Yummy Healthy Food

Ingredients:
-2TBS extra virgin olive oil
-2 ½ bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1lb carrots, either baby carrots or sliced
-1 medium yellow onion (1 ½ cups) diced
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-2 ½ tsp ground ginger
-2 tsp ground cumin
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ground coriander
-1 cup green olives (River Valley Coop has green olives with garlic & lemon is their refrigerator section)
-1 can artichokes (cut in half)
-1 lemon sliced if not using RVC product
-2 TBS lemon juice
-2 cups low sodium chicken broth
-1 c whole wheat couscous
 
Steps:
1) Heat oil in Dutch Oven or large, deep skillet with tight fitting lid
2) Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper on both sides & cook in a single layer until browned on both sides
3) This may take a few batches.
4) Removed browned chicken from pan & place on plate.
5) Add onions & carrots to pan, stir occasionally until veggies have started to soften, about 4 minutes.
6) Reduce heat to medium & add garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon & coriander. Stir for about 1 minute, making sure the spices don't brown
7) Return chicken to pan.
8) Add olives & artichokes.
9) Add chicken broth & lemon juice, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from bottom of pan.
10) Increase heat to high & bring to a boil.
11) Reduce heat to medium low & simmer for 20-30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
12) Add couscous making sure that it’s stirred into the broth.
13) Cover pot, turn heat off & let sit for 5-10 minutes.
14) Enjoy!

This is actually three of the simplest recipes that have become by go-to meal when I don't have a lot of time, but want a dinner that will taste delish.  Substitute brown rice for couscous for a gluten-free meal.
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Ingredients:
-1 1/2 lb salmon
-2 TBS mustard
-1 TBS honey
-1 bunch of asparagus
-extra virgin olive oil
-1 TBS lemon juice
-1 c dry whole wheat couscous

Steps:
1) Prepare salmon
-Place salmon on a foil-covered baking dish skin-side down
-Rub with olive oil
-Season with salt and pepper
-Heat under broiler for 20 minutes

2) Prepare asparagus
-Rinse asparagus
-Break off and dispose of bottoms of spears
-Place in large rectangular pyrex baking dish 
-Pour about 1 1/2 TBS of olive oil and 1 TBS lemon juice over asparagus
-Season with salt and pepper
-Cook on high in microwave for 10 minutes

3) Prepare couscous
-Bring 1 1/4 c water to a boil
-Place 1 c dry whole wheat couscous in a bowl
- Pour boiling water over couscous and cover with a plate for at least 5 minutes

4) Finishing touches
-Mix together mustared and honey
-Brush on salmon 2 minutes before it is finished
-Place back under broiler for 2 minutes
-Fluff couscous
-Serve salmon, asparagus & couscous

​Enjoy!

​There is just enough heat in this recipe so that the spices linger in your mouth.
This takes 45 minutes to prepare start to finish and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
-1 c of Israeli couscous
-1 eggplant
-1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
-1/2 red pepper
-olive oil for roasting and sauteing
-1/4 c chopped parsley
-2 TBS lemon juice
-2 cloves garlic
-1/4 tsp ground cumin
-1/4 tsp group coriander
-1/8 tsp cayenne

Steps:
1) Roast eggplant, tomatoes, red pepper
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Put eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes
-Remove seeds from red pepper & chop into 1 inch pieces
-Place red pepper and tomatoes in baking dish
-Toss with olive oil & put in oven
-Check on tomatoes and pepper every 10 minutes; stirring to keep from burning
-Remove tomatoes and pepper when they are browned but not burnt
-Remove eggplant when until soft when poked
-Slice eggplant in half & let cool
 
2) While veggies are roasting, prepare couscous
-Boil 1 1/4 c water in a saucepan
-Add 1 c couscous and 1/2 tsp salt
-Lower heat & simmer 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed
 
3) Saute herbs, tomatoes & peppers
-Mince or grate garlic
-Spoon out inside of eggplant
-Chop by hand or in food processor
-Chop tomatoes & pepper in food processor
-Chop parsley
-Add about 2TBS to skillet and heat medium low
-Add garlic & let soften (not brown)
-Add tomatoes, peppers, cumin, coriander & cayenne to skillet
-Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently
-Add eggplant, lemon juice, parsley, salt & pepper
-Remove from heat & mix with couscous
 
Enjoy!

This recipe was the inspiration for this blog.  It's my take on a dish created by James Beard Award winning chef, Alon Shaya, who's restaurant in New Orleans is one of the best I've ever eaten in.  I've added tofu and switched up some of the vegetables.  So yummy!

The recipe is a little complex and takes about 1 1/2 hours to prepare, but it's so worth it.  You can make each step separately and the roasted veggies and tofu are tasty on their own -- just add a sprinkle of lemon juice or vinegar.

Ingredients:
large pot of water
2 TBS salt
1 eggplant
1 red pepper
8 oz tofu (1/2 container)
1 onion
1/2 cup Israeli couscous
4 sprigs of fresh oregano or thyme
1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
5 cloves of garlic sliced
1 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup assorted olives, black or green, pitted and halved
8 fresh basil leaves, torn

5 Steps:
1) Prep 
- preheat oven to 375 degrees
- bring pot of water w/ 1 TBS salt to a boil
-chop eggplant, pepper, onion and tofu into approximately 1/2 inch pieces & mix with 1/4 c olive oil and 1 TBS salt
-measure 1 c dry Israeli couscous
-slice garlic & chop herbs
-measure 1 c  tomato paste (~1 1/2 6 oz. cans)
-chop olives
- tear basil leaves
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2) Roast veggies
- spread out veggies and tofu on 2 rimmed baking sheets
-put in oven for about 15-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until eggplant is tender and lightly browned

3) Cook couscous
-add couscous to boiling water & cook for about 6 minutes till chewy with a slight bit of texture
-drain and set aside

4) Saute herbs and tomato paste
-warm 1/4 c olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
-saute herbs and garlic for ~1 minute till garlic is fragrant but doesn't burn
-stir in tomato paste and continue stirring to break it up for 10-15 minutes

5) Combine everything and eat!!
Mix together roasted veggies, couscous, caramelized tomato paste, 1/4-1/2 c water, olives & basil

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