Tuesday, July 3, 2018

5 Spice Salmon - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

The balanced flavor in this Asian flavored dish with Chinese 5 spice (a combination of star anise), cloves, cinnamon, huajiao (Sichuan pepper) and ground fennel seeds) is wonderful. This is a surprising dish that is both light, yet very flavorful. It is full of nutrition, and very easy to prepare.

Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Soak shiitake mushrooms in 3/4 cup hot water. Slice when soft cutting out stem. Preheat broiler on high.
  2. Healthy Sauté onion in medium saucepan over medium low heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add ginger and garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add vegetable stock, 5 spice powder, orange juice, and molasses. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and discard all but liquid. Place liquid back into pan, and thicken with arrowroot dissolved in a little water while simmering.
  3. While sauce is cooking, simmer in another medium sized sauté pan cabbage, mushrooms, scallion, salt and pepper in mushroom water for 5 minutes.
  4. Rub salmon with salt and pepper. (You can Quick Broil with the skin on; it just takes a minute or two longer. The skin will peel right off after cooking.)
  5. When pan is hot, use a hot pad to pull out the pan from the heat and place salmon on it, skin side down. Return to broiler. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly (usually about 7 minutes for every inch of thickness.
  6. Drizzle salmon with generous amount of sauce and serve with your favorite vegetable.
Serves 4

Asian Chicken Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Chicken breasts can be prepared beforehand or purchased pre-cooked to make this salad a very quick and easy luncheon sale with a wonderful mixture of flavors and textures. (Check out our [7-Minute Quick Broiled Chicken:recipe,247] recipe to prepare moist chicken in a matter of minutes.)

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat broiler. Place a stainless steel (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron skillet in the broiler, about 7 inches from the heat source, to get it very hot. Season chicken with a little salt and pepper.
  2. If you are using hijiki or arame place it in a small bowl of hot water to soften for about 10 minutes.
  3. While pan is heating, thinly slice cabbage, and shred carrot. Carrot is easily shredded in food processor with shredding blade. Otherwise you can shred it by hand, or slice it thin. Chop cilantro and scallion cabbage and carrot mixture. Add sliced almonds. Squeeze excess water from hijiki, chop if needed, and add to salad.
  4. When pan is hot, about 10 minutes, remove from broiler, and place chicken in pan, skin side up, and return to broiler. Cook for about 15 minutes depending on thickness of chicken. This is our Quick Broil cooking method. When done and cool enough to touch, remove skin, and cut into bite-size pieces.
  5. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss with cabbage mixture and chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (You can buy sesame seeds that are already toasted.)
Serves 4

Curried Chicken Over Spinach Recipe

This is a great tasting dish that requires little work. The curry coconut complements the flavor of spinach and you can easily include more vegetables. Just increase the amount of sauce slightly and add along with the bell peppers.

Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces (6oz each)
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 TBS fresh ginger chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 medium sized onion, cut in half and sliced
  • 1 medium sized red bell pepper julienne about 1 inch long
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk, make sure it is mixed well before using
  • 4 bunches fresh spinach
  • salt & white pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Bring water to a boil for spinach. While water is coming to a boil, cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Healthy Sauté onion in a medium sauté pan over medium low heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and fresh ginger and continue to sauté for another minute. Add turmeric, and curry and mix well. Add stock, chicken, and coconut milk. Simmer for 5 minutes and add bell peppers and other vegetables you desire. Cook until chicken is done, about another 5 minutes.
  2. While chicken is cooking, cut ends off the bunch of spinach all at once. Don't bother trying to do it one stem at a time. It will take you too long and it is not necessary. Rinse spinach well and drop into boiling water for just 1 minute. Strain and press dry. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place spinach on plates and top with chicken mixture.
Serves 4