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!
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Fall weather is rolling in to NYC. I’m not gonna lie, I am a bit nervous about these cool temperatures greeting us so early! At this time of year in Atlanta, shorts and tank tops totally suffice. Here, scarves and cute fall jackets have started gracing us with their presences. I’m not complaining! Fall is my favorite time of year…I love the cool air and amazing evening walks by the water (its Winter that I am a bit worried about)!! But, in honor of Fall, I decided to end by apparent recipe blogging hiatus with a wonderful Fall chili!
This dish is perfect for a football party, a quick family dinner, or a make ahead, grab and go lunch. I made this chili for some friends last Fall and literally had people asking me to make it in very large batches to deliver to their homes! I hope you like it :)
Fresh Corn and Black Bean Chili
Serves 8
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
diced fresh jalapeno to taste
1 lb ground turkey breast (optional)-if you omit add 2 extra cans of black beans
1 t salt
2 t chipotle powder
2 t chili powder
2 t cumin powder
1 t ground coriander
1 1/2 T brown sugar
2 cans black beans
4 ears of corn (cut off the cob)
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 cans chicken stock
In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onions, peppers and jalapeño for about 5 minutes. Now, add the ground turkey, salt, chipotle powder, cumin, chili powder, coriander and brown sugar. Cook until the turkey is cooked through…use a large spoon to crumble the turkey as it cooks. Now, add the black beans and fresh corn. Stir well and cook for about 3 minutes. Last, add the tomatoes and chicken stock and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
This chili is wonderful topped with fresh cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. It stores well in the fridge!
Its no secret that I love my veggies- and that I love hosting brunch…for really ANY reason. It’s your birthday? Let’s have a brunch! It’s Saturday? Let’s have a brunch! It’s President’s Day? Let’s have a brunch! You get the idea…brunch is my favorite meal to cook, to eat, and to host. So, I am always trying to come up with fun new menu items so that I don’t bore my friends and family.
I made this egg bake for a family brunch- and though I had a lot of biscuit and gravy lovin’ folks around the table- this healthy, colorful egg bake was quite a hit!
I served it with a simple sweet potato hash, some lovely maple glazed bacon, and a my banana oat muffins for good measure! The veggies load it full of vitamins, fiber and beauty…the eggs add protein and yumminess to make this the perfect breakfast bake…its super easy to make- and the veggies can be roasted ahead of time so that all you have to do is heat up the oven, crack the eggs and bake!
Superfood Egg Bake
1/2 C sweet onion, cut into 1″ pieces
1 /2 C yellow, red or orange bell pepper, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 C zucchini, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 C yellow squash, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C Kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite size pieces
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
a sprinkle of paprika or cayene pepper depending on how much you like spice!
6-8 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare your vegetables. Spray an OVEN SAFE pan with cooking spray. *I like to use my family’s old iron skillet…you can use anything you would like- just remember the handle will be VERY hot when you take it out of the oven!
Place all of the veggies **except for the kale** into the pan and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, give the veggies a stir, add the salt and pepper and the kale. Roast for another 10-15 minutes.
Now, carefully crack your eggs on top of the veggie mixture, spacing them evenly throughout the pan.
Bake for 5-7 minutes…until the eggs are cooked the way you like them. I made this for a crowd that did not like their eggs super runny- so I baked it for about 7 minutes. If I were making it just for Gavin and I, I would have done about 5 minutes.
This is great served with a quick sweet potato hash…or whole grain toast.
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!
I’m not talking about a boring turkey on white here- I’m talking about a delicious flavor explosion served with toasted cranberry walnut bread (or whatever bread/ lettuce wrap is your favorite)- it is the perfect, quick and easy picnic entree or grab and go lunch.
This chicken salad is mayo-free and therefore MUCH healthier than any store bought/restaurant purchased alternative….I promise, you won’t miss the added fat at all…its creamy and delicious and full of light Spring time flavors! I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week and have it as a quick healthy snack or lunch that’s ready to go in the fridge.
Spring Chicken Salad
2 lb chicken breast
1 t garlic powder
1 t sea salt
1/2 C celery, chopped
1/4 C sweet onion, chopped
1/2 C apple, chopped
1/2 C green grapes, quartered
1/4 C walnuts, chopped
1/2 C 0% plain greek yogurt
2 T dijon mustard
2 T 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 t sea salt
1 t fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 C green onion, chopped
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place your chicken in a glass baking dish (the kind with sides) and sprinkle the breasts with salt and garlic powder. Drizzle about 2 T of water in the dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 25 minutes- until chicken is cooked through.
When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. While it is cooling, chop the other ingredients. When the chicken is cool, chop it into small pieces.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, onion, apple, green grapes, and walnuts.
In a separate bowl, combine the greek yogurt, dijon mustard, cream cheese, sea salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and then stir the mixture into the chicken.
Top it with green onion and stir to combine.
Now, all you have to do is dust off your picnic basket, choose your favorite bread and head the the park! If you’re looking for a few other treats to complete your picnic- here are a few ideas:
Appetizer: Fancified Deviled Eggs
Side: Field greens tossed with Seasoned Rice Vinaigrette
Dessert: Cashew muffins with Coconut Crumble
Eggplant is a very controversial veggie around our house. I absolutely LOVE it and Gavin thinks it is terrible! If I ever get to eat eggplant, its because I slice it up, season it, and throw it under the broiler as a side dish to my dinner…it is never the star of the meal around here. BUT, I absolutely love the smokey, earthy flavors of delicious eggplant and I just had to try to sneak it in to a meal and win Gavin’s heart for this beautiful purple plant.
The best way to sneak something past a guy that grew up in the South in an Italian household? Bread it, fry it and cover it in marinara and cheese! (Or in my case, create a healthy version of an old favorite!) Baked and stacked eggplant parmesan.
When I set the plate in front of him, he was a little hesitant…but once he cut into the golden, yummy crust and took a bite, I knew he could no longer deny that eggplant CAN taste good! He ate it all…and so did I- I really wish the pictures turned out better…it is a beautiful dish and it would be such a fun and easy entree for a dinner party. Its healthy and yummy and tastes like the old classic!
Baked and Stacked Eggplant Parmesan
4 servings
For the Eggplant:
1 C bread crumbs
1 t dried oregano
1 t sea salt
1 egg
1T water
12 3/4″ thick slices of eggplant
For the Sauce:
15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 T basil
1/8 t ground thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t sea salt
Topping:
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set out two plates. On one plate, combine the bread crumbs, oregano and sea salt. On the other plate, crack the egg and add the water…whisk gently with a fork.
Now, coat both sides of each piece of eggplant with the egg mixture and then coat each side in the bread crumb mixture. Place the eggplant on a bakers cooling rack and then place them in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes- until the eggplant is cooked through and the breadcrumbs and crispy and golden.
While the eggplant is baking, in a medium pot over medium heat, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the eggplant is cooked.
To assemble the dish, place one slice of eggplant on each plate and top with 1 T sauce. Repeat until it is 3 layers high. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Serve with whole wheat pasta!
Spring has sprung!! This weather is so amazing and Gavin and I are loving spending time outside- going for walks, starting to learn how to do yard work (oh my, it is complicated!) and best of all, eating meals outside on the patio. If you can see past the yellow haze in the air from the 9,000,000 particles of pollen in the air, the weather is PERFECT for dining al fresco!
When I think about Spring time and Spring foods, I think of fabulous crisp vegetables and lovely citrus-y dressing…and after our lovely meal at the Viking Cooking School with our friends Chris and Michelle, I think of panzenela salad.
The version that we made at the school was delicious- though we might as well have eaten a cheese burger because of the amount of butter on the bread and oil in the dressing. So, since I like to think of a salad as a healthy, veggie filled alternative to a cheese burger- I set out to make a lighter version of this delicious salad.
Panzenela Salad
6 servings
3 C day old whole wheat bread, cut into 1 ” chunks
olive oil cooking pray
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t sea salt
2 C red bell pepper, cut into 1″ pieces
2 C English cucumber, sliced and cut into quarters
1 C tomato, seeded and cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 C green onion, chopped
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 t sea salt
1 T olive oil
1 t fresh basil, chopped
1 t fresh mint, chopped
*crumbled feta, optional
*avocado, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Place bread pieces on the cookie sheet and spray the top with olive oil. Toss in the garlic and salt and place in the oven to toast for about 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine all of the other ingredients and toss together. To serve, place a 1/2 C of bread on each plate and then top with 1 C of the vegetable mixture.
Top salad with crumbled feta and avocado, if desired.
Warm weather and fabulous produce are making their way into Georgia (I am SO excited about spring veggies and new recipes)!! But, before asparagus season is in full force, I have 2 great, satisfying soup/stew/chili recipes that I want to share to get you through the last cold front of the season :)
This chili recipe is one of my favorites. Its incredibly easy but it tastes like you slaved away for hours! It’s both light and filling at the same time…its hearty with lots of delicious flavor from the hominy and green chillies and full of protein and fiber from the chicken and white beans- its definitely a crowd pleaser and it freezes really well…what’s not to love?!
White Chicken Chili
8-12 servings
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 C celery, chopped
1 C potato, chopped
1 t salt
1 t cumin powder
1 lb ground white meat chicken (you can use turkey too)
1 T sugar
4 cans white northern beans
2 cans white hominy
1 small can diced green chillies
1/2 t pepper
2 cans chicken stock
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery, potato and salt for 5 minutes.
Now, add the ground chicken and ground cumin and cook for 5 more minutes.
Now for the easy part! Add the sugar and then the cans of white beans, the hominy, green chillies, the pepper and the chicken stock.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Store in the fridge or freeze for later use!
In the winter, root vegetables take center stage on our dinner plates. I LOVE the bitter sweetness provided by parsnips, turnips, radishes and rutabaga. I love the creamy texture of sweet potatoes and the rich earthiness of caramelized onions. Many nights, I find myself chopping large amounts of beautiful root veggies and simply throwing them on a pan to roast- this week, I tossed them with some whole wheat cous cous, a few herbs, and a little olive oil and we enjoyed a beautiful bowl of wintery, roasted goodness. This dish takes about 5 minutes of effort. Throw the veggies in the oven to roast, make the cous cous, top it with herbs…wha-la!
Roasted Root Vegetable Cous Cous
2 carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C sweet potato, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C turnips, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t olive oil
1 1/2 C whole wheat cous cous
2 C water
1 t salt
1 t oregano
1 T mint
1 T basil
1 t lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the carrots, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes and turnips into 1″ pieces and put them on a cookie sheet. Spray the tops with olive oil cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Place them in the oven to roast for about 40 minutes.
While the veggies are cooking, in a medium pot over medium heat sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil. Now, add the cous cous and sautee until it starts to slightly toast. Now, add the salt and the water. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes and then using a fork, fluff the mixture.
When the veggies have finished roasting, gently toss them into the cous cous.
Now, add the oregano, mint, basil and lemon zest. Toss together and serve.
**You can sub any of your favorite herbs and veggies in this recipe.
**I topped our cous cous with chopped walnuts and cranberries. YUM!
It might be 80 and sunny here in J’Bay- but in a few days we are headed back home and back into winter, meaning, I will once again start to crave the warm, hearty flavors of comfort food. When I think of comfort food, the first thing that pops into my head is my mom’s chicken pot pie. Oh-My-Goodness…it is Unbelievably good! Growing up, I would request chicken pot pie whenever I had the chance and when I walked in the door to the smell of flaky, buttery crust baking in the oven, my heart would flutter just a little :)
I came up with this version of chicken pot pie after my mom requested a healthy version of the decadent dish. I am in NO way going to claim that this version is anything close to the way mamma used to make it but, it is creamy, rich (tasting) and perfectly comforting on a cold winter day!
Chicken-Pot-Pasta
serves 8
1 t olive oil
1/2 C carrots, diced
1/2 C celery, diced
1/2 C onion, diced
2 chicken breast, diced
1 t sea salt
1 t fresh ground pepper
1/4 C flour
1 can chicken stock
1 C milk
1 C frozen green peas
4 C (uncooked) whole wheat rotini, cooked al dente
In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Now, add the diced chicken breast and cook for about 5 more minutes.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Now add the flour. It will be thick and goopy but stir the mixture until the veggies are coated and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Now, add the can of chicken stock and stir very well until all of the flour has dissolved. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Allow this to cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.
Next, stir in the peas and cook until the peas are tender, about 2 minutes.
Pour the sauce over your prepared whole wheat rotini noodles and serve!
