Healthy Chicks

Seeing as though it’s mid July (the peak of summer), I’ve been advising my clients to cool down in all aspects of life, be it food, wellness or work. One of my favorite ways to cool down is by eating cooling, refreshing seasonal foods like watermelon, citrus, cucumbers, and herbs.

Last night, I decided to add a little Mediterranean flare to the dinner table by making a platter of Mediterranean-inspired eats. After all, I find that a diet rich in refreshing dishes with whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats fill me up most. I decided to go with a healthy trio: homemade tabouli + sauteed chicken + pita & hummus, a combo my sister and I can both agree was pure genius.

Refreshing Summer Tabouli

{makes 4-6 servings}

• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 c. bulgar wheat
• 1 medium organic cucumber, chopped
• 1 c. fresh parsley
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1/2 c. full fat feta, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• salt & pepper to taste
• fresh mint for garnish (optional)

1. Boil water and pour over bulgar wheat. Stir and then let sit covered for 20 minutes.

2. Drain the bulgar wheat of excess water and then place in a large bowl. Add in cucumber, garlic, parsley and feta, and stir well. Then mix in olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh mint for an optional garnish for extra flavor.

Lemony Chicken

{makes 4 servings}

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 TB olive oil for cooking
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2  TB thyme

1. Coat large skillet with olive oil. Rub the chicken with parsley, thyme salt and pepper and then sauté on medium heat until tender.

2. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon over the chicken, and allow the chicken to finish cooking.

~Serve with tabouli, pita, hummus and a glass of red wine (of course!)

Yesterday, while perusing the aisles of my favorite place on Earth (Trader Joe’s), I was this close to purchasing yet another bag of their Asparagus Risotto that I love so much. Then I thought, why not attempt to make my own risotto? It’s something I’ve never done before, and I was definitely up for a cooking challenge. So I did what any girl standing in the middle of a grocery aisle would do: I Googled “homemade risotto recipes.” It took only a few minutes to find this recipe for “Sage Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella & Prosciutto” from Cooking Light.

With a little brainstorming and tweaking, I came up with my own risotto recipe that incorporates more veggies & ingredients that I love to cook with. I must say: my first risotto challenge was a success. I think I just may have created heaven. Hope you enjoy!

Vegetable Risotto with Sage & Parmesan*

*modified from this recipe in Cooking Light, makes about 4 servings

-about 1 container low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

-1 TB Smart Balance butter

-handful scallions, chopped

-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

-1 1/4 c. Arborio rice

-½ c. dry white wine for cooking (I substituted water since I was out)

-2 TB finely chopped fresh sage

-1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

-1 medium zucchini, chopped

-1 small yellow onion, diced

-juice of ½ lemon, freshly squeezed

-salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium pot, and keep warm over low heat. In the meantime, melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add in scallions and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then toss in your chopped onion and zucchini.

2. Add rice and salt; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in wine (or water) and mix until liquid is mostly absorbed, stirring constantly. Now, add in your broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total).

3. Once liquid is absorbed, stir in lemon juice and chopped sage, and cook for another few minutes. Remove from heat and mix in parmesan cheese until thoroughly melted.

~Season with salt & pepper to taste

Enjoy!

XoXo,

Could that coconut chicken get any crispier? And to think – it’s BAKED!

Remember how I mentioned my new recipe book Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover the other day on my blog? Well, I’m happy to say I successfully prepared one of the recipes for dinner the other night. I chose to make the Baked Chicken Strips prepared with my own simple Smashed Red Bliss & Sweet Potatoes. The chicken strips were absolutely delicious, and the coconut added a joyous crispy, sweet treat to the end. I topped off the dinner with a mixed green Italian salad and a bottle of wine, of course!

Want to re-create this here summer meal for your family? See how I did it below:

Baked Chicken Strips*

*modified & quadrupled the recipe (p.114) from Gourmet Nutrition as I was serving 4 to 6 people

-2 packages boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins (the recipe called for whole chicken breasts cut into strips but this was easier)

-few pinches salt & pepper

-few pinches Paprika

-2 large eggs mixed with 4 TB water

-1 c. cornflake crumbs (The recipe called for whole wheat breadcrumbs, but I used corn due to my gluten sensitivity)

-1 c. grated coconut

-Olive oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350. Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. In the meantime, whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Blend the breadcrumbs and coconut together in a larger mixing bowl. Then dip the chicken tenders first in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs mixture until well-coated and alas on an olive-oil coated cookie sheet.

3. Bake until golden brown for about 25 minutes.

~Serves 4 to 6 people

[Find more tasty recipes from the book & learn more here]

Next we have my Simple Smashed Red Bliss & Sweet Potatoes to pair with the chicken!

-3 medium sweet potatoes

-3 small to medium red bliss potatoes

-4 TB Smart Balance Butter

-salt & pepper

1. Clean potatoes thoroughly, brushing off an excess dirt. Boil the potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done. (You want to be able to easily slide a knife down the middle)

2. Drain the potatoes and move to a large mixing bowl. With skin still on, “smash” the potatoes with a hand-held blender, or fork. You want the consistency to be well-mixed, but still a little chunky.

3. Add in salt & pepper and butter, and mix well.

Lastly, we have our Italian Mixed Green Salad

-bag mixed greens, rinsed

-1/2 cucumber, diced

-2 small tomatoes on the vine, chopped

-1/2 avocado, sliced

-handful fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

~Top with a refreshing dressing made with olive oil, lemon & salt and pepper

The finished product:

XoXo,

[it's even more delicious than it looks]

Quiona, quinoa, quinoa. Oh how I love cooking with this delicious protein-packed grain like substance. With the versatility of rice with a rich, nutty flavor, quinoa makes for the perfect base to any dish. You can pair it with chicken, dress up a salad, or substitute it for rice in your favorite stir-fry.

Or you could make this Veggie Quinoa with Asparagus and Garlic & Basil Goat Cheese, as I did the other night. When I came across a garlic & basil goat cheese from Crystal Brook Farm at the Copley Square Farmer’s Market the other day, I knew just what I wanted to do with it. My dinner for the night was envisioned in seconds.

What Ya Need

*Serves About 4

-1 c. quinoa, prepared with 2 c. water

-1 small yellow onion, diced

-1 c. spinach, chopped

-1/2 c. portobello mushrooms, chopped

-handful fresh or frozen asparagus, chopped

-1 tsp. basil

-1 tsp. of your favorite seasoning blend (I chose onion, garlic & herb)

-1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

-goat cheese (I bought a garlic & basil blend from the Farmer’s Market)

-handful of walnuts, crushed (optional)

-salt & pepper to taste

1. Add quinoa and water to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce to low heat.

2. Add in chopped vegetables, garlic and herbs and simmer for 2o to 25 minutes, or until water is gone.

3. Once veggies are cooked through, top with goat cheese, optional nuts and salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!

~Serve quinoa with pita bread and a glass of red wine and enjoy on the patio if you can- the ultimate summer trio if I do say so myself.