Boise has many things…but it does NOT have good Indian Food.  I decided a few weeks ago to just make it myself.  I did a bunch of research and created my own recipe for Butter Chicken/Tofu.  Man is it GOOD.  I made it this past weekend for Friend Dinner along with Jenna’s Chana Masala.  It was some good eats!

It’s a lot of ingredients and it takes some time but MAN is it worth it!

Ingredients:

-1 TBSP grape seed oil
-1 shallot finely chopped
-1 small onion finely chopped

-2 TBSP butter
-Juice from half of a lemon
-1 TBSP minced ginger
-1 TBSP chili garlic sauce
-1/4 tsp fenugreek whole seeds, then ground (too much and it will be bitter)
-1 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1 tsp garam masala
-pinch cayenne pepper
-1 bay leaf

-1 can chopped tomatoes, pureed (I did this with my hand blender)

-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/2 cup plain yogurt
-salt and pepper to taste

-1 TBSP grape seed oil
-1 pound chicken thighs, cut into small pieces or a block of tofu cut into pieces, coated with 1 TBSP grape seed oil, cumin, garam masala, and chili powder and baked for 30 minutes, flipped half way through (or half of each)
-1 tsp garam masala

-1/3 cup ground cashews

Instructions:

-Sauté onions, shallots, and grape seed oil over medium high heat until translucent.

-Melt butter and add lemon, ginger, chili garlic sauce, fenugreek, chili powder, cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Stir until well incorporated.

-Add pureed tomatoes, stir and cook about 5 minutes.

-Add cream, yogurt, salt and pepper. Stir well, turn heat to low and simmer while you prepare chicken.

-Heat oil in a separate skillet, add chicken and garam masala, cook until browned.

-Add chicken to sauce and stir in ground cashews, stir well, and cover. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.

-Enjoy!

(Shaun LOVES this with mashed potatoes and cauliflower-2 potatoes and a head of cauliflower, boiled, mashed, and then made like normal mashed potatoes.)

Shaun was so excited about getting Butter Chicken again (I made it a few weeks ago) that he found good Bollywood music/dance videos and had those on loop on You Tube AND he looked up how to say “Welcome” in Hindi.  He and Lu welcomed our guests.

Boise has good Indian food now!

I go through phases with salads, sometimes I love them and other times I want nothing to do with them.  Ever since I learned how to make my sister’s shallot dressing, I always want salad.  I almost have one every day.  It’s simply amazing.

Ingredients:

For a large salad for 1 or side salad for 2-3 to share. All measurements approximates

-1/4 inch cut from a shallot
-1/4 tsp high quality salt
-1.5 TBSP Olive Oil
-2 tsp Balsamic
-ground pepper to taste

Cut approximately this much shallot:

Then chop it up really small (I had already started when I remembered that I needed a picture of how the piece I cut off).

When it gets pretty finely chopped:

Add salt:

Chop until it gets all pulverized and liquid-y.

The longer this mixture sits, the mellower it gets. I try to pulverize my shallots before I make anything else for my meal.  It can sit like this on the lettuce too.

Right before you’re ready to eat, add the olive oil:

And balsamic:

*Tip-You want about a 1 part balsamic to 3 parts Olive Oil ratio.

Add pepper and toss well!

Enjoy!

This salad was only romaine, some cashews, and the dressing.  It was delish!

Thanks Lissa!

A couple of weeks ago I was at a loss for what to have for lunch and pulled gluten free pizza dough out of the fridge, then I added tomatoes, peppers, and thought to myself, “I need protein.” so I added chickpeas.  It didn’t quite feel complete so I added olive oil and curry powder.  The result? O.M.G. I’ve now made this pizza multiple times and it’s been requested for a party.  I thought I’d share with y’all.

Ingredients:

-GF pizza dough (I like Udi’s)
-1 cup stewed chopped tomatoes
-1 cup rinsed chickpeas
-1 small bell pepper, sliced, or 5 mini bell peppers, sliced
-10 kalamata olives, sliced
-1 TBSP olive oil
-2 tsp curry powder
-Salt to taste

Instructions:

-Preheat oven according to pizza package.

-In a bowl, toss together all the ingredients, except the dough

-Place mixture on the dough.

-Bake until the dough is crisp (about 10 minutes)

-Enjoy!

Next time I may add some chopped up fresh cilantro after I remove it from the oven-YOM!

It’s the second edition of Shaun Can Cook!  This week’s selection? Green Curry!

Ingredients:

-Cooked rice (Use the rice cooker)
-Half an onion
-1/4 pound green beans
-2 heads of broccoli
-1 green bell pepper
-8 oz frozen peas
-8 oz-1 pound protein (I gave Shaun the choice of tofu or shrimp and he chose shrimp)
-2 TBSP honey
-1 TBSP Braggs Amino
-1 tsp green curry paste
-1 can coconut milk

Implements Needed:

-Cutting board
-Knife
-Big skillet or Wok
-Strainer to defrost shrimp
-Spoon

-Measuring spoons

-Can Opener

-Lid for the pan.

Instructions:

-Make sure your child is sufficiently occupied. She likes to sort food into different colored bowls.  Sunflower seeds being a favorite.

-Place shrimp in the colander and run cold water over them or soak them for ~5 minutes. If you are using a different type of protein, cut it up into bite sized pieces.
-Cut the onion, first in half and then into longer pieces.

-Put aside on a plate (not in the pan)
-Trim each end of the green beans.  You can do multiple at one time.

-Set aside on a plate.

-Trim broccoli so it’s just the tree part.

-Cut the bell pepper in half.

-Cut out the stem, seeds, and white membrane.

-Chop into long pieces.

-Turn the stove on to medium high heat and put 1 tsp of green curry (more if you like it spicier and are not feeding a child) and the can of coconut milk in the pan and stir it up.

-Next add 1 TBSP of Braggs and 2 TBSP of honey. Stir.

-If you’re using meat or tofu, add it now and cook for about 5 minutes.

-Add all the veggies you chopped.

-Cook for about 5 minutes, covered.

-If you’re using shrimp, add shrimp and peas.

-Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes more-until the peas are no longer frozen and the shrimp is pink.

-Serve on a bed of rice.

-Sit back and watch as your daughter eats it all up and asks for more.

Another HIT by Shaun.  He’s doing great!  See?  Cooking is easy!

As amazing as my husband is, he DOES NOT cook. When we first met, his refrigerator had ketchup, tarter sauce, and beer in it.  That’s it.  The freezer had pot pies, tater tots, and fish sticks. YUM! I did teach him how to make Mrs. T’s perogies-you know, boil water, put them in, wait for them to float, drain them, add some butter, and seasoning salt. I also taught him how to make scrambled eggs.  He was REALLY proud of himself when he made his first egg.

We’ve been together for 7 years.  If I don’t cook, we go out.  Since we’re trying really hard to save money, that means that I cook A LOT. I love to cook.

BUT.

Quite frankly-I’m exhausted.  I NEED SOME HELP!  One of the problems is that I have so many food allergies that we can’t just throw a pizza in the oven and Shaun can’t make eggs or pirogies for me.  We’ve talked about me teaching him to cook but we never do.  Well…

Last night was the night! Look at what my hubby made me!

(These are all phone pictures since I was too lazy (Yes I am THAT exhausted) to go downstairs and get my camera.)

I picked what I would teach him (and he freaked out and said it was too much too soon) and then I told him how to make it.  He did it ALL himself. 

Here’s the recipe, so that he can make it again.

Ingredients:

(He took this picture for himself-the idea for a post came when he said he’d never remember how to make this.)

-2 TBSP olive oil (a turn or so around the pan)
-1/2 onion
-5 cloves (pieces) of garlic
-1 pound frozen shrimp
-1/2 cup wine
-Juice of 1 lemon
-The greens of green onions, chopped
-1/2 tsp salt
-A few grinds of pepper from the pepper mill
-Half a box of pasta
-Quinoa, rice, or rice pasta for your wife

Instructions:

-Put the frozen shrimp in a colander and soak in cold water.

-Put water in a big pot on the stove and turn on high.  It needs to boil for the pasta. Once it boils, cook the pasta according to the package.

-Get a big skillet (the one with the big sides) and put the olive oil in it.

-Chop the onion (a Slap Chop is great for this!), put it in the pan.

-Chop the garlic, put it in the pan.

-Chop the green onions. DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE PAN.

-Cut the lemon in half. DO NOT PUT IT IN THE PAN.

-Turn the stove on to Medium High.

-Stir the onion and garlic mixture until it starts to look a little slimy-about 3 minutes.

-Add the defrosted shrimp.

-Add the wine and the lemon juice.

-Stir occasionally until the shrimp is pink-about 5 minutes.

-Once the shrimp is pink, add the green onions, salt, and pepper.

-Stir and turn off the stove.

-Serve over pasta, rice, or quinoa.  Microwave some frozen broccoli for a side.

Viola!

Lucy loved it!

It was fabulous!  Thank you honey!

For some reason, I always thought that making granola was really difficult.  When I ate the last of my Mom’s secret recipe yummy granola this week I thought to myself, “I should try to make some granola.”

Today, I was on a roll-we got up and cleaned the entire house, I made Shaun’s lunch for the week, I had lentils stewing away on the stove, I had a chicken in the crockpot, and I thought, “I SHOULD make granola.” I searched for “granola” online and Alton Brown’s recipe came up.

Here’s my take on it.  It seriously took me 10 minutes or less to put together.

Ingredients:

-3 cups GF oats
-1/2 cup slivered almonds
-1/2 cup roughly chopped raw almonds
-1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
-1/2 cup sunflower seeds
-1/4 cup chia seeds (optional)
-1/4 cup flax seeds
-1/4 cup sesame seeds
-3/4 cup shredded coconut
-1/3 cup palm sugar (you can use brown sugar)
-1/3 cup maple syrup
-1/4 cup coconut oil
-3/4 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

-Mix oats, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and palm sugar in a large bowl.

-In another  bowl heat up the coconut oil and then add the maple syrup and salt.

-Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well.

-Spread mixture out on two large cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

-Stir mixture every 15 minutes for even baking.

-Let cool and ENJOY! YOM!

Lucy, Tessa, my sister and I all gave this a 5 out of 5 stars!  Shaun isn’t a granola kind of guy, so he hasn’t had any yet-he doesn’t know what he’s missing!

It’s the last week of the POM Summer Menu Series!  I had so much fun experimenting with POM Wonderful-I’m going to miss it! 

This week I was tasked with a main course and my sister had the brilliant idea to do fish!  I was going to do lamb but loved the fish idea.  She found a recipe in one of her middle eastern books for a baked pomegranate fish dish with onions, tomatoes, and celery-I decided to use the spices from that dish to inspire my marinade. 

Ingredients:

-2 pounds wild Snapper (or any other white fish)
-1 cup POM Wonderful
-1 TBSP Olive Oil
-1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped, ~ 1/2 cup
-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-2 TBSP of lime juice
-1 TBSP ground All Spice
-2 tsp cumin
-1 tsp red pepper flakes
-2 tsp salt

Instructions:

-Combine all ingredients (except fish) in a zip top bag and mix well.

-Add the fish and marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning your bag halfway through.

-Over medium flame and with foil down, grill your fish, ~4 minutes each side.

-When the fish is no longer translucent, it’s done.

-Enjoy!

As you can see, I paired this with some rice, grilled asparagus, and avocado.  It was a wonderfully refreshing and light summer meal. 

I had Megan and Luke over and Luke couldn’t believe that there was pomegranate juice in the marinade.  I could tell, it gives it a special little zing that makes you go “YOM!”  It is sort of like cooking with balsamic vinegar but not as intense.  Balsamic has a tendency to overtake dishes, pomegranate does not but it still gives it that something special.

Shaun gave this high praise.  He rated it a 3.5 out of 5.  As you know, for Shaun that’s a HUGE compliment.  Megan gave it a 4 and Luke said that it was in that range as well.  I will definitely me making this again.  So easy and flavorful!

This week’s POM Summer Menu Series is early!

I was tasked with a salad this week and I’ve been meaning to share my recipe for Rice Salad and POM Wonderful was a perfect addition that added a special kick! 

This salad is both sour and sweet and a pretty complex mix of flavors.  It may not be for everyone but I really love it.  It’s my staple side when I’m going to potlucks because I’m always guaranteed that there will be something for me to eat.

Ingredients:

-3 TBSP POM Wonderful
-2 TBSP Olive Oil
-1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
-1 TBSP finely chopped shallot
-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-3 cups cooked rice
-2 6.5oz jars of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
-~25 small manzanilla olives with piminto, cut into thirds
-3 green onions, finely chopped, including green
-S+P to taste

Instructions:

-Mix the first 5 ingredients (POM Wonderful – garlic) in a small bowl and set aside. (I think this would be a FABULOUS vinaigrette on a green salad too.)

-Mix all other ingredients together (excluding S+P).

-Add vinaigrette slowly-you may not need all of it-taste it as you go.  (I ended up using all of mine.

-Mix well, add S+P, and ENJOY!

This can be eaten either warm or cold-I like it served cold the next day after the flavors have melded together.

You can check out the other awesome blogs that are participating in the POM Summer Menu Series:

Danica’s Daily
Fitness and Spice
Kitchen Confidante
The Wicked Noodle

Next and final week?  You guessed it-a main dish!!!

It’s POM Summer Menu Series time again! 

This week I was charged with making a cocktail and I instantly knew what I wanted to make-a Pomegranate Mojito or what I lovingly named it, a POMijito!

Ingredients:

-3 large mint leaves
-2 TBSP of sugar
-Juice of 2 limes
-1 jigger of Rum
-1 jigger of POM Wonderful
-Ice
-Splash of 7-Up

Instructions:

-Muddle together the mint and 1 TBSP of sugar-just enough to get the oils of the mint on the sugar-no need to pulverize it (it’s tempting!)

-Add the mint/sugar mixture to a glass.

-Add remaining sugar, rum, lime juice, and POM Wonderful to the glass and stir well.

-Add ice and top off with 7-Up (or Sprite or Sierra Mist). Garnish with mint (optional).

-Enjoy!

My sister claims to be a Mojito expert and even did a blind taste testing with multiple friends of 7-Up vs. simple syrup and 7-Up won hands down.  I DECLARE that my sister *IS* a Mojito expert.  This was awesome.  It was very refreshing and just the thing for a 4th of July BBQ-which is exactly what we had.

You can check out all the other lovely ladies that are participating in the POM Summer Menu Series:

Danica’s Daily
Fitness and Spice
Kitchen Confidante

Next week, I’ll be making a POMerific salad!

The movers still haven’t arrived with all of our stuff so I’m living on a very limited pantry.  Last night I made a delicious glaze for chicken with what I had on hand-it was so easy and yummy that I thought I’d share.

Ingredients:

-3 TBSP honey
-2 TBSP olive oil
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

-Mix ingredients together in a zip top bag and add your protein.  Make sure protein is well covered with the glaze.

-Marinate for as long as you’d like.  I only let my sit for about 15 minutes and it was still incredibly flavorful.

-Throw it on the grill!

YOM!