Jamaican jerk chicken and spiced slaw

Today is such a gorgeous day where I am, and that just makes me want to eat delicious foods! Try this Jamaican jerk chicken dish! It is delicious, fresh and very impressive while requiring little work.

And if you happen to have an outdoor grill, even better :)




INGREDIENTS (4 people):
- jerk sauce (click here for recipe)
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 cup cashew nuts
- fresh cilantro
- roasted coconut flakes
- 1 fresh mango
- 1 head of cabbage
- 1 large shallot
- a few spring onions
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 small red pepper
- 1 small yellow pepper
- 2 lbs chicken drumsticks


RECIPE:
- coat the raw cashews with a few tablespoons of jerk sauce (click here for the recipe), spread into a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden

Note: make sure to stir often to ensure even baking and that it doesn't burn
- put the chicken drumsticks in a ziploc bag and add about 1 1/2 cups of jerk sauce, coat well and marinate for about 1 hour in the fridge

- after an hour, put the chicken and marinade in a baking dish and cook in a 350F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through

Note: you can turn the chicken a few times during the cooking so that it gets caramelized on all sides
Note 2: if you are lucky enough to have an outdoor grill, these drumsticks would be absolutely delicious grilled!!!
- while the chicken is cooking, you can prepare the slaw: shred the cabbage, slice the mango, shallot, green onions and peppers finely and mix in a bowl

- serve the cooked chicken on a bed of slaw, sprinkle with the roasted cashews, a few toasted coconut flakes, fresh cilantro and dress with a few tablespoons of jerk sauce loosened with a splash of sesame oil and white vinegar

- enjoy!

Fattoush salad

Look no further! This is the perfect salad: fresh cucumber, ripe tomatoes, tons of fresh parsley and mint, crispy homemade flat bread croutons and a tangy lemony garlicky dressing… Yes, it is. Perfect.

Here's how you can make Fattoush.



INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):
for the salad
- 1 small head of romaine salad
- 1 cucumber
- 1 large handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1 sweet green pepper
- a bunch of flat leaf parsley
- a bunch of fresh mint
- 1 loaf of Khoubiz or any flat bread like a pita (click here for a recipe)
for the dressing
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 big clove of garlic
- a pinch of salt (to taste)


RECIPE:
- this recipe is so simple! Just chop all the salad ingredients (except the bread) and arrange in a serving bowl

- break the flat bread into bite sized pieces and toast them until crispy and sprinkle over the salad

- prepare the dressing: combine all the ingredients in a bowl and using a stick blender, mix until emulsified, pour over the salad and toss

- Enjoy!

Pea tendrils, raw kohlrabi, chioggia beets and goat cheese salad

This recipe was born yesterday morning after I hauled a ton of veggies from a local farmers market. Simple as that. I found myself with a bag of pea tendrils (never tried them before), two kohlrabis (50 cents apiece) and a bunch of beets, which until I sliced them open that same evening I thought were plain red (my inner food dork was hella happy). I started thinking of a dish as soon as I was back on my bike and on my way home, and this is what I came up with.

Hope you'll enjoy!



INGREDIENTS (for 2 people):
- 1/2 bag of pea tendrils (about 2 cups)
- 1 raw kohlrabi
- 1 cooked chioggia beet (any beet will do)
- about a 1 inch slice of fresh goat cheese (the recipe can be adapted to a vegan diet by leaving out the goat cheese)
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper


RECIPE:
- peel and slice the kohlrabi and beet very finely using a mandolin

- prepare the dressing: mix the salt, pepper, honey, vinegar and oil
- place the sliced roots on a bed of pea tendrils, sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese and drizzle the dressing over the salad
- enjoy!

Mango, snap peas and grilled chicken rice salad

Now that spring is making an appearance, I find myself craving healthy, lighter meals. This mango, snap peas and grilled chicken salad is just that.

This is a perfect moderately low-carb meal, with tons of vitamins from the mango and fresh peas, protein from the lean chicken and tang from the lime, cilantro-infused oil and Sriracha hot sauce.
Fresh and crisp tasting, I make it even healthier with brown rice.

Try it and tell me what you think!


INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):
- 4 cups of leftover cooked brown rice, at room temperature
- 1 chicken breast, sliced very fine
- fresh snap peas
- 1 ripe mango
- 1 lime
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- garlic, ginger and cilantro-infused oil (to taste, click here for the recipe)
- Sriracha hot sauce
- fresh cilantro for decorating (not pictured)


RECIPE:
- blanch the snap peas in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes and stop the cooking by transferring into a bowl of iced water

Note: I like them with a nice crunch, so I only blanch them but by all means, feel free to cook them longer if you like them softer
- in a skillet, brown the chicken in a splash of cilantro oil until cooked through and golden

- deglaze the juices from the skillet with the soy sauce and reserve the liquid

Note: this is an important step. There is SO much flavor packed in these little golden nuggets you mustn't throw this out!
- dice the mango

- combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl

- add the lime juice, flavored soy sauce, cilantro oil and a few splashes of hot sauce

- enjoy!