Chicken with Garden Vegetables

You will truly appreciate the flavors of your summer garden in this meal.

Simple Salad

Salads are great because they are quick and easy and you can throw anything into them and have a nourishing, delicious meal in minutes. A salad is especially useful to use up leftovers (veggies, meats, fruits). The salad below uses some leftover items in my refrigerator today but please feel free to substitute and be creative. Be sure to wash all vegetables as needed and pat dry for the best results. If you are in a really big hurry, you can pre-chop all your salad items at the beginning of the week and all you have to do is put the salad together, which is the easy part!

Sesame Bok Choy

1 bunch of bok choy, cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon peeled ginger, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2-3 T low sodium soy sauce
About 1 teaspoon arrow root powder
1 T sesame seeds, black or white

Heat sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the bottom. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper - cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Add bok choy and cook about 3 minutes stirring often. Stir in broth, soy sauce, and sesame seeds, bring to a boil. Push bok choy to one side of pan (away from the liquid). Sprinkle the arrowroot power into the liquid portion and stir (whisk) to thicken (will happen quickly). Mix with bok choy and serve.

This makes several servings as a side dish, about four to six. Pretty quick to cook and easy to do on the side while preparing other dishes.

Pork Chili

About 10-12 tomatillos, husked and quartered
2 poblano peppers, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
2 1/2 to 3 pound pork loin
1 cup vegetarian refried beans
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
Olive oil
Corn tortillas

Seasonings to taste, approximately as follows:
Cumin about 2 t
Chili powder about 1 t
Onion powder about 1 t, plus sprinkled on roast
Garlic powder about 1 t, plus sprinked on roast
Salt and pepper to taste

Add two cups chicken broth and pork roast (season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders) to crock pot and cook until meat is tender - shreddable. Prepare vegetables for oven roasting (or grilling). When the pork is done, add vegetables to a greased (olive oil) cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring twice. You could grill as an alternative. Add roasted (or grilled) vegetables to the crock pot after shredding pork. Add another two cups chicken broth and cook for another 2-4 hours. If too thin add refried beans. Season with the above.

Comments: Until today, I haven't made pork chili in over a year. The last time I made it, it was so delicious, I will forever be trying to re-create that taste. I have a recipe written down, but this time it did not taste as delicious (I don't think). I will try this again later this season and tweak the recipe. That being said, husband and son LOVED this dish as is. Both had numerous helpings and the boy even told me it tasted as good as the food at our favorite Mexican restaurant! Ha! 

This makes a lot - I am not sure how many servings, but I would guess 8-10. Hands-on time is relatively minimal, I think all together about 10 minutes, but you'll have lots of cook time in the crock pot (plan on an all day simmer).

Pre-roasted vegetables

Post-roasted vegetables

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1 package (about one pound) chicken
Assorted chopped vegetables such as zucchini, onion, pepper, baby corns, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, carrots, etc.
About 2 to 3 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice seasoning
Soy sauce, low-sodium, to taste
Sesame oil

How To:
1. Over medium heat, cook chicken until done - season with soy sauce and 5-spice.

2. Add sesame oil to pan if needed, and add the remaining vegetables.

3. Sauté and season with soy sauce until vegetables are crisp cooked.

Comments: Using the vegetables above, I used half a zucchini (julienned), about 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped bell pepper, half a can of baby corns, half a small can of bamboo shoots, half a medium red onion, and one whole carrot sliced at an angle. This serves 4-6 people.

 

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Dilled Baby Yellow Summer Squash

2 medium sized baby squash
1 sprig fresh dill
Sea salt & pepper
Olive oil

Wash and slice squash. Add to saute pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and dill (chopped). Cook over medium heat until done, about 5 minutes.

This recipe is very fast, about 5 minutes prep and 5 minutes cook time.

Comments: My husband loved this. I also thought it was very good.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

This recipe is modified slightly from a recipe from Ms. Scratch.Love. This is so good, you will not believe that it is cauliflower!

Sauteed Easy Broccoli Rabe

1 bunch broccoli rabe
garlic powder
minced onion
salt & pepper
hot seeds
olive oil

Steam broccoli rabe (cleaned and chopped roughly) for a few minutes in water, drain. Transfer to saute pan, sprinkle with seasonings, and fry in olive oil for a few minutes until done.

Comments: My grandma always made broccoli rabe and, if you haven't had it before, be prepared for a slightly bitter, distinctive taste. I really love it, it makes me think of my grandma and growing up, and I will eat it hot, cold, on bread, etc. My grandma traditionally made it by boiling the broccoli rabe until done. In the meantime, cook a little fresh chopped garlic in olive oil until just browned and toss with cooked broccoli rabe, salt, pepper, and hot seeds. Delicious. My aunt, however, makes it by just cooking all in the saute pan and skipping the boiling/steaming step. Hers is delicious as well. I would be embarrassed to tell either of them that I used garlic powder and minced onion on mine tonight, but in my defense, it tastes good (not as good, but still good) and is very fast and easy.

Up until a few years ago, broccoli rabe was not even available in this area and now they have it on a semi-regular basis, although the check-out person can never figure out what the code for it is. You may see it at your grocery store labeled as Chinese Broccoli or Rapini, and I believe that's the same thing.

Broccolini with Olives & Pine Nuts

2 packages of broccolini, rinsed, trimmed, and cut in half or thirds (your preference)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
7 or 8 kalamata olives
Approximately 2-3 T pine nuts
Olive oil
Sea salt & pepper

Saute garlic, nuts, and olives in olive oil in saute pan. When garlic is browned, add broccolini, toss, and cook a few minutes until done. Season with salt & pepper.

Takes about 5 minutes prep and 5 minutes cook time, which is pretty much hands on since you are tossing the broccolini.

Comments: I like my broccolini a little crispy (minimally cooked), so if you prefer a softer veggie you will need to cook longer. My husband AND six-year old both said this was very good. I agreed!