Summer Thai Mango Salad w/ Asian Grilled Chicken

Summer Thai Mango Salad

This is a nice summer salad that I first had at a Thai restaurant on Yonge Street. Since then it's one of our "go-to" summer salads. We like to have it with asian marinated or spice-rubbed grilled chicken but it goes equally well with grilled shrimp, steak or pork chops.

You can't lose... it's a nice combo of sweet, tart and spice!

Ingredients

• 2 limes

• 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 red Thai peppers (seeded and minced)

• 2 tablespoons peanut (or canola) oil

• 2 ripe but firm mangoes

• 1 red bell pepper

• 2 green onions (thinly sliced)

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

• 1/4 cup fresh mint (chopped)

• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts (toasted)

• salt

Prep

Zest peel from 1 lime and place in a measuring cup along with 1/4 cup of lime juice.

Whisk in fish sauce, sugar, honey and thai pepper until sugar is dissolved.

Gradually whisk in peanut oil until blended.

Set dressing aside.

Peel mangoes, then cut away chunks of fruit from pits then, cut into thin strips (julienne, or use grater) and place in a large bowl.

Seed sweet pepper, cut into very thin strips and add to mangoes.

Add half of green onions, and cilantro. Toss gently until combined.

Add dressing and a pinch of salt, toss until mixed. Let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Serve and sprinkle with nuts and remaining green onions.

Creamy Chicken Penne with Apple, Cheddar & Cranberries

Tangy and sweet apples and cranberries add punch to this chicken and pasta dish. I'd recommend using Granny Smith apples for this one. To change up the cranberries you can substitute them with dried cherries. If you want to save a ton of calories you'll want to use 1/2 and 1/2 cream instead of the 35% whipping cream. One last thing - we made small cubes with the cheese (rather than shredding it) so you get the occasional nice cheesy bite.

Cheddar Chicken Penne

Recipe Courtesy of All You Need is Cheese:

http://www.allyouneedischeese.ca

Ingredients

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, divided
1 lb (500 g) boneless skinless chicken, cut into strips
4 green onions, sliced
2 tart cooking apples, thinly sliced
Pinch ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp (30 mL) cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) cream or 1/2 and 1/2
1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cranberries
12 oz (375 g) penne or other short pasta
1 cup (250 mL) cubed old Cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh chives

Preparation

In a large skillet, melt half of the butter over medium-high heat; brown chicken strips, in batches; transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining butter to skillet. Add green onions, apples, nutmeg, 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper; cook, stirring, for about 3 min or until softened. Add vinegar, scraping any bits stuck to pan. Stir in Cream and cranberries; bring to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for about 3 min or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta for about 10 min or until tender but firm. Drain and return to pot.

Add chicken and any accumulated juices to sauce; simmer for about 3 min or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Pour over cooked pasta and sprinkle with cheese; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

If you're looking for something to do with that leftover BBQ chicken, why not make a Cobb Salad? It's a good excuse to use those perfect summer avocados and tomatoes, and it is low in fat and carbo's.

Cobb salad was created at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood. As with many "how this began stories" we don't know how much is actual fact, but here is the official story from the Brown Derby themselves:

"One night in 1937, Bob Cobb, then owner of The Brown Derby, prowled hungrily in his restaurant's kitchen for a snack. Opening the huge refrigerator, he pulled out this and that: a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing. He started chopping. Added some crisp bacon -- swiped from a busy chef.

I use chopped smoked ham instead of bacon, and remove one or both of the egg yolks from the hard-boiled eggs to reduce the fat and calories.

Cobb Salad

Ingredients

• 3 slices smoked ham, diced

• 1 ripe avocado, split, pitted, and diced

• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced

• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped after yolk(s) removed

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 cups mesclun greens

• 2 cups cooked chicken

• 1/2 cup blue cheese

Directions

Dice the smoked ham, chicken, egg, tomatoes and avocado, seasoning them with salt and pepper, to taste, as you go. Mix the greens with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing and layer them on the bottom of a plate. Top the mesclun greens with rows of smoked ham, chicken, egg, tomatoes and avocado, then scatter crumbled blue cheese on top. (Optional: you can also top the salad with crumbled bacon bits.)

Serve with some grilled french stick if you want some carbs.

Grilled Potato Salad with Red Pepper & Paprika Mayo

This is a great potato salad borrowed from one of my favorite chefs, Bobby Flay. We use light mayo to keep the calories down to a reasonable level. Make some extra and keep it in the fridge. I paired the salad with a charcoal grilled, hickory smoked chicken breast with a Peach & Bourbon glaze. Click on the pic to see it full size.

Grilled Yukon Gold Potato Salad with Red Pepper &

Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay, 2008

Ingredients

• 2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 red bell peppers, grilled, peeled, seeded and diced

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika

• Canola oil

• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

Directions

Heat the grill to high. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover by 1-inch with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt, bring to boil over high heat and cook until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain, let cool slightly and halve.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, peppers, garlic, vinegar, paprika and salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Brush the cut sides of the potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut side down until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Toss the potatoes with the red pepper mayonnaise while still warm, mashing slightly to break them up. Fold in the parsley and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Charcoal Grilled Chicken Breast with Peach & Bourbon Glaze

I found a great sauce last week. There are several different varieties to choose from. I chose peach and bourbon because it would go with either pork or chicken. I grilled the chicken on my kettle BBQ using charcoal (not briquettes).

You can make your own version of this by simmering some peach marmalade and Jack Daniels until it thickens up.

Citrus Chicken with Yogurt Sauce and Rice Pilaf with Orange, Raison and Toasted Almonds

Here's a way to take your same old/same old chicken breast to a whole new place. We mix a Yucatan citrus marinade and add a Moroccan twist with yogurt and ground coriander.

This was baked, but it can also be grilled. We paired it up with a Rice Pilaf with Orange, Raison and Toasted Almonds. Click on the picture to check it out full size.

Marinade
1 cup (250 mL) orange juice
3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) coarsely ground pepper
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
½ tsp (2 mL) hot pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground coriander
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups (500 mL) plain yogurt
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley

In a large bowl, combine orange juice, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, sugar, pepper, salt, oregano, coriander and hot pepper flakes. Divide marinade in half, reserving remainder to make sauce. Add chicken to half of the marinade and toss. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425*F. Drain chicken well. Arrange on a cookie sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until internal temperature is at least 165*F.

In small saucepan over medium heat, cook reserved marinade 10 minutes or until reduced by half to about ½ cup (125 mL). Strain and let cool; stir into yogurt. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with parsley.

Rice Pilaf with Orange, Raison and Toasted Almonds

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 pinches kosher salt

1 cups jasmine rice

2 cups chicken broth

2 strips orange zest

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Raisins and toasted almonds

Directions

In a medium saucepan melt butter or oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, red pepper, and kosher salt. Sweat the onions and peppers until aromatic, stirring constantly. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until rice smells nutty. Add chicken broth, orange zest, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Stir once, then cover pan lid. Simmer until liquid is evaporated, approximately 15 minutes. Let rice rest at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes without removing the cover. Crush almonds and toast in a small skillet over medium heat. They are done when you can smell them. Meanwhile, simmer peas and raisons in salted water until heated through or heat in a microwave.

Remove lid from rice. Add peas and raisons and fluff with a large wooden spoon. Add tarragon and almonds.

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th)

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration held in commemoration of Mexico's independence from France on May 5, 1862. While it has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.

We've had some really fun adventures in Mexico and remember our times there with a smile. As a tribute, we always like to spice things up with a Mexican dinner whenever May 5th rolls around. This year I found a really innovative soft taco created by one of my favorite chefs in the world- Bobby Flay. Flay's preparations are in the intermediate or advanced category, so you have to have the time available to spend creating. His recipes are typically American Southwest or Spanish influenced, and inevitably seem to include one or two obscure ingredients that aren't readily available. This time I got lucky and had everything available. (I intentionally left out the poblano pepper from my version.)

This soft taco has a mexican-spice rubbed chicken breast, guacamole, onions sauteed in BBQ sauce and a tangy, crunchy coleslaw. It has a ton of flavour, and is low cal and satisfying. I served my Southwest mango, corn and black bean salad on the side.

Spice Rubbed Chicken Breast Tacos with Grilled Poblanos, BBQ Onions and Coleslaw

Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay, 2008

Ingredients

Grilled Poblanos:

• 3 large poblanos

• Canola oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

BBQ Onions:

• 2 sweet onions, skin-on, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

• Canola oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup BBQ Sauce

Chicken:

• 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each)

• Canola oil

• 8 flour tortillas

• Barbecued onions

• Coleslaw

• Guacamole

Directions

Heat the grill to high.

For the Poblano peppers (if you want to use them):

Brush the poblanos with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chiles on the grill and cook until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill, place in a bowl and cover with plastic for 10 minutes. Remove the skin, seeds and stem and cut into thin slices.

For the onions:

Brush the onions with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Brush with some of the bbq sauce during the last few minutes. Most of the skin should come off on the grill, but if not, take it off when the onions come off the grill.

For the chicken:

Heat the grill to high.

Whisk together the ancho, cinnamon, cumin, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper in a small bowl.

Season top side of the breasts with the rub mixture, turn over and season the back with the remaining salt. Drizzle with some of the oil and place on the grill, rub side down and grill until lightly golden brown and a crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over, close the lid and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 6 minutes longer. Remove from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Grill the flour tortillas briefly, just to mark and heat. To build the tacos, fold each tortilla around some of the chicken, poblanos, onions, coleslaw and guacamole.

Chicken Piccata

... otherwise known as "Chicken with Lemon Sauce"

This is a tasty chicken dinner that reminds me of what dinner in Sicily must be like. Fresh squeezed lemons from the grove, some briny capers reminding you of the sea, and some chicken stock reduced into in a buttery sauce. I stole this one from Giada from the Food Network... the only difference I made to her recipe was adding a touch of honey to balance out the lemon juice in the reduction. If you wanted to you could substitute the lemon for a tart white wine, maybe a ripe sauvignon blanc. Just make sure it's good one... because bad wine in the sauce makes for a bad sauce. Serve it with a side that is light because these flavours are strong. I used some jasmine rice with peas...

Chicken Piccata

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

One of my favorite collections is from Cooking Light magazine. They have many creative recipes that substitute the high calorie ingredients with healthy, flavorful ingredients. This chicken dish has a ton of flavour and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

(Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com)

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups presliced mushrooms

1/3 cup finely chopped shallots

3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup sun-dried tomato sprinkles

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken

with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Remove from pan; keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 teaspoons oil, mushrooms, and shallots; cook 2

minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, tomato sprinkles, and wine; cook for 1

minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with parsley.

CALORIES 206 (28% from fat); FAT 6.3g (sat 1g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 2.2mg;

CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.2g; SODIUM 604mg;

PROTEIN 29.2g; FIBER 1.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2002