Memories and healthy recipes for your dinner table.
Curry is commonly eaten throughout Asia and the Middle East. The term curry refers to delicacies that are seasoned with black pepper, coriander, curry leaves, ginger, cumin, chili powder, mustard seeds, salt, lemongrass, ginger, five spice powder, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and other pungent spices and …
The first day of school our little guy came home crying because he wanted to eat off a tray like the other kids and because the day was too long. The school schedule I cannot change but I pulled him into a big hug and …
I love roasted vegetables. The are the most delicious slightly charred and seasoned lightly with kosher salt. You can make them in the oven as stated in this recipe or in a skillet over medium-high heat. I usually use Bulgar wheat for breakfast cereal sort of like an oatmeal. Tonight however I ventured to try a recipe pairing the wheat and vegetables. The verdict was a unanimous two thumbs up. I feel a little guilty letting the crowd believe the Bulgar wheat was couscous. They liked it so why spoil it, right?
I use a product called better than bullion in the place of broth. It is basically concentrated broth that has to be refrigerated. It calls for 1 teaspoon per 1 cup hot water. I forgot to measure how much water I put in the bowl with the wheat but 1 teaspoon of the bullion and a pinch of salt was enough to give the wheat sufficient flavor. Serve with grilled salmon, chicken, steaks or seared tuna steaks.
Source: The Good Mood Food Blog
Serves 4-5 generous portions
200g (about 1 1/3 cups) of Bulgar wheat
1 tsp of vegetable bouillon powder
1 aubergine (eggplant) chopped into bite size pieces
2 courgettes (zucchini) chopped into bite size pieces
2 red onions chopped into bite size pieces
1 sweet red pepper chopped into bite size pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Place the Bulgar wheat in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Stir through the vegetable bouillon powder, cover with a cloth or cling film and allow to sit for about 30 minutes or until all the water is soaked up.
Add all the prepared vegetables to a large bowl or baggy and toss with the oil, salt and black pepper. Arrange the vegetables on a large non-stick low sided roasting tray, making sure not to overcrowd it, as this will make the vegetables become soft. Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables become slightly scorched on the edges. Remove the tray from the oven and allow to cool. Add the roasted vegetables to the Bulgar wheat and stir gently to combine. If needed, season with a little extra sea salt and black pepper.
Variations:
-Use any type of hearty vegetable such as carrots, beetroot, asparagus, potatoes or corn.
-Use chicken or vegetable broth in the place of water and the bullion powder.
I was in a shrimp mood this week. It started with the Island Shrimp and Fruit salad recipe. This is one of our favorite shrimp recipes. The couscous is a light alternative to pasta or rice. Source: Better Homes and Gardens magazine October 2005 24 …
From many failures, comes success. For a few years, I have used a chili recipe I found in a Cooking Light cookbook. My husband liked the recipe at first, but … he had a few requests. He did not like the large pieces of tomato and wanted more kidney beans. So, I increased the beans from one can to three and decreased the diced tomatoes by one can and pureed them before adding them to the pot.
Then, one night I went to a friend’s house for a girl’s night out and she served chili. She found her recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook. In addition to the Kidney beans called for in the recipe, she added a can of white beans and a can of black beans. The next time I made chili, I decided to try adding the extra beans plus some lentils. The response was “this is great!â€
My problem is, I get bored of the same recipe after a while and while Stephen could go on eating the same chili year after year. Â I was determined to make it better. Tonight, Stephen wanted chili for dinner, but I was out of a few ingredients. I had to make my own Chili Powder and I only had enough Italian sausage for a dish I was making for company this weekend. I omitted the brown sugar, replaced the jalapeno with red pepper flakes and reduced the sausage to three links. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine. I have always used apple juice that I make fresh with my juicer. This time, I decided to reduce the amount of apple juice and add a little chicken stock to give the chili a little more flavor.
3 to 6 oz hot or mild Italian sausage
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup green pepper, chopped. I like to add a bit of red and yellow too
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 Tsp dried red pepper flakes or 1 jalapeno
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apple juice
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1/2 cup lentils
Shredded cheddar cheese
Cook sausage and turkey until done. Remove from pan. In the same pan, saute onion, garlic and green pepper over medium high heat, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, stock, juice, tomatoes, paste, beans and lentils. Bring to a simmer then, reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for one hour. Uncover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. To serve sprinkle with cheese. Serves 10.
Alternatives:
I was out of Chili Powder, so I made my own. This version really gave the chili the kick I was looking for. 1 teaspoon each paprika, cayenne pepper and oregano. 2 teaspoons each ground cumin and garlic powder.
I just have to mention a friend of mine recently won a chili cook off contest. She has never made chili before, but has a palette for flavor. She threw in a bunch of spices that sounded good to her and a bar of chocolate.
These are a great family treat. The kids go nuts over them. I am glad, because they are healthy, as well as really tasty. They are perfect for breakfast, on the go, or as a snack. Or, if you are desperate for something sweet, try …