Opa! Greek Burgers! (gf option)

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Readers! It’s been far, far too long since I posted any tasty treats! I’ve gone back to school, and between work, schoolwork, and life, have neglected to post. I must say that I have deeply missed blogging. So, welcome back to all of us! Welcome! Welcome! Make yourself at home. Shake your neighbor’s hand.

Greek burger

I’m coming back with a bang (or an Opa?) with these Greek burgers, though. We summered-it-up yesterday by grilling out and these healthy, mouth-watering burgers were the headliner. Lean beef, aromatics, feta cheese, cucumbers- wait, cucumbers?! Yes, cucumbers, and they were delicious. Check it out.

OPA! GREEK BURGERS

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef (as lean as you can find)
  • 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
  • 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, minced
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried, ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • canola oil for brushing
  • 1 cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
  • reduced-fat Feta cheese
  • fat-free Greek yogurt for spreading
  • hamburger buns (recipe is gluten-free when you go bunless or use a gf bun)

Directions:

Grab a large glass mixing bowl and put the beef in it. Just throw it right in there. Season with salt and pepper, then add the minced parsley, mint, and garlic. the allspice, the Worcestershire sauce, and the beaten egg. Mix it very well with your hands, until all seasonings are evenly distributed. Patty into 5-6 burgers. I divide my beef evenly, roll into large meatballs, and patty them down from the center out on both sides with my hand- this helps keep them pretty uniform.

BURGERS

Don’t forget make the meal a global affair by whipping up Caiprinhas or mojitos with the remaining mint.

viva!

viva!

Place those gorgeous burgers on a plate and brush both side of each burger very lightly with canola oil. Preheat your grill and cook 4-5 minutes per side for medium- the burgers I made were pretty thick and this timeframe was just right. Slice your cucumbers while the burgers cook.

cukes

When the burgers are done, prep the toppings while they rest: grab a bun and spread both sides with Greek yogurt, place about a tablespoon of Feta on the bottom half of your bun, then fan out cucumber slices on top of the Feta. Top with a burger and the other yogurt-spread bun half.

burger toppings

These burgers are incredibly juicy and burst with flavor. I had one today for lunch, and it was even better than last night. Enjoy! Opa!

cooked burgers

Trinidadian Chicken & Shrimp Asopao (gf)

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When Dave goes out of town, the happenings atop my stove get spicy and exotic. I cook within my comfort food zone. The meals are usually tropical recipes that involve rice (brown… I wish so much that white rice wasn’t horrible for us… le sigh), and generally made in big batches so I only have to cook once in order to cover several meals. This frees up my alone time to do like PT leg workouts with the cat staring at me, and to drink wine, wear sweatpants, and watch The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Those last three are one continuous activity, each component reliant on the others for success.

asopao

Here’s what I whipped up last week, while wearing a clay face mask and blaring Feist. An asopao is a variation on a rice stew, kind of like a tropical jambalaya.

TRINIDADIAN CHICKEN & SHRIMP ASOPAO

Adapted from Andrew Zimmern (I know, right?) 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 garlic cloves or 2 tsp crushed garlic
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (see below)
  • 3 tbsp olive or coconut oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1-2 serrano peppers, optional (could opt for jalapeno instead)
  • 1 plum tomato, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cup brown rice
  • 2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • kosher salt & black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Chop the chicken thighs into one-inch pieces, and mix with the garlic, oregano, and thyme. Cover this and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. It will be fine and no one will die or be poisoned, I swear. Meanwhile, chop all of your veggies, thaw the shrimp, if necessary, and thaw the peas. Preheat your oven to 400. Spread the shredded coconut across a baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes, until toasted. Pour into a bowl to cool when done.toasted coconut

Ina  large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken after it has marinated, scraping into the pan any yummy, garlicky thyme and oregano bits. Cook the chicken until browned, about five minutes, and remove with a slotted spoon to another bowl. Use a slotted spoon so you leave the fragrant olive or coconut oil behind.

chicken cooking

Add the peppers and onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the rice and coconut and cook for another minute; then add the vinegar and stir, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom fo the pan. Add the tomatoes, add the chicken back to the pot, add the chicken broth and the coconut milk. Taste now and season with salt and pepper, and give the pot a good stir. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

veggie nom noms

When your 45 minutes is up, stir in the shrimp, peas, and lime juice; cover again and cook another 5-10 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the rice is tender. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce. I have been reading this post back to myself in the voice of Sebastian the crab as I type…. Disney movies are another home-alone guilty pleasure, and this dish would pair well with The Little Mermaid. Or The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants, whichever. Enjoy!

Trader Joe’s Upgrade: Channa Masala with Chicken & Peas (gf, v option)

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The second best thing to cooking meals from scratch is doctoring ready-to-go options, don’t you think? I think this is called “faking it” in the real world, but hey- you do what you gotta do when you’re low on time and need to eat. This week, I fell in love with a frozen meal that will become a staple in our household: Trader Joe’s Channa Masala. It’s a Punjabi Indian chickpea dish with a tomato base and coriander, cilantro, mango powder, onion, and garlic. It’s incredibly, incredibly aromatic, it’s low calorie, and vegan. And cooks in four minutes.

channa masala chicken and bread

Trader Joe’s was giving out samples the last time I was there, and I followed the intoxicating aroma across the store like  a cartoon character floating by its nose. I grabbed two out of the freezer before I had swallowed my first bite. It’s that good. And $2.99. Cheap and delicious- two of my favorite adjectives!

Lauren goes to Trader Joe's

Lauren goes to Trader Joe’s

It’s snowing in St. Louis today, and Dave ventured out to the International grocery store before the weather got too bad. He came back with a surprise- freshly made Afghan bread. Two large circles of light, bubbly, pita-like bread, meant to be torn  in chunks and used to scoop up saucy foods… Saucy foods like channa masala. Aaaand the post comes full circle. Here’s how we prepared today’s channa masala and Afghan bread for lunch:

CHANNA MASALA WITH CHICKEN & PEAS

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages Trader Joe’s Channa Masala
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 chicken breasts, optional- I listed this as vegan because the chicken can be left out
  • Afghan bread, pitas, or naan, or brown rice for gf (Trader Joe’s sells frozen naan next to the channa masala, but if you have a local international grocery store, you’ll be able to find an interesting middle eastern, Indian, or African bread there.)

Directions:

THIS IS SO EASY. Boil two chicken breasts in salted water for about ten minutes or until cooked and chop, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Heat the channa masala trays one at a time, for three minutes each. Add the chopped chicken back into the saucepan you cooked it in (water drained, of course), add the contents of both channa masala trays.

tjs channa masala

Add the reserved cooking water and the frozen peas. Cook for about five minutes, uncovered, until the mixture is well combined and the peas are hot. Serve with Afghan bread and enjoy the fun and sensual experience of eating with your hands. We enjoyed the scooping and the messiness- it seems natural! What are some of your favorite ready-made foods to doctor up??

Afghan bread

Pollo Guisado: Dominican Stewed Chicken (gf)

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I’ve clearly been on a Dominican cuisine kick lately. I think the cold weather is making me crave comfort food, and Dominican food is a great source of comfort to me. Physically being in the DR would also be a source of comfort, preferably on a beach with assorted rum cocktails in hand, but this dish isn’t a bad substitute (and it’s, you know, cheaper).

pollo guisado dinner

Pollo guisado is a savory stewed chicken dish that’s served over rice. As I mentioned in my first post on the cuisine of the Dominican Republic, it’s not spicy. Dominican food instead relies on aromatics like garlic, onions, mild peppers like bell peppers, cilantro, vinegar, spices like oregano, and seasonings like lime and lemon for its healthy bursts of flavor. So don’t be scurred to try it; it’s quite palatable and approachable. Also, considering the colonial history of the Dominican Republic, its food has European, African, and Taíno Indian influences, so it’s basically a trip around the world on a plate and a party in your mouth. Plantains are a staple crop, as are rice and beans. And explaining this is making me hungry, so let’s get to it. I really think you’ll love this hearty, mouth-watering dish.

POLLO GUISADO

Ingredients:

  • 6 servings white or brown rice, prepared according to package directions
  • 4-6 lbs chicken pieces, skin removed. I recommend legs and thighs for this dish.
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  •  1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, mincedrecaito
  • 1 6-oz container Goya Recaito cilantro cooking base, available at large grocery stores and international grocery stores
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1-2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 small can tomato sauce
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4-1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup green olives, drained and chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced

Directions:

Grab a large bowl. Cut the lime in half and rub the skinned chicken with the lime, then sprinkle with the tablespoon salt. Juice the lime and pour the juice over the chicken pieces; toss to coat and let marinate for 30 minutes. You can toss this a few times while it marinates, if you’re OCD and are deeply satisfied by evenly coated chicken, like you’re ol’ pal Lauren is. “Washing” poultry with citrus juice is a Caribbean culinary mainstay; I imagine the origins have something to do with the anti microbial properties of the juice keeping the poultry fresh, but here we’re just doing it to be tasty.

marinating

marinating

In the meantime, slice and dice your veggies (onion, pepper, cilantro, potatoes, carrots) and cook your rice. When the chicken’s ready to go, rinse the pieces with cold water and pat dry. Put on a large dish- you’ll use it again in a minute. In a large dutch oven, heat the tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Lightly brown the chicken pieces on both sides in batches, 4-5 at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken to the plate you so wisely left nearby.

pollo guisado

When the chicken has been browned, add the onion, green pepper, and cilantro to the pot and saute for a few minutes- you may need to add oil or lower the heat- just make sure there’s no sticking. Add the garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and recaito; cook 2-3 minutes more, stirring. Add the olives and tomato sauce, and cook for 2 more minutes.

bubbling away

bubbling away

Stir in the chicken broth and vinegar, and add the chicken back to the pot along with the potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 40 minutes.  Remove the lid and let simmer, lidless, filling up your home with the enticing  promise of really good food, for another 20 minutes. That’s it! Let cool 5-10 minutes on a cool burner, and serve over rice (I opted for brown, and it was delicious). Pass hot sauce around for those who like a kick. Buen provecho!

smell-o-vision

smell-o-vision

Stuff’s so good, it’ll make you want to dance:


Quickie: Chicken and Vegetables, Roasted in Cast Iron (gf)

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This is a lovely and impressive dish that involves very minimal effort, and can be made with (more or less) what vegetables you have available. And I’ve included a pan gravy recipe below! Since this is a quickie entry, let’s get to it:

chicken veg

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES, ROASTED IN CAST IRON

Ingredients:

  • 3 chicken leg quarters, washed and split into a leg and a thigh
  • a cast iron pan or deep, heavy casserole dish
  • 1/2 bag carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 4-5 stalks celery, washed, ends trimmed, and cut in half
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered
  • 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • cracked black pepper

Directions:

Heat your oven to 400 degrees, placing rack in the middle of the oven. Arrange vegetables and thyme in the bottom of your cast iron pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil.

Place your washed, dried, and split chicken pieces over the vegetables, and sprinkle those with salt and pepper. Coat your fingertips with about a teaspoon of olive oil, and rub the chicken pieces well, rubbing some oil (and salt) under the skin. Repeat until pieces are well-coated, using 3-4 teaspoons of oil. Pop the pan in your hot oven and roast for 45 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. So easy! So pretty! So delicious! Enjoy.

Here’s a little brainstorm of substitutions that could be made:

  • rosemary sprigs or dried thyme instead of thyme
  • cut potatoes or sweet potatoes instead of veggies listed
  • leeks or ramps instead of yellow onion
  • add a halved lemon to the pan

Also, you’ll have some delicious pan juices left from this recipe. Here’s a simple formula for pan gravy:

Pour pan drippings into a measuring cup, let sit for a few minutes, and  pour off all but 1/2 cup fat.  Add 1/2 cup fat back to pan, whisk in 1/2 cup flour over medium heat, and cook until hot and thick. In a large measuring cup, measure remaining juices (fat has been discarded), and add chicken stock to equal four cups. Add to pan and allow to cook- when it bubbles, cook for 1-2 minutes to cook off floury taste, then remove from heat. Taste and season accordingly.

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Shrimp (pes, gf)

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I am so excited to share this recipe!! The photos I took are few, due to my hurry to get on with the process and eat already! This was nutritious, unbelievably tasty, and reheated really well. The sauce is a no-cook sauce that’s whipped up in a food processor and poured over hot noodles before serving. Simply put, this recipe is a stellar example of the so many dishes I like. Let’s do some math, shall we?

whole grain + lean protein + veggies + spicy, exotic sauce+ cilantro and/or scallions = yumyumlove&happiness.

Everything you need in a meal in one pot, great for leftovers. Can it be topped with Sriracha? Yes. And avocado? Yes. FANTASTIC. Leave the shrimp out for a vegetarian or side dish; leave the crushed red pepper out for a mild one. Here you go:

a familiar sight in the Cruse household

SPICY PEANUT NOODLES WITH SHRIMP

Sauce adapted from Food & Wine 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
  • 1 box brown rice or whole wheat linguine
  • 1 onion, sliced into thin half-moons 
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, chunky or smooth
  • 6 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (available in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores)
  • 6 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, reserved
  • 2 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2-3 inch piece of ginger, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped, or 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 bunch scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • Sriracha and sliced avocado, for serving (optional, but why not?)

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. In the same pot (yessss!), heat the canola oil over medium-high. Add the onion and carrots, stirring to cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and stir frequently until it’s no longer pink. If you used previously frozen shrimp, the mixture may need to be drained.

Guess what? You’re almost done!! Toss all of the sauce ingredients into a blender: peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, water, crushed red pepper, garlic, and ginger pieces. Blend until smooth, about one minute.

blended

Add the pasta back into the large pot with the veggies and shrimp and pour the sauce on top. Add the sesame seeds (you may toast if you like, I was lazy and trying to eat) and gentlytoss to combine and fully coat the noodles and toppings. Top with cilantro and scallions, serve with Sriracha, and enjoy!

This is how I feel when I eat noodle bowls:

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya with Brown Rice (gf)

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MAN! Temperatures have dropped and it is, somehow, late fall… i.e., almost winter. Happened out of nowhere! While I love winter (a little bit, sometimes- I mean, Christmas is part of winter), my Dominican blood has me patiently and politely waiting out the next few months until tree buds appear and the birds come back. It will be summer again someday… right?

Cajun nom noms

Until then, I’m occupying myself with cooking healthy, hearty meals and trying to get back into another winter habit/necessity… dragging myself to the gym. Almost gone are the sweaty days of running and biking outside, and swimming in the morning with the sun out. Welcome to the days of going to the gym early in the dark, cold mornings to stare at cinder block walls and run asfastaspossible from the locker room to the pool. BRR. Made this jambalaya last night to carb us up for this morning’s workouts and to satisfy our cold weather comfort food cravings (without expanding the ol’ waistlines). Like to hear it, here it go**:

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA WITH BROWN RICE

Adapted from Big Girls, Small Kitchen– a fantastic blog

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pkg Jennie-O turkey Kielbasa sausage, sliced
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
  • holy trinity mirepoix: 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 2 stalks celery, in small dice
  • 1-2 tsp crushed garlic, or 2 cloves, minced
  • 3/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce
  •  1 large bay leaf
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2-1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 cups chicken stock (or 3 cups water with 3 tsp chicken base)
  • 2 cups uncooked, long-grain brown rice (1 16oz bag)
  • 1 stalk green onions, sliced
  • Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot and add the sausage slices. Brown the sausage slices on both sides and remove. Reduce heat to medium and add the holy trinity, scraping up the yummy browned sausage bits form the bottom of the pot. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

veggies, pushed to sides of pot

Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the chicken, browning for 5 minutes. Add the spices (cayenne, paprika, thyme, allspice, pepper, oregano) and toss the mixture to combine. Add the garlic, sausage, canned tomatoes and sauce, and the bay leaf; simmer this mixture, uncovered, for 5 more minutes.

add them thighs

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir to combine, cover the pot, and reduce heat to medium-low, cooking for an hour. Since you’re using brown rice, it may take longer to cook- try at the end of your cooking time and if it still needs a few minutes, add a bit more water, stir, and keep cooking. This dish can handle a lot of cooking. Let cool  for a few minutes and serve with scallions and Tabasco. Carb up! Enjoy!

getting ready to simmer

Before I let you go, a note on chicken thighs: they get a bad rap for being fattier than chicken breasts, but research shows that they contain more nutrients (and not that much fat at all, especially when skinned and trimmed). Much of the fat they do contain is monounsaturated. My tastebuds’ reasearch has shown that they’re much more flavorful and moist, and I prefer them to dry, bland chicken breast any day of the week. Need more convincing? Thighs are about half the price of breasts! So even if you’ve been a breast guy your whole life, take a walk on the wild side. Give thighs a try.

**Calhoun Tubbs has a song to share. Like to hear it, here it go:

Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie, or: To Feed an Ironman, or: M Dot Pot Pie

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Hello, all!! Dave had two things to celebrate this weekend: a great race result and a few days of leniency within his diet. We both watch what we eat, but he’s been watching his intake like a hawk for quality and quantity approaching his last tri of the season…. and it paid off!! Now, time to undo all of the hard work.

Ironpie

To welcome him home from his out-of-town race, I wanted to make some hearty and comforting meals without completely blowing his clean-eating efforts (or contribute too much to my recent lazy gal on the couch syndrome). This was the richest of the dishes I made, due to the double pie crusts. If you want to lighten this up, feel free to make a different crust, use only one, or serve this filling over brown rice or with mashed potatoes. If you do make a double-crust pie, though, congratulations! Your dish is delicious.

DEEP DISH CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
  • 1 tbsp canola oil 
  • 2 lb bag frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 2 cups skim milk, divided
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 3 tbsp chicken base or bullion, to taste
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
  • 1 pkg Pillsbury Pie Crusts (2 ready-o-use roll out crusts), at room temperature 
  • several dashes white pepper

Directions:

In a large stockpot, boil chicken breasts in 6 cups of water until they are cooked and no longer pink. Reserve about 4 cups of the cooking water. Set chicken aside and let cool. Open a beer with a favor from your cousin’s wedding. Yum. Dont’ you feel better?

you’ve got to cool it now… oooh, watch out

When the chicken is cooling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Set your crusts out in their packaging and let them come to room temperature. Heat oil in the same large stockpot over medium heat, and add onion, thyme, and sage, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until onion is translucent but not browned. Add the frozen (stay with me here) bag of vegetables to the pot, the chicken base or bullion, and about a half cup of the reserved cooking water.

chop chop chop

While that mixture is thawing and cooking, chop the parsley and cooked chicken. In a small bowl, whisk the 3 tbsp flour into one cup of milk, and add the flour slurry, along with the chicken and parsley, to the veggies. Stir well. This is going to get very thick very fast. As soon as the flour mixture and chicken are incorporated, add the other cup of milk and another cup of cooking water. Stir this all together and give it a taste for seasoning. You may add more milk or water at this point to reach the filling the consistency that you’d like. Remove this mixture from heat and set aside.

filling, ready to go

Remove your first pie crust from its packaging, draping across the bottom and pressing up the sides of a deep-dish pie pan. I used a disposable foil pan and it worked perfectly. Pour the filling right into the crust, smoothing out with a spatula and leaving a slight buffer near the top of the crust. Drape the other crust over the filling, crimping to meet the bottom crust. Vent this top crust in any design you’d like using a butter knife. Allow me to suggest the Ironman logo… ha! Cover the edges of the crust with some foil strips so they don’t burn, and put the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet.

unbaked, vented pie

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes, removing the foil strips at about 45 minutes. Bake until the crust is a beautiful golden brown and until your kitchen smells amazing. Let cool for 15 minutes and serve to all hungry athletes under your roof.