A  good roast chicken makes almost anything possible.  It's great for company or a comfort food meal at home.  This is one of my favorite recipes. It's a whole meal in one roasting pan.

This takes about 20 minutes of prep time, requires 1 1/2 - 2 hours in the oven and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
-whole chicken
- 2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
-1 lemon
-few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme or oregano
-8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
-1 lb small, new potatoes
-1 eggplant
-1 red pepper

Steps:
1) Prepare chicken
-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
-Rub chicken all over with olive oil
-Place 1/2 of the lemon & 1-2 sprig of herbs inside the cavity of the chicken
-Please bird breast side down in large roasting pan
-Roast for about 30 minutes

2) Prepare vegetables
-Chop eggplant into 1 inch pieces
-Remove seeds from red pepper & cut into 1 inch pieces
-If potatoes are on the larger side, cut into quarters
 
3) Add potatoes to chicken
-Remove chicken from the oven & season with salt
-Turn chicken over
-Paste with juices from pan
-Add potatoes to roasting pan, pour enough olive oil to coat
-Roast for an additional 30 minutes

4) Add vegetables
-Add eggplant, red pepper, garlic cloves, remaining sprigs of herbs to pan
-Slice remaining 1/2 lemon and add to pan
-Drizzle vegetables with remaining olive oil
-Season with salt and pepper
-Return to oven for additional 30-50 minutes
-Baste and turn vegetables every 15 minutes
-Chicken is finished when meat thermometer is at 165 degrees or when juices run clear
 
5) Serve and enjoy!!

I'm truly on a mission to help you live healthier.  I keep sharing things that have worked in my own life.  Some of you know how jazzed I've been about my "miracle breakfast." I started eating this when I realized that I wasn't getting enough fiber in my diet, even with eating whole grains and lots of veggies. (We should be getting between 30 to 50 grams of fiber a day. Average Americans only get 8-15 grams.)

I knew I had to make some changes.  I realized that I was often leaving the house with a Kashi bar and not eating a full breakfast.  So I switched to a really healthy bowl of oatmeal with lots of yummy stuff.

Why oatmeal? From a Chinese medicine perspective it's a food that strengthens the digestive and nervous systems, removes cholesterol from the body, and renews bone and connective tissue. From a sense of ease perspective, it's something that can be prepared in minutes and available wherever you are. (Just be sure that it's the kind with no added sugar.) I often bring packages of instant oatmeal and a mix of almonds, flaxseed and fiber when I'm traveling.
​
Here's my miracle breakfast with amounts of fiber.
                                1 package instant organic oatmeal                            4 grams
                                1/4 cup almonds                                                            3 grams
                                4 TBS ground flaxseed                                                  6 grams
                                1/3 cup Trader Joes Frozen Berry Medley                3 grams
                                1 TBS Great Shape Natural Fiber Supplement*       5 grams
                                                                                                                        ________
                                                                                                                             24 grams
                                *You might want to add this slowly to avoid gas and bloating.
 
If I still haven't convinced you, take the challenge. Try starting everyday for 3 weeks with my miracle breakfast. Let me know how you feel.
​

This is a quick and easy recipe. It takes about 1/2 hour to prepare and serves 4 people.

This is adapted from 20 Minute Menus which has other healthy recipes that can be prepared in a short amount of time.

Ingredients:
Chicken and Veggies
-1 lb boneless chicken thighs
-1 bunch of broccoli
-12 baby carrots or 2 whole carrots or 1 c grated carrots
 
Sauce
-1 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger, minced
-3 TBS tahini
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 TBS Oriental Chili Sauce
-3 TBS water
-3 TBS rice vinegar
-2 TBS low sodium soy sauce
 
-10 inch whole wheat tortilla wrappers
-hoisin Sauce
 
Steps:
1) Cook chicken and veggies
-Place chicken thighs in large skillet and add just enough water to cover
-Wash broccoli and chop into small pea size pieces
-Grate carrots by hand or in food processor
-Add broccoli and carrots to skillet covering the chicken
-Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes
 
2) Cook brown rice or heat tortillas
-Submerge package of rice in 1 quart of water in microwave-safe bowl
-Microwave for 10 minutes
Note: you can also place bag of rice in 1 quart boiling water for 10 minutes
-preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees
-Wrap tortillas in foil; place in oven for 10 minutes

3) Make sauce
-Mix together ginger, garlic, sesame paste, chili sauce, rice vinegar and sauce
(I use a mini food processor for this.)
-Put in large bowl
 
4) Combine ingredients
-Remove chicken, cool, cut into strips and place in large bowl
-Strain the veggies, saving the liquid
-Add veggies to bowl
-Add 3 TBS of liquid (chicken broth) and sauce to bowl
-Mix together well
Note: the remaining liquid is a delicious chicken broth.  I often have it as a bowl of soup. Or, you can save it for the next time you need chicken broth in a recipe.
 
5) Serve
-Spoon hoisin sauce on tortillas or serve with brown rice
-Add chicken and veggie mixture
-Enjoy!

Kitchen I love you
In your walls, no masks, no fear
Safely you hold me
The world has gone mad, filled with death and uncertainty
But you remain unfazed, familiar, steady
I feel your floor beneath my feet
 
Your cabinets with dishes, glasses, pots and pans
Drawers of silverware carefully arranged
Your pantry holds pasta, rice, cans of red tomatoes
Tuna, oatmeal, a dazzling display of riches
Refrigerator filled with lemons, grapefruits, greens spilling over drawers and shelves
Eggs set neatly in a tray — safe and unbreakable
 
I open your doors to find all that I need
A bunch of kale; an onion gently covered in brown, paper-like wrapping
Your countertops ready for food to be magically transformed
Sink shining, anticipating dirty dishes and silver
 
My heart beats to your rhythm
The rhythm of smells & tastes, sounds and sights
The chopping of onions, garlic, eggplant and pepper
The sizzle of oil in the cast iron skillet on your stove
Aroma of caramelized tomato paste with fresh oregano
All melding together into flavors that delight
 
Vase filled with roses and lilies bursting with color
Lasting at least a week until he buys me more
Candles lit, challah baked, wine poured for Sabbath prayers
These we still say joyously.
 
Kitchen I love you, but you have grown quiet these days
Do you wonder what has changed?
I thought you had all the secrets
You give forth food 3 times a day
I know your hidden crevices filled with forgotten staples — some gone bad
I’m with you more — new dishes to try
Bread to bake, sauce to stir
 
And yet, like me, you find yourself more & more alone
No family or friends grace your presence
Where are they?
Their hugs and smiles, laughter and conversation
Are you waiting for them with me?
Perhaps for a time when we can all eat and drink together
When you can once again share your abundance
 
Till then keep your cupboards full, your counters clean
Your magic fully alive
Kitchen, I love you
Please stay with me, hold me, keep me safe

This is one of those comfort foods that I've been making for years.  I'll list the specific ingredients that I use, but it's so adaptable that you can switch things up with your favorite meat (or if you're a vegetarian beans) in the rice, favorite salsa, etc...

This takes 1/2 hour to prepare start to finish and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
Rice
-1 1/3 c brown rice (I use boil-in-bag precooked rice)
-2c TBS olive oil
-1 lb chopped turkey
-16 oz. salsa (8 oz. Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica, 8 oz.Garlic Chipotle Salsa)
-3/4 c Trader Joe's shredded soy cheese blend

Chopped Salad
-2 TBS olive oil
-1 TBS lime juice or balsamic vinegar
-1/8 tsp cumin
-1/2 avocado
-3 scallions
-1/2 pint grape tomatoes
-2 c spring mix lettuce
-10 pitted kalamata olives
-tortilla chips

Steps:
1) Prepare rice
-Submerge package of rice in 1 quart of water in microwave-safe bowl
-Microwave for 10 minutes
-Note: you can also put bag of rice in 1 quart of boiling water for 10 minutes
-While rice is cooking, heat 2 TBS olive oil in large skillet at medium heat
​-Add chopped turkey & brown for about 5 minutes
-Add salsa
-Reduce heat to low
-Add 1 1/3 c of the cooked rice and combine
-Add soy cheese and combine

2) Prepare chopped salad
-put 2 TBS olive oil in large bowl
-add lime juice or vinegar
-chop 1/2 avocado, add to bowl, stirring to coat the avocado so it doesn't brown
-chop scallions and quarter tomatoes, add to bowl
​-chop olives, add to bowl
-chop lettuce, add to bowl

3) Serve
-place rice mixture on a plate
-cover with chopped salad
-arrange tortilla chips around rice and salad

Enjoy!

What I love about cooking is that it is so forgiving.  You can always add a little more of a little less of an ingredient or tweak a recipe so that it includes a favorite food or spice.  This is true of the recipe listed below.  Don't worry if you don't have the exact ingredients.

It takes about a 1/2 hour to prepare.  Most of the time is for sauteing the onions at low heat so that they are soft & sweet.

I often make couscous with veggies for lunch. You can refrigerate or freeze extra portions.  It's pretty simple to make, and it's good for you.

Ingredients:
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped; or 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1 TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup dried couscous

Steps:
1) Saute onions
-heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat
-add the chopped onions & cook these for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally so they don't brown

2) Make couscous
-in a saucepan boil 3/4 c water
-add 3/4 c dry couscous
-stir well
-remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes

3) Saute other veggies
-add red pepper to onions; cook for 5 minutes on low heat
-add garlic and stir for 30 seconds
-add spinach & cover pot for a few minutes until spinach starts to wilt
-stir veggies so that spinach leaves melt into the other veggies

4) Mix everything together
-stir in lemon juice & oregano
-stir in couscous and serve

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
​
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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