The Simple Delights

The weather in New York has turned cold. Really, really cold! The kind of cold that makes a girl from Georgia want to bundle up on the sofa with a giant furry blanket, knee high wool socks and a big sweater. But, life must go on…the cold winter days simply can’t be spent hidden away in your apartment- that would be utterly depressing! So, I have purchased a giant down coat, a big knit hat, furry ear muffs, leather gloves and thick wool socks…and I trot around the city, facing the bitter cold…and love every single minute of it!

But, at night, when I get home- this winter cold is making me crave warm comfort food. When you grow up in Georgia, comfort food means grits, cream of wheat, and my favorite- chicken & dumplin’s (you can’t add the “g” on dumplings because it just doesn’t seem as special)!

Though I crave comfort food- I still like to give it a healthy-feel good twist. It can be warm and delicious but still full of whole grains, green vitamin rich veggies and lean protein. That is exactly what this crave-worthy dish is.

Whole Wheat Chicken & Dumplin’s
serves 6

For the stew:
2 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 t sea salt
1 t fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 t dried rosemary
2 chicken breasts, chopped
4 C low sodium chicken stock
1 C milk
3 T whole wheat flour
2 C kale leaves

For the Dumplings:
1 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour *you can use half white flour if you want a fluffier texture
1/4 t sea salt
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 C milk

Make the stew:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the celery, carrot and onion in the olive oil. Add 1/2 t salt and all of the black pepper. Cook until tender. Now, add the rosemary, chicken breast and the other 1/2 t of salt. Cook until the chicken is starting to brown. Now, add the the chicken stock. In a small tupperware, add the milk and flour and shake until combine. Now, add the milk/flour mixture to the pot. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow to cook while you make the dumplings.

Make the dumplings:
Combine the flour, sea salt and baking soda. Mix well. Now, pour in the milk and mix- **just until all of the flour is wet.

Now, gently drop heaping teaspoons of the dumpling mixture into to simmering pot. Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes…just until the dumplings are puffy. Now, gently mix in the kale and turn off the heat.

Serve!

When I think of comfort food, meatloaf is one of the first things that pops into my mind. Growing up, my Mema was famous for her meatloaf- moist and delicious- served with mashed potatoes and drenched in brown gravy made from the drippings. Holy cow, it was good! When a meal in your family is that iconic, its a pretty good rule to not mess with it- so, when I set out to make meatloaf- I went an entirely different direction…toward the flavors of India!

This meatloaf pairs perfectly with a big pile of basmati rice, cooked with golden raisins and sprinkled with chopped nuts. The white meat turkey keeps it nice and lean- the plethora of veggies keeps in moist- and the lovely array of spices keep it interesting!

This dish has become a staple in our house- hopefully your family will love it too!

Tandoori Turkey Meatloaf

1/2 C onion, finely chopped
1/2 C celery, finely chopped
1/2 C carrot, grated (not packed)
16 oz white meat ground turkey breast
1 egg
1/4 C bread crumbs or 1 piece of bread
1/8 C milk
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t cumin powder
1/2 t tumeric
1 t curry powder
1/2 t ground coriander
2 T tomato paste
1 T worcestershire sauce

Curried Ketchup

4 T tomato paste
1 t cumin
1 t curry powder
1 t brown sugar
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 T water
1/2 t sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium pan over medium high heat, combine the onion, celery and carrot. Cook until tender…about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, milk (**if you are using a slice of bread, soak the bread in the milk and then crumble it in**), and all of the remaining spices and ingredients. Now, pour the veggie mixture on top. Using your hands, kneed and combine the mixture until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the turkey.

Prepare a large cookie sheet by spraying it with cooking spray or covering it with aluminum foil. Using your hands, shape and pack the meatloaf.

Now, make your Curried Ketchup topping. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Using the back of a spoon or a brush, coat the top of your meatloaf with ketchup. Any extra can be reserved for serving!

Bake the loaf at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving!

*To make the rice, combine basmati rice, water, salt and raisins. Cook until tender and then top with your favorite chopped nut!