Hainanese Chicken and Rice

Hainanese chicken and rice is a delicate dish, perfect for someone who's under the weather or when you just want a comforting and healthy chicken dish.  Chicken breasts are gently poached/steamed over rice until they're moist and tender, while the fragrant rice is scented with ginger and a touch of soy sauce. I think steaming the chicken on top of rice is genius because it's an incredibly simple one pot wonder.   Green onions and toasted almonds add flavor and texture as garnishes, and the dipping sauce are important as well because the chicken is, well, chicken.  That's the basic dish.  From there, you can choose the fast and simple route to the finish line, or the slightly more complex but interesting route.

For the fast and simple route, slice up some fresh cucumbers and serve the dish with soy sauce, sweet chili garlic sauce and pickled ginger on the side.  You can pick up both the sweet chili garlic sauce and pickled ginger in the Asian section of your grocery store.

For the slightly more complex route, start by making quick pickled cucumbers (below) before you make the chicken and rice so they have time to marinate for a little while.  Make the ginger sauce (below) while the chicken and rice cook.  Serve the pickled cucumbers, pickled ginger, sweet chili garlic sauce and ginger sauce with the chicken and rice.  Even with making the cucumbers and ginger sauce you can still have dinner on the table in under an hour.

You can never have too many chicken and rice recipes, right?

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Hainanese Chicken and Rice

Serves 4

10 oz rice

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons butter

1 tsp salt

½ large carrot, shredded

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (lightly pounded if uneven in thickness), seasoned with salt and pepper

2 green onions, sliced

3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Sweet chili garlic sauce (comes in a bottle in the grocer’s Asian section)

Ginger sauce (below) or soy sauce

Pickled cucumbers (below) or fresh sliced cucumbers

Pickled ginger, optional

Cilantro sprigs

Wash the rice with cold water and put it into a pan. Add the chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, butter, salt and carrots. Mix the ingredients thoroughly before placing the chicken breasts on top. Press gently on the chicken to partially submerge in liquid. Put the lid on the pan and let simmer on low heat for 14 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pan sit covered for another 10 minutes. 

Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and slice crosswise into ¾” slices.  Stir the green onions into the rice, reserving a few for garnish. To serve, divide the rice between plates and top with sliced chicken.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs and reserved green onions.  Add pickled cucumbers and pickled ginger on the side.  Serve with ginger sauce (or soy sauce) and sweet chili garlic sauce for dipping.

Ginger Sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ lemon, juiced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon white vinegar

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small food processor and process until smooth.  Serve at room temperature.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers

½ seedless cucumber, very thinly sliced

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except cucumbers until the sugar is dissolved.  Add cucumbers and toss well.  Marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to a day.

Cold Chile Noodles

A bowl of cold, spicy noodles with a pile of crunchy vegetables is just the ticket for a hot summer day, don't you think?  And very healthy to boot.  This recipe is extremely simple to make and can varied according to whatever crunchy vegetables you happen to have on hand, although the red cabbage is really nice.  If you really like spice, add a sliced jalapeno or Fresno chile.  And of course some rotisserie chicken or leftover roast pork would be a nice addition for a more substantial bowl, but we really like it as a vegetarian meal.  The herbs play an important part in terms of freshness and taste, and it's best to use a combo - I used cilantro, mint, basil and dill.  Try to use at least two or three of your favorites.

Tip: if it's a really hot day, refrigerate the pasta, chile oil and serving bowls in advance and take them out right before serving.  That's a trick that fancy restaurants sometimes use with salad bowls to make the salad seem really cold and crisp.  It's a fun surprise compared to your usual bowl of pasta and sauce.

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Cold Chile Noodles

Serves 4

For the noodles:

½ cup canola oil

1 tablespoon fennel seed

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 lb spaghetti

2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

For the vegetables:

½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon lemon zest

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

4-6 radishes, thinly sliced

1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh herbs – any combination of cilantro, dill, basil, mint, parsley

½ cup coarsely chopped or crushed peanuts

Heat the oil, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and garlic in a small saucepan over the lowest heat possible.  Cook, stirring frequently, until you start to see the garlic and spices frizzle in the oil, 5-8 minutes.  Keep cooking at the lowest heat setting until the spices are toasted, another few minutes, but don’t let the garlic get too brown.  Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.  Drain again, then place in a large bowl and toss with a small amount of canola oil to prevent sticking.  If not using right away, the pasta can be put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Place the cabbage in a medium bowl and toss with the lemon zest and juice.  Season with salt and pepper and toss with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

When ready to serve, toss the pasta with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.  Add just enough chile oil to coat and toss again.  Divide between shallow bowls and top with cabbage, green onions, radishes, herbs and peanuts.  Pass any additional chile oil at the table.

Sheet Pan Trout and Broccolini

I recently discovered trout.  It's sustainable, healthy, very mild, boneless (when purchased in fillets), easy to cook and reasonable in price.  What's not to like?  In terms of taste, rainbow trout tends to be a little milder than red trout, which has just a touch of salmon-ish flavor.  I particularly like red trout because of the flavor and because they're so pretty - check out how they look when raw (below).

This is a great recipe for trout because it's so easy and foolproof.  If you can't find Aleppo pepper for the sauce, consider ordering it online because it's delicious and very versatile.  It has just a hint of heat and a wonderful warm taste that goes well on fish, chicken, eggs, pasta, veggie dishes, you name it.  If you don't want to buy Aleppo pepper use just a touch of red pepper flakes or chili powder instead.

I served the trout and broccolini with herbed polenta, but mashed potatoes would be equally good.

I think trout is probably the easiest fish to cook because it cooks evenly and fast and doesn't dry out or become tough.  If you've ever ruined a $20 piece of halibut or sea bass you know what I'm talking about.

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Sheet Pan Trout and Broccolini

Serves 4

½ garlic clove, finely grated

2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)

¼ olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 trout fillets, about 6-8 ounces each

2 bunches broccolini, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons capers

Heat oven to 450d.

To make the sauce, combine garlic, Aleppo pepper, ¼ cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

If the broccolini stems are relatively thick, cut each stem in half lengthwise to facilitate cooking.

Lay the trout fillets skin side down on a sheet pan next to each other.  Place lemon slices on the trout and scatter broccolini and capers around it.   Drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the sheet pan in the oven on the middle rack and roast until broccolini has started to lightly char around the edges and the trout is opaque and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, push the lemon slices off the top of the trout, and immediately drizzle everything with the sauce.  Let the flavors mingle for a minute or two before dividing among 4 plates.

Spring Carrot Pasta with Herbs

The James Beard awards were just announced, and Arizonans were excited to hear that Charleen Badman of FnB restaurant in Phoenix was named "Best Chef - Southwest".  FnB has been on my list of restaurants to try for several years but I haven't made it there yet, and I suspect reservations are going to be pretty hard to come by for a while.  I was looking at a sample menu on their website in anticipation and one entry made me pause: "pasta, carrots, marjoram, goat cheese, crispy prosciutto".  What?  Pasta and carrots?  Never heard of that particular combination. Chef Badman is known as "the vegetable whisperer" because of her delicious and innovative use of vegetables, so I decided I needed to investigate further.  I did some research online and came up with a recipe that sounds similar even though I haven't actually seen Chef Badman's creation.

I tweaked the recipe by adding sauted cabbage to underscore the carrot's natural sweetness, and added a bunch of fresh herbs from my garden for flavor.  The carrots, pasta, goat cheese and crispy prosciutto work together wonderfully well in terms of contrasting flavors and textures.  You could leave the prosciutto out if you want it to be vegetarian, but it really does add a lot in terms of flavor and texture.

If possible, don't use a box grater to shred the carrots and cabbage because you end up with short shreds that don't work as well with the spaghetti - longer shreds are easier to twirl together with the pasta.  You can buy bags of shredded carrots at the store that are longer, and it's easy to make your own long shreds of cabbage by buying a head of cabbage and thinly cutting it with a sharp knife.

I was really pleased with this recipe and decided to call it a spring pasta because it's light, healthy and full of fresh herbs but it would be great any time of the year.

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Spring Carrot Pasta with Herbs

Serves 4

Note: long shreds of carrot and cabbage work well here because they mimic the shape of the spaghetti and are easy to twirl with the pasta.  You can buy bags of long shreds of carrots at the store, and you can make your own long shreds of cabbage by thinly cutting a head of cabbage with a knife. 

1 lb spaghetti

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 slices prosciutto, chopped into ½” strips

¼ medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cups shredded carrots (preferably long shreds)

2 cups shredded green cabbage (preferably long shreds)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, dill (or a mix) plus a few more for garnish

3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.  Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook the prosciuttos until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  (Do not drain the olive oil from the skillet.)

In the same skillet, sauté the onion for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and stir often until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and another pinch of salt and cook for an additional five minutes until tender but not mushy.  Stir in the caraway seeds and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the pot and toss well with tongs to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it looks a little dry.  Add the herbs and toss again, then divide immediately between shallow bowls.  Top with the crispy prosciutto, goat cheese, and extra herbs for garnish.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Whenever I find boneless skinless chicken thighs on sale I always think of the slow cooker because they become wonderfully tender and don't dry out with the long slow heat.  I'm normally not a big fan of sweetness in savory foods but I decided to try this recipe anyway and was surprised at how very delicious it is. It's only slightly sweet and slightly garlic (mellow garlic, not harsh) with a very flavorful Asian sauce infusing that delicious, fall-apart tender chicken.

Served with white or brown rice and some sugar snap peas it makes a great Asian bowl dinner.  Maybe an egg roll to start?  This would be perfect for the next time you'll be busy in the afternoon and want a hot, nutritious and delicious dinner waiting when you get home.

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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Serves 4-6

1 package  (5-6) boneless skinless chicken thighs

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

½ cup honey

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced thin, white and green parts divided

Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Trim any extra fat off the chicken thighs and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and the white parts of the green onions.  Pour evenly over the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  Serve garnished with green onions and optional sesame seeds.

Walnut Pesto Pasta

It's finally spring!  That calls for something light and fresh for dinner even though it's not quite salad weather yet in most places.  This vegetarian pasta fits the bill perfectly with hints of lemon, fresh basil and toasty walnuts. I actually like the walnut pesto better than regular pesto because the walnuts (and walnut oil) give it a depth of flavor.  I encourage you to buy the walnut oil rather than using regular olive oil because it does make a difference.  You should be able to find it with the other oils in most grocery stores. I like it in salad dressings as well - particularly if the salad will have some nuts - because it's so aromatic and delicious and will echo the nut flavor.

This pasta dish is very easy to make, and very fast.  Serve with a green salad and crusty bread and you've got a great vegetarian meal.

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Walnut Pesto Pasta

Serves 6

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 cups firmly packed fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts, plus finely chopped walnuts for garnish

6 tablespoons walnut oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

1 pound fresh fettuccine or linguine

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Combine garlic, basil, salt, pepper, lemon zest and walnuts in a food processor and pulse until combined, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed. Slowly add walnut oil and olive oil, pulsing until combined. Add cheese and process briefly. Do not over process or pesto will have very little texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind that cheese adds salt, so additional salt may not be needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Thin pesto with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve a sauce that will coat pasta. Drizzle pesto over pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped walnuts and grated cheese.

Brunch Board

You've heard of charcuterie boards, mezze platters, cheese and cracker boards.....so why not a brunch board?  My inspiration was that two friends were coming over for brunch and I wanted it to be fun and casual, so I decided to go with all finger foods.  OK, there are a few small spoons and knives for spreading things, but everything is grabbed off the communal platter and eaten with your fingers.  For my version, I added:

• Grilled bread
• Homemade ricotta cheese with lemon
• Lingonberry preserves
• Marinated green olives
• Cherry tomatoes
• Hummus
• Deviled eggs
• Smoked Gouda and sharp Cheddar cheeses
• Strawberries
• Watermelon slices

Other options:

• Mini bagels (or toasted bagel slices) instead of bread
• Cream cheese instead of ricotta
• Smoked salmon
• Capers
• Different cheeses
• Different fruits
• Mini fruit tarts
• Etc.

You get the idea - anything you'd associate with brunch that can be eaten with your fingers.  Serve with several fruit juice options, good coffee, and maybe some champagne if you're feeling festive. The best part is that anything you actually have to make (like deviled eggs) can be done in advance and the rest is just assembly.  Put everything on a big tray or cutting board to serve, which makes clean-up a breeze. 

Spring is right around the corner, so there will be plenty of opportunities for a fun brunch for Easter or Mothers Day or just plain celebrating spring.  It's a really easy way to entertain.

Easy Chicken Schwarma Bowl

Everybody has days when they want a delicious and healthy meal, but they don't have much time for prep.  This chicken schwarma bowl can be ready in 15 minutes with the help of some shredded rotisserie chicken from the deli, and precooked rice.  If you don't want to use precooked rice, it can still be ready in just the time it takes to cook the rice.

The veggies make it healthy, the spices make it a little exotic, and the garlicky white sauce ties everything together. (The white sauce reminded me a little of ranch dressing and was so good that I saved the leftovers for a veggie dip.)  Because the rice and chicken are served warm and the veggies are cold, it's like dinner and salad all in one quick, easy, healthy and delicious bowl.  Done.

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Easy Chicken Schwarma Bowls

4 servings

Note:  if you use precooked rice this dinner can be ready in 15 minutes.  If you use regular rice it will take slightly longer.

White sauce:

¼ cup plain yogurt

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Schwarma:

2 packages (8.5 ounces each) precooked rice, brown or white, or 1 cup uncooked rice

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cups cooked diced chicken

¼ teaspoon each cumin, allspice and garlic powder

1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut into thin strips

½ cup shredded radicchio, optional

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup diced cucumber

¼ cup diced red onion

Chopped parsley, optional

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Heat the precooked rice according to package directions or cook the regular rice according to directions.

While the rice cooks, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the chicken, cumin, allspice and garlic powder and cook, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes.

To assemble, divide the warm rice between 4 bowls.  Top with warm chicken, lettuce and radicchio (if using), tomatoes, cucumber and red onion.  Garnish with parsley, optional.

Drizzle with white sauce and serve. 

Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Saffron is an exotic spice with a unique flavor that I can't even begin to describe.  It's expensive because the little saffron threads have to be hand-harvested from crocus flowers, but the good news is that a little goes a long ways in terms of both flavor and color in a recipe.  If you like saffron, I guarantee you'll love this dish.

You can tell this recipe is from a restaurant when you notice the butter and olive oil.  Although it seems like a lot, this recipe does serve four and you could always cut down on the amounts but the taste is absolutely worth it.  The secret is the chicken marinade of saffron, thyme, parsley and lemon zest with just enough olive oil to make a paste.  The incredible flavor is achieved by marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight which allows the marinade to both stick to and permeate the chicken.  The good news is that if you plan ahead and marinate the chicken the night before, the whole dinner takes about 20 minutes to make the next day.  The chicken is cooked over moderate heat to preserve the flavors of the paste and to keep it from drying out.  The sugar snaps add healthy veggie crunch while the couscous or rice rounds out the meal.  Beautiful, delicious and (mostly) healthy.

P.S.  Make extra chicken for the best-ever chicken salad sandwich with toasted almonds, currants, celery and a tiny amount of mayo on a crusty roll.

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Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Serves 4

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight so plan ahead.

Scant ½ teaspoon saffron threads

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 lemon, zested and cut into quarters (for garnish)

3-4 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot cooked couscous or rice

Crush the saffron as finely as possible in a mortar and pestle.  Reserve about a quarter of the saffron for later, then add the remaining saffron to 4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the saffron oil, 2 teaspoons of thyme, the parsley and the lemon zest to a large zip-top bag.  Close the bag and massage to combine the ingredients, then open the bag again and add the chicken pieces.  Close and move the chicken around to make sure each piece is coated evenly.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil.  Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden.  Flip the chicken and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160d, about 3-4 minutes more.  (Watch the temperature so the chicken doesn’t get too dark before it’s cooked through.)  Remove the chicken and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.  When it melts, add the sugar snaps, green onions and remaining thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 2-3 minutes until the sugar snaps are bright green and crisp tender.  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the reserved saffron and stir until the butter melts.  Remove from the heat.

To serve, plate the chicken with the sugar snap mixture and hot couscous or rice.  Garnish with the green onion tops and a lemon quarter to be squeezed on everything.

Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

This salad is very summery with the cool refreshing melon, cucumber and mint as well as the creamy feta dressing, which really ties the whole salad together.  If you can find a French feta, give it a try - it's less salty, softer and more mild than Greek feta.  I buy the Valbreso brand at the local natural foods store and really prefer it to Greek feta.

To save time, make the pork in advance (grill it earlier in the week when you've already got the grill going for something else) and on the day you want to serve it, pick up a container of pre-cubed watermelon and cantaloupe that you can find at virtually every grocery store these days.  It's much easier to take those large cubes and cut them into smaller ones than to start with a whole cantaloupe and a whole watermelon.  Then all you have to do is make the dressing, chop a few things and toss everything together for a delicious and healthy dinner.

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Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

Servings: 4

Note: buy a carton of pre-cubed mixed watermelon and cantaloupe in the produce department to save time and effort. Cut the large cubes down to ½” in size.

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, divided
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the pork
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups ½ -inch cubed and seeded cantaloupe and watermelon, mixed
3/4 cup ½ -inch cubed seedless cucumber
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

8-12 cups fresh greens (arugula and/or spinach preferred)

Lime wedges, for garnish

Preheat the grill to medium.

Set the sliced red onions to soak in ice water for 20 minutes to remove their bite. Drain and pat them dry and set aside.

Combine half of the feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with pepper and stir in the remaining feta. Set aside.

Brush the pork lightly all over with some oil, season it lightly with salt and pepper and grill it directly over the heat, giving it a quarter turn at a time, until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 140°F for medium, about 2 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate to cool to room temperature. (The pork may be made in advance and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator until ready to serve.)

Toss together the onion, watermelon, cucumber, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the greens among shallow bowls. Spoon some of the melon mixture on each salad, then thinly slice the pork crosswise and add it next to the melon. Spoon the dressing on top of the pork. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

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Ginger Chicken Salad Bowl with Spicy Cashews

I truly love salads but it's easy to get stuck in a rut, which is why it's important to try new recipes and flavor combinations to keep things interesting.  Even Asian chicken salad needs a new twist now and then.

This is a really delicious salad, with contrasting textures and spiciness from the chicken and cashews that's offset by the cooling cucumber and sweet dried pineapple.  Before you freak out at the list of ingredients, there are several ways to make the recipe much easier.  You can buy spicy cashews or peanuts or even wasabi peas rather than making spicy cashews, you can buy an Asian sesame vinaigrette rather than making your own, and you can marinate and cook the chicken in advance.  For that matter, you could make the cashews and the vinaigrette in advance too, so then all you need to do on the night you want to serve the salad is chop, toss and plate.  A little advance planning is definitely your friend here.

The chicken is somewhat unusual in that it has a ginger basting sauce that lacquers the chicken as it cooks, in addition to a sesame marinade.

You can make the marinade spicy or not depending on your taste; I liked it slightly spicy (about 8 dashes of Tabasco) to contrast with the cool cucumber and pineapple.  Between the marinade and the baste, the chicken is intensely flavorful to the point that I don't think I would serve it on its own, but it's perfect as part of a salad.  It would also be great in a banh mi or other sandwich with sliced cucumber and maybe some coleslaw with cilantro.  (The first time I had coleslaw actually IN a sandwich was when I was traveling in the south and had a pulled pork sandwich.  The server insisted that I try it with coleslaw even though I thought that was really strange, but now I'm hooked.)

The other important part of the salad is the spicy nuts - again, they're a great contrast to the cucumber and pineapple.  I was going to buy spicy nuts at my local Sprouts but I tasted one and hoo boy were they spicy.  I decided to make my own to control the spice level and found that one tablespoon of Sriracha was plenty for me.

For the salad greens, I bought a green and red lettuce mix at the store and threw in some thinly sliced Napa cabbage for a little more crunch.  As I mentioned you can buy an Asian dressing but the recipe below is really delicious and perfect for the salad.

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Ginger Chicken Salad Bowl with Spicy Cashews

Serves 4

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for 1 – 12 hours so plan ahead.

1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon black pepper

Hot sauce, to taste

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)

½ cup salted cashews

1-2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce (depending on preference)

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced ginger

12 cups mixed salad greens

¼ cup chopped cilantro

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Asian sesame ginger salad dressing (your favorite brand, or see recipe below)

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup cooked edamame

1 cup dried pineapple, chopped

16 thin slices of cucumber

To marinate the chicken:  whisk together the sesame oil, ¼ cup soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper, and hot sauce if using.  Lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness and add to a large zip top bag, then pour the sauce over and seal.  Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 12 hours.

Heat oven to 300d.  Combine cashews and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl and stir until nuts are coated.  Line a small baking pan with foil and spread the coated cashews out on it, then place in the oven and bake until nuts are dry, stirring once, approximately 20 minutes.  Remove the nuts from the foil and let cool completely.  Set aside.

For the basting sauce, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the brown sugar and the ginger in a small bowl, whisking until the sugar has dissolved.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium.  Remove the chicken from the marinade (discarding the marinade) and cook, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.  Then, using a pastry brush, begin basting with the soy, ginger and brown sugar mixture until they develop a lacquer, an additional 8-10 minutes, again turning every few minutes.  The internal temperature should be 160d when they are done.  Set aside.

To plate the salads, toss the salad greens, cilantro and green onions with just enough dressing to coat lightly, then divide between salad bowls or plates.  Thinly slice the chicken and divide between the salads.  Top each with carrots, edamame, dried pineapple, cucumber slices and spicy cashews.  Serve.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, finely minced or grated

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2-3 teaspoons honey (start with the lower amount)

5 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Salt and pepper

To make the vinaigrette, add all ingredients to a small food processor and process until blended.  Taste and adjust honey, salt and pepper as needed.  May be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated in a covered jar.  Shake before using.

Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

Overnight oats have been very popular on internet sites for a couple of years and I've always meant to try them but hadn't gotten around to it.  I was inspired by some beautiful Rainier cherries I found at the store to make overnight oats using the cherries, but I didn't want to pile everything into a mason jar overnight the way most recipes do.  I guess the theory is that your breakfast is ready to grab and go the next morning, but it seems to me that it would get all mixed together overnight into a pile of mush.  So instead I did the overnight thing with the milk and oats (which is necessary to soften the oats) but then layered everything together in a pretty glass the next morning.  That way the oats, yogurt, and cherries all retained their own taste and texture, and I was able to add a sprinkle of chopped nuts on top for a nice crunch without the nuts getting soft overnight.

I can never resist Rainier cherries because they're so pretty, but regular fresh cherries would work equally well and are usually less expensive than Rainiers.  If it's not fresh cherry season, use frozen cherries - more on that below.

I really liked the fresh cherry texture with the softer yogurt and oats.  I think softer fresh fruits like raspberries wouldn't be quite as nice but you could always use frozen berries that have been partially thawed so they retain a little more chew.  Partially frozen cherries or berries have the added benefit of making your breakfast nice and cold which is great for a hot summer day.  In fact, I think of this as the summer (cold) version of oatmeal, with all the nutrition and goodness that comes along with it.

You could always do the mason jar version of this recipe, but it only takes a minute or two to assemble in the morning and I think it's worth it.

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Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

Makes 1 serving

Per Serving:

½ cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup milk (nonfat, soy milk, nut milk, whatever)

¼ cup plain unsweetened yogurt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

5 fresh cherries, pitted and halved

1 tablespoon chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional

Mint sprigs for garnish, optional

Combine oats, milk and ¼ teaspoon vanilla in a container and mix.  Seal the container and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, combine the remaining ¼ teaspoon vanilla with the yogurt.  Layer the ingredients in a decorative glass in the following order:  oat mixture, half the yogurt, half the cherries, the other half of yogurt, the other half of cherries.   Garnish with chopped nuts and mint sprigs and serve.

Note: partially thawed frozen pitted sweet cherries would be a great substitute for fresh cherries, especially on a hot day.

Grilled Coffee-and-Molasses-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

I usually make notes on new recipes when I try them - what I changed if anything, and what I thought of it (up to 5 stars).  That maybe sounds obsessive but it works for me.  Anyway, this recipe was rated 5 stars (underlined twice) and with the notation "very excellent", which is about as high up in my terminology as a recipe can get.  So that shows you just how impressed I was although I was skeptical before I tried it because molasses is not normally my favorite.  The molasses here is balanced by coffee, vinegar and other flavors to create a full-flavored marinade and sauce for juicy pork tenderloin.

The big flavors balance well with your usual barbecue sides - grilled veggies, baked beans, corn, potato salad.  Going in a slightly different direction, I served the pork with an organic mixed grain blend and sliced sauteed mini-peppers and particularly liked the peppers in combo with the pork.  Try this recipe in place of your typical ribs or burgers for your next cookout and people will be impressed.

Grilled Coffee-and-Molasses-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4

1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled

6 ounces molasses (about ½ cup)

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon ground ginger

6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme

1 (1 to 1 ¼ lb) pork tenderloin

Combine all ingredients except the pork tenderloin in a 1-gallon zip-top bag; seal and shake to combine.  Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and turn over several times to coat the pork.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours and up to overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat a grill to medium-high.  Remove the pork from the bag, saving the marinade.  Grill the pork for 4 minutes on each of 4 sides until it reaches an internal temperature of 140d.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a saucepan and boil gently over medium heat, stirring, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove the thyme stems and keep warm.

Pour any accumulated meat juices into the sauce.  Slice the pork into ½” slices and serve with the warm sauce drizzled over.

Pastrami and Rye Panzanella

Panzanella is an Italian salad designed to use up stale bread by soaking it in tomato juices to soften it as part of the salad.  This particular recipe is a fun twist on a pastrami on rye sandwich using pastrami, Swiss cheese and rye bread in addition to traditional ingredients like Romaine, red onion, cucumber, and tomatoes.

The Lawyer was the inspiration for this salad when he recently made homemade turkey pastrami, if you can believe it.  It was a three day project starting with brining a turkey breast for a day, then smoking it on day 2, then curing it until the third day.  The results are excellent and I've been looking for a variety of ways to use the pastrami beyond the usual Reuben sandwich.  If you don't have your own pastrami-smoking Lawyer on hand, you can always buy a thick slice at the store.  It's faster but probably not quite as interesting.

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Pastrami and Rye Panzanella

Serves 4

Choose an airy light rye bread over the dark, dense sort; the latter is too chewy for this salad.

1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion

3 cups cubed light rye bread

1 garlic clove, grated

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine (or sherry) vinegar

1 pound tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks (or cherry tomatoes)

1 medium English cucumber

2 Romaine hearts, chopped

3/4 cup basil leaves, large leaves torn

1/4 pound thick-sliced pastrami, coarsely chopped

¼ pound Swiss cheese, cubed

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle. Put the onion in a bowl and cover with ice water for ten minutes, then drain and pat dry. (Soaking raw onion in cold water mellows the harsh bite.)

Meanwhile, spread out the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until the edges are crispy and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Put the oil and vinegar into a bowl, add the grated garlic and whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled bread, tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine, gently pressing the tomatoes a bit to release some of the juices.

Chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Add the onions, cucumber, Romaine, basil leaves, pastrami, Swiss cheese and parsley leaves to the salad. Whisk together the dressing, add it to the salad and gently toss to combine.

Island Pork Tenderloin Salad

Last Year's Post: Homemade Chicken Stock
Two Years Ago:   Persian Grilled Chicken with Saffron

There's a lot going on in this salad, which makes it pretty and really interesting to eat - sweet heat on the roast pork, crunch from the wonton crisps and toasted coconut, a tart lemon vinaigrette, and creamy avocado not to mention the red bell pepper and orange.  There are quite a few steps but the good news is that you can make the pork, wonton crisps and vinaigrette in advance, which just leaves you with some chopping and assembly when you want to serve the salad.

The star of the salad is the pork: coated in a rub of salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon, then later glazed with brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco, it's a flavor explosion.

The wonton strips are dusted with the same spice combo that went on the pork, then baked until they're crisp and golden brown.  They were a revelation to me - incredibly easy to make, and very crisp and light.  The hardest part was finding the wonton wrappers in my grocery store.  I finally had to ask someone, who informed me they were in the dairy case near the vegetarian foods like tofu.  What?  I've seen them in the produce section in other stores which makes no sense either.  In any case, they're refrigerated so that gives you a place to start.

I love this kind of composed salad because it's healthy, pretty, and really interesting to eat.  I hope you like it too.

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Island Pork Tenderloin Salad

Serves 4-6

Note: the pork tenderloin may be roasted up to a day in advance and refrigerated, tightly wrapped.  The wonton crisps may be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container.  The vinaigrette may be made a day or two in advance and stored refrigerated.

Spice Mix and Pork:

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pork tenderloin (1 – 1 ¼ pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Glaze:

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced or grated garlic

1 tablespoon Tabasco

Wonton Crisps:

8-10 wonton wrappers

1 tablespoon olive oil

Vinaigrette:

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

Salad:

8-10 cups baby lettuces

1 orange, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 small avocados, peeled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350d.

Combine the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Reserve half the spice mix for the wonton strips, and use the remaining spice mix to coat all sides of the pork tenderloin.  Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then brown pork on all sides, about 1 minute per side.  Leave pork in skillet.

For the glaze, stir together the brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco and spread on top of the pork tenderloin.  Roast in the middle of the oven until the pork reaches 140d, about 20 minutes.  Let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Turn the oven to 475d.

For the wonton crisps, stack the wonton wrappers together and cut into ¼” strips.  Place the strips in a bowl, peeling the individual strips apart, then drizzle in the 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add some of the remaining spice mix and carefully toss with your hand.  Taste one of the strips to decide if you want to add more spice mix.  Spread the wonton strips evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

For the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a small jar and shake vigorously (or whisk together in a small bowl).

To assemble the salad, toss the lettuces with some of the vinaigrette and arrange on plates.  Divide the orange slices, red bell pepper strips, coconut flakes, pineapple, avocado and wonton strips between the plates.  Thinly slice the pork and add to each plate.  Drizzle each plate with additional vinaigrette and serve.

Tuna, White Bean and Fennel Salad

Last Year's Post:  Curried Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:    Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice

Tuna and white beans are a time-honored Italian combination for a salad that usually also includes red onion and a lemony dressing.  I recently came across this recipe from the New York Times that includes the fresh flavor and crunch of fennel, which really appealed to me. I decided to adapt it by using canned tuna rather than fresh, and adding some kale to the fennel to make it even healthier.  You could certainly grill some fresh tuna in place of the canned tuna, but I love a good canned tuna salad on occasion and it makes things much simpler and faster.  My personal preference is a high-quality tuna canned in oil because I think tuna packed in water is bland.  I've also heard the tuna packed in pouches tastes fresh, but whichever way you go make sure it's the best tuna you can find.

The key to any great salad is to have a variety of flavors and textures.  This one has creamy beans, meaty tuna, crunchy fennel, tart red onion and bright lemon.  And it's extremely healthy as well, with high-quality protein from the tuna and beans, omega-3s, and all that dark green leafy goodness from the kale.  It's very easy to prepare - can you say no cooking?  (Perfect for a hot summer day...)  All you have to do is make the vinaigrette, chop a few things, and assemble. The recipe recommends serving the salad at room temperature, but the leftovers were just as good cold the next day and the salad keeps extremely well.  Leftovers would be great in a pita at work for lunch.

Have the salad for a light dinner on one of the first warm spring days with a glass of rose wine and imagine you're sitting on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean.  Ahhhhhh

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Tuna, White Bean and Fennel Salad

Serves 4

½ small red onion, diced

4 cups cooked cannellini or other white beans (or 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained)

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, pressed or grated

1 large fennel bulb

3-4 large leaves of Tuscan kale, washed, stripped from the stems and thinly cut crosswise

1 (5-6 oz) can tuna (preferably packed in oil), drained and flaked into chunks

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds

1 lemon, quartered, for garnish

Soak the diced onion in ice water for 10 minutes (this will tame its bite), then drain.  Drain the beans and put in a bowl.  Add a generous sprinkling of salt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the onions and stir.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat.  Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the lemon zest, garlic, a pinch of salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Set aside.

Cut the fennel tops off and reserve some fronds for garnish.  Cut the bulb in half and cut out the core, then cut crosswise into thin slices.  Add the fennel slices and kale to a bowl, then lightly salt and toss with just enough dressing to barely coat.

To assemble the salad, divide the fennel/kale mixture among 4 plates.  Top with the bean mixture and tuna flakes.  Drizzle a small amount of dressing over each salad, then garnish with parsley, fennel fronds, and lemon quarters.  Serve at room temperature.

Oat Nut Bars

Last Year's Post: Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken and Brown Rice Bowls
Two Years Ago:   Brazilian Burrito Bowls

The inspiration for this post started with golf, believe it or not.  I don't golf - I would actually pay money NOT to golf - but The Lawyer does.  He bought a giant box of Kirkland trail mix at Costco quite a while back to use as snacks while golfing, and he recently ran out.  Problem is, summer is coming up quickly and in Phoenix that means hot.  The trail mix contains M&Ms.  Can you say melted chocolate in the golf bag?  I had just watched a PBS show where Ellie Krieger, a noted nutritionist, made these power bars and said they were great for after a workout at the gym because you just throw a frozen one in your gym bag and it'll thaw by the time you're done.  That seemed perfect for golf in the summer.

This is a very healthy recipe with fiber, high-quality protein and natural sweeteners, but it's also delicious.  I made two tweaks to her recipe - I added some coconut, and I used a parchment cradle in the baking dish to make it easier to remove the bars.  All you do is put a piece of parchment in the bottom of the dish, with enough coming up two opposite sides that you can grasp it after baking to lift the bars out as one piece.  That makes it easier to cut them, but you could also cut them in the baking pan and take them out with a spatula if you don't want to do the parchment trick.

The bars are great for an after-school snack, a mid-morning or mid-afternoon boost at work, or after a workout.  And of course, golf.

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Oat Nut Bars

Makes 12 bars

Note: wrap individual bars in foil or cling wrap, put them all in a gallon bag in the freezer, and take one out as needed.  They thaw in about two hours at room temperature.

1 cup rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking oats)

¾ cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup maple syrup

1/3 cup plain, unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup canola or safflower oil

1 large egg

½ cup chopped dried cranberries

½ cup finely chopped walnuts

½ cup finely chopped skin-on almonds

½ cup unsalted sunflower seeds (or finely chopped other nuts)

1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut, optional

Preheat oven to 350d.  Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking oil spray.  (Tip: cut a piece of parchment paper the width of the bottom of the pan and long enough that the ends go up and over the sides of the pan, forming a cradle.  Place the parchment in the baking pan and spray lightly with cooking spray.  This will help you get the bars out of the pan later.)

Whisk together the oats, whole wheat flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.

In a larger bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add the maple syrup, applesauce, and oil and whisk until combined.   Stir in the oat mixture, then add the dried cranberries, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and coconut (optional) until evenly incorporated.

Spread the mixture in the pan; bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely.  If you used a parchment cradle, grasp the sides of the parchment and gently lift the bars out whole before cutting.  If not, cut into 12 equal-sized bars before removing from the pan.

Per bar (without coconut):  250 cal, 15g total fat (2g saturated fat), 15mg chol, 60mg sodium, 26g carb, 3g fiber, 6g protein