Archive for November, 2022

This tasty recipe from Canadian Living puts dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Brown chicken cutlets and set aside. Cook garlic with spices, then add roasted peppers and olives, cook for a minute and add the vinegar. Add broth and chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Unico roasted red peppers, President’s Choice garlic-stuffed green olives, Eden Organic red wine vinegar and Imagine Organic chicken stock are all additive free.

Brown cutlets and set aside

Cook olives and peppers

Add stock and chicken to pan and simmer until cooked through

Ingredients:

4 chicken cutlets (about 1 lb/454 g total)

Salt and pepper

4 teaspoons (20 ml) vegetable oil, divided

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cumin

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground coriander

1 cup (250 ml) jarred roasted red peppers, drained and cut in strips

½ cup (125 ml) pitted mixed green and black olives

2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar

1 cup (250 ml) sodium-reduced chicken broth

2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat 3 tsp (15 ml) of the oil over medium-high heat. Add cutlets; cook, turning halfway through cooking time, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; set aside.

In skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add garlic, cumin and coriander; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add peppers and olives; stir 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with wooden spoon.

Add broth; bring to boil. Add reserved chicken; cook until chicken is no longer pink inside and sauce has reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

This recipe from Bonnie Stern’s Don’t Worry, Just Cook is a perfect make-ahead meal for a casual dinner party. Marinate chicken, onions, garlic, fennel, lemons and cilantro in olive oil, honey and spices. Then place all the ingredients on a baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan and roast until the chicken and vegetables are cooked and nicely browned. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve with rice or couscous.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use President’s Choice garlic-stuffed green olives. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Marinate chicken

Arrange marinated chicken and vegetables on sheet pan or shallow baking dish

Roast until tender and browned

Sheet pan chicken with lemon and olives

Ingredients:

3 lb (1.36 kg) chicken pieces (12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs or 6 whole legs)

2 onions, quartered

1 head garlic, halved horizontally

1 bulb fennel, trimmed, halved and cut into thick wedges

2 lemons, thinly sliced

1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving

½ cups (125 ml) large green olives, pitted

¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

1 tbsp (15 ml) kosher salt

1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander

1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin

1 tsp (5 ml) ground paprika

1 tsp (5 ml) ground turmeric

Preparation:

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, along with the onions, garlic, fennel, lemons, cilantro, olives, olive oil, honey, salt, coriander, cumin, paprika and turmeric. Toss well to mix. Marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours if you have time or cook right away.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C). Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a large baking dish or shallow Dutch oven, skin side up. Spoon the fennel-lemon mixture over and around the chicken. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes.

Uncover and roast for another 30 minutes. If the chicken hasn’t browned yet, increase the oven temperature to 425 F (218 C) and cook for 10 minutes longer or until the chicken and vegetables are nicely browned.

Serve topped with the cooked lemon slices and olives and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Serves 6.

From Don’t Worry, Just Cook

Bonnie Stern has co-authored a new cookbook with her daughter, Anna Rupert and it’s a great collection of delicious recipes. This salad recipe from Don’t Worry, Just Cook is tasty and versatile. It travels well and is gluten free. You can substitute rice or lentils for the quinoa and if it doesn’t have to be gluten free you could use a cooked grain such as bulgur, barley or farro. You can make this dish vegan by using tofu instead of cheese. Cook’s note: I used a mixture of black and white quinoa, used radishes instead of carrots, feta instead of creamy goal cheese and omitted the seeds.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

If using canned chickpeas, check for preservatives. I use Blue Menu brand or cook dried chickpeas. President’s Choice Original goat cheese is additive free.

Anna's quinoa salad

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) quinoa, rinsed if it is not pre-rinsed

2 cups (500 ml) boiling water (or amount specified on quinoa package)

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup (250 ml) cooked corn kernels

1 cup (250 ml) cooked and coarsely chopped sweet potatoes, carrots or squash

1 cup (250 ml) cooked chickpeas

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh cilantro, flat-leaf parsley or dill (or a combination)

2 tbsp (30 ml) roasted sunflower seeds

2 tbsp (30 ml) roasted pumpkin seeds

3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml) fresh lemon juice

1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt

¼ to 1/3 cup (60 ml to 82.5 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (250 ml) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation:

Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and cover with boiling water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, cilantro, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Add the quinoa and toss gently.

Stir in 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice, salt and ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning, Scatter cheese overtop. Makes 5 to 6 cups.

From Don’t Worry, Just Cook by Bonnie Stern and Anna Rupert

This delicious recipe from Canadian Living is comfort food in a bowl. Cook Israeli couscous until al dente and set aside. Bake the lamb meat balls and set aside. Cook leek and carrot briefly and then add stock. Add meatballs, simmer for 15 minutes and then add Swiss chard and simmer for 2 minutes. Divide soup among bowls and top with couscous, lemon slices, yogurt and mint. Cook’s notes: I air fried the meatballs for 10 minutes at 350 F (177 C). I used chicken stock instead of beef stock and omitted the garnishes and this soup was still delicious. I also put the couscous in the bowl first and ladled the soup over to serve. If you have leftovers, store the soup and couscous separately, so the couscous does not soak up the liquid.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used No Name tomato paste and Imagine Organic stock. Check the dry spices for colour and anti-caking agents. Astro original Greek-style yogurt is additive free.

Make and bake or air fry the meatballs

Cook leek and carrot and add stock

Add meatballs, simmer 15 minutes, then add chard

Lamb meatball and couscous soup

Ingredients:

Meatballs

1 lb (454 g) ground lamb

1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste

1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin

½ tsp (2.5 ml) curry powder

Pinch cinnamon

Salt and pepper

Soup

1 cup (250 ml) Israeli couscous

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

5 cups (1.2 L) sodium-reduced beef broth

2 cups (500 ml) Swiss chard or spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper

8 slices lemon

½ cup (125 ml) plain Greek yogurt

Fresh mint leaves

Preparation:

Meatballs

Preheat oven to 400 F (204 C). Lightly grease baking sheet. In bowl, combine lamb, tomato paste and spices. Season with salt and pepper. With wet hands, shape mixture by 1 tbsp (15 ml) into balls. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months.

Soup

In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook couscous until al dente, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add leek and carrot; cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium Add meatballs; simmer for 15 minutes. Add Swiss chard; continue cooking for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide soup among bowls. Top with couscous and serve with lemon slices, yogurt and mint leaves. Serves 6.

From Canadian Living