Vegetable Orzo

Posted on July 28, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Here is an easy way to use up odd vegetables to create a satisfying dinner. This dish stands well on its own for an easy weeknight meal or can be used as a side served warm or room temperature. I served it along with some grilled white fish.

Vegetable Orzo:

  • 1 lb. box of orzo
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, cut into one-inch segments (tough ends discarded)
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 2 14.5-oz cans chopped tomatoes
  • 1 14.5-oz can quartered artichoke hearts
  • one handful kalamata olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Boil and drain orzo according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add asparagus segments and yellow pepper. Heat until just tender.  Stir in crushed tomatoes.  Cook for few minutes until heated through and then gently stir in artichoke hearts and olive slices.

While orzo is draining in colander, add half of the tomato mixture to the pot the orzo boiled in. Add the orzo and toss quickly in the sauce then add the remaining sauce. Toss to combine. Serve in individual bowls garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese. May be served warm or at room temperature.

A kitchenbelle.com original.

Filed under: artichoke, asparagus, Main Dish, olives, orzo, peppers, Side, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 2 Comments »

Chicken Picadillo

Posted on June 9, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I’ve been slacking a bit in the dinner department lately and I haven’t liked it one bit!  A combination of plans filling the last couple of Sundays, very hot weather that makes me a bit lethargic and less than eager to hang out behind the stove, and a myriad of other excuses have prevented me from doing my usual weekly shopping and meal planning.  Therefore, weeknight dinners have been pulled together by combining a little of this and a little of that.  

This weekend I decided enough was enough and we did our shopping on Saturday.  I filled the cart with all sorts of fresh fruits and veggies and outlined some meal ideas so that we could eat well for both lunch and dinner all week.  Man do I find that gratifying!

The thing about meal planning that I find tricky is I don’t love setting a strict schedule. Tuesday:  chicken Marsala, Wednesday: rice and bean burritos, Thursday: baked fish etc. makes me feel restricted and who likes that? I don’t like being pigeon-holed that way. Every time I have tried to do something along those lines I end up coming home from work not feeling like whatever it was that I had planned. I much prefer to set up some loose ideas at the start of the week and then just kind of “go with it” during the week. So that’s what I did!

I found this Chicken Picadillo recipe in Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook. While the methods and actual recipe instructions in this book aren’t exactly perfect, her ideas for fresh clean meals composed of wonderful flavors and ingredients are very inspirational.  And even more exciting is the fact that the photos in the book are stellar.

While I am sure this recipe is not a traditional picadillo (I wasn’t even sure what a picadillo was until I Googled it), it is a wonderful, hearty, delicious, and flavorful dinner. I made a few adaptations and I have included them in the recipe below. 

The garlic, peppers, cumin, and cilantro pack lots of fresh flavor punch. And the combination of fresh and canned tomatoes really boosted the texture freshness factor.

I served this over brown rice the first time we ate it and over baked potatoes the second time. (With the baked potato I added a small scoop of sour cream and a few extra tablepoons of fresh cilantro–wow was that a delicious dinner!)

Tip: I think grilled tofu would be a great vegetarian substitution for the chicken in this recipe!

Chicken Picadillo:

  • a few glugs of olive oil
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (If you have time marinate the chicken in some olive oil, a splash of vinegar and some salt and pepper before cooking. If not, rinse the breasts, pat dry and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of ground cumin before cooking.)
  • 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 large yellow pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 large orange pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1.5 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, each one sliced in half
  • 1 14.5 ounce can of chopped tomatoes with jalepenos (I like Delmonte brand)
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Cook chicken using your preferred method. Poaching or grilling both work well in this recipe. Once it is done cooking, cut into cubes.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add onion and peppers. Cook until soft.

Add chili powder, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until veggies reach desired texture (we like them a bit soft but still with a little crunch).

Stir in chicken cubes and stir until mixture is heated through. Stir in fresh cilantro.

Peppers, tomatoes and spices simmering

I love using my grill pan to cook chicken breast

Adapted from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook.

Filed under: chicken, Main Dish, peppers, rice, tomato | 5 Comments »

Spring Pasta with Fresh Arugula Walnut Pesto

Posted on April 14, 2010 by kitchenbelle

My husband is running the Boston Marathon on Monday and I could not be more proud! He has worked so hard training over the past several months and as great of a runner he was when he started training he has improved quite a bit and shown serious promise for race day.

I know how important diet is for athletic performance so I was sure to stock up on loads of lean proteins, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables at the grocery store this weekend. For this meal I decided to give him his fill of nutrients (as well as a few carbs!) to keep him healthy for race day.  He loves red peppers, peas, and mushrooms so I created this meal around those. I LOVE arugula and what could be better or more nutritious than combining it with omega-laden walnuts?! 

This meal was very delicious and enjoyable. The freshness of the arugula, vegetables, and chives was what stood out for me. I know it sounds dorky (but I’ll say it anyway): I have been cooking for years, yet still I continue to be amazed by the PUNCH and ZEST of the flavors in fresh vegetables and herbs.  Mother Nature is pretty incredible if you ask me. 🙂

Spring Pasta with Fresh Arugula Walnut Pesto:

  • 12 ounces of fresh pasta (I used Capone Foods Fresh Pasta  Spinach Linguine from the Whole Foods refrigerated section)
  • a few tablespoons of olive oil
  • 6 ounces of sliced portabella mushrooms
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • fresh chives, roughly chopped

Pesto

  • 2-3 cups fresh baby arugula
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese (you could use fresh parmesan for a strong flavor, mozzarella for a mild flavor or anything in between)
  • salt to taste

Make the pesto:

In a food processor combine the arugula, garlic, and walnuts. Pulse until combined. Slowly pour in the oil while continuing to pulse. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary. Add the cheese and continue to pulse until desired texture is reached.  Add salt to taste.  Set aside.

Prepare vegetables:

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a medium pan over medium heat. Add the mushroom and a few pinches of salt. Cook stirring frequently until browned. Add the garlic, scallions, and chopped pepper. Continue to cook until peppers are tender but still crunchy.

Meanwhile boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Add peas to sauce pan and cook until warmed through. Then add  tomatoes. Stir to combine and let the heat soften the tomatoes, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add pesto to pasta and toss gently. Then add vegetables and gently toss again to fully disperse vegetables and sauce.  Garnish with fresh chives. Serve immediately.

A Kitchenbelle.com original!

Filed under: arugula, chives, Main Dish, mushroom, pasta, peppers, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 10 Comments »

White Bean Salad

Posted on July 13, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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This salad is perfect for those nights when it is just too hot to cook.  It is not only simple to make, but also it is delicious.  The yogurt gives the dressing a bit of a creamy texture while balancing the punch of the vinegar and mustard. 

I served this salad beneath yogurt marinated grilled turkey tip kebabs, however, it could certainly stand on its own as a delicious vegetarian dish.  It is protein packed and quite filling.

One note: Serve this salad at room temp (not cold) for maximum flavor.

White Bean Salad:

dressing

  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2-3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

salad

  • 2  15.5 ounce cans white beans (Kidney, Great Northern or Navy), drained and rinsed in a colander under cold running water
  • 2 red peppers, diced
  • 4-6 tablespoons of finely chopped chives (reserve a few pinches for garnish)

Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a glass bowl.  Set aside.

Combine all salad ingredients in a serving bowl.  Pour dressing over salad and use a wooden spoon to toss and coat beans with dressing.  Garnish with a few pinches of remaining chives.

Adapted from GlobalGourmet.com.

Filed under: beans, chives, Main Dish, peppers, salad, Side, VEGETARIAN | 1 Comment »

Quinoa Salad with Corn and Red Pepper

Posted on May 19, 2009 by kitchenbelle

 

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Quinoa is all the rage these days!  Everywhere I turn there are either quinoa recipes or articles praising quinoa as the best food source ever.  I had to get on the bandwagon!  I’ve been holding on to a box of quinoa for a few weeks now and I finally settled on making  this Martha Stewart recipe.  I was quite pleased! The taste and texture of the quinoa reminded me of a combination of rice and couscous–I think that if it were possible to “mate” the two, this is the taste and texture you would get! 

 Because I served this as a main dish, not a side, and I didn’t know what to expect, I decided to add some pulled chicken breast.  (I actually bought one of those grocery store roasting chickens and pulled off the deliciously moist meat—I am surprised over and over and over at how fabulous these birds are!)  That said, this is a filling meal and by no means did it need the chicken.  Without the chicken I think this would be a perfectly satisfying gluten free vegetarian main course or side. Also, I think it would pair perfectly with turkey tips or steak tips (or any other grilled or broiled protein–think Memorial Day cookout!).    

This recipe was a light yet filling, delicious, and nutritious gluten free meal—and a perfect introduction to this super-grain.

Quinoa Salad with Corn and Red Pepper:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • 1.5 teaspoons mustard powder
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cups quinoa, cooked according to package directions, using chicken or vegetable broth in place of water
  • 1 cup of frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • chicken breast pieces, cooked
  • baby spinach

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, basil, mustard powder, and garlic in a large bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the (cooked) quinoa, corn, chicken, diced red pepper, and half of the sliced scallions to the bowl.  Toss lightly to combine.

Arrange baby spinach on individual serving plates or a platter.  Mound salad on the center.  Garnish with remaining scallions.

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Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com.

Filed under: Appetizer, basil, chicken, corn, gluten free, Main Dish, peppers, quinoa, salad, Side, spinach | 2 Comments »

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