infections and easing the symptoms of an unhappy digestive tract.

So... when you eat my Curry in a Hurry this week, remember all the wonderful things this dish is doing for your health!

Eating for Energy Workshop Registration!

There are only a few more weeks left to sign up for my workshop 'Eating for Energy' in New York City on Wednesday, June 12th! We will be discussing the hidden 'energy zappers' in your life, exploring ways to nourish your body and mind through food (you get to taste test too!) and discussing the minor changes you can make to fuel your busy life! If you are always burning the candle at both ends, this workshop is for you!

WHERE? Freshmade NYC, 636 Broadway (at Bleecker Street), Suite 516

WHEN? Wednesday, June 12th from 7-8 pm

HOW MUCH? $35

Click here to reserve your spot! I can't wait to see you!

Recipe Time: Moroccan Chicken in the Kitchen!

 

Glory, hallelujah! My fiancé likes to cook. While I enjoy perusing the recipe boards on Pinterest, pinning delicious concoctions and pretending like I'm going to one day make them, Adam actually gets in the kitchen and makes the magic happen. Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't enjoy cooking. I just recognize that he's more naturally inclined in the kitchen, and I don't mind letting him nurture his talent.

It's actually very gracious of me, don't you think?

 

So after receiving a lovely jar of Meyer lemon preserves from Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena, California (aka. wine country), he decided to make me dinner last night, using a recipe for Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Meyer Lemons and Green Olives from Epicurious. I never say 'no' to Moroccan inspired food OR to a man who wants to cook me dinner.

And since recipes are sometimes hard to follow without pictures, he allowed me to photograph the affair so that your attempt at this would be a cinch. See? I'm good for something in the kitchen!

To prep, cut 2 medium white onions into slices 1/4 inch thick.

Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves.

Cut 16 pitted green olives in half (we went to the olive bar at our local market and bought the exact amount that we needed, but you can also find them canned).

Scrape the pulp from 8 pieces of preserved Meyer lemon (I enjoyed eating the pulp while taking pictures... so tasty).

Cut the remaining Meyer lemon rinds into very thin strips.

Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper (we only used 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves although the recipe calls for 4).

Heat 1-2 Tbs. of organic virgin coconut oil (thank you, Trader Joes!) in a large pot or skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. 

Now add the chicken and saute on both sides until golden brown - about 3 minutes on each side.

Like so. Now transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm.

Without cleaning the pot, reduce the heat to moderate and cook the onions and garlic, stirring frequently until softened but not browned - approximately 8-10 minutes.

Add 1/2 tsp. of turmeric and black pepper, stirring for 1 minute to coat.

Now add the lemon rinds...

the green olives...

1/2 cup organic chicken broth...

... and 1/4 cup dry white wine.

Return the chicken (and any juices that accumulated on the plate) to the pan.

Cover the pot or skillet and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through - about 12 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with fresh cilantro. This dish is excellent atop a bed of plain red quinoa and sauteed broccoli rabe. The juices from the skillet provide all the sauce you need for the quinoa and broccoli rabe, which by themselves take just minutes to make.

While a seriously awesome dinner on a Tuesday is all well and good, it's even more exciting when you understand that dinner's nutritional value. So here we go...

Coconut oil (which we've substituted for the suggested olive oil) - Coconut oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, meaning it's much safer to cook with. Coconut oil is a great source of healthy, plant-based fats. It's been shown to regulate blood sugar, improve calcium and magnesium absorption in the body, boost the thyroid and help support the immune system.

Onion - Alliinase, the same enzyme in onions that makes you cry, actually assists in the formation of immune-building compounds! These compounds help protect you from the development of certain cancers by preventing tumors from obtaining a blood supply.

Garlic - Eating garlic seems to boost your body's natural supply of hydrogen sulfide, which acts as an antioxidant and appears to protect against various cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancers.

Turmeric - Turmeric is a spice that you most often see in Indian curries. It has amazing anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, can help reduce carcinogenic compounds that form when meats are barbecued, boiled or fried. It has also been shown to inhibit the growth of melanoma and slow the spread of breast cancer into the lungs.

Meyer Lemons - A Meyer lemon is a citrus hybrid - the combination of a lemon and a mandarin. Meyer lemons are packed with vitamin C (which boosts your immune system) and antioxidants (which help protect you from heart disease, cancer and even aging)! They're also great for detox!

Green olives - The monounsaturated fats in green olives help regulate bad cholesterol, while also protecting the outer membranes of your cells. Also, the vitamin E and flavonoids in green olives help your body fight cancer-causing free radicals.

Cilantro - Cilantro is packed with phytochemicals, plant-based nutrients that help the body fight disease and aging. 

So there you have it! A delicious dinner with lots of added nutritional perks!

Can I get an 'Amen'?

Weekend Brunch: The Best Scrambled Eggs In the World!

I'm well aware that it's only Wednesday, but there's no harm in dreaming about the weekend, right? I have something really awesome to share with you and it can't wait. It may be a little narcissistic to claim that I make the best scrambled eggs in the world, but I don't care because it's the truth. I make the BEST scrambled eggs in the world. If you dig eggs, love fresh veggies and frequently find yourself in the herb aisle at the grocery store taking a whiff of fresh thyme (not that I do that or anything...), this scramble is for you.

Here's the deal... I've been scrambling eggs for a long time and naturally, I've experimented with a million combinations - from veggies to meat to cheese and back again. No matter how good the scramble is, it's a sure bet that I'm slathering the finished product with Cholula or any other hot sauce in the near vicinity. Eggs are one food I could take or leave - hence the hot sauce makeover (and if we're being honest here, I have a hot sauce addiction that is borderline problematic). 

But enough about hot sauce... let's get back to the eggs.

My man's birthday was a few weekends ago and I decided to make him brunch. A birthday brunch requires a bit of panache... something out of the ordinary... a little extra flair to show him I care. So I ravaged the fridge for some tantalizing ingredients and out came french green beans, baby bella mushrooms and fresh thyme! Simple, yet so delicious!

And because I like you, I'll share my recipe (I know, I know... what a gal!)...

Wash and finely chop a handful of french green beans. Use as many as you'd like!

Wash and roughly chop a handful of baby bella mushrooms (or buy them pre-sliced...even easier)!

In a large skillet, heat 2-3 Tbs. of virgin coconut oil over medium-high heat. Saute the green beans for 2-3 minutes before adding the mushrooms.

Now grab your spices... dried oregano, garlic powder, black pepper and red pepper flakes (optional), and sprinkle over the saute (there are no exact measurements here - use your good judgement). Once everything is cooked all the way through, add 6 beaten eggs (this will give you enough for 2 small portions - if you're really hungry, use 8 eggs).

Scramble the eggs, sprinkle with sea salt to taste and finish with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh thyme.
Look at that beautiful scramble!

In other news... I completely failed in the baking department (I blame the recipe!). I attempted to bake chia seed quinoa muffins to go with the scramble. While the idea was good in theory, the recipe was fatally flawed and alas, my muffins were more than a bit dense. I have made a vow to myself (and now to you) to figure this one out because honestly, what a great idea!

Looking good so far...

They didn't rise like I'd expected, but I held out hope!

Yep, my gut was right... pretty on the outside, but not so tasty on the inside.