Comunidad Health Foods

I feel like chickpeas get a little shunted, type-casted even, pegged into the hole of "Hummus" and left there to go stale with monotony. Now, I love hummus as much as the next person - spread on a bagel with some fresh tomato, used as a dip for warm pita or bell peppers, or mixed into one of the best chicken salads I have ever made, this is not a food to be trifled with. However, chickpeas have so much more to offer than just pureed creaminess. So, in order to help you embrace your inner love for chickpeas in all forms, I have 3 recipes to share with you, all of which cast the chickpea in the starring role. 

I hope I'm not getting over-zealous with these multi-recipe posts. I know they can get lengthy. I just have so many backlogged recipes to share with you, and oftentimes, they're similar in theme or ingredient, so it just seems to make sense to bundle a few up at a time. If they're too distracting, though, speak up! There's no use in me spending ages formatting a long post of several different recipes if you just wind up passing it over as soon as you catch sight of it. I'd rather be writing about backlogged entries for years, than rushing through them all under the assumption that you guys were on the same page, right there with me.

So about these recipes. The first one is beautiful in its simplicity - it came as a result of leftover ingredients and a need for a quick meal. This Chickpea & Vegetable Skillet is tangy, bursting with the flavor of artichokes and sundried tomatoes, and all around enjoyable. The serving size is large if you intend to add salad greens or pasta to it; I found it filling on its own for myself. The only thing I could think to add to this that I didn't have on hand was a nut - maybe a walnut - to add a little crunch.

Last but not least is, of course, a recipe for hummus. Believe it or not, this is my first time making a hummus, and of course I couldn't settle for a standard one. I had to go and find some doctored up version, and let me tell you, it made a beautiful light lunch earlier this afternoon. The recipe, courtesy of Annie's Eats, added cilantro and jalapenos to the mix, and it was so fresh and spicy as a result. I found carrots to be perfect little spice absorbers, to the point where I didn't even feel the need to reach for a slice of bread at the end. That being said, spread a little bit of this on pita, and your taste buds will be very happy. The only change I made to the original was to use peanut butter instead of tahini, and I only wound up mixing about half of the peanut butter/oil mixture into the hummus, to no ill effect (if you're asking for my humble opinion). So, for the sake of saving space and giving credit where credit is due, I'll simply direct you over to the original post for this one.

Well we kicked off May with a fun Mexican food trifecta, so why not end it that way, too? I can't really believe that May is already about to end, though I'm thankful that the weather has finally decided to catch up with the months, which are hurtling at top speed into summer. I feel a twinge of...guilt? regret? that I'm here bragging about the clear, sunny skies outside my bedroom window as I type this, while so many people are still battling weather so destructive that I half expected Rapture-ites to come out with an "I told you so" PSA. Hopefully everyone who I touch with this blog has been left untouched by these tornadoes and intense storms.

I have a feeling that most of you, though, are happily preparing for a fun, relaxing Memorial Day Weekend. Although these three meals are not picnic or barbecue fare and the soup in particular is bordering on inappropriate for this 80 degree weather (though hot, spicy meals are thought by some cultures to be healthy in the heat, and are often consumed in the summer months), they are all meals that can be easily made for if not a crowd, then at least a family. 

Let's start with the enchiladas - sour cream chicken enchiladas, to be exact. This dish does take a bit of time to assemble, but if you do it in parts ahead of time, it's really not bad. And, get this - I wasn't actually wowed by the recipe until the leftovers sat in my fridge overnight. So when I heated my second enchilada up for lunch the next day? Heaven. This means that you can absolutely, positively, 100% get away with preparing this way early in the day or even the night before, so that all you need to do is pop it in the oven. If you allow time for the sauce to mingle with the rest of the ingredients, you'll get a spicy, mildly sweet (maybe too sweet) enchilada bursting with saucy flavor. The cheese plays a very minor role here, so if you're of the mindset that cheese must be melting and oozing all over the place, you might want to up that ratio a bit.

Now let's move onto the tacos, which were vegetarian and certainly different from what you'd normally expect. They used a ricotta-spinach mixture as the filling, which might get some crinkled-up nose reactions amongst some kids (and some adults I know, too!), so this one might not be for everyone. I added chicken just to make it more filling, though I think they'd be fine, especially as a lighter meal, without any extra protein (or with beans, tofu, beef, etc.). These were ridiculously easy to prepare but, ultimately, disappointingly bland. It was such an interesting idea and the textures were spot-on, but the flavors just were not there. I almost didn't even share this with you except I had some leftover filling that I used for a stir fry the next day, and it came out much better. I really just threw in ingredients that I had on hand - dried basil, some parmesan, roasted red peppers, extra jalapeno pepper, and garlic - and I forewent the tortilla. All this to say that these tacos are redeemable, just don't be shy with the flavors. In the recipe below I've added the spices and flavorings that I used the following day, which should help.

And lastly, that brings us to the Spicy Tomato Soup, which I adapted from a Taco Soup recipe. This was so easy to put together and so tasty that I marked it in my notes as "definitely a repeat recipe." It was simple with a small kick, not huge, and would be just as excellent ramped up with some corn, chicken/beans, and tortilla strips (homemade preferably!). There's really not much to say about this soup other than that - it's just plain good eats, and I have to encourage you to give it a try. Eat it with a grilled cheese sandwich, serve it as an appetizer before taco night, or just eat it on its own - you really can't go wrong.

Now, onto the recipes!

 Before I get to the recipe at hand, I have a confession to make: I have made a Twitter account. Putting thoughts of giggling pre-teens and tech-savvy celebrities aside, I signed Floptimism up! I still don't think I understand it. I feel a lot like an 82-year-old woman, actually, as I sign in and stare at Tweets full of abbreviations and symbols that might as well be in another language. I have a lot of catching up to do, but I'm excited! There are so many times that I have quick little thoughts or tips I want to share with you, but they aren't nearly substantial enough to warrant their own post on here. So, in addition to keeping track of all of my updates on the blog, I'll (hopefully) be Tweeting fun little blurbs about food and perhaps, inadvertently, life. So search for Floptimism on Twitter, or just click here for my profile!

Now, about this Mustard-Crusted Tofu. This was my second foray into the world of tofu (check out my first over here!), and it was just as delicious as the first. It was extremely salty somehow, despite not using heavily salted products at any step, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It offered a broad array of textures and flavors, from sweet and crunchy to smooth and savory. The mustard was a little overpowering, so I've adjusted the recipe below to call for less of it right off that bat; the same goes for the oil. The mustard also didn't seem to want to stay on the tofu very much, which may or may not have something to do with the reduced oil, but I didn't find this to be too distracting. In the end, the ginger is hands down what makes this dish a star. It comes through in both flavor and aroma perfectly, and once the mustard is toned down a little bit, this meat-free meal will deliver an incredible balance of flavors - a real treat, for sure. As for the kale and sweet potato side dish that comes along with it? My only complaint is that there wasn't more of it, also reflected in the ingredient ratios listed below. It's just a shame that my pictures didn't turn out very well this time, because this is the kind of dish that makes eating meat-free not only easy, but downright exciting. If my photography skills aren't convincing enough, I hope that last claim is.

L and I are up in the mountains for a few days of peace and quiet before my summer class starts, and we took a walk to the community office today. The woman at the desk was talking to us about the weather which has been gloomy and rainy for the past - well, too long, if you ask me. I've been asking myself if someone secretly uprooted me and my entire life and transported us all to Seattle while I was asleep one night last week. I have told my parents on several occasions that they better get ready because I'm moving south. 

No, in all honesty, I haven't much minded the recent weather. There's something peaceful about it, and although I am more than ready to break out my ice cream machine and be able to study for my summer course pool-side, perhaps with a cool drink in my hand (if such things are allowed at the new apartment), it's also comforting to be snuggled up warm in a house while the rain patters on the roof. It also gives me an excuse to share with you all of these great recipes I have saved up from cooler times, like this stew.

This Black Bean, Chicken & Red Pepper Stew is spicy and warm, satisfying and easy to put together. It's the perfect recipe for estimating and adjusting on a whim based on ingredients and emotions you may have on hand at any given time. Feel free to make it vegetarian by removing the chicken, for example. I would say that it was slightly too liquidy, which could be remedied by some extra time simmering, and I wouldn't mind the addition of some fresh vegetables, as most of the ingredients called for are canned. It does make a hefty amount (even when I halved it), providing me with many delicious and quick freezer meals for the semester. 

So, if you find yourself inside listening to the rain and torn between dreaming of sunnier days and wanting to make the most of the weather at hand, consider whipping up a batch of this stew. After the first bite, you won't even remember that you're supposed to be feeling bitter that Spring has, apparently, been kidnapped. You'll actually be happy for the clouds.

I am in the very midst of passing up possibly the best darn opportunity dropped at my feet, and my own wishy-washiness is surely going to be my downfall as deadlines approach much too quickly. The faculty advisor of the Student Dietetic Association is planning a dreamy Culinary Tour of Italy - I know, I don't need to say anything else, right? Those three words in one sentence - culinary, tour, Italy - are enough to make your heart go aflutter and your salivary glands leap into action. For 9 days, this trip would send me to Florence, Milan, and Rome; to the Slow Food University and Chocolate tastings; and to museums and shops and little tiny cafe's or vendors on occasional free days. Hold on a second, let me correct myself - this trip would send me to all of those places to see all of those things, if I were going to go - which, chances are, I will not.

Don't get me wrong, there is a part of me that is crawling out of my skin to be there. The foodie within me is throwing a fit, kicking and screaming as my outer practicality looks on with apathy. I do have my reasons, some of which are totally lame, others (ahem, money) are much more justified. (Though, still...I could...but then... - you see? There is a civil war raging within me right now.) I think if it were a Culinary Tour of France I would have signed up even if it caused me to go bankrupt. I still would have hesitated, but I think every single person I know would have slapped me across the face if I had even considered turning that one down.With Italy, though, I have a few people in my life who are actually taking my side of things, and by my side of things I mean my rationale's side of things, and not my fantasy-driven-let's-have-an-under-the-tuscan-sun-vacation side. Because really, who wouldn't want that?

So, if you have not been given some crazy, random, out-of-the-blue, whimsical chance to explore the culinary culture of Italy - or, if you're like me and you have and you're still likely going to remain at home - try this recipe for Chicken Florentine on for size. Because even if you won't be eating it at the Slow Food University, or to counter-balance a day of decadent chocolate tasting, you can still close your eyes and pretend. You can bite into the creamy, salty mixture of sundried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan cheese, all rolled up inside a seared chicken breast, and imagine yourself on the terrace of an Italian villa, perhaps next to some dark and handsome local who hardly speaks any English but whispers sweet nothings to you in Italian to make you forget about all of your cares and troubles. 

Okay, lest I lead you astray, this chicken recipe was not All That and a Bag of Chips. It was good, and I enjoyed it, but it does require some tweaking if it has any aspirations of sending its consumer toe the exotic small towns of Italy full of gorgeous Italian men. First, there is a long prep process, exacerbated by my own inability to properly pound chicken (re: you may not have such a difficult time here). Second, I believe I overcooked the chicken (which would be just about a first, with my tendency to gravitate toward the underdone side of things) - though I still find this hard to believe, as I cooked mine for 20 minutes when the recipe called for 30-40. Perhaps I browned it too long in the pan first, but definitely beware of that discrepancy if you make this before I have the chance to try it again to refine it.

This could pair very nicely with pasta or a side salad, though I simply served my roulades over a bed of the extra filling, as one of my low-carb meals of the week. Lastly, I cannot confirm how authentically Italian this is, but when I hear the word "Florentine" and then note a combination of parmesan, sundried tomatoes, and spinach, my brain goes to Italy - not that my brain needs too much persuading these days to take a mental trip there...

 

Well, just as I thought it was safe to call it Springtime, I wake up to the gloom of a dark and windy day that looks as though the apocalypse is surely on its way. Have I mentioned that Spring is my least favorite season? My poor sinuses are in limbo, with the pollen count and sunshine high one day only to have the temperatures plummet by a full 20 degrees the next. Add it to my absolute beyond readiness to see summer and the end of the academic semester, and I'm just over it. Give me heat, humidity, and a climatic reason to eat pounds of ice cream, already.

Unfortunately, my ice cream post from the other day is yet again a moot point, since even I don't want a big bowl of that cold stuff in front of me right now. No, today what this bipolar weather has me craving is comfort food - the stuff that will warm me up and make me forget about the allergies that are now so strong that even my new kick butt allergy medicine can't keep up. If any of you are experiencing similar Springtime ailments, I encourage you to make some Savory Oatmeal. It really is just about as down-home comfort as you can get, and I guarantee that as long as you have oats and a fridge that isn't completely barren, you can put together some version of this dish with absolute success.

I thought I was very original, thinking up this idea for savory oatmeal. It was only after I made it and raved to my little notepad about its wonders that I started seeing it pop up everywhere - likely in much more sophisticated, documented ways than my own haphazard approach. No bother, I'm sure they all taste delicious, as this one did on a cool evening much like this one is promising to be. It was warm and filling, with just the slightest hint of freshness from lemon juice that gives you a little hope that sunshine may, in fact, be on the way.

You can add whatever you'd like - vegetables, meat, beans, cheese, you name it! I stuck with some veggies and tomatillo sauce, and my only change (which will be reflected below) is the sheer quantity of food "one serving" wound up being. With all of the extra vegetables added, a recommended serving of oats wound up being overwhelming, so don't be afraid of the scant amount this recipe calls for. You will be plenty full, I promise.

I think I've mentioned before that whenever I attempt to make a sandwich in any form - from the simplest Peppridge Farm loaf to the most elegant of crepes - I wind up with a quantity of filling that threatens to take over the world - or, at the very least, my modest-sized plate. My stab at black bean burritos was, of course, no different, and I wound up with an open-faced burrito that, though delicious, could not be satisfyingly rolled up and chowed down on in the appropriate way. I'm working on it. Until then, be wary of my overly-ambitious filling ratios. As in - cut this one in half for a happy, manageable, pick-it-up-with-two-hands burrito experience. It isn't that I stuff myself to the point of explosion with food - I often find the amount of food in my sandwiches/wraps/you-get-the-picture to be adequate (perhaps a wee bit large, but never to the point of discomfort), but the ratio tends to be off. 

The other side note I'd like to make about this recipe is that I made it before my shocking, earth-shattering discovery (okay, I exaggerate) that I have been blessed with the High Triglyceride gene, and as I look back on the ingredients now, it's easy to see that I do, in fact, have an affinity for carbohydrates that could easily be trimmed back on. This black bean burrito is a prime example. Count the carbs with me now: black beans? Check. Quinoa? Check. Whole grain wrap? Check. Corn? Check. None of these carbs are bad - in fact, they're quite fantastic, and several of them contain magical fiber to make my carbohydrate indulgences a smidgen less sinful. But all 4 in one burrito? 

It's a bit much.

If you don't have any cholesterol/triglyceride/etc. issues to worry about and you think all four carbs sound phenomenol together, go for it. In fact, even if you do have triglyceride issues, one meal every once in a while like this won't kill you. I try not to get too bogged down on this blog about nutrition, but because a healthful diet (with the obligatory chocolatey dessert thrown in for good measure) is such a big part of who I am and, therefore, what I write about, I like to at least put a little red flag up when I do share with you something that could, for some people, be troublesome. If you think this might be you, this meal would be equally tasty without the burrito as a stir-fry type meal, or with the burrito but without the quinoa filling. Or served over some salad greens.

But enough of that. Back to how deliciously enjoyable this burrito was, even if I did have to eat it with a knife and a fork.  I did make some pretty significant changes to the original, and what I bit into was a mildly spicy, occasionally sweet, perfectly balanced blend of vegetables, condiments, and spice. Each flavor came through beautifully. So no matter how you choose to eat this - with your hands or utensils, wrapped up in a tortilla or pita or dolloped over a bowl full of greens - you will enjoy every last bite...if your taste buds are anything like mine, at least.

When I first moved into my apartment, I was talking to my roommates about how I wanted to batch cook so that I could have quick freezer meals without having to cook every single night of the week. One of them responded that she didn't want to be forced into eating the same thing all week, which is understandable - but batch cooking and monotony are not one in the same. I find it extremely satisfying to come up with a weekly meal plan in which the recipes complement each other, using similar ingredients yet delivering widely different dishes. Having leftovers doesn't mean that I will be eating the same exact thing the next night - it means I have an extra serving of food that can challenge me to come up with a new way of enjoying it (or, you know, freeze for a month down the road - either way).

This recipe for Chicken Chili Brown Rice Casserole is a more structured example of how I do this. Most of the time, I take a leftover ingredient or even a full leftover portion of a meal, and just throw it into a skillet and see what happens, or put it between two slices of bread or on top some salad greens. However, I found this recipe online, and actually planned to have it as a part of my weekly dinner line-up to incorporate extra chili and chicken I would have on hand from recipes earlier in the week. I have to tell you, if you make this from 100% leftover ingredients (I had to make the rice from scratch), this is throw-together-cooking at its finest, with a generous dollop of comfort food and enjoyment thrown on top. 

I found the sum to be a little underwhelming compared to its individual components, but I chalk that up mostly to a no-frills approach to the chicken and rice components, along with a fairly subdued chili (as far as chili is concerned). I added some spices at the end to counter this, but I can't begin to tell you how over-the-top this would be if you had already flavored leftovers in the chicken and rice departments - it's hard with Leftover Cooking to say that next time I'll plan anything, but if I am able to plan my next use of this recipe, I will definitely make it on a week when I have some bangin' chicken and rice to use up. I will also be making it in a smaller, deeper baking dish and potentially even adding some more cheese (certainly couldn't heart, right?). But the best part about this is that you'll really never make it the same exact way twice - it will change and transform itself depending on what you happen to have on hand. Its beauty is in its versatility, a word I probably use too much on here, but one that is so crucial in cooking, especially when you're doing it in big batches just for yourself or you and one other person. If I can take a recipe and switch it up infinitely depending on the season, weather, my mood, and the contents of my refrigerator, it's a keeper. This casserole, right here, is definitely a keeper.

It actually snowed on April Fool's Day here, and I found Mother Nature's joke to be completely un-funny. Pair this miserable practical joke weather with the fact that today was sunny and 70, and you have a very difficult week to prepare appropriate recipes for. Do you make soup and hope it's cold? Salad and hope it's not? I'm very big on eating with the weather, at least most of the time, but this week I have more or less thrown the dice and hoped for the best. You could do the same, or you could be more intelligent and make something versatile enough for any weather extreme that this crazy Spring can throw at you. I've found chili to be a good example of this kind of meal, which is one of the reasons why I'm writing tonight about a Veggie Chili Polenta that I made a while back (other reasons include: 1. It's not chicken 2. It's not dessert 3. I'm having leftovers for lunch tomorrow 4. It isn't full of season-specific ingredients that make me feel guilty about telling you about).

This is an easy, essentially one-pot dish, on top of being very delicious. I found it to be slightly sophisticated, with the vinegar adding a nice touch. It's still hearty, but a little creamier than usual and not so heavy. It was a little too salty, a comment I followed up in my notes mysteriously with the phrase "my bad," making me think that I shockingly somehow managed to defy my Salt Nazi compulsions and actually add too much, since there's not much naturally in the ingredients the recipe calls for. Go figure. My only other complaint  (aside from its sad, inability to be captured beautifully in a picture) was a slight monochromatic thing going on, (which, incidentally, did nothing for its photogenic dilemma) with lots of dull reds, yellows and browns. It would certainly look nice with a little side salad, maybe the addition of a brighter green vegetable (spinach anyone? Kale?). 

The chili, by the way, is also excellent by itself, without the polenta. In case you were wondering. It is also fantastic in a chicken and chili casserole I made that same week (perhaps that will be my next post).

From the time my baby teeth came in to about my thirteenth birthday, my diet consisted of 3 food groups: Apple juice, chicken fingers, and ketchup. Sometimes I would branch out and have some french fries (the closest thing to a vegetable I ate post-preschool years, pre-nutrition), a slice of pizza, mozzarella sticks - but really, it was all about the chicken nuggets dipped in ketchup, downed with a glass (or 5) of apple juice.

There are only two directions to go from such a childhood obsession with one type of food: lifelong appreciation, or never wanting to see that particular food item again, much less eat it. Two guesses as to which category chicken fingers fall into for me, and the first one doesn't count. Yes, it's true, though I hide it well, I have a soft spot for those little breaded and deep fried comminutions of, well...some part of the chicken, anyway - especially if they're shaped like dinosaurs, as Perdue so endearingly offers the American public. Unfortunately, breaded, deep fried mystery meat is no longer one of Floptimism's Main Food Groups, and the opportunities for my taste buds and these American Delicacies are few and far between.

I only have one response when I encounter a food that I love, but either cannot eat or just don't eat very often: "Well, I'll just have to learn to make it myself, my way." So back in 2010, I tried my hand at Chicken Fingers, and was wholly disappointed. The chicken didn't taste bad - in fact, they were pretty darn good - but it wasn't a recipe for chicken fingers. I thought, in that moment, that maybe I couldn't make them myself, my way.

And then I found these. No, they're not called chicken fingers, but if you use sliced breasts or tenders, that is exactly what you get - delicious, complex, savory-with-a-hint-of-sweetness, moist. In a word, amazing. Okay, two words - they're perfect, too. I have, without a doubt, found my chicken finger recipe, one that I can feel good about eating. Just a few tips: (1) use good breadcrumbs, because the flavor of the whole wheat bread I used absolutely came through and without question contributed to what I loved so much about the flavors; (2) don't be shy with the yogurt coating, because I had a lot left over; (3) if you're looking for super crispy, consider skipping the butter added to the top. I think that kind of inhibited the full effect of crispiness that I was hoping for.

So, in my search for My Chicken Finger Recipe, I also lucked out and found a very satisfying, flavorful baked chicken recipe - and now you've lucked out, because I'm going to share them both with you! They're both fairly versatile recipes; I can see them topping a salad, as a stand-alone on a plate with some veggies, skewered with a dip of some kind...just maybe not with pasta, unless we're carbing up for a marathon, which I certainly have no plans of doing in the near future.

Baked-n-Breaded Herb Chicken

Serve with any number of things - I chose Turnip Fries, which could not have been easier. Because this post is already ginormous and full of 2 recipes, I'll just send you to the printable recipe to check out how I made them. Just know that when I made them, I measured nothing and brilliantly thought they would cook at the same temperature as the chicken (turns out that's a big, fat, False). But I still loved them.

Sometimes, the degree to which I have fallen behind in my recipe posting shames me. Even with updating nearly every day, I have so many recipes that I want to share with you - this is what happens when I am on my own for the first time, and I suddenly have the resources to experiment with cooking - real cooking, not how to turn microwavable mac-n-cheese into a gourmet dorm indulgence. The problem with this is that I am sitting here at the tail-end of March with all of these Fall-inspired dishes in my backlog; and although the weather could convince even the sharpest meteorologist it's still a cooler season, the wannabe-locavore within me is cringing at the thought of dedicating a post to anything with cranberries, apples, or pumpkin in the ingredient list. I still haven't decided what to do about this dilemma - the idea of waiting until Fall 2011 rolls around seems unbearable, but there's no way I can realistically encourage you to run out and make my "Autumn-Spiced Beef Skillet" or "Butternut Squash and Parmesan Pasta." (However, that being said, both of those meals were excellent and if I could bring myself to write about them, I would absolutely insist that you run out and make them both immediately.)

I can bring myself to tell you about this chicken and quinoa salad. Fall flavors unquestionably permeate this dish, but it doesn't call for fresh cranberries or fall squashes in a way that would make me feel absolutely ridiculous for writing about it on the cusp of Spring. Instead, it uses dried cranberries, apples (out of season, yes, but I'm not yet strict enough with this local eating thing to vow off my beloved apples), and a maple vinaigrette to deliver its punch of autumn, and I can handle that. This is a recipe that is perfectly acceptable to make when you're missing the enticement of Fall. That happens to me around this time of year. When Fall turns colder, I don't mind. I enjoy the crisp breeze and the fact that I need to start wearing a sweater outside. But I loathe cold weather in the Springtime, and I find myself right about now thinking wistfully back to the good ole' days of September and October. If you're at all like me, or if you just like the sound of these ingredients jam-packed together, consider making this. Maybe you can even forget about the dreary cold front that has seized...well, if not the country, at least the poor East Coast.

If you do choose to make this, you will be greeted with the play of sweet and tangy, chewy and crunchy. It's easy as pie to make (speaking of which, wouldn't a nice, fresh-out-of-the-oven pie be perfect right about now?), and my only change for next time - and there will be a next time - is to decrease the apples just a bit. I love me some apples, but they shouldn't be the focus of the dish.

Quinoa-Chicken Waldorf Salad, adapted from $5 Dinners

Happy Pi Day, everyone! Ever since I started cooking for myself, I've loved the idea of coordinating meals with holidays and fun events/occasions. It just makes eating more enjoyable, especially for me, right now, as I've been feeling a little bored by the meals I've been making (have you noticed the monopoly chicken breasts have on this blog??). Even though this pie does, indeed, contain chicken breasts, it's a fun (and phenomenal!) meal to serve on March 14th in honor of that wonderful, never ending number, Pi (3.14.....and so on).

I thought of the filling myself, using what I envisioned would be a light, refreshing blend of ingredients in a still heart-warming pie form, perhaps making the food bridge between winter and the ever-slowly approaching spring. I used lemon-baked chicken, a handful of vegetables, a light vinaigrette dressing and a touch of parmesan to create a refreshingly savory alternative to the usual pie fillings. For the crust, I used this opportunity to try out a recipe I have been dying to test out - an oil crust, without the fuss or saturated fat of butter or (dare I say it?) shortening. No cutting, no chilling - and, as I realized too late, no rolling. Originally, I had intended these to be hand pies, but when I realized that the dough was meant to be pressed into the pie plate and not rolled, I just made them into regular pies.

My only complaint is that I really should have let it be a one-crust pie, or maybe open-faced is the better term. Basically, I should have made it into two servings - I certainly had enough filling - when I only made one. My pie is a little crust-heavy, which makes it borderline dry when you get a bite of the edges without much filling. However, when you get to that filling and mix it with the warm, hearty-yet-crumbly crust? Heaven. Absolute heaven. The recipe below reflects the changes that I would make.

If all of that talk the other day of honey-flavored treats for your pooch got you feeling a little jealous, here is an even more enticing (and infinitely more human-oriented) recipe to cheer you up! It's a little surprising that it has taken me so long to share this recipe for Honey-Lemon-Ginger Chicken with you, since I more or less thought that I was in heaven the moment I took my first bite. It really is sweet and tangy at its best, with flavor out the wa-zoo to make every drop of simple, refined sugars it dumps into your blood stream well worth it. I even like to think the mouthful of a title is appropriately reminiscent of how jam-packed it is with flavor - one succinct title could never adequately encompass the full taste experience that is this dish.

Of course, I had to add some veggies to it, because in my mind, every savory meal could benefit from a healthy serving of extra vegetables. The original also calls for skin-on thighs, and I used my tried-and-true boneless, skinless (flavorless? ergh) breast meat. If you like to rationalize your food decisions (which the budding counselor in me vehemently discourages, but the human being in me does oh, I don't know, a half dozen times a day...), just say these additional vegetables, switch to white meat, and, perhaps, a side of whole grain pasta or brown rice in place of their refined counterparts completely counteract the downsides of the sugary marinade.

Or, you know, just eat it and enjoy it, because it's ridiculously good.

Also, feel free to make this with precooked chicken - I'm almost positive that's what I did all those months ago, in which case you would just skip the initial step meant to sear the chicken. All of my changes that I made led to a less photogenic dish - as in, the "sauce" wasn't as glistening and "sticky" looking as the original - but the flavors are all still spot-on.