Szechuan Peppers with Ground Pork

The original recipe of this called for green beans, but I didn't have those on hand - so I used peppers instead.  Stir fry is just the best way to use up veggies - and no matter how hard I try, I always seem to not be able to use all the vegetables that I bought.  Inevitably, I get lazy and don't make one of the recipes I've planned for because it seems like too much effort, and the poor veggies take the hit.  So a quick stir fry is the easiest way to cook up everything leftover in the fridge and have it actually taste delicious.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork
1 tsp cornstarch
Salt + pepper, to taste
1 tsp peanut oil
3 bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 tbsp soy sauce

1. Combine pork, cornstarch, salt + pepper in a bowl.  Chop peppers + mince garlic.

2. Heat peanut oil and cook pork, garlic and peppers, stirring constantly to break pork up.  Cook until pork is no longer pink.

3. Combine hoisin sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes and soy sauce in a small bowl.

I doubled (tripled?) the sauce, because who doesn't like more sauce?

4.  Pour sauce over pork in pan.  Cook for 2 minutes, or until heated though.

5.  Take off heat and serve!

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light

Thai Chicken Saute

I tried so very hard to make the last "e" on "saute" have an accent, but failed.  That's really all I have to say about this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 package Chicken Tenders
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 Onion, sliced
2 Green Bell Peppers, sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 tbsp Ginger, grated
1 can Light Coconut Milk
2 tbsp Sriracha
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped

1. Whisk cornstarch and fish sauce together, then toss with chicken.

2. Cook chicken in a pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, turning once.  Remove from pan.

3. Slice onion and the peppers, dice garlic, and peel and grate ginger.  Add all to the pan, and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Return chicken to the pan, and cook for 1 minute.

5. Stir in coconut milk, sriracha, sugar, and lime juice, and cook for 5 minutes or until coconut milk condenses a little.

6. Serve over rice, with cilantro as garnish.

Nice and simple.  I haven't mastered Thai or Indian food yet, probably because I don't have the right spices, but this is a pretty decent approximation.

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light

Soft-Boiled Eggs over Lentil Salad

I just watched an episode of Top Chef about trends that were overused and needed to be stopped.  Just guess what made the short list.  Well, I'm not ready to give up putting eggs on top of dishes, Top Chef.  Don't you try to take it away from me.  Because let's face it - the more meals in which I can eat eggs, the better.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups Dried Lentils
6 Eggs
3 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
Salt + Pepper
1 Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup Green Onions, diced
4 stalks Celery, diced
8 cups Baby Arugula

1. Place eggs in a pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, and let stand for 5 minutes 30 seconds.  Remove eggs from pot and place immediately into ice water.   Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and peel.

2. Place lentils in a pot and cover with 3 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.  Drain and place lentils in a large bowl.

3. Dice bell pepper, green onions and celery and add them to the lentils.

4. Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar,  mustard, salt, pepper and garlic and whisk.  Add to lentil mixture.

5. Place a single serving of lentil mixture over a single serving of arugula, and add egg on top.  When ready to eat, slice egg in half.

Oh my god soft boiled eggs.

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light

Butternut Squash Soup with Black Beans, Red Peppers + Cilantro

There's nothing that says fall like some good butternut squash soup.  This was great - easy to make, unique in taste, and very hearty.  I dumped a whole small bottle of Tabasco sauce in there and it still wasn't spicy (though the jalapeno taste was there) - so go nuts on the hot sauce.

Ingredients:

1 large Butternut Squash (or 1 package cut squash), halved
1 Onion, chopped
5 Celery stalks, chopped
6 Garlic cloves
6 cups Vegetable Broth
2 tbsp Cumin
2 cans Black Beans, drained + rinsed
2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped small
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
1 small bottle Green Tabasco Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Halve squash and place face-up on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt + pepper and roast for 1 hour.  Let cool if whole, and scrape flesh away.

Pre-chopped squash is the greatest thing to have ever happened.  Worth it every time.

3. While squash is cooking, roughly chop onion and celery.  Put in crockpot along with garlic, cumin and broth, set slow cooker to high and start cooking.

4. Add in squash, and puree finely with a hand-held blender.

5. Drain and rise black beans, and chop peppers and cilantro.  Add to crockpot, and cook on high for 8 hours.

Deelish.

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Original Recipe:

Kalyn's Kitchen

Chipotle Chorizo Chocolate Chili

I saved the best for last - this was my favorite chili.  Spicy and sweet all at once - similar to a mole - and surprisingly quick to make.  I combined two recipes to get this one, and turned it into a slow cooker affair.

This got super spicy as leftovers.  So I'll stick to two chili peppers next time, instead of three.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 Onion, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 Red + Green Peppers, diced
2 Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce, minced
4 Chorizo links, chopped
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Oregano
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3 14-oz cans Black Beans, drained + rinsed
1 14-oz can Corn, drained + rinsed
2 14-oz cans Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Water
3 tbsp Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Toppings:

Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
Green Onions, diced

1. Chop onion, garlic, peppers and chorizo.

Blenders make everything easier.

2. Add all ingredients into slow cooker, except for chocolate chips.  Cook on high for 6 hours, or until chili is unified.

3. Stir in chocolate chips to taste, a little at a time.

4.  Take off heat and serve, adding toppings.

So. Good.

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light: Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate

Cooking Light: Black Bean and Chorizo Chili

Quinoa + Roasted Pepper Chili

This chili was the favorite of the more veggie-inclined of the tasters.  It didn't really taste like a chili in the traditional sense, but mirrored it in texture and density - and was delicious.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 Red + Green Peppers, seeded + halved
2 Poblanos, seeded + halved
4 Zucchinis, chopped
1 Onion, diced
8 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Paprika
2 cups Water
1 Bouillon Cube
1 cup Quinoa
2 14-oz cans Diced Tomatoes
2 14-oz cans Pinto Beans, drained + rinsed
Salt + Pepper, to taste

Toppings:

Cilantro, chopped
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream
Green Onions, sliced

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Slice peppers in half and remove seeds.  Place face-down (skin-up) on a broiling pan covered in tin foil, and flatten with hand.  Broil for 10 minutes or until blackened.

3. Peel skin off of peppers and discard.  Chop roughly.

4. Chop zucchini, onion and garlic.  Cook over medium-high heat in a large pot for 5 minutes.

5. Add chili powder, cumin and paprika and stir for 1 minute.

6. Add peppers, tomatoes, quinoa, drained pinto beans, water and the bouillon cube.  Bring to a boil, then simmer and cover for 30 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.

7. Remove from heat, serve, and go crazy with the toppings.

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Original Recipe:

Cooking Light

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Rosemary

The original recipe called for lots of peppers and mushrooms, neither of which I had on hand.  I made up for it by adding carrots, diced and stewed canned tomatoes, and more celery.  I also didn't have red wine, so added more broth.

Ingredients:

2 Bell Peppers, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
4 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 package Mushrooms
2 cups Broth
3 cups Water
1 8oz can Tomato Sauce
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 8oz cans Diced Tomatoes
1 package Chicken (on the bone - I used drumsticks)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt + Pepper, to taste

1. Chop peppers, onion, garlic, carrots, celery.  Add these to the slow cooker, as well as rosemary and mushrooms.

2. Add in broth (or Bouillon cube), tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic powder and water.

3. Cut the fat off of the chicken and add in whole.

You just sort of have to get in there and pull it off.  Mmm.

4. Set slow cooker to low, and cook overnight, or until chicken falls off the bone.  Fish out the drumstick bones.

Great alone, and also over rice/barley.

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Original Recipe:

Jeanette's Healthy Living

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Peppers

Delicious.  Two peppers per person was perfect.

The original recipe was only for two, and called for everything to be microwaved.  I went oven, and made enough for four.  I couldn't find currents, so I subbed in a mix of raisin and cranberries, which was great.  Turkey was a great sub for the ground beef, too.

Halve if only feeding 2

Ingredients:

8 Bell Peppers, tops cut off and seeded
20 oz. Ground Turkey
1 tsp. Coconut Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, diced
1 Red Onion, diced
3/4 cup Brown Rice
1/4 cup Currants/Raisins/Cranberries
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Cumin
2 cups Vegetable Juice (V8), divided
3 tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
Salt + Pepper, to taste

Added in the onion to make the filling more delicious. And ignore the bouillon cubes.

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Put the rice and 1 1/2 cups of water in a small pot.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until cooked.

3. Prepare peppers, chop onion, garlic and mint.  Place peppers open-side-up in a baking pan with raised sides.

The red peppers were freakishly tall, so one of those was enough for me as a meal.

4. In a large pan, cook onions and garlic in coconut oil for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add in ground turkey and cook until turkey becomes white.  Chop with a spatula as you cook, in order to separate it.

6. Add in cinnamon, cumin, and raisins.  Stir well and take off heat.

7. In a large bowl, mix rice with turkey mixture.  Add in 1 cup of vegetable juice, mint, salt and pepper and stir well.

8. Fill the peppers with the mixture, and pour the rest of the vegetable juice into the dish.

9. Cook in oven for 15 minutes.  When you remove, spoon in a little vegetable juice into each pepper for added moisture.

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Original Recipe:

Eating Well