Honey Lemon Chicken Salad

Hey guys! I moved in to my new apartment this week! I'm so happy!!!!! I love living by myself and having this amazing kitchen all to myself. Plus I feel like a real adult now. So since I've been here, I've been cooking a lot more, and tonight I made the most amazing salad. It has a lot of components, so it might look complicated, but all of them are super simple. I'll just get straight to the point and  just give you the recipe now. :)

Honey Lemon Chicken Salad
Greens, lettuce, and whatever else you like in your salad. Enough for 2 people
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1tsp chili powder
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup quinoa
1 cup each water and chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup frozen corn
1 small tomato, diced
1 avocado, cubed
1 orange, segmented
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Rub 1tsp of oil on the chicken and place in a baking dish. Combine the soy sauce, 3 tbsp of the honey (I just eyeballed it and went with a very generous drizzle), the juice of half the lemon, the garlic and the chili powder. Pour over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. When it's all done, let it cool a little bit and slice it. Meanwhile, combine the water, broth, and quinoa in a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. In another pan, heat the remaining 1 tsp of oil over medium heat. Toast the corn until it's a little bit charred. Put the greens in 2 big bowls, or on plates and top with the sliced chicken, quinoa, corn, orange, tomato and avocado. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cilantro, then drizzle with the juice of the other half of the lemon and a little more honey.

I had some leftover salad from last night's dinner with mixed greens, carrots, celery and cucumber so I just used that. You can adjust the ingredients to whatever you like. If you want to swap the chicken for tofu, go for it. If you want to add black beans, I think that would be delicious. In fact, I wanted to add black beans, but I can't find my can opener and I don't have any that I cooked. If you want to leave out the orange because you think it's weird, be my guest. If you don't like cilantro (which is apparently a common thing that I just don't understand), leave it out. And maybe top it with some tortilla chips or toasted pumpkin seeds. This salad is your playground, my friends.

So freaking good. You can thank me later ;)

Tis the Season... To Eat!

Depending on where you are in the country, you may be experiencing some wacky weather. What's even wackier is that there isn't much of a difference in what you find in the produce section of the grocery store. Pretty much any time of the year, you can find the same foods, even though they are not grown year round.

The way that happens is food is grown around the world, maybe tens of thousands of miles away. It gets picked when it's not quite ripe, then sprayed down with preservatives.Then it gets shipped to your grocery store. You may notice the food tastes a little off, the tomatoes aren't quite red. The berries are shriveled and a little lightly colored. That's because if the food is picked when it's ripe, it would go bad by the time it makes its way to grocery store shelves.

One way to ensure you are getting the freshest and best tasting food is to eat what is in season. Eating what is grown seasonally keeps your grocery costs down as well as reducing the carbon footprint it takes to get your food to your plate.  Plus the food tastes way better! A great way to see what's in season near you is to check out the farmer's market and see what they have. (For all my fellow Las Vegans, there's one at the Whole Foods on Las Vegas Blvd every Friday from 3-7.)

If you can't make it to a farmer's market, you can check out this list I compiled. The list obviously varies by region, but I think it's pretty general for the U.S. at least. So here is a list of the foods that are in season each month:

January:
Apples, citrus (especially tangerines, blood oranges, clementines, grapefruit), pomegranates, pears, beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, leeks, potatoes, rhubarb, winter squashes (acorn, butternut)

February:
Bananas, citrus (blood oranges, lemons), pears, pineapple, pomegranate, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, artichoke, parsnips, potatoes, spinach, turnips

March:
Bananas, blood oranges, lemons, kiwi, pomegranate, mangoes, rhubarb, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, green onions

April:
Asparagus, broccoli, kale, lettuce, radishes, rosemary, spinach, green onions, garlic

May:
Apricots, cherries, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, new potatoes, radishes, spinach, watercress

June:
Apricots, cherries, melon, strawberries, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, fennel, lettuce, peas, watercress, zucchini

July:
Apricots, blackberries, blueberries, melons, nectarines, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumber, fennel, green beans, lettuce, onions, peas, sage

August:
Apricots, blackberries, blueberries, melons, peaches, raspberries, tomatoes, basil, cucumber, green beans, kohlrabi, onions, peas, zucchini, eggplant

September:
Apples, blackberries, figs, grapes, melons, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, tomatoes, beets, butternut squash, carrots, celery, cucumber, kale, leeks, peppers, radishes, corn, wild mushrooms

October:
Apples, figs, grapes, pears, tomatoes, butternut squash, celery, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, pumpkin, turnips, sweet potatoes

November:
Apples, cranberries, passionfruit, pears, artichoke, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, turnips, wild mushrooms, sweet potatoes

December:
Apples, clementines, cranberries, passionfruit, pears, pineapple, pomegranate, tangerines, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, chicory, kale, leeks, parsnips, red cabbage, turnips

For a great seasonal salad, check out my previous post "Smart Swaps" from May 2012. It's a warm kale salad with all kinds of winter seasonal ingredients. (It's delicious any time of year, which is why I was making it in May.) Fruit salad with apples and citrus with some fresh mint chopped in is also yummy.

Let me know if you have any other seasonal recipes!

Happy New Year!

Hey guess who's back!?

...

Me :)

It's a new year which means review last year and figure out how this year is going to be better. Let me just say, 2013 was filled with some highs and some lows. I have mixed feelings about this year, especially today because it is exactly six months since we lost such a sweet kid and part of our family. But I am thankful to have had him in my life and to celebrate his. <3

A new year is always filled with resolutions and people wanting to get healthier. And I am no different. However, my resolution is not just for myself, but for you too! I have many resolutions, but the one I know I can and will stick to is to not let this blog disappear for months again. I promise to update at least once a week from now on.

I definitely fell off the healthy wagon this year. Uh, by the way, I'm not a vegetarian anymore. Oops. Also, I haven't really been cooking very much. I got a little part time job or something like that, so I have been really busy. Not that that's an excuse. And by the time I get home from working all day, I'm so tired that I haven't been working out either. So basically my healthy life is nonexistent. I think everyone gets off track every once in awhile, but this is OUT OF CONTROL.

Anyway, I have a plan to make sure that 2014 is healthier and happier than 2013. Here are my resolutions and how I plan on keeping them.

1. Keep up with my blog. I'll be accomplishing this by setting aside Saturday afternoons to write a post. I don't usually tutor on Saturdays so I should have extra time to get this done. I also have a little list in my phone of ideas to write about whenever inspiration strikes me.

2. Make sure I eat healthy meals. The hardest part of this is not being prepared when I'm running around all day and I'm not home for 15 hours at a time. So I need to work on having something with me all the time, so I don't have to stop and buy something crappy. I do have stuff that I make in bulk and freeze, but I am not so good at bringing it with me. I just need to work on getting it ready the night before and always having something healthy. Plus I got the most amazing kitchen gadgets to motivate me to make healthy stuff.

3. Get some kind of exercise 5 times a week. This goes back to being prepared. Making sure I have my gym bag with me everyday will make me more likely to hit the gym or yoga on my way home. Even if I don't make it to the gym, just going for a run, or doing a simple workout at home would suffice. And now that it's warming up a little, I might be a little more willing to go for a jog.

4. Create a budget and actually stick to it. I don't just need to get my body healthy, but my bank account to. It's been sick for awhile now. Now that I'm writing these out, I'm sensing a trend. I need to work on preparedness. Stopping every day to buy food is not doing good things for my wallet. I've written out a budget and I need to make sure I pay my bills right when I get paid and make saving another mandatory bill.

5. Be more positive. I find myself being a whiny, complainy bitch sometimes, and that just needs to stop. Looking at the glass half full will make me and the people around me much happier. So this year, I'm going to make a conscious decision of the words that I choose and try to see the good things more clearly.

I think five is plenty of resolutions to have and hopefully it will help other parts of my life to fall together as well. What are your resolutions? What do you want to do this year? Let me know and also if you have anything you'd like me to write about!

Zucchini Lentil Burgers

Hi again!! It's been a very busy couple of weeks, but don't worry, I have a couple of recipes coming at you soon. Today's inspiration came from my stomach. You know how you're never supposed to go to the grocery store hungry?? I went when I was starving. But luckily, I have been watching a ton of food documentaries lately, so I was able to resist temptation and only buy good food. I just bought a ton of it and couldn't stop thinking about what I was going to make when I got home. I'm trying to really clean up my diet and crack down on the gym (so far 0 for 2), so this is a super healthy, delicious meal that was actually pretty easy to make. So without further ado...

Zucchini Lentil Burgers
1/2 cup dry green lentils
1 1/2 cups water
1 zucchini, shredded
2 cups frozen spinach
1/4 cup oatmeal
3 tbsp flax seeds
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, the water, and the spices. Bring to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the frozen spinach and then simmer for another 5 minutes. The lentils should be tender and the water should mostly have evaporated now, but if not keep simmering until they are. In a food processor or blender, combine the oatmeal and flax seeds until they are a fine powder. Set aside. Then blend the lentil and spinach mixture. It doesn't have to be super smooth. I just pulsed mine a few times. This will look repulsive. I'm warning you now. Lentils are not pretty when they're blended, but get past it because it tastes delicious. Combine with the oatmeal mixture and the shredded zucchini. If you have any other veggies you want to sneak in there, feel free. I was thinking about adding carrots, but I didn't want the recipe to be too busy. Form into patties while you heat a pan over high heat. Spray your pan with some cooking spray or really lightly oil it so the burgers don't stick. I made my burgers about 4 inches wide and it made 8 patties, but make them whatever size you'd like. Cook in the pan for about 4 minutes on each side until they are lightly browned. Serve with one or both of the sauces below!

Mango Apple Chutney
1 ripe mango, diced
1 green apple, diced
1/4 small onion, diced
1/4 jalapeño, diced, seeds and ribs removed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the apple and onion are tender. You can use two mangoes instead of one mango and an apple, but I only had one, so I improvised. It worked out pretty well. If you don't like cilantro (then you're weird), you can substitute fresh mint.

Mint Yogurt Sauce
1 small container of Greek yogurt (pretty sure it was 8 oz. but not sure. It was the single serving one, whichever size that it)
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Mix up all the ingredients and top your burger with it. Bam. That easy.

I used both sauces, because that's how I am, but it was delicious with either one alone.

Hope you like it!!!

Vegan Jackfruit Carnitas

Hi my name is Amanda, and I'm the worst blogger ever. I fall off the face of the Earth for weeks with no explanation, and then come back, begging for you all to forgive me. I'm so sorry! It's been a hectic couple of weeks for some reason and I just haven't been on top of my game. But I do promise to make it up to you right now with, not one, but two, spectacular recipes.

Nothing screams summer to me quite like Mexican food (and margaritas). Something about it being 8,000 degrees outside makes me want to cool off with spicy food. I don't know. Riddle me that. One of my favorite dishes used to be when my mom would make Spencer's carnitas. Spencer has since closed his amazing restaurant in Mexico, so her version is all we have left of the delicious, sweet, tender goodness. But, since I don't eat meat anymore, I have to drool from afar. Well, no longer my friends. I have made a vegan version!! Plus this version doesn't have any artificial ingredients. If you saw my recipe for jackfruit pulled "pork," this is similar.

P.S. You can get jackfruit at the Asian supermarket.

I felt that it needed a fresh little topping so I made a roasted corn and avocado relish. I hesitate to call it guacamole because a) I didn't mash the avocado, b) I hate tomatoes in my guacamole so I didn't want to contradict myself, and c) if it's not my mom's guac, well, it's not really guac at all. So I created a different name.

So here are my recipes. I hope you like them and you forgive me for being MIA, and you come back to me and my tasty treats.

Jackfruit Carnitas
2 cans young jackfruit in water (I used the ones in brine last time and they were too vinegary or something, so this came out much better)
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup maple syrup (the second time I made these, I used a little less maple and substituted with a little apricot preserves, you know, just because)
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne (cut back if you're crazy and don't like spicy)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Put it on your cutting board and chop it up into smaller pieces. It will shred when you cook it, but sometimes the middle pieces can be a bit finicky, so I do this as a precaution. Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and sauté for a minute or so. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir it up so you cover all the jackfruit with the spices and the syrup. This will also help break up the jackfruit. After about 20 minutes, all the syrup and liquid will be absorbed. Keep cooking on high for another 10 minutes or so, stirring halfway through. This will get a little char on the jackfruit that's indicative of tasty carnitas. And that's it! Super easy.

Roasted Corn and Avocado Relish
1 ripe avocado
1 cup corn (I just used frozen)
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped (I used grape tomatoes and just halved them)
1/2 jalepeno (adjust to your spice preferences)
juice of 1 lemon
1 green onion
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a pan, over high heat. Throw the corn in there and get it a little toasty for about 10 minutes, stirring every once in awhile. You should start to see brown or black spots, meaning it's getting yummier. Dice the avocado and toss that in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, including the corn. Mix very gently so you don't mash the avocado. Top your carnitas with this, or eat with a spoon. Whatever you please.

I made a little burrito with a whole wheat tortilla, some black beans warmed in the same pot as my carnitas, and the two dishes above. Yummy!!!

Enjoy with a margarita or two ;)

I promise to be better about posting from now on. Tell me you still love me??

Better Than Takeout

I made a delicious dinner tonight. One of the most delicious things I've made in awhile. It wasn't a super complicated meal, but it's worth sharing. This was my take on orange chicken, but since I don't eat chicken, I used tofu. If you do eat chicken, you can totally use that the same way. Or any kind of meat for that matter.

I never used to like tofu. I thought it was mushy and flavorless and gross. Now that I've learned how to cook it, I love it! This application was especially delicious because not only was it crispy and crunchy on the outside, it soaked up the mouthwatering sauce and was loaded with flavor. So without further ado, the recipe:

Orange Glazed Tofu and Veggies
1 block extra firm tofu, cut into triangles
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp sriracha
2 cups broccoli
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/4 large onion, diced
2 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chopped lemonbalm (I used this from my garden so if you don't have any, you can use mint or Thai basil)
brown rice for serving

Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Place the tofu in the oil and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the tofu to the other side and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove the tofu when it's golden brown and crispy and set it aside. Lower the heat to medium and add all the veggies, except the green onion and the lemonbalm. In a bowl, mix the marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, and red pepper flakes. When the veggies are just cooked through, after about 5 minutes, pour the sauce into the pan. Add the tofu back in, and stir to make sure everything is coated. Stir in the green onions and lemon balm then turn off the heat. Serve over brown rice.

Drooling. Really.

Aside from cooking the rice, the rest of the meal cooks up faster than you could order Chinese and go pick it up. Plus, I'm willing to bet my version is much healthier. And, you don't have to put pants on to leave the house (definitely made this in my pajamas)! The only downside to this is that there aren't more leftovers.

Vegan Barbecue!!

Since I've stopped eating meat, really the only thing I miss is pulled pork sandwiches. During the summer, they used to be my favorite thing. I would scope them out and devour them. I haven't missed anything else, I make pretty good substitutes, if you ask me. But this is a hard texture and flavor to recreate. Well guys, sound the alarms. I found a solution. Jackfruit.

Yeah, I had never heard of it either. Until recently. In the past few months, I've seen countless recipes using jackfruit as a shredded pork substitute. I found a can at the Asian supermarket (make sure you get the green jackfruit in brine, not the ripe one in syrup). Jackfruit is the world's largest tree fruit. It's green and spiky looking, and it tastes kind of like a mango when it's ripe. When it's not ripe, it pulls apart and looks just like pulled pork!! It doesn't really have a flavor so it lends itself well to absorb whatever flavors you cook it with. So I whipped up a vegan pulled pork sandwich, complete with cole slaw and sweet potato fries. So yummy!!

Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwiches
1 can young green jackfruit, in brine
1/3 cup barbecue sauce, either store bought or homemade
1/2 cup water

For the cole slaw:
1/2 green cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, shredded
1/3 cup veganaise
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
black pepper to taste

Sweet potato fries:
1 sweet potato, sliced into fries
3 tbsp oil (I used safflower oil)
1 tsp each salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Pull the pieces apart and shred them with your hands. Put these pieces in a saucepan with the barbecue sauce and water. Simmer this on low for an hour. If it gets dry, you can add more water. While this is getting barbecuey and delicious and tender, get started on your potatoes. Coat the potatoes in oil and spices and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Pop those bad boys in the oven for about 30 minutes until they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. For the cole slaw, mix the veganaise, mustard, vinegar, and pepper in a small bowl. Then pour this over the cabbage and carrots. You could add other veggies too. My dad used to use bell peppers and onions and jalepenos, but I decided to skip that. Whatever you have on hand will work. Then get some toasty bread or a bun or something, and put a pile of jackfruit and a scoop of cole slaw on there. Then have some sweet potato fries and teleport to a summer barbecue.

Next recipe, jackfruit carnitas!! Nomnomnomnom