Tonight is curried lentils and kielbasa in the rice cooker

Curried Lentils and Kielbasa

1 bag lentils
1 pound ring kielbasa
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 envelop onion soup mix
2 tablespoons curry powder (or more if you like it very spicy)
1 14 ounce can tomatoes
1 onion diced

Add all ingredients into the rice cooker and press cook.

Persian Food?? What's next for me??

This is on my to try list. I love lamb, and I absolutely love cinnamon in savory dishes. It imparts a warm and comforting feeling on the tongue. And the fragrance when cooking is heavenly.

Adas Polow (Persian ground lamb, lentils and rice)


•1 cup small black lentils, green lentils, or
brown lentils -- I used black
•1 cup basmati rice
•1 lb ground lamb
•butter
•olive oil
•1 onion, chopped into small pieces or thin strips
•zest of 1 lemon
•1 cup dried fruit -- I am going to use dried apricots, they recommend raisins or dates
•cinnamon
•turmeric
•cardamom (ground)
•cumin (ground)
•saffron: 3/4 t dissolved in 1 cup hot water, plus 1 pinch dry
•water
•salt
•pepper
•yogurt (optional)
•flat-leaf parsley (optional)


Serves 4.


1. Soak rice and lentils separately in advance of cooking, preferably overnight. (I NEVER soak rice or lentils)


2. Cook lentils and rice separately until just barely done, about 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook. (I am cooking them together in my rice cooker.)


3. In a heavy-bottomed pot, preferably one that doesn’t stick terribly much, heat butter or oil. Add onion, lemon zest and a pinch of saffron. Cook until onion is clear and a little browned, adding some salt as you stir.


4. Add lamb, salt and pepper, and stir to break up chunks and mix the lamb with the onions well. Add some of the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric. Let lamb brown, and then add a cup of water. Let the lamb and water cook together until the water has nearly evaporated. Remove lamb mixture and set aside.


5. Mix about half a cup of the cooked rice with a tablespoon of the saffron water, a tablespoon of olive oil, and 3 tablespoons of yogurt. Spread this mixture on the bottom of the heavy bottomed pot. Add the other ingredients in layers: a layer of lentils, then of dried fruit, then of lamb, and so forth. While adding lentil- and lamb-layers, sprinkle in more salt, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cardamom. Your top layer should be rice. When you have reached this layer, pour the remainder of the saffron water over the rice.


6. Cook the contents of this pot together for about 15 minutes. You can avoid stirring and intentionally get a browned layer on the bottom, and try to leave the dish in layers, or you can do what I did: let it cook in layers for a few minutes and then stir it all together. If you stir it together, add in more salt or spices if needed. I also stirred in a few tablespoons of butter and a few spoonfuls of yogurt.


Serve with yogurt and chopped parsley.

***

Diane's Menu 6/29/2010 - 7/7/2010

Diane's Menu 6/28/2010 - 7/7/2010

6/28 Monday - Take-out pizza
6/29 Tuesday - Pasta Marinara and Salad
6/30 Wednesday - Caesar Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Chicken
7/1 Thursday - Hot Dogs and Beans
7/2 Friday - Spaghetti Amatriciana
7/3 Saturday - Kielbasa and Bean Stew in Rice Cooker
7/4 Sunday - Steak, Sweet Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob
7/5 Monday - Take-out pizza
7/6 Tuesday - Grilled Hot Sausage Grinders, String Bean Salad
7/7 Wednesday - Spinach Ravioli Florentine

****

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Chutney Dressing

Recipe courtesy Devon Delaney

A blend of traditional and fanciful holiday flavors, this side dish is really delicious, all my favorite holiday flavors. I invented this recipe to bring to my in-laws at Thanksgiving time because they needed a new way to serve sweet potatoes. No overly-sweet marshmallows in this! We love it!

Prep Time:
20 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
35 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
8 servings

Ingredients
Salad:

* 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
* 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas)
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 1 cup chopped scallions (green and white)
* 1 cup julienned roasted red pepper

Dressing:

* 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 cup mango chutney
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Make the Salad: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a roasting pan, combine the potatoes, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, rosemary, salt, pepper, cumin and ginger. Stir to combine and bake until the potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring, until toasted. Transfer the seeds to a plate and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the cranberries, scallions, and red pepper and set aside.

Make the Dressing: Prepare the dressing by combining all the ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a small saucepan and heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the olive oil.

Assemble salad by gently tossing the roasted potatoes with the red pepper mixture. Add enough of the dressing to coat and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve with extra dressing on the side.

Menu December 6 - December 12

Diane's Menu December 6 - December 12


Saturday - Grilled Rib Eye Steak, Baked Potato, Carrots, String Beans and Salad
Sunday - Seared Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna with wasabi mayonnaise, Shredded Lettuce Salad with Wasabi Vinaigrette, Wonton Chips
Monday - Pasta and Meatballs
Tuesday - Take Out Pizza
Wednesday - Turkey/Potato/Cheese Gratin with Broccoli
Thursday - Slow Cooker Lentil Curry with Squash and Cashews **
Friday - Out to eat on the way to see/hear a band we love



*****

Slow Cooker Lentil Curry with Squash and Cashews

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger root or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water or apple juice
1 cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 cups peeled and chopped butternut squash
1 large potato, chopped into 1-inch cubes
6 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup cashews (salted or unsalted)


In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until softened and translucent. Stir in flour, curry, ginger, cumin, fennel seeds and salt; mix well. Stir in stock and water; bring to a boil, scraping up bits from bottom of skillet. Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Add lentils, squash and potato; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add spinach leaves; stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for another 15 minutes or until leaves have wilted. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle with cashews.

Multi Bean and Pea and Lentil Soup for lunch today

I cook beans once or twice a week in my Pressure Cooker. But this package that I just bought, which was so inexpensive, was all mixed peas/beans/lentils already. Because I bought them in bulk, they had no directions on the package. We tend to avoid pre-packaged seasonings as they are so full of salt.

So here is what I did.

In my QVC MultiCooker:

Sautéed one onion and 2 jalapeno peppers (seeds and all) in 2 tablespoons of canola oil
Added 2 heaping teaspoons cumin and 2 bay leaves and 2 cups of the bean/lentil/pea mixture and stirred it around to coat.
I added enough water to cover it with a few inches extra and set it on high pressure for 25 minutes.
When done I gave it a quick release.
Added 1 large can of tomato paste, 3 tablespoons of the WOW chicken soup from the Ingredient Store, 1 pound kielbasa, 1 pound of carrots.
Back on high pressure for 20 minutes, natural release. Added quite a bit of hot sauce and stirred it in.

DELICIOUS!! We each had two bowls and there is enough left for lunch tomorrow too. The largest beans and the carrots had a bit of a bite, which we like and everything else was creamy.

Menu November 8-14

Diane's Menu November 8-14, 2008

Saturday - Shrimp Fra Diablo over Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta, Salad
Sunday - Seared Ahi Tuna Steak (rare), Shredded Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
Monday - Steak Salad (for those regular readers, no Pizza night??? LOL)
Tuesday - Lentil Soup, Grilled Vegetable Panini with Goat Cheese
Wednesday - Grilled Turkey Tenderloin and Wild Rice Medley **
Thursday - Spaghetti Squash Salad with Grilled Chicken **
Friday - Red Bean, Barley and Sausage Stew **



***

Wild Rice Medley

(I will use all fat free cheeses and double the veggies)

1-3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Pinch dried thyme
3/4 cup uncooked wild rice
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Crisco® Pure Olive Oil
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a saucepan, combine broth and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add rice; cover and simmer for 55-60 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. In a large skillet, saute green pepper, onion and garlic in oil. Add mushrooms; saute until tender. Stir in rice and tomato. Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

***

Spaghetti Squash Salad

1 spaghetti squash (about 2-1/2 pounds)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup sugar (Splenda)
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Fill pan with hot water to a depth of 1/2 in. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the squash, separating strands with a fork. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl; add the squash and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon as a salad with grilled chicken or as a relish with burgers and hot dogs. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 8 servings.

***

Red Bean, Barley & Sausage Stew

1 lb. uncooked red kidney beans
46 oz. can chicken broth
2 c. water
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
1 c. barley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. thyme

The night before, rinse beans, put in large bowl with water to cover and soak overnight. (I never soak my beans, I pressure cook them in my multi-function pot and then change the function to a slow-cooker and continue.)

In the morning drain and rinse beans. Put all ingredients in a large slow cooker, stir, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serves 8

Diane's Menu October 18 - October 24

Diane's Menu October 18 - October 24
Saturday - BBQ ribs and soba noodles in the Rice Cooker
Sunday - Bulgur Pilaf with Moroccan Roast Chicken **
Monday - Weekly take out pizza
Tueday - Diane's 30 Minute Coq au Vin **
Wednesday - Roasted Garlic and Asparagus Risotto in Rice Cooker
Thursday - Curried Chicken Salad (with roast chicken leftover from Sunday)**
Friday - Ginger Pumpkin Bisque ** and Ham Sandwiches

** Recipes included below.

*******************

Bulgur Pilaf with Moroccan Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

One 4-pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 cup (tightly packed) pitted prunes, quartered
6 thin slices lemon, pitted, plus more for garnish
2 Tbsp. butter, melted (optional)


For the Bulgur Pilaf:

Generous pinch of saffron threads
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely diced shallots or onion1
1/2 cups coarse bulgur
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint


Directions:

Set a rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350° F.
Season the chicken well, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, blend the oil with the ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and cayenne.
Starting at the neck opening, gently press your hand between the skin and the flesh all over the chicken to loosen the skin. Rub half of the spice oil into the flesh under the skin.

Toss the prunes and lemon slices in the remaining spice oil. Stuff these into the cavity of the chicken. Secure the opening with skewers or toothpicks. For a very crisp skin, brush the chicken with the melted butter.

Set the chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted where the thigh meets the leg registers 165°F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

After the chicken has been roasting for about 35 minutes, begin preparing the bulgur pilaf; in a small bowl, stir the saffron into 1 tablespoon of warm water. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-high heat until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the bulgur and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the bulgur emits a faint toasted aroma, about 3 minutes. Add 3 1/4 cups of water plus the saffron and its soaking water. Bring to a boil. Stir in the salt. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer until the bulgur is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. If all of the water has been absorbed and the bulgur is not done, stir in 1/4 cup hot water and cook over a very low heat for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the bulgur steam for 10 minutes or until the chicken is done. To serve: Remove the stuffing from the chicken. Discard the lemon slices. Stir the prunes, almonds, and mint into the bulgur. Add salt to taste. If you wish, skim the fat from the chicken pan juices and stir them in.

Carve the chicken and serve each portion with a large spoonful of the bulgur pilaf.
From "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way" by Lorna Sass

***********

Diane's 30 Minute Coq Au Vin

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
4 ounces pancetta, diced (I find it dices easier when it is partially frozen)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup boiling water
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 medium onion, in large dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 ounces unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground pepper


Empty can of mushroom soup into a bowl. In the can place the dried porcini mushrooms crushed up in smaller pieces. Pour boiling water into the can to the halfway point and let sit to cool.In skillet (preferably NOT non-stick), melt 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add oil and onion and pancetta. Cook slowly, do not let onion color. Raise heat and add chicken and garlic and cook until all pinkness of chicken is gone and some browning has occurred. Remove chicken from pan. Add red wine and scrape up bits. Return chicken to the pan.Mix the cooled porcini mushroom mixture with the bowl of cream of mushroom soup. Pour over the chicken in the pan. Bring to a slow simmer stirring occasionally to mix all ingredients. Add the other 2 tablespoons of butter and let melt and blend in.Serve over rice or noodles. Garnish with parsley.

*****

Curried Chicken Salad

3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained
1 medium apple, diced
3/4 cup halved green grapes
3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, juice drained and reserved
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds

DRESSING:

1-1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
1 to 3 teaspoons curry powder

In a large bowl, combine first eight ingredients. Blend all dressing ingredients and toss with chicken mixture. Chill several hours. Yield: 8 servings.

****
Ginger Pumpkin Bisque
(from the Marsh Tavern, Manchester, Vermont as published in Yankee Magazine)

3/4 cup of chopped shallots AND1/2 cup chopped onions
OR1 large onion chopped
2 tsp. of grated gingeroot OR 2 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. oil
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup apple cider
1 16 oz. can pumpkin (in a pinch substitute squash)
1/3 cup maple syrup (the REAL stuff...don't skimp!!!)
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup whipping or heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla(nutmeg for garnish)


In a 3-quart saucepan cook shallots, onions, and gingerroot/ground ginger in hot oil over medium heat till tender but not brown. Stir in flour. Add chicken broth and cider all at once. Cook and stir> over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Sitr in pumpkin, maple syrup, bay leaves, cinnamon, thyme, pepper and cloves. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaves. Cool slightly. In a food processor or blender container cover and blend mixture in 3 or 4 batches. Return the soup to the saucepan. Stir in the 1 cup of cream and vanilla. Heat through but do not boil!!!! If desired, swirl cream into each servin and garnish with sprinkled nutmeg OR a sprig of fresh thyme.

Makes approx. 8 cups or 8 to 10 appetizer servings.

Diane's Menu September 27 - October 3

Diane's Menu September 27 - October 3

Saturday - Roasted Chicken, Asparagus, Salad
Sunday - Grilled Tuna (very Rare) and Tomato Bruschetta
Monday - Weekly Pizza night
Tuesday - Chicken Pasta Salad (chicken from Saturday)
Wednesday - Mediterranean Pork, Zucchini and Orzo *
Thursday - Kielbasa Split Pea Soup
Friday - Beef Stew on Brown Rice

*Recipe below
*******

Mediterranean Pork, Zucchini and Orzo
Light & Tasty
June/July 2006 issue



SERVINGS: 3
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Stovetop - One-Dish
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloins (3/4 pound each)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 quarts water
1-1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach
2 cups chunked zucchini
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Rub pork with pepper; cut into 1-in. cubes. In a large nonstick skillet, cook pork in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes and add the chunks of zucchini and garlic. Stir and cook until pork is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in orzo and salt; cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 45-60 seconds longer or until orzo is tender and spinach is wilted.

Add tomatoes to the pork; cook and stir for 1 minute or until heated through. Drain orzo mixture; toss with pork mixture and feta cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: 2/3 cup pork mixture with 2/3 cup orzo mixture Calories: 372 Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 71 mg Sodium: 306 mg Carbohydrate: 34 g Fiber: 3 g Protein: 31 g Diabetic Exchange: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 fat.

Diane's Menu June 28 - July 4

Diane's Menu June 28 - July 4


June 28 - Grilled Rib Eye Steaks, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad (Extra corn made for salad the next day)
June 29 - Grilled Shrimp Over Black Bean-and-Corn Salad
June 30 - Weekly Pizza Night
July 1 - Roasted Chicken Thighs, Steamed Broccoli, Curried Quinoa (Extra chicken made for Salad next day.)
July 2 - Easy Thai Beef or Chicken Salad
July 3 - Baked Virginia Style Ham, Cuban Style Lentil Salad (Some of the leftover ham saved for Saturdays salad, the rest frozen for future use.)
July 4 - Neighbor's BBQ - Aduki Bean and Rice Salad
July 5 - Lentil Salad with Smoked Turkey (I am using the ham from Thursday)




**************

Grilled Shrimp Over Black Bean-and-Corn Salad

Marinated shrimp:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled

Salad:

2 cups coarsely chopped tomato
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.25-oz.) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

To prepare marinated shrimp, combine
first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top bag.
Add shrimp to bag; seal. Marinate in the
refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Brush or wipe your Indoor Grill (like a George
Foreman) with cooking oil and preheat. Please,
do not use an aerosol (can) spray. Your grill will
last a lot longer, and will thank-you for it. Also,
by not using an aerosol spray you will be doing
your part to go green, and help the environment.

Remove shrimp from bag; discard marinade.

Place shrimp in the grill. Grill 1-2 minutes or
until shrimp are done (check after one minute).

To prepare salad, combine tomato and next 5
ingredients (tomato through jalapeno) in a large
bowl. Combine 1/4 cup lime juice, oil, cumin, salt
and black pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
Pour dressing over bean mixture; toss well. Spoon
salad onto each of 6 plates; top with shrimp.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup salad and
4 ounces shrimp).
7 WW Points per serving.

After serving the grilled food, make sure that
your grill is unplugged. Put a wet cloth that
can be washed and re-used in your grill and
close the lid. In 10 to 30 minutes, the grill will
wipe clean


Join the YAHOO! group for more George Foreman Grill Recipes


************

Easy Thai Beef or Chicken Salad

"Chicken or beef - whatever your preference - inspired by a soy and sesame dressing, piled on top of a delicious fresh vegetable salad. Topped off with a side of steamed rice, this dish is perfect for a fresh and delicious main course any night of the week!"


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white rice
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
1 head lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn
3 large cucumbers, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, finely diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold running water until no longer cloudy. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat and let stand for at least 10 minutes, or until all liquid has evaporated.

2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

3. Season chicken with salt and garlic powder. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, reducing heat when necessary, until no longer pink in center and juices run clear. Transfer to preheated oven to keep warm.

4. Place lettuce, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cilantro together in a large mixing or serving bowl. Toss to combine. In another bowl, stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and crushed red pepper until well blended and sugar is dissolved.

5. Remove chicken from oven, slice into thin strips, and drizzle with dressing. Divide salad and rice among serving plates, and top each with chicken slices. Dressing may also be served at the table and each salad dressed individually.


****

Aduki and Rice Salad (I am making at least 6x this recipe to take with us to a BBQ)

1/2 Cup aduki beans, soaked
1 cup long grain rice (Mine will be be cooked in the rice cooker)
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons lemon-juice or wine vinegar (I use lime juice)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup corn kernels
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
2 tablespoons raisins (not in mine)
2 tablespoons walnuts or pecans, chopped
Garnish: Chopped parsley (I use cilantro)

Cover the aduki beans with water and cook for 30 - 45 minutes, taking care that they remain intact.

Boil the rice for 10 minutes in enough water to just cover it. cover with a clean teatowel and saucepan lid and leave on a low heat until the rice is fluffy and dry (5 to 10 minutes, depending on the rice)

Mix the oil and lemon or vinegar together and stir into the warm rice. This is important so that the rice absorbs the flavors.

Cook the frozen peas (I just add them to the rice cooker when it turns to keep warm and let them steam.) and add to the rice together with the corn kernels, the drained aduki beans, the chopped vegetables, raisins and nuts. Stir well and sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Serve chilled in a wide earthenware bowl or shallow terrine.

******

Cuban Style Lentil Salad

6 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse Sea salt
1 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed thoroughly
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, slivered
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Sea salt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
4 green onions, using the white and light green parts, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1/4 cup finely diced jicama
sprigs of fresh parsley and lemon wedges, for a garnish

Use a large pot to bring the water to a boil. Add the sea salt. Add the lentils, reducing the heat to medium-low. Cook covered for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Do not overcook.
While the lentils are cooking, use a medium skillet to heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for about five minutes, or until softened but not browned.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and the salt.
Add the white wine vinegar, combine thoroughly, and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Drain the cooked lentils and add them to the vinegar and seasoning mixture, taking care to combine thoroughly.
Drizzle with the remaining four tablespoons of olive oil and toss again to mix. Cool to room temperature, then stir in the scallions and the jicama.
This dish may be served immediately, or it may be chilled for one or two hours in order for the flavors to combine. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.


*************

Lentil Salad with Smoked Turkey

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth or water
1/4 cup minced fresh tarragon (1 tsp. dry)
11 ounces (2 cups) smoked turkey breast, cubed
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup celery, minced
2 tbsp. fresh parsley; minced
1/4 cup regular or light mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
2 tsp. Dijon or hearty style mustard
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
salt, pepper to season

Place the lentils and chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat-simmer until the lentils are softened but still firm to the bite, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the lentils, move to a large bowl, and cool to room temperature. Add the minced tarragon, turkey breast, red onion, celery and parsley to the cooked lentils. Mix gently. In a small bowl whisk the remaining ingredients and add to lentil mixture. Mix again lightly. Makes 6 servings.

Join my Yogurt Group for more recipes using Yogurt