Currant Confections Cultivate Contentment

There I was at the farmers market, loading up on the usual additions to round out my CSA-- a few of the first squash, some blueberries, some scallions-- and then I saw them:  bright red jewels glinting in the sun, beckoning me to come scoop them up into my basket.  I was powerless against their lure.  Never mind the fact that I had never cooked with fresh currants (I'm not sure if I'd ever even really eaten them), that was a problem for another time, like when I got home.

Weeknight Meal: Creamy Couscous with Chicken

This is a really easy meal that can be thrown together on a weeknight after work, perfect for a mild summer night with a side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes.  Adding just a dash of cream to the couscous makes it almost seem like time-consuming risotto.

• Season a chicken breast with salt and pepper.
• Heat a pan on high, add just a little butter, and sear the chicken breast.
• Reduce heat and cook the chicken for a few minutes, turning over once.
• Add 1/2 c. pearl couscous to toast to a golden brown.
• Add the juice of one lemon and 3/4 c. vegetable or chicken broth.
• Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.
• Add about 2 tbsp cream and stir.
• Add 1/2 c. chopped green onion and 1 c. baby spinach.
• After plating the dish I like to toast the few remaining morsels of couscous in the pan until they are crispy for a garnish of contrasting texture.

Serves two.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal in the summer?  Why, yes indeed!

Try substituting half of the water with coconut milk.  If you're in the mood, add a dash of vanilla.  When it's done, add the tiniest sprinkle of brown sugar, some toasted almonds, and a handful of fresh blueberries. Brew some good coffee and you're set for a day of summer adventures.

Enjoy!

Spicy Coconut Noodles

When hot weather comes around, I often don't want to cook at all.  Now and then, however, I get a craving for something nice and spicy.  This easy dish minimizes cooking time, (and thus time spent near a hot stove), and keeps the flavors fresh.  The quantities of this recipe can easily be adjusted to feed however many people you need, (this makes about three portions), however if you intend to prepare a lot of noodles, I would recommend boiling them separately rather than cooking them in the pan.

• Slice up a large chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and lightly salt it.
• Heat up a large pan (the largest you have) and add two cloves of minced garlic, a generous shake of red pepper, (I also added some seeds from the bell peppers I used), then the chicken.
• Add the juice of two limes.
• Chop one large red onion and add half to the chicken, setting the other half aside.
• After the onions start to become translucent, add two tbsp soy sauce, half a can of light coconut milk, and half a cup water.
• Bring the liquids to a boil then add the rice noodles.  They're comparable to spaghetti in the amount you'll need per person.  The noodles should be pretty much submerged in the liquid.  After they have a chance to soften slightly, give them a toss and cover the pan.  Reduce heat and let them simmer for 8 minutes.
• While this cooks, chop two small bell peppers (I used one red and one green).
• When the noodles are tender and nearly done, take off the cover and add the remaining red onion as well as the bell pepper.
• Toss the vegetables and let the noodles cook for an additional two minutes uncovered.  At this point, there should be reduced to a thin sauce coating the noodles.  Turn up the heat if you need to reduce it further.

Serve and enjoy!

Waste Not, Want Not

While making my adorable circular Roasted Beet Ravioli, I accumulated quite the pile of pasta scraps.  Rather than toss them in the garbage, I decided to cook them for use in a pasta salad.  Granted, it won't be the prettiest pasta salad with all of the weird shapes, but it would make a great lunch to take to work.

After cooking the pasta (for just a few minutes), toss it with some olive oil and let it cool.  Add whatever you want.  I added some chopped sauteed swiss chard stems (also set aside from another meal), sauteed english peas, chopped fresh garlic scapes, some parmesan cheese, a little bit of whole grain mustard, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs.  This will keep in the fridge for a few days, but any leafy greens should be added shortly before serving.

Enjoy!