Basil Thai Chicken Pizza

Confession: I don't particularly enjoy writing recipes. I love cooking food. I love photographing food. I really, sincerely highly dislike methodically measuring and recording the components of my creations. Doing so cramps my style. It ruins my rhythm and flow the kitchen, and takes the joy out of cooking.

Having said that, I present to you a recipe that is a compilation of educated guesses. Proceed with caution, but know that it can't be ruined if you decide to take my lead and forgo the measuring cups. This freedom can feel liberating.

Oh, and I guess I should introduce the meal itself. It's a "middle ground" meal that appeals to Jay's obsession with pizza and my obsession with making sure he eats his vegetables. It's a portion-controlled, Asian-inspired meal that happens to be a nice change from the tomato-based, cheese heavy American favorite.

The Edibles:

• 1 chicken breast
• 1/3 c. orange juice
• 2 T. sake
• 3 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 T. dried cilantro (or a small handful of fresh cilantro)
• 2 whole wheat pitas
• 2 c. fresh spinach
• 10 baby carrots, cut into quarters
• 1/2 c. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• small handful of basil leaves, sliced into strips (optional)

The Making:

1. Place chicken breast in a gallon size plastic bag with orange juice, sake, low-sodium soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper, and cilantro. Massage the meat in the bag to ensure marinade is evenly dispersed. Place on a plate and refrigerate at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
2. Once marinaded, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Coat sauté pan lightly with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the bag and place in the pan, reserving the marinade. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is no longer pink and has a bit of brown color. Remove from pan and slice into thin strips.
4. Using the chicken pan, sauce spinach and carrot sticks with a little olive oil spray and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Cook until wilty, about 3 minutes.
5. While the chicken cooks, pour marinade into small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and allow the liquid to reduce. This will take about 5 minutes.
6. If you want to extend your pitas, carefully tear each into two round pieces. Otherwise, you can use a whole pita as a crust. Either way, toast each pita in oven for 3-5 minutes, until cripsy. Remove from oven. Top with chicken, spinach and carrot mixture, and a light sprinkling of mozzerella cheese. Drizzle marinade over the top of the pizza.
7. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve topped with basil.

No Worry Crock Pot Curry

Curry powder. You may not have guessed it by looking at it, but it can pack a potentially life-altering, health-improving punch. It's a complex combination of herbs and spices that generally includes coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper, but will sometimes be supplemented with additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, asafoetida, fennel seed, caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, mace, nutmeg, long pepper, and black pepper.

So what makes curry powder so great? Well, many of its ingredients have been linked to improvements in health indicators. What am I talking about? Let's look at an example...

Why tumeric rocks:

• It may help relieve joint pain experienced by people living with arthritis because tumeric contains more than 24 compounds that fight inflammation in the body.
• It may help those living with digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), because tumeric can aid digestion and reduce disturbances such as heartburn, bloating and gas.
• It may help those with high cholesterol, because studies have shown that tumeric may assist in the reduction of LDL levels (bad cholesterol), thereby helping prevent atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in the artery walls)

(For more information about the benefits of curry powder and tumeric, visit here and here.)

Fueled by my love for easily prepared, tasty, nutrition-packed meals, I set out to create a healthy crock pot curry recipe. The challenge for me was creating a recipe that resembled the classic coconut curry my mom used to make, but was a bit lighter in that it didn't use coconut milk.* I wanted to develop a curry dish that was well-balanced and allowed me to recognize the veggies, chicken, and grain because they weren't completely smothered in sauce. Go ahead, call me a purist. (For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth.)

Speaking of veggies, feel free to add whatever you may have on hand. Some bell pepper strips or cauliflower would be great additions both flavor and health-wise. Serve over a mini grain like rice, quinoa, or cous cous, and top your curry with one, two, or all of my suggestions below. (Before you judge my vanilla yogurt idea, I'd recommend giving it a whirl because I can pretty much guarantee that you'll be just as surprised as I was by its yum factor! Try it!)

The Stuff:

• non-stick olive oil cooking spray
• medium sauté pan
• crockpot

The Edibles:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium potatoes, chopped into pieces the same size as your chicken
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots (about 1 & ½ c.), sliced (can use frozen)
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 tsp. coconut extract
  *Of course you could use coconut milk in this recipe if that's what your heart desires; substitute 1 cup milk for one cup of broth; omit extract and honey
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. flour
• 2 T. curry powder
• hearty shake of the following: garlic powder, onion powder, and coriander
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 c. frozen peas, thawed

Optional Toppings:

• 2 T. vanilla yogurt
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• 2 -3 tsp. toasted flaked coconut
• 1 T. slivered almonds

The Making:

1. Spray a medium-sized saute pan with non-stick olive oil cooking spray. Place pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and on all sides.
2. Doing this quick cook will help seal in the moisture of the chicken and prevent your meat from disintegrating in the crock pot.
3. Place potatoes and onion in crock pot. If using fresh carrots, add at this time. Top with seared chicken.
4. Whisk together chicken broth, coconut extract, honey, flour, curry powder, dashes of spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper (you can add more after cooking). Pour over chicken and vegetables.
5. Cover; cook on high for 3 to 3 & ½ hours or LOW 6 to 7 hours.
6. Add peas and carrots (if you’re using frozen) at this time. Allow the curry to cook for 30-45 minutes on high with the cover removed in order to thicken the sauce.
7. Serve over rice, quinoa, cous cous or whatever else you may have on hand!

Optional topping ideas: a dollop of vanilla yogurt, hot sauce, flaked coconut, slivered almonds.

Kick-off Chicken Bites

It's football season, so what's more appropriate than some buffalo chicken bites? Getting their crunch from an oven bake, rather than deep fry, these babies are a healthy take on the classic fried chicken wing.

Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to spicy foods, so these are a tamed-down version. Of course more hot sauce could be added if you happen to have a stronger palate. With the addition of honey mustard, these nuggets are slightly sweet, but they still have a bit of a kick, so they are a good middle ground that will please a crowd. I served our nugs with some good ol' fashioned corn bread, because I'm fancy like that.

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 T. parsley
• 10 chicken wings (or 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks)
• olive oil cooking spray
• 2 T. melted butter
• 3 T. hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)
• 3 T. barbecue sauce
• 1 T. ketchup
• 4 T. honey mustard
• 2 T. worcheschire sauce
• 1/4 c. water

The Making:

1. Place the flour through parsely into a resealable plastic bag; shake to mix. Add the chicken, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Refrigerate for an hour if you have the time.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag and place on prepared baking sheet, allowing space in between the pieces.
4. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and appears golden on the outside, about 45 minutes (time will be less if you have small cuts of the chicken). Turn over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.
5. While the chicken cooks, wisk together the butter and remaining ingredients overhot sauce in a small saucepan placed over low heat.
6. Once cooked, carefully dip the wings into the sauce mixture, and serve!

Zucchini Pasta with Light Basil Cream Sauce

Barry the Basil plant has been whining for weeks, pleading with me to feature him on the blog once again. "But I've grown so big!" he said on Tuesday. "My leaves can offer so much to enhance your cooking!" he asserted on Thursday. By Saturday he'd grown tired of my snubs. "If you don't, I'll wilt!!!" he threatened. Now that got my attention.

So without further ado, please try your hand at this delectable dish where basil stands center stage. I have to respect the hard work devoted by Barry and my devoted botanist (Jay) in the deliverance of extremely flagrant leaves, as there is no arguing that this meal would not compare in awesomeness if dried basil were to be substituted. A zing of lemon juice and slight cheesiness in the light cream sauce stand in as secondary supporting flavors that provide perfect contrast and support for the basil essence.

The Stuff:

• small saucepan
• large saucepan

The Edibles:

• 3/4 c. skim milk
• ½ c. cottage cheese
• 1 Laughing Cow wedge
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or the equivalent in powdered or fresh
• ¼ c. fresh basil, loosely packed
• 2 T. lemon juice
• ½ c. water
• ½ T. whole wheat flour
• 1 egg white
• ¼ c. shredded mozzarella (or Italian blend) cheese
• ½ grated parmesan cheese (or a blend with Romano cheese)
• 1 zucchini squash, cut into matchsticks
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
• 6 oz. whole wheat thin spaghetti, cooked al dente

The Making:

1. Drizzle 1 T. of extra virgin olive oil into a large saucepan. Place over medium heat. Add zucchini matchsticks. Cook until they are soft and slightly yellowed in color. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor, whirl together first 6 ingredients for 10-20 seconds.
3. Pour the blended sauce into a small saucepan. Pour in ½ c. water, flour, and egg white. Place pan over medium heat. Slowly bring sauce to a rolling boil; stir with a whisk constantly. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, add shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheeses. Keep stirring over heat for 5 minutes, until cheeses have melted and sauce has thickened.
4. Place large saucepan with zucchini over medium heat once again. Add shredded chicken and sauce. Stir well. Heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until all foods are warmed and sauce begins to boil. Add pasta and stir to incorporate. Heat for another minute or two. Serve warm, topped parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil.

For us, this made 2 sizeable dinners and one small lunch, but I would say that this serves 2. The servings are dependent on the amount of pasta you use and the size of your zucchini squash.

Fiesta Chicken Salad

My love for the Whole Foods salad bar has made a serious dent in my bank account. One of my favorite salads the store offers is the inspiration for this serious salad that is not only totally easy to throw together, but much more economical than its $7.99/lb counterpart.

As far as how many chicken breasts you should use for this recipe, 3 easily make 4 servings, so if you're serving 2, you'll have plenty for your lunches the next day. How you cook the chicken depends on how much work you want to put into this recipe. My method of choice is to cook the breasts in a crockpot for 6 hours on low in enough chicken broth to cover them entirely. Often times I'll add a hearty shake of garlic powder for some extra "umf". I've also been known to purchase a roasted chicken and use half of the meat to make this salad. When we're talking about how much Greek yogurt to use, this again is up to you. Add a bit at a time until you reach your desired level of creaminess, as this is often a matter of strong opinion.

Now, you may be looking at these pictures, thinking to yourself, "Hey, where are these bell peppers Britt speaks of in her list of edibles?" Or you may already be at the stage of creation, looking at the fiesta in your bowl, thinking, "Hey, my salad looks way darker than Britt's... what gives?" Before you start writing me off, I'm a-gonna tell ya that the recipe below is THE way to make this salad. On the day I chose to fiesta-it-up with my camera in hand I happened to be sans peppers and taco seasoning, so I had to make do without the bells and whistles. (Get it? Bells... as in bell peppers... like this salad there's some corn in that joke... sorry...) In lieu of an easy taco seasoning packet I hastily threw in some powdered garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, cumin, and oregano. Of course, you could do that too if you're feeling adventurous!

The Edibles:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• Greek yogurt
• 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning

The Making:

1. Mix together all the above ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Serve in tortilla shells, on a salad, or use as a dip for some chips. Add your favorite fiesta toppings for a real party!

Orange Chicken

I've been craving Chinese/Asian food lately, so this really hit the spot. The highlight of this dish was the orange marmalade, compliments of the $30 breakfast buffet at the Marriot Marquis New York City. I've been wanting to make my own orange chicken from scratch (just so I know what really goes in it), but have been too budget-conscious to pick up marmalade knowing that I will only need just a bit of it and probably won't use it otherwise. This dish is sponsored by the extra special family member that picked up that ginormous breakfast bill!

The marinating step is one that you can easy omit if you're like me and often fail to plan ahead in your meals. Luckily I had the assistance of an extra awesome helper who got home early enough to give the chicken about 2 to 3 hours to soak up some added orange-ness.

You'll see that I served this alongside some homemade vegetable fried rice (another dish I have been craving lately) that contained carrots, peas, and rutabaga. Feel free to compliment this dish with any vegetables you have on hand and some rice (or quinoa) to soak up the sauce.

The Stuff:

• sealable bag for marinating
• small bowl
• whisk (or fork)
• large saute pan

The Edibles:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 1 T. & 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp. ginger, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• shake of onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 3 T. orange marmelade
• 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/2 T. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 large shallot, minced

The Making:

1. Cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a sealable bag to marinade with orange juice, 1 T. olive oil, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 clove garlic, onion powder, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl whisk together broth through cornstarch, remaining 1 tsp. ginger and 1 clove garlic. Set aside.
3. Spray a large saute pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Remove chicken from bag and place in saute pan. Discard marinade. Cook chicken for 5 to 7 minutes and remove from pan.
4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and shallots to the pan and cook on medium, stirring often. Cook until they begin to brown, about 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture prepared in step two and add it to the pan.
5. Bring sauce to a simmer, carefully scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to maintain simmer; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
6. Add the chicken and return to a simmer. Cook, turning once or twice, until the chicken is heated through and fully coated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and serve with sauteed vegetables and rice!

A "Boot-e-full" Quinoa Lunch Salad

This salad is the product of a special request from my one and only Momo,

a.k.a. the one who wears these:

I love my Momo, despite her rather peculiar sense of style.

Style aside, my mom is my idol. Her dedication to her work and health inspire me and those around her to live healthfully. A request for a lunch salad could not go unheard. Easily prepared ahead of time (in fact I recommend doing so in order to allow for maximum flavor enhancement), and extremely versatile (use whatever veggies, proteins, beans, or cheeses you may have on hand), you have almost no excuse (other than pure laziness) not to trust me on this one and give this salad a try. If you don't like it, don't write me off; I promise that I still have more grainy salad ideas up my sleeve to keep your lunches spiced up and healthful.

The Stuff:

• medium saucepan
• small sauté pan
• a fork, whisk, or blender

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. quinoa
• 1 & 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• non-stick olive oil spray
• about 10 mushrooms, sliced
• 2 T. white wine vinegar
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cucumber, seeds removed, diced
• 1/2 c. cherry/grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 4 oz. cannelloni beans (1/2 of one 8 oz. can)
• 6 oz. cooked chicken breast, shredded (the equivalent of two breasts)*
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp. parsley (garnish)

*see step 4 for vegetarian substitution suggestions

The Making:

1. Bring 1 and 1/4 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, a generous sprinkle of garlic and onion powders, and quinoa. Bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
2. While quinoa is cooking, place a small saute pan over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add mushrooms and a light sprinkle of garlic powder. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the shrooms are dark. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a small bowl whisk together white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, dill, and generous shakes of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
4. Once quinoa is cooked, add to a large mixing bowl with prepared dressing and carrots through chicken. If you choose to make this vegetarian you can omit the chicken and replace with albacore tuna or firm tofu and have fabulous results. Stir to combine.
5. Garnish with feta and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Britt's Crock Pot Barbacoa Chicken

Do you have to cook for a crowd? Does that crowd like chipotle?

Faced with the plan to cook for my chipotle-obsessed family and boyfriend, I thought I would try my hand at making some barbocoa beef. It was during the ingredient-acquiring stage of this meal that I realized how I could not afford to purchase the beef I so desired to cook. Seeing at boneless, skinless chicken breasts were on sale, I decided to be practical (versus broke) and make Barbocoa chicken.

The result? Pure deliciousness.

The ultimate result? A versatile recipe that can accomodate what happens to be cheaper: chicken breasts or 4 lbs chuck roast.

And the ultimate, final, most satisfying result? I fed my family and friends a healthful dish that they enjoyed.

I doubled this recipe to serve a party of 7. It was more than enough!

The Stuff:

• blender or food processor
• crock pot

The Edibles:

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 chipotle peppers, canned in sauce (you'l just need a small can for this, and I think I only added 4 peppers for a double recipe, but I'm weak when it comes to spicy things)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground clove
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 bay leaves

The Making:

1. Combine cider vinegar through clove in a blender or food processor and puree on high speed until smooth. This is your adobo sauce.
2. Into your crockpot pour 1/3 of the adobo sauce, or enough to thinly cover the bottom of your cooker.  Add oil, broth, and bay leaves. Give it a stir. Lay chicken breasts flat on top of sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the chicken, flipping to make sure the pieces are completely covered. Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from cooker and shred. Remove bay leaves. Place chicken back into adobo sauce-ful cooker and stir until fully covered. Serve in a burrito, on top of a salad, or smothering a bed of rice. Top with anything you like: fresh tomatoes, salsa, cheese, beans, sour cream, and/or guacamole. For salads, I recommend a dressing made by combining 1 to 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing with a couple spoonfuls of fresh salsa.

Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I came up with dish on a whim one night, and it never ceases to amaze me how easy it comes together. I've always thought that chicken needs at least 1 hour to marinate, but I think the bite-size pieces give some wiggle room if you're short on time (and have a growling tummy). Though I have a sensitive tongue (meaning I don't like my food hot by any means), I really enjoy the little bite afforded by the addition of chili pepper and a generous amount of coriander. Nevertheless, I respect differences in tastes and suggest adding spicy things slowly, tasting often.

You can vary the added sautéed vegetables based on what you have on hand, or what happens to be nearing the end of its lifespan in your fridge. Maybe it's the German in me, but I love this recipe simply for the fact that it awesomely uses up those vegetables that you dare not waste.
The Stuff:

• gallon size plastic close-able bag
• medium-sized sauté pan

The Edibles:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 T. of a light vinaigrette dressing (I recommend an Italian or Greek style)
• generous shake of garlic powder
• generous shake of Italian seasoning
• light shake of chili powder (for a little kick)
• shake of ground coriander
• light shake of onion salt
• pepper to taste
• olive oil cooking spray spray
• 1 T. garlic, minced
• lettuce (butter, bib, or (if you're poor like me) iceberg)
• sauteed vegetables
• optional: feta cheese, hummus, dressing of choice

The Making:

1. Trim chicken breasts of fat and cut into chunks about 1 inch by 1 inch. Place chicken pieces in a gallon size plastic bag with remaining ingredients (through pepper). Massage the meat in the bag to ensure marinade is evenly dispersed. Place on a plate and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Once marinaded, coat sauté pan lightly with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Place 1 T. minced garlic in pan. Once garlic begins howling (okay, some call it, "sizzling"), empty the contents of the bag of the marinading chicken into pan. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and has a bit of brown color.
3. Serve with sautéed vegetables, topped with a light sprinkle of feta, hummus (if desired), and/or dressing of choice in a lettuce "tortilla".

Fancy Shmancy Balsamic Reduction Chicken

I still remember the first time I decided to make this… I was living at home with Mo and Mark after moving out of that crazy apartment with the crazy roommate, and I decided I wanted to try to make a reduction sauce. I had never tried my hand at anything like it, bit I would feeling up to the challenge. I’ll never forget those “mmmmms” from that oozed from my parents’ mouths! And all I did was follow a recipe!

This beauty comes from the glorious Cooking Light, where they call it Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar Pan Sauce. I prefer to call it mother-loving delicious.


I typically serve it with quinoa, but this time you’ll see I served it with rice. To be specific, I used brown basmati rice, which is probably my one of my favorites of the rice world. When it cooks, it gives off this nutty smell that is simply mouth-watering. I like to make it kind of pilaf style, with carrots and spinach, a twirl of extra virgin olive oil, some garlic salt, pepper, coriander, and onion power. Mmmm!



My recipe doubles the reduction sauce, because it is really the BEST PART of this dish. On that note, I highly suggest wearing a dark shirt for the sauce-reducing step, because it does splatter just a bit. If you want to up the fiber in this recipe, you could use whole wheat flour when you flour the chicken (step 4).



This is (yet another) of Jay’s favorites and I have to say it is most definitely one of mine as well. It is pretty intense (as in, I can’t label this post with an “easy” tag). Such is especially true if you’re like me, preparing multiple side dishes at the same time. Nevertheless, I think you’ll agree that all the dish-dirtying is super worth it!


Yields 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast and 2 tablespoons sauce)



The Edibles:

• 1 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 c. balsamic vinegar
• 4 tsp. honey (often times I’ll used 1 teaspoon honey and one packet of Splenda)
• 1 T. butter (real butter is ideal for this one)
• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• enough flour to cover your breasts (chicken breasts… do I really need to clarify that? ;-)
• 2 T. finely chopped shallots (about 1 shallot, though I like these a lot so sometimes I’ll add two or so)
• chopped parsley (optional)

The Making:

1. Combine broth, vinegar, and honey. Set aside.
2. Melt butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. (I think it works best to use a skillet that is not cast iron or very dark so that you can see when the butter browns in the step that follows.)
3. While butter melts, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. (I always forget to season them, and it still turns out yum-yum yummy. That’s a testament to how much you don’t necessarily need salt!)
4. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess flour.
5. Increase the heat of your sauté pan to medium-high; heat 2 minutes, or until the butter turns golden brown.
6. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
7. Remove the chicken from the pan, and place on a platter or pan in a warm oven. Keep the sauté pan warm (on medium to medium low).
8. Add the shallots and sauté 30 seconds.
9. Add the broth mixture, scraping to loosen browned bits. Bring it to a boil, and cook until reduced by half (about 3 minutes).
10. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Estimated Nutritional Information:
Calories: 270
Fat: 8g
Protein: 34g
Carbohydrate: 13g
Fiber: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 90mg
Iron: 1.7mg
Sodium: 331mg
Calcium: 29mg

Crock Pot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Again, this recipe is waaay too easy. I make at least one meal a week in my crock pot, simply because I love leaving work knowing that dinner is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Dump, press the button, and presto! (Okay, maybe it's not quite like that; there is a bit of wait-time.) I prefer to make my crock pot meals during the week, because when made on the weekend I find myself impatiently lifting up the top, looking, smelling, salivating. And that's a major no-no when cooking with a slow cooker. They say that one is supposed to add 15 to 30 minutes every time you lift the lid. So essentially I'm only prolonging the agony. The horror!

You'll see that I enjoyed a baked sweet potato aside the chicken. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend this pairing, I had a craving. You can't fight those. Conversely, Jay perfectly complimented the chicken with quinoa flavored with a bit of teriyaki sauce poured over the top. Now that might be a bit more appropriate. But to each, his own.

The Stuff:

• a crock pot (also known as a slow cooker)

The Edibles:

• 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in its own juice
• Teriyaki Marinade with Pineapple Juice (alternatively you could just use teriyaki sauce)
• 3-5 fresh or defrosted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Optional: Grilled fresh pineapple slices

The Making:

1. Dump pineapple can contents into crockpot (include the juice). Place chicken breasts in the pot atop the pineapple. Pour marinade over chicken breast. (I would estimate I used 1/4 cup... it wasn't much). Flip chicken breasts over to ensure that they are fully covered in marinade.
2. Cook in the crock pot 6 & 1/2 hours on low, or 3 to 3 & 1/2 hours on high.
3. Serve with grilled pineapple if desired, and devour.

Rainbow Pasta Salad

I feel like meals are much more satisfying when they are visually appealing, and one way to do this is to incorporate a range of bright and colorful fruits and vegetables in your dishes. Word on the street is that different-colored foods offer different health benefits.

Here's the low-down by color (source):

Red fruits and vegetables: Contain nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases.

Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables: Contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones.

Green vegetables and fruit: Green vegetables contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals, and boost immune system activity.

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables: Contain nutrients which include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin. Similar to the previous nutrients, these nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells.

White fruits and vegetables: Contain nutrients such as beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignans that provide powerful immune boosting activity. These nutrients also activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers, and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers.

Which leads me to share an almost embarrassingly easy concoction I whipped up. Its ease really makes me want to refer to it as a "non-recipe," because let's be honest, a pasta salad loaded with vegetables is really not original at all. Nevertheless, I wanted to share it if only to promote cooking with color.

To cook the chicken (which can totally be omitted if you're a vegetarian, Jeanne), I chose to braise it in my crock pot. When cooked this way, I have found that the chicken shreds way more easily than boiling, baking, or grilling. In fact I would argue that 6 hours on low, slowly cooking in chicken broth spiced with some garlic is really the only way to go with this one. If you plan ahead, this dish is a quick, fresh, and healthy dinner that you can have on the table in less than 30 minutes. And no, I am not the next Rachel Ray.

The Edibles:

• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or equivalent in jarred or powdered garlic)
• 2 halves of pepper of different colors, largely diced (I used green and yellow)
• 1 c. cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 c. carrots, sliced into matchsticks
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 c. cooked pasta
• Britt's balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below)

The Making:

1. Turn on stove to medium and cover a medium-sized sauté pan with olive oil cooking spray. Place garlic in the pan; once it begins to sizzle, dump onion in and stir frequently.
2. Let onion cook for 3-5 minutes, or until it is slightly translucent and has lost its super-oniony bite. Remove from heat.
3. Layer all the ingredients into an extremely large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Cover salad and refrigerate at least one hour, or dive in if you're impatient like me!

Britt's Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Stuff:

• 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 T. spicy or honey dijon mustard
• 1 T. olive oil
• generous shake of dried oregano
• generous shake of dried basil
• 1 clove garlic, or equivalent in jarred or powdered
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. sugar or 1 tsp. honey (cut this in half if you are using honey mustard)

The Making:

1. This one is tough. Combine all the ingredients together, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Half-Mashed Soup

Also called "Carrot O's" and "Bugs Bunny Soup" (sorry Warner Brothers, I know you probably have some trademark on that name, meaning I owe you $0.10 every time someone sees this post), this soup is really just a mash of veggies all squashed together. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and you have yourself an economical (I refuse to refer to it as "cheap" because it hardly tastes so), heaping pile of warm vegetable-laden goodness.

I'm serious though when I say "a little bit of this, a little bit of that," because (as you'll see) my measurements are almost scientific. (Note the sarcasm.) I'm a big fan of intuitive cooking, and with soups there's no better, more forgivable dish that will allow you some leeway in your spices. I should note, though, that I promote tasting often and starting off easy with anything (especially those spices that have added salt). The last thing you want is something resembling a salt brick. It may be good for horses, but for us, well, not so much.


Typically I'll add some elbow-type pasta to any soup I make, but I went into making this dish knowing that I had a ginormous loaf of Asiago-Pesto bread (be jealous, Allison) ready to be toasted and dipped as an accompaniment. (Thank you, Momo!) I do recommend finding yourself a tasty, hearty bread to compliment this dish. A simple wheat bread sprayed with olive oil spray, sprinkled with garlic powder, topped with Parmesan and/or Romano and broiled for a minute would be quite lovely.

The Stuff:

• large stock pot
• 2 cups ice cubes
• blender

The Edibles:

• olive oil cooking spray
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1-16 oz bag of frozen cauliflower
• 16 oz. chicken broth (vegetable broth could most definitely be used)
• 1/2 of a 16 oz. bag of frozen sliced carrots
• 2 bay leaves
• light shake of onion salt
• light shake of chili powder
• light shake of bacon salt (it's vegetarian... ha! of course, this addition is only if you are an eclectic spice collector like me)
• generous shake of dried oregano
• generous shake of dried thyme
• generous shake of coriander
• generous shake of garlic powder
• generous amount of fresh ground pepper
• 1 large can of chicken (see the Making for vegetarian suggestions)
• 1 cup frozen spinach (or about 2 cups fresh)

The Making:

1. Spray a large stock pan with cooking spray and turn stove to medium-low. Place garlic in the pot and listen to it. Once it starts yelling at you (some might call it "sizzling"), dump the diced onion into the pot and turn the stove up to medium. After 2 minutes, add the cauliflower and the 4 fresh diced carrots. Let the veggie mixture cook an additional 5 minutes.
2. Pour broth in pot and turn the temperature up to high. Add the spices and bay leaves at this time. Once the pot begins to boil, let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until the vegetables are looking loose. At this point, it's a treasure hunt as you try to find and remove the 2 bay leaves.
3. Turn the stove off and dump 2 cups ice cubes into the pot. Stir the mixture to melt the cubes and cool the soup. Once cool, place 2/3 of the soup into a blender (or as much as it takes to fill your blender halfway). See? It's half-mashed!
4. Place frozen (thawed) carrots in the blender with the soup. Puree until it resembles delicious baby food, and then return it to the pot and combine with the non-blended mix.
5. Turn stove on once again to medium-low. Add contents of the strained can of chicken (tofu or cannelloni beans would work beautifully as a vegetarian substitute). Also add the frozen spinach (no need to thaw, it'll do that in the hot tub o' veg you have going on).
6. Let the soup cook and re-warm for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.