Stuffed Chicken and Sautéed Radishes with Peach Arugula Salad

We just got home from our vacation in Spain with all of the married Hamanns - including the newlyweds, who joined us straight from their honeymoon!  As a family, we spent a few days on the beach in Sitges and a week in Barcelona, enjoying the sun, beautiful sites, and amazing seafood... probably too much of it.

Now that we're back, Carsten is into full-on study mode for Boards part 2.  He's got a strict schedule he follows, including his breaks for lunch and exercise and dinner.  That's my job for this month: making him a yummy and healthy dinner each night.  Full of veggies and protein.  It's only been one week, but I'm enjoying the challenge of coming up with a delicious and healthy well-rounded meal day after day.  As we normally eat vegetarian when it's just the two of us, it's proved even more challenging to mix up the protein sources...

Tonight was definitely a success.  I know, because he suggested I blog it ;)

The stuffed chicken I adapted from a recipe I found at From Calculu∫ to Cupcake∫.  Maybe I was drawn to it because I relate to math and baking name, or maybe it was just the mouth-watering picture, that looks like anything but a boring chicken breast.

The sweet sautéed radishes I found over at The Endless Meal.  The fabulous photographs are definitely what got me on this one.

And the peach salad I threw together because I was lucky enough to find some fabulous peaches at the grocery store.  I could eat this salad all day... it's like a healthy dessert.

Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
serves 2
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 oz cream cheese (I used fat-free)
4 oz frozen spinach, thawed
4 oz mushrooms, chopped into small 1/4-inch pieces (I used mini porcini mushrooms)
1 Tbs drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tsp cooking olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper to taste
paprika
any other seasoning of your choice

Procedure
Let the spinach thaw enough to separate out 4oz.  Return the remaining spinach to the freezer for later use.  Place the chicken on parchment paper, and using a meat tenderizer mallet, pound each chicken breast until about 1/4 inch thick.  Fold the paper over the chicken, and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat, and sautée the mushrooms until most of the moisture has been released and evaporated.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the cream cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted and well-incorporated.  Squeeze all of the liquid out of the spinach, and add it to the pan.  Mix well, and add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside to until cool enough to handle.
Remove the chicken from the fridge, and evenly distribute half of the filling onto one end of each breast.  Roll up the breast, taking care not to let the stuffing fall out the sides.  Secure the chicken with tooth picks or kitchen twine.
Drizzle or spray each roll with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and any other seasoning you desire.  Return chicken to the fridge until ready to cook (you can prepare these up to a day in advance).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken rolls on a baking sheet, and bake until chicken is fully cooked but still moist, about 15 minutes.  Remove tooth picks or twine before serving.


Sweet Sautéed Radishes
Ingredients
serves 2-3
1 bunch of radishes, about 10 in total
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 Tbs honey
1 Tbs sherry vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)
dash of sea salt

Procedure
Twist the leaves off the radishes and wash the radishes well. Thinly slice 2 radishes into rounds and set them aside. Then cut the remaining radishes in half lengthwise. Wash the leaves well, place them in a large bowl and set them aside.
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add the radishes, cut side down, to the pan. Sautée them for 3-4 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown. Remove them from the pan and place them in the bowl with the radish greens.
In a small sauce pan, heat the butter, honey, vinegar and salt over medium heat.  It will come to a boil.  Cook until the glaze thickens, then pour the glaze over the sautéed radishes and radish greens.  Toss well to coat.
Transfer the sautéed radishes and greens to a serving plate, scatter the thinly sliced radishes around the plate and sprinkle the top with a little extra sea salt.


Peach Arugula Salad
Ingredients
serves 2
2 handfuls arugula
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 Tbs crumbled goat cheese
1 ripe peach, peeled and chopped

olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Procedure
Assemble the ingredients on two plates in the order listed, top with a light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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Roasted Veggie "Fries"

 

This is our go-to meal when we have our dinner and movie date nights at home: a mound of vegetables that taste absolutely delicious.  They have that crispness that tricks your taste buds into thinking they're enjoying some deep-fried yumimness , but in reality, it's just a bunch of good-for-you ingredients baked to perfection.   And there's even some hidden protein in the Greek yogurt and eggs!

 

These "fries" can be dipped in pretty much anything.  Carsten and I tend to lean towards bbq sauce and, my favorite, ranch with sriracha.  Marinara sauce would be another good option.

This recipe isn't, however, a perfect science.  Each time we make it, it's a little bit different, as we don't have an exact recipe.  We just throw things together, depending on what we have and what we feel like.  So feel free to use any vegetables that you have in your fridge!  Our favorites: eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes. We've also recently tried okra, and it was delicious!

Ingredients
enough vegetables to fill you up - for the two of us, we usually pack two baking sheets full (and I mean pack)

about 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 or 2 eggs
about 1 Tbs lemon juice
liquid - milk  or beer

2 parts flour
2 parts cornmeal
1 part bread crumbs
spices to your liking (e.g. paprika, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, etc)

Procedure
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray two baking sheets with oil.
Cut longer vegetables (eggplant, zucchini) into long strips, about 1 cm thick.  Asparagus and green beans need only to be trimmed of their ends.  Any other vegetables can be sliced into 1 cm thick slices (mushrooms, tomatoes), or into bit size pieces (broccoli, cauliflower).  In a bowl (we like to use a bread loaf pan), combine yogurt, eggs and lemon juice.  Whisk to combine.  Add enough liquid so that the mixture will thinly coat the vegetables.  (You'll get the hang of the consistency you want quickly).  In a separate bowl (or loaf pan), combine the flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs and spices.
Coat each veggie in the yogurt mixture, then in the flour mixture, then place on the pan.  (This goes quickly if two people are working together.  If you're alone, you can speed up the process by throwing all the veggies and the yogurt mixture into a freezer bag and shaking it until everything is coated evenly).  Spritz everything lightly with oil, then bake until golden brown and crispy.  This usually takes about 45 minutes, but we always check them at 35.

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Basic Pretzels

Ingredients
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1 package, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
22 oz flour, ~4 1/2 cups
1 3/4 cups warm water
1 egg plus 1 Tbs water, whisked
sea salt or pretzel salt for dusting

Procedure
Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add water and knead for approximately 10 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl to rise for 45-75 minutes.

Bring a large bowl half filled with water to boil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Keep dough moist with a damp towel when its not being handled. Divide the dough into approximately 32 1 oz pieces. Shape into desired forms. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Carefully drop 4-5 pretzels at a time into the boiling water for 30ish seconds. Carefully remove and place on lined sheets. A spatula works well for removing the slippery dough from the boiling water. Brush the egg water wash on the pretzels and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 45-90 minutes or until pretzels have reached desired hardness. Feel free to eat them right out of the oven...delicious.

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Adapted from Alton Brown

Healthful Cookie Drops

Ingredients
2 large bananas, mashed
1 Tbs honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine bananas, honey, and oil. Mix well. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon out onto lined cookie sheet. Bake for 14-17 minutes.

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Adapted from here.

Vegan Grape Bread

Ingredients
3/4 cup vegan crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup soy milk
1 banana
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs milled flax seeds
1/3 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups grapes
1/2 cups rolled oats

Procedure
Preheat oven to 450. In a large mixing bowl cream together peanut butter, agave nectar, soy milk, and banana. In a separate bowl combine milled flax and boiling water; let sit for 2 minutes before adding to the wet ingredients. Add flours, salt, and baking soda. Fold in grapes, and pour batter into a greased 5x9 baking pan. Bake for a really long time, like 45 minutes plus. Remove from oven when a tester comes out clean.

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Wholeish Wheat Bread

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk

Procedure
Combine flours, salt, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add water and milk (N.B. any combination of water and milk can be used as long as it equals 1 1/2 cups). Mix until combined. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes. Let rise in a covered oiled bowl for 3-4 hours or until roughly doubled in size. Knead for another 3-4 minutes. Place in a oiled 5x9 baking pan, and let rise for an additional hour or so. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 425 degrees. Bake for an additional 15-25 minutes.



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Oma Buns

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
2 Tbs honey
1 3/4 cups warm water
1 Tbs yeast
5 cups whole wheat flour


Procedure
Mix together salt, oil, honey, water, and three cups of flour until well combined. Add yeast; mix well. Add remaining flour, and knead for 10-15 minutes. If dough resists kneading too much let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Divide dough into eight equal portions, and form into balls. Let round loaves rise on a greased baking sheet for 45-60 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.


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Healthful Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 Tbs agave nectar
2 Tbs honey
4 Tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbs ground flaxseed
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup oats
1 cup raisins
chocolate chips (optional)


Procedure
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, agave nectar, honey, oil, vanilla, flour, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir. Add oats, raisins, and optional chocolate chips. Mix until combined.
Dollop onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes.

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Adapted from a recipegirl recipe.

Healthful Apple Berry Breakfast Pie

Ingredients

For Crust
3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup canola or soy oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water, ice cold

For Filling
10-12 oz berries, frozen or otherwise
2 apples, chopped and cored
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon


Procedure
Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Set bowl in freezer to chill for at least an hour; letting it chill overnight works quite well. Likewise put the oil in a mug or cup and chill along side the flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together ice cold oil, water, and flour mixture. Press dough into pre-greased pie or tart pan. Bake for 5 min. While crust is baking, mix together berries, apples, flour, cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Remove crust from oven and scoop berry mixture into crust. Even out with a spoon. Bake for 30-40 min or until crust reaches desired texture.

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Healthful Walnut Bran Muffins

Ingredients

3/4 cups whole wheat flour1/2 cup wheat bran

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs milled flax seed

1/4 cup applesauce

1 egg

1 large banana, sliced

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup honey

zest of one orange

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl whisk egg. Add milk, applesauce, orange zest, vanilla. Stir well. Mix in dry ingredients. Add raisins, w

alnuts, honey, and banana. Mix lightly until just uniformly combined. Bake in greased muffin tin for 15-20 min.

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Recipe from here.

Healthful Oaty Fruity Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oats

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp salt

zest of one orange

6 Tbs cold butter, cubed

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup mixed dried fruit (anything goes: cherries, raisins, cranberries, this time we used a papaya, pineapple raisin mix...yummm)

1 egg

4 tsp lime or lemon juice

enough milk to make 1 1/3 cup (when added to citrus juice)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flours, sugar, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and zest. Add cold cubed butter, and rub in with hands until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add dried fruit and chocolate chips. In a liquid measuring cup, combine lime or lemon juice with enough milk to make 1 1/3 cups. Whisk milk and juice mixture with egg, and add to dry ingredients. Stir. Spoon dough into greased muffin pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

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Adapted from this.