Chickpea Curry & Coconut Rice

Oh. My. Gosh. I have had this pinned on my Meatless Main Dishes Pinterest board forever now. I finally decided to give it a try this week. I knew it would be tasty, but this was AMAZING! I've never made anything like it before. I just can't get over how delicious this is.

Coconut Rice

1 1/2 c jasmine rice (I used basmati)
1 1/2 c light canned coconut milk
1/2 c coconut water salt, to taste

Coconut Curry
1 tbsp coconut oil (I just used olive oil)
2 leeks, cleaned, trimmed + sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
salt & pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger (I use that kind in a tube!)
2 tbsp red curry paste
1/3 c sugar snap peas, cut into thirds
1 (14-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
1 can cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
3 tbsp freshly torn cilantro

Coconut Rice
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add rice, coconut milk, coconut water and salt. Stir, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for 15-18 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

Coconut Curry
While the rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Stir in the leeks, red peppers, salt and pepper and stir to toss. Cover and cook until the vegetables have slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger and curry paste and stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the peas and coconut milk. Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cilantro and cook for 5 minutes more. Serve immediately with the coconut rice!

Original recipe found here.

Slow-Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

YUM.

• 2 lbs ground chicken

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped

• 1/2 c finely chopped yellow onion

• 1/2 c hoisin sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• salt and black pepper

• 1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

• 1 c cooked brown rice (I used minute rice, and added it without cooking first!)

• 3 green onions, sliced

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
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• Place ground chicken and garlic in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 - 6 minutes. (I just cooked on stove instead of microwaving). Drain off liquid and pour mixture into a 5 - 7 quart slow cooker. Add bell pepper, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 2 - 3 hours until chicken is tender.
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• Stir in water chestnuts, cooked rice, green onions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, cook until heated through 3 - 5 minutes. Season with additional salt as desired. Separate iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chicken filling.
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Original recipe found here.

Honey Lime Chipotle Chicken Fajita Bowls with Chipotle Lime Cream

These were AMAZING. I loved how everything looked marinating in the bags (see below). There was definitely some prep work involved with this, but once you get everything marinating and ready to go, it's quick and easy.

• Chicken Marinade
• 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts (3-4 chicken breasts)
• ¼ c lime juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp lite soy sauce
• 2 tsp liquid smoke
• 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular)
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
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  Fajita Vegetables
• Reserved marinade
• 1/3 c honey
• ½ red onion, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced then cut into thirds
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced then cut into thirds
• 1 ½ c sweet corn (fresh, canned or frozen-thawed)
• 
  Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ c red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 c long grained rice
• 3 c chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• Dash of salt and pepper
• ½ c cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 
  Chipotle Lime Sour Crema
• 1 c light sour cream
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 - 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Dash of cayenne (optional)
• ¼ - ½ c cilantro, finely chopped
• 
  Monterey Jack cheese
  
  
• Marinade: Place chicken in a large freezer bag and pound thin with meat mallet (or with the side of a large can or rolling pin). Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and add half of the marinade to the chicken in the freezer bag, place in refrigerator. To the remaining marinade, whisk in 1/3 cup honey. Add this marinade to another freezer bag and add fajita vegetables. Marinade chicken and vegetables separately 6-10 hours.
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• Rice: When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add red onion and saute 3-5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cumin and saute 30 more seconds (adding more oil beforehand if necessary). Add rice and saute for a few seconds. Add beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for approximately 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring at 15 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.
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• Chipotle Lime Crema: While the rice is cooking, prepare Chipotle Lime Crema by mixing together the sour cream, lime juice, salt, cilantro and just 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, adding more to taste. After adding desired chipotle powder, add cayenne if desired. Store in the refrigerator.
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• Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once skillet is very hot, remove chicken from freezer bag, discard marinade and add to skillet. Cook, undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-8 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 3-5 minutes before slicing.
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• Fajita Vegetables: While chicken is resting, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet chicken was cooked in and heat over medium heat. Discard marinade from fajita vegetables and add to skillet. Cooked just until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
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• Assembly: In bowls, layer rice, cheese, fajita vegetables, and chicken. Top with Chipotle Lime Crema.
  
  Original recipe found here.

Asian Edamame Fried Rice

This fried rice is healthier than any you'd get out, and it's awesome! Highly recommend. I love SkinnyTaste.

I made this along with my Hibachi Soup, and Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls. Mmmm.

3 c leftover cooked brown rice
2 egg whites, scrambled
1 whole egg, scrambled 
1 tbsp Smart Balance oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced 
5 scallions, chopped, whites and greens separated
1/2 c shredded carrots
cooking spray
1 c ready-to-eat shelled edamame
2 tbsp lite soy sauce
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Whisk eggs and egg whites, season with salt and pepper. In a hot wok, spray a little oil and cook the eggs. When cooked, remove from pan and set aside. Let the wok get really hot. Add oil and cook onions, scallion whites, carrots and garlic for about 1-2 min, careful not to burn. Add brown rice and stir a few minutes to heat through. Add cooked egg along with soy sauce, scallion greens and edamame, mixing well for about 3-4 minutes.  

Original recipe found here.

Homemade Falafel with Tahini Sauce

YUM! These are deliciously crispy and Will and I agreed it was one of our new faves. You can't have just one falafel sandwich!! I also made basmati rice and roasted squash/zucchini.

2 c roughly chopped white onion
6 garlic cloves
2 c cooked chickpeas, drained
1 c lightly packed parsley leaves
1 c lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp baking powder
½ c all-purpose flour
canola oil, for sauteing 
pita bread, for serving
1¼ c plain nonfat Greek yogurt
¼ c tahini (sesame paste)
2 tbsp lemon juice

For the tahini sauce:
Add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse just until they are finely minced. Remove the mixture and set it aside. Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until they are roughly blended but not pureed.

Return the onion mixture to the food processor, along with the baking powder and just enough flour so that when you pulse the processor, the mixture begins to form a small ball and is not sticky. (Note: Start by adding ¼ cup of flour, and then the remaining ¼ cup. You can add more if the mixture is still too wet.

Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour. While the falafel mixture is chilling, prepare the tahini sauce by whisking together the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice. Season it with salt and pepper, cover it and place it in the fridge.

Once the falafel mixture has chilled, use a small ice cream scoop or spoons to form the mixture into balls (roughly 3 Tablespoons per ball). (Note: You can also add additional flour at this point, if the mixture is too wet to scoop.)

Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add a liberal amount of canola oil so that the pan is well-coated. Let the pan pre-heat for 3 minutes then add the falafel one by one, browning them on the first side for 3 minutes, then flipping them once and browning the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout.

Transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined cooling wrack and immediately season them with salt. Repeat this process until you have cooked all of the falafel.

Place three or four falafel inside a halved, warmed pita and drizzle with the prepared tahini sauce. I also used a few red onions and sprinkled on some more parsley.

Original recipe found here.

Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

These were AH-MAZING!! The sauce is completely delicious and perfect over rice or noodles - I served it over brown rice, but noodles would be yummy too.

For Meatballs:
2 lbs ground turkey, extra lean
1 c zucchini, shredded & liquid squeezed out
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 c green onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp basil, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated (I used minced)
1 tsp red curry paste
2 tbsp coconut milk, light (canned)
1/8 tsp hot pepper chill flakes
Cooking spray

For the Sauce:
1 + 1/2 cup coconut milk, light (canned)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp red curry paste
1 tsp fish sauce
1/8 tsp hot pepper chili flakes, or to taste

In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for meatballs, mix with your hands thoroughly. Make 28 meatballs by spooning heaping 1 tbsp of mixture and rolling between your hands. Lay on a cutting board or plate. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.

Preheat large, 12" or larger, skillet on high, spray with cooking spray. Add meatballs and cook until brown, for about 2-3 minutes. No need to cook the meatballs through. Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Serve warm with brown rice or brown rice noodles. Add garnish like fresh cilantro and green onions.

Original recipe found here.

Burrito Bowl with Homemade Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Now this was easy and delish! You could easily add meat (shredded chicken, ground beef) if you wanted to. It's yummy and filling just like this though. This recipe came from The Garden Grazer blog, and I love the tip for mixing the rice with some salsa. Never thought of that!

1 c uncooked brown rice (or quinoa)
1/2 c salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed/drained
1 can corn, drained
1 onion, diced

Toppings:
tomatoes, diced
shredded lettuce
green onions
avocado

Creamy Chipotle Sauce:
1/2 c plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 chipotle pepper
1 tsp chipotle sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
(I added 2 tsp honey for a little bit of sweet)

Cook rice according to package directions. Mix in some salsa and a little cilantro & lime juice when cooked.

Make your chipotle sauce. Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Saute diced onion over medium heat for a few minutes. Add in your black beans & corn. Stir and heat through. Then, you can assemble your burrito bowl! Start with your rice, black bean/corn mixture, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, etc. Drizzle some delicious chipotle sauce over the top, and enjoy!

Original recipe found here.

Honey Orange Shrimp Stir-Fry

This was amazing!! I am trying to cook with shrimp more - and this is a recipe I could make over and over again. The sauce was just amazing.

Sauce
1/2 c honey
1/3 c soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp orange rind, grated

Stir-fry
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
2 c broccoli
1 c snow peas
1 -1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 green onions, chopped
cooked rice or noodles

Combine all the sauce ingredients. Mix until smooth. Set aside. Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the diced peppe, broccoli, and snow peas. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until tender-crisp. Add the shrimp; stir-fry just until shrimp turns pink (about 1 minute). Add the sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in the green onions. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Original recipe found here.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

I could eat this every week! YUM! I can't wait to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 lb lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sweet Hungarian Paprika
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 
1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) petite dice tomatoes with juice
1 can (15 z.) tomato sauce
1/4 c water
2 c cooked brown rice (I just used a bag of the boil-in-bag brown rice)
2 c low-fat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat; add ground beef and cook until it's browned and cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks. Remove ground beef and set aside. In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil, chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Add water to the pan. Simmer until it's hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

While it simmers, cut cabbage in half, cut out the core, and remove any wilted outer leaves; chop the cabbage coarsely into 1 inch pieces.Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan; add the cabbage and cook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is wilted and about half cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

When the meat and tomato sauce mixture has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the 2 cups of cooked rice and gently combine. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and the layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, remaining cabbage, and remaining meat mixture.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes, or until the mixture is just starting to bubble on the edges. Remove foil and sprinkle on cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown.  YUM!

Original recipe found here.

Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup

I noticed I hadn't posted since Nov 29. I've been cooking tons - just not trying many new recipes. But I did tonight and it was a success!! (Last night's Skinny Chicken & Dumplings was good, but not good enough to post!).

This is like a stuffed pepper, in soup form! VERY tasty. I browned the ground beef and put everything together in the crock pot the night before. So this morning all I had to do was move it from the fridge to the crock pot, and set the timer! So awesome.

1 lb lean ground beef (I used Laura's Lean Beef 96/4%)
1 small onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
29 oz (2 cans) tomato sauce
29 oz (2 cans) petite-diced tomatoes
3 beef bouillon cubes
2 c water
1/2 tsp salt/pepper, each
1 bag instant rice (I used the Success brand brown rice)
shredded part-skim cheese (optional)

Brown the ground beef. Add ALL ingredients --except rice-- to your slow cooker. Cook on Low 5 hours. Remove lid and pour in the bag of instant rice. Replace lid and let cook about 30 more minutes. Top with cheese if you'd like, and enjoy!

Original recipe found here.

Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Beef and Broccoli is my favorite Chinese dish. This is healthy, delicious, and Will claims he's never had any take-out better. I agree - it's perfect! I also have a Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli recipe, and the only difference is the beef stays in the thin strips in this one. In the crock pot it kind of shreds a little, still delicious of course. Perfect for school days when there isn't much time. Oh! I also doubled the sauce, because I like it saucy!

1 lb boneless round steak or sirloin steak, sliced thin (I used flank)

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp water
1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided (I used olive oil spray instead)
4 c broccoli florets

1 small onion, diced

Sauce:

1/3 c lite soy sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1 tsp ground ginger

2 c cooked rice (optional)

In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp water and garlic powder until mixed. Stir the sliced beef into the mixture. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 tbsp oil (or olive oil spray) until the beef reaches desired color. Mine was really thin, it only took 2-3 minutes. Remove beef from the wok into a bowl.

Stir-fry the broccoli and onion in 1 tbsp oil (or spray) for 4-5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan with the vegetables. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and water into a small bowl and stir until smooth. Add to the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes. 

Original recipe found here.

The were the original pictures from this recipe...

Slow-Cooker Asian Glazed Chicken

This was great! A little sweet and a little spicy. Perfect. Will ate a TON.

1/2 c lite soy sauce

1/2 c balsamic vinegar

4 tsp sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (found in Asian aisle)

1/2 cup water

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp sesame seeds

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken in crock pot. Combine soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, hot sauce, and 1/2 cup water in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

Once done cooking, pull chicken out and place on large plate. Mix together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and pour into remaining liquid in the slow cooker. Turn heat to high and cook for another 20 minutes (or until sauce thickens a little bit). Shred chicken and add back into liquid in slow cooker. Serve over rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.

Original recipe found here. 

Slow-Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

Couldn't have been easier or tastier! I cut the chicken (well, Will did), the carrots, and pureed the sauce the night before, so all I had to do the morning of was add chicken, carrots, and pour the sauce over. If you're a fan of curry, this dish is for you!!

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

5 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used a green pepper)

1 (5 oz ) can tomato paste

1 (14 oz) can lite coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp garam masala (see below)

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp water

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Ok I couldn't find garam masala, and used this instead:
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves

Grease your slow cooker with Pam. Place the chicken and carrots on the bottom of slow cooker. Place the rest of the ingredients (except water and corn starch) in a food processor and process together until mixture is mostly smooth.

I used my big Ninja for this, but if your food processor is too small to hold everything, process everything but the coconut milk. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl then mix in the coconut milk.

 

Pour the sauce over the chicken and carrots, mix well, then cover and cook on low for about 6 hours. An hour or so before serving, mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved.  Pour mixture into the slow cooker, stir to combine, and continue cooking for another hour. (This will thicken up the sauce. When the sauce is to your desired thickness, turn slow cooker to warm setting until ready to serve.) Serve over rice!

Original recipe found here.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Jambalaya with Chicken & Turkey Sausage

Easy and delicious... and from Fitness Magazine. As you know, I love a crock pot meal... and this is great. Will is also a picky eater (see: snobby eater) of jambalaya and he loved it. We had lots for leftovers.

thinly sliced chicken breasts (I used 4 of those)
8 oz sliced turkey sausage (I used the whole 16 oz!!)
16 oz package frozen bell peppers and onions
2 c water
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers, undrained
1 package jambalaya rice mix (I used Zatarain's)

Pour frozen bell peppers and onions into crock pot. Lay chicken on top, then put in the turkey sausage. Pour the can of tomatoes (undrained) into a bowl and add the 2 cups of water. Stir in the seasoning packet from the rice. Pour into crock pot and cook on low 5-6 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add rice and stir. Turn on to the high setting and let cook 30-45 more minutes.

Original recipe found here.

Skillet Turkey Sausage & Rice

This is one of those recipes that I immediately knew would go into the weekly recipe rotation. Once school starts, obviously I won't have time to try lots of fun, new recipes. This is SO easy and SO delicious, it will be perfect to have every week. Not to mention sausage and rice dishes are Will's favorite. Including cutting up the bell pepper, onion, and sausage, this dish took a total of 30 min. Awesome.

1 pkg (16 oz) smoked turkey or chicken sausage
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c fat-free chicken broth
2 bags quick-cooking brown rice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
fresh chopped parsley

Cut sausage into 1/2-inch slices. Sauté in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove sausage slices, and drain on paper towels.

Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic to skillet, and sauté over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until tender. Add chicken broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet, and bring to a boil. Remove rice from cooking bag; add rice, sausage, salt, and pepper to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley!

Original recipe found here.