Quinoa with Chicken and Zucchini

September 28, 2011 by Susan

A few years back I posted a recipe for chicken and vegetable couscous. After making the dish a few times I substituted the couscous with quinoa and have been making it that way ever since. Quinoa is a super food, afterall, so I try to incorporate it whenever I can. And it’s just so easy to cook!

Over the past few months I have made one more adjustment, substituting the olives with mushrooms. I just can’t seem to stomach olives during this pregnancy. And you know what – the dish is just as great! I give this quinoa dish to my husband for lunch alot and he loves mushrooms, so I’ve gotten zero complaints from him. It is quick to make and hearty to eat, an all around winner.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4…
2 tbsp olive oil

2 large thin, boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 large onion

2 zucchini, cubed or cut into 1/2 moons

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp grated lemon zest

Juice of one lemon

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1-2 pinches of cinnamon

8-10 crimini mushrooms, sliced (not too thin)

1 1/2 cup quinoa

3 cups chicken stock, low sodium

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt & pepper
Add quinoa and chicken stock in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken cubes and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3-5 minutes. Push the chicken to one side of the pan and add the onion, zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, lemon zest, red pepper and cinnamon. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the cooked quinoa to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Turn off heat and add the parsley, mint and lemon juice. Mix well.
Recipe originally adapted from Rachael Ray

Zucchini Salad

September 23, 2010 by Susan

Isn’t this pretty? Considering we eat with our eyes first, this is a very good start.

The follow up…the flavor, does not disappoint. It’s bright and refreshing making it a wonderful first course in the warmer months or a perfect side dish with something more hearty, like a steak.

One of the many reasons I love this salad is because, although I call it a salad, there are no leaves to be found! So, it’s different from the norm and lord knows it’s important to keep things changing from one night to the next. Another reason I love it – it’s so simple to make. And I love simple, especially when it’s warm out. There are just a few ingredients involved and you do not need to use a heat element. Everything is raw.

You will, however, need a mandolin. The key to this salad is to make the slices of zucchini paper-thin. I suppose you could try slicing the zucchini by hand, but I’m sure that could make a person nuts. Using a mandolin is quick and easy…just be careful of your fingers. You don’t want to slice anything important off.

Here’s what you will need to serve 2 people…

Recipe

1 large zucchini

1 small leek, white and light green part only, sliced into paper-thin rounds

4-5 tbsp ricotta

1/2 lemon, juiced

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

Method

First, slice the leek into paper-thin rounds. Put the rounds in a bowl filled with water, swish them around a bit and then let the leeks soak for a few minutes, allowing all the sand and dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Gently pull out the leeks, being careful not to stir up the dirt on the bottom. Give them a final rinse and place on paper towels to dry.

Next, get out that mandolin and start slicing the zucchini into paper-thin rounds. It helps to make a very straight first cut with the knife when you cut the stem off. Place all the zucchini in an overlapping pattern on a pretty platter.

Sprinkle the zucchini rounds with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. Place a piece of plastic wrap over it and put in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. I usually let mine sit for about 30 minutes, or until dinner is ready.

Just before serving, sprinkle the leeks over the zucchini, putting on as many or as little as you prefer. Next, scatter around small dollops of ricotta cheese all over the zucchini, again using as much or as little as you like. Finally, sprinkle the parsley and dill over the entire plate. I also give it a final spritz of lemon juice just before serving.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence’s Zucchini Carpaccio

Zucchini Salad

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 large zucchini
1 small leek, white and light green part only, sliced into paper-thin rounds
4-5 tbsp ricotta
½ lemon, juiced
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Method

First, slice the leek into paper-thin rounds. Put the rounds in a bowl filled with water, swish them around a bit and then let the leeks soak for a few minutes, allowing all the sand and dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Gently pull out the leeks, being careful not to stir up the dirt on the bottom. Give them a final rinse and place on paper towels to dry.
Next, get out that mandolin and start slicing the zucchini into paper-thin rounds. It helps to make a very straight first cut with the knife when you cut the stem off. Place all the zucchini in an overlapping pattern on a pretty platter.
Sprinkle the zucchini rounds with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. Place a piece of plastic wrap over it and put in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. I usually let mine sit for about 30 minutes, or until dinner is ready.
Just before serving, sprinkle the leeks over the zucchini, putting on as many or as little as you prefer. Next, scatter around small dollops of ricotta cheese all over the zucchini, again using as much or as little as you like. Finally, sprinkle the parsley and dill over the entire plate. I also give it a final spritz of lemon juice just before serving.

Chicken Vegetable Couscous

March 19, 2009 by Susan

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Quick and simple dishes that actually taste good are my favorite things to make. If the dish stands up well to being left in the fridge for a few days, even better! I discovered this recipe from the Rachael Ray magazine and only made a few small changes. It’s a wonderful side dish, however, I eat it as my main meal, in a bowl, sitting in front of the TV…

I doubled the amount of zucchini as well as eliminating the fennel seeds (her recipe called for 1/2 tsp). The other change I sometimes make is not sauteing the chicken in the pan – sometimes I have leftover oven roasted chicken that I shred up or cut into cubes and throw in. Also note that I have made this dish with quinoa instead of couscous many times and it’s delicious. Actually, I think I prefer it. Just cook the quinoa separately (as directed on the box) and add to the zucchini mixture for a gluten-free, protein packed version of this meal.

Here’s what you need to serve 4…

Recipe

2 tbsp olive oil

1 pound boneless chicken breasts, chopped (or leftover chicken)

1 onion

2 zucchini, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp grated lemon zest

Juice of one lemon

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Pinch of cinnamon

1 cup green olives, chopped

Low sodium chicken stock (use amount as directed on couscous box)

One 10 oz box couscous (or 1 cup quinoa)

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped

Salt & pepper

hot sauce (optional)

Method

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Add the onion, zucchini, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper and cinnamon. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, then add the olives. Cook for 3 more minutes.

Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and then add the parsley, mint and lemon juice. Toss to combine. If you are so inclined, sprinkle some hot sauce on it and enjoy!

Chicken Vegetable Couscous

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, chopped (or leftover chicken)
1 onion
2 zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated lemon zest
Juice of one lemon
½ tsp crushed red pepper
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cup green olives, chopped
Low sodium chicken stock (use amount as directed on couscous box)
One 10 oz box couscous (or 1 cup quinoa)
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
Salt & pepper
hot sauce (optional)

Method

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Add the onion, zucchini, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper and cinnamon. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, then add the olives. Cook for 3 more minutes.
Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and then add the parsley, mint and lemon juice. Toss to combine. If you are so inclined, sprinkle some hot sauce on it and enjoy!