Thai Mango Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice

You might have had Mango Chicken at Thai restaurants or take out. This dish has the perfect balance of sweet, sour and spicy and the mango adds an incredible freshness. You can have it over regular jasmine rice or even vermicelli noodles. I decided to elevate the flavour of the rice by cooking it in coconut milk. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

What you will need..

For the mango sauce...

2 mangoes, peeled, de-pitted, and roughly chopped

2 tsp chili sauce(Less or more, depending on taste. I like mine spicy)

1 thai chilly (optional)

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar(if you don't have rice wine, you can sub. with apple cider vinegar)

1 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce(you might want to add a bit more if the mango is very ripe, to balance out the sweetness)

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp of freshly grated/chopped ginger

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp  turmeric 

For the chicken....

1- 11/2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can also use white meat), cut into bite size pieces

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

2 tbsp of coconut oil (or grape seed oil)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

1 medium onion, sliced 

2 tsp of curry powder

11/2 tsp of cumin

1/4 cup of coconut milk

 

1/2 cup of loosely packed chopped cilantro

handful of chopped cashews (optional)

For the rice...

Depending on the amount and type of rice you decide to use, you will need to adjust the rice to liquid ratios. Generally, you want a 50/50 ratio of water to coconut milk.

I used brown jasmine rice and the package calls for a 1:2 ratio. So we end up with 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Cook according to package directions. In my case it was 25min.

1 cup of brown jasmine rice (or rice of your choice)

250 ml of coconut milk

250 ml of water

Here is how to make it....

Put all the ingredients for the mango sauce into a food processor and blend until smooth. Voila :)

Over med-high heat, in a heavy bottom frying pan, or wok,  head up the coconut oil and brown the chicken (3-4 min a side). Remove chicken to a plate.

Add your chopped veggies and spices and fry for about 3-4 min until the spices release their fragrance.

Add the chicken back to the pan and add the mango sauce and coconut milk.

Bring to a simmer cover and cook until chicken is done and veggies are tender, about 10-13 min. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and chopped cashews.
Spoon over coconut rice and go to your happy place :)

Quinoa Cups

This is such a versatile dish, you can have it for breakfast, lunch, snack or as a side dish. This recipe makes a dozen cups so it super fast and convenient to make. You can pretty much flavour and customize it to your liking. Here, I used what I had in the fridge, broccoli, onion, and a mix of cheddar and mozzarella.  Goat cheese or feta works great as well, with some chopped black olives,  sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and dried oregano. 

What you will need...

3/4 cup of quinoa 

1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (you can use water if you don't have chicken stock on had)

approx. 2 cup of broccoli, finely shopped

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped

2 large eggs + 2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

2 tsp of grainy dejon mustard (optional)

1/2-1 cup of grated cheese of your choice (depending on how cheesy you like it or if you are trying to control fat intake) 

2 tsp of Club House roasted garlic and peppers seasoning mix (optional)

1 tsp of paprika 

Steps...

Rinse your quinoa well and cook according to package directions using chicken stock instead of water (adds a lot more flavour). But like mentioned above you can use water as well.  

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, stir in cooked quinoa.

Just like that:)

Spray a muffin tin very well with non stick spray (I use coconut oil spray, you can get it at Costco), then scoop the quinoa mixture into the cups, filling them to the very top.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are golden brown. 

Let them cool for 5 min and then pop them out with the help of a spoon and place on cooling rack. They are great hot or cold. 

Olivier Salad

This is a traditional Russian dish which over time has become popular in many other countries and of course the recipe has changed quite significantly over time. The original recipe calls for caviar, crawfish tail, hazel grouse, capers and some others which are quite expensive, seasonal, or difficult to prepare. This could be the main reason why modern Olivier Salad barely resembles the original version as the ingredients have been replaced with a cheaper and more readily available ones. Anyhow, here is how I make this yummy salad which you can serve as a nice side dish for your parties, for your picnic along with pita bread or French baguette, or on its own.

Ingredients:

3 medium-large potatoes, boiled 

3 large eggs, hard boiled

1 (16 oz) jar of dill pickles (you can add more or less depending on your taste, make sure they are not the sweet pickles)

1 can green peas, drained (you can use fresh green peas if preferred)

1/2 cup cooked carrots, grated (optional)

1/2 lb chicken breast, cooked and finely shredded (you can also use diced cooked ham)

For dressing:

1-2 cup mayonnaise  

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/8 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

Small dice the eggs and pickles. Dice the cooked potatoes slightly larger in size.

Place diced pickles, eggs, potatoes along with green peas, grated carrots, and shredded chicken breasts in a large mixing bowl.

In another bowl, mix the dressing. Pour over the potatoes and mix thoroughly.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Don't be afraid to add more juice, oil, or pickles to it.

Cover and refrigerate for few hours before serving.

  

Kale Chips

Kale is a staple food in my  household. We like it raw in our salads. It is a greats substitute for romaine lettuce in ceasar salads. It does not get soggy, so it's great for leftovers the next day. Having it in chip form is another versatile way to incorporate this super food in your diet.  You can dress it any way you'd like but my favourite is with nutritional yeast flakes and smoked paprika. Ok, so nutritional yeast is not your regular yeast...It is a deactivated yeast and is nutty and cheesy in flavour. It has a high vitamin B content.  It is great sprinkled on popcorn or in your scrambled eggs :)

  You will need... 

 1 small bunch of kale, stems removed and torn into large pieces

2 tsp of olive oil (or coconut oil, melted)

1 tbsp of nutritional yeast flakes

1 tsp of garlic salt

1/4 tsp of smoked paprika

1 tsp of chili powder

Preheat oven to 300F

Wash and thoroughly dry kale (I find that using a salad spinner works best). It is very important that the kale is dry, otherwise you will end up with soggy chips. Spread out on large parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Drizzle with  oil and massage thoroughly, making sure all the leaves are well coated with olive oil.

 Mix your spices in a small bowl and sprinkle over kale and make sure it's spread out well.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are brown, but not burnt. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Decadence Cake

This cake is yummylicous and is our "go to" chocolate cake :) It's rich and decadent. You can make it with a chocolate ganache or a butterscotch sauce which makes it ultra moist and fudgy. This time we opted for extra chocolate, so the ganache.  

What you will need to make the cake...

2 1/4 cups of flour

2 tsp of baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of unsalted butter ( if using salted butter, omit salt above)

2 cups of brown sugar 

1 cup of sour cream

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

6 oz of dark chocolate (70% cocoa), melted

2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup of hot coffee

For the chocolate ganache...

11/2 cups of heavy cream 

1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips

How to make it....

Preheat oven to 350F, grease two 8" cake pans and line with parchment paper

In bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In your mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy.  About 4 min. Add eggs, one at a time.

 

Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate.

 Add half the sour cream half the dry ingredients. Mix well and then add the remaining sour cream and dry  ingredients.

Gently stir in the hot coffee. It will look like it is very watery, but don't worry, it is supposed to be like this.

Pour equal amount of batter in each cake pan and bake for approx. 30-35 min or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

For the chocolate ganache...

Place heavy cream in a bowl in microwave just until bubbles start to form. 

Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 3-5 min. 

 

Mix until chocolate is melted and is smooth and silky.  

 

Set aside until cake is cooled.

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with ganache, wait until it sets (place in fridge for a few minutes). Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the ganache evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Black Bean Brownies

 Sounds suspicious, doesn't it? A number of people have tried these, including my picky toddlers, and not one guessed the primary ingredient it these rich and delicious brownies...Black beans.  I actually encourage my kids to eat them. These grain free, and refined sugar free brownies are filled with protein and fiber.  You can add shredded coconut, a few drops of orange or peppermint extract to "spice" them up. Around Christmas time instead of chocolate chips, try adding some crushed candy canes.

What you will need:

one 16 oz can of black beans (well rinsed)

1/3 cup of coconut oil 

1/2 - 2/3 cups of honey (depending on how sweet you prefer it)

1/4 of unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of vanilla 

1 tsp of instant coffee or espresso

1/4 cup of chocolate chips (I used 70% cocoa)

Here is how to make them...

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a 8"x 8" pan.

Place all the ingredients listed above, except for chocolate chips, in a blender/food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into pan and bake for 30-35 min. 

Store brownies in the fridge or freezer.

Pomegranate and Walnut Stew with Chicken

For certain,  this is not your ordinary everyday chicken dish! It is a rich and scrumptious  Persian stew made from pomegranate paste or syrup and ground walnuts. Let's be honest...it may not be the best looking dish out there, but I am sure if you try it once you will fall in love with it like

many of my friends have.

 So, here is what you need to make this irresistible stew.
 

Ingredients (for 4-6 servings):

2  whole bone-in chicken breasts (chicken tights, even meat balls if you prefer)

3 cups of ground walnuts (or finely chopped walnut)

about 1 cup of pomegranate syrup (the amount of pom. syrup really depends to the thickness and sourness of the syrup, you may need to add less or more)

1 large onion, cut in quarters

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1-2 tbsp. sugar if needed

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

First step to make this stew is making a nice chicken broth. If you want to use meatballs instead of chicken to make this stew, you can of course use boxed chicken broth but I recommend making your own chicken broth. It makes a big difference.

To make the chicken broth, pour 4-5 cups of water into a pot, add the chicken, onion, turmeric powder, salt and pepper. Let boil on medium heat until chicken is half-cooked. Take the chicken and onion out. Set aside the chicken while discarding the onion.

Add the ground walnut and pomegranate syrup to the broth. Cover, and let simmer on low until starts thickening (2-3 hours).
 

 

Stir while simmering and add a little bit of water if needed. Note1: This stew must be thick. Do not add too much water. Meanwhile, check the seasoning. Add more salt, pomegranate syrup, or sugar if need to. What makes this stew so irresistible is the right amount of seasoning. We want a good ratio of sour-and-sweet taste.

At this step your stew is almost ready. The only thing you have to do is to return the chicken back into the pot and let simmer on low for another hour until the chicken is completely cooked and the flavor is fully incorporated. 

Note 1: If you choose to have meatballs, after making the meatballs fry them with a little bit of oil and  add to the pot at this step.

 

 

 Note 2: This stew tastes much better when it sits for few hours or a day before serving. It will also be easier to taste and adjust the seasoning when it cools down. It also thickens as it sits. So, to get the best out of this stew I recommend to make it at least few hours and up to a day in advance and heat it up when ready to serve.
 

Serve with basmati rice and enjoy!!!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower pizza crust? ....it does sound a bit strange I must admit, but it tastes awesome. Trust me! 

The best part about it is that you can eat it pretty much guilt free :) 

Here is what you will need to make enough for about 3 - 4 adults. 

Crust 

1 large head of cauliflower (washed and separated into large florets)

1/2 cup of cheese (you can use mozzarella, goat cheese, or a mixture)

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1 tsp of dried oregano or basil

1/4 tsp of red chilli flakes (optional)

pinch of salt

Toppings:

Your choice ;)

For the pizza above we used pesto sauce, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, crimini mushrooms and fresh basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F

In a food processor, process cauliflower until finely chopped.

 

 

In the microwave or on the stove top cook cauliflower for 5-7 min.

Place cauliflower in towel and squeeze out all the excess water until it's completely dry.
This step is very important, otherwise you will end up with a soggy crust.

 

 

 

Add remaining crust ingredients to the cauliflower until well mixed.

 

 

 

On a parchment lined cookie sheet spread out "pizza dough" until about 1/3" thick. Leave edges a bit thicker so they don't burn.

 

 

 

Bake for 35-40 min until edges are golden.

 

 

 

Top with your favourite toppings and put back in the oven at 450 F for about 7 minutes.

 

 

Now, try not to eat all of it yourself ;)

Healthy steak fajita salad

This salad is Amazing!  I want to eat it over and over again. If you are not a steak fan, try it with chicken or even shrimp if you'd like. I guarantee full satisfaction with this salad. 

What you will need:

Here, we used two six ounce striploin steaks for two servings.

2 six ounce striploin steaks

1 head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn

1 avocado sliced

2 heirloom tomatoes (or roma tomatoes)

1 pablano pepper plus 2-3 bell peppers of various colours, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced length wise  into strips

1 large yellow or white onion sliced length wise into strips

a handful (or more) of fresh cilantro, chopped

grated cheddar cheese (optional)

4 tbsp of olive oil, divided

 Marinade

Juice and zest of one large lime

2 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of dried oregano

1 tsp of garlic powder 

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of sea salt

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

Dressing:

For this recipe I just drizzled some olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice and salt and pepper, but you have to try it with my Creamy Cilantro Lme dressing

Creamy Cilantro, Lime dressing

1/2 cup of plain Greek yoghurt  (I like using 2% milk fat or more, but you can use fat free too)

1/4 cup of light olive oil

juice of two limes

1 1/2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded (optional)

1/2 cup of loosely packed cilantro, stems removed 

1 garlic clove

pinch of salt

 

Place all ingredients in your food processor for a minute or so. This makes a more runny dressing. 

If you prefer a  thicker/creamier dressing,  combine all the ingredients but the olive oil and vinegar. While the food processor is running, add the olive oil and vinegar in a slow, and I mean a very slow stream until emulsified.  This should take about 1-2 minutes.

 

How it's prepared:

Marinade directions:

In a small bowl combine together all the ingredients for the marinade. Add your steaks to a large

 re-sealable plastic bag and add in the marinade.  Seal bag and turn to coat well. 

Place in fridge for 15-25 min.

Heat a non-stick pan (I use cast iron) to medium-high heat, add your oil and cook your steaks to desired wellness (I like mine medium-rare to medium, so about 3-4 min a side). Take steaks out of the pan and rest on a cutting board/plate for 5-7 min.

While the steak is resting, in a non-stick pan (I used the one I cooked the steaks in) cook the peppers and onions in oil over medium-high head for about 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat.

To assemble the salad, place lettuce in  bowls, add your tomatoes and avocado. Season with some salt and pepper. Arrange pepper/onions and steak over top. Top with chopped cilantro and dressing. Voila!

Celery Stew

Another favorite dish of mine. Fresh mint and parsley are the basis for this nutritious and tasty stew. The are few secrets to make this stew just perfect. First, use fresh ingredients. Second, use almost the same ratio of mint and parsley (you can go even a little bit higher with the mint. If you don't have enough fresh mint, substitute with some dried mint). Third, DON'T RUSH IT. Slow-cooking is the key.

Here is what you need:

350g of stew meat of your choice (beef, veal, or lamb), cut into 1" pieces

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 bunch celery, washed and chopped into 1" pieces (chop the leaves too but keep them separate than the chopped stalks)

1 bunch fresh parsley, washed and chopped into 0.5" pieces (about 3 cups packed)

2 bunches fresh mint, washed and chopped into 0.5" pieces (about 2 cups packed)

2 tbsp dried mint

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp. tomato paste (optional, I haven't used here)

1/4 cups fresh lemon or lime juice

1/4 cups vegetable oil or olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Here is how to make it:

In a medium pot over medium heat sauté onion with 2 tbsp of oil until starting to soften.

Add the stew meat, followed by turmeric powder, salt and pepper. Stir and brown all sides.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let meat cook slowly in  its own juice. Note 1: Stir occasionally to make sure it does not run out of liquid.

When all the meat juices have evaporated, add 2 cups of water, cover pot and bring to boil. Once it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until meat is almost done. Note 2: You don't want the meat to completely cook at this step because you will cook it further after adding the vegetables.

Meanwhile, saute your chopped veggies.

Add the remaining oil into a pan over medium heat. Add chopped celery (only the stalks) and start to cook until partially softened (about 20-25 minutes). Then add garlic (if you choose), chopped parsley, celery leaves, fresh and dried mint, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

When the meat is almost cooked, add the celery mixture and stir in. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes (depending on the type of the meat you use this time could vary) or until the meat is done. Add fresh lemon or lime juice. Mix well and give it a few more minutes to get fully incorporated (5 minutes or so). Note 3: If you wish, you can fry 1 tbsp. of tomato paste in some vegetable oil and add it to the stew as the meat and veggies cook. It will add some more color. I have not done it here.

 Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The stew is now ready. Serve hot with basmati rice and enjoy!