What's For Dinner?

OK. It's Saturday morning and who doesn't love a stack of yummy, fluffy, high fat, low nutritional value pancakes.  I'm the first to admit I love the melt in your mouth goodness of a syrup-laden piece of white bread dripping with butter.  What's not to love?

However, on the off chance that you are trying to watch your waistline, perhaps there is an alternative to causing your heart to scream out "have mercy on me."  So to all my heart-healthy friends, your day of reckoning has arrived.

This recipe is about as heart-conscious as you can get and because it is made with no oil and with whole wheat flour which means it contains very few "net carbs" (Total carbs minus dietary fiber).  Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk*
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup ground oats or wheat germ
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
honey

Combine baking powder, salt, oats, flour and spices.  Beat eggs in milk and add to dry ingredients.  Cook on a non-stick skillet or add just enough oil to a frying pan to prevent sticking.  Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup batter per pancake and flip when edges look dry.  Makes approx. 10 pancakes. 

Skip the butter and use honey instead of syrup to give your heart something to really smile about.

*If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute 2 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice plus enough skim or low-fat milk to make 2 cups. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes before using.

By the way
I am starting a 30-day experiment in a new, old "food lifestyle" that contains no "white." Visit my other blog to read more about my second great passion -health and nutrition.

http://runforyourlifetaipei.blogspot.com/

What's For Dinner?

Spicy Chicken Curry in Coconut Milk (Panang Curry)

While we were in Thailand, this spicy curry dish quickly became one of our favorite foods.  I was so thrilled to find a restaurant here in Taipei that serves this dish as well (for those days I don't feel like making it myself). You can adjust the amount of curry paste to your preferred level of spiciness.  We like it pretty hot. You can use red curry paste or panang curry paste.  I prefer panang curry because it has a few more spices than just basic red curry.  Either kinds of curry as well as the fish sauce should be available at your local Asian food store.  Enjoy!

1 1/2 C. Cocounut Milk

3/4 Tbsp Panang Curry Paste

1 lb boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, sliced into thin strips

2 Tbsp Fish Sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Red Bell Pepper, thin sliced
1/4 C. Red Chili Peppers, thin sliced with seeds and ribs removed
*Note: unless you want to light up your life, be sure to remove the seeds where all the spicy flavor is contained
1/2 C. fresh Basil Leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp. Salt
3 C. cooked Jasmine Rice

Whisk coconut milk and curry paste in large saute pan over medium-low heat.  Cook until curry is evenly distributed and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken and cook until browned.  Add fish sauce, sugar, peppers and basil.  Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Salt to taste. Add lime juice and serve over Jasmine rice.

Note: I always use Thai Jasmine rice which is sometimes also called Thai fragrant rice (because it smells like popcorn when it is cooked).  Basmati rice is a good alternative but you can use whatever rice you have on hand.

What's for Dinner?

Several months ago we were out of groceries and hungry. I wasn't in the mood to go to the grocery store and our budget wasn't in the mood to eat out.  My pantry consisted of one onion, one green bell pepper, one cup of baby carrots and two boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  And of course, rice- we do live in Asia after all.  What began as an experiment has become one of my family's faves.

Mediterranean Chicken

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

Dash of salt and pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts- cubed

2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 1/2 cups baby carrots, chopped

1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (approx. 3 cups cooked)

Combine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cubed chicken and toss to coat.  I usually prepare this in the morning, cover with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge to marinate several hours.  

About an hour before cooking time, I add the chopped veggies and allow them to marinate in the chicken mixture as well.  I like my veggies chunky.  You can dice them smaller if you have picky eaters.  Note: If you have washed the outside of your chicken, you shouldn't have to worry about icky things like Salmonella infecting your lovely veggies.  However, if you are still concerned take heart that you will be cooking this dish at 450 degrees for over an hour- the germs won't hurt you.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Cover with foil and bake 45-50 minutes. Remove foil, stir the mixture and cook 10 more minutes or until carrots are desired tenderness.

 

And where would I be without my "Super Lucky Elephant"?  (Probably not be in Asia)

About 30 minutes before dinner time, I prepare 4 servings of Jasmine Rice in my rice cooker.  You can use the microwave and any variety of rice you have including brown rice if you want to add some fiber to your diet.  

The finished product is a super-easy, super-healthy meal and if your family members are veggie lovers like mine- they'll love it.  Sorry to all you veggie-haters this recipe might not work out so well for you.  I'll post a good fried dough recipe for you later.