Spring Roll in a Bowl

Some food speaks for itself.

But in case you like words... how about delicate rice noodles, topped with crisp carrots, cucumber, fresh mint, cilantro, and thai basil with a rich peanut sauce finished with crunchy, salty peanuts? 

Lemon Chicken

The sir in my life is trying to eat healthier,  so we have been eating a lot of salad.  Today, in celebration of Thursday, we decided it was time to fry something.  (But it's totally justified because we ate it with like a gallon of steamed veggies...)  If you have more discipline than I do, feel free to sub in baked chicken.  My baked sweet & sour chicken (less the chinese five spice) would work great with this lemon sauce.

5 Cheese Pizza with Honey, Prosciutto, & Truffle Oil (Copy Cat Finch's Dordogne Pizza)

There are many things I love about Bloomington: the gorgeous landscape, the culture, the diverse (temperamental...) climate, the architecture, and most of all the food.  Bloomington boasts some absolutely delicious local restaurants; so knowing that my time here is waning, I've taken a greater interest in copying my favorite dishes.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, no? 
One of my absolute favorite menu items in town is from Finch's Brasserie, a restaurant that 'features local and organic products from area farms and cheese artisans'.  They have a really great seasonal menu, but I pretty much can't resist ordering my favorite pizza every time.  It's called The Dordogne, named after a region in France.  Their version has four cheeses, truffle honey, and prosciutto.  While my recipe isn't exactly the same (Anyone know where to find truffle honey in Bloomington?), the flavor is all there.

Turkey Enchiladas

 These enchiladas taste really good.  What makes'em better is that you can make them way ahead, and then refrigerate or freeze them, and just bake'm off right before you need to eat.  It's kind of like Stoufer's lasanga lasagna, only tastier, and easier to spell.

Creamy Poppyseed Pasta Salad

Today, I tried to shoot photos of the process of making this pasta salad... this is what I ended up with.  Hungry Jenna is not Patient Jenna.... And apparently hungry Jenna also speaks in the third person.  There are so many reasons I shouldn't be hungry.

How to make this pasta salad

Copy Cat Panda Express Orange Chicken

There is this game I play, all by myself, every day on my way home from work--it's incredibly fun.  It's called See if you can come up with something good for dinner based on only what's in your house, before you pass the last grocery store.  Ever heard of anything that sounds funner?  It consists of scouring recipes/Pinterest at stoplights, and perpetually reminding myself that while I call salad dinner, the sir in my life does not.  Yesterday I planned on having sandwiches for dinner, but then I realized I didn't have satisfactory bread on hand, or really anything to make it more exciting than bread, meat, & lettuce.  And, while an average sandwich like that is acceptable for lunch, I have this notion that a sandwich for dinner needs to be exciting.  Like fancy cheese, avacado, arugula, heirloom tomato-exciting.  So alas, if I made sandwiches I would have to go the the grocery, and lose my game (which I do on pretty much a daily basis.... but I was feeling motivated yesterday!)  Thus, orange chicken was born.  It consists of mostly pantry staples (and because of my inexplicable affinity for Asian food, I had it all on hand...) and comes together pretty quickly.  Plus, it earned a high-five from the sir, so you know it's good.

Creamy Cashew Chicken Salad

Does anyone else eat weird breakfasts?  For instance, through middle school, I at a PB&J sandwich every day at the bus stop at the crack of dawn.  After awhile, if I brought a waffle instead, my classmates found that strange.  Well, my eclectic breakfast habits have only elevated since then... I woke up this morning, opened my fridge, and passed up my yogurt, fruit, etc and decided I wanted chicken salad.  So I made chicken salad, but not just any heavy, oily chicken salad--this is special chicken salad--guilt-free chicken salad.  Cashews provide the creaminess, while white grape juice concentrate lends a tangy sweetness, all punctuated by crunchy grapes, celery and just a hint of soy sauce.  This stuff made me a chicken salad believer.

Apricot Goat Cheese Thin Crust Pizza

Sometimes I think I'm un-American.  I don't like grilled cheese, pizza, or chicken pot pie.  I don't drink beer, and I think Coke tastes like battery acid.  Then, an eclectic little pizza like this comes along to prove me wrong: thin crispy crust, rich aromatic roasted garlic, tangy apricot preserves, and salty pungent goat cheese all harmonize wonderfully.  So maybe I can call myself at least partially American, after all I really dig this pizza.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

 I'll write something attempting wittiness later, right now I'm just going to post the recipe, because it's tasty and easy and you should make it and I like run on sentences; almost as much as ginger or Asian food.  Okay, I'm done now.
 

Thai Chicken Pizza

As I sit here writing, good ol' Ted Allen, host of Chopped, delightfully educated me that 93% of Americans eat pizza.  Tonight, I contributed to that statistic.  You know what else I contributed to?  The percentage of Americans that eat salad, which I can feel a little better about.  Seriously. This pizza is great, it's like the offspring of pizza + salad.  Once the pizza is out of the oven a tasty slaw finishes it off.  Subtle coconut, salty peanuts, tart lime, and savory garlic marry flawlessly resulting in a dynamic, fresh pizza, different than any pizza you've had before.  Or should I call it a salad?

Asian Chicken & Rice

 One of my least favorite things in the world is doing dishes.  If there were such thing as disposable pots and pans, I would be all over them.  Seriously, after spending a bunch of time preparing dinner, the last thing I want to do is turn around and clean up after it.  When I'm feeling particularly lazy, I opt for a recipe like this, it utilizes one cutting board, one pan, and only a bowl and spoon/fork to chow down.  Perfect for those lazy days, and quite tasty.  I've never thought to cook rice in soy sauce before, it's awesome.  The small amount goes a long way to add flavor and salty goodness.  It's also a super versatile recipe.  You can sub beef or tofu for the chicken, or toss in some steamed broccoli to amp up the veggie-meter.  

Cranberry Chipotle Turkey Sliders

Everyone loves Thanksgiving, right?  It's the one holiday a year where gluttony is encouraged, your plate couldn't be large enough, and there are at least four courses of dessert.  And you know what else everyone loves?  Tacos.  (You wanna have fun?  Wanna go to Taco Bell?) Therefore, Mexi-Pilgrim fusion is a spectacular idea.  While I did have the ingredients on hand to make turkey cranberry tacos, that didn't sound like the greatest idea, so instead cranberry chipotle turkey burgers.  The sweet tang of traditional cranberry sauce mingles with spicy, smoky chipotle to contribute to the Mexi-Pilgrim dynamic, more subtly than say... cranberry tacos. 

Thai Panang Beef Curry

So, I could live on rice, Nutella, fruit, and cereal--and be incredibly happy.  I am however, dating a carnivore.  So while my idea of a perfect curry is loads of veggies and a light sauce, Mr. Meat is not as fond of water chestnuts, kale, and carrots.  Hence, a rich, flavorful curry with strictly meat.  Even with my preference for veggies, this was really, really tasty.

Tempeh Nuggets

Tempeh Nuggets, sounds incredibly delectable no? 

Well, they were actually surprisingly delicious.  These babies were the result of my craving wings on the way home from learning to break dance tonight (yes... break dance...  It was AWESOME).  Rather then stopping for unhealthy fast food (I'm trying this thing called self-control), I decided I should make seitan nuggets when I got home instead, since I had a lub of seitan in the fridge.  I had my recipe all planned out, only to get home and discover I had tempeh, not seitan in my fridge. (It's all the same to me...)  Since I'm lazy and stubborn, I just went ahead and did the exact same thing I intended to do with my seitan to my tempeh.  Generally speaking, it is recommended to boil or steam your tempeh first, but let's face it, that's another dirty dish--so I didn't.  Even then, these little morsels were crunchy, pleasantly flavored, and an ideal transportation mechanism for barbeque sauce.  Success.

Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches

 Just like style, there are food trends.  And Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches are hip right now.  I wish I could pull the "yeah I've known about these forever, they're nothing new because I'm so knowledgeable of all things cultural and culinary..." card, but I can't.  I can, however, claim that Vietnamese food has been my favorite for a long while now, and I am super stoked that it is finally receiving the media it deserves.  Banh Mi are an approachable medium for Vietnamese food to take- I mean who doesn't love a sandwich?  I also appreciate that there are so many varieties to choose from, and no real wrong way to go about creating your own banh mi.  That being said, some ways just taste better, like this way :)

Spicy Asian Peanut Noodles

Sometimes I have these inexplicable cravings for Chinese take-out chicken lo mein.  

I don't even like lo mein, and the few times I actually eat it I feel awful afterwards because it is so incredibly greasy, like deep fried bacon greasy...

This quick dish is my solution to lo-main cravings.  While it isn't quite as greasy, and there's no chicken- I save the $6 and future stomach ache.  Win-win situation, no?

•  1 13oz box whole wheat thin spaghetti, or linguine
• 5 Tbs soy sauce
• 5 Tbs honey
• 2 Tbs peanut butter
• 2 Tbs sesame oil
• 1 Tbs Thai Roasted Red Chili Paste
• 2 carrots, shredded
• Sesame seeds, peanuts, and cilantro to garnish

1. Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.  
2. In the now empty sauce pan, add the soy sauce, honey, peanut butter, sesame oil, and chili paste and whisk until incorporated.  Add the shredded carrot and noodles, then stir. 
3. Garnish with sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and/or cilantro.  I toss in a little crushed red pepper at the end because I like it spicier :)

Yields 4-6 servings

Vegan Lentil Taco Filling

I am not a vegan, but sometimes I like to pretend I am and see if I miss meat in things where it seems really necessary... like tacos.  

What is a taco without meat?  A glorified quesadilla?  Basically, only minus the melty, cheesy delicious goodness- so more like a sub par, un-melty, un-glorious quesadilla.  How depressing.  

My mind was changed with this recipe however- I didn't miss the meat.  It has all the flavor you expect in tacos, lends itself very well to keeping a taco together, and is incredibly satisfying.  

You go lentils.  Show that ground beef who's boss.

• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup salsa (I used salsa verde)
• Optional: Taco seasoning- to taste

1.  In a large stockpot add lentils, chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, diced tomatoes, and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
2. Once lentils are tender, cook uncovered until excess liquid has evaporated. Turn heat to low and stir in salsa, and taco seasoning to taste (I find that with bland salsa more flavor is needed).  With a potato masher, incorporate the salsa into the lentils, and mash until desired consistency.
3. Serve over taco salad, with tortillas, or alongside Spanish rice. 

Yields 6 servings.

Non-Dairy Clam Chowder

It's been raining the last four days, so I have been seriously craving clam chowder- trouble is dairy has been really upsetting my stomach lately.  Hence this tasty creation!  If I'm gonna go without cream in my clam chowder a little bacon grease is allowed, no?  If that's too much work feel free to sub in margarine, but you'll be missing out on some delicious flavor!

• 3 Tbs bacon grease
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups potatoes, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 6 oz cans minced clams
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• green onion

1. In a large sauce pot heat bacon grease over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, and cook 3-5 minutes or until soft.  Sift in flour, stirring to incorporate.
2. Add water, almond milk, thyme, parsley, clams and juice, and potatoes, cover and bring to a boil for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Add corn, and cook another 5 minutes uncovered.
4. Garnish with green onions, and serve.

Yields 4 servings.

Grilled Zucchini Tacos

So, after seeing a beautiful picture of zucchini tacos on another blog I was inspired to use the idea of grilled zucchini as a taco filling for a speedy dinner.


While they aren't the most photogenic creations, I promise the final result is delicious.

• 1 large zucchini, sliced thin horizontally
• 1 can black beans
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 packet chicken/vegetable concentrate (or a bouillon cube)
• salt
• salsa verde
• cheese (optional- I like cotija for these)
• Corn tortillas (# depends on the size of your zucchini, around 8-12 typically)

1. First, lay your zucchini strips out on paper towel, and salt them- this will draw out the moisture and allow them to get grill marks, not just go soggy.  Pat dry, and set aside.  Heat the grill to medium-high.
2. In a saucepan combine the  un-drained black beans, tomato, cumin, paprika, chili powder, jalapeño, garlic, and vegetable concentrate.  Cook over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, until heated through and the bouillon has broken down- if cooking with bouillon.
3. Grill your zucchini slices, turning once grill marks have formed.
4. Assemble your tacos, and enjoy!

Blackened Chicken with Couscous & Blackbeans

This whole meal comes together in 20 minutes- which is basically why it's blog worthy.  The flavors aren't ground breaking or anything- but 20 minutes folks! And, the chicken isn't really blackened.. obviously, but it has all the same flavors as your typical blackened chicken... hence the name.

 Chicken

• 1/2 tsp paprika (I like smoked)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1. In shallow bowl combine everything but the olive oil and chicken.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Coat the chicken in the flour-spice mixture, and place in the heated pan.  Cook about 6 minutes per side, until the crust is golden and the juices run clear.

Couscous

• 2 cups whole wheat couscous
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 15oz can black beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. In a saucepan bring the vegetable stock to a boil, add the couscous, beans, and corn, then turn off the heat.  Cover and let sit for at least five minutes.  Add Worcestershire sauce, fluff with a fork and serve.

Yields 4 servings.