Chicken and... what? Summer veggie recipes? [Passing For Normal]

I'm watching a lot of Top Shot at present and working up to a longer post on the show and on weapons in general, both in and out of fannish context. But this is not that day, so here's a quickie post for Day 2 of 30.

I'm still finding my way through the whole diabetic eating minefield, since it's vastly complicated by the profound inertia (not to mention inconsistency and unpredictability on the spoon front) that come with chronic depression.

One of my favorite things to do is put a bit of simple seasoning on three or four chicken breasts (with bone and skin; they come out so much better that way) and throw them in the oven. Minimal prep, mostly low-effort all the way around, and I end up with several meals' worth of one of my favorite proteins.

But the easiest thing to do is make a sandwich or a wrap (really basic, chicken and mayo and that's about it), and that gets very boring.

It's summer veggie season; there are two nearby farmer's markets every week. Give me some ideas? What can I bring home and make with modest-to-moderate effort in one big batch that will last for maybe three to five meals? Needs to be relatively low carb, so no pasta, no white potatoes (sweet potatoes are fine), no white rice. Small amounts of brown rice or other whole grains are fine, as are moderate amounts of cooked dried beans (I'm especially fond of cannellini and black beans). I dislike mushrooms. Cooked onions are great; raw onions don't agree with me. Everything else is pretty much good. Could be combined with the chicken, or served separately alongside it.

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Ratatouille, perhaps? I usually just fry chopped onions, then add chopped tomatoes, squash, fennel, aubergine, bell peppers and mushrooms (though you can skip those). Spice with garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, and a dash of white (cooking) wine.

You can make a lot at the same time, it basically minds itself while on the stove, and is also great with chicken. : )

Edited Date: 2013-08-26 08:43 am (UTC)

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You know, eggplant just never occurs to me. That's a thought. And wow, I've used fennel in a salad (with cabbage and apple; it was awesome) but I've never cooked with it. Thank you for the suggestion. I like getting steered in new directions, since I am so deeply entrenched in habit with food (at home, where I have to acquire and prepare it).

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- For fall, roast veggies along with chicken? Carrots, sweet potato, onion, etc. On top of if the fat content isn't an issue, next to/in a separate pan if it is.
- Lately I've been doing a summer squash puree with roasted garlic. Stick a few of the yellow squashes in the oven (poke some holes in them first) on a baking sheet, with some whole unpeeled garlic cloves, probably at the same time as your chicken, then slice up the squash and blend (a stick blender works fine) with the roasted garlic and a bit of broth (I usually use veggie broth).
- A big batch of green beans? I'm really enjoying those this summer. I like them with a bit of lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- The spaghetti squash "noodles" really don't taste like pasta, but I find they're nice with a peanut sauce or a bit of olive oil and parmesan. I don't think they work well with red sauce.

I do big batches of steamed green and/or yellow beans all the time. I love them, and so does my blood sugar. :-)

OMG, the spaghetti squash with peanut sauce sounds AMAZING! I want that NOW. *g*

I like all of your suggestions. Thanks so much!

This is the peanut noodle recipe I do with the spaghetti squash instead of pasta. You can omit the sugar if that's a concern, particularly if your pb is sweet already. I often reduce the salt as well. These amounts are for 8 oz of pasta, so scale up if you've got a big spaghetti squash, I guess. The worst thing that happens is leftover peanut sauce.

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter (works with smooth, crunchy, whatever)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Mix sauce with whisk or fork.

Optional; I usually just toss in sesame seeds without roasting, or you can buy pre-roasted.
In dry frying pan: Toast 3 tbsp sesame seeds until brown and fragrant. Put them on a small plate to cool.

In frying pan with some peanut oil (or vegetable or canola oil): Saute 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic with some red pepper flakes.

When garlic is lightly browned, add noodles and sauce. Cook over low heat for a minute or two, until sauce has thickened. Add sesame seeds and 2-3 chopped scallions.

oh, I should say this is adapted from a recipe a friend's dad found in the ny times years ago. Not that this helps much, but that's the attribution.

I was going to say chopped onions, yellow squash, zuccini, red pepper--stirfried or steamed (or chop the veggies in a big pile and stir fry some then steam the others). Or whatever summer veggies call attention to themselves. Maybe peas or snow peas, shredded carrots or baby carrots, asparagus, spinach, etc.

Have you tried quinoa? A grain with more protein and fewer carbs than rice.

Oh, quinoa is a good thought. I like it, but it never occurs to me to cook with it. I wonder how hard it would be to adapt tabbouleh (I had to try three times before spellcheck told me I got that right) to quinoa instead of bulgur wheat? (Spellcheck doesn't like "bulgur" either. Nor "bulgar." Hmph.)

Snow peas, there's another one that I never think to buy. All great ideas. Thanks!

Boil some green beans until tender, dress them with olive oil, mustard, and lemon juice (and some garlic if you like--you can just cut garlic cloves in half and toss them in), and add some cherry tomatoes cut in half or whole tomatoes cut in wedges.

Wrap beets (washed thoroughly) in aluminum foil and roast them in the oven until tender. When they're cool enough to handle but still warm, peel them and cut them into slices. Dress with olive oil, mustard, and lemon juice (use more mustard and lemon than you would with the green beans, because beets are better with a tart dressing). And don't forget the beet greens--they're delicious sauteed in a little oil with garlic and some chile if you like.

Peel cucumbers (or leave the skins on if they're tender and not waxed), slice thinly, and dress with just about anything you fancy. Yogurt and herbs or yogurt and spices (some cumin, a chile if you like chiles) are good. I really like Southeast Asian style cucumber salad dressed with fish sauce, lime juice, and maybe a little sesame oil, and topped with chopped roasted peanuts. Many recipes call for a little sugar, but you can either omit that or judiciously use another sweetener.

All these can be made in big batches and keep well for a few days covered and refrigerated.

Green beans with mustard (etc) would never have occurred to me, but it sounds intriguing. I have some in the fridge -- in fact, I have everything to make that at hand -- so I'll try it tonight.

And holy moly, why didn't I ever think of mustard with beets? That would be amazing! Mustard is one of those things I like as an ingredient, but I never think to pick it up and use it when I'm cooking. That's great inspiration. Thanks!

And the reminder about cukes is excellent, too. I like them a lot, and you're right, they're easy and versatile -- and something I haven't done at all yet this summer.

Much appreciated. :-)

Slow-roasted tomatoes are great either hot with the chicken or cold and in a wrap. Zucchini and peppers and other summery vegetables can get the same treatment, at which point you're halfway to Luz's ratatouille.

Roast vegetables (cut up sweet potatoes, beetroot and carrots, toss in oil, maybe with some dried herbs of your choice, roast at 400F until done, which takes about 45 minutes in my oven for 1-inch dice of sweet potato and smaller bits of carrots/beetroot) are also nice either hot next to the chicken or tossed in vinaigrette when cold, and they last several days in the fridge. Quartered onions can go in the roasting pan with the other veg if roasting makes them cooked enough for you. (They still have a fair bit of onion-ness, not like cooking them until they disappear in a stew.) Add some sliced cold chicken and salad greens to the cold roast veg for a substantial salad.

OMG, that slow-roasted tomato recipe has me droooooooling. WOW. *wants like crazy*

I love tomatoes in any form, any time, but this sounds incredible. I will buy a bunch at tomorrow's farmer's market and make a batch of these. I expect you'll hear me making orgasm noises even from the other side of the planet. *g*

I love roast veggies, and you're right, they'd hold and reheat well, or work well in salad-y things. Thanks for the reminder. :-)

Slow-cook some pork (or chicken!) with onion, garlic, and a tin of kidney beans, gloop and all. Comes out deliciously savoury. Can be done on the hob, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. Works with black beans too.

Wilt spinach in boiling water and dress with sesame oil or sesame seeds.

Shakshuka: Stir fry onion, garlic, add sliced pepper and diced tomato to make a tomato sauce (adding whatever herbs and spices you like; cumin, chilli, and a tiny pinch of saffron make it lovely!) and then poach an egg or two in it.

Cook up (or buy canned) chickpeas, and stick in a blender with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices to make humus. Dip in bell peppers, carrots, celery, or whatever raw veges you want.

I'm not sure any of those are specifically summery, but they're all favourites of mine!

I'm being lazy, so here are a bunch of kale recipes from a while ago. :-)

I've also recently discovered brussels sprouts, which I didn't grow up with but totally love. I mostly cut them in half, soak them in soy sauce and maybe sesame oil, and then dump them in a pan with some brown rice to soak up the extra marinade and put them in the oven. I usually use tofu, but chicken would work as well. Easy and delicious!

Passing For Normal

Chicken and... what? Summer veggie recipes?

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March