Food In Many Forms

A few months ago, we grabbed some marinated Chicken Shawarma from Trader Joe's and were pleasantly surprised how well it turned out by just baking it in the oven. We paired the chicken with pita, tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and cucumber. Any meal that gets praised in my house is worth repeating. So, I looked through a few homemade marinade recipes and decided to try it out for myself. The NYT recipe looked like the best option, because the chicken was also meant to be baked after it was marinated.  INGREDIENTS 2 lemons, juiced 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp olive oil 12 cloves garlic 1 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp turmeric A pinch of ground cinnamon Red pepper flakes, to taste 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon...

Back in 2015, I adapted a curry chicken salad recipe to my own specifications. I left myself a note for the next time that, "it would be interesting to substitute some of the sour cream or mayonnaise for Greek yogurt." So yesterday, I tried out the recipe with Greek yogurt, and twice as many almonds. Still hits the spot! Ingredients 1 1/4 pounds Chicken, cooked and diced 4 whole ribs of organic celery, chopped 1/2 cup sliced almonds 3 Tbsp mayonnaise 3 Tbsp 2% fage greek yogurt 1/3 cup Nut Pods coconut almond milk creamer 1 Tbsp curry powder Salt & pepper, to taste Directions Mix together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, almond milk creamer, curry powder, salt and pepper until well combined. Combine chicken, celery, and almonds in a large bowl, Pour curry dressing over the top. Fold together with a rubber spatula. Make sure it's all combined, then add more of whatever it needs. Chill for several hours. Serve on lettuce, or with juicy grapes on the s...

How do I find time to cook at home?  How do I prevent getting bored of the same foods when I am cooking for one? How do I incorporate seasonal produce into my food routine? These are typical questions that come up during a nutrition counseling session. My clients often want easy answers at first. They want a meal plan; they want to be told what to eat. But the more they learn about good nutrition, and the more they prepare their own food, the more they learn to eat their own favorite foods in different ways and to plan out their meals in a way that works for them.  Let me tell you about my experience when I first was learning to cook and feed myself. I remember when I started this blog, back in college, around 3-4 pm, I would start running through the mental inventory of the food in my fridge. Would I start with rice, pasta or tortillas? Did I have a good protein? Did I have leftovers I needed to use up?  By the time I was walking home after class, I...

Some of my best memories involve sharing a meal, a drink or a sweet. But it is funny how foods that are not memorable at the time become a source of nostalgia later on. For example, when I was studying at the school of public health, the daily grind had curry chicken salad sandwiches for sale. I ate them, just like I ate many things on-the-go, in between classes or to get me through a study session. At the time, it was just a sandwich, but now I have fond memories of eating them. So today, I embraced that nostalgia, and made me some chicken salad... a heavily adapted version of the Pioneer Woman's recipe. Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds Chicken, cooked and diced 4 whole ribs of celery, chopped 1/4 cup sliced almonds 3 Tbsp light mayonnaise 3 Tbsp light sour cream 1/3 cup So Delicious almond milk creamer 1 Tbsp curry powder Salt & pepper, to taste Directions: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, almond milk creamer, and curry powder until well combined....

In a master's program of over 275 people, there is always someone hosting a dinner, a party or a happy hour. I may be a reluctant cook when I'm home by myself, but I love to cook for others when I get the opportunity! And all the better when I can use my dietitian super powers to feed someone special!  One of my good friends is a celiac, and when I know she is attending, I am sure to bring something gluten-free! This time the theme was Mexican - a great potluck theme for anyone going gluten-free. Corn tortillas can easily replace flour tortillas in any recipe, and the rest of the fixings tend to be naturally gluten-free. For this enchilada recipe, I just made sure to check the ingredients label to make sure the sauce was safe too. Ingredients 4 Gluten-free Corn tortillas 4 oz Grilled chicken, sliced 1 1/2 cups Monterrey jack cheese, shredded 2-3 Scallions, chopped 1 can black olives, sliced 1 packet Enchilada sauce, Frontera Green Chile Enchilada Sauce ...

Monday night, after the gym, I was inspired to pick up some sliced almonds and nonfat Greek yogurt, and make myself a fruit parfait for dinner. It took about 10 minutes to assemble, and it made for a healthy, satisfying dinner. A few Google searches later, I found this recipe for a Chicken, Pesto, Celery, Walnut, and Spinach Wrap . It's just as easy to assemble, and made for plenty of leftovers! Ingredients: 6 Fiber One garden vegetable wraps 1 1/2 pounds rotisserie chicken  4 stalks celery, diced 2 Tbsp pesto 3 cups spinach, fresh 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped Directions: 1) Pull the meat off the rotisserie chicken, remove the skin, and divide it into smaller pieces.  2) Mix the pesto, walnuts, and celery in with the chicken. 3) Sprinkle 1/2 cup spinach on a vegetable wrap and cover with approximately 3 oz chicken 4) Roll it up like a burrito and enjoy! Adapted from:  http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/qui...

I'm a fan of just about every thing Giada makes, and I had my eye on this recipe for quite some time. A perfect healthy date night meal. Ingredients 4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs 2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon 1/4 cup olive oil 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup white wine 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 tablespoons capers 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves Directions Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and pros...

I took a bit of a break from blogging while looking for a job, but I am excited to jump back into it now that I am gainfully employed. When I don't have time to cook every day, or every week, cooking is a special treat to share with those I care about - and can be a lot of fun. Plus, it's healthier and cheaper than going out.  This simple combination of pasta, sauteed onions, grape tomatoes, basil, feta, olive oil, garlic and Italian herbs was a great success when my old college roommate and I wanted a quick lunch to share on the patio on one of the last warm days in September.   Giada's Roman Chicken recipe made for a delicious date night with the new boyfriend. After a long, busy week full of not the best food choices, it feels good to sit down and enjoy a homemade meal for a change. Just remember to leave plenty of time to prepare the meal, so you're not stressed out or tempted to snack while you wait. I don't how I got it into my head th...

Hungry Girl is a great resource for low-calorie recipes, but as with most things, it's all checking your nutrition labels and making the best choices at the grocery store. I learned that the hard way when I tried to make Hungry Girl's Chicken Flautas . The Hungry Girl (HG) wants fat-free cheeses, corn tortillas and plenty of spices. My little downtown grocery store has none of this.  Let me cut to the chase - this 188 calorie recipe became a 420 calorie recipe out of no where! Mostly, I blame the tortillas, only afterward did I realize that flour tortillas have more calories than corn tortillas. It is still a great recipe even with my inadequate groceries, and it makes me think I want to start an under-500 calories series . It is a bit overdone, but being informed is always a good thing! Ingredients: 1/4 cup salsa 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese 4 oz. cooked and finely chopped skinless lean chicken breast 3 tbsp. diced onion 1/8 tsp. cayenne ...

At the Diabetes Center, we teach our patients to use the "Plate Method" to get them started on a diabetic diet. We tell them to make half their plate vegetables, one quarter of their plate protein and one quarter of their plate starch. This a great way for everyone to control their portions and increase the amount of vegetables in your diet. So to further my continual mission to eat healthy and exercise. I want to cook more meals that follow this "Plate Method".  What's on the Plate? Penzey's Tandoori Chicken Start preparation the night before.  Mix 1-2 TB. tandoori seasoning with 1 Cup plain yogurt and the juice of ½ lemon. Pour over a cut-up skinless chicken, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Remove from marinade, bake 45 minutes uncovered at 325°, turning and basting every 15 minutes.  Hand-mixed from: coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic, ginger, cardamom and saffron. Trader Jo...

I enjoyed my dinner too much not too share! Cut a whole wheat pita in half and layer with southwestern-style chicken, scallions, and part-skim mozzarella! Stick it in the toaster oven until the cheese melts and top with fresh salsa... stick the other half of the pita on top and dig in!

Can I first say that it is great to be back in a kitchen I can call my own ? Even working 40 hours a week, I've cooked and baked more in the past two weeks than I did all summer. Having a consistent schedule really helps, along with a few easy strategies. 1) Make meals on the weekends for the week... this feta and summer squash orzo with feta cheese and basil was the first dinner of my internship. I had no idea how I would feel after my first day and I was grateful for anything I could throw in the microwave and eat. Luckily, I had gotten to the grocery store that weekend. Unluckily, the squash was less than fresh after a day in the fridge. Live and learn. 2) If you can't cook for tonight, cook for tomorrow... I also bought chicken that week, which needed to be cooked pronto. When I got home hungry the next night, I popped a frozen dinner in the fridge, and once I was fed, I figured out what to do with all that chicken. I ended up making my own breadcrumbs and using an eg...

Ft. Lauderdale Beach I am always the first person to make excuses about why I can't cook - I don't have time, I haven't been to the grocery store, I just don't feel like it... the list goes on. But I do genuinely enjoy cooking , so when I go on vacation, it's great to be able to relax and make a meal for the people I care about . Making dinner for someone is also a great way to thank some one for their hospitality , if you are bumming a couch, or using the guest bedroom. (See  Three Tastes of Chicago ) So I jumped on the opportunity to stay in Ft. Lauderdale in an apartment with a well-stocked kitchen and with a friend willing to be subjected to my cooking. We went to the grocery store together and based our meal on the Thai Kitchen Yellow Curry 10-minute Simmer Sauce that caught our eye. The peppers were just the right amount of crisp and flavorful and the sugar snap peas were deliciously sweet and crunchy! Yellow Curry Chicken  Serves 4  Ingredients: ...

From a Chicken Stir-fry recipe in The Herb Garden Gourmet by Tim Haas and Jan Beane that I bought in Knoxville, Tennessee. I've never used crystallized ginger before , but it was really easy to use. Those who tasted said it was a good mild-flavored dinner for every day . Plus, I got to use a wok!