Recipe Tag: Health meets Food

Asian Peanut Chicken with Noodles – HMF

Gather all ingredients and equipment.

Cook the noodles according to package directions (the cook time varies depeding on the brand you use). Add edamame to the noodles when there is 1 minute left of cooking time. The noodles should be tender, but not mushy. Strain and rinse under cold water. Place in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.

While waiting for the water to boil and the noodles to cook, make the peanut sauce. Using a blender, blend the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, water, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Add more water if needed to make a smooth, pourable sauce. If a tangier sauce is desired, add more rice vinegar 1 tablespoon at a time.

Dice chicken into 1/2″ sized pieces.

Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil. When the oil is hot add the chicken. Saute chicken until fully cooked, about 3-5 minutes. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 °F / 74 °C.

Combine noodles, cooked chicken, carrots, and green onion in a large bowl. Add the sauce and toss to combine.

Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro and serve. This dish is best served room temperature or cold.

* Note: If there is a peanut allergy, the peanut butter can be exchanged for tahini, and the peanuts for sesame seeds in the same amounts.

Easy Brown Rice – Virtual

Gather all ingredients and equipment.

Rinse the rice under cold water in a colander.

Put the rice and water in a medium sauce pot on medium-high heat. Stir.

Bring the liquid to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the rice.

Simmer the rice for about 30 minutes. At that point, taste the rice to see if it is still crunchy. If so, check for water on the bottom of the pot; add ¼ cup of water if all the water has been absorbed and continue to cook. If it is cooked and the water is absorbed, turn off the heat.

When the rice is a good consistency, turn off the heat and keep it covered for 10 minutes.

After sitting, fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Peppers – Virtual

For the Chicken

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Trim away any excess fat. Cut into 1/2″ diced cubes.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs.

Arrange an assembly line as follows: first a bowl with the chicken, second the bowl with the scrambled eggs, then third a bowl with the cornstarch.

Place the chicken into the egg mixture to fully coat the pieces. Then coat each piece of chicken in the cornstarch. Make sure all sides of the chicken have been coated and shake off any excess. Set the breaded chicken on a plate or a small baking sheet.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add in the canola oil.

Place the chicken pieces one by one into the hot skillet and allow the chicken to form a golden brown crust on the bottom before flipping it. Be sure to not crowd the pan – if the chicken pieces touch each other they will not get crispy. You will probably need to cook the chicken in multiple batches.

When chicken is crispy and reaches an internal temperature of 165F, remove and place the chicken on a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Repeat the last two steps to cook the remaining chicken. If needed, add the remaining oil to the pan.

Set aside (keeping warm).

For the Sautéed Vegetables and the Sweet & Sour Sauce

Add the onion and pepper to the pan. Cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the onions and peppers are cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl combine the orange juice, soy sauce (or tamari), rice vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, ground ginger, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Whisk to combine very well.

When the onions and peppers are soft, add the pineapple and water. The water will help the vegetables to cook down more and provide some steam to your pan. Continue to cook until the vegetables are very tender and most of the water has evaporated.

Pour in the sweet & sour sauce and the cooked chicken. Stir to evenly coat chicken and vegetables in the sauce. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

Remove from the heat and serve over brown rice or enjoy on its own. Optional: Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Roasted Asparagus – Virtual

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Toss asparagus with the oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, black pepper, and salt.

Place asparagus on a cookie sheet or other sheet pan and roast in preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until slightly tender.

Top asparagus with parmesan and bake for an additional 2-4 minutes, or until cheese is melted and has started to brown.

Serve warm.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo – HmF – Virtual

In a large pot, fill with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente (10-12 minutes). Strain and set aside.

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add oil to the pan and slightly rotate pan from side to side until bottom is evenly coated with oil. Add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 1 minute, until shrimp are opaque and white throughout. Remove from pan and set aside.

Turn heat to medium and add the onions to the pan. Cook onions until translucent and beginning to turn brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds – 1 minute.

To deglaze, add white wine and scrape bottom of pan with wooden spoon to release fond (the brown bits stuck to the pan, this is full of flavor).

Add the tomatoes, stock, oregano (if you are using dried), pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Simmer over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the shrimp, fresh oregano, parsley, and basil to the sauce. Stir thoroughly.

To serve, place 3/4 cup of whole wheat pasta on a medium plate. Scoop 1/2 cup of sauce over the pasta with 4 shrimp and sprinkle with grated Parmasan.

Roasted Vegetable Medley – Virtual

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a medium bowl, toss all ingredients. Mix well.

Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables start to brown on the edges.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Virtual

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Add the sweet potatoes and boil until they are soft, about 15 minutes.

Drain the sweet potatoes into a medium mixing bowl and add the salt, pepper, butter, and yogurt.

Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. As you are mashing, slowly add in the milk. Do not overmash or the yams will become pasty.

Serve warm.

Soba Noodle Salad

Gather all ingredients and equipment.

Place the water in a pot over high heat.

When the water reaches a boil, add the soba noodles and cook for approximately 5 to 8 minutes, or until soft.

While the noodles are cooking, mix the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and sesame seeds in a bowl.

Once the noodles have finished cooking, strain and run noodles under cold water. Set the cooled noodles aside to allow excess water to drain.

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the sesame oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the the shredded cabbage, carrots, and kale.

Sauté the vegetables until they are tender (about 4 to 5 minutes).

Add the soy sauce mixture and the drained soba noodles to the pan and slightly reduce the heat.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with the green onions and serve immediately.

Quick Granola with Yogurt and Fruit

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl add the oats, nuts/seeds, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together the applesauce, maple syrup, and canola oil.

Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and toss together, making sure all the dry ingredients are coated with the wet ingredients.

Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir about every 10 minutes.

Add the raisins in the last 10 minutes of baking. The granola will become crunchy as it cools.

To serve, top 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/4 cup granola and 1/2 cup of fresh fruit.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

If too thick, add milk or water 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately.