Chicken Cacciatore, in its most traditional form, uses the dark meat of the chicken which is fattier but has more flavor. Nowadays a lot of chefs choose to use a combination of white and dark but in my version I only use the chicken breast as it’s lean protein. The meat is cooked until it literally falls off the bone.
When finished, the dish can be served alone or over either rice or pasta.
Chicken Cacciatore, in its most traditional form, uses the dark meat of the chicken which is fattier but has more flavor. Nowadays a lot of chefs choose to use a combination of white and dark but in my version I only use the chicken breast as it’s lean protein. The meat is cooked until it literally falls off the bone.
When finished, the dish can be served alone or over either rice or pasta.

For all of you vegetarians I tried the recipe with Seitan and substituted veg. for chicken broth.
Seitan is made from wheat and has has little in common with flour or bread. Also known as “wheat meat”, “wheat gluten” or simply “gluten”, seitan becomes surprisingly similar to the look and texture of meat when cooked, making it a popular meat substitute.

Continue reading Chicken Cacciatore on Health Habits >

Though I grew up eating root veg and I thoroughly enjoy winter crops, I must be ready for spring because I found myself craving some spring/summer fruit at the farmers market the other day. This got me thinking about how I could satisfy my craving without having the in-season fruit at hand. Like mint and lamb, apple and pork, I love the combination of apricots and roast chicken.

True, you should be able to find Chilean imported apricots in most major stores from January until early August, there’s something special in buying locally farmed produce. California apricots are available from May through July while Washington apricots are on the market from June through early August. Being that it’s late February I decided to improvise using sugar free preserves to see if I could create the taste I was hoping for.

Isn’t cooking grand?

Continue reading “Apricot Glazed Roast Chicken” on Dancing Spoon»

Thanksgiving before last I had my first Southern feast. The dish that has been on my mind ever since and the one I’ve been wanting to try was the stuffed Mirlitons. Man they were good. Back then I had no idea what I was eating but my mouth was in heaven. Since then I’ve found out a thing or two about this dish and have finally tried making them in hopes of recreating that great taste.

Chayote/Mirlitons

The Mirliton, also known as the Chayote, Alligator Pear, Mango Squash and Vegetable Pear is a favorite food of South Louisiana. I think they taste like a cross between honeydew melon and watery artichoke. Does that do it justice? How about stuffing it with shrimp and crab meat? Brilliant! Makes a great appetizer and looks

RECIPE:
Makes 6 servings

3 Large Mirlitons
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined

1/2 lb. fresh cooked crab meat
1 med white onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
2 tsp. Creole/Cajun seasoning, divided
Seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
S&P

DIRECTIONS:
Slice mirlitons in half, boil until fork tender. Keep an eye on them–you don’t want to over cook them because if the skin gets too tender they’ll fall apart when working with them. While they’re boiling, dice the shrimp and sprinkle 1 tsp of the Creole seasoning on them. Toss and refrigerate until needed.
When mirlitons are done, drain and let cool until you can handle them. Remove the seeds and scoop out the pulp into a bowl, leaving about a 1/4″ shell to support the skin. Get as much of the pulp out as you can without puncturing the skin.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Saute onions, celery, bell pepper and jalapeno in olive oil for about 15 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Add in garlic and cook for another 3-5 mins. Add the shrimp and bayleaf into the sauteed vegetables and cook for about a minute. Add the mirliton pulp and mix well. Add in 1 tsp of creole seasoning and the green onions, mix well. Cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes, or until flavors are married. Taste and season accordingly. Fold in fresh cooked crab meat. Let this rest for about 10 mins off the flame.

S&P the inside of the shells. Spoon the stuffing into each shell. Don’t be afraid to overstuff them. Place the shells on a baking dish and sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake on the top rack for about 25 mins or until the bread crumbs begin to brown. My crumbs needed a little push so I cranked up the oven to 500 and baked for an extra 10 mins to get the browning I desired. Serve hot.
Oh yeah, I’m on my way to Emeril’s fame with these!

(Adapted from Cooking Louisiana)

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Day are all terms referring to the same day– the day before the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period of fasting and prayer before Easter Sunday. This year I’m going back to my roots with the traditional style of pancakes I grew up eating on this festive-eat-while you-can-before-fasting-for-Lent day. This traditional pancake is slightly thicker than a French crêpe, though they both contain common ingredients such as flour, eggs, whole milk, butter and a pinch of salt. As you can see I used skim milk instead of regular full milk and did not add butter. There are always ways to cut down the fat content in your recipes so just being aware of these tricks is important.

RECIPE:
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup whole wheat flour + 1 tbsp
1/2 cup white flour + 1 tbsp
2 large eggs
2 eggs whites
1 tbsp Xylitol
1/4 tsp salt
canola oil spray

Yields 3 cups batter
Pan size 8″ or 20.3 cm. I used a non-stick omelette pan.

DIRECTIONS:
This recipe couldn’t be easier. Throw everything in the blender for 30 seconds. Scrape batter from sides and blend again for another 30-40 seconds ensuring all lumps are gone. Once blended cover and refrigerate in blender for up to 1 hour. Just before cooking, blend batter for 10 seconds.

To Cook: Preheat saute pan on medium heat for 2 minutes. Coat pan with canola oil spray and pour about 1/4 cup batter on bottom of pan. Twirl pan around so batter covers base of pan in an even thin layer. Cook for about 45 -60 seconds or until crepe starts to look dry. Flip it over for 30 seconds. Done.
TIP: Be sure to spray the pan after each crepe or it may stick.

Serve with fresh fruit and agave. Guiltless and delicious–perhaps a good idea for Mother’s Day as well!

What do you mean you haven’t heard of Creajun food? Truth be told, its my version of Creole meets Cajun food, a cuisine Southern Louisiana and Mississippi hold dear, neither of which I’m well versed in but that’s the beauty about cooking. I have the freedom to make whatever I want, like Creajun food, and since it’s Mardi Gras, there’s no better time to give it a go.

Creajun food is all about spices and flavor. Since Cajun people are so close to the Gulf of Mexico, seafood is a big item in their diet, so these are the basic staples of creating your own Creajun recipes.

Continue reading “Mardi Gras Creajun Shrimp with Black Beans & Rice” on Health Habits>>

Many of us will be glued to the box this coming Sunday. If you’re like the Missus you’ll be watching all the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards and if you’re like me, you’ll be watching the golf. Whether you’re flying solo or having an Oscar party, chances are you’ll need a little something to nosh on as the hours go by. Before you reach for the bag o’ chips and dip why not go for the win with this healthier alternative that takes just a little extra effort.

Garbanzo beans, also called chickpeas, are a good source of protein and are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie, lowest fat, and highest fiber nuts. An ounce of pistachios provides 3 grams of fiber, or twice the fiber of walnuts and about the same as a serving of oatmeal. This means you’re also eating a heart-healthy snack, which is brilliant considering this is American Heart Month. Am I good or what?
I adapted this recipe from one I found long ago from Bon Appetit. Feel free to give it your own spin–that’s what cooking is all about.

RECIPE:
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed
1/8 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup raw pistachios, shelled
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Also preheat your rimmed baking sheet so it starts toasting the beans as you spread them out. Toss chickpeas with the oil, salt, cumin, pepper spices and lemon juice. Transfer mixture to heated baking sheet. Bake until chickpeas are golden and crisp, stirring occasionally with metal spatula, about 20 mins. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep at room temp.)

Stir pistachios and thyme into chickpea mixture. Bake until everything is crunchy, about another 12 mins. It’s as easy as that.

Continuing our February Foodie month we are now headed towards Oscar night, oh the glamour and excitement of it all. Let’s take a moment to think about those poor celebs who are afraid to eat because they have to fit into their glam gear. Lucky for most of us we get to watch them in the comfort of our homes, noshing on whatever we feel like. But wouldn’t it be cool to serve up some of the glamour without all the guilty calories?

Being that it’s still American Heart Month this recipe is doing double duty without you even thinking about it. Eating salmon boosts your intake of Omega-3’s, fish oils containing anti-inflammatory properties, which studies show decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and certain cancers.

And the Academy Award goes to…..

Continue reading “Salmon Cakes” on Dancing Spoon»

How’s this for timing?
I was in the grocery the other day trying to pick out a pasta sauce. My ol’ reliable, the kind I usually buy, was not available so I found myself staring down the shelves of sauce alley. Which one, which one. Although I’m not big into buying prepackaged foods, because I go through so much pasta sauce, it is one of the things I do buy for convenience. Of course I’m not your typical shopper. I’m a bona fide label reader. What am I looking for? Natural ingredients are key for me and my eyes are trained to look for added sugar content, where extra calories lurk. Take canned corn for instance. You think you’re being healthy and you probably expect just corn to be in that can. Ever look at the labels? You’d be surprised that some brands add sugar and salt. Same with all canned veg, beans, peanut butter and of course pasta sauce.

Then I saw this segment on the Today Show this morning. It’s called good timing and I’m right on target.
Hidden Sugars in Your Food

So I decided to shake things up a bit here on Health Habits. In honor of Valentine’s Day I thought it might be good to do a post on a healthy dessert. Something simple yet elegant, again banking on the ‘Wow’ factor for your sweetheart. With the economy in the tanker right now, this is also a great idea that’s easy on your wallet. Of course you can substitute champagne if you wish but Prosecco, a sparkling wine from north of Venice, Italy, offers the same great bubbly and quality without spending your gas money.

Now, would I really make something that’s horribly bad for you? No way. There’s no added sugar in this recipe, no butter, just a wee bit of the o’bubbly.

Continue reading Prosecco Poaced Pears on Health Habits>

The countdown is on my fellow romantics. If you haven’t booked a restaurant or come up with your romantic menu to cook by now, chances are you may find yourself on your jack jones (own). Don’t fret–The H.I. will sort you out.

I specifically chose to do oysters for Valentine’s Day not only because they’re renowned for being the food of love but because they’re simple to do and they make a big impression while going easy on the pocket book. I decided to make a mignonette, a sauce made typically with vinegar, pepper and herbs and served especially with oysters, because I thought it was more playful and elegant than your regular cocktail sauce. Every little helps, wouldn’t you say?

RECIPE:

1  dozen oysters

Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp shallots – very fine dice
2 tsp chopped tarragon
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch salt

Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate until needed. That’s it–simple, elegant and delicious!

Oyster Tidbits:
Not only are oysters delicious they’re reputation for being healthy is impressive. They’re considered to be one of the most nutritionally well balanced foods because they contain protein, carbohydrates and lipids. They’re high in protein, low in fat and calories, low in cholesterol and chockful of vitamins.

It’s important to know how to purchase your oysters. Like all shellfish, fresh oysters need to be alive when you purchase them, with their shells tightly shut or, if slightly open, should close when tapped. Avoid ones that gape open as they’re most likely dead and avoid ones with a noticeable odor. I purchased mine at Whole Foods and they shucked them for me as I continued to shop–brilliant. As for consuming them, you may have heard of the “R” rule, only eat oysters during months which have the letter R in them, Sept-April, but today that is not necessarily the case. In the old days, the lack of refrigeration made it risky to eat oysters during the hot months. These days oysters can certainly be eaten in the summer but the risks from bacteria, which love the warmer water of summer are greater. In addition, oysters in most areas are spawning during the summer, which changes their texture from firm to milky, their taste from sweet to bitter. With the exception of one kind, the Kumamoto, which is actually best in summer, oysters taste best in fall and winter. You may have seen the oyster article in this month’s Bon Appetit. Pretty much confirms how spot-on I am!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.