chicken salad with roasted bell peppers and toasted almonds

recipe:

4 skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)

4 bay leaves

1 quart chicken stock

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup unsalted, toasted almonds, finely chopped

1/2 large red onion, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 or 2 large red peppers, roasted, blackened skin removed, stems and seeds removed)

3 Tbsp sherry vinegar (can sub apple cider vinegar)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

directions:

1. Put the bay leaves and the chicken stock in a pot with a lid and bring the stock to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Return the stock to a simmer. Cover the pot. Turn off the heat. Let the chicken steep in the stock for 30 minutes to an hour.

2. While the chicken is cooking, chop the other ingredients—garlic, almonds, onion, parsley, roasted red bell peppers—and add to a large bowl. Sprinkle a little salt over the mixture and add the oil and vinegar. Toss to combine.

3. When the chicken breasts are cooked, remove them from the stock (which you can reuse if you bring it to a boil again) and let them cool. When they are cool enough to handle, shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces by hand. Mix the chicken pieces in with the rest of the ingredients and served chilled or at room temperature.

Yield: Serves 6.

Source: www.simplyrecipes.com

sweet corn and radish saute

recipe:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small sweet onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped

8 large radishes, halved and thinly sliced (1 1/4 cups)

Kernels cut from 2 ears fresh sweet corn (1 1/2 cups)

Fresh thyme sprigs

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and chile pepper. Cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes until tender but not browned. (If vegetables start to brown, reduce heat to medium-low.)

Add remaining tablespoon olive oil, radishes and corn. Cook and stir 5 minutes until radishes and corn are crisp tender. Stir in leaves from 1 or 2 fresh thyme sprigs. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Makes 3 cups

Source: www.eatingcleanrecipes.com

shrimp fried rice

recipe:

2-3 tablespoons light olive oil or organic safflower

A dash of chili or sesame oil

A spoonful of curry paste, curry powder, cumin, chili, ginger, turmeric- your choice 

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 yellow summer squash, sliced into matchsticks

1 green zucchini squash, sliced into matchsticks

1 medium red bell pepper, cored and seeded, sliced thin

1 half a bag of cole slaw mix- about 2 heaping cups shredded cabbage with carrot 

A handful of frozen corn or baby peas, thawed

2 and 1/2 to 3 cups cooked long grain organic brown rice or brown basmati rice 

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

20 frozen medium shrimp, thawed, tails removed, if you like

A dash or two of your favorite chili sauce or gluten-free stir-fry sauce

directions:

Heat the oils in a wok or a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spices and chopped garlic into the oil and cook for about a minute, to infuse the oil with flavor.

Add the sliced vegetables [the two squashes and red pepper] and stir-fry for five minutes until tender crisp. Add the cole slaw mix and corn; and stir-fry for five minutes.  Add in the cooked rice and thawed shrimp; toss well to combine. If you need a little more oil to keep the rice happy, add a dash now.

Drizzle in a tablespoon or two of chili sauce, to taste, and continue to stir and heat through.

When the rice and shrimp are hot and the veggies are still tender crisp, your fried rice is done, Babycakes.

Serve in shallow bowls. Or deep bowls. Dig out the chopsticks. Garnish with your choice of: Chinese parsley, cilantro, Thai basil, chopped peanuts or scallions, if desired.

Serves 4.

Source: glutenfreegoddess.com

southwestern black bean salad

recipe:

1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

9 oz fresh or frozen corn

1 tomato, chopped

1 small hass avocado, diced

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

1 lime, juice of

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp cilantro

salt and fresh pepper 

directions: 

Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

chilled pea, lettuce and herb soup

recipe:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced

Salt to taste

5 cups frozen or fresh peas (1 1/2 pounds, or 2 12-ounce bags frozen)

3 cups, tightly packed, coarsely chopped Boston or bibb lettuce

5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup chopped chives, plus additional for garnish

Chopped fresh tarragon, chives and/or mint for garnish

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the peas, lettuce and stock or water, and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer five minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl, and allow the vegetables and the broth to cool for 15 minutes. Taste the broth, and season as desired.

2. Working in batches, purée the vegetables and herbs in a blender with the broth and additional olive oil for two minutes until frothy and smooth. Pour into a bowl, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill for several hours.

3. Serve, garnishing with additional chives, tarragon and/or mint.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/