Hearty and Healthy

What do you do when you feel like hearty comfort food, but are determined not to break your calorie bank?  Make healthy Chicken Chili!  I love Ina Garten; her recipe was wonderful and hit the spot.

Chicken Chili

Courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1/8 cup good olive oil, plus extra for chicken
• 1/8 cup minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
• 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
• 4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Let cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with the toppings, or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.

I served it with some low fat cheddar sprinkled on top and fat free sour cream.  It was warm and comforting and made for great leftovers.  I used some in my egg white scramble the next morning and Brian made tacos out of it for lunch.  Multi-purpose chili!  Happy Monday!

Weeknight Bolognese

Coming home from work tonight I was sitting in my car, so cold and uncomfortable in my suit. I could not think of something more comforting than warm pasta with this tasty meat sauce. Usually the problem with comfort food is it usually leaves you feeling stuffed and guilty. This pasta ended up being everything I hoped...Hot, Meaty, Comforting...but not too heavy.

Weeknight Bolognese

Recipe from How Easy is That by Ina Garten

2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta

1 pound lean ground sirloin

4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Kosher salt and black pepper

¾ pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.

Finish the sauce while the pasta cooks. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining ¼ cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

Yield: 4 – 5 servings

Beautiful Sauce Simmering

Chopped Salad

Finished Dish!

Note: I omitted the last 1/4 cup of wine because...I just felt like it. I also unfortunately could not find orecchiette at Trader Joe's and was WAY to tired to go another market after work. Next time, I will use the orecchiette. The fusilli was great for the bolognese, but I think the other would have been prettier!

Warming Our Souls

We came down to the desert this morning early and usually as we drive it gets warmer and warmer, but today it got colder and colder. It was only a high of 50, which is freezing for us out here in typically sunny California. What better to make for dinner, but something that warms your soul, but also tastes fresh and light? The answer:


My Famous Velvet Corn Soup

1/3 cup Minced Water Chestnuts
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 14.5 ounce cans Cream-Style Corn
1/2 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
4 egg Whites
1/4 cup Frozen Peas
1 scallion

In a large pot bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the cream style corn, salt and sugar; stir till mixed. Return to boil.

Dissolve the cornstarch into 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl.

Beat the egg whites until foamy.

Add the water chestnuts to the stock and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Stir until soup thickens, about 10-20 seconds. Stirring constantly (and still boiling), drizzle the egg whites into the soup until the egg whites turn to white strands.

Add the peas and stir. Add more salt if you want. Garnish with scallions and serve!

Velvet Corn Soup


Finished dinner on my mom's cute palm tree plates perfect for the desert! I also made Chili-Garlic Glazed Salmon which is one of Brian's favorites. You need to be CAREFUL with the amount of the chilies you use. I have found the perfect amount is about half of what they say and I bump up the jelly 1 more tablespoon.

I accompanied the salmon with some coconut rice and sauteed brocollini.

What is your favorite dish to make on a cold night?