I saw an article in our local newspaper showcasing Coronation Salad.  Having never heard of this recipe I discovered there are many versions of Coronation Salad, a salad that has layers of flavors, and a salad that is versatile in how you want to present it.  This is my version, which really is 2 salads in 1.  A rice and vegetable salad topped with the curry chicken salad.

Rice Salad:

1 cup Basmati rice rinsed well and cooked

2 chopped green onions

3/4 cup diced peeled cucumber

1/4 of a small yellow pepper, diced

1 celery stalk with leaves diced

2 seeded roma tomatoes, diced

2/3 rounded cup frozen peas

handful of chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

salt and pepper to taste

juice of 1/2 a large lemon

4 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Once your rice is cooked, set aside to cool.  Prepare all the chopped vegetables and measure out the frozen peas.  Once the rice is cooled add in the vegetables, peas, parsley and toss with a spoon.  Pour in the lemon juice, EVOO, and season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Curry Salad:

3 chicken breasts - I cooked them in the air fryer, but use your preferred method of cooking

1 1/2 Tblsp. plain low fat yogurt

3 rounded Tblsp. mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp. marmalade

3 1/2 rounded tsp. Madras curry powder - or more to taste

juice from a fresh wedge of lemon

chopped almonds

steamed fresh asparagus to plate on the side

Once your chicken is cooked and cooled, cut into small cube size pieces, and set aside.  In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredient except the almonds.  Whisk well.  Add the chicken pieces to the curry dressing and mix well.  Sprinkle the top with chopped almonds.

To assemble the Coronation Salad, add the rice salad to a bowl, then place a generous amount of the chicken curry in the middle of the rice salad with fresh steamed asparagus on the side.  A salad packed full of flavor, making a great lunch or dinner.

 

 

 

Each night I ask...what to cook tonight??  We had tacos the night before, with this recipe here.  There was about 1 cups worth of taco meat sauce left in the fridge.  With the high costs of groceries, well truthfully inflation overall everywhere, I refuse to throw away good food.  With a few pantry/fridge staples this recipe came together easily enough and was mighty tasty.

Quite often I will cook enough for 4 (there are 2 of us in our household now) and have the leftovers the next night.  This recipe here, worked perfectly for 2.

By the way, with the black beans, I froze the remainder in the canned sauced/water they came in, in an airtight container to use another day.  This made a great dinner, but would be lovely for lunch too and came together in about 30 minutes.

1/4 stalk celery, with leaves finely diced

good handful of fresh cilantro minced with the stems

2/3 cup black beans, rinsed well, separate in half in a bowl and mash one half of beans with a fork

398 can diced tomatoes drained, but reserve liquid

1 cup leftover taco meat sauce

1/4 cup frozen organic corn

1 tsp. chili powder, salt and pepper to taste

grated cheddar cheese

slices of avocado

corn chips

To a sauce pan, add the drained tomatoes with 1/3 cup of juice, celery, corn, cilantro, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Bring to a lite simmer, with lid on and simmer 15 minutes.

Add the beans and meat sauce plus 2-3 Tablespoons of reserved tomato liquid.  Mix well and simmer on low for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve with a topping of grated cheddar cheese, and avocado and corn chips on the side.

 

 

This was a healthy, mighty flavorful vegan/vegetarian stew.  There are a lot of options you could use with this recipe in terms of vegetables: carrots, broccoli, peas, red pepper, cauliflower, spinach to name a few.  I used what I had on hand so by all means adjust this recipe to suit your own needs/tastes.

While we made this Vegan/Vegetarian it could easily be made with chicken stock and cut up chicken breasts - again lots of flavor.  Plus the added tumeric with the ginger gives a good immune boost especially when in the depths of freezing winter.  There is nothing better than a good curry during winter.  Any way you make it, a hearty, healthy lunch or dinner.

2 Tblsp. Avocado oil

1 small onion, diced

2 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp. finely minced ginger

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1 stalk of celery, sliced on diagonal, and add minced leaves

3 small swiss chard leaves and stalk, finely sliced in ribbons

2-3 roma tomatoes, diced

3/4 lb. diced potatoes, we used red fingerling - any potato that holds up well steamed/simmered

1 cup vegetable stock, divided

1/2 tsp. tumeric, 3 tsp. Madras curry powder, salt to taste

big handfull of finely chopped fresh cilantro, and fresh basil

400 ml can full fat organic coconut milk - guar gum, sugar free (we use this brand)

398 ml. can organic chick peas, drained and rinsed well

1 Tblsp. potato starch

Heat up a large pan/braiser with the Avocado oil on low medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger, green pepper and celery to the pan.  Saute until fragrant and the onions are translucent - about 4 minutes.  Then add the swiss chard, tomatoes, tumeric, and Madras curry powder, salt and continue to saute until the swiss chard starts to welt.  Pour in 3/4 cup vegetable stock, potatoes and stir to combine.  Turn down to low and lid on keep on a low simmer stirring occasionally for the next 15-18 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

Next add in the fresh cilantro and basil, and drained chick peas mixing well.  To the remainder 1/4 cup of stock add 1 Tblsp. potato starch stirring to incorporate.  Add to the curry dish stirring well, then pour in the coconut milk, again stirring well until it begins to thicken.

Keep on a low simmer for 5-10 minutes stirring throughout, and serve hot over cooked rice.

 

 

 

This simple dish is a great way to use up some pantry ingredients as well as providing a hearty lunch or dinner.  We usually do 2-3 vegetarian dinners each week to maintain overall health, and it helps with the costs too!

1-1/2 Tblsp. Avocado oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1/2 a stalk of celery with leaves, finely diced

1/2 cup diced red and or green pepper

14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice

1 Tblsp. tomato paste

14 oz. can drained and rinsed pinto beans

1 Tblsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

grated aged cheddar cheese

chopped green onion

cooked rice

Heat up a 3 quart frying pan, dutch oven or braiser on low medium heat with the Avocado oil.  Add in the onions, green/red peppers, celery and leaves sauteing for 5 minutes.  Pour in the tomatoes, apple cider vinegar and add all the seasonings, bay leaf,  stirring well.

Bring to a good simmer, and after 5 minutes add in the tomato paste, stir well and cover with a lid.  Turn down to minimum and simmer 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add in the drained pinto beans, lid on and heat through another 5-10 min.

Serve over rice with a topping of grated cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of green onion.

 

 

Air Fryer spaghetti squash could not get any easier.  We love to have spaghetti squash with Meatballs and Marinara sauce, or under a serving of chili.  Spaghetti squash is a nutritious and filling squash any way you decide to serve it.

Cut the stem end off of the spaghetti squash, then place on cut end and cut the squash in half.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Drizzle a small amount of Avocado Oil in each squash and spread throughout with you hand.  Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the Air Fryer at 375 degrees for 5 minutes.  Open the basket and add a splash of water to the bottom of the fryer - no need to remove the tray.

Place the Spaghetti Squash cut side up into the basket and cook.  Depending on the size of you squash cooking time will be anywhere from 23-30 minutes.  Carefully remove the cooked squash with tongs and allow to cool a bit before using a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.  Serve along side any main dish.

Before I get into this recipe I must show you my newest kitchen addition:

A Cast Iron Enameled 3.5 quart Brasier.  I am in serious luv with this baby.  It is great for Danish Frikadiller, seafood dishes, Chinese Food, Curry bowls etc. etc.

Recently we discovered combining rice and quinoa is a winning combination - textures, flavors, as well as a great protein.  I like to make a fairly big batch of this combination to have for a couple of days, whether in a stir fry dish, or mixed in with Greek or Garden chopped salad for lunch it all comes together packed with flavor.

To make the Rice Quinoa is a simple ratio:  1 part Quinoa, 1 part Basmati Rice, to 2 parts liquid.  Bring to a good simmer, stir, turn down to minimum lid on and cook for 18 minutes.  Here I used 1/2 cup Quinoa, 1/2 cup Basmati rice, well rinsed.  Add 2 cups water and serve in a salad or make into a stir fry.

RICE QUINOA LENTIL CURRY BOWL RECIPE:

3 cups cooked rice quinoa blend

14 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup baby spinach

3 mushrooms, roughly chopped

1/2 cup canned, rinsed green lentils

3 Tblsp. all natural Avocado oil

1 small shallot, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 rounded tsp. Madras Curry Powder

1 Tblsp. minced ginger

salt to taste

Yogurt - optional

Minced cilantro - optional

Heat up a good sized pan/braiser with Avocado oil on low heat.  Add in the diced shallot and garlic sauteing until fragrant.  Then add in the mushrooms and saute until lightly golden about 3 minutes or so.  To this add the spinach, ginger and tomatoes with juice.  Season with salt, then add in the curry powder.  Mix well and let simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Next add in the Quinoa Rice blend and lentils, stirring to combine.  Heat through stirring for 5 more minutes.  Adjust seasonings, and serve with cilantro and a dollop of yogurt.

This is a recipe that happened as a result of a happy accident.  We love a simple Saffron Rice with any kind of seafood or simple chicken dish.  So having made the Saffron rice the night before, there were some leftovers the next day.

I decided to reheat the rice in a pan with a bit of butter, and threw in a couple of eggs to scramble in the rice.  Next, I added a few dollops of salsa.  Unbelievable, and out of this world flavor.  Who knew Saffron could work so well with a bit of salsa?  It was heaven.

Now a word about Saffron.  It is considered the most expensive spice in the world, and rightly so given how it is grown and harvested.  That said, the quality of Saffron will vary depending on the region it is grown.  My two favorites are Persian Saffron, and Indian Saffron.  It is worth every penny finding quality Saffron and it certainly makes a huge difference in depth of flavor.

In terms of rice - Basmati Rice is my personal favorite.  In this recipe I did something a little bit different.  To a 3/4 cup measuring cup, add 1/4 par boiled whole brown rice, then top up with regular Basmati rice.  Give a good rinse, and allow to dry in the colander.

If you have Basmati rice alone that will work no problem without the added par boiled brown rice.

Also, in this recipe, I infused oil with garlic and onion first, then removed the garlic and onion to let the Saffron shine, with a hint of the garlic and onion.  Saffron in this dish comes first and foremost!

This is a dish we could eat for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner, in fact it is going to be our dinner tonite served with a garden salad loaded with veggies.  This served 2 for dinner with enough leftover Saffron rice for my breakfast tomorrow...happy days!

Saffron Rice Recipe:

2 Tblsp. Avocado Oil

1/4 onion, any kind, roughly chopped

2 large garlic cloves cut in half

3/4 cup Basmati Rice (1/4 of it being par boiled brown rice) (make sure to rinse and drain well in a colander and allow to dry - let sit a good hour or so)

good pinch of Saffron - here we used Persian

1 cup chicken stock, plus 1/2 cup water

salt and fresh cracked pepper

Heat the Avocado oil on low heat.  Add in the onion and garlic, saute for 5 min. until lightly golden, then remove with a slotted spoon and discard.  Add the rice, and Saffron to the oil and stir for 1-2 minutes until there is a slight roasting smell.  Pour in the chicken stock and water stirring well, season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a good simmer, then lid on turn down to minimum and simmer 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Saffron Rice Breakfast Bowl:

1 Tblsp. butter

2 rounded 3/4 cups of Saffron rice

4 eggs lightly whisked with a fork

1 green onion chopped (optional)

grated aged white cheddar cheese - 1/2 cup or more to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Salsa - we used a good quality jarred salsa

Heat up a frying pan with the butter on low heat.  Whisk the eggs with a fork and season with salt and pepper and set aside.  Add the rice, and green onions to the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes until heated.  Pour in the eggs through out and keep sauteing until the eggs are cooked through. Top with the cheddar cheese, tossing lightly to melt. Plate and serve with dollops of your favorite salsa.  Enjoy!

 

This soup most definitely exceeded our expectations. Huge huge flavor in this simple soup whether served for lunch or dinner.  Now if you like your soup on the "spicy hot" side add extra fresh cracked pepper and Thai Red Curry Paste.  This can certainly be made vegetarian/vegan using Vegetable stock omitting chicken and adding in seared Tempeh would be a nice addition.

3/4 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast or chicken tenders cut into small pieces 1/2 inch or so, season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large minced garlic clove

1 finely sliced shallot

1 cup finely shredded cabbage (use a knife to finely shred)

1 cup finely sliced fresh spinach, sliced lengthwise

1 grated carrot - box grate using the large grate

2 green onions sliced diagonally

1/2-2/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro including stems

1 rounded tsp. Thai Red Curry Paste

3 Tblsp. smooth peanut butter

2 Tblsp. fresh finely minced or grated ginger

4 cups chicken broth

2 Tblsp. white vinegar or Rice Vinegar

2-3 Tblsp. Gluten free Tamari or Gluten free Soy Sauce -  gauge by your own taste

3 squares Lotus Gluten Free Ramen Noodles (cook separately as per directions)

Heat up a dutch oven on low/medium heat.  Add the chicken, the garlic and shallot sauteing until fragrant and chicken is cooked (do not overcook). Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Don't worry if your chicken is still pink, it will cook in the hot soup.   Then add in the ginger, peanut butter, and Thai curry paste.  Mix/Stir in the pot and heat just until melted through.  Pour in the Chicken stock, Soy Sauce and vinegar whisking well, then add in the cabbage, spinach, and grated carrot.  Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the Ramen Noodles and cook as per directions timing with the soup.  Cook the soup/veggies on low simmer for 12 minutes, then add in the cooked chicken, green onions and cilantro at the end just before serving.

Once the Ramen Noodles are cooked, drain.  Add the noodles to your bowl and ladle in the hot soup over the noodles.

Tomorrow will be great leftovers!