Chicken & Veggie Patties

Tuesday is my "Sunday" so I typically do most of my meal prepping on this day. The last few weeks I made different kinds of patties. Whether they are a mixture of chicken/veggie, veggie/beans/rice, or even tuna with sprouted peas and lentils (which were really delicious), they are the perfect option for lunches throughout the week. It's also a great way to use up leftover ingredients you have in your fridge. I normally just throw whatever I have in a bowl, mix it up and they turn out great. However, I  figured I should measure out my ingredients this time so I can share the recipe. Check it out below and feel free to play around with ingredients and spices to tailor it to your liking. I tend to eat them cold with salads, but they can be heated up as well.

Ingredients:

1lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ cup tomato basil feta, or plain
¼ cup white onion, diced
¼ cup green olives, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make:

Preheat oven to 370ºF. In a medium/large bowl, combine all vegetables and spices. Stir to combine. Add ground chicken and use your hands to incorporate ingredients. Create a little well in the center of the bowl and add the egg. Again, use your hands to combine. Using a ¼ size measuring cup, scoop chicken mixture onto a lined and greased baking sheet. The measuring cup should create a nice patty shape. Once you have all your patties scooped, place them in the oven for 8 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Set your oven broil setting to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes if you will be eating them right away. You can enjoy these warm with a salad or make a burger out of them. I usually let them cool a bit longer before storing in the fridge.

Banana-Plum-Raisin Oatmeal Bake

Last week my mom and I were down in Anaheim. Disneyland used to be the only thing I cared about in the area, but now I have a new stop I must make every time I'm down there. 99 Ranch Market! On a previous trip to Disneyland, my coworker took me to this amazing Asian market on our way home. I was in heaven. We spent over an hour browsing through all the spices, sauces, teas and yummy treats. Once we left I couldn't wait to return. They also have a hot food station, which I was dying to try on my next visit.

 The food didn't disappoint. We got a few snacks to fuel us for shopping. Sugar cane shrimp, pork buns, scallion cakes, and turnip cakes. Everything was so fresh and delicious. I'm a huge Dim Sum fan, so this was perfect! The market is pretty big, so I suggested we start at one end and make our way down each aisle. I had a list of things I wanted to purchase again but also had my eyes open for new items I wanted to try. One item that caught my attention was a coconut spread (Ma Tamis Sa Bao). It's just coconut cream, brown sugar and water. It looks similar to caramel and has the same consistency.

 This stuff is delicious! It's smooth and creamy with a subtle coconut flavor. I read online that it can be substituted for molasses in pecan pie. Now that is something I must do soon. Instead of dessert, I decided to use it in place of maple syrup in an oatmeal breakfast bake. The finished product came out great. It's not too sweet and the flavors of the coconut with cooked bananas are just perfect. This oatmeal bake is gluten free and vegan friendly.

Ingredients:

2¼ cup gluten free oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 bananas, 1 sliced and reserve the other for wet ingredients
1 plum, sliced
½ cup golden raisins
1 can (14oz) light coconut milk
⅓ cup coconut spread
1 teaspoon vanilla

To make:

Preheat oven to 370ºF. In a large bowl, add oats, ground flax, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Toss in sliced banana, plum and raisins and set aside. In a food processor, combine coconut milk, coconut spread, the remaining banana and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir to saturate all of the oat mixture. Pour into a greased 8x8 baking dish. Press the mixture down gently with a spatula. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. I made this the day before and once cooled, I covered it and stored in the fridge. It reheats easily in the microwave or oven and if you'd like an extra kick of protein top with a scoop of cottage cheese or yogurt.

Beet Greens Pesto

What to do with all those beet greens you have hanging around in your fridge? Make pesto! After I purchase beets from my local farmers market, I usually trim off all the greens, wash and store them in a gallon size ziplock in the fridge. I usually add them to juices throughout the week but wanted to try something different. I also didn't have much else to juice. I've also sauteed these greens with garlic and olive oil which makes a tasty alternative to sauteed kale or spinach. This pesto recipe is super quick and easy to make. You don't even need to dirty measuring cups.

What you will need:

About 4 handfuls of beet greens
2 handfuls of pumpkin seeds
2 cloves of garlic
Juice from 1 lemon
Olive oil (more or less depending on desired consistency)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Blend all ingredients in a food processor and enjoy! Your body will thank you as this recipe packs a punch in the nutrient department. Beet greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which contain antioxidants that help protect your cells. They are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, folate, and iron. For those who are conscious of calories, 1 cup of cooked beet greens contains only 39 calories.

What are your favorite recipes using beet greens?

Tortilla Chip Crusted Chicken Tenders

What do you do with those last bits of crumbly tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag? Some may crumple up the bag and throw them away, but there are quite a few things that can be done with those tiny little highly seasoned pieces. I'm one who hates to waste so I try my best to use every last bit of what is left. Even more so now that I have been reading An Everlasting Meal from Tamar Adler. Her approach to cooking food is simple but elegant and rustic at the same time. Since starting her book, my desire to experiment in the kitchen has grown so much more than before. I can be baking all morning at work yet when I come home, I'm ready to continue spending my time in the kitchen. Yesterday was my day off and I spent the majority of it in my happy place. I love spending time preparing food. It's zen-like to me. Some people think I'm silly for taking the amount of time I do to prepare my meals but it's a process for me. A process I enjoy very much.
A process I don't enjoy very much is writing recipes. I've had people on Instagram ask for recipes but to me, the act of stopping my flow to write down measurements just ruins the experience. Hence, the reason why I haven't posted anything in six months. I understand that baking is a science and is deserving of a written recipe, but I want to try something new on this blog for non-"baking" items and simply talk through the process. Recipes have always been difficult for me to follow anyway. They just don't ever come out right. You have to take into account that all the variables are different for each person preparing the recipe. Altitude, heat of your oven, gas or electric range. Tamar Adler touches on this subject in her book and it's the first time I found someone else who gets it. "No matter how well a cookbook is written, the cooking time will be wrong. Ingredients don't take three or five or ten minutes to be done; it depends on the day and the stove. So you must simply pay attention, trust yourself, and decide" (64).
Now back to those tortilla chips, which is the whole purpose of this post. I decided to use them as the breading for chicken tenders. I had raw chicken in the fridge that needed to be cooked but I wanted more substance than just plain baked chicken for lunch. First things first, I preheated the oven to 350°F. For the breading, I took a glass jar (any heavy object will work) and smashed the leftover bag of chips to even tinier pieces. I poured the crumbs into a shallow bowl and added a little bit of cashew nut flower along with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and smoked paprika. Everyone has different tastes so season to your liking. I was only coating about 6 pieces of chicken so adjust your ingredients as needed. (If you have a whole breast, slice into strips.) In another shallow bowl I added spelt flour for the initial coating of the tenders. In a third bowl, whisk one egg until combined. Use the spelt flour for the initial coating on the chicken. Dip into beaten egg and then coat in tortilla crumb mixture. Lay the breaded chicken down on a greased, foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes and then flip chicken pieces over. Change the oven temperature to broil and cook for about 4-5 more minutes. Watch out that you don't burn them. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

I created a simple spinach salad topped with the chicken tenders and homemade pickled vegetables (carrot, fennel, and swiss chard stems.) I attempted to make the mayonnaise recipe from Adler's book, but as I've said before, I'm not good with recipes. My mayonnaise was a fail but after adding more salt, pepper, spices, and a little apple cider vinegar, it was a delicious salad dressing.

Balsamic Tomato Jam

It feels like my last few posts have all included jam. Well, I guess you can tell I love using it in everything and even more, I love making it. This pan jam is one of the easiest things to make. A friend of mine has the cutest little garden at her house. Her tomatoes are prime for the picking so she shared the abundance with me . Earlier in the week, I had already made some tomato soup and veggie quiche. I wanted to try something different so the jam idea sounded great! I was skeptical how it would turn out, as the cooking process was a bit different from the way fruit cooks down. But let me tell you, this stuff is amazing. My mom kept raving about the flavor and pairing it with cheese and crackers. I went the other route and added it to grilled cheese made with goat cheese and spinach. I'm excited to get more tomatoes so I can make this again soon. I already have some new yummy ideas of what I can do with it.

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
(heirloom, cherry, plum, yellow)
Juice from ½ lemon
⅓ cup agave nectar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

To make:

Chop and measure 5 cups of tomatoes. In a large pot or deep pan, add tomatoes, lemon juice, agave, and salt. Turn heat to high-medium and gently stir to combine. Once the mixture starts to boil, continue to stir frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. After about 5 minutes of cooking, add the balsamic vinegar. Continue to stir often for 25-30 minutes or until jam has reached a thickened consistency. Remove from heat and pour into two 8oz glass jars. Top with lids and store in fridge or freezer. I usually put one in each until I'm done with the first but I put both of these in the fridge this time because we couldn't stop eating it ;)

Jammin Gin & Tonic

I never had an appreciation for gin until now in my mid-twenties. Vodka was always the go-to when my girlfriends and I would go out. Ketel soda was our drink of choice. Now I prefer gin with its mild taste that pairs well with so many different flavors. There is a local restaurant my boyfriend and I go to where the bar offers an amazing selection of non-alcoholic drinks with great fruity and floral flavor combinations. I'll order one of those and ask the bartender if I can add gin. I was given a funny look the first time it happened but he took my request and delivered a delicious drink. The gin complemented the flavors so well.  It inspired me to make a drink of my own.
A few months back, I made a batch of cherry apricot pan jam. The batch yielded two jars so I put one in the freezer. Now I have the perfect use for it. The jam itself is on the tart side so I included a little honey in this drink for balance. The flavors of the jam pair well with the infusion of rose and cucumber in Hendrick's gin. The rosemary garnish is optional but I highly recommend it. The flavor comes out stronger as you sip your drink.

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cherry apricot pan jam
Juice from ½ of a lime
1½ ounces Hendrick's gin
1 teaspoon honey
Fever Tree light tonic water
Ice cubes
Rosemary sprig for garnish

To make:

In a glass, add pan jam and muddle to break up any pieces of fruit. Pour in lime juice, gin, honey and give a quick stir. Add ice cubes, top off with tonic water and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Banana Coconut Fudgesicles

Here is a super easy recipe for Banana Coconut Fudgesicles. This quick summer treat is creamy, healthy, and delicious! I love having these on hand in my freezer.


Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas, frozen
1 can coconut cream
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make:

A day or two in advance, freeze very ripe bananas in a ziplock bag. You can break apart pieces or cut into slices. Heat coconut cream in a small pot on the stove over medium-low heat. Add chocolate chips and continually whisk until all the chips have melted. Pour mixture into a blender and add frozen bananas. Blend until you get a smooth consistency. Pour evenly into 10 popsicle molds and place in freezer overnight or until frozen.