Nutty Chicken Pilaf

*insert catchy opening hook here*

Did that work? Seems you're still here. And they say blogging is hard. Pfft. I could do it with my eyes shut and one arm tied behind my back. Except um.. there might be a helluva lot of typos. Not to mention I'd be rather uncomfortable. Okay, scratch that idea then.

How about I show you a great recipe to use up leftover cooked rice instead? You in? Yup, I knew that I couldn't be the only habitual over-estimator when it comes to rice quantities. The problem is, those little grains are deceptive. They increase in volume during the cooking process. Devious little buggers.

One day I'll learn how to make just enough rice. Promise. Until then though, I can take advantage of my inherent rice-making flaws with meals that make the best of the leftovers. And comes together in a matter of mere minutes. Perfect for weeknights.

This nutty chicken pilaf is pretty straightforward to make and it reaps some handsome flavour rewards what with all that crunchy nut and seed action going on. You could use any combination of nuts in this dish, but I think the more exotic ones work best. The pattypan squash can easily be substituted by babymarrow (my original plan) or fried mushrooms to mix things up a little.

Nutty Chicken Pilaf

Adapted from Culinary in the Desert

Serves 4

1 tbsp (15 ml olive oi)

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

3/4 medium green bellpepper, finely chopped

2 chicken breast fillets (approx 250g), thinly sliced

3/4 chicken stock cube

pinch ground nutmeg

1/4 - 1/2 cup (60 - 125ml) water

3 cups cooked brown rice (I used a mixture of brown, wild and red rice)

125g pattypan squash (yellow summer squash)

salt & pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

120g mixed nuts, fruit & seeds (I used a mix of pumkin seed, sunflower seed, almonds, cranberries & pistachios)

a few parsley sprigs, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a large fryingpan and saute onion and greenpepper for 3 - 4 minutes until just starting to soften.

2. Add chicken strips and cook a further 5 minutes until just cooked through.

3. Add stock cube, nutmeg and 1/4 cup water, cook for a minute or two to dissolve the stock cube, then add rice and squash.

4. Cook another 3 - 4 minutes or until rice is heated through and squash cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Finish off by adding lemon juice, then stir nuts and seeds through and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 457.1, Total fat 21.6 g, Saturated fat 3.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 3.7 g, Monounsaturated fat 12.1 g, Cholesterol 36.3 mg, Sodium 47.3 mg, Potassium 540.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 45.1 g, Dietary fiber 5.8 g, Sugars 0.6 g, Protein 23.7 g

Good source of: Niacin 42.5 %, Manganese 32.7 %, Phosphorus 26.7 %, Vitamin C 25.4 %, Vitamin B-6 24.0 %, Magnesium 23.1 %,

Herbed Summer Pasta Bake

 With summer sticking its head around the corner every so often (half the time it's still chilly here in the Western Cape - helloooo it's October already!), I'm feeling like some lighter and more summery fare, but at the same time not quite ready for crisp and crunchy salads. That's when the idea for this pasta bake started taking hold. Summer squash, sundried tomatoes and fusilli smothered in a creamy sauce and baked until crispy on top. Not-quite-summer perfection.


 

Herbed Summer Pasta Bake

Serves 6

250g fusilli

240g (150g drained) marinated sundried tomatoes

250g green pattypans, scliced

250g yellow pattypans, sliced

3 baby leeks, thinly sliced

2 1/2 cups plain yoghurt

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp dried mint

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1. Cook pasta for about 7 minutes until just starting to soften. Add pattypans, leeks and roughly torn tomatoes in, including about 2 - 3 tbsp of the marinade it was in.

2. Transfer to a ovenproof casserole dish. In a seperate bowl whisk the eggs and yoghurt together. Add seasonings and herbs, then pour over the pasta, mixing lightly to ensure everything is coated evenly. Scatter with breadcrumbs, then bake at 180C for 30 - 40 minutes. 

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 320.3, Total fat 6.7 g, Saturated fat 2.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 3.0 g, Cholesterol 77.0 mg, Sodium 516.8 mg, Potassium 683.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 49.9  g, Dietary fiber 2.4 g, Sugars 14.6 g, Protein 15.3 g

Good source of: Vitamin A  26.5 %, Vitamin C 21.9 %, Calcium 19.7 %

Jamie's Simply Dressed Greens

Except these aren't green! According to Jamie Oliver this is the how Italians serve their veggies - simply cooked/steamed and then drizzled with a garlicy vinaigrette. And let me tell you, I could eat an entire bowlful of veggies like this - the dressing is just enough to subtly flavour the vegetables without being overpowering. 

I defy anyone not to like vegetables when served this way (seriously, don't you get annoyed by people who say they don't like ANY veggies? Surely you must like SOME, right? It's not like they all taste the same!) And this would be good with almost any vegetable - zucchini is lovely as well (cut them diagonally for visual interest), even broccoli shines like a star upon receiving this treatment.  

I'm submitting this to Weekend Herb Blogging #200, hosted by Cook Almost Anything

Jamie's Simply Dressed Greens

Adapted from Jamie's Italy 

This is not really a recipe, as it will depend on your tastes, but the basic premise is this:

1. Simply steam your veggies, or cook in a liiiiiitle bit of water (keyword here is little - we don't want to drown out all the nutrients).

2. Make a dressing using 3 parts of olive oil to 1 part lemon juice. Add a 1/2 tsp of minced garlic - increase if you are a garlic slut like me, or if you have a particularly large amount of veggies - but remember the garlic won't be cooked, so it's flavour will remain quite intense. Lastly add a handful of chopped up herbs - again, you can use almost anything you like of the soft leafy varieties (I wouldn't recommend the woody ones) - so experiment with parsley, fennel, dill or whatever else strikes your fancy.

3. As soon as the veggies are done (they should be crisp-tender and not mush), drain them (if necessary) and immediately toss with the dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve warm or lukewarm.