Belizean Stew Chicken ~ Instant Pot

We have visited Belize a number of times, but always quickly as one of many port stops on a cruise. Because of the quick visits, sadly we have rarely enjoyed the cuisine of the island.   On one of our visits though we did explore and had the opportunity to enjoy some traditional Belizean food, including the Stew Chicken.  Well, when we love something, and trust me, we adored the Stew Chicken, we have to come home and try and re-create it, and do it in our Instant Pot.  When in Belize we enjoyed the Stew Chicken with rice & beans with a side of potato salad.  While we adored the sides with the chicken,  they are a bit too carb heavy for our current diet, so we paired this almost dead-on-knock-off Belizean Stew Chicken with our favorite Toasted Cauli-rice.   This Stew Chicken with the Toasted Cauli-rice gave us all the deliciousness of being in Belize while helping to keep us fitting into our bathing suits for the next time we visit.

Belizean Stew Chicken ~ Instant Pot

• 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on (or chicken pieces of your choice)
• 2 med. onions, sliced
• 1 TBS. coconut oil
• 2 TBS. Recado rojo
• 2 TBS. white vinegar
• 3 TBS. Coconut Aminos (or soy sauce)
• 5 cloves fresh garlic, sliced
• 2 TBS. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Medjool date, pitted and minced
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves

In a large bowl, mix together the Recado rojo, vinegar, coconut aminos, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, black pepper and Medjool date.  Stir to mix well.  Add the chicken pieces and mix to coat all the chicken completly with the sauce.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or over night.  When ready to make, press the saute button and add the coconut oil to the liner of the Instant Pot.  Once the oil is hot, add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until they are golden.  Remove the onions from the pot and add the chicken pieces.  Place the pieces so that they are skin side up.  Add the onions back on top of the chicken along with any sauce remaining in the bowl.  Add the chicken stock and bay leaves.  Turn off saute by pressing the Keep Warm/Cancel button.  Secure the lid and set the steam release valve to closed.  Press either the Poultry button or use the manuel button, setting time for 15 minutes.  Once the 15 minute cook time is finished, quick release the steam by opening the steam valve.  Carefully remove the chicken pieces and place them skin side up on a foil lined baking sheet.  Place the chicken under a hot broiler to crisp and toast the skin.  Serve hot, with sauce ladled on top.  Enjoy with Toasted Cauli-rice or more traditionally, with rice & beans and potato salad.  

Enjoy!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup ~ Instant Pot

For over two years, we have been enjoying our adaptation of Melissa Joulwan’s Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup.  You'd think that by now we'd be tired of it and would have moved on to a different favorite soup, but truth be told, I can still eat this soup every.single.day, especially for breakfast.  It's a great way to get in some healthy bone both and it's always warm and satisifying.  It's perfectly labled by Melissa as “a healthy hug in a bowl.”  Though a simple recipe to make on the stove, it's now even easier and quicker using our Instant Pot.  Though we have the 8-qt. Instant Pot, it still holds less than our big stock pot, so I've adjusted the amounts from the stovetop recipe.  This recipe will work in either a 6-qt. or 8-qt. Instant Pot. Remember, if you do freeze the soup, you’ll need to puree it again once thawed, either by placing it in the blender or using an immersion blender.  So, if you have an abundance of zucchini or need a warm hug, make this soup!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup ~ Instant Pot (adapted from here)

• 1 TBS. beef tallow or coconut oil
• 1 med. onion, diced
• 5 large fresh garlic cloves
• 1 TBS. ground ginger
• 1 TBS. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 3 lbs. zucchini, cut in 1/2 moons or leftover pieces
• 6 cups beef bone broth, (can also use chicken bone broth or Cheaters Chicken Soup,vegetable stock, or any mix of broth you choose)

Turn on saute mode and heat the beef tallow or coconut oil in the liner of the Instant Pot.  Add the onions and sauté until caramelized.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt & pepper.  Cook stirring continuously until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the bone broth and zucchini. Press Keep warm/Cancel button to stop the sauté.  Secure the lid and move the vent to closed.  Press Manuel and using the -/+ buttons, adjust the time to 10 minutes.  Once the 10 minutes are finished, allow for NPR (natural pressure release).  Once the pressure has dropped and the pin falls, remove the lid.   Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a blender to carefully puree (use a towel to hold the lid on the blender on whilst pureeing.) Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Dry Fried Eggplant

For people who love all sorts of food, we dine out very, very infrequently.  When we do go to a restaurant it’s generally to the local Szechuan restaurant where the food reminds us of our time in China. 
One of our favorite dishes, which we always order, is Dry Fried Eggplant.  This is our attempt to recreate the dish and honestly we are pretty darn close.  Though this dish is almost spot on, I will say that it’s often easier to just go out and enjoy someone else’s cooking and having them do the cleaning up too! 
Dry Fried Eggplant

• Coconut oil for frying
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• Himalayan salt, to taste
• 1 tsp. ground Szechuan peppercorns (dried prickly ash)
• 1 tsp. hot paprika 
• 1 1/2 lbs. Chinese eggplant, stem removed and cut lengthwise into 2-3 inch-long “steak” fries
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns, flakes

Heat oil (deep enough to come halfway up the thickness of the eggplant fries) in a heavy bottomed cast iron pan and heat to approximately 350F.  Place a wire rack over several layers of paper towels for draining after frying.  Mix together the tapioca flour, salt, ground Szechuan peppercorns and paprika and place on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Lightly moisten the eggplant fries with water and then lightly coat the fries with the tapioca flour mixture, shaking off and discarding any excess.  Working in batches, carefully fry the eggplant, turning when necessary, until lightly golden brown and tender in the center.  Remove the fries to the prepared cooling rack.  Plate and sprinkle on the cilantro and Szechuan peppercorn flakes.
Enjoy!

Peppermint Bark

For some reason we have numerous recipes with pictures, which we never got posted to the blog.  Amazing how life, with all its ups and downs, makes time on the computer less and less available.  Need to try harder to get more recipes up so, we’re going to try and get all these older recipes posted and of course all the new and delicious ones too. 

This peppermint bark is super simple and a must-have around the holidays.  Yes, we had it back in December and here it is April and we’re just getting it onto the blog!  What’s really nice is that there’s no real cooking involved, it’s all chocolate, so fun to do as a family activity or with the kids.  Messy fingers all around to be cleaned up by hungry mouths. 

Peppermint Bark

• 12 ounces high quality white chocolate, discs, morsels or bars broken into pieces, divided
• 6 ounces high quality dark chocolate, discs, morsels or bars broken into pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, or oil of your choice, divided
• 4 oz. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Line a baking sheet with a Silpat, aluminum foil, or parchment paper.  Place half of the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl along with 1/2 a teaspoon of the coconut oil.  Melt in 15 second increments, stirring well after each heating.  Heat and stir until smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so no scorching occurs.  Pour the smooth chocolate onto the prepared pan and using an offset spatula, spread to a thin layer.  Place the pan into the refrigerator until the chocolate is ALMOST set, about 15 minutes.  While the first layer is in the refrigerator, heat the dark chocolate along with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil in the same manner as the white chocolate.  Spread the dark chocolate over the almost set white chocolate and smooth with the offset spatula.  Again place in refrigerator to allow the dark chocolate to ALMOST set.  Repeat the process with the remaining white chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil.  Once you spread the final layer of white chocolate and smooth, sprinkle on the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips and press them gently into the melted white chocolate. 

Refrigerate the bark until completely hardened. Once hardened, remove from the pan and peel off the Silpat, aluminum foil or parchment. Break the bark into pieces as large or as small as you want. If you choose to cut into squares, allow the bark to warm to room temperature.  Take a very long, sharp knife and allow it to warm up in a bowl of hot water.  Wipe the water off the knife and then use it to cut the bark.  Between each cut, wipe the knife and reheat it in the water as necessary.

Enjoy!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

We could eat this soup every.single.day and sometimes we go for weeks at a time doing just that!  Such a simple, healthy soup and it’s beyond delicious!  We found the recipe originally on Melissa Joulwan’s blog, The Clothes Make the Girl and in her cookbook, Well Fed 2.  Melissa labels this soup as “a healthy hug in a bowl” which is such a fitting description for this soup.  We make this soup when we gather up enough leftover pieces of zucchini after spiralizing it when making another of Melissa’s recipes, Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio (freeze the extra pieces until you have enough.)  We also make this soup when we have an abundance of fresh zucchini.  When we have an abundance of zucchini, we make a huge pot and freeze the soup in 4-6 cup containers.  If you do freeze the soup, you’ll need to puree it again once thawed, either by placing it in the blender or using an immersion blender.  So, if you have an abundance of zucchini or need a warm hug, make this soup!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup (adapted from here)

• 2 TBS. coconut oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 10 large fresh garlic cloves
• 2 TBS. ground ginger
• 2 TBS. ground coriander
• 1 TBS. Himalayan salt
• 1 TBS. fresh ground pepper
• 6 lbs. zucchini, cut in 1/2 moons or leftover pieces
• 12 cups chicken bone broth or Cheaters Chicken Soup (can also use beef,vegetable or any mix of broth you choose)

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot.  Add the onions and sauté low and slow, until caramelized.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt & pepper.  Cook stirring continuously until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and zucchini.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Allow the soup to cook for 45-60 minutes, until the zucchini is very soft.  Once the zucchini is soft, use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a blender to carefully puree (use a towel to hold the lid on the blender on whilst pureeing.)  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio

Who knew that zucchini noodles could be so amazingly delicious!!  We now make these noodles in large batches so they’re always on hand to eat, hot or cold.  What a fabu way to get in your veggies!  We’ve enjoyed the noodles topped with some Bolognese or other sauces but our favorite way to eat the noodles is as a side dish…or late night straight from the fridge…shhhhhhh…  To get the best possible noodles, make sure to take the time to salt, drain and dry the zucchini otherwise you’ll end up with watery noodles.

  Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio  (adapted from here)

• 4 lbs. zucchini
• 1/2 tsp. coconut oil 
• 1 TBS. almond flour or almond meal
• 2 TBS.  extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• Himalayan salt & black pepper to taste

Spiralize or julienne the zucchini and place in a colander or wire strainer and toss generously with salt until all the strands are lightly crusted.  Allow the zucchini to sit for at least 30 minutes…or a few hours, to help remove the excess water.  Rinse the noodles under running water and then drain well.  Top a dishtowel with paper towels and then spread out the noodles.  Roll the towel up into a cylinder and twist, pushing out as much of the excess water as possible.  Unroll the towel and then place the noodles onto a baking sheet lined with fresh paper towels and spread the noodles out.  Place the tray in the refrigerator for an hour or so and allow the noodles to dry further. 

When ready to prepare the noodles, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, for about 2 minutes.  Add the coconut oil and when it’s melted, add the almond flour and a pinch of salt.  Sauté, stirring often, until toasty brown.  Remove the almond crumbs to a plate and reserve for garnishing. 

Return the pan to the heat and add the dried zucchini noodles and sauté until just tender, about 2 minutes.  Push the noodles to one side of the pan and reduce the heat to low.  Add the olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the empty side of the pan and stir with a wooden spoon until the garlic is fragrant.  Push the zucchini noodles into the oil and stir gently to coat evenly.  Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley, salt & pepper.  Sprinkle the noodles with the almond crumbs and either stir to combine or leave as a topping.

Enjoy!

Coconut Crusted Tilapia in a Coconut Garlic Lemon Sauce

A fast but fancy, perfect for family or company, delicious way to enjoy tilapia or other white flaky fish.  The fish cooks quickly in a pan making a crunchy delicious crust while keeping the fish moist and tender.  The coconut milk adds a creaminess to the strong lemon garlic sauce without adding dairy so perfect for everyone in our home with diets and allergies.  Interestingly we all love this fish freshly made but I think we like it even better the second day.  Got to love easy leftovers! 

Coconut Crusted Tilapia in a Coconut Garlic Lemon Sauce

• 1 lb. tilapia filets, or white flaky fish of your choice
• 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt 
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 c. arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut 
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 2-3 TBS. coconut oil

Sauce

• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 14 oz. can coconut milk 
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
• Himalayan salt
• fresh ground pepper

Rinse and with paper towels, pat dry the filets and then season with 1/2 tsp. salt and fresh cracked pepper. Set aside.  Prepare 3 shallow bowls.  In the first mix the arrowroot, garlic and onion powders. In the second bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and water together. In the third bowl, mix the shredded coconut, paprika, thyme, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

In a large skillet, melt 1-2 TBS. of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Lightly dredge the fish in the arrowroot mixture, shaking off any excess. Then dip the fish in the egg mixture and finally dredge it in the coconut mixture, again shaking off any excess.  Lay the filet carefully in the hot pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Cook until you see the edges of the filets turn opaque and the bottom crust is golden brown and crispy, then carefully turn the filets allowing the second side to crisp and brown.  Do not over-cook as you want to keep the fish moist.  Add additional coconut oil if necessary. Once cooked, remove the fish to a plate.

In the hot pan add the minced garlic and sauté quickly until fragrant but not browned.  Add the lemon juice and stir in any remaining crunchy bits in the pan.  Add the coconut milk and stir well.  Simmer the sauce until reduced and it thickly coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt & pepper.  Plate the fish and top with the sauce.

This was served with a delicious and perfect accompaniment, Coconut Carrot Soufflé, click on the link for the recipe.

Enjoy!

Orange-Car​damom Date Nut Bars

It’s Improv Cooking Challenge reveal day and this month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker challenged the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choosing using the specified ingredients of orange & cardamom.  My very first thought were of some delicious orange & cardamom Christmas cookies which I haven’t had in years, but as I’m not eating wheat, gluten, sugar or sweeteners these days, they weren’t going to happen.  But, I did have my heart set on something sweet which would fit into my current diet and after a little looking around I found this wonderful recipe for Orange-Cardamom Date Bars with a Nutty Crust. 

I made only one small ingredient change to better fit our diets and I simplified the process of making the bars.  The bars are delicious and sweet with no added sugar or sweeteners and the flavor of the orange and cardamom works perfectly with the flavors of the nuts and dates.  Even though there’s no cooking or baking involved, the nuts make a wonderful crunchy crust and the date puree in the center is creamy and delicious.  A wonderful little treat if you’re looking for a healthy sweet dessert or snack.

Orange-Cardamom Date Nut Bars (adapted from here)

• 1/2 tsp. coconut oil
• 2 medium oranges
• 1 lb. Medjool dates, pitted
• 4 oz. raw almonds
• 8 oz. raw pecans
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan with the coconut oil.  Working over the bowl of a  food processor, peel the oranges and remove and discard all the white pith and the membranes.  Add the dates and process to a smooth puree. Scrape the puree into a bowl.  Rinse and dry the processor bowl.  Add the almonds to the empty processor bowl and process until very finely ground. Add the pecans, cinnamon and ground cardamom and pulse until the pecans are coarsely chopped. Add 1/4 cup of the date puree and pulse until the mixture holds together. Using oiled fingers, press half of the nut mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Spread the date puree over the crust. Crumble the remaining nut mixture evenly over the filling; pressing down to compact it. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm enough to cut.

Cut into 24 squares and serve.

Enjoy!

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

• October 2013 Cake & Frosting:  Special Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fluff Frosting ~ Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free
• September 2013 Macaroni & Cheese: Creamy Mac & Cheese, Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free
• August 2013 Vanilla & Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Vanilla Coconut Frosting
• July 2013 Peaches & Herbs: Peachy Cola Ribs
• June 2013 Fish & Chips: Salt & Vinegar Crab Cakes
• May 2013 Cinnamon & Sugar: Cinnamon Bun Cookie Bars
• April 2013 Bacon & Eggs: Mini Bacon & Swiss Quiche Cups
• March 2013 Carrots & Peas: Mom’s Beef Vegetable Soup
• February 2013 Hearts & Flours: Three Ingredient Fudgy Nutella Brownie Bites
• January 2013 Bananas & Nutmeg: Baked Bananas
• December 2012 Chocolate & Marshmallows: White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark
• November 2012 Sweet Potatoes & honey: Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp
• October 2012 Oatmeal & Raisins: S’mores Granola Bars
• September 2012 Zucchini & Brown Sugar: Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar
• August 2012 Tomatoes & Peppers: French Fries Hash Browns
• July 2012 Corn & Butter: Fritos Crusted Pollock
• June 2012 Cherries & Almonds: Dried Cherry Almond Tart
• May 2012 Strawberries & Cream: Strawberry Soup
• April 2012 Peanut butter & Jelly: Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
• March 2012 Potato & Cheese: Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole
• February 2012 Ginger & Carrots: Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
• January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream: Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart
• December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries: Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter
• November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese: Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
• October 2011 Caramel & Apples: Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

 

Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles

Does anyone else feel like the holidays are racing toward them like an out of control speeding freight train?  I just feel like in a blink of an eye 2013 will be over and I have so much left to do before that happens!  I thought that once I made it through Maisie’s birthday and the party, that life would settle down and I could find the time and return to things like blogging but alas, this and my Moments with Maisie blog have both fallen by the wayside even as fun times with Maisie and daily cooking continues.  Guess in the scheme of things, if one thing needs to be cast aside for a while, it’s better to be living and eating than reporting on it all.

I guess that it’s good that I participate in the Secret Recipe Club and the Improv Cooking Challenge, otherwise I don’t know when I would have added recipes over the past couple of months.  Sometimes it’s nice having those deadlines, just to keep myself in the game and in touch.  Anyhow, it’s Secret Recipe Club time and this month I was assigned Jenna’s Cooking Journey. I scrolled through Jenna’s blog and found it filled with hundreds of delicious sounding recipes but the one that really caught my eye was her Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles over Orzo.  I adore eggplant and it just happened to be a loss leader at the market recently and I had a package of ground lamb in the freezer, so it was kismet!  I did change Jenna’s recipe a bit, most notably, I left out the orzo and instead decided to serve the lamb and eggplant over roasted spaghetti squash, and I served it with a side of grilled sweet baby peppers.  I changed around a few items and the cooking steps but overall, I kept very close to the original recipe.  Jenna stated that her one regret when she made the dish was that she only used one chili and the dish lacked some of the heat she was hoping for.  I went in the other direction and used two red jalapenos from my garden and left the seeds in…so the dish had a really, really good kick, perfect for me but I’m sure way too hot for most so adjust those chilies accordingly.  This dish had wonderful flavor and was just all around delicious.  Thanks Jenna for a wonderful recipe.

 Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles (adapted from here)

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil 
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 medium, firm eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 red jalapenos, sliced in half rounds (seeded for less heat)
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced finely 
• 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup Cheaters Chicken Soup 
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and sauté until caramelized.  Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.  Add the lamb and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Stir in the eggplant, jalapenos & rosemary.  Partially cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are softened, about five minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and chicken soup.  Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Serve over orzo, couscous, pasta or spaghetti squash.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes

It’s that time again and this month for Secret Recipe Club I was assigned Shannon’s wonderful blog, Searching for Dessert.  Shannon’s blog is filled with just hundreds of gorgeous recipes for breads, brownies, cookies, cakes, pies and other delicious looking and sounding sweet treats.  I was totally drooling over her Lime Meringue Bars, Flourless Fudge Cookies and her Light Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies but I really couldn’t make any of them because Maisie has her allergies to wheat, egg and dairy and I’ve been avoiding gluten, wheat, sugar, sweeteners both natural and artificial, and a whole host of other items and Eammon, well he just doesn’t really need any sweets so I didn’t want anyone tempted...boohoo… So after all my drooling over forbidden sweets, I checked out Shannon’s Meatless Monday recipes and found her recipe for Carrot & Potato Pancakes and I knew that I could easily adapt it to fit all our dietary restrictions.  I will say that I was being strong and really, really good by not baking any of her sweet and delicious treats and I totally admit that I did wallowed in self pity for a while but after making my version of her Carrot & Potato Pancakes, not once, not twice, but three times, I was crying no more and was a very happy camper. 

 

I really just made some small changes to the original recipe, I swapped out the white potato with a sweet potato, l left out the flour and increased the egg in the version that Eammon and I enjoyed and used chia seed gel in place of the egg in the ones I made for Maisie.  Also because I used sweet potatoes I decided to add a bit of roasted cinnamon because it just goes so perfectly with both sweet potatoes and carrots.

 

I served these Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes as a side dish with dinner and I also enjoyed snacking on them cold but my favorite way to enjoy them was nice and hot with a perfectly cooked over-easy egg on top which added just a wonderful creamy richness to the already delicious pancakes.  Check out Shannon’s blog for the original recipe. 

 

Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes (adapted from here)

• 1 3/4 cups shredded sweet potato
• 3 TBS. shredded carrot
• 2 TBS. minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt  
• 1/8 tsp. roasted cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, (or 2 TBS. chia seed in 6 TBS. warm water)
• coconut oil

In a medium bowl, stir together the sweet potato, carrot, onion, salt, roasted cinnamon and black pepper.  Stir in the eggs until the mixture is evenly combined.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add just enough coconut oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.  Using about a 1/4 cup measure place the sweet potato mixture into the pan and flatten patties to about 1/4-inch thick.  Cook until first side is golden brown and then carefully flip and cook the second side until golden.

Serve hot or cold. 

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts:

Chicken Burgers with Spinach and Mushrooms,

Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp

Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake

Loaded Potato Soup

Lemon Almond Biscotti

Creamy Mints

Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Fried Green Tomatoes ‘

Chicken Satay Noodle Salad

Double Chocolate Mousse Cake

Candied Popcorn

Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

Broiled Sushi

Health(ier) Peanut Brittle Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites

Texas Chicken with Lime Butter

Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens

Thin Mint Irish Coffee

Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Welsh Cakes

Nutella Crêpes

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Holy Guacamole

and

Home Style Chicken Curry

 

Thai Massaman Curry for the Year of the Snake 新年快樂

I don’t know what it is this year, holidays are sneaking up on me before I realize but between being busy with Maisie and my not seeming to be able to get my act together, they are passing by without much fanfare here in the Cook Lisa Cook house.  This year for Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, we did…well nothing special.  Instead of going to one of the big celebrations Maisie chose to spend the day doing what she loves best, playing and doing gymnastics with one of her besties.  Since we were home, and it was a holiday, a delicious dinner was a must.  As it worked out I was contacted by Foodie Blogroll and Thai Kitchen and asked to make a dish using some of  the Thai Kitchen’s products.  If you follow this blog at all, you know that we’re huge curry lovers so that’s the direction I chose to go and thanks to the package from Thai Kitchen and my stocked pantry I had everything I needed in the house.

Though there seem to be a lot of ingredients in my Massaman Curry, it’s simple to prepare and came out creamy delicious with a nice bit of heat, a perfect Chinese New Year or any day comfort food meal.   

新年快樂 , Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái!

From Thai Kitchen:

“Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia offer a complete line of Asian ingredients and convenience items, including sauces, curry pastes, rice noodles, fish sauce, coconut milk, noodle bowls, and more. Most items are free of gluten, artificial colors/flavors and MSG – more reason to celebrate a New Year, and new you! Our ingredients and recipes offer simple solutions to spice up any celebration - and what better time to “thai” new dishes than Chinese New Year? The traditional 15-day celebration kicks off February 10, 2013, and is a perfect reason to gather a group of friends and try tasty Asian cuisine.”  Check out Thai Kitchen and explore their amazing Asian cuisine ingredients!  Follow Thai Kitchen on Twitter at @Thai_Kitchen

Thai Massaman Curry

• 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin bite-sized pieces 
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 medium carrots, roll cut into chunks
• 2 TBS. coconut oil, or oil of your choice
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 TBS fresh grated ginger
• 6 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Thai red chilis, sliced, use more or less depending on your heat tolerance  
• 1/2 cup Cheaters Chicken Soup or low sodium chicken stock  
• 1  TBS. lemongrass powder 
• 1 tsp. turmeric 
• 1/4 cup ground, unsalted dry-roasted cashews
• 1 tsp. ground coriander 
• 1 tsp. ground cumin 
• 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper  
• 1/8 tsp. cardamom  
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste  
• 3/4 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)
• 2 TBS. Thai Kitchen fish sauce 
• 1 TBS. coconut palm sugar, Whey Low Gold or brown sugar 
• 3 bay leaves 
• 2 14 ounce cans Thai Kitchen coconut milk
• 3-4 mini baby bell peppers, mix of red, yellow & orange, thinly sliced
• 2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced lengthwise into 8 wedges each
• 1/3 cup whole unsalted dry roasted cashews
• fresh cilantro

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil and then the onion, ginger, garlic and chili. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes to release the fragrance.

Add the chicken stock, lemongrass, turmeric, ground cashews, coriander, cumin, white pepper, cardamom, tamarind paste, shrimp paste, fish sauce, palm sugar and bay leaves. Stir with each addition and bring to a light boil.

Add the coconut milk, potatoes & carrots. Stir and bring back up to a boil. Reduce heat until you get a good simmer.  Simmer uncovered 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes & carrots are tender. Add the chicken, red pepper and tomato during last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

Taste test the curry, adding more fish sauce for increased flavor/saltiness, more chili if you want it spicier. If too sour, add a little more sugar. If too salty or sweet add more tamarind. If too spicy, add more coconut milk.

Stir in the whole cashews.  Serve over rice and add fresh cilantro if desired..

Enjoy!

At Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia, we’ve made your favorite Asian flavors available to enjoy anytime and anywhere. From noodles to sauces and seasonings, coconut milk to fish sauce, our premium products deliver restaurant-quality Asian cuisine in minutes. Our ingredients and recipes offer simple solutions to spice up any celebration - and what better time to “Thai” new dishes than Chinese New Year? The traditional 15-day celebration kicks off February 10, 2013, and is a perfect reason to gather a group of friends and try tasty Asian cuisine. From mild to spicy, appetizers to dessert, Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia have something for every taste bud, sure to please even the most discerning palates.

The aromatic essences. The exotic flavors. The abundant texture. There’s no culinary experience that compares to Asian cuisine – whether you’re preparing a meal for the whole family or looking for a quick snack, we’re here to bring the adventure to your kitchen.

Disclosures:

* This sponsorship is brought to you by Foodie Blogroll who we have partnered with for this promotion.  This is a compensated post but all the views and opinions expressed are my own and based upon my experiences with Thai Kitchen products.