Thursday, February 21, 2019

Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup

Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup _menumusings.com
I realize some of you are at home with the kidlets and the grands having a snow day right now.  We just happen to be having torrential rains, flash flood watches and tornado watches here in the South, where it was in the 40's yesterday but in the 70's today.  It's really nutso!  But really, no matter what the season, when the weather turns bad, there's just something in my DNA that flips and says, "You should really make a pot of soup for dinner tonight."  There's just something super comforting about it, right?"  But it needn't be difficult or heavy or labor intensive.  In fact, the cool thing about most soups is that you can throw stuff in the pot and be done.  What I really, really like is that I can add some awesome veggies in to most any soup to make it healthier without too many people protesting.  Vegetables either belong to the fat soluble or water soluble vitamin groups.  The water soluble vitamins (especially the B vitamins and vitamin C) tend to leach into the cooking liquid, so even if they do balk at eating the veggies, moms take heart, they will get them in the broth!  Score!! 

I found a pretty cool looking recipe the other day for a chicken and white bean soup that I thought my family might like.  Of course, I always enjoy making things my own by tweaking it a bit, and I also saw great potential to add some nutrition by making it into a "green" soup.  A green soup is one that is loaded with hearty, fiber rich vegetables and includes dark greens like chard, spinach or kale.  I wanted to preserve the lightness of the soup, so I was lighthanded with these, but you get the idea - I just wanted to boost the soup with some awesome  nutritious "greenness."  The soup has that great southwestern flavor that I adore, but remains light (not heavy) - almost like a greenish "white" taco soup.  There's tons of heart healthy fiber and lean protein in here to fill you up and keep your blood sugar level throughout the day, so this would work great as a lunch prep meal.   And since canned beans are so inexpensive and you probably have a lot of the other things on hand in the pantry, it's a very budget friendly meal for the amount of servings!  Win!  Win!  Win! 
#glutenfree #dairyfree #paleo #whole30 #lowcarb #hearthealthy #cleaneating #southwestern #chicken #soup #stepbystep #budgetfriendly #lunchprep #mealprep
Ingredients: (6 servings)
    Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup _menumusings.com
  • 2 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 lg onion, diced small
  • 1 - 1 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning, divided
  • 1 Tbsp garlic paste of finely minced
  • 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles (mild)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
    • start with 1/4 and increase in the end if more heat is desired
  • 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 (15oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs) 
    • or rotisserie chicken - see note in step-by-step section
    • I used 3 large boneless skinless thighs
  • 3 - 4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 stalks of kale, rinsed clean and chopped finely
  • 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
  • Optional toppings
    • tortilla chips
    • shredded cheese 
    • sour cream
Step-by-Step - 
In a heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven) add a little oil to the bottom.
2 Tbsp canola oil
Add diced onions to the oil. 
1 lg onion, diced small
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Creole seasoning over onions, then saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent.
1/2 tsp Creole seasoning
When onions are soft, add 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic or garlic paste and chopped chiles.  Cook another minute until fragrant.  At this point, you may want to turn the onion mixture down to low heat.
1 Tbsp garlic paste or minced fine
4 oz can mild diced green chiles 


Add in the cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes.
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
*Note - if you have heat sensitive little people at your house, you may want to start off with less heat and add more in the end if desired.
1/4 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Add in the chicken broth.  Oops, forgot to get a picture of that, but here it is.  😏
32 oz chicken broth of your choice
Add in your chicken.  I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  1 - that's what I had on hand in the freezer.  2 - I thought they would stay juicier and have more flavor than breasts. 
HOWEVER... I think this recipe would also work just as good with a rotisserie chicken if you are in a hurry and want to go that route.  Just pull the meat off the carcass before hand and put the chopped, cooked meat in at the END so it doesn't overcook and dry out.
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
(I used thighs)
Add the remainder of the Creole seasoning.
1 tsp Creole seasoning
Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.  Note, if broth reduces too much and becomes overly salty, feel free to add another cup or so of water.
While chicken is cooking, use this time to prep all your other things, like washing the kale (it's often very sandy) and chopping it into tiny pieces.  You'll want to give it time to simmer along with everything because kale can be tough.  Once you get that done, just throw it in along with the chicken.   
2 stalks kale, rinsed and chopped very small
Drain and rinse two cans of Great Northern white beans.  That canned stuff has a lot of yucky sodium "stuff" on them that you don't really want or need.  Go ahead and throw that in as well.   
2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed
Once the chicken is tender and cooked, remove it from the pot.
Shred the cooked chicken with two forks into bite sized pieces.   Set aside.
Use a potato masher to mash up a few of the beans.  I did it maybe 10-15 times.  Just enough to thicken the soup just a bit and give it a little more body. 
Now add back the cooked, shredded chicken chunks.  If you are using a rotisserie chicken, add the pieces now.  At this point, everything is on simmer. 
Add in a zucchini that you've cut into sliced, half moons.  We are adding them in the end because they cook very quickly and we don't want them to just be mush.  In 10 minutes, they will be done.
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
Coming down the finish line, let's add the chopped fresh cilantro.  Don't add it too early or else it will lose its flavor.
3 - 4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 
Now to brighten everything up, a punch of acidity from everyone's favorite Mexican acid... fresh lime juice.  
juice from 2 limes
(about 2 Tbsp)
*Fun fact - since capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili peppers) is an alkaline oil, its intensity may be offset by cooking with acids.  Using acidic ingredients such as citrus juices, vinegars, wine, tomatoes, pineapples, etc all help neutralize the pH levels of the spicy oil and reduce the intensity of the heat.   Another thing that offsets the heat is dairy.  It's no wonder that many spicy ethnic foods such as Mexican, Indian, and Thai cuisines are served with both citrus and dairy accompaniments!  (think limes and sour cream)

And now we're ready to ladle it up!  This soup is both light and hearty at the same time.  It's definitely filling and super tasty, but doesn't leave you feeling weighed down. 
It's also a soup you can have fun with.  Do serve some tortilla chips with it, if you feel so inclined.  The flavor profile works perfectly together when they soften up in the soup.  And of course this makes it even more kid friendly.  
Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup _menumusings.com
You could also throw a handful of shredded cheese and a spoon of rich, creamy sour cream on top.  Yum.  I tried it.  I can tell you.  It totally works.  
Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup _menumusings.com
Wait.  So you have kids that won't eat the zucchini?  LOL.  Well... hmm.  I have the same problem.  It's a constant battle, actually.  And it's a shame, because zucchini is super nutrient dense, contains zero fat, lots of fiber, and contains significant amounts of both fat soluble AND water soluble vitamins such as vitamins B6, riboflavin, folate, C, and K, and minerals, like potassium and manganese.
Side note - my zucchini'phobe actually ate his whole bowl of this.  Even the zucchini.  Score!  My theory is that they sucked up all the chicken brothy flavor.  
Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup _menumusings.com
But take heart, moms, even if the kids pick them out, the water soluble vitamins (B vitamins and vitamin C) get leached out into the broth, so your kid can't escape the nutrition that you've added!  And the kale is so tiny depending on how you chop it that you get to call it "seasoning."  Just like cilantro, oregano, and all the rest of the seasoning.  
Green Chicken and White Bean Southwestern Soup _menumusings.com
Bonus Recipes - 
Jar Lid Hand Pies
Jar Lid Hand Pies_menumusings.com
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Baked Chicken Parmesan_menumusings.com
Mozzarella Stuffed 3-Meat Italian Meatballs
Mozzarella Stuffed 3-Meat Italian Meatballs_menumusings.com
Indian Chicken Korma
Indian Chicken Korma_menumusings.com
Mini Sausage Pancake Muffins
Mini sausage pancake muffins_menumusings.com
To buy the Menu Musings Cookbook -
Method:
In a heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven) add a little oil to the bottom.  Add diced onions to the oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Creole seasoning over onions, then saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent.  When onions are soft, add 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic or garlic paste and chopped chiles.  Cook another minute until fragrant.  At this point, you may want to turn the onion mixture down to low heat.  Add in the cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes.  *Note - if you have heat sensitive little people at your house, you may want to start off with less heat and add more in the end if desired.  

Add in the chicken broth.  Add in your chicken (unless you are using rotisserie chicken).  Add the remainder of the Creole seasoning.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.  Note, if broth reduces too much and becomes overly salty, feel free to add another cup or so of water.

While chicken is cooking, use this time to prep all your other things, like washing the kale (it's often very sandy) and chopping it into tiny pieces.  You'll want to give it time to simmer along with everything because kale can be tough.  Once you get that done, just throw it in along with the chicken.   Drain and rinse two cans of Great Northern white beans.  That canned stuff has a lot of yucky sodium "stuff" on them that you don't really want or need.  Go ahead and throw that in as well.   Once the chicken is tender and cooked, remove it from the pot.  Shred the cooked chicken with two forks into bite sized pieces.   Set aside.

Use a potato masher to mash up a few of the beans.  I did it maybe 10-15 times.  Just enough to thicken the soup just a bit and give it a little more body.  Now add back the cooked, shredded chicken chunks.  If you are using a rotisserie chicken, add the pieces now.  At this point, everything is on simmer.  Add in a zucchini that you've cut into sliced, half moons.  We are adding them in the end because they cook very quickly and we don't want them to just be mush.  In 10 minutes, they will be done.

Coming down the finish line, let's add the chopped fresh cilantro.  Don't add it too early or else it will lose its flavor.  Now to brighten everything up, a punch of acidity from everyone's favorite Mexican acid... fresh lime juice.  

*Fun fact - since capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili peppers) is an alkaline oil, its intensity may be offset by cooking with acids.  Using acidic ingredients such as citrus juices, vinegars, wine, tomatoes, pineapples, etc all help neutralize the pH levels of the spicy oil and reduce the intensity of the heat.   Another thing that offsets the heat is dairy.  It's no wonder that many spicy ethnic foods such as Mexican, Indian, and Thai cuisines are served with both citrus and dairy accompaniments!  (think limes and sour cream)

And now we're ready to ladle it up!  This soup is both light and hearty at the same time.  It's definitely filling and super tasty, but doesn't leave you feeling weighed down.  It's also a soup you can have fun with.  Do serve some tortilla chips with it, if you feel so inclined.  The flavor profile works perfectly together when they soften up in the soup.  And of course this makes it even more kid friendly.  You could also throw a handful of shredded cheese and a spoon of rich, creamy sour cream on top.  Yum.  I tried it.  I can tell you.  It totally works.  

Monday, February 18, 2019

Thai Chicken Wrap Bistro Boxes with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
This morning I was talking to my kids about "eating the rainbow" and what that actually means.  It seems I had just finished making up a nutritional metabolism lecture for one of my classes and it was still fresh in my mind.  Of course for my kids, whatever my college students are learning about tends to spill over into our home life, so they often have so suffer through hearing about the lecture du jour.  Now I must admit, this concept (eating the rainbow and antioxidant research) is near and dear to me, as the concept of it ties into what I did my dissertation on many years ago.  But that's another story. 

So anyway... one of my littles doesn't eat probably 75% of the stuff in this recipe.  Nope.  So this was a test.  A blatant, flat out test.  But when he walked in from school, he sniffed the air and declared, "Mmm, it smells so good in here!"  (Aha.  This could work.  He has it in his mind that he likes wraps.)  I had some grades to enter so I didn't push for anything more.  I said my thanks and left it at that.  I mentioned the meals were in fridge and they could help themselves as I had some things to attend to.  He did.  Later, I asked for a report.  "Mommmm,  those were PHENOMENAL!"  Wow!  That's definitely a score!!!  Need more in the pluses category?  All of the "fresh" ingredients I purchased cost $20, with the rest being pantry items I had on hand (including recycling my Chinese takeout containers).  For five very healthy and tasty meals?  I'd say that's a budget friendly meal worth putting on the rotation, wouldn't you?  

#mealprep #healthy #easy #budgetfriendly #quick #asian #eattherainbow

#kidfriendly #lunchbox #brownbag #dairyfree #glutenfree options

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound thin sliced chicken breast filets  or breasts that have been pounded flat (or equivalent amount of chopped cooked chicken, about 3 - 3 1/2 cups)
  • Montreal chicken seasoning (or seasoning blend of choice) 
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil or cooking spray
Slaw:
    Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
  • 1 bag Power Blend Slaw mix 
    • contains:  Brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, Kohlrabi, broccoli, carrots and kale
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 3/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks 
  • 1/2 heaping cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the peanut sauce:
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger pasted or finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste or finely minced
  • 2 tsp sriracha 
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup water
To assemble:
  • 4 (8'') tomato basil tortillas or gluten free if desired
  • 1/4 cup peanuts crushed
  • 2 1/2 cups grapes or fruit of choice
  • meal prep containers
  • 5 (2 oz) portion cups with lids
Step-by-Step - 
On your clean chopping board, prep your cucumber, pepper, cilantro, and peanuts.  Set these aside. 

Now you can make use of the same chopping board without fear of cross contamination.  If not using thinly sliced chicken, pound chicken breasts flat for quick, even cooking time.  Season liberally with seasoning blend of choice.  (The one I used contains salt, pepper, onion, garlic, etc so it makes meal prep easy and fast.)  
Put a little oil in a heavy bottom pan (or use cooking spray).  When hot, add chicken and cook on until golden brown on each side on medium high.  These are so thin that they only take 3-4 minutes on each side to be cooked through.  Remove from pan and allow to rest uncut while you make the sauce.

1 Tbsp canola oil
*Another alternative is to use precooked deli chicken or a rotisserie chicken


allow to rest before cutting to retain juices
For the sauce, throw all the sauce ingredients in your vitamix or blender.  That's it.  
(An immersion blender or whisk could also be used if necessary)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari 
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp ginger paste or minced
1 Tbsp garlic paste or minced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce


Start assembling the wraps.  Lay out the tortillas.  Divide the power blend evenly.  Distribute the veggies.  Chop and divide the chicken.  Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of sauce everything.  Something needs to be the glue.  Ha.  Roll and cut as you wish.  Divide among the five lunch containers.  Pour the rest of the dipping sauce into 2 oz portion cups and place into lunch containers.  Add fruit to each.  Refrigerate for up to 5 days.


 *I like this slaw blend because these veggies hold up well without wilting which means they maintain a nice crunch for you.  They are also super healthy, balanced, tasty and colorful.

*I was initially going to make 4 wraps, but this was SO much chicken that I decided to divide it up into 5 portions and make 5 wraps and it was STILL a lot!  You get to decide how many you'd like to make, but I was scared I wouldn't be able to close them up.  These were already huge!  
* I used some beautiful thin tomato basil tortillas for these wraps.  Feel free to use the tortillas of your choice, including a gluten free variety for those on a GF diet.
power blend slaw, red bell pepper strips
cooked chicken chunks
cilantro
cucumber pieces
chopped peanuts
drizzle with a few tablespoons of peanut sauce
Wrap and cut, or leave whole if you wish.  Add fruit, which acts as a palate cleanser and side.  Add remaining sauce to 2 oz portion cups that have lids.
Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
So much healthier (and less expensive) than eating lunch out!
Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
Don't like the idea of eating the same thing for a week?  What I recommend is finding a group of friends who want to share "lunch meal prep" duties.  Each person makes one recipe, then you share the things you made so that you get to cook once but get to eat each of 4-5 different things. 
Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
Lunch for a week, or awesome lunch for tomorrow for you and your favorite people!
Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Thai Chicken Wraps_menumusings.com
Family Friendly Bonus Recipes - 
Mini Sausage Pancake Muffins - perfect for on-the-go mornings for little kids and not so little kids alike! 
Mini sausage pancake muffins_menumusings.com
Baked Chicken Parmesan - Classic, family friendly, Italian with a healthier twist!
Baked Chicken Parmesan_menumusings.com
Ritzy Cheddar Baked Chicken - Because we are always looking for something different to do with chicken, right? 
Ritzy cheddar baked chicken_menumusings.com
Mongolian Beef - Easy, quick and satisfying ... there's no reason for takeout! 
Mongolian beef_menumusings.com
Individual White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Puddings - Let's look at this as purposeful  "portion control" for your loved ones. 
Individual White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Puddings_menumusings.com

How to get the Menu Musings Cookbook -  each recipe includes a scannable QR code that links back to the blog with step-by-step photos!  Makes a great gift for this year's graduates and newly weds.  
Method:
On your clean chopping board, prep your cucumber, pepper, cilantro, and peanuts.  Set these aside. Now you can make use of the same chopping board without fear of cross contamination.  If not using thinly sliced chicken, pound chicken breasts flat for quick, even cooking time.  Season liberally with seasoning blend of choice.  (The one I used contains salt, pepper, onion, garlic, etc so it makes meal prep easy and fast.)  

Put a little oil in a heavy bottom pan (or use cooking spray).  When hot, add chicken and cook on until golden brown on each side on medium high.  These are so thin that they only take 3-4 minutes on each side to be cooked through.  Remove from pan and allow to rest uncut while you make the sauce.  *Another alternative is to use precooked deli chicken or a rotisserie chicken 

For the sauce, throw all the sauce ingredients in your vitamix or blender.  That's it.  (An immersion blender or whisk could also be used if necessary)

Start assembling the wraps.  Lay out the tortillas.  Divide the power blend evenly. Distribute the veggies.  Chop and divide the chicken.  Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of sauce everything.  Something needs to be the glue.  Ha.  Roll and cut as you wish.  Divide among the five lunch containers.  Pour the rest of the dipping sauce into 2 oz portion cups and place into lunch containers.  Add fruit to each.  Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes - 
 *I like the Super Blend slaw blend because these veggies hold up well without wilting which means they maintain a nice crunch for you.  They are also super healthy, balanced, tasty and colorful.  It contains:  Brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, carrots, and kale. 

*I was initially going to make 4 wraps, but this was SO much chicken that I decided to divide it up into 5 portions and make 5 wraps and it was STILL a lot!  You get to decide how many you'd like to make, but I was scared I wouldn't be able to close them up.  These were already huge!  

Wrap and cut, or leave whole if you wish.  Add fruit, which acts as a palate cleanser and side.  Add remaining sauce to 2 oz portion cups that have lids.

These are so much healthier (and less expensive) than eating lunch out!

Notes:  Don't like the idea of eating the same thing for a week?  What I recommend is finding a group of friends who want to share "lunch meal prep" duties.  Each person makes one recipe, then you share the things you made so that you get to cook once but get to eat each of 4-5 different things.  Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

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