Grilled Chicken With Mango Salsa & Black Beans

Summer is definitely around the corner. I'm nursing my first light sunburn of the year and doing some hardcore research on patio-worthy cocktails (personal fave: Oaxaca Old Fashioned). The barbecue's getting a good work out and my outdoor plants are already potted. Did I mention I'm into summer cocktails (Oh look, so is Martha: http://www.marthastewart.com)?

I'm also spending considerably less time in the kitchen these days since I started working out of town three days a week. I eat camp meals on those days and when home, I look for food that's much simpler to prepare and recipes that include fresh ingredients.

This grilled chicken is a good example of fresh and low maintenance eating. The chicken can be prepped in the morning and then pulled out of the fridge when ready to assemble the salsa and preheat the barbecue. This recipe also highlights my interest in recipes with fewer simple carbohydrates.  In this example, the chicken is served with beans instead of or along with rice. The marinade is also sugarless. Aside from the natural-occurring sugars in the fruit and veg, we're holding back on the simple carbs in order to keep energy and insulin levels more stable between meals, helping to avoid the crashes that come with starch-rich meals. This isn't Atkins, folks; this is just an attempt at choosing foods that make this chef feel well, longer. Anyways, I need to save room for the carb-light cocktails.

Ingredients

Adapted from: http://www.iwashyoudry.com

Serves 4

Chicken

• 4, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 t coarse salt 
• 1 t freshly ground pepper
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/3 cup canola oil

Salsa

• 1 large mango, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 T chopped cilantro
• 2 serrano peppers, minced

Beans

From: http://www.iwashyoudry.com

• 2 cans black beans including the water
• 2 cans diced chilis
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T olive oil

Method

Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts. Place them in a large sealable plastic bag and add the remainder of the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, heat the barbecue to 400F. Grill for approximately 3 minutes each side or until cooked through to the centre. While grilling, try flattening the breasts with a spatula (we used a cast iron skillet) to ensure the entire breast gets exposed to the grill heat.

Combine the salsa ingredients and set aside.

For the beans, heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the cayenne and garlic powder, stirring well to ensure the onions are coated with the spices. Pour in two cans of undrained black beans and the chilis and allow to simmer for 4 minutes.

Spoon the beans into shallow bowls and top with chicken breast and the salsa. 

Enfrijoladas!

I pulled this together in 30 minutes and will definitely be making it again. The smoky, chocolate taste behind the adobo really stands out among its' flavours, but I suspect I have an addiction to sour cream and this just winds up being another excuse to pour it on.   I continue to have mixed experiences with vegetarian dishes and when I find one that doesn't make me say "this would be better with meat in it",  I add it to my repertoire.

The recipe has the chef applying a little of the bean paste on the inside of the tortilla and much of it overtop, by the looks of the finished product. My version has more spread on the inside of the tortilla and very little overtop. Either way, you'll get your beans. Also note that as far as the onion and cheese contents go, I have provided approximate measurements. The inside of the tortilla is meant to have a dusting of each, but I was a little more liberal with my portions.

Adapted from: http://www.mexicanplease.com/

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1, 540ml can of black beans, rinsed
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3 chipotle peppers mixed in adobo
• 1 cup water
• 6-8 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 onion, minced
• handful of cilantro chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• sour cream and or avocado for serving

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9X13" baking dish with cooking oil.

In a blender, add the beans, garlic and chipotle peppers. Blend until emulsified. Add the water and blend again until the paste becomes a thick soup.
Place a large dollop of the black bean mixture onto a tortilla and spread over its top surface. Sprinkle a handful of the onions and cheese over half of the surface. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in the baking dish. Repeat this with the remaining tortillas, placing them side by side in the dish. Top with the remaining paste. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven to top with a little more of the cheese. Return to the oven for another 3-5 minutes. Top the dish with the chopped tomatoes and cilantro and serve.

Sausage & Bean Cornbread Skillet

Aaaaah, the magic of the one-pot meal...or, the ease of it. Either way I love doing fewer dishes and having leftovers.

This recipe, like most of the ones I choose offers a number of options to substitute. The cornbread mix can be swapped out for a biscuit mix if preferred or the filling can be vegetarian if you trade the sausage for more beans or lentils. I like it just as is, with the sausage and cheese combination, but this likely comes as no surprise.

I'm not sure how my addiction to sour cream evolved, but I serve dishes such as this one with a little spoonful of it because I like the cool, tangy balance it brings to spicy dishes. Perhaps I can persuade you to get on the sour cream bandwagon too.

Adapted from: http://spicysouthernkitchen.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

Filling

• 8 smoked sausages, cut lengthwise and then into 1/4" slices
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2, 15 oz cans black eyed peas, drained
• 1 15 oz can of chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (if you like heat, that is)
• 1, 10 oz package of frozen spinach
• 2 T finely chopped cilantro

Cornbread Top

• 1 1/2 cups, plus 6 T cornmeal
• 2 T baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 2 t sugar
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 400F.  Brown the sausage, onion and pepper in a 12-inch cast iron pan for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Follow with the remaining filling ingredients except the cilantro and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.

For the cornbread mix, combine all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Add the buttermilk, egg and oil and stir until all the ingredients are combined. Fold in the shredded cheese and stir until well combined.

Spoon the cornbread mix over the filling in the cast iron pan, leaving a hole in the centre of the pan. This allows the bread to cook more evenly. Cook the skillet in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cornbread is lightly browned.

Bean Week: Pumpkin Cornbread Baked Bean Casserole

I had to apologize in advance to my coworkers for this week's recipes. I knew they would lead to some tooty afternoons.

First up were the baked beans. I like the idea of this casserole and would make it again, but without the cinnamon in the corn bread mixture. I want either a neutral or cheesy-based bread topping over the beans, not a slightly sweet, cinnamon mixture. I get enough of the sweet this time of year without having to incorporate it into my entrees. My entry below doesn't include the syrup and cinnamon as with the original recipe. If you prefer to go with the original ingredients, just check out the link above the ingredients list. I also added bacon to the bean mixture. This isn't the first time I've seen a vegetarian recipe and decided it would be better with bacon. In fact, I hear vegetarians say that too.

Next up on bean week are crushed lentils: one of those vegetarian recipes I will file away in my stash of yummy vegetarian recipes.






Adapted from: http://www.wander-crush.com/



Ingredients

For the beans

• 3 cups cooked beans (I used a mix of kidney and white ones)
• 1 small onion chopped
• clove of garlic smashed
• 1 1/2 T blackstrap molasses
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 2 T maples syrup
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 T whole grain mustard
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 lb bacon cooked and chopped

For the cornbread

• 1/2 cup whole spelt flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

Method

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat a saucepan on medium heat and follow with the onions and garlic until they are translucent. Throw in the rest of the ingredients and combine well, cooking for about 10 minutes.

Prepare the cornbread by mixing the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls.  Fold the two together and adjust the ingredients in order to get a batter that's not too runny or too mealy.

Ladle the bean mixture into a loaf pan and then follow with the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Spicy Potato Hash

I drove from Calgary to Edmonton yesterday afternoon and from jacketless to parka weather in just over 300 km. I'll never get over the unpredictable weather this province offers. So, while I mourn the loss of warmer temperatures, I will try focussing on the perks of winter: mainly, comfort food.  Here come the cozy stews, casseroles and hearty meals. Oh, and the wine! I look forward to the full-bodied reds that will accompany my weekend dinners.

This one-dish meal offers one a chance to use up those vegetables lurking in your fridge. If you've got leftover carrots, herbs and/or celery, adding them to the hash can only lead to good things. I added chilis too but if heat's not your bag, just omit them. I also threw in some eggs to use up the few I had remaining. I've got a soft spot for yolks that ooze over food and this casserole was a good platform for yolky eggs.

Adapted from: http://www.twogreenpeas.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 t canola oil
• 2 medium yukon gold or white potatoes, diced
• 2 medium red potatoes
• 3 cups of chopped vegetables of your choosing (I used yellow and red peppers)
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1 t chili powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 2 green chilis, diced

Garnishes (pick a few)

• 1 avocado
• 1 jalapeno 
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 green onions, chopped
• lime wedges

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil on medium heat in a large cast iron skillet or pot if, like mine, your skillet isn't large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add the onions, stirring well until they become translucent; about 5 minutes. Once cooked, mix in the spices until they are well combined with the onions. Toss in the potatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes until they are edible, but not so soft that they can be mashed. Add a little oil or water if the potatoes start to stick to the base of the skillet. Once the potatoes are golden, add the beans, chilis, vegetables and a tablespoon of water and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes. If you've used a skillet, transfer it to the oven to bake for about 10 minutes. I poured the hash from my pot to a large casserole dish before transferring it to the oven. After 10 minutes, remove the hash from the oven and crack a few eggs over the surface of the hash. Return the casserole to the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the eggs have had a chance to cook to your desired consistency.  Serve with some of the garnishes noted above.

Ready for Some Lighter Fare?

Ho, ho, ho....hold on a second here. I'm stuck in the wrong season. Let's back up to the six week-long downward spiral of unhealthy eating. The egg nog, the turkey, gravy, wine, wine, wine, sweets and that was just one meal we're talking about here.  My indulgence has come to a grinding halt as of today. Maybe a meal that doesn't prompt an immediate nap afterwards. How about a dish that isn't paired with Alka-Seltzer? I'll miss the good food, but I need a little normal.

Enter the following quick, easy and healthy recipes to kick off resolution season. Our soup and salad combo took me forty-five minutes to prepare and I wasn't even moving at my usual speedy pace. I've found a few other recipes of a similar vain and will share them a little later this month.

Black Bean Soup

You'll notice the picture doesn't display a bowl of blackish soup, but rest assured, there are indeed black beans in there. If heat isn't your bag, remove the chilies from the recipe and add everything from diced tomatoes to potato to thicken or enrich this basic recipe.

Adapted from: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

Serves 4 small portions

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/3 yellow onion, chopped
• red or yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 chilis in adobo
• 1/4 t cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 28 oz can black beans
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for serving
• Sour cream for serving

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the pepper and onion, sautéing until the onions are translucent. Add the cumin, salt and pepper, incorporating the spices in with the vegetables. Stir in the chilies and as much adobo sauce as your taste buds can handle.

Pour in the vegetable stock and the black beans, bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and puree if desired. The original recipe leaves the soup as is, but I chose to blend it. Add handfuls of chopped cilantro and sour cream to individual servings.

Farro & Kale Salad

Farro can sometimes be tough to find, so alternatives such as quinoa or barley are also good options. I found farro at Bulk Barn, but it was pricier than expected. I enjoy the chewy texture of farro and the fact that it cooks quickly. Worth a try if you haven't had farro yet.







Adapted from: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked farro
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped cucumber
• 1 cup dates chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T honey
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring the farro and four cups of water to a low boil for about twenty minutes. Once the farro is of a chewy consistency, remove it from the heat and rinse it in cold water.

Place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle half of the oil overtop. Mix in the oil to help soften the leaves a little. Combine the cucumber, dates, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper to the farro and kale mix. Add the remaining oil, mixing well and serve immediately.

Bring on the Salads!

Warm Shrimp & Edamame Bean Salad

Chatelaine was always my mom's magazine. I remember seeing it in the kitchen on many occasions with the pages folded in several directions to bookmark articles and recipes. This year, I received a gift subscription and have been pleasantly surprised with it. Local fashion content means I can get to the clothes on display and the recipes are varied and delicious. I found a month's worth of salad recipes via Chatelaine online and immediately perked up. I love, love, love bringing salads for lunch, so this in essence became a lunch guide for Liv. Only tried two so far, but if you get a chance to sample others, let me know how they turn out!

Warm Shrimp & Edamame Bean Salad

Adapted from: http://food.chatelaine.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g frozen, shelled edamame beans (Superstore and T&T Supermarket had these in stock)
• 340g or 1lb or frozen, peeled, uncooked shrimp
• 2 large lemons
• 2 t honey
• 3 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh, chopped dill
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Mix honey, dill, onion, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and several generous pinches of salt and ground pepper in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the edamame beans and a little salt and let boil for 4-5 minutes. The beans should be tender, but not disintegrating when done.

Lightly coat a frying pan with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the shrimp, chopped pepper and garlic and let simmer for approximately 3 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink. Add the shrimp mix and beans to the vinaigrette bowl and toss well. Serve warm.

Super-Fast Antipasto Salad

Super-Fast Antipasto Salad

Serves 4

From: http://food.chatelaine.com

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 t dried oregano
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 8 slices of salami, chopped (about 56 g)
• 1, 540 ml tin of chick peas
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives sliced in halves
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped or two roasted red peppers chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped chives or mint
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

To make the vinaigrette, combine the juice of a lemon with the olive oil and oregano. Add generous pinches of salt and pepper and mix well. Toss chick peas into dressing and mix well. Combine remaining ingredients into bowl and serve. If making ahead, combine all ingredients except the spinach and add spinach when ready to serve.

Tuscan White Beans with Spinach, Shrimp & Feta

Heavy meal, light meal, heavy meal, light meal. I don't post everything I cook, so the cycle may not be as obvious on this blog, but I have a tendency to make a heavy meal and follow it with a light meal. This isn't any astounding observation, just a little build-up to my dinner menu for this evening. Ta-da!!

From: http://www.skinnytaste.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (weight after peeled)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
• 15 oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained 
• 5 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 oz crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Method

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add onion, garlic and sage; cook 4 minutes stirring occasionally until golden. Stir in vinegar and cook 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and stir in shrimp. Top with feta cheese and divide in 4 bowls.

Black Bean & Two-Cheese Quesadillas

From: Stern, Bonnie. Heartsmart 2006 p 197.

Serves 6

• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 sweet red pepper, preferably roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1 T chipotle puree
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 2 T chopped fresh chives or green onions
• 2 T shredded fresh basil
• 1 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup soft unripened goat cheese or feta
• 6, 10-inch whole wheat tortillas

Combine black beans, tomato, red pepper, chipotle, garlic, cilantro, chives, basil, Monterey Jack and goat cheese. Place tortillas on counter in a single layer. Spread filling evenly over half of each tortilla. Fold unfilled half of tortilla over filled side and press together. Grill quesadillas for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. You can also bake them in a single layer on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 400F for 7-10 minutes, or cook for a few minutes per side in a lightly oiled non-stick skillet or grill pan.

Cajun Blackened Fish with Corn & Black Bean Medley

Ruedi went on the hunt for some white fish fillets, but had trouble finding anything fresh and worth the purchase. He came home with two rainbow trout and I think he may have gotten a little too attached. He got over his crush and proceeded to do a fantastic job of deboning these fish. Once prepared, the result was a light, summer meal, worthy of repeating itself.

From Bravo! Best of Bridge Cookbook. pp 150-151

Serves 4

• 4 skinless firm white fish fillets (each about 5 oz/150g)
• 4 t cajun seasoning
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 T butter
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 4 tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups drained rinsed canned black beans
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Rub tops with cajun seasoning. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add fish, seasoned side down, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until quite dark brown. Transfer fish, browned side up, to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Meanwhile, in another large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute corn until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and black beans; saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in green onions and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. To serve, spoon corn medley into the center of each plate and place a fish fillet on top.

Lentil, eggplant & feta salad with a balsamic vinaigrette

Yummity, yum, yummers. This salad just rocked my world! The combination of fresh basil, cilantro and feta from a local Greek market makes for a fresh and tangy bite. I have to add that if you have access to the variety of niche markets that cover this great city, take advantage of them. The kalamatas and feta I get at Hella's food market off 124th Street, taste quite different from the ones I pick up at the local grocery store. It's worth making the extra trip if you've got the time.

Adapted from http://www.gourmantineblog.com


Serves 6

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes here, but any other type will do just fine)
• 1 eggplant
• feta cheese (according to taste)

Vinaigrette

• 1 garlic clove
• pinch of dried chili 
• 4 T good quality balsamic vinegar
• 4 T extra virgin olive oil
• Handful of basil
• Handful of cilantro
• salt and freshly grounded pepper

Bring the stock to boil, add the crushed garlic, lentils and cook for 15-20 minutes. When ready, remove the garlic and drain.

Slice the eggplant lengthways and chargrill for a few minutes on each side. Let it cool for a few minutes, and then cut in equal size pieces. Toss together with lentils, halved tomatoes and feta cheese.

For the vinaigrette, in a pestle mortar grind together garlic, dried chili and half of basil leaves until you have a paste, then add the balsamic vinegar and continue to stir around till well combined, then stir in the olive oil to have a homogenous vinaigrette. Finish by adding finely chopped cilantro and the rest of basil.

Serve the salad either warm or cold with some vinaigrette on top.