I don’t think I have ever, in my 24 years, had Chicken Waldorf Salad before. Ever. Not in a restaurant, at a friend’s house, at a picnic, at a pot lock, and any other scenario you can think of. I’ve heard of it, I’ve seen it on menus, but I’ve never eaten it. I don’t know what overcame me to make it at home, but boy am I glad I did! I loved this dish. It was a nice break from all the “heavy” winter foods I’ve been eating and it was so simple to put together. I based it off a recipe I found on Eating Well. I think this will be my go-to recipe for using up leftover chicken from now on!
Chicken Waldorf Salad serves 6
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 tart apples, diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 cup red or green seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free mayo
2 limes, juiced
4 teaspoons honey
salt and pepper, to taste
baby spinach
Combine chicken, apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour dressing over chicken and toss to combine.
It’s crazy how fast time flies when you’re running on fumes. I cannot wait for the dietetic internship to be over. Working, homework, and trying to find time to work out and cook is leaving me with very little time to sleep. What has been keeping me so busy? On top of the work we have to do in rotations 8 hours a day, we have additional projects, homework, readings, etc. to keep us busy. I had the great honor to be one of the managers for cooking demos we held in late January and early February.
The interns presented 6 dishes total; I had a blast making this Brown Rice California Roll with a fellow intern for our audiences! It’s so simple and so good that I just couldn’t resist sharing the recipe that we came up with!
Sushi is one of my favorite foods in the world. No lie – I could eat it for every meal, every day and not get sick of it. As much as I love going out for sushi, it can get a little pricey. So while it’s nice to dine out once in a while, it makes a lot more sense to just make it at home! I can’t recall how long I’ve been making sushi. I do remember my mom making rolls for parties growing up, and I’m fairly certain I just picked up the skill from observing her. I still think observation is the best way to learn how to roll sushi, but I had Mike document the process and I hope that these pictures will help!
Cook rice in rice cooker and medium pot with 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce.
When rice is cooked, transfer to a flat, non-metal bowl. Sprinkle remaining soy sauce and seasoned rice wine vinegar on top and toss to coat. Cool rice about 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Add 2 tablespoon mayo to imitation crab and stir to combine.To roll the sushi:
Set bamboo mat on flat surface with slats running crosswise.
Arrange nori shiny-side down on mat.
Using damp fingers, press 3/4 cup rice onto nori in 1 layer, leaving a 1 3/4″ border on the side of farthest from you.
Arrange 1/4 of the carrots in an even strip horizontally across rice, about 1″ from the side closest to you.
Arrange 1/4 of the cucumber in the manner, just above the carrots.
Arrange 1/4 of the avocado slices just above the cucumber.
Evenly distribute 1/4 of the crab on top of the carrot, cucumber, and avocado.
Beginning with the edge closest to you, lift mat up with thumbs, holding filling in place with your fingers.
Fold the mat over the filling and gently squeeze firmly along the length of the roll, tugging on the edge of the mat farthest from you to tighten.
Continue to roll, by lifting up the mat, rolling the sushi forward, and squeezing. Be careful not to roll the mat into the sushi!
Open mat and roll log forward to seal completely.
Transfer roll, seam side down, to a cutting board. Slice into 9 pieces with a wet serrated knife.
To make the dynamite sauce, mix together 1/2 cup mayo, Sriracha, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
*You can find these items at an Asian grocery store. Larger grocery stores may carry these as well.
Asian lettuce wraps. Everyone loves them. It’s crazy how something so simple looking can pack in so much intense flavor. So, cook up a batch, sit down with a large pile of napkins, and enjoy!
Want to know my little secret? Make extras. The leftovers are just as tasty 🙂
Another secret? I make it into a salad of sorts – chopped up lettuce, some steamed rice, and the filling all drizzled with some of the dipping sauce. It’s a little less messy than eating it burrito-style.
Lettuce Wraps serves 4
1 pound lean ground pork
1 large or 2 small heads Boston Bibb/butter lettuce
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and minced
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
For dipping sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce
Carefully remove leaves from lettuce head. Rinse and pat dry. Set aside.
In a non-stick skillet over high heat, brown ground pork. Stirring often. Drain and set aside.
Add onion to pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger vinegar, and Sriracha and stir, cooking for another minute. Stir in water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil and cooked pork. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
To serve, spoon a portion of the meat onto a lettuce leaf, wrap up like a burrito and enjoy with the dipping sauce!
TGIF!! Even though I’m loving my rotation in school food service, I’m still so so so very happy that it’s Friday. So, here are my Friday Favorites for this week.
Favorite Fitness Must Have: Garmin Forerunner 910XT with HRM. Ok, calling this $450 fancy watch a “must have” is a bit of a stretch. Maybe I should say it’s a “Lust Have” instead. The watch is seriously awesome. The price is a little steep for a student budget, though. Eh, maybe when I get out of school and find a job I can reward myself with one of these babies with my first paycheck.
image from runningwarehouse.com
Favorite Cold Treat: Kemp’s Java Chip Ice Cream. Oh boy. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this stuff. A bowl full of this + some espresso chocolate chip cookies = the best dinner ever.
Favorite Restaurant Meal Copy Cat: Burrito Bowls! I made these on a night where I had a craving for burritos. They were so good that we made them again the next night with different toppings. The best part? They were SO easy to make! Seriously, we put them together in the time it would have taken us to drive across town, wait in line, and drive back home. It’s an added bonus that they were so cheap to make, too! Now that’s my kind of meal – delicious, quick, and cheap.
Copy Cat Burrito Bowl
3 cups brown rice
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped, divided
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
Other optional toppings:
Sour cream
Jalapeños
Avocado
Queso
Hot sauce
Cook brown rice according to package directions. I use a rice cooker and use a 1 cup brown rice: 2 cups water ratio. When rice is cooked, mix with 1/4 cup cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.
Meanwhile, mix chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano together and sprinkle generously over chicken breasts.
Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through. Remove to cutting board and chop.
In a separate bowl, make the pico de gallo. Combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup cilantro, red onion, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
To assemble: place rice in bowl and top with black beans, chicken, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and any other toppings you desire. Enjoy!
Before I went to bed on Friday I checked the weather for Saturday at 8 am. 4°F and an inch or so of fresh snow on the ground. I had an 8 mile run scheduled and I couldn’t decide which was worse: running for 8 miles in the unbearable cold or 8 miles on the dreadmill.
I woke up Saturday at 6:45 and checked the weather as I ate my pre-run Greek yogurt. Currently -6°F and 1°F at 8:00 am. I grumped around the house until 7:30 when I decided to just suck it up and at least try. Worst case scenario? I run the shortest loop with the running group (4 miles) and run the other 4 at the Y.
I quickly searched the world wide web for guidance on what to wear. I normally peek at the Runner’s World What to Wear Running App, but that never seems to work out for me. And guess what? There aren’t a whole lot of people out there talking about running in the cold. Some blogs talked about running in the “cold” where cold = 30°F. Pfft! To me, that’s nice running weather.
So, what did I end up wearing and how did it work?
Basically, I looked ridiculous. It turns out that I dressed pretty darn well for the weather. I was cold at first, but warmed up after about 2 miles. I kept slipping the Wooly Mitts on and off. I think the only part of me that was a little too cold were my thighs. My shins were pretty well covered between the higher socks and my tights, but the tights alone were not enough for my legs! Maybe next time I’ll try compression shorts under the tights.
I’m proud to say that I made it the entire 8 miles in the cold. I might even dare to say that I was enjoying the cold by the end. Moral of the story? Get outside and just run; you will end up loving it 🙂
The best bet after a nice, cold run? A warm bowl of soup and a long, hot shower. Sick of the soup you’ve been slurping down? Try this Chinese Noodle Soup!
Noodle soup, or as my family calls it – noup. Inspired by a Kung Fu Panda viewing with my lovely family last Christmas.
Every bite of this put the biggest, goofiest smile on my face. It’s so hard to get us all together now that we’re growing up. It’s little things like this that bring joy into my life (and my stomach). It’s just a bonus that this is soup-er (har har) easy to throw together!
I entered this into fellow blogger Branny Boils Over‘s Souper Bowl, Round 2 fundraiser. For every entry she receives, she will donate $1.00 to the ASPCA. As a dog owner (and lover) I couldn’t resist.
Chinese Noodle Soup serves 6
8 ounces dried Chinese noodles
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chile sauce, such as Sriracha
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups thinly sliced bok choy
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks, for garnish
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, scallions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, breaking up the turkey. Cook until turkey is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.
Add broth, bok choy, soy sauce, vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and chile sauce to pot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until bok choy is tender.
Return turkey to pot and stir to combine.
To serve, place noodles in bowl and top with broth. Garnish with cucumber and serve.
Happy Friday everyone! Hope everyone had a fabulous week. While my week was better than usual, I’m still looking forward to the weekend. I’m starting something new – Friday Favorites. Read on for little moments from the week that grabbed me as well as a delicious new recipe!
Favorite blast from the past: school lunch. Yup, that’s right. I started my 1 month school food service rotation this week and they are feeding me lunch! This is my first rotation to offer me food, so I’m pretty psyched. Some menu items that brought me back to my elementary and middle school days? Pizza dipper, mini corn dogs, and the good ol’ chicken nuggets. Don’t worry, they’ve got some amazing fruit and veggie spreads along with some other healthier options. Also, for the first time in a loooong time (quite possibly years) I’ve had a cup of skim milk every. single. day. My favorite part of eating school lunch? The spork.
image from newsone.com
Favorite can’t-live-without-it workout equipment: Foam Roller. Best $20 I spent. You can find me rolling around on it for a good half hour after all my runs and cycling workouts.
image from synergy-athletics.com
Favorite breakfast inspiration: overnight steel cut oatmeal. I’ve been eating old fashioned oatmeal for breakfast day-after-day. I love it, but it’s getting a little… boring. I finally went out last night and bought some steel cut oats and I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
photo from thebittenword.com
Favorite kitchen find: olive wood salt keeper. I’m drooling over this. I’ve seen so many salt keepers and I still haven’t snatched one up. Someday…
image from williams-sonoma.com
Favorite jewelry find: “asymmetry” earrings from Paon Blanc. I love big, dangly earrings. I love sparkly things. Check and check. These earrings are perfect.
image from etsy.com/shop/paonblanc
and finally, my Favorite new holiday: National Granola Bar Day. There will never be a shortage of bizarre “holidays”. Celebrate National Granola Bar Day with me on January 21, 2012 with these delicious, no-added-sugar granola bars!! These granola bars are chock full of goodness – cranberries, bananas, pecans, oats, and flax. They were so easy to whip up and they taste a-maaaaazing.
Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper, with about 1 inch of parchment paper overlapping the sides.
Spread out the oats and chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Place in the oven until they are lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork. Stir in applesauce until combined.
Transfer the oats and pecans to a large bowl and stir in dried cranberries, ground flax seed (flax meal), cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Stir the banana mixture into the oat mixture until well combined and starting to clump together. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press down evenly.
Bake until the bars are golden brown and starting to separate from sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into 15 bars. Serve or store in an airtight container.
It’s been a long, crazy year. Even though I didn’t quite make it through my 11 in ’11 list (oops), I managed to accomplish a lot of things that I am very proud of. Mike and I bought our first house; I got accepted in the dietetic internship program of my dreams; I ran my very first race, the Hot Chocolate 15K in Chicago; signed up for my first half marathon; and celebrated one year of marriage with Mike.
Maybe 12 in ’12 will be a little more successful. I actually made most of the items on my 11 in ’11, but I never found the time to write about them. I think once I graduate in May my life will become much more manageable and DSD will once again be updated regularly. So, keep an eye out in 2012 for my 2011 must-cook dishes!! Until then, stir up some of these delicious caramels – the perfect balance of sweet and salty goodness.
Microwave Sea Salt Caramels
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
coarse sea salt
Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil. Coat inside with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large microwave safe bowl combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir together and place in microwave.
Cook on full power for 6 minutes, stopping to stir thoroughly twice during the cooking time (every 2 minutes).
Remove from microwave and stir until well mixed. Pour into prepared pan. Place in fridge until firm, about 45 minutes.
Remove whole slab of caramel at one time by pulling up on aluminum foil. Place slab on cutting board covered with parchment and peel off foil.
If caramels are oily from the cooking spray, blot them off with a paper towel. Sprinkle coarse sea salt directly on top of caramels.
Cut caramels into desired size and wrap with parchment paper.
Trust me, the dish tastes as good as it sounds. And it’s so easy that even little ol’ me, an 8-to-5-employee-turned-dietetic-intern-with-no-spare-time-in-the-world, has time to make it! The complex flavors will blow you away. I was hoping to use this recipe as a main dish for my “theme meal” during my hospital food service rotation, but I was the unlucky intern that ended up with virtually no control over my own meal [[insert sad face]].
So, if I can’t share it with the staff, patients, and visitors of the hospital, I will share it with the rest of the world! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Wok-Stirred Curry-Ginger Chicken with Zucchini serves 4
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch dice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly minced ginger, divided
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 medium onions, chopped
2 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch. Mix to coat chicken completely. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large pan over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon ginger. Cook until ginger is fragrant. Add in 1 teaspoons curry powder and stir to combine. Increase heat to high and swirl oil in wok to coat the sides.
Add chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 3 – 5 minutes.Season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken to a plate.
Repeat step 2 with remaining oil, ginger, and curry powder. Add onions and stir-fry until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until the zucchini is tender, about 4 – 5 minutes.
Return chicken to wok, add broth, and bring to a boil, about 30 seconds. Stir, remove from heat and taste. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
I first had this salsa at a friend’s wedding brunch. And I had it again when we went to visit these friends in Minnesota. It swept me off my feet the first time I had it and the feeling didn’t change. Obviously, I had to get the recipe! So, thank you Kirsten, for passing Georgette’s Black Bean Salsa recipe to me! Can you spot it in this yum-licious pile of nachos??
I made a huge batch a few days ago and the flavor just gets better and better every day. Yum. I think I need to always keep ingredients for this on hand.
Georgette’s Black Bean Salsa
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white corn, drained
3 large tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 green pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
Combine oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Warm until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir to combine.
I love meals that Mike and I can work on together. Translation – he can grill. I also love meals that are fairly easy to prep. Souvlaki was just that!
I served this with homemade pita bread and some Greek salad for the perfect meal. So, quick, give this meal a try before it gets too cold to grill! I swear we’re only a couple of weeks away from our first snow.
Souvlaki serves 6
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 – 3 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
skewers
In a large non-reactive bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic.
Add pork, onions, and green pepper to the marinade and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Thread pork, onion, and green peppers onto skewers.
DoughSeeDough 