Tag: corn

Coconut Curry Cod and Vegetable Noodle Bowl (Dairy and Gluten Free!)

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It’s been far too long since I last posted! I shouldn’t make a habit of that.

So I have an obsession…bowls! Ramen, udon, rice noodle, curry, you name it; I want to make them or try them all. This whole thing started when I found Terakawa in Philadelphia and it’s been bowls galore since then. I honestly can’t get enough of them! I even got my mom hooked so she’s testing out her own skills with these as well lol. Keep it up TJ! You’re doing great and we’re learning from each other!

What you’ll need:

    8oz large rice noodles
    2 Tbls coconut oil
    1/2 red onion, chopped
    2 carrots, chopped small
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    6oz baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
    1 squash (green, yellow or patty pan your choice)
    10 leaves kale, chopped
    4 leaves bok choy, chopped
    3 eats corn, boiled and cut off the cob (or one small can drained)
    1 lb cod filets, no skin and deboned
    2 tbls better than bouillon chicken base
    2 tsp red curry paste
    2 tsp turmeric
    2 tsp ground ginger
    12 oz evaporated coconut milk
    8 cups water
    Fresh ground pepper
    Himalayan people no sea salt
    Fresh cilantro, optional

Here’s what to do:

1. Heat the oil over medium heat until melted

2. Sauté the onions and carrots with a couple dashes of salt for 2-3 minutes

3. Add the mushrooms and squash with a couple more dashes of salt for another 2-3 minutes

4. Add the garlic, curry paste, turmeric, ginger and chicken base and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn

5. Add the water, corn and cod with a couple more dashes of salt and turn the heat up to medium high

6. Bring the pot to a bubbling simmer until the fish is completely cooked and flaky

7. While it is heating up, cook the rice noodles according to their package. Set aside.

8. Add the bok choy and kale and stir to combine while breaking up the fish into pieces if it didn’t already do that on its own. Turn off the heat.

9. Serve in a bowl with chop sticks (or fork) and a spoon. Add the soup in first, then the noodles off to one side and garnish with a rough, small handful of fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

P.S. My awesome husband got me special ramen bowls for my birthday because I made it so much these days 😊

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Bean, Quinoa, and Kale Salad

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What a tasty dish for Summer! It’s light, nutritious, and filling at the same time. I decided to make this after reading about switching out one or two meals a week to vegetarian. You will save a few dollars on your grocery bill and you still can get all the vitamins and nutrients if you choose the right products for the meal.  I, of course, want to be sure my family and I are getting enough protein if we were leaving out the meat. So, I loaded it with beans, quinoa and kale. Believe it or not, raw kale has 3g of protein in one cup.* 

Here is an article about all the great benefits of quinoa:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/06/26/7-benefits-of-quinoa-the-supergrain-of-the-future/

This recipe makes A LOT! That’s usually how I roll lol. What’s good about making A LOT is that it saves time for me during the week. I can bring some to work for lunch, have it as a quick dinner at night, and it’s an easy meal for me to send to daycare for my toddler! He loves it by the way 🙂

 
Ingredients:

  • 3 stalks of kale, chopped
  • Cilantro, chopped fine (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 Corn on the Cob
  • 1 Red Pepper, chopped
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 cup Uncooked White Quinoa
  • 2 cans Black Beans
  • 1 can Cannellini Beans
  • 1 can Pinto Beans
  • Salt
  1. Prepare the corn. Clean off the husks and boil in a large pot until corn is soft. Remember to salt the water. 
  2. While the corn is cooking, chop the pepper, tomatoes, kale, juice the lime,  and rinse the beans in a strainer with cold water. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. 
  3. Remove the corn, set aside, and let cool. Using 2 cups of the same water, cook the quinoa until all the liquid is absorbed. Put a little more salt in the water. (Tip – Don’t boil the quinoa. Let it simmer on low for 10 minutes while covered. Remove from the heat and let stand another 5-10 minutes until you start to see the rings). Once done, add to the other ingredients. 
  4. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the other ingredients. 

Once it’s all mixed, I stored portion sizes in snack and sandwich size ziplock bags and then put them all into a freezer bag. Organization is key for me! I also save some for the next day or two. If you do the same, I suggest adding a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil. It will be a little dry if you don’t. 

Enjoy!

*Source

Healthy, Simple Grilling

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Ah, the simple things in life. Summer is the best time to cook on the grill for so many reasons. The weather is perfect (usually), cooking becomes easier and it’s a great way to hang outside with friends and family! Let’s not forget it’s one of my favorite times to enjoy a beer or two while sitting in my lawn chair on the patio. 

This was my latest dinner on the grill: 

 

I have to give some credit to my husband because he did help out with this one. You’re looking at Spiced Grilled Chicken, Corn The Cob, Potatoes with Onions and Sweet Bell Peppers, Broccoli, and Asparagus. Keep in mind that you can use any veggies you like and prepare and cook them the same way as the broccoli and asparagus. 

I like to use chicken thighs instead of breasts simply because they don’t dry out. However, breasts do have better nutritional stats and can be substituted if you really want an even healthier meal. When comparing equal portions, some that are noteworthy…

  1. Protein – 21g in thighs and 25g in breasts*
  2. Fat – 13g in thighs and 7g in breasts *
  3. Calories – 210 in thighs and 170 in breasts*
  4. Cholesterol – 80mg in thighs and 70mg in breasts*

CHICKEN:

  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Paprika
  • Crushed red pepper, a few pinches or more if you want heat
  • Garlic powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper 

    • Mix all spices together (equal parts except the crushed red pepper), coat the chicken, and put it in a covered pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the sides. 
    CORN:

  • Corn on the Cob
  • Water 

    • Don’t clean the corn, just keep it as is and soak it in water for at least 10 minutes​
    POTATOES:

  • Russet potatoes
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1/2 Red bell pepper, slices
  • 1/2 Sweet onion, slices
  • Paprika
  • Garlic powder
  • Sea Salt
  • Black pepper 

    • Lay out a long piece of tin foil and then double it with the second piece perpendicular to the first. Spray lightly with oil. Place all ingredients on top of the foil, wrap it sealing all sides. Put these on the grill first since they usually take the longest to cook. 
    BROCCOLI:

  • Broccoli
  • Olive oil spray
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper 

    • Same as the potatoes, lay out a long piece of tin foil and then double it with the second piece perpendicular to the first. Spray lightly with oil. Place all ingredients on top of the foil, wrap it sealing all sides.

    ASPARAGUS:

  • Asparagus
  • Olive oil spray
  • Sea Salt
  • Black pepper 

    • And…repeat preparation a third time.
    Cook everything on the grill over medium heat together until steamy and the chicken is cooked through. Don’t worry if one thing is done before the other, just keep it in its foil or cover it until you’re ready. Cooking is suppose to be stress free!

    ENJOY!!

    *Source