Tag: lemon

Couscous, Recipes, Sides

Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Sarah

Okay, continuing on the CSA post trend… Sorry. [Not really. They’re  yummy, and half the veggies we have in the fridge at any one time.] So far, my favorite item that I’ve received in my CSA basket has been freshly picked sugar snap peas. Ohmygoodness, they are so great, so sweet, so crunchy. I’ve been eating them by the handful straight out of the fridge. Yum.

Since my husband isn’t much of a fan of very many raw veggies, I decided it would be nice to share some sugar snap peas with him. 🙂 Hence, this dish–Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous. I’m so nice, right?

This lovely little salad combines roasted tomatoes, peppers, and sugar snap peas, sweet raw corn, black beans, and tender, fluffy Israeli couscous. A simple lemon-basil marinade tops it all off and brings the flavors altogether in one refreshing bite. Though the veggies and grain can be swapped around, be sure keep the lemon-basil theme going on, because that is what makes the dish! This dish can be made ahead, but for best presentation, wait to stir in the black beans until serving because after a day or so they started to spread the love of their color all around. 🙂

This chilled couscous is fabulous for a lunch or as a side dish for a summertime BBQ. Just be sure you make enough to share!

Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cups red, orange, and yellow sweet peppers, cut into thin, long slices [I used mini peppers but bell peppers would work too.]
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, stems removed
  • 2/3 cup fresh, raw corn kernels, cut from one ear of corn
  • olive oil
  • freshly ground lemon pepper
  • 1 cup Israeli couscous
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup [canned] black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of half a lemon
  • handful fresh basil, sliced thin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking sheet, spread the tomatoes, peppers, and peas out in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil [maybe a tablespoon or so], then season with freshly ground lemon pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes or until tomatoes burst and peppers begin to blacken. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepot, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Pour in couscous and saute for 2-3 minutes until grains are lightly toasted. Then, pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Next, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet set to medium. Add black beans and onions and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until onions are crisp-tender and beans are heated.

Finally, in a large bowl, stir together roasted vegetables, raw corn, couscous, and black beans. Mix in lemon zest and juice, then top with basil. Serve chilled.

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Tangy Chicken Pasta

Sarah

If there is one thing that joining a CSA has taught me about my culinary skills is that I am not well versed in cooking greens. Aside from the usual lettuce and spinach, I never really ate greens of any type growing up. No mustard greens, collard greens, or kale to speak of. In recent years I have had kale and mustard greens a time or two, but that’s about it. That’s why I was so excited about how one of my latest pasta dishes turned out.

It all started the night before our CSA pickup where I decided I had to use up some mustard greens, garlic, and lemon thyme that had been hanging around our fridge for the past six days. It was seriously getting ridiculous, so I just threw together a marinade for some chicken, closed my eyes and said a prayer, hoping for the best. You know how some combos are really, really bad? Well, this one was anything but.

My impromptu Tangy Chicken Pasta incorporates a double dose of lemon in fresh lemon thyme and lemon juice, as well as spicy black pepper, sweet garlic, and rich olive oil in the marinade. As the chicken cooked, I steamed the distinctively unique peppery mustard greens and cooked up a batch of noodles to serve as the vehicle for my tangy feast. At the end, I tossed in some broccoli florets as the pasta cooked to bump up the veggie content and mixed everything together with a pseudo lemon-balsamic reduction glaze.

The results? Incredible levels of flavor and depth. For best results, make and serve the same day, but if there are leftovers be sure to add some extra lemon-balsamic glaze to make the flavors pop once more. Enjoy!

Tangy Chicken Pasta
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh lemon thyme, roughly chopped + more for garnishing
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups loosely packed mustard greens, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 5 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 pound small noodles, uncooked [I used mini farfarelle]

Directions:

Whisk together 1/3 cup lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, lemon thyme, and black pepper in a small bowl or ziploc bag. Place [raw] chicken in mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes and no more than 24 hours to marinate.

When ready to prepare, bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Pour chicken and marinade into skillet and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until each piece is cooked through. You could add additional olive oil, but I found it unnecessary due to the marinade. When chicken is cooked, remove to a large bowl, reserving liquid in pan.

While the chicken is cooking, set a third [yes, I know!] pot on the stovetop and fill with several inches of water and a steamer insert. Add mustard greens, cover, and heat to medium. Steam mustard greens until just tender. Remove from heat and spoon out into the bowl with the chicken.

After mustard greens are in the pot, turn back to the pasta water–it should be boiling by now. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. But… one minute before pasta should be done, add the broccoli to the water and blanch. Immediately remove from heat and drain well, then add to mustard greens and chicken. Toss well.

Lastly, pour 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar into the skillet where the chicken cooked. Over medium heat, stir constantly, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. When mixture has thickened, remove from heat and pour over pasta mixture and toss to coat. Garnish with additional lemon thyme leaves and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Lemony Kale Pasta

Sarah

So far this summer, I have come to love Wednesdays, even though the last several have been rainy and not-so-fun. Nothing can top last Wednesday, when a tornado hit Bloomington and downed over 500 trees on Indiana University’s campus and more all around town, in addition to damaging numerous buildings and homes. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries. But yet… I still am loving Wednesdays. Why, you might ask? Because Wednesdays is CSA day!

As you might remember, Ben and I joined our first CSA this summer. Every Wednesday after work, I head over to a nearby park and pick up a basket of goodies for the week. We’ve gotten to try a lot of delicious, local, seasonal, just-picked vegetables and herbs, including gorgeous rhubarb [fact: did you know rubarb doesn’t have to be bright red to be tasty?], radishes [I’ve discovered that I love those spicy things], Asian mustard greens, pea shoots, green garlic, chocolate mint, oregano, chervil, and more.

So far, I think my absolute favorite CSA box find has been the baby kale we received during our first pick-up. This kale was tender, tiny, and flavorful. Normal kale leaves are huge and require lots of cutting to be manageable. This kale, on the other hand, was a little bigger than a spinach leaf. Each bite packed an insane amount of peppery flavor with just the right amount of crunch. If you’ve never tried kale, be sure to check it out at your local farmer’s market. Grab a bunch and make this simple Lemony Kale Pasta that I found compliments of Annie’s Eats.

Lemony Kale Pasta

What we loved about this dish–besides the twenty minutes or so of prep time, most of it waiting for the water to boil/for pasta to cook… sigh…–was the sharp contrast of flavors that blended together so well. Meant. to. be. I always think of lemon and olive oil as the perfect pairing for say, marinating chicken with some herbs or spices. And kale is good for my African Peanut Pineapple Stew. But lemon… and kale… with pasta? Really, you jest. It is good though… and it’s not just the cheese that makes it so wonderful! The lightness of the lemon, the richness of olive oil, and the sharpness of kale–plus the cheese… we can’t forget the cheese!–join together with a hearty noodle for a party on your plate.

So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself some kale and try this for yourself!

Lemony Kale Pasta [from Annie’s Eats]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • couple dashes of Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated plus more for serving
  • 4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound pasta [i.e. penne]
  • 1 large bunch baby kale, rinsed and dried, stems removed
  • lemon slices, for garnish

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Don’t forget to salt the water! Then, start on the dressing. Mix together the garlic and a little bit of salt [original suggested 1/4 teaspoon but I didn’t use that much]. Smash garlic with fork or chef’s knife to  make a paste. Place paste in a small bowl and add 1/2 cup Parmesan, olive oil [start with about 4 tablespoons and add more later if needed], lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste. Whisk until combined.

Cook pasta to al dente or your preference. Meanwhile, chop kale into 1/2 inch strips and place in large serving bowl. Pour dressing on top of kale and toss to coat. After pasta is ready, drain and cool for a moment. Then add to kale mixture and toss again to coat. Add additional olive oil to thin dressing if needed. Serve with lemon and Parmesan to taste.

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Springtime Linguine

Sarah

My love affair with pasta began a long long time ago [sorry husband], and I don’t anticipate it disappearing anytime soon! Especially now that I’m in my final week of taper for my upcoming marathon, I’m carbo-loading up a storm this week!

[side note: I’ll be automatically tweeting my progress at the race on Sunday, via live runner tracking. You can follow me here if you don’t already.]

Last night was homemade fried rice, and you can bet that pasta, rice, and bread will be filling my lunchbox and plate many times this week. Yum! Even though heavy, cheesy, rich pastas are my thing, I also love light, veggie-filled delights like my new creation, Springtime Linguine. These sort of light dishes are great for carbo-loading and ensure that you don’t [gasp] get sick of pasta before your big event. Oh, the horror! Anyways. This dish is pretty simple and easily customizable. Each bite held a hint of creamy and cheesy goodness [the good stuff] as well as the tangy freshness of lemon and parsley and the nutritious stuff of veggies and protein [the good for you stuff]. I just love a meal with a wide variety of tastes and textures, don’t you? Enjoy!

Springtime Linguine

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound whole wheat linguine, uncooked [or any other type of pasta]
  • 1/4 cup red onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup cooked ham, chopped
  • 1/2 cup peas [I used frozen]
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fat free half and half
  • 5 tablespoons lemon zest [from 1 large lemon]
  • handful fresh parsley, minced [about 1/4 cup]
  • about 1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated
  • olive oil
Directions:
Cook linguine to al dente. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Mix in chopped ham and peas. Set aside.
When pasta is ready, drain and return to pan. Toss with a little olive oil [maybe 1-2 tablespoons] and stir in lemon juice and half and half. Toss in onion, garlic, ham, lemon zest, and parsley until well combined. Top with asiago cheese and stir until cheese melts. Serve immediately.
Click here for the printable version: Springtime Linguine
Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Winner + Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken with Israeli Couscous

Sarah

What a winner of a chicken dinner! This has been one of my most favorite chicken creations as of late.

I first saw the recipe that is the amazingness of Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken on Eat Live Run and then saw Iowa Girl Eats make it, and I knew I had to try it. With the rave reviews floating around the internet, I knew I wouldn’t be steered wrong. It took me a couple months to get around to trying it, but now I am hooked… hooked I say! I’m in love with the easy prep, the tangy lemon melding with the molasses-y brown sugar which caramelizes all over each piece of juicy chicken. Amazing! Served atop tender Israeli Couscous, this is one winner of a chicken dinner. I can’t wait to make it again.

Speaking of winners, I am happy to announce the winner of the $35 gift certificate to CSN stores!

I used Random.org to select the winner….

Congratulations! I wish I could give all of you a prize, but you’ll just have to keep reading because I’m sure there will be more fun giveaways in the future. 🙂 But as for now… enjoy this winner of a chicken dinner!

Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken [from Eat Live Run and Iowa Girl Eats]

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound chicken tenders [original called for chicken breasts, pounded thin]
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar [I used dark brown sugar…but either would be fine.]
  • 2 cups cooked Israeli couscous

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour and paprika in a shallow dish. Pat chicken tenders dry with a paper towel, then place in flour mixture and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat a little oil over medium high heat. When hot, brown each piece of chicken on both sides, then remove and place in a large baking dish.

Pour the lemon juice into the hot skillet and stir to get up all those leftover chicken bits. Pour juice on the chicken, then top with brown sugar and lemon zest. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with Israeli couscous cooked in chicken broth if you like. 🙂

Click here for the printable version: Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken