Serves: 4

Ingredients

¼ pound bacon, diced
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
½ pound cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
butter
Green Onions (optional)

Instructions

Line crock pot with foil, leaving enough to cover the potatoes when finished.
Layer half each of the bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese in crock pot. Season to taste and dot with butter.
Repeat layers of bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese. Dot with butter.
Cover with remaining foil.
Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours.

Notes
Make this recipe bigger if you are expecting company. Great to serve for a brunch!

In this bento: more stir fry and furikake from yesterday with the addition of 3-d carrot flowers decorated with black sesame seeds, chicken salad with Miracle Whip and green onions, 2 round purple onigiri, and fruit salad with kiwi and grapefruit.

Like I posted in my second post yesterday, the purple rice is made from a mixture of sushi rice and black forbidden rice (check out here for how I did it). We had it for dinner last night with roasted chicken and it was super good. Remember to not rinse the sushi rice if you’re mixing it with black rice because the black rice doesn’t have a lot of gluten content on the outside so it won’t stuck together. Unless you like that way of course. I love how chewy it is. I last used forbidden rice in Bento #6 (see this post and click on the picture to enlarge).

I learned how to do the 3-d carrot flowers from Heather at Ohayo Bento. She has a great video here. Try it out! Just be careful of your fingers! I really love how colorful this bento is and I can’t wait to eat it tomorrow for lunch!!! -laurel

These are one bunch of green onions I bought at the store so long ago I can’t even remember when. That sounds kind of gross, but I assure the stalks themselves are not that old. Here’s step-by-step instructions on how to never spend money on green onions again.

Regenerating Green Onions

• 1 or 2 bunches of green onions
• 1 jar or vase (see-through is best)
• scissors or knife
• water
• sunlight
• recipes that use green onions

Place the green onions in a jar or vase and fill with water until slightly above the bulb part. Place on a windowsill or somewhere the’ll have plenty of sunlight. It’s best if they can rest against something for when they get tall and like to flop over. The green onions will continue to grow in height, grow new stalks, grow roots, some stalks will fall over and some of the older stalks will die. This is all part of the process. When a stalks are needed for a recipe, simply snip each stalk off at the base. Try to use the stalks that have fallen over or that have a bit of yellow at the tip. Stalks that have got withered or completely yellow can be cut off at the base.

Replenish the water when it gets low. It’s best to empty out the water, rinse the bulbs and then fill with completely new water every few days. The water the bulbs sit in will smell like an onion and that’s okay, but it shouldn’t smell like compost. If it smells really funky, the bulbs haven’t been replenished with new water frequently enough and they need to be rinsed and the jar cleaned thoroughly.

The green onions will continue to grow and should last indefinitely. Be careful not to place them in a tapered jar or a jar whose body is larger than it’s opening (think large jam jar or something) because the onions will grow a tremendous about of roots after awhile and they will be stuck! When there is a large enough mass of roots they can even be planted!

I adore the little blossoms on top! Now, if I was trying to get an actual bulb for eating  from these onions, the blossoms would be a sign that they had bolted and didn’t reach their full growth. However, since I’m not trying to grow any bulbs I just let them flourish. I think they’re pretty darling. They are edible too!

Have you ever grown green onions or other fruits or vegetable plants indoors? Do you have any secrets on how to keep produce regenerating? We’d love to hear your input!

Ingredients

16 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 jar (3 ounces) bacon bits
1 cup chopped green onions
1 envelope onion soup mix
crackers
Assorted fresh vegetables (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a mixing bowl, stir together sour cream and cream cheese. Fold in shredded cheese, bacon bits, green onions and onion soup mix.

2. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. To serve, place in center of platter and surround with crackers and assorted fresh vegetables (optional).

Despite the anti-suburbanite rancour of my pre-baby self, I’m now a suburban dweller – albeit a reluctant one. Now that I live here, most like for the long run, I’m trying to adopt what could be described in a when in Rome attitude toward the Big Box attractions in my neighbourhood. I’m not going anywhere, and neither are they, so we might as well try to get along, right? To this end, we dined at Olive Garden - the only one in BC, quite the distinction – last weekend. It’s situated in a strip mall, of course!

When you eat at Olive Garden you don’t just get a meal – you get an experience. I’m talking hovering hordes of psychotically charismatic servers, basketfuls of free bread sticks, free wine samples, and bottomless soup and salad. Crazy! There was so much food, drink and general mirth being thrust in our direction as soon that I could hardly focus on making a selection from the menu. And the place was fully bumping –  we had to wait 45 minutes for a table; every inch of the restaurant’s thousands of square feet was packed with diners munching their way to Tuscan-style chain restaurant heaven. I ended up ordering a porcini mushroom ravioli, which was surprisingly delicious and far from the bland, coagulated muck I expected it to be. For dessert, a large slab of Tiramisu – also tasty!

The food did have a mass-produced air about it, but as far as chain restaurants go – and apart from the boring bottomless salad, which was 90% iceberg lettuce – it was decent. I never thought a place like the Olive Garden would prompt me to break out of my pasta comfort zone and start experimenting in the kitchen, but it did. Not that I went home and started churning out my own fresh pasta noodles like an Italian nona, but I did whip up these vegan meatballs in an attempt to jazz up my spaghetti. I started with mashed cannellini beans and multigrain bread crumbs, and added in sauteed leeks, garlic, mushrooms, green onions and a flax egg. I then rolled them into balls and browned them in a skillet, then tossed them with spaghetti and a spicy tomato sauce. They turned out great! I don’t think you’ll see anything like this on the menu at Olive Garden any time soon, but it did get an enthusiastic thumbs-up from the household omnivore

Hey, Virtual Vegan Potluck is coming up on May 11! Are any of you participating? If so, what type of dish are you bringing? I’m bringing a dessert and am VERY excited about my recipe!

Recipe: Spaghetti and {Vegan} Meatballs | With Spicy Tomato Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• About 200g spaghetti pasta (use gluten free pasta if you’re gluten sensitive)

Meatballs

• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), minced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 8 white or brown mushrooms, chopped into pea-sized pieces
• 3 green onions (dark and light green parts only), minced
• 2 pieces of whole grain bread, processed into crumbs (use gluten free bread if you’re gluten sensitive)
• 398ml can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 flax egg (I used Bonzai Aphrodite’s flax egg recipe)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tomato Sauce

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large gloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground dried oregano
• 796ml can of good quality diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tablespoon of good quality balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Prepare vegan meatballs

Makes 25-30 meatballs

1. Prepare flax egg according to this recipe – this needs to be done 1 hour in advance.
2. Place drained cannellini beans in a large bowl and mash using a fork or potato masher. Set aside until needed.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
4. Add leeks and saute until tender.
5. Add garlic and saute just until golden brown.
6. Add red pepper flakes, paprika and coriander and stir until spices coat other ingredients.
7. Add mushrooms. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
8. Cover skillet and let mushrooms reduce, stirring periodically.
9. Fold in green onions.
10. Remove from heat and transfer contents of skillet to your bowl with mashed cannellini beans.
11. Add flax egg and bread crumbs and season lightly with salt and pepper.
12. Stir until everything is well combined. I started with a wooden spoon then used my hands once mixture was cool enough.
13. Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, roll mixture into balls and place on a plate. Tip: Keep your hands damp to prevent mixture from sticking.
14. Place in fridge for 45-60 minutes to chill.
15. Next you’ll brown your meatballs (do this in two batches to make it more manageable). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
16. Once oil is hot, add half of meatballs to skillet.
17. Using a wooden spoon, keep meatballs moving until each side is golden brown.
18. Repeat steps 13-15 with second half of meatballs.
19. Keep meatballs warm in oven until ready to serve.

Prepare Spicy Tomato Sauce (this can be done while meatballs are firming in the fridge)

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and saute just until golden brown.
3. Add red pepper flakes, oregano and thyme and stir until spices coat garlic.
4. Add diced tomatos and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Using an immersion blender, puree sauce until mostly smooth (I like to leave a few tomato chunks). You can also use a conventional blender, then return sauce to skillet.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Keep simmering sauce on low until ready to serve. Add a little water if sauce becomes too thick.

Prepare Pasta

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, or until al dente.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Finish

1. Transfer cooked pasta to skillet containing tomato sauce and toss to combine.
2. Serve, topping each portion with meatballs and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Eat!

You might also like:

• {Lazy} Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
• Roasted Acorn Squash in Mediterranean Tomato Sauce

2 zucchini, trimmed, coarsely grated (about 4 cups)
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper
10 RITZ Crackers, finely crushed (about 1/3 cup)
2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1/4 cup Sour Cream

Make It

HEAT oven to 225ºF.

PLACE zucchini in colander; sprinkle with salt. Let stand 20 min. to drain. Use hands to squeeze as much liquid as possible from zucchini; place zucchini on double thickness of paper towels to drain. Mix eggs, onions, Parmesan and pepper in medium bowl. Stir in zucchini and cracker crumbs.

HEAT 2 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. To make 4 pancakes, spoon zucchini mixture into skillet, using about 3 Tbsp. zucchini mixture for each pancake; flatten each with back of spatula to make 3-inch round. Cook 3 min. on each side or until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to ovenproof platter; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and zucchini mixture.

SERVE topped with sour cream.

Still the beginning of the work week and haven’t really gone grocery shopping yet so here’s a quick and easy meal that I whips up in about half an hour. It’s flavorful and filling. For my gluten free friends, try it out!

1 big or 2 small heads of broccoli
2 big glugs of evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 – 1/2 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 cups stock
1 tomato chopped
1 shallot minced
1 spring onion finely sliced
1/4 cup feta

1. Rinse the quinoa in cold water and bring to boil with stock. Turn it down to a simmer, lid on for 15-20 until all the liquid is absorbed.

2. Cut the broccoli into florets keeping the stem. And toss with the next 4 ingredients. Roast in 425 for 15 mins or until crispy around the edges.

3. Combine the roasted broccoli and its juices with the quinoa and rest of the ingredients.

4. Taste & season

Et voila!

Quick & easy weekday meal, you can add in some cubed roasted chicken, edamame beans, garbanzo beans, red peppers, sundried tomatoes… anything you’d like or whatever is left in your fridge!

Until next time…
XOXO
LM

Almost everyone who likes Asian food likes stir fry because it is quick to make and the vegetables stay brightly colored, are crisp and retain their flavor and vitamins. There is no reason not to order or better yet – may your own – sweet and sour version of your favorite stir fry at home. It’s simple – tasty – healthy and beautiful to look at, too!

Serve it with brown rice for a nice added nutty flavor or a bit more of a chewy texture, a crisp white wine and you have dinner ready in a flash. Perfect for al fresco dining on these warm Spring evenings.

PS: You can make this with skinless, boneless chicken as well! Just cook the chicken a few minutes little longer to ensure it is fully cooked (no pink).

Sweet & Sour Shrimp Stir Fry

• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 c thinly sliced celery
• 1/4 c chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 c chopped green onions
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. soy sauce (light or low sodium OK)
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sugar (Whey Low or Splenda) or 1/8 tsp. other sugar substitute
• 1 Lb. medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat oil in large, nonstick skillet, over medium heat. Add celery, bell pepper, onion and ginger. Cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender and brightly colored.

In small glass measuring cup, combine soy sauce, lemon juice and sugar. Mix well to dissolve sugar.  Add to skillet and cook and stir 1 minute. Add shrimp and stir-fry 3 minutes or just until all shrimp have just turned pink and tender. (Overcooking makes shrimp tough.) Serve with brown or jasmine rice.

Serves 4.

Tip from the Toque:  To peel shrimp, remove the leg gently pulling them off the shell. Loosen the shell with your fingers, then slide it off. To devein shrimp, using the tip of a paring knife, make a shallow cut along the outside rim of the shrimp and remove the black vein. Rinse shrimp and dry on paper towels.

Ingredients:
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced about 1/2-inch thick
2 large red or green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 ounces orange juice concentrate
2 cups Mandarin orange segments or fresh orange segments
2 Green onions, chopped
hot cooked rice
Directions:
Put carrots, peppers, garlic, then the chicken, ginger, salt, pepper & frozen orange juice in Crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours. Serve chicken on hot cooked rice on platter. Top with orange segments and green onions. Serve chicken liquid in gravy boat, if desired.

2 (7 oz) cans tuna, flaked
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup diced celery
2 tbsp. sliced green onions
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans
mixed Asian or baby salad greens mix

Peel or remove strings from celery.

Combine first 4 ingredients. Blend yogurt, Italian dressing, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add to tuna mixture. Toss to blend. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add pecans and mound salad over greens.

Makes about 4 generous servings.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 medium Russet potatoes peeled and diced into 1″ cubes
• 7 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup low fat sour cream
• 4 pieces bacon, chopped
• 3 green onions, diced
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Cashew Chicken
About 8 servings

6-8 boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1” cubes
2 egg whites
1/4 c water
1/4 c soy sauce
Cornstarch (enough for dipping chicken)
Oil for frying

In large bowl, whisk together egg whites, water, and soy sauce. Add chicken and stir until all chicken is covered. Let stand covered in refrigerator for as long as you have before you have to start cooking, preferably overnight.

Add cornstarch (nearly a whole box – save 2 T for sauce) to a large bowl. With a slotted spoon or tongs, add chicken to cornstarch and coat each piece thoroughly. Heat oil (about 1/4” deep in skillet) to medium heat and add chicken pieces one at a time, making sure they do not stick together. Cook until golden brown on one side then turn them over to cook on the other side, probably about 6-8 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.

Sauce
2 c chicken broth
1/4 c soy sauce
2 T white cooking wine
2 T cornstarch
2 T water
Green onions, chopped
Cashew halves

Remove from chicken skillet all but about 2 T of the oil and crumbs. Heat to medium temperature and pour in broth, soy sauce, and wine, scraping and stirring to deglaze pan. When heated, stir together in measuring cup the cornstarch and water, and whisk into skillet. Let simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. In large serving bowl, add cooked chicken then pour sauce over all. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews and serve over rice.

Fried Rice
3 c cooked brown rice
2 eggs
3 T soy sauce
2 T oil

In large non-stick (I repeat non-stick) skillet, heat oil to medium temperature. Stir in cooked rice and soy sauce. Saute for a few minutes. Move rice to outside of skillet, leaving an empty space in the middle. Add eggs to this spot and scramble. When cooked, stir the eggs into the rest of the rice. You may need to reduce temperature so the eggs don’t burn. Serve with chicken and sauce.

Variation: To heated oil, add finely chopped onions, carrots, zucchini and/or broccoli. Saute until caramelized, then add rice. Continue as directed.

On the weekends I love to have a cocktail and appetizers before our meal. Come on, it’s the weekend. The inspiration for this recipe came from pintrest, but I made quite a few modifications. I used lite cream cheese and left out mayo, why add the extra fat if your font have to? Plus you’ll never miss it. I chopped the jalapeños in a the cuisenart than plopped in the rest of the ingredients – yum!

Ingredients:
1 8-oz packages of cream cheese, soft
4-6 jalapeno’s, chopped
1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup diced green onions
1/2 c panko
Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all of the ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir well.

Transfer to an oven proof dish. Bake 20 minutes until brown on top and bubbly.

Serves 4 – 6.

Project Updates

#1 – Grow chives from the leftovers.

Easiness level: Can you get a glass of water? Yes, I know you can. Anyone can do this.

Success!  This is easy, and it works… So do it!  If anything it keeps the chives(green onions, scallions?) fresh from the store. I am not a green thumb so for those of you who are like me and aren’t crunchy yet this is an easy first step.

Step 1. Just get a glass and fill the base with water and plop the onions in.

Step 2. Try to find something else to do with your time.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• plastic bottle of some kind (you could use glass but that’s a lot more complicated)
• a utility blade (I couldn’t find one)
• cheese cloth
• soil
• scallions! or whatever else you want to plant

First thing you need to do is cut the bottle. Mine had a ridge that made the perfect place to cut. Like I said a utility blade would be easiest but I couldn’t find one so I got it started with a knife and a cut it the rest of the way with kitchen shears. The top of the bottle will be turned over and become the planter and the bottom of the bottle will be the water reservoir.

Second step is to measure and cut the cheese cloth. Put it through the opening of the bottle and splay out the cloth inside of the top of the bottle so the water will travel up and into the soil. In the photo you can see I try to spread out the cloth so water can get to as much of the soil as possible.

Third, add your soil! Slowly and carefully pile in your soil, tamping down as you go. Only a tiny bit of soil fell to the bottom and once the soil gets wet no more should fall through.

Fourth, planting time! Just make a hole in the soil with your finger and put your scallions in and tamp down the soil around it. Continue until your planter is full!

Fifth, water. First water from the top so any air bubbles in the soil can escape. You might want to add more soil on top after this because the soil has compressed down. Then just add water in the reservoir and set in the sun! Ta da!

These two I made about a month ago, look how well they’re doing! The roots love it so much they’ve grown all the way down into the water reservoir.

1. It shows what type of music the artist your seeing is into.

2. It can show they don’t take themselves too seriously.

Here are five awesome cover songs you should hear right now.

Booker T. Jones- Crazy (2011)

Even though Booker T. Jones made his bones in the 60s with Booker T. and the MGs (check out Green Onions), it doesn’t mean he is stuck there forever. Taking the classic Gnarls Barkley hit “Crazy,” Jones is able to use his instrumental chops to craft a new jammier version of the song.

The Mae Shi- See You Again (2009)

Electronic indie rockers The Mae Shi take over Miley Cyrus’ hit single and put a rock edge on it. Even though I don’t know any other songs by them, this is super fun.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band- Billie Jean (2004)

Robert Randolph, Morristown NJ, native plays steel guitar and cover probably about 5 songs per show. Here he takes on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” He also plays “Can’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop and Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.”

Deer Tick- Flagpole Sitta (2013)

The AV Club (part of The Onion) does a web-series called “Undercover,” where they choose 25 songs and invite 25 bands to cover them. After a band chooses a song, it cannot be played again. In this episode Rhode Island alt-country group, Deer Tick, covers the 90s classic “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger. To watch other performances click here.

Lady GaGa, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Shirley Bassey, Elton John and Debbie Harry- Don’t Stop Believing (2010)

I usually hate this song, but this is pretty cool. At the annual Rainforest Gala dinner a couple a years ago, some musical heavyweights joined forces to perform the Journey ballad. Shirley Bassey is the woman who sang “Goldfinger,” so she’s a legend in her own right.

Enjoy!

These are the top deals of the week at Sprouts Farmers Market.  If these are foods you frequently eat, this is a great price to stock up!

Blackberries~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $0.99/ea

Green Onions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 /$1

Bartlett Pears~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $0.88/lb.

Romaine, Red, Green Leaf Lettuce~~~ $0.88/ea

Organic Cucumbers~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $0.77/ea

Chicken Breast Tenders~~~~~~~~~~~ $1.88/lb.

Chobani Greek Yogurt~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5 /$5

Boar’s Head Habanero Ham~~~~~~~~ $7.99/lb.

Organic Green Kale~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 /$3

Here in the Midwest, we’re in this weird weather state. Kind of an un-season. My spring allergies are in full force, but I’m wearing sweaters. The next day is sundress weather, which turns to rain, which freezes and turns to snow. You can’t put away your winter clothes or get out your summer clothes.

What to wear from one hour to the next isn’t the only issue. We’re stuck between hearty, winter-y meals and light, fresh spring and summer foods. So, in all this chaos and confusion that is my state of being, I’ve got one thing that really works for this un-season.  I give you these pork chops. The best of a hearty, warm, winter meal in pork chops jazzed up with sweet, tangy fruit and a kick of spice. Finally, a reason to like the un-season.

This meal is so easy and hits all sorts of notes. The pomegranate juice is both tart and sweet and is bold enough to counter the heavy nature of a pork chop. The red pepper flakes add heat and green onions balance it out with earthy freshness. I served this over an almond rice pilaf, to soak up all those extra juices. Yum. You better get this cooking before the un-season is over! It will really be a bright spot, I swear.

For the pork chops, you’ll need:

3 medium to large or 4 small pork chops
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup pomegranate juice
4 tsp. sugar
8 sliced green onions

Reduction:
1/4 c. pomegranate juice
2 tsp. sugar

Coat pork chops with about. 1 T olive oil. in In small bowl combine salt, pepper, cinnamon and red pepper flakes. Rub on both sides of pork chops.

Add remaining olive oil to a medium-sized skillet on medium heat. Once skillet is hot, add pork chops and sear until browned (but not cooked through) on both sides— about 6 minutes total. Once seared, remove from skillet and set aside under foil, to keep warm. While searing pork chops, chop green onions.

Using the same skillet, combine pomegranate juice and sugar. Bring to boil. Boil, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced to about half. Return pork chops to skillet. Cook, uncovered, 5-10 more minutes until the pork chops are cooked through. Meanwhile, add pomegranate juice and sugar for the reduction to a small skillet and boil for about 5 minutes, until the consistency is thick and syrupy. Once pork chops are done, serve over rice or another starch, sprinkle with onions and drizzle with reduction.

This is only only one quick remedy. But, if you’re in the same boat, best of luck with the rest of your (hopefully short) un-season!

After all the indulgence of the weekend I wanted to keep this week’s dinner light. And because it was such a crazy busy weekend, I also wanted to find a simple, one-pot creation.

I happened to have some lemons and spinach in the fridge, and a brand new head of garlic just waiting to be called into action. So when I came across this recipe it seemed the perfect choice for this week.

Except that of course, I had to modify it…

First of all, I used more than the 3-4 cloves that were called for.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for garlic.

And I used two lemons for juicing and another for garnish.

I also used at least double the amount of spinach.

It’s one of my favourite greens so I couldn’t help myself.

I’m definitely a carnivore, but I’m really trying to increase the veggies and decrease the meat content of my meals. I also thought some colour was in order. So, with that said I thought a red pepper was a great way to add veggies and colour.

After reading this recipe several times, I realized something was missing… CHEESE! So I picked up some Parmesan-Romano blend. This is definitely my go-to cheese. I put it in and on just about everything. And I thought it was the perfect complement to this amazing dish.

One-Skillet Lemon Garlic Chicken

What you need:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 zucchini
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 big handfuls of spinach
• 1 can cannellini beans (or any white bean), drained and rinsed
• juice of one lemon
• 2 T olive oil
• salt and pepper
• green onions for garnish (optional)

What you do:

Put the olive oil in a large skillet and set over medium high heat.

Slice the zucchini and add it, along with the garlic, to the pan.

Next, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Make sure you nestle them down so they aren’t sitting on top of the zucchini, but rather sitting on the bottom of the skillet.

Let it all cook for 7-8 minutes or until the underside of the chicken starts to brown. Then flip the chicken.

Add the beans, spinach, and lemon juice.

Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with green onions and serve.

I should note that I poached the chicken the night before to save time in the dinner prep. I don’t think it hurt the recipe however I imagine the chicken pieces would have soaked up some the extra garlic and lemon!

The recipe inspiration came from…

http://yesiwantcake.com/2012/06/22/one-skillet-lemon-garlic-chicken/

I tuly hope that you will enjoy this lemony zinger as much as we did!

And if you’re looking for a way to use up those leftovers, Amy says she used hers as filling in a wrap with some herbed goat cheese! Sounds yummy!

D~

*One final note: I have been working hard at maintaining a gluten-free existence and my recipes aim to capture that as much as possible. But please don’t take my word for it if you are Celiac or have a terrible reaction to gluten!

rating: 9

Soba Noodles with Miso-glazed Tofu and Vegetables
(Cooking Light, May 2013)

serves 4
time needed: 22 min.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 ounces uncooked organic soba noodles
1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Directions:

1. Combine 1 tablespoon canola oil and next 7 ingredients (through sesame oil) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse. Combine noodles and 1/4 cup miso mixture in a bowl; toss to coat.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Cut tofu crosswise into 4 (1-inch-thick) slices. Add tofu to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 tablespoon miso mixture to pan; toss to coat. Remove tofu from pan; keep warm. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms and asparagus to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add remaining 2 tablespoons miso mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions. Arrange 1/2 cup noodle mixture in each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 1/2 cup vege­table mixture and 1 tofu steak.