Smothered Chicken. As Irish as you can get, right? Truth be told, the Missus is from the South and this is a dish that supposedly originated in the South. I did some research about the origins of Smothered Chicken and in a nutshell yes, it’s considered to be a staple in the South also commonly known as down-home soul food. Well, I’ve got soul AND I’m from the south (of Ireland).

Typically this dish is made with loads of butter and flour but of course I put my own spin on it, sans the B&F. I was thinking this would make a delicious addition to a bbq party or just a great family meal. If there are any true Southerners out there, let me know how I do with this one!

Serves 4-5

RECIPE:

Preheat oven 385F
1 x 3 lb organic whole chicken, portioned
(2 x breasts, 2 x drumsticks, 2 x wings, 2 x thighs)

1 white onion – thinly sliced
3 whole garlic cloves
6 oz brown mushrooms – sliced
1 cup white wine
½ bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch (3/4 oz) fresh tarragon
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp olive oil
12 oz (340g) fingerling potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
S&P

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

Good Friday (today) for us good Catholics means a day of fasting, eating only one full meatless (no animal flesh) meal on this day. Well, I might be a mediocre Catholic then, since eating is what I do best. Lucky for me fish & seafood are considered meatless, which is why growing up we only ate fish on Fridays during Lent. Did you know that’s why McDonald’s created the Filet-O-Fish? Not that I advocate eating such a thing! Instead, I push for healthy fresh fish, packed with omega-3 fatty acids. If you’ve read HealthHabits’ Omega 3s – Why you need them and How to get them, you know how important omega-3’s are for your health. Paired with fresh veg you’ve got one nutritious Good Friday.

RECIPE
Serves 4

4 Pacific Sole filets (rated Eco-OK so eat in moderation)

Filling recipe:
1 zucchini – diced
1 yellow squash – diced
2 cups uncooked baby spinach
S&P
1/2 lemon – zested
Begin by preheating saute pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and saute zucchini and squash for 3 minutes approx or until soft. Once soft add spinach and saute along with veg for 1 minute or until spinach is cooked. Add lemon zest. Taste and season with S&P. Let cool.

To assemble: Lay the sole filets on a clean surface. Place a spoonful of the cooled filling in each and roll ensuring the filling stays within. Use toothpicks to keep the filets closed.

Moules Jus: (mussel juice)
1 lb mussels
1/2 cup white wine
2 roma tomatoes – diced
1/2 cup fresh fennel – diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Before cooking mussels ensure all the shells are closed. Throw away any opened shells. Preheat saute pan on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add mussels and very carefully add the remaining ingredients. Cover with lid and cook mussels for 1-2 minutes until all the shells have opened. Remove pan from the heat. Remove all the mussels and discard any unopened shells. Place the stuffed sole filets in the mussel juice in the same pan and return to medium heat with lid on. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
Meanwhile as fish is cooking, remove the mussels from the shells and return to the pan along with the sole.
Once fish is cooked through, place in bowl along with some mussels and spoon tomato broth over fish.

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

I will start off by saying this is one of the best soups The Missus has ever made for me. I really enjoy the taste of this soup and it’s so easy to change up and add in new flavors so it’s brilliant every time.

Black-eyed peas are huge in the South, most notably eaten on New Years Day. Year before last, we spent New Years in Kerry (Ireland) with the fam-bam and the Missus lugged black-eyed peas with her so we wouldn’t break Southern tradition. I don’t think anyone had ever seen them before as the curiosity surrounding the dish ran wild. Turns out they were such a hit my dad couldn’t stop eating them. Of course in true Murphy fashion, the bag we left behind is still sitting in the cupboard over a year later, the poor craters.
Continue reading Butternut Squash & Black Eyed Pea Soup on Health Habits>

GRILLED STEAK WITH TWICE BAKED CHAMP

The Irish don’t mess around with the poor misunderstood spud. We mean business when it comes to eating potatoes and since it’s almost St. Paddy’s Day, you bet I’m showcasing them! Only this traditional Irish dish has my own spin on it–twice baked and healthy.
Champ is just as authentic as it’s more famous relative, Colcannon. The main difference is the substitution of scallions or other greens for the kale or cabbage. Ask any Paddy what their favorite comfort food is and hands down Champ is in the top 5. I can remember many nights with a full belly of this brilliant inexpensive concoction. Gotta love that don’t you?
Potatoes have a bad rap for being a fat magnate but in fact, it’s just the opposite.  Continue reading Meat & Potatoes – Irish Style on Health Habits

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>

This is one for all you healthy romantics who want to make a big impression. Though this recipe isn’t difficult you may need to put on your patience cap. Believe me, it looks harder than it really is, but the ‘wow’ factor will definitely earn you brownie points.

Continue reading on Health Habits>

Baked pita chips with hummus & guacamole, Lavash pizza and Apple Jicama slaw

I know what you’re saying…Is it possible to eat healthy on Super Bowl Sunday? Did you know that:

• Nearly one in eight or 13% of Americans order takeout/delivery food from a restaurant for a Super Bowl gathering.
• Most popular choices of takeout/delivery items on Super Bowl Sunday are pizza at 58 percent, chicken wings at 50 percent and subs or sandwiches at 20 percent.
• Approximately one in 20 (4 percent) Americans watch the big game at a restaurant or a bar, over 9 million Americans.
• On Super Bowl Sunday, Americans will eat an estimated 20 million pounds of potato and tortilla chips and eight million pounds of avocados.
• Sales for antacid increase by 20% on Super Bowl weekend.

After all these stats and being the Healthy guy that I am, I just had to throw out ideas that wouldn’t bust your gut. After all, the beer consumption alone will do that!
So here’s some healthy Super Bowl ideas perfect for a hungry (wo)man’s buffet:

BAKED PITA CHIPS WITH HUMMUS & GUACAMOLE: (Try making pita chips from scratch!)
Recipe: Serves 6. Adjust accordingly.
1 packet whole wheat pita bread
olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Begin by cutting each pita bread in half and then into 12’s. Toss in a large mixing bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp cumin. Place on oven tray in single layer and bake for 10 minutes approx. or until crispy but not burned. Remove from oven and set aside. (Yes, it’s that easy!)

Hummus (Smashed Chickpeas)
1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2-3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lemon – zested & juiced
1/8 tsp chili powder
2-3 tbsp cold water, divided
S&P to taste
Hummus is traditionally made with tahini but in my version I omit it as I prefer the simple taste of the chick peas and lemon. Tahini also has a high fat, high calorie content so in order to cut calories I do without it.

Drain the chickpeas and put in food processor. As they’re pureeing gradually add cold water & olive oil, alternating 1 tbsp at a time to blend. You want a smooth but not a runny consistency. Remove to a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 of the lemon juice, all the lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and chili powder. Taste and add more lemon juice if preferred. I like my hummus zesty so tweak it to your taste.

A couple of other ideas for you are:

LAVASH PIZZA. This is a great healthy alternative to your regular thick crust pizza we all know. I’ve used both white and wheat lavash (fancy word for flatbread) so check your local grocery or specialty store. In the version above I made a roasted red pepper and tomato sauce and used part-skim mozzarella & fresh basil. If you want this recipe leave a comment here or on my site.
I’ve also made this with fresh basil pesto and blistered cherry tomatoes, click here for recipe. Both versions are damn tasty and perfect for adult or even kid gatherings.

APPLE JICAMA SLAW. What exactly is Jicama? This is a light refreshing slaw that’s the complete opposite of a regular coleslaw that’s mayo based. The sweetness of the apple and the crunchiness of the jicama work brilliantly together and you can snack on this all day if you wanted.

So to answer my own question, yes it is so no excuses here people. I’ve got more football food up my sleeve at thehealthyirishman.com.
One step ahead of me? Let me know what healthy Super Bowl dish you’re planning.

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

The Healthy Irishman Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.

Finally my hours spent on the various blogging sites are starting to pay off. My latest blogging community, Iowa Avenue, has been a great experience. It’s a healthy living community focused on health, fitness, and weight loss. As I was checking out other members’ profiles I came across a trainer, Douglas Robb aka DR, who’s website was chockablock full of brilliant health and fitness information so I contacted him. Turns out my timing was spot on. He had been thinking of adding a cooking section but had one problem: “My culinary skills are almost non-existant.”

The fact that he liked my work was exciting so of course I jumped at the chance to work with him as a contributor to his blog. Kicking off the weekend, every Friday (starting today!) I will be posting a recipe on Health Habits so be sure to bookmark it! Along with my goodies, you’ll read great info from Doug.

Here’s a little bit about DR and Health Habits:

My name is Douglas Robb, and for a long time now, I have helped others bring health and fitness into their lives. I live in Toronto, Canada. I am married to a fantastic woman. I love to push the limits of my physical fitness and I own and operate an in-home personal training service. Health habits is about: bringing the best information and advice about health & fitness to you. To that end, we will go beyond nutrition and exercise to include motivation, mental health, emotional health, structural balance, athletic performance, health in society, scientific breakthroughs, family health,etc. More than that, Health habits is about using all of this great information to enact a change in your daily habits to bring order to your mind and body.

Sounds like it’s a win-win for all you guys! Health, fitness and food all in one spot!