As you all know its been so damn hot, the thought of eating anything heavy is scarring. I got these big, juicy ruby red grapefruits at PC greens yesterday, and inspired me to make a refreshing light and healthy meal.
- Arugula, feta and pine nut stuffed chicken breast
- Ruby red braised beets (just try the beets, that's enough...they are good, I mean it!)
- Quinoa with fresh mint and wilted arugula
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Serves 4
This is easy for people who do not cook often, because all of these items take 30 minutes to cook, so it does not take a rocket scientist to time this meal.
Ingredients:
Chicken
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts that are cage free and roaming around. Seriously, I learned the worst facts in culinary school about how regular chickens are bred in a room the size of a bathroom, 1,000 chickens on top of each other, and they are not happy. So if your taking the time to cook for yourself and be healthy, spend the extra 4 dolla and get the proper chicken.
2 oz feta cheese
2 TBS pine nuts
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS chopped shallot
1/2 cup chopped arugula
2 TBS grapefruit zest
1 t sea salt
1 t pepper
Ruby red beets
4 large red beets, blanched, peeled and quartered
2 TBS grapefruit zest
Juice of 1 ruby red
1 TBS chopped shallot
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 t honey
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Quinoa with fresh mint and wilted arugula
1 cup organic quinoa
2 cups low sodium organic chicken broth
3 TBS olive oil
2 chopped scallions
1 cup arugula
2 TBS chopped mint
1 t garlic powder
1 t cayenne pepper
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS grapefruit zest
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
First take the chicken out of the fridge, the meat needs to be room temp when you cook it. Take the tops off of your beets, scrub them and put them in a salted pot of water to boil for 10 minutes, this is to remove the skin easily, not to cook them. While the meat is sitting and the beets are boiling, make your chicken filling:
Take all the ingredients and put them in a small bowl and mush them together. Get your chicken breasts out and put each one in a layer of saran wrap. Lay one layer of saran on the counter, put down the breast, then put a layer of saran on top. Get a mallet and beat the breast until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Be careful not to break it apart, if it is thicker in some areas, its cool. Salt, pepper and olive oil both sides of the chicken, and divide the chicken filling. Put filling in the center of the flattened breast and roll up. There is no need for tussling or tooth picks, just have the crease of the roll on the bottom. Set aside in an olive oil greased oven dish, or a piece of foil if your doing it in the toaster oven ( if your just cooking for yourself this is ideal.)
Make an ice bath for your beets and scoop them out of the boiling water, put in bath and let sit. Run the beets under the sink and the peel should easily come off in your hands, dry off with a towel and cut into quarters. Have your zest, shallot, ect..ready to go.
Boil 2 cups of chicken broth in a sauce pan and get the cup of quinoa ready to add, have all your other ingredients chopped.
Put the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes; please note this needs to sit 10 minutes before slicing.
Add the quinoa to the boiling broth, reduce to medium, put lid on and simmer for 12 minutes.
Saute shallots in olive oil then add beets, cook until dry then pour grapefruit juice over them, it should bubble and make a grand sound. Reduce to low, add zest, balsamic, honey and reduce until thick and sweet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Just keep them on low, your almost done.
Once quinoa had cooked for 12 minutes, you will see all broth is absorbed. Open lid and add the remaining ingredients except the arugula, toss lightly with a fork, then put arugula on the top and cover again until your ready to serve.
By now the chicken is done and as it is sitting for its 10 minutes, get your plates out, make a drink ect...
Cut the chicken in a diagonal against the grain, and plate with the beets.
Stir the wilted arugula into the quinoa, see if it needs more seasoning or lemon then plate that too.
Please Enjoy
Just let me know if you have any specific questions! xo
No comments:
Post a Comment