Life changes, and apparently mine does this all at once. In two weeks time, I’ll have flown to Houston to wrap up work at my most recent position, will head home to pack up the one bedroom apartment in Chicago, will fly down to Atlanta to train for my new career, and then back to Chicago to move into our gorgeous two bedroom place in River North. Am I cooking as much these days? No, but I’m relying on some old standbys to get us through the next few weeks without eating out every night.

When I know a busy period is coming up I plan ahead and cook up odds and ends on the weekend that can be quickly thrown together in a casserole dish during the week. Pre-cooked rice and chicken breasts can mean the difference between a 20- and 60-minute meal. Mexican Layer Casserole takes advantage of both. This dish is comfort food to me. It’s flavorful and filling and comes together quickly, even though the ingredient list looks long. Don’t skip the chiles in adobo sauce because their spicy smokiness really punches up the flavor in the casserole. You should be able to find them in the Mexican food section of most large grocery stores, along with the can of green chiles. If you prefer less heat just omit the green chiles, gringo

Mexican Layer Casserole

Adapted from Low-Fat Living Cookbook
Serves 6
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$2.50

Rice
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Sauce
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
1 cup low-fat sour cream
2-3 chiles in adobo, chopped with 2 teaspoons sauce reserved
1-4.5 ounce can green chiles, chopped (optional. You could use a can of chopped chiles, too.)

Filling
No-stick spray
3 cups broken up corn tortilla chips
1-15 ounce can refried black beans, warmed
1.5 cups low-fat shredded sharp cheddar
1 cooked chicken breast, diced small (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Prep work: Mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro, onion, and chiles in adobo. Chop the green chiles and chicken, if using. Warm up the beans in a sauce pan on low heat.

1. To make the rice: mix together all of the rice ingredients and set aside.
2. To make the sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to low. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then stir in the sour cream. This will help prevent curdling when you add it to the hot sauce. Stir in a small amount of the sauce into the sour cream, then transfer the sour cream mixture to the sauce in the saucepan. Add the chiles in adobo with the reserved sauce and the chopped green chiles (if using). Stir everything to combine and remove from the heat.
   

4. To assemble the casserole: Heat the oven to 375° F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with no-stick spray. Arrange half the chips on the bottom, then drop spoonfuls of the warmed beans on top, using about half on this first layer. Warming the beans makes this step easier. Layer on 1/2 cup cheddar, half of the rice, half of the chopped chicken (if using) and half of the sauce. Repeat the layers of chips, beans, cheese, chicken and sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar on top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

Nutrition info assumes that optional ingredients are used and low sodium chicken broth and low fat sour cream, cheese and black beans are used. This casserole is a good source of almost everything and is still low in fat in spite of the cheese and sour cream.

Currently making me happy
I started this in my last post and I think I’ll keep doing it as I find things that make me happy. For now I want to focus on things I discover as I get to know Chicago, but eventually I will branch out.

Just three blocks from my house is the sweetest of temptations, Canady Le Chocolatier. It’s a lovely little chocolate shop tucked into a small store front in the South Loop. The hot chocolate at Canady beckons me out of the apartment even on the ickiest Chicago winter days. But the chocolate silk pie, oh man, I have never had anything like it. The texture is smooth and creamy but it’s not so rich that you get sick of it after a few bites. The flavor is much more complex, with a honey-like depth to the sweetness. I’m practically salivating just writing about it.

Mr. Canady makes all of the chocolates on site and you can tell that this is his passion. Each of his little treats is like a gem, a delicious, addicting little gem.

And some how, this disappoints me.

Where is all the damn snow?!? My imagination promised me heaps of pristine fluffy flakes begging to be stomped on, scooped up and rolled around in. I have a RomCom playing in my head where my boyfriend and I, scarved and earmuffed, frolic and romp through the snow while bouncy pop music chirps about the glory of love. Has it happened IRL? Nooooooo! And I was seriously beginning to pout until yesterday, when we got over 6 inches of snow. This Pee Wee Herman video pretty much sums up my reaction:

I’ve only gotten a little bit of frolicking in, but I have to say that I find myself grinning and even giggling when I walk down the street. I stomp into the snow banks, and I don’t care that my boots get all messy. Snow is new to me and I pretty much love everything about it.

And all of this was to set up my new favorite winter dish, this super quick chili recipe I tweaked from Real Simple. I added some ground meat to it, but you could just omit that part if you want to keep it vegetarian. I love the addition of bulgur because it adds a little more heft to the dish. It sticks nicely to the ribs. In the photo you can see a big hunk of my favorite cornbread, made with blue cornmeal for fun. I’ll post that recipe after this one. It’s some good stuff.

Quick Chili

Adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4
Total Time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$4

1/2 cup bulgur wheat
juice of half a lemon
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 pound ground meat (optional. Use beef or pork, whatever you have)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I like the ones with mexican spices or adobo seasoning)
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed

Prep work: Juice the lemon, slice the green onion, seed and chop the jalapeño, chop the onion, bell pepper and garlic

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the bulgur and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep the bulgur covered for 10 minutes. The water should soak into the grains. Stir in the lemon juice, jalapeño, a nice glug of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. While the bulgur is cooking, brown the meat in a large pan or a pot over medium-high heat. If you are not using the meat then just heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and skip to the next step.
3. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to tast. Stir everything to combine and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and 1½ cups water to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed beans and simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Divide the chili into bowls and top with the bulgur mixture.

The nutrion info assumes a total of 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 95% lean ground beef was used.

I’m busy, I’m packing, blah, blah, blah. You get it by now. In spite of everything going on in my life, I must take time to feed myself nourishing meals. Fast food won’t cut it for me. Maybe I’m high maintenance or a bit snobby. I’m OK with that, because I get to eat lovely dishes like this hearty concoction of winter veggies.

Last week at the market I came across no fewer than 5 types of sweet potato and I knew I had to do something with them. These beauties are high in vitamins A, B6, C and dietary fiber. Most sweet potato dishes I’m familiar with amp up the sweetness with brown sugar. I wanted to take a different approach, so I searched for a savory dish and found this recipe on Real Simple. That site ought to start paying me for advertising because I reference it here so often. It really is my go-to place for recipes when I’m keen on one ingredient.

Combining the sweet potatoes with kale and quinoa make this dish a nutrition boon that includes good doses of iron and calcium. The wine adds a complexity to an otherwise simple dish, but if you don’t have any on hand you could substitute broth. I’d recommend skipping the broth and buying a nice bottle of wine that you can finish off with dinner

Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa

Serves 4
Total time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: ~$3.50

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small sweet potatoes, about a pound
8 ounces sliced cremini or “baby bella” mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch kale
3/4 cup dry white wine (or veggie broth)
kosher salt and black pepper

Prep: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into bite-sized chunks. Remove the stems from the kale by folding in half lengthwise and running a knife down the side of the stem. Tear the kale into 2 inch pieces and rinse in a strainer. Peel and chop the garlic.

1. In a small saucepan, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot. Don’t use a skillet here because you will never get all of the kale in there. Add the sweet potatoes and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms soften.
3. Add the garlic and toss with the veggies, then add the kale, wine or broth and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the kale often and cook until it starts to wilt and soften, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve the quinoa in bowls topped with the veggies.

I can’t believe how much vitamin A and C is in this dish, and check out the iron, protein and fiber content. What this label doesn’t show is the nice dose of the B vitamins and vitamin K you get, too. This one is going to stay in my repertoire for when I’m feeling the winter doldrums in Chicago.

I saw this recipe for a butternut squash pizza on Real Simple and knew I could make it real simpler. Instead of using the refrigerated dough the recipe calls for, I turn to my quickie standby for mini pizzas: the pita. This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes with the pita as the crust. If you wanted to use the refrigerated dough or get even fancier and make your own dough, I’m sure the results would be irresistible.

I jazzed up the recipe a bit by using a goat’s milk ricotta with smoked paprika. Oh hell yes. This lovely fresh cheese is made by a local Texas company called Poia. If you can’t find it you can mix a little paprika with some regular ricotta. The smokiness of the paprika works well with the sweet roasted squash, so give it a shot.

Butternut Squash Pita Pizza

Serves 6
Total time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: $3

1 butternut squash, or 1 package of pre-cut if you are feeling REALLY lazy
1 small yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 package of 6 whole wheat pita bread
1/2 cup fresh part-skim ricotta
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel and cut the squash into bite-sized chunks, about 1/2 inch. Slice the onion into 1/4 inch rings.Put the squash and onion in a bowl, drizzle with the oil, season with the salt and pepper, and toss. Place in a baking dish and roast about 20 minutes. Transfer back to the bowl.
3. Spoon the squash and onion mixture onto the pitas. Mix the ricotta with the paprika (if using) and place little dollops of the ricotta around the pita. Sprinkle with the thyme.
4. Place the pitas back in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the pita starts to brown and the cheese melts.

Was I kidding about the vitamin A? This little pizza is a nutrition boon. I pictured it above with the Tangy Roasted Brussels Sprouts I made the other day. After eating that meal I felt like SuperWoman.

Snow peas throw me for a loop. I am never sure what to do with them other than throw them into a stir fry, where their subtleties can get overtaken by a spiced-up Asian sauce. Not so with Creamy Lemon Pasta. Their crispy sweetness is a great match for the lemony tang of the yogurt sauce in this recipe. The color combo of the squash, peas and red pepper just screams “VITAMINS!!!”.

Look at their cute faces!

When I make a pasta, I will round out a meal with a simple salad consisting of bagged greens, a few olives, maybe some crumbled feta. I’ve started eating salads without dressing, opting instead for olives and a sprinkle of chesse. I honestly don’t miss it.

Creamy Lemon Pasta

Serves 4
Total time: 20 minutes
Cost per serving: about $3

6 ounce container of plain yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable or stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 ounces short pasta like shells, rotini, or fusilli
1 medium yellow squash
1 red pepper
4 green onions
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup snow peas
1 teaspoon dried fines herbs (optional)

1. Set a large pot of water to boil
2. In a small bowl mix the yogurt, stock, lemon juice and cornstarch; set aside.
3. While the water is heating up, thinly slice the squash and chop the red pepper and green onion. I used my food processor to make short work of this step.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package, usually 8 to 10 minutes. Heat the oil in no-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped and sliced veggies and the snow peas. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Drain the pasta and add to a large bowl. Add the cooked veggies, yogurt sauce, and dried herbs. Stir to combine and serve.

Check out all the fiber, vitamin C and iron in this recipe. Thank you, snow peas!

Stew can be quick if you use the right ingredients. This recipe from New Vegetarian Cuisine is a perfect example. The trick is to use red lentils if you can find them, which are actually yellow lentils with the outer husk removed. Whole Foods has them in the bulk section, but you may also be able to find them at larger grocery stores amongst the dried beans. They are a bright orange color and turn yellow once they are cooked. Bonus points: Lentils have plenty of iron, protein and fiber. If you can’t find red lentils you can substitute green or brown, but the cooking time will need to be extended by 10-15 minutes.

I modified the recipe in New Vegetarian Cuisine by using yellow potatoes, which hold up better to cooking than regular baking potatoes. If, like me, you like chunks of potato in your stew try using Yukon Golds. I also switched out the tarragon for basil because I had some left over from the Mediterranean Olive Bread I made, and it’s easier to find in most grocery stores. If you use a food processor to shred the veggies, this dish comes together in minutes. Did I mention how much I love my new food processor? I don’t even mind that I have to wash it by hand (since I don’t have a dish washer).

Balsamic Lentil Stew

Lentil Stew Action Shot!

4 cups water
1 1/4 cups red lentils
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
ground black pepper
5-6 green onions
2 carrots
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
2 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the potatoes into cubes. In a large pot, combine the water, lentils, potatoes and pepper (to your liking) and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes.
2. While the lentils are cooking, chop the green onions and grate the carrots, zucchini and squash. You can also use the grater on a food processor for the veggies. Finely chop the garlic.
3. In a large no-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, veggies and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Once the carrots are softened, add the veggie mixture to the lentils. Mix in the basil and vinegar and heat through another 2-3 minutes. Serve in big bowls. You won’t need another meal for about 8 hours.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/04/quick-and-cheap-dinner-balsamic-lentil-stew/feed/ 4 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/29/quick-and-cheap-dinner-garden-pita-pizza/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/29/quick-and-cheap-dinner-garden-pita-pizza/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:48:26 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=969 October and November are always criz-azzy months for me at work. Everyone wants to wrap up their projects before the holiday slump, which means my diet and exercise routine suffer from half-assedness and downright neglect. Le sigh. When I’ve had a particularly exhausting day and would rather jump out a third story window than cook, I turn to the pita pizza. Not only are they quick, but pita pizzas are a great way to use up the odds and ends leftover in your fridge. Any cheapskate knows that wasting food is a big money sink.

   What follows is only in the loosest sense a pizza. I thought about calling it a garden flatbread, but that sounded poncey. Plus my new favorite book, The Recipe Writer’s Handbook, discourages cryptic and silly recipe names. I’m so, so guilty of that.

   If you don’t have all of the ingredients I list below, not a big deal. You can use a technique I like to call im-praaaaah-visation. As long as you can cut it into bite-sized pieces and it won’t be ick if you cook it, throw it on the pita. The combo I use below, however, is quite magical and has plenty of iron from the pumpkin seeds, which toast up in the oven. I love the bitterness of the radishes, the sweetness of the squash and pumpkin seeds, and the saltiness of the feta and olives all mingling together.

   Garden Pita Pizza

   Serves one
   Total time: 10 minutes
   Cost per serving: $3-5 depending on your toppings

   1 whole wheat pita
   1/2 teaspoon olive oil
   1/2 cup (1 oz) fresh spinach
   1/3 cup (1.5 oz) thinly sliced squash
   1 radish, thinly sliced
   4 green olives, quartered (I used some marinated olives from the olive bar)
   2 tablespoons (0.5 oz) raw pumpkin seeds
   1/4 cup (1 oz) feta cheese
   Italian seasoning (optional)

   1. If you are using a conventional oven, heat it to 350 degrees. I use a toaster oven so I skip this step. If you haven’t already prepped the veggies you could do that while the oven heats.
   2. Drizzle the olive oil on the pita, and spread it around with your fingers. Sexy.
   3. Spread the spinach out on the pita, then top with the squash and radish slices. Sprinkle on the olives, pumpkin seeds, and feta. Toss a few dashes of Italian seasoning on top, if using.
   4. Place in the oven for about 5-8 minutes, or until the pumpkin seeds begin to brown. Serve cut into wedges.
   
   Check out the nutrition information for this meal. The cholesterol should actually be 8%, but for some reason it keeps calculating to 33%. I think it’s just a glitch. More importantly, look at the fiber and vitamin content! You could do a lot worse

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/29/quick-and-cheap-dinner-garden-pita-pizza/feed/ 1 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:06:50 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=834 I’m no longer merely flirting with vegetarianism. I have tackled it to the ground and am humping it’s leg. We aren’t going steady yet, as I have had a few meatful meals in the last several weeks. I just can’t make the commitment, at least not until I get to know it better.

   Wow, I rode the wheels off that metaphor, but dangit it was fun. This is a lovely salad that I modified from a recipe in Quick Vegetarian Pleasures. The rice will take 45-60 minute to cook depending on how you go about it. I like to cook rice in a steamer so it takes me closer to an hour. Most of that time is hands off because the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. I know the raisins sound freaky, but trust me they add a nice sweetness to the flavors. Skip them if you are being a wuss and I’m sure the salad will turn out fine. Wuss.

   Broccoli and Rice Confetti Salad

   Serves 2-3 as a main dish
   Total time about 1 hour, though only 20 minutes is hands on
   Cost per serving about $3
   

   

   It's a veggie landscape!

   For the salad:
   1/2 cup brown rice
   1 head of broccoli
   1/3 cup raisins
   2 carrots
   1/4 of a small red onion
   2 tablespoons basil

   For the dressing:
   1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
   2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
   1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   ground black pepper to taste

   1. Cook the rice as you normally would. If you cook it directly on the stove, combine the rice with 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. I steam rice because it never burns or sticks to the bottom of the pan that way. It requires a steamer, though.
   2. Chop the broccoli into florets. Cut the carrots into sticks then dice into small chunks. Place the broccoli in a saucepan with about 1/4 cup water, cover the pan, and heat over medium heat for a few minutes. The broccoli will be bright green and tender-crisp. Drain off any remaining water.
   3. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk for a minute or two. Set aside.
   4. Mince the onion and basil. Set aside.
   5. When the rice is done, combine it with the broccoli, raisins, carrots, onion and basil. Mix in the dressing and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.

   This salad is even better after it’s marinated in the fridge for a day. If you feel the need for more protein in your meal, maybe you could add some tofu…or just lick some peanut butter off a spoon

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/09/20/quick-and-cheap-dinner-broccoli-and-rice-confetti-salad/feed/ 2 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/08/08/quick-and-cheap-dinner-no-cook-couscous-and-heirloom-tomato-salad/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/08/08/quick-and-cheap-dinner-no-cook-couscous-and-heirloom-tomato-salad/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:19:30 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=725 Real Simple and adapted it below.]]>
   

   I got fancy with the garnish

   I’m all about no-cook recipes right now. It’s been brutally hot and humid here and the last thing I want is to apply more heat by cranking up the stove. I found this recipe on Real Simple and adapted it below. Heirloom tomatoes are everywhere at the moment so they seemed like a great swap for beefsteak. I added some bulgur because I wanted more fiber and heft to the salad, and I cut the amount of olive oil in half. I also swapped out the orange for a lemon because I think lemon goes much better with the flavors in this dish. Finally, I added parmesan cheese to the mix for extra protein and calcium. I eat this as a main dish salad, but if it seems a bit light to you just add some cooked chicken.

   Real Simple is a great place to troll for recipes. The name says what it does, the recipes are simple and usually healthy. I like that they put the nutrition information at the bottom, too.

   No-Cook Couscous and Heirloom Tomato Salad

   Serves 4 as a main dish
   Total time: 20 minutes
   Cost per serving $3-4
   1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
   1/2 cup bulgur
   1 medium lemon
   2 large Heirloom (or beefsteak) tomatoes
   2-3 green onions
   1/4 cup fresh mint
   1/4 cup (2 ounces) roasted almonds, roughly chopped
   1 – 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
   1/4 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
   1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
   salt and pepper to taste

   1. Microwave 1 1/2 cups water until almost boiling, about 2 minutes. Place the couscous and bulgur in a large bowl, pour the hot water over the top, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. The bulgur should be tender, and there is no need to drain. Fluff the mixture with a fork.
   2. While the grains are soaking, grate the zest from the lemon and set aside. Chop the tomatoes into large chunks, slice the green onions, and chop the mint and almonds.
   3. Dump everything into the grains. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Stir to combine.

   Oh, did I mention it’s also a one bowl recipe? See how easy I make things for you?

   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/08/08/quick-and-cheap-dinner-no-cook-couscous-and-heirloom-tomato-salad/feed/ 0 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/08/03/quick-and-cheap-dinner-hippie-salad-with-chicken/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/08/03/quick-and-cheap-dinner-hippie-salad-with-chicken/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:45:04 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=709 No, there aren’t two kinds of meat in this salad! Hippie meat tends to be a bit gamey for my taste, yuk yuk yuk.

   I call this Hippie Salad because it contains two grains that hippies love: bulgur and quinoa. How am I privy to the culinary preferences of hippies? I used to be one, a friggin’ vegetarian even, and that’s when I learned how to cook both grains.

   

   See? It's not so scary, is it?

   If you aren’t a hippie it would do you good to give bulgur and quinoa a shot. Bulgur is more nutrient-dense than rice and contains wicked amounts of fiber. Quinoa is high in protein, which is why my former veggie self ate it. In fact, it’s one of the only grains that qualifies as a complete protein because it contains all the essential amino acids. That won’t stop me from adding chicken to this dish, though. If anything the chicken takes us down from “This stuff is totally foreign to me” to “Hey, I can recognize some of those ingredients!” Vegetarians can skip the chicken, cuz like I said the grains will provide plenty of protein.

   You can buy both bulgur and quinoa in the bulk aisle of Whole Foods or in the health food section of most larger grocery stores.

   Hippie Salad with Chicken

   (adapted from this recipe)
   Serves 2-3 as a main dish
   Total time: 30 minutes
   Cost per serving $4-5

   

   I'm trying to be more artsy with my food photos

   1-2 teaspoons canola oil
   1 lb. chicken (breasts or tenders will work)
   1/3 cup quinoa
   4 cups water
   1/3 cup medium bulgur
   2 tablespoons olive oil
   2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
   2 tablespoons minced cilantro (I had some left over, you could also use mint)
   ground black pepper
   5-10 brine-cured olives, such as Kalamata, pitted and cut into slivers (I use the chopped olive mix from Whole Foods olive bar. Convenience!)
   2 radishes, quartered and thinly sliced
   1/2 cup crumbled feta
   1. Heat the oil over med-high heat in a skillet. Add the chicken to the pan and cook 6-8 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through.
   2. While the chicken cooks, combine the quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered about 20 minutes. The quinoa germ, which looks like a curly-Q, will start to separate from the grain when its done. Drain the quinoa in a sieve then dump in a big bowl.
   3. While quinoa is doing it’s thing on the stove, nuke or heat about 3 cups of water to close to boiling. Place the bulgur in a separate bowl and cover with the heated water. Cover and let the bulgur soak for about 15 minutes, until it’s tender and chewy. Drain this too and mix in with the quinoa.
   4. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest a few minutes while you prepare the dressing.
   5. For the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro or mint and pepper in a small bowl. Chop the cooled chicken into bite sized chunks. Stir that into the grains, then add the dressing, olives, radishes, and feta. Serve immediately.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/08/03/quick-and-cheap-dinner-hippie-salad-with-chicken/feed/ 5