Cauliflower "Rice"

I often think that cauliflower is one of those forgotten vegetables that most people eat only on occasion.  Cauliflower is an anti-cancer, anti-infective vegetable full of vitamins C, K, B5, B6, B1, B3, folate and minerals.  It's also fairly inexpensive at the grocery store (available all season long but best in winter).  Turning cauliflower into rice is easy to do and can help increase your veggies at any meal.  For a Paleo lifestyle, recipes like this are a staple.  For gluten free goers, mixing some cauliflower in with their rice adds veggies without compromising flavor.  In this recipe, I used a little garlic and chicken stock to really highlight the flavors of the cauliflower in a simple way.  I hope you enjoy this recipe and it inspires you to eat more cauliflower! 

A great addition to any meal!

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, washed and cut into pieces
2tsp minced garlic
1tbs macadamia nut oil
2c chicken stock (gluten and msg free)

Directions:
1. In a food processor, pulse cauliflower until the consistency of rice.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil and garlic.  Add cauliflower and cook about 4 minutes.  Add chicken stock and cook until completely reduced (all liquid absorbed).  Toss the cauliflower occasionally and it should brown up a little bit.  I left my skillet on medium high and the whole thing took about 10 minutes.  Eat plain or toss with a little rice.

Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken with Fresh Peach Salsa and Tomato Rice

This is my go-to marinade for everything.  It is mild enough that it goes with almost anything, but still adds a subtle hint of Mexican spices which pairs perfectly with the fresh cilantro and tangy lime.  Typically I use it on chicken or steak, but it is also great for fish.  The best part is that it doesn't have to marinate overnight.  It's a quick marinade that only needs 30 minutes to an hour (longer for a tough piece of meat).  To use up some fresh summer peaches and tomatoes, I made a quick pico de gallo and served it over tomato rice.  The result was a satisfying healthy summer meal put together in 30 minutes or less!

Fast and fresh summer meals are a cinch with a recipe like this!

Ingredients:
For the marinade: 
1 large handful cinlantro
3 limes, juiced
1/4c olive oil
1tsp fine sea salt
2tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2tsp ancho chile powder
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

 For the Peach Pico de Gallo:
2 large ripe peaches, diced
4 ripe summer tomatoes, diced (I used Spanish kumatos from Trader Joes)
1 small red onion, diced
1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced
Sea salt and garlic powder to taste

For the Tomato Rice:
2c white rice (feel free to use brown rice:  the cooking time will be about an hour)
2c chicken broth, gluten free (I use Rachael Ray)
2c tomato juice, fresh or bottled

Directions:
1. In a food processor, process all of the marinade ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Then in a large freezer bag, place marinade and chicken breasts and coat.  Place on a dish (in case something leaks!) and put in the refrigerator while you work on the salsa and rice.
2. To make the salsa, combine all ingredients and toss well.  Taste and season as needed.  Let marinate in the refrigerator to blend the flavors while the rice and chicken are cooking.
3. To make the rice, place all ingredients into a medium saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a rapid boil.  Cover and turn on low 15 minutes.  Then, stir the rice and cover again for another 5 minutes.  If the rice is too wet, leave the lid partly open and continue to cook on low until come of the liquid has evaporated.  The rice should be slightly wet, but should stick together in a nice ball when scooped.
4. Now you're ready to make the chicken:  Preheat your grill on medium high.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until done (about 10 minutes per side).
5. Serve chicken over rice and topped with a very generous scoop of peach salsa.  Dinner is served!

Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Coconut Ginger Sauce and Lemon Rice

I love nut crusted anything.  Especially pistachio crusted chicken.  This is an easy do it yourself recipe with a little twist:  a rich coconut drizzle that is out of this world!  This dish is so packed with flavor that when I made it, everyone stuffed themselves silly.  I hope you find a place for this rich decedent meal at your dinner table.

Crunchy chicken over a citrus cilantro rice drizzled with coconut sauce:  to die for!

Sauce Ingredients:
1tbs butter
1tsp lemongrass (I use Gourmet Garden Lemon Grass Paste found in the refrigerated section)
1 heaping tbs ginger, minced
1c white wine
2c chicken stock (I use Rachael Ray because it's gluten free)
2tbs Red Thai Curry Paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 can coconut milk
3tbs packed brown sugar

Chicken Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded out for even thickness
1c buttermilk
8oz roasted and salted pistachios
1/2c parmesan cheese
1tsp dried thyme
1/2c white rice flour (use regular flour if you aren't gluten free)
Olive oil or grapeseed oil

Rice Ingredients:
4c cooked white rice
2-3tbs butter
juice of 1 lemon
large handful cilantro, chopped
salt, to taste

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter, lemongrass, and ginger.  Cook until fragrant and sizzling.  Add wine and reduce by half.  Add broth and curry paste and reduce by half again.  Add coconut milk and reduce by half a third time.  Add brown sugar and taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (Can make ahead of time and refrigerate - warm before serving)
2. For the chicken, marinate in buttermilk for an hour in the refrigerator.  Meanwhile, grind pistachios, thyme and parmesan in a food processor until finely ground.  Place in a large bowl. 
3. Preheat oven to 400F.  Place a large skillet with some grapeseed oil in it and turn to medium high.  Place flour into a bowl and dredge chicken into the flour.  Then dip one side of the chicken back into the buttermilk and top generously with pistachio mixture.  Cook pistachio-side down in a saute pan until browned on both sides.   Remove and place on a baking sheet.  Repeat with each of the chicken breasts.
4. Finish cooking in the oven until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.  (TIP:  If your pistachio chicken starts to fall apart in the pan or if you don't want to pan fry it:  Don't panic!  Just move it to the baking sheet and cook in the oven for longer.  Make sure you spray or drizzle the top of the chicken with oil to help it brown in the oven since you won't be doing it in the pan.  Your chicken will take 20-25 minutes to cook).
5. While your chicken is in the oven, prepare the rice:  Warm rice with butter and lemon in a dish in the microwave.  Stir and add chopped cilantro.  Season with salt.
6. Serve chicken over rice.  Drizzle with amazing coconut sauce.  Enjoy this little piece of heaven!

Simply Grilled Chicken with Sweet Cherry & Rice Salad

The creation of this dish started when I peered into my refrigerator and noticed I had leftover grilled chicken and white rice (booooring!) Using some ingredients I had on hand, I knew I wanted to dress up these simple leftovers into something appetizing and refreshing.  The result was a stunning, fresh and colorful chicken salad that was perfect on a hot summer night.  I would have preferred to use brown rice in this dish, but since my husband refuses to eat it, I used white.  No need to worry about pestering leftovers again!

Doesn't look like leftovers to me!

Ingredients for Chicken & Cherry Salad (2 large servings):
2 leftover grilled chicken breasts (or grill chicken on medium high with olive oil, salt and pepper for about 7 minutes per side)
2c arugula
1c fresh cherries, cut in half and pitted
2tsp walnut oil (if you don't have this, use olive oil)
2tsp extra virgin olive oil
1tbs red wine vinegar
2tsp organic blue agave nectar (can use honey/sugar instead)
Salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients for Rice Salad (2 large servings):
2c white rice, cooked and chilled or room temperature
1/2c craisins 
1/2c chopped and toasted walnuts (toast in the oven at 350F for 5-7min or until fragrant)
1/2c shredded carrots
1c arugula
2tbs walnut oil
2tbs red wine vinegar
1-2tbs honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk oils, vinegar and sweetener.  Taste & add salt and pepper as needed.
2. Toss dressing with arugula and cherries.
3. For rice salad, in a small bowl whisk oil, vinegar, honey and salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Toss rice, craisins, walnuts, carrots and arugula in a large bowl.  Toss with dressing (use just enough to coat: the rice will absorb some of the dressing as it sits)
5. Warm chicken in the oven.  Serve with cherry salad on top and rice salad on the side.  Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Pineapple Grilled Chicken Thighs with Grilled Veggies and Fried Rice

The sweetness of the glazed chicken balances the saltiness of the fried rice.  I added grilled vegetables for more texture and flavor.  This is a modern twist to a traditional Chinese meal.

Sweet, Salty, Hearty & Fresh:  What more could you ask from a dinner?

 

Ingredients for Sweet & Sour Pineapple Glaze:
If it looks like there is a lot of sugar in this recipe, keep in mind it makes much more than you need for a single meal.  It make 10-12 servings if not more.  You only need to drizzle this over the chicken.
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup sugar
2-3 tbs finely diced ginger
1/4c chopped cilantro
1/2tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
3-4 tbs honey
1 cup diced frozen mixed bell peppers

Ingredients for Grilled Chicken:
Boneless skinless chicken Thighs
Salt and pepper

Ingredients for Grilled Veggies:
2 zucchini, sliced lenthwise
1 bunch green onions
1 tbs olive oil
Fresh ground sea salt and pepper

Ingredients for Vegetable Fried Rice:
3 cups cooked and cooled white rice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped snow peas
2 tbs minced ginger
2 tbs minced garlic
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbs canola oil
2-4 tbs soy sauce (I use Gluten-Free)
2-4 tbs rice wine vinegar
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 eggs, beaten, cooked in a nonstick pan and chopped

Directions to make Sweet & Sour Pineapple Chicken:
1. Put vinegars, juice, sugar, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a sauce pan.  Turn to high and bring to a boil then reduce to medium and simmer until boiled down by half (about 15 minutes).  Turn off heat, stir in cilantro, honey, frozen peppers and salt to taste.  Let set.
2. Meanwhile, turn grill to medium high heat.  Grill salt & peppered chicken about 7 minutes per side or until just done.  Move to a serving platter and top with sweet and sour glaze.  Cover with foil and let set a few minutes before serving.

Directions for Grilled Veggies:
1. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Grill over medium until grill marks are black and starting to soften.  Flip and grill on other side until done.  Keep warm.


Directions for Friend Rice:
1. Heat sesame oil and 1 tbs canola oil in a large pan.  Add ginger, garlic, green onion, peas and carrots.  Saute until beginning to soften.  Add rice and cook until hot and starting to fry.  Add soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to taste.  Add red pepper flakes if desired.  Continue to cook until all liquid absorbed.  Toss in chopped scrambled eggs (or you can toss in beaten raw eggs at the end but it will make the rice more moist and increase cooking time).  Season with more soy sauce or vinegar if needed.

To serve, place a scoop of rice on a plate.  Top with veggies and chicken.  Drizzle a little more sauce at the end over the chicken, focusing on getting the bell peppers to top the chicken.  Enjoy!