Beef Daube (because everything sounds better in French)

If the words "beef stew" make you think of an unhealthy concoction in a can, you're missing the boat! The French have long known that the cure for the winter blahs involves a bubbling pot of beef, slow cooking with vegetables, red wine, and stock. Pair this version of their traditional "Boeuf Daube" with a loaf of crusty bread and a bright green salad (one made with spinach, sliced oranges, and toasted walnuts in a citrus vinaigrette sounds about right) and you have the perfect dinner to warm you from the inside out. God bless the French.

Beef Daube
adapted from Cooking Light 2004 

serves 6

Ingredients 
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3-4  garlic cloves, crushed
1  (2 lb.) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1  tsp. kosher  salt
1/2  tsp.  freshly ground black pepper
1  c.  red wine
2  c. chopped carrot
1 1/2  c.  chopped sweet onion
1  c.  beef stock or beef broth
1  Tbsp.  tomato paste 
1 tsp.   chopped fresh rosemary
1  tsp.  chopped fresh thyme
1  (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1  bay leaf 

3 c.   hot cooked whole wheat  noodles

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 300°.

2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over low heat. Add garlic; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. 

3. Increase heat to medium-high and add beef to pan. Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add garlic, beef, salt, pepper, carrot, and next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil.

4. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles.

Note: You can also make this in a slow cooker/crockpot. Simply complete steps 1-3 and transfer mixture to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 5 hours.

Snow day = Soup day!

It's a snowy day here...the kind that makes you want to cozy up inside, light a fire, and make something warm and nourishing for dinner using ingredients you have on hand. Soup fits the bill perfectly if you keep a reasonably well-stocked pantry. I always try to keep cans of beans and chicken broth on hand and chicken breasts in the freezer. You could always substitute a different kind of cheese or eliminate an herb or garnish if you don't have it handy. But if you're up for following a recipe,  here's one of my favorites for you to try on your next snow day. I'm off to don my hat and mittens, retrieve my kindergartener from the bus and prepare for an afternoon of snow-themed fun!


White Chicken Chili 
adapted from Cooking Light 2004
 
serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 c. finely chopped onion
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2  tsp. dried oregano
• 1  tsp. ground coriander
• 2  (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
• 1  c.  water
• 2  (15.5 oz.) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I like Bush's)
• 1  (14 oz.) can chicken broth or chicken stock
• 1/2  tsp. Tabasco sauce 
• 1  c. (about 4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2  c.  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2  c.  chopped green onions

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, dried oregano, and coriander; sauté 1 minute. Stir in chiles; reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, partially covered. Add the chicken, water, cannellini beans, and broth; bring to a simmer. 

Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in hot sauce. Ladle 1 cup of chili into each of 8 bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1 tablespoon green onions.

Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

A few summers ago my husband and I had a running joke that was based on our observation that we couldn't look at any decent restaurant menu that year without finding "Mango Salsa" on it! It was like mangoes had been discovered by the chefs in our area and they... were... everywhere! I boycotted mango salsa. I couldn't bring myself to give in to the wave - the craze - the trend. We concluded that there must have been a big sale on the stuff at the Sysco food distributor or that there had been a bumper crop of mangoes in the tropics that year and they were dirt cheap. Regardless, we were not going to partake of this mango madness.

Oh, what a mistake!

Several summers later (and now very pregnant) nothing sounds more delicious to me than fruit...especially tropical fruits...especially...you guessed it...mangoes. And so I found myself making this Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa - an item I could have ordered straight off the sidewalk chalkboard menu at any restaurant in the city 3 years ago and never did. But THIS year? I had to have it. And I'm so glad I did. I adapted this from a Cooking Light recipe, changing up the salsa a bit by adding kiwi and pineapple in lieu of peppers - you know, because of that tropical fruit thing I have going on.

This recipe comes in at under 200 calories and under 2 grams of fat per serving so it is really light, which leaves plenty of room to pair it up with up a fragrant jasmine rice, a green salad, and maybe a tropics-inspired dessert. Key Lime Pie anyone?

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa
adapted from Cooking Light
Photo Credit: CookingLight.com

serves 4

1/4 c. canned light coconut milk, divided
6 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 4 limes), divided
4 (6 oz) mahi mahi fillets
1 diced peeled ripe mango (about 1/2 lb)
2 diced peeled kiwis
1/4 c. finely diced fresh pineapple
3/4 c. diced, seeded peeled cucumber
2 Tbsp. minced sweet onion
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 lime wedges

1 - Preheat grill to medium high. Combine 3 Tbsp. coconut milk and 3 Tbsp. lime juice in quart sized Ziplock. Add fish; marinate at room temperature 15 minutes.

2 - Combine remaining 1 Tbsp. coconut milk, remaining 3 Tbsp. lime juice, mango, and next 7 ingredients in a bowl. Add 1/4 tsp. salt; toss well.

3 - Remove fish from dish, place on aluminum foil, and discard marinade. Sprinkle fish with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper.

4 - Place foil with fish onto medium-high grill and cook 5-7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with mango salsa and a wedge of lime, if you're so inclined.

Lime-Cilantro Chicken with Avocado Salsa

There are some nights when I like to keep my life (and my dinner prep!) really, really easy. But even on those nights, I don't want to sacrifice flavor...or texture...or the satisfaction of really fresh ingredients. I just want something that delivers a filling, fresh, simple meal without a lot of hassle. This is for one of those nights.

The photo and recommendation from Cooking Light (where I found the original version of this recipe) pairs this chicken with saffron rice. Just to mix things up, I plated it over a bed of grilled slices of red potato instead (see recipe below). Either way, you have a complete meal in less than half an hour so you can catch up with your family at the table instead of while you are cooking!

This recipe really showcases the creaminess of a Hass avocado. If you've never worked with a whole avocado before, here's a guide explaining how to handle it. Separately, if you've always shied away from avocados because you've heard that they are high in fat or calories, remember that they are composed almost entirely of unsaturated (aka "good") fat and that 1/4 of a medium-sized avocado is only about 60 calories. Trust me, the texture and flavor that an avocado can add to a dish is well worth those few added calories and grams of "good" fat!


Lime-Cilantro Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Cooking Light April 2010 issue
Photo credit: CookingLight.com

serves 4

Chicken:
2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 (4-6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt

Potatoes:**
8-12 small red-skinned potatoes, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
olive oil
salt and pepper

Salsa:
1 c. chopped tomato
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, peeled and finely chopped
sprinkle of salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat grill to medium high.

Combine first 4 ingredients (cilantro through chicken) in a large bowl and let marinate for 3-5 minutes. Remove chicken and sprinkle with salt.

Slice potatoes** and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread potatoes on a piece of aluminum foil.

Grill chicken directly over medium high heat until cooked through (about 10 minutes). Place potatoes (on the foil) onto grill, turning once during cooking until done (also about 10 minutes).

While chicken and potatoes cook, prepare salsa. Combine tomato and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add avocado; stir gently to combine.

To plate, arrange 1/4 of potato slices on each dish. Top with a piece of chicken and about 1/4 cup of salsa.

**Note: If you prefer to serve this with saffron rice, simply start the rice when you heat the grill, following package instructions. Then omit the potatoes.