tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48861443461890324142024-03-05T21:53:29.396-05:00Life Chef's Food for Life"Food for Life" is a commitment to eating and living well; a passion for food as sustenance, entertainment, hobby and livelihood; and a statement that means something akin to "Las Vegas or Bust" or "No Sleep til Brooklyn" or "Power to the People." That makes sense in my head... This blogsite is about "Food" and my love of food is "for Life." Enjoy.asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-31111499001270190352011-02-05T11:13:00.001-05:002011-02-05T11:14:24.883-05:00Visit www.lifechef.netHey gang,<br />I've transferred Life Chef over to a new site and a wordpress page so please visit www.lifechef.net for the latest in Life Chef news. I won't be updating this blog very often any more. Thanks!<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-41174598479236375552010-11-13T12:41:00.001-05:002010-11-13T12:44:04.046-05:00Healthy Holiday Cooking RecapSimple, satisfying, colorful, flavorful, festive and delicious! These healthy holiday recipes will become new family traditions and bring more whole veggies and fruit to your holiday table!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce</span><br /><blockquote>½ cup orange juice<br />12 oz bag fresh cranberries<br />1 tsp cinnamon<br />1 tsp ground ginger or 1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated<br />½ cup all natural orange marmalade<br />Agave nectar to taste (all natural sweetener)</blockquote><br /><br />Combine ingredients in a small pot and simmer over medium heat 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries burst open. Sauce will thicken a bit as it cools.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Mushroom Gravy</span><br /><blockquote>2 pints mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced<br />1 medium onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 tbsp flour (whole wheat or white)<br />1 tsp fresh thyme<br />16 oz broth or stock<br />½ heavy cream (optional)<br />Salt and pepper to taste</blockquote><br /><br />Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic until tender and cooked down. Add one more Tbsp of olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the flour and keep stirring until a light brown roux has formed. Pour in the broth or stock and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium high, add thyme, cream, salt and pepper and allow to simmer 5-10 minutes or until gravy starts to thicken and can coat a spoon. Gravy will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve over steamed green beans for a lighter version of the classic green bean casserole.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Corn & Edamame Succotash </span><br /><blockquote>1 onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />Corn from 5 ears or 2 1-lb bags of frozen kernels<br />1 1-lb bag of frozen, shelled edemame (soy beans)<br />1 red bell pepper, small diced<br />1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)</blockquote><br /><br />Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions and garlic until aromatic, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn, edamame and bell pepper. Season with cayenne and continue to<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-52814567660137328772010-11-10T05:18:00.003-05:002010-11-10T06:05:58.751-05:00Indulgent Experience Holiday Menu<span style="font-weight:bold;">Take the stress out of the holidays, and let us do the cooking for you! </span><br /><br />Introducing The Indulgent Experience, edible bliss for your holiday table. The Indulgent Experience is a collaborative culinary creation between Life Chef Asata Reid and The Food Relationship Coach Shelley Chapman, and we've created an incredible menu for your holiday pleasure. How do you order your holiday meal?<br />It’s easy! You’re invited. All you have to do is…..<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />View. Choose. Call 404.997.8328. Enjoy!</span><br /><br />Holiday Menu available October – December 2010<br />Thanksgiving orders must be in my November 22nd. Christmas orders must be in my December 22.<br /><br />(V)Vegan Items<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Proteins (Choose 1)</span><br /><br /> * Jasmine Tea Brined Duck<br /> * Herb Roasted Turkey<br /> * Fennel-Lemon Infused Salmon<br /> * Tofurkey(V)<br /><br />Sides - <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Green Side (Choose 1)</span><br /><br /> * Citrus Jicama Salad w/ Pomegranate Dressing(V)<br /> * Fennel Apple Parsley Salad w/ Lemon Herb Dressing(V)<br /> * Ethiopian Style Collards*<br /> * Honey Balsamic Kale(V)<br /> * Green Beans w/ Wild Mushroom Gravy & Caramelized Onions<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Starch Side (Choose 1)</span><br /><br /> * Roasted Garlic Yukon Gold Potato Mash<br /> * Roasted Potato Wedges w/ Rosemary Garlic Butter<br /> * Herb Parmesan Mashed Russet Potatoes<br /> * 3 Cheese Mac & Cheese<br /> * Sweet Sage Butternut Squash<br /> * Coconut Pineapple Candied Yams<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Dressing (Choose 1)</span><br /><br /> * Bread Dressing with Apples and Thyme<br /> * Wild Rice Dressing w/ Pecans and Apricots<br /> * Cornbread Shrimp Poblano Dressing<br /> * Rustic Porcini Onion Dressing (V)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Breads (Choose 1)</span><br /><br /> * Yeast Rolls<br /> * Cheddar Chive Corn Muffins<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Complimenting Sides (Choose 2)</span><br /><br /> * Cranberry & Spiced Orange Sauce(V)<br /> * Wild Mushroom Gravy<br /> * Turkey Gravy<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Desserts (Choose 1)</span><br /><br /> * Red Velvet 3 Layer Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting<br /> * Pumpkin 3 Layer Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramel Drizzle(V)<br /> * Sweet Potato Cheesecakes<br /> * Peach Cobbler<br /> * Cream Cheese Brownies<br /> * Chocolate Truffles<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-56604673083383334662010-09-13T12:51:00.003-04:002010-09-13T12:52:48.985-04:00What's so great about tomatoes?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/public/sites/515/assets/PAU_tomatos.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/public/sites/515/assets/PAU_tomatos.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Read my Eating Healthy column in the Sept. 11th edition of <a href="http://crossroadsnews.com/view/full_story/9474697/article-Colorful--flavorful-tomatoes-are-nutritional-powerhouses?instance=lead_story">Cross Roads News </a> to find out more about this Super Food!<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-62472961690455376942010-09-03T08:42:00.004-04:002010-09-03T10:34:59.839-04:00September's CalendarLots of chances to taste how delicious healthy and nutritious food can be! Catch me at any of these events during the month of September. See you soon!<br /><br />Friday Sept 10<br />Kaiser Permanente’s HealthWorks at Georgia Tech<br /><br />Saturday Sept 11<br />What’s Cooking at <a href="http://www.sevananda.coop/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=C5G13S77A6GB8P0JT1P2Q4XBHR8BFXX2">Sevananda Natural Foods Market</a><br />All natural foods cooking class from noon – 1:30 p.m. in the Education Room<br />$10 members, $12 non-members<br /><br />Wednesday Sept 15<br />Cooking in the Garden at <a href="http://www.trulylivingwell.com/">Truly Living Well Urban Gardens</a><br />3-7 p.m. <br />Free<br /><br />Friday Sept 17<br />Kaiser Permanente’s HealthWorks at McCormick<br /><br />Saturday Sept 18<br />Private Cooking Class<br /><br />Tuesday Sept 21<br />What’s for Dinner at the <a href="http://www.cookswarehouse.com/productcart/pc/landing.asp">Cook’s Warehouse</a> in Decatur<br />Chef Asata Reid is back to help you answer the daily dilemma of “What’s for dinner?” with recipes that are fast, fresh and full of flavor. This class will help you master quick cooking techniques that shave minutes off your evening meal while preserving the wholesome goodness of all-natural ingredients. Forget meal planning and learn how to create smart dinner solutions from seasonal and local ingredients that will make your weekly menus pop with home-grown freshness. On the menu are 7-Minute Cilantro Crusted Flank Steak with a Black Rice Salad, Soft Tacos with Smokey Jalapeno Mayo, and Grilled Plums with Lemon Sorbet and Lavender Syrup. Chef Asata will also discuss ‘The Well Stocked Pantry’, essential items that make throwing together delicious and nutritious meals easy as pie. Healthy meals in a hurry never tasted so good! 7-9 pm $45<br /><br />Saturday Sept 25<br />Kaiser Permanente’s Operation Zero: on-going program to prevent childhood obesity<br />Cooking demo at the <a href="https://members.kaiserpermanente.org/kpweb/facilitydir/facility.do?id=100461&rop=GGA">Crescent Center</a> location 10 am<br />-and-<br />Slow Food’s Day of Action build a garden at <a href="http://www.drewcharterschool.org/">Charles Drew Charter School</a><br />Cooking demo at 2pm, sponsored by Sevananda<br />Free<br /><br />Tuesday Sept 28<br />Kaiser Permanente’s Art of Healthy Cooking class at the <a href="http://www.ymcaatlanta.org/Branches/VCY-Villages_at_Carver_YMCA/default.asp">Carver Family YMCA</a> 6:30 pm<br />Free to YMCA members<br /><br />Thursday Sept 30<br />Chefs Series at Campbell HS in Smyrna<br />Cooking demo and discussion with Culinary Arts Class 10-11:30 a.m.<br /><br />Sevananda’s Member Mixer at <a href="http://www.ymcaatlanta.org/Branches/VCY-Villages_at_Carver_YMCA/default.asp">Callanwolde Fine Arts Center</a>, Retreat House<br /> 6-8 pm Food Sampling with recipes<br />Free for Sevananda members, $5 for non-members<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-90167411149384314792010-08-10T08:17:00.000-04:002010-08-10T14:21:49.827-04:00Where's the Life Chef?Hey gang, summer's almost over so I'm back to the grind! Here's where you can catch me for classes, demos and more:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">8/7/10<br />Saint Philip AME Annual Health Fair</span><br />Join me for a free healthy cooking demo at <a href="http://www.saintphilip.org/">Saint Philip AME Church</a> during their annual health fair! Learn how healthy food choices can impact your well being without counting calories and weighing your food. Healthy cooking can be fun, easy and delicious! Cooking demo will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in the Youth Café. FREE<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">8/14/10<br />CRN’s Back to School Expo 2:30 p.m.</span><br /><a href="http://crossroadsnews.com/">Cross Roads News</a> presents this all-day expo at the <a href="http://www.mallatstonecrest.com/">Mall at Stonecrest</a> will get you and the family ready for the exciting 2010/11 school year! I’ll be on the Demo Stage to show you some healthy snack and lunch ideas the kids will love to make and eat! Secret to getting kids to eat healthy? Get them in the kitchen! FREE<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Free Family Workshops: Healthy Eating @ <a href="http://oakhurstgarden.org/">Oakhurst Community Garden</a><br />August 21 from 1-3pm</span> <br />Families that come rotate through 3 different stations: Healthy Snacks, How to Eat Healthy on a Budget, and Nutrition 101/How to Read Food Labels. We are also collaborating with Les Dames d’Escoffier’s local chapter (local chefs committed to educational outreach), the Dekalb County Cooperative Extension, and volunteers from Emory University.<br /><br />Arthritis Expo<br />8/26/10<br />A Healthworks program presented by Kaiser Permanente<br /><br />Delta Dental<br />8/27/10<br />A Healthworks program presented by Kaiser Permanente<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">8/28/2010<br />Professional Kitchen Primer Hands On for Kids (Ages 10 - 17)</span><br /><a href="https://www.cookswarehouse.com/ClassReg/Public/classes.asp">The Cook's Warehouse</a> Decatur Store 10:30 AM - 1:30: PM<br />So you wanna be a professional chef? Think you have what it takes? Come learn the ins and outs of the professional kitchen, whet your knife skills, and transform basic culinary skills into a delicious final meal. Chef Asata Reid brings her professional experiences as a restaurant chef, personal chef, caterer and cooking instructor to help young ones explore a future in the culinary industry. On the menu this afternoon: Vegetable Soup with Handmade Dumplings, Spanish Inspired Chicken Pilaf, and Peach Crumble Turnovers with Dark Chocolate. Chefs-in-training will be introduced to the Mother Sauces, put their knife skills to work while learning basic soup making, break down a chicken, work with puff pastry, temper dark chocolate, and discuss the stations on a working kitchen line. Budding chefs can bring lots of questions and learn ways to turn their passion for food into a professional career. $50<br /><br />Awaken 2010 Expo: Living Your Soul Purpose<br />Bliss Brunch<br />Promoting the exploration of the connection between spirituality and health and life path awakening. On an individual level, AWAKEN inspires and nurtures soul evolution, bringing attendees closer to purposeful living through the discovery of innate talents, gifts, and life path. On a collective level, AWAKEN creates the foundation for the journey of oneness recognized, honored, and realized, or the unification of one mind, one heart, one soul, united in consciousness with no earthly boundaries; in other words, collective soul evolution. View the event schedule and details here: <a href="http://awakenexpo.homestead.com/Presentations.html">www.awakenexpo.com</a> <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">8/31 Carver YMCA<br />6:30-8pm</span><br />Art of Healthy Cooking Demo presented by Kaiser Permanente at the <a href="http://www.ymcaatlanta.org/Branches/VCY-Villages_at_Carver_YMCA/default.asp">Villages at Carver Family YMCA</a>. Learn how cheap and easy healthy cooking can be! No special purchases are needed to pull together fast and fantastic dishes that nourish your body and satisfy your taste buds. Low in fat and calories but high in flavor and charisma, these dishes will add to your healthy cooking repertoire. FREE<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />9/11/10<br />What’s Cooking? Natural Foods Classes noon-1:30 p.m.</span><br />Join me at <a href="http://www.sevananda.coop">Sevananda Natural Foods Market</a> and learn how to transform organic and locally grown foods into delicious, nutritious meals that you’ll love! Our information-sharing sessions divulge a wealth of healing and wellness knowledge that will benefit you and your family. Discover how food truly feeds your body and soul. $10 members, $12, non-members.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />9/21/2010<br />What’s For Dinner? - Foreign and Flavorful!</span> <br /><a href="https://www.cookswarehouse.com/ClassReg/Public/classes.asp">The Cook’s Warehouse</a> Decatur Store 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM<br />Chef Asata Reid is back to help you answer the daily dilemma of “What’s for dinner?” with recipes that are fast, fresh and full of flavor. This class will help you master quick cooking techniques that shave minutes off your evening meal while preserving the wholesome goodness of all-natural ingredients. Forget meal planning and learn how to create smart dinner solutions from seasonal and local ingredients that will make your weekly menus pop with home-grown freshness. On the menu are 7-Minute Cilantro Crusted Flank Steak with a Black Rice Salad, Soft Tacos with Smokey Jalapeno Mayo, and Grilled Plums with Lemon Sorbet and Lavender Syrup. Chef Asata will also discuss ‘The Well Stocked Pantry’, essential items that make throwing together delicious and nutritious meals easy as pie. Healthy meals in a hurry never tasted so good! $45<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">10/9/10<br />What’s Cooking? Natural Food Classes noon-1:30 p.m.</span><br />Join me at <a href="http://www.sevananda.coop">Sevananda Natural Foods Market</a> and learn how to transform organic and locally grown foods into delicious, nutritious meals that you’ll love! Our information-sharing sessions divulge a wealth of healing and wellness knowledge that will benefit you and your family. Discover how food truly feeds your body and soul. $10 members, $12, non-members.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-33730672782280146062010-08-06T15:30:00.002-04:002010-08-06T15:33:08.918-04:00Chef to Showcase Easy, Healthy & Tasty Meals for KidsFrom CrossRoads News August 4, 2010<br /><br />"Parents who want their children to eat better will get lots of help from life chef Asata Reid at the Aug. 14 Family & Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest.<br /><br />Reid, a chef, food writer and culinary educator, will demonstrate quick and easy lunches and after-school snacks from the main stage in front of Macy’s at 2:30 p.m.<br /><br />The mother of two boys says that lunch and snacks should be healthy, tasty and good for growing kids.<br /><br />“Healthy eating is definitely not expensive and it’s not hard,” she said. “I will show parents and kids how easy and delicious healthy eating can be.”<br /><br />Read the full article here: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/24vz3gw">http://tinyurl.com/24vz3gw</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-57750178535392486862010-08-04T10:00:00.001-04:002010-08-04T10:00:02.643-04:00Marscapone Stuffed Grilled Pears with Ginger Syrup<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4509793802/" title="Grilled chz-stuffed pears w ginger syrup by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4509793802_304b4df37b.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Grilled chz-stuffed pears w ginger syrup" /></a><br />Here's a winner. A grilled/griddled fruit dessert that presents elegantly, tastes great, and is beyond easy to make. If you have some small dessert bowls, martini glasses or other creative service wear, use them to showcase this easy fruit based dessert. If you attended a recent <a href="http://www.sevananda.coop">What's Cooking? class at Sevananda Natural Foods Market</a>, or the opening night of the <a href="http://nbaf.org/">National Black Arts Festival</a>, then you got a chance to sample this dish. Here's how it goes:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pears: </span><br /><blockquote>3 ripe pears, peeled, halved, seeds scooped out<br />2 Tbs butter or oil</blockquote><br />Brush hot grill or griddle with oil or butter. Place pears on cooking surface, cut side down. Cook about 5 minutes on one side (or until carmelized to a golden brown). Flip pears over and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and arrange on a serving platter, cut side up.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ginger Syrup:</span><br /><blockquote>1 cup brown or turbinado sugar<br />1 cup water<br />1" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated</blockquote><br />Combine all three ingredients. Bring up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to continue cooking until reduced by half. Remove from heat and allow to thicken slightly.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Marscapone:</span><br /><blockquote>3 oz marcapone cheese<br />1/4-1/2 of the ginger syrup</blockquote><br />Combine enough ginger syrup to sweeten the marscapone cheese. Refrigerate to chill until ready to serve.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Granola:</span><br /><blockquote>for garnish</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />TO SERVE:</span><br />Scoop a generous quenelle by using two spoons to make a football shaped ball out of the marscapone mixture. Place a scoop on top of each pear half. Top each quenelle with a generous sprinkling of crumbled granola for texture. Drizzle ginger syrup over each pear. The warm syrup will melt the marscapone to form a creamy, sweet sauce. Yum!<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-59858398412852888832010-08-01T10:00:00.001-04:002010-08-01T10:26:44.887-04:00Sauteed Kale with Cannellini BeansThis dish uses French Onion Soup and spices found in the Vietnamese noodle dish called pho. I love pho, and it's typically made with a beef-based broth, but we go vegan by using a high quality French Onion Soup with its complex sweet/savory flavors compliments of the carmelized onions used in the base. A handful of ingredients, a boatload of nutrition and flavor that just goes on and on...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Check out the video too!</span> <br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nOo1BVtxc70&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nOo1BVtxc70&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><blockquote><br />1 medium yellow onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />4 large leaves kale, or about 2-3 cups, stemmed and roughly chopped<br />1 large can cannellini beans, or other white beans, rinsed and drained<br />1/2 tsp cinnamon <br />5 pieces star anise<br />1/2 tsp crushed red pepper<br />1 cup French Onion Soup<br />salt/pepper</blockquote><br /><br />Sweat onions and garlic with olive oil over medium high heat in a soup pot. Stir in chopped kale and rinsed beans. Season with cinnamon, star anise, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Add French Onion Soup, stir, cover and simmer until the kale is tender and a brilliant emerald green (about 10 minutes). Remove the star anise pieces and serve immediately.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-73193547051581789292010-07-30T10:00:00.000-04:002010-07-30T10:00:00.530-04:00wilted Arugula Salad w/ Spiced Chick Peas & Artichoke Hearts<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4794829617/" title="Photo-1387.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4794829617_d8d5b81b00.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-1387.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />This wilted arugula salad is simple to prepare, and thanks to the Life Chef Dessert Rose spice blend, has big flavor that will make everyone happy. If you attended the July "What's Cooking?" Class at Sevananda Natural Foods Market, or the National Black Arts Festival July 15-18, you may have had a sample of this sensational salad. <span style="font-weight:bold;">If not, check out the video version here:</span><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KCsmsyKRKhI&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KCsmsyKRKhI&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Spiced Chickpeas & Artichoke Hearts with Arugula</span><br /><blockquote>1 medium onion, diced<br />3-4 cloves garlic, minced<br />1 red bell pepper, sliced<br />1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered<br />1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained<br />2 Tbsp Life Chef Dessert Rose spice blend<br />- OR -<br />combination of cumin, thyme, black pepper, parsley and garlic powder.<br />1 bag of baby arugula<br />8 oz feta cheese<br />juice of 1 lemon</blockquote><br /><br />Saute onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add bell pepper, artichokes, and chickpeas. <br /><br />Stir in spice blend and continue to heat until the bell peppers just start to wilt. <br /><br />Arrange arugula in a serving bowl or platter. Pour chickpea mixture over the arugula. <br /><br />Sprinkle the feta cheese and lemon juice over the salad, toss, and serve immediately.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-18860506900271788302010-07-30T07:10:00.000-04:002010-07-30T07:19:09.477-04:00Smokey Sausage & Potato Stew<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4794829053/" title="Photo-1388.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4794829053_768a881791.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-1388.jpeg" /></a><br />This one pot wonder is a flavorful blast of goodness. It's easily made vegan by using meatless sausages, and it can easily turn any leftover meat (or beans for that matter)into something new and yummy.<br /><br />This dish was also featured at this year's <a href="http://www.nbaf.org">National Black Arts Festival</a>, plus a made a vegan version for a recent <a href="http://www.sevananda.coop">What's Cooking? class at Sevananda Natural Foods Market</a>, and another version using Greek style lamb sausages is featured in a new Life Chef video ... coming soon!<br /><br />Smokey Sausage & Potato Stew <br /><blockquote>1 medium onion, diced<br />4 cloves garlic, minced<br />1/2 lb of new potatoes (red potatoes) thinly sliced<br />1 lb of turkey or meatless sausage, removed from casing<br />1 to 1 1/2 cup of prepared tomato sauce<br />2-3 Tbsp Life Chef Flamenco spice blend<br />- OR - combination smoked & sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, garlic and thyme<br />1 cup green olive, sliced<br />1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped</blockquote><br /><br />In a large pot saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until tender. <br /><br />Add potatoes and sausage, stirring to break up any chunks. <br /><br />Season with Life Chef Flamenco Spice blend, stir in tomato sauce, cover and let cook until meat is cooked through and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. <br /><br />Just before serving, stir in the olives and parsley. Serve immediately.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-27826974029179740932010-07-22T00:51:00.006-04:002010-07-28T13:09:52.597-04:00Lemon Scented Couscous w Zucchini and Basil<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://branappetit.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/cous.jpg?w=500&h=375"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://branappetit.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/cous.jpg?w=500&h=375" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">photo by Brandi at Wellsphere.com </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Couscous:</span><blockquote><br />2 cups water<br />2 cups couscous<br />pinch of sea salt<br />juice from 2 lemons</blockquote><br />Bring salted water to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork while stirring in lemon juice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Zucchini:</span><br /><blockquote>4-6 zucchini cut into halfmoons, about 1/2" thick<br />1 medium onion, diced<br />2 cloves garlic, minced<br />Life Chef Humming Bird spice blend<br />-OR-<br />dehydrated parsley, garlic, onion, black pepper, and lemon zest</blockquote><br />Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until just tender. Add garlic and zucchini, stir in the seasoning blend and cook until zucchini is just tender. Remove from heat and stir into cous cous.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Garnish:</span><br /><blockquote>Juice from 1 lemon<br />2 Tbsp olive oil (optional)<br />6 oz feta cheese<br />1 bunch basil, shredded</blockquote><br />Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle basil over the zucchini-couscous mixture, stir well, then dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Serve immediately.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-81663167036624293592010-05-17T11:45:00.002-04:002010-05-17T11:59:25.300-04:00Vegan Gumbo<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4610089012/" title="Gumbo May 15 2010 027 by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1325/4610089012_fcd884bd4b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Gumbo May 15 2010 027" /></a><br /><br />Made a big ol' pot of Vegan Gumbo for the Alive Expo this past weekend. Folks seemed to enjoy it, even though (or maybe because) we didn't use any okra! I still started with a quick roux and finished with file, so the heart of the gumbo was still beating even without it's namesake ingredient. The word gumbo is derived from an African term for okra. I certainly had a good time and I hope y'all did too!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4610088996/" title="Alive Expo May 15 2010 026 by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/4610088996_99ed9e3995.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Alive Expo May 15 2010 026" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4610088974/" title="Alive Expo May 15 2010 025 by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3350/4610088974_50eea08be5_o.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Alive Expo May 15 2010 025" /></a><br /><br />If you whip up a batch, let me know how it turns out!<br /><br />Vegan Gumbo<br /><br /><blockquote>1 large yellow onion, diced<br />2 carrots, diced<br />2 stalks of celery, leaves removed, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 bay leaves<br />2 Tbs flour<br />2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil<br />1 can of diced tomatoes<br />1 32-oz box of Pacific Natural Foods Organic French Onion Soup<br />1 Tbs cayenne pepper (or to taste)<br />1 pkg of chorizo or spicy style meatless sausages, cut into pieces<br />1 pkg of chicken or stir fry style seitan, broken into bite sized pieces<br />1 Tbs file (to taste)</blockquote><br /><br />In a large soup pot heat the olive oil and saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and stir continuously until the flour has taken on a toasty aroma. Stir in the diced tomatoes and French Onion Soup scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot to enhance the soup’s flavor. Add bay leaves, cayenne pepper, soy sausage and seitan. Simmer at least 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Just before serving, stir in a bit of file which will thicken the gumbo and add authentic flavor. Serve with rice.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-40433644172772580512010-05-10T08:47:00.004-04:002010-05-10T09:00:21.277-04:00Egg White Spinach Artichoke Mini Frittatas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i.timeinc.net/recipes/i/recipes/ck/01/12/fritatas-ck-521726-l.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://i.timeinc.net/recipes/i/recipes/ck/01/12/fritatas-ck-521726-l.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">image: Randy Mayor; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell from www.recipes.com</span><br /><br />Want to cut cholesterol? Need a quick "heat 'em and eat 'em" breakfast? Looking to "sneak" more dark leafy greens and vegetables into breakfast? Have I found a yummy solution for you... Using a large muffin pan you can whip up a batch of these, some for now some for later, and breakfast is "ret to go" as they say way out in the boondocks. You can even go McMuffin style by making a breakfast sandwich using a multigrain English muffin, low fat mozzerella cheese slice, and a slice lean turkey breast.<br /><br />Egg White Mini Frittatas – makes 12<br /><br /><blockquote>1 32 oz carton of egg whites<br />2 small jars of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped<br />1 10 oz bag of spinach<br />½ small onion, diced<br />Pinch freshly grated nutmeg<br />1 tsp Djon mustard<br />Pinch cayenne pepper<br />Salt (optional)</blockquote><br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with baking spray and set aside.<br /><br />Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Spray with baking spray or add 1 Tbsp of oil. Sautee the onion until tender, add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 5 minutes total. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.<br /><br />Combine all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the slightly cooled spinach mixture. Using a ladle, fill each of the cups on the muffin pan.<br /><br />Transfer pan to the oven and bake approximately 10 minutes or until the centers are set. Flip mini-frittatas out onto a rack to cool. Store in an air tight container and refrigerate up to 3-5 days. To eat, either reheat briefly or eat at room temperature.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-43371462207730485402010-04-08T07:11:00.003-04:002010-04-08T07:23:40.447-04:00Fish StewSimple, spicy, satisfying. That's how I'd describe this easy, low fat stew. I made a big batch and had it for lunch several times last week, and now that it's gone ... well I kinda miss it. The green olives provide a nice tangy element of surprise and the smoked paprika lend some subtle heat. The flavors of the stew are pulled from Spanish influences and took the humble (bland?) tilapia and transformed it into something exciting!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4487543729/" title="Spanish style fish stew by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4487543729_3a5716e073.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Spanish style fish stew" /></a><br /><br />28 oz fire roasted tomatoes, pureed<br />1 medium yellow onion<br />5 cloves garlic<br />1 Tbsp turmeric<br />1 Tbsp smoked paprika<br />1 Tbsp Italian herb blend<br />4 tilapia fillets cut into 2" chunks<br />2 bay leaves<br />2 cups low sodium chicken stock<br />salt/pepper<br />1 cup green olives (optional)<br />2 cups cooked yellow rice<br />fruity extra virgin olive oil, diced avocado, sliced lime (optional)<br /><br />Puree the tomatoes and transfer to a large soup pot. Add onions, garlic, herbs and spices and stock and stir together over medium heat. Bring up to a simmer and submerge the fish into the soup base. Cook gently for 15 minutes or until fish is thoroughly cooked but not falling apart (stir as little as possible during the cooking so as not to break up the fish). Gently fold in cooked rice and olives and heat through. Finish soup by garnishing bowls with a drizzle of flavorful olive oil, diced avocado and/or a wedge of lime.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-33007804597628349812010-04-02T22:57:00.005-04:002010-04-08T07:38:13.584-04:00Chilled Strawberry Soup with Balsamic Grilled StrawberriesNow that spring has sprung, gorgeous, delicious, fresh and CHEAP strawberries are plentiful. Here's an easy way to make good use of them. Super easy to put together, this chilled soup makes for a great brunch item, or a dessert, or a nice starter to a long meal. This makes a good amount, so unless you have guests halve the recipe.<br /><br />4 pints Strawberries, trimmed of their stems<br />1 cup Vanilla Yogurt<br />1 bunch Mint<br />Splash Balsamic vinegar<br />2-3 Tbsp Agave Nectar or Honey, to taste<br />1 tsp Cinnamon<br />Apple Juice as needed<br /><br />Pour 1/2 cup of good balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced into a syrup. Remove from heat, season with cinnamon and set aside.<br /><br />Slice 1 pint of strawberries in half and cook on a hot, buttered griddle or pan just until cut side is carmelized, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into a large dice. Chiffonade (thinly slice) a few mint leaves and add to the cut strawberries. Pour balsamic syrup over strawberries, stir and set aside.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4432668762/" title="Photo-1020.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4432668762_2519680f95.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-1020.jpeg" /></a><br />In a blender combine 1 1/2 pints of strawberries, yogurt, mint and agave nectar until smooth (will probably have to do in 2 batches). If it's too thick, thin with a little apple juice. Pass the cold soup through a strainer to catch any lumps. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4431896499/" title="Photo-1021.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2751/4431896499_1273fe335b.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-1021.jpeg" /></a><br />To serve, ladle the cool soup into bowls, and top with the balsamic strawberry mixture. Garnish with a mint leaf and serve immediately.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4432667976/" title="Photo-1019.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4432667976_b53fdc4aac.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-1019.jpeg" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-83582592051988500262010-03-31T14:08:00.003-04:002010-04-02T22:57:18.855-04:00Seeing is believing...I admit I learn a lot on Twitter and YouTube. They are great places for info sharing. For example, I've hear of this urban myth: a happy meal that's been shown around in perfect condition that's 4 years old. The healthy food circles are always bringing this up. Well thanks to a Tweet from @kandaka_long I now have proof.<br /><br />Here's the video of said old McD's food, preserved without any interference of it's own composition (whatever that may be): <a href="http://youtu.be/4IGtDPG4UfI">http://youtu.be/4IGtDPG4UfI</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-84910394580295745902010-03-12T08:45:00.004-05:002010-03-12T08:58:12.555-05:00Look Here: Recipe RoundupOk I know I said you could find the curry chick peas and the whole wheat pasta salad right here, but some of you have probably had to dig around the website to find the recipes. So I'm going to corral the recent demo recipes right here for you to make it easy to find.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Very Berry Soda</span><br /><blockquote>Fill a tall glass 2/3 full with ice cubes.<br />Pour half full with club soda or sparkling mineral water.<br />Top off with an all-natural dark berry juice blend such as cran-blueberry.<br />Stir and enjoy the refreshing burst of antioxidants and flavor!</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><a href="http://lifechef.blogspot.com/2009/03/curried-chick-peas-with-kale.html">Curried Chickepeas with Kale</a> (or Spinach)</span> also see video in left margin on this page<br />http://lifechef.blogspot.com/2009/03/curried-chick-peas-with-kale.html<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><a href="http://lifechef.blogspot.com/2009/09/whole-wheat-pasta-salad-w-chicken.html">Whole Wheat Pasta Salad</a> with Artichokes, Chicken and Spinach</span><br />http://lifechef.blogspot.com/2009/09/whole-wheat-pasta-salad-w-chicken.html<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Herb Roasted Chicken</span><br /> <blockquote>1 Roasting hen<br /> 1 spring rosemary, stemmed and chopped<br /> 5 sprigs of thyme, stemmed and chopped<br /> ½ head garlic<br /> 4 bay leaves<br /> salt<br /> black pepper<br /> 1 lemon thinly sliced</blockquote><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br />Liberally season chicken with salt, pepper and herbs (including inside the cavity). Stuff garlic and bay leaves inside of the cavity. Fold wings behind the chicken and secure the legs. Place on a rack or perforated pan in a roasting pan. Cover breast and tops of legs with lemon slices. Bake at 400 degrees in center of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning half way through cooking. Chicken is done when thick part of the thigh joint is pierced with a knife and the juices run clear, and none of the flesh is pink. Discard lemons, and slice chicken to serve.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-41945495075225702272010-01-12T11:00:00.000-05:002010-01-12T11:04:26.927-05:00EZ Creamy Mashed Potatoes<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4225672355/" title="Photo-0811.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4225672355_3e3bc11016.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0811.jpeg" /></a><br />I think I've avoided making mashed potatoes on many occasions because I thought of it as a multi-step process: peel, cook, drain, mash, combine with warm milk possibly using a mixer ... In my mind the sink full of dishes just didn't justify the craving, so I held out. Well through combination of an irresistible craving for mashed potatoes, my need for a fast side dish and a small degree of laziness, I've made creamy mashed potatoes into a one-pot dish. <br /><br />I don't make mashed potatoes often, but when I do, I use milk, cream and butter ... boiling potatoes in water? Bah humbug. However, you can certainly lighten the load on these 15 minute potatoes (yes you read that right) by using water or chicken stock for cooking, and omitting the butter or substituting a lesser amount of a heart-healthy oil like a good quality olive oil. It's up to you, and the great thing about home cooking is that YOU control the ingredients, so make your mashed potatoes as light or rich as you like. <br /><br />Think potatoes are an "empty carb?" Think again: they contain vitamin C, potassium, B Vitamins, fiber and several trace minerals. Now keep in mind a lot of the nutrients are diminished if you peel your potatoes, so consider partially peeling them (think making stripes with your peeler) to retain some of these nutrients. Read more from OrganicFacts.net about the <a href="http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-potato.html">health benefits of potatoes</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">EZ Creamy Mashed Potatoes</span><br /><blockquote>4 cups milk (whole, skim, 1/2 & 1/2, stock, etc.)<br />6-8 medium redskin potatoes (think tennis ball size) peeled and quartered<br />2 bay leaves<br />1/2 stick butter or 2 Tbsp olive oil (optional)<br />salt/pepper to taste</blockquote><br /><br />Combine peeled and cut potatoes with milk, salt and pepper in a pot. Liquid should be enough to just cover the potatoes. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4267864812/" title="Photo-0789.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4267864812_f947c0e888.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0789.jpeg" /></a><br /> <br />Cook for about 10-15 over medium heat being careful not to scald the milk and stirring occasionally to prevent any sticking on the bottom of the pot. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4267862142/" title="Photo-0798.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2729/4267862142_aa7d1bbfb1.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0798.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />When potatoes are fork tender, remove the bay leaves, add the butter or oil, and mash with a whisk or potato masher or fork. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. If potatoes are too stiff, whip in a little additional milk or cream 2 Tbsp at a time. If serving potatoes later, reheat with a little additional liquid.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-57683878575669676272010-01-07T08:00:00.000-05:002010-01-07T08:00:04.028-05:00<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4213634076/" title="Photo-0833.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4213634076_d309cd2000.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0833.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />I'll admit it: yeast rolls intimidate me. In fact, baking in general intimidates me, but there's nothing better than a yeast dough for dense gooey cinnamon rolls. Fortunately, I can go from freezer to plate in about 25-30 minutes when I get a "jones" for cinnamon rolls thanks to Sister Shubert's dinner rolls (She has an interesting story so check out her website). I've had the regular yeast rolls, so when I saw these cinnamon rolls and orange rolls I grabbed one of each. They fit the bill for a not-home-made-but-good-nonetheless Christmas Eve morning moment. Look for them in the frozen pastry section where you'd find the pie crusts.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-31257283155072570142009-12-29T07:00:00.000-05:002009-12-29T07:00:02.752-05:00Roasted Chicken with Couscous and Greens<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4202745665/" title="Photo-0819.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/4202745665_39d5e701ed.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0819.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />Here's an inexpensive and flavorful meal that's interesting enough to serve when you have "company" for dinner. It's also a one-pan meal with minimal clean up, and most of the cooking takes care of itself in the oven, so you're free to get out of the kitchen. <br /><br />I chose chicken thighs because I love the flavor of the crispy skin once the fat has been rendered out. But if you want to skip that step and reduce the fat content of the dish, simply brown some chicken breasts on one side and continue with the rest of the recipe. Browning the meat adds flavor and texture (in other words: it adds interest) to a dish.<br /><br />A box of couscous and canned tomatoes are part of my pantry staples, and I usually have a bitter green of some sort in the crisper bin of my fridge. With those basics on hand dinner is a snap to pull together, even at the last minute. On this night I added some lightly spiced carrots on the side to echo the hint of cinnamon on the chicken. Kick up the flavor of the meal by adding some chili flakes or fresh chili when the rest of the ingredients go in the pan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4203505650/" title="Photo-0817.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2566/4203505650_0434a4cfe7.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0817.jpeg" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Roasted Chicken with Couscous and Greens</span><br /><blockquote>5 chicken thighs<br />1 tsp cinnamon, ground<br />1 tsp cumin, ground<br />1 tsp dried oregano<br />1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />1/2 can diced tomatoes with onions and herbs<br />1/2 c whole wheat couscous<br />1 cup blanched broccolini (see <a href="http://lifechef.blogspot.com/2009/12/broccolini-with-parmesan.html">Broccolini with Parmesan</a> for blanching)<br />OR 1-2 cups winter greens such as turnips, collards, kale, stemmed and rough chopped<br />salt/pepper</blockquote><br />Trim excess fat and skin off of the chicken thighs. Season the skin side with salt and pepper. Season the flesh side with the remaining herbs and spices.<br /><br />Heat a thick bottomed skillet over medium high heat and transfer the chicken to the pan, skin side down to render the fat out. Cook for about 7 minutes, carefully drain away he fat, and continue cooking until the skin is crispy and most of the fast has cooked off. Remove chicken to a plate and discard any fat left in the pan. <br /><br />Return pan to heat and add the tomatoes, couscous, and boccolini or greens. Nestle the chicken, skin side up into the tomato mixture so that it's all evenly distributed and transfer the pan to a 400 degree oven. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is done (test the meat at the bone for doneness)<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-9159894437471323822009-12-25T14:13:00.004-05:002010-01-30T09:02:10.595-05:00Food Find: All Natural Break-n-Bake Cookies<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4213687240/" title="Photo-0806.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4213687240_0587593cd1.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0806.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />I love a good food find and this one is sweet and yummy! We had a new baby for the holidays so I didn't really get my "bake on" like I wanted too. And in the back of my mind floated the vaguest recollection of a food recall on prepared cookie dough but I couldn't remember what brand or how long ago and, of course, didn't bother to Google it either. However while restocking essentials one of our tentative early trips out of the house with both kids, I did see these: <a href="http://www.immaculatebaking.com/">Immaculate Baking Co. Cookies</a>.<br /><br />Using all natural ingredients, Immaculate Baking Co. makes dough for break-and-bake cookies and brownies, as well as biscuits and scones. And even snack cookies but I haven't seen those in the store yet. Check out their site for their home-grown history and their fundraising efforts, as well as for some Valentines specials and ideas. <br /><br />Good cookies. Good ingredients. We keep 'em stocked in the freezer now for those rainy days and "I sure could use some hot-from-the-oven-cookies" moments. This is the kind of "convenient" food I can get with!<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-90468204287999535492009-12-25T08:04:00.000-05:002009-12-25T13:56:08.927-05:00Curried Greens with Butternut Squash<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4188182459/" title="Photo-0816.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2690/4188182459_feb5b0887a.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0816.jpeg" /></a><br />This is a fat free side dish bursting with flavor. I only wish I was better at photography so you could see how pretty the vibrant green and deep orange color of this little bowl of happiness is. And what an antioxidant bomb! The greens (I used turnip greens, but mustards or kale or spinach would work) and the squash are loaded with nutrients. Read more on the World's Healthiest Foods website about turnip greens here<a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=144"></a> and <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63">butternut squash here</a>. <br /><br />By simmering the veggies in water or stock (which would add more flavor) in stead of sauteeing them, we cut any fat right out of the dish, and all that's left is lots of flavor. Using curry powder means that as the dish cooks, the liquid will thicken until you have a consistency like a stew, a nice stick-to-your-ribs vegetable dish for the winter months.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Curried Greens with Butternut Squash</span><br /><blockquote>2 cups water or stock<br />8 oz winter greens, trimmed and roughly chopped<br />2 cups of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2" cubes<br />2 Tbsp of Jamaican style curry powder, mild<br />1 tsp ginger, ground<br />1 tsp garlic, ground<br />1 tsp chili flake (optional)<br />salt pepper</blockquote><br /><br />Heat stock/water in a large pot and when it starts to simmer add the squash and greens. Continue to simmer, uncovered until the greens wilt, then add the spices and curry powder and stir to incorporate. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has thickened. Serve with a whole-grain rice.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-90575739788987677762009-12-22T08:53:00.000-05:002009-12-22T08:53:00.313-05:00Spiced Cupcakes<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4185607803/" title="Photo-0809.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2557/4185607803_c7075f9fe5.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0809.jpeg" /></a><br />This is a very easy recipe (so easy I made it w/ my kidlet while the baby was napping) adapted from the Easy Cupcake Recipe found at <a href="http://www.cupcakerecipes.com/easyrecipe.htm">www.cupcakerecipes.com</a> This particular recipe came was inspired by my desire to make spice cookies and the kidlet's desire to make cupcakes. So why not combine the two for the best of both worlds? <br /><br />If you follow this recipe the cupcakes will come out on the light side, kind of muffin-ish, and won't be overly sweet either so feel free to frost away (or eat for breakfast with coffee).<br /><br />Frost how you like (chocolate with sprinkles for the kidlet) or not at all if you're like me and simply like cake. You can whip this up by hand and burn a couple of extra calories in the process or breakout the hardware use the kitchen mixer with the paddle or whisk attachment.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4185606029/" title="Photo-0812.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/4185606029_092184f1e9.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0812.jpeg" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spiced Cupcakes</span> makes 2 dozen<br /><blockquote>2 1/4 cups all purpose flour<br />1 1/3 cups sugar<br />3 teaspoons baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 cup vegetable shortening<br />1 cup milk<br />1 teaspoon vanilla<br />1 teaspoon ginger, ground<br />1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground<br />1/2 teaspoon cloves, grond<br />2 large eggs</blockquote><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners, or spray with baking spray.<br /><br />Combine the dry ingredients, including spices, in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape bowl and beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed. Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners or greased cup cake pan until 1/2 to 2/3 full.<br /><br />Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean as ovens may vary).<br /><br />Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove cupcakes and place on wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled, frost or decorate as you desire.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886144346189032414.post-43495059058886246352009-12-19T07:50:00.002-05:002009-12-19T07:50:00.616-05:00Chicken in Sage Sauce<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4182474467/" title="Photo-0822.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4182474467_b1c7bcf67c.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0822.jpeg" /></a><br />To me, sage is an herb that packs quite a punch most of the time. However, on a recent trip to the farmers market I picked up a couple of bunches that are really mild and that's nice because I can fearlessly use sage without worrying about drowning out other flavors in the dish. It's also a good lesson in that you should always taste your ingredients before using them, especially if procured from a farm or organic source, because unlike mass-produced genetically modified foods, each crop can have nuances of flavor and texture. <br /><br />This dish is a great use of leftover chicken, which I seem to always have on hand because I typically roast a chicken at least once a week.<br /><br />1 small onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 Tbsp evoo<br />1/2 bunch sage, chopped<br />1/4 cup chicken stock or water<br />1/4 half and half or heavy cream<br />9 oz chicken breast, cooked<br />salt & pepper<br /><br />Saute onion, garlic and sage in a sauce pan until fragrant and garlic is golden. Add the stock/water and heavy cream, season with salt and pepper.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mosslandia/4183223790/" title="Photo-0817.jpeg by Reid in Mosslandia, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2792/4183223790_f8fb1655ba.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="Photo-0817.jpeg" /></a> Add cooked chicken and continue cooking until sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Serve with a rice side dish like a pilaf.<div class="blogger-post-footer">See the full post at www.lifechef.net</div>asata (a.k.a. Life Chef)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11462738310829560315noreply@blogger.com4