Category Archives: Soups & Salads

Recipe: Almond-grape chicken salad

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Last weekend I had one of those “use-up-existing-ingredients-to-make-a-meal” moments, which turned out very successful, if I say so myself. I decided to put a little twist to the traditional chicken salad sandwich by adding a few “special” ingredients and serving it in lettuce cups. The almonds add a little crunch and the sweetness of the grapes brings extra flavor to the dish. And as you may remember from my post about deviled eggs, mayo and I are not friends so I always use plain Greek-style yogurt instead. This recipe really couldn’t be any easier and it’s a healthier (but still delicious!) alternative to a classic comfort food.

Almond-Grape Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Makes about 2.5 cups of chicken salad

  • 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced (or you can shred a rotisserie chicken)
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
  • 3 Tbsp red grapes, halved
  • 2 Tbsp slivered almonds
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp yellow mustard (or to taste)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve scoops of the mixture in lettuce cups (or endive spears would work well, too). Garnish with additional slivered almonds on top. Leftovers of the mixture can be used in a sandwich or served with crackers as a quick snack the next day.

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Almond-Grape Chicken Salad

Happy 1st Tuesday of the month…

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Update: While we’re on the topic, check out David Lebovitz’s blog post about his CSA experience in France.

…A.K.A. Jenn’s pick-up day for her CSA box (I promise not to write this entire post in 3rd person :) ). This month’s box couldn’t have come at a better time as I neglected to do any grocery shopping this past weekend in midst of all the Thanksgiving madness. Oh yeah, happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone! 

Anyway, for those of you still on the fence about whether to join a CSA program, let me entice you a bit with a snapshot of what you, too, could receive on a weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly basis.  Here’s what I came home to today (remember, it’s all locally-grown organic produce):

  • Colorado rose potatoes
  • Savoy cabbage
  • Red onions
  • Cameo apples
  • Cucumbers
  • Broccolette
  • Ruby grapefruit
  • Mangoes
  • Pomegranates
  • Hass avocados
  • Zucchini
  • Roma tomatoes
  • Red romaine lettuce

 

And from the “field-to-table” recipe list included in the box, I definitely plan to try the Avocado & Grapefruit Salad with Pomegranate Seeds (adapted from a Food Network recipe).

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 bunch red romaine lettuce
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 ruby grapefruits
  • 2 ripe avocados

Directions

  1. Place the mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
  2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Set aside until needed.
  3. Before serving, cut the avocados in half, remove the pit and carefully peel off the skin.
  4. Cut each half into 4 thick slices.
  5. Toss the avocado slices in the vinaigrette to prevent them from turning brown.
  6. Use a large, sharp knife to slice the peel off the grapefruits (be sure to remove all the white pith), then cut between the membranes to release the grapefuit segments.
  7. Remove avocado slices from vinaigrette.
  8. Ross the lettuce with just enough of the remaining vinaigrette to lightly coat the leaves (you may have some left over), and place it on a large serving platter.
  9. Top with the avocado and grapefruit, add a few grinds of fresh ground pepper, then sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the salad.
  10. Serve immediately and enjoy!

OK now everyone go to Local Harvest’s website to find a CSA program nearest you and sign up. Trust me, once you go CSA, you’ll never go back :)

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Fave Recipe Friday: Moroccan-Style Chicken Stew

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With the cooler weather and a nasty virus-turned-pneumonia for the past few weeks, I’ve been eating quite a bit of soup There’s nothing like a warm, hearty soup or stew to bring your spirits back up. So for this week’s Fave Recipe Friday, I’m sharing my friend Missy’s Moroccan-Style Chicken Stew recipe. 

I was first introduced to this dish last winter when we had a horrible snowstorm here in Seattle. A couple girlfriends and I had planned to meet at Missy’s for a little dinner and vino, and while everyone else canceled due to horrible road conditions, I decided to take the risk. But as I pulled out of my garage, I quickly realized my uphill driveway was completely iced over and I wasn’t able to get out. So I ran upstairs like a total maniac, grabbed some kitty litter and dusted the hell out of the driveway in complete desperation. Less than 5 minutes later, I was out of the garage and slowly trucking the few miles to Missy’s place. Of course what would normally be a <10 min drive turned into an eternity, but the delicious spread awaiting me made up for it all. So there you have it, the stew that I risked my life for…and I have no regrets :) Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Moroccan-style Chicken Stew

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1/4  cup  canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice, cinnamon, OR cloves, OR a mixture
  • 2 lbs boneless chicken cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 medium onion (preferably a sweet onion like Vidalia), chopped
  • 4 carrots, peeled and sliced, or 1-1/2 cups sliced baby carrots
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup stock or water
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • ~1 c chickpeas (optional)
  • 1 medium zucchini, washed and diced (optional)
  • 8.5 oz  can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (optional)
  • 1 c light or dark raisins (optional)
  • 1-2 tsp quick-dissolving flour (such as Wondra) to desired consistency
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Combine canola oil, cumin, ginger, and allspice, in a 6-quart heavy-based non-reactive saucepan or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high for 30 seconds, or just until the spices give off their aroma.
  2. Add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the carrots, onions, diced tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, and sugar, and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes.
  5. Add chickpeas, zucchini, artichoke hearts and raisins, if using, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes, or until zucchini is just tender.  During the last 5 minutes of simmering, add the flour (adjust the amount to desired consistency) and stir gently.
  6. Add salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.

The soup goes great over some couscous with a drizzle of EVOO on top ~ Mmm Mmmm.

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