Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad

Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad

Hey guys! I’ve been so busy working on client projects I haven’t had the time to post many new recipes lately so I wanted to share a super delicious one I created for a client that I know you’re gonna love!

Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad

This recipe for Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad is absolutely delicious! I made a dressing with Seven Barrels Maple Balsamic vinegar and olive oil and tossed it with quinoa, chickpeas, dried tart cherries, arugula, celery, green onions and crunchy pecans.

Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad

Not only is this super healthy and light but absolutely delicious! It has the perfect balance of tangy vinegar with a slight sweetness from the maple balsamic, agave and tart cherries, and a delightful crunch from the celery, chickpeas and green onions.

Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad

This is a perfect side dish to make ahead for a Summer picnic and it’s full of protein and veggies and fiber making it the perfect meal on it’s own.

You can also substitute dried cranberries for the tart cherries if you can’t find them, and use a variety of nuts like cashews, almonds, or walnuts instead of pecans. Throw in some edamame or black beans too if you want more protein. Or how about a little crispy bacon???? YUM.

Hope you’re enjoying your Summer – enjoy!

Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Seven Barrels Maple balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup agave syrup or honey
  • 1 cup dried tart cherries
  • 1/2 cup celery, sliced
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Handful of baby arugula
  • 1 tsp sea salt, plus additional to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Let cool completely.
  2. Toast the pecans for about 5 to 7 minutes over medium-low heat in a saute pan, let cool and chop coarsely.
  3. Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, Maple Balsamic vinegar and agave syrup (or honey) in a small mixing bowl.
  4. Add 3/4 cup dressing to the cooked quinoa. Mix in the chopped toasted pecans, tart cherries, celery, scallions, and sea salt. Serve refrigerated or at room temperature; just before serving, stir in remaining 1/4 cup dressing, arugula and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

You can also substitute dried cranberries for the tart cherries and use any type of nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds).

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2017/08/maple-balsamic-quinoa-salad/

Lemon Garlic Shrimp w/ Spaghetti Squash

Lemon Garlic Spaghetti Squash

So we are well into the New Year, and it’s definitely time to up my game and start smashing my fitness and healthy cooking and eating goals for this year.

I’ve joined a new gym, hired a Personal Trainer and committing to doing Yoga, Pilates, Barre and weight training plus lots of walking at least 4 times a week from now on. I’m also focusing on lower carb eating for a while – cutting out sugar, processed foods, carb loaded foods. And drinking more water, getting more rest and taking my vitamins. The list goes on! Gosh, getting healthy and in shape is not easy.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

I decided to make a lighter version of Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti that’s normally loaded. I swapped out healthy spaghetti squash roasted with olive oil, sea salt and pepper instead of pasta to lighten up the carbs and calories.

Spaghetti Squash

Then I simply shredded it into spaghetti strands with a fork…

Sautéed Lemon Garlic Shrimp

and sautéed some sliced fresh garlic and shrimp in olive oil, butter, red chile pepper,  fresh parsley and a big splash of fresh lemon juice. YUM!

Lemon Garlic Roasted Spaghetti Squash

It’s so light and delicious i don’t even miss the pasta or bread (truly!) This lovely dish is also low in calories and high in protein – two staples to losing weight. Not to mention staying full and energized without the sugar highs and lows from eating all those heavy carbs.

You can also add more veggies to the dish if you like..try sautéing some mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes or bell peppers and adding them to the mix. I absolutely love the possibilities of this dish! Who needs pasta when you have delicious buttery strands of squash instead? Please add your comments below on how you would make or alter the dish – creativity is good!

Hope you enjoy the recipe and here’s to happy and healthy New Year to all of you. xx

Lemon Garlic Shrimp w/ Spaghetti Squash

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: Makes 4-5 cups Spaghetti Squash and approximately 3 cups of Lemon Garlic Shrimp, serving 2.

This light and healthy dish is made with roasted spaghetti squash topped with sautéed shrimp, garlic, olive oil, chile flakes, lemon and parsley. Super easy and tasty and low on the carbs!

Ingredients

  • Roasted Spaghetti Squash:
  • 1 (3-pound) spaghetti squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Lemon Garlic Shrimp:
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-20 ct)
  • 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Pinch of red pepper chile flakes
  • 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
  • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Roasted Spaghetti Squash:
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and inner membranes. Drizzle and rub squash with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the halves, cut side down, in a large baking dish and roast squash for 35-45 minutes until tender.
  5. Remove squash from oven and turn side up, letting it cool for about 10 minutes.
  6. Scrape the inside of the squash with a fork to make spaghetti strands and serve with the Lemon Garlic Shrimp.
  7. Lemon Garlic Shrimp:
  8. Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat in a skillet until shimmering, then add the sliced garlic and cook while stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
  9. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are slightly cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, red pepper flakes and parsley; toss to combine.
  10. Season to taste with salt and pepper, serve immediately over roasted spaghetti squash.
  11. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
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Cheesy Baked Pasta w/ Sausage & Summer Veggies

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

Ah, it’s almost the end of Summer and I keep thinking, where has it gone? Along with Summer comes lots of fresh veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms and yellow squash that I just can’t get enough of!

Colavita

I recently received a lovely care package from my client Colavita, who sent me some delicious pasta, sauces, olive oils and vinegars to sample, which inspired me to make this Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies. 

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

It’s a tasty and healthy twist on traditional Baked Ziti, using Colavita Fusilli pasta with sweet Italian sausage and lots of colorful summer veggies like zucchini, squash, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions and garlic. I sautéed everything in Colavita Extra Virgin olive oil with a splash of Colavita Chardonnay White Balsamic vinegar for some extra sweet and tangy flavor.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

I used their Colavita Tomato Basil sauce mixed in to the pasta and veggies along with fresh oregano and basil. AND it has three (3!!) cheeses: ricotta, parmesan/asiago and mozzarella to make it super creamy and cheesy – all baked into a big pot of bubbly goodness.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

Look. At. This. Cheesy Baked Pasta Goodness. YUM.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

It’s the perfect dish for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner – and is great served with a green salad and some crusty Italian bread (dipped in Colavita olive oil and vinegar of course!) Enjoy!

Cheesy Baked Pasta w/ Sausage and Summer Veggies

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6-8

This is a tasty and healthy twist on traditional Baked Ziti, using Colavita Rotini pasta with Italian Sausage and lots of colorful summer veggies like zucchini, squash, mushrooms, onions and garlic! It also features Colavita Tomato Basil sauce mixed with three cheeses: ricotta, parmesan/asiago and mozzarella to make it super creamy and cheesy baked into a big pot of bubbly goodness. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner served with a green salad and crusty Italian bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Colavita Fusilli pasta, uncooked
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, ground
  • 2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon Colavita Chardonnay White Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 cup zucchini, chopped
  • 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-16 ounce jar Colavita Tomato Basil sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan/Asiago cheese, grated
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (add more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (add more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions (about 9 minutes for al dente), drain.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Cook sausage until no longer pink, drain fat and set aside.
  4. Add additional tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and add squash, zucchini, mushrooms and bell pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute or two. Add the cooked sausage back into the pan.
  5. Stir in the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan/Asiago cheese and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
  6. Meanwhile, add the ricotta cheese to a mixing bowl and stir in beaten egg, fresh herbs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
  7. Place the cooked pasta in a large pot and add the sausage-veggie-tomato sauce mixture, stirring well. Fold in the ricotta-egg-herbs mixture until thoroughly combined.
  8. Spoon the pasta mixture into an 8x8 square glass or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan/Asiago cheese evenly over the top.
  9. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.
  10. Let cool for a few minutes, serve hot with a green salad and crusty Italian bread.

Notes

You can also substitute Colavita penne, shells, farfalle or ziti for the fusilli pasta.

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Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Summer Veggies

Colavita has a great line of Italian gourmet food, olive oils, vinegars, pastas,  condiments and other specialty foods, which makes them one of my favorite brands for quality Italian cooking.

Check out their Facebook page, Twitter page, Pinterest and Instagram pages for more great recipes and cooking ideas!

Note: I received complimentary products from Colavita but was not compensated for this post. All photos, copy, recipes and opinions are my own. Please do not share, distribute or use any content without my permission.

Veggie, Bacon & Cheese Tarts in a Toasted Quinoa Crust

Veggie, Bacon & Cheese Quinoa Tarts

I love making savory tarts and pies, but unfortunately I don’t love the carbs and calories that come along with them. It’s also Summertime, and I’m trying to cook and eat lighter than usual…and the Fall season will come soon enough with all that yummy comfort food!

Quinoa Tart 1

I’ve been experimenting lately with alternatives to pasta and dough – things like zucchini, cauliflower, almond flour, and quinoa. Not only are they lighter, but also , gluten-free and less carbs than traditional flours and equally as satisfying and tasty!

Veggie, Bacon & Cheese Quinoa Tarts

I found a recipe on Cooking Light for a savory Fall tart made in a toasted quinoa crust and decided to experiment a little with the crust, fillings and flavors. MISSION ON.

Toasted Quinoa

I love the flavor of the nutty toasted quinoa, which is done in the oven and gives a nice depth of flavor and crunch to the tart crust.

Toasted Quinoa Tart Shells

I mixed in some Bob’s Red Mill almond flour, corn starch, Parmesan cheese and an egg for binding the quinoa, then added a little garlic salt and olive oil to bring it all together for the crust. Then I pressed the quinoa mixture into four small tart pans and baked for about 10 minutes before filling them and baking again.

Mascarpone & Cheddar

While the tart crusts were baking, I made a savory filling with mascarpone and cheddar cheese and spooned in this delightful cheesy goodness on to the par-baked crusts.

Crispy Cooked Bacon

I also cooked up some crispy gorgeous bacon in the oven while the tarts were baking..(for about 20 minutes or so)..

Top with Crispy Bacon

then chopped it to pieces and layered it on top of the cheeses. HELLO PRETTIES. Come to me.

Blanched Cauliflower and Peas

Next I started filling the tarts with my blanched cauliflower and baby peas,

Veggie Tart fillings

more Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil,

Ready to bake the tarts again

popped them back in the oven..

Tarts Cooling

and baked these cuties for another 5-10 minutes and let them cool on a wire rack for a few…

Tarts cooling

the anticipation of these delicious things in my mouth is MOUNTING.

Cooked Quinoa Tarts

Once the tarts were cooled a bit, I garnished them with some fresh chopped basil, chives and freshly cracked black pepper and a few red pepper flakes. Mini Green Goddesses!

Veggie, Bacon & Cheese Quinoa Tarts

And Oh Holy Delicious.

Veggie Bacon & Cheese Tarts in a Toasted Quinoa Crust

This is a great base recipe for any savory tart really – feel free to substitute different fillings for the tarts depending on the season..butternut squash and spinach in the Fallcorn, tomatoes and zucchini in the Summer… roasted carrots, potatoes and Gruyere in the Winter..asparagus and leeks in the Spring…oh, the ideas are endless!

Veggie Bacon & Cheese Tarts in a Toasted Quinoa Crust

Veggie, Bacon & Cheese Tarts in a Toasted Quinoa Crust

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: Makes four 4 5/7-inch tarts

Serving Size: 1 tart

This is a gluten-free tart recipe made with a toasted quinoa crust, filled with a savory filling of mascarpone and cheddar cheese, bacon, cauliflower, peas topped with Parmesan, and fresh basil and chives.

Ingredients

  • Toasted Quinoa Tart Crust:
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup almond meal flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Cooking spray
  • Tart Filling:
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup baby green peas, frozen
  • 4-5 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Jack, or Gouda)
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced chives, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make the Toasted Quinoa Tart Crusts:
  2. Preheat oven to 350°.
  3. Place quinoa on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until golden brown; cool.
  4. Place half of quinoa in a food processor; pulse 30 seconds.
  5. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining toasted quinoa, almond meal, cornstarch, and salt to bowl; stir to combine.
  6. Add oil and egg; stir until mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed.
  7. Press into bottom and up sides of four 4 5/7-inch removable-bottom fluted tart pans coated with cooking spray.
  8. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until golden, but not completely cooked (you will put them back in the oven later after you fill them with the veggies, bacon and cheese.)
  9. Prep the Tart fillings:
  10. While the tart crusts are baking, chop the cauliflower into small florets and measure out the baby peas.
  11. Blanch the veggies in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes, then drain and rinse them in very cold water or shock them in an ice bath, set aside.
  12. Cook the bacon and drain, chop into small chunks, set aside.
  13. Measure out the mascarpone, Cheddar and Parmesan cheese, and chop basil and chives, set aside.
  14. Fill the Tart Crusts:
  15. Spread the mascarpone cheese evenly in bottom of each tart crust.
  16. Top each tart with shredded cheese, then crumbled bacon.
  17. Arrange cauliflower and peas evenly over cheese and bacon mixture on the tarts and drizzle with some olive oil, Parmesan cheese and black pepper.
  18. Bake tarts for another 5-7 minutes in the oven.
  19. Remove tarts from the pans; cool completely on a wire rack.
  20. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and chives, serve warm.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, Nov 2014.

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Other Tart Recipes you might enjoy:

Savory Harvest Fall Tart

Quinoa Tart with Zucchini & Sundried Tomato Dressing

Gluten-Free Tomato Tart

Gluten-Free Spinach and Onion Tart

Shrimp, Basil & Corn Zucchini Noodles w/ Meyer Lemon Cream Sauce

Zucchini Noodles 1

Hello Summer! And hello to the season for lighter food and flavors and quality time at the beach and the pool (READ: also time for shorts and sundresses and to lose a few to fit into the bathing suit!)

Zucchini Noodles 10

I’ve been craving pasta lately because i’ve been cutting down on carbs a bit, but I’ve had this cool Veggetti noodle tool in my pantry for a few months and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make some Zucchini Noodles (AKA “zoodles”), and tie in some fresh ingredients from the season such as shrimp and corn and basil.

Zucchini Noodles 8

This dish screams creamy comfort food, but is balanced out with a clean, citrus-y brightness with a Meyer Lemon cream sauce made with mascarpone cheese, Meyer lemon juice and zest, lemongrass chicken broth, white wine, sweet basil olive oil and garlic. The lightness of these zucchini noodles are also totally amazing, rather than a heavy pasta that will put you to sleep in .02 seconds.

Zucchini Noodles 3

I love Meyer lemons because they are delicate and less sour than regular lemons and almost mimic the flavor of lemon and orange juice mixed together, which you can absolutely do if you can’t find Meyer lemons or they aren’t in season. I ordered mine on Fresh Direct which always has everything in stock and delivers on top of that!

Zucchini Noodles

Prep your zucchini noodles with a Veggetti or Spiralizer on a cutting board or over a large mixing bowl. I suggest squeezing out any excess water from them before sauteing (you can let them sit in a colander to extract water for about 15 minutes or so). You might also want to cut the strand piles in half to make them easier to manage and eat. Sauté the noodles in some olive oil with red pepper flakes and garlic for a few minutes and set aside.

LemonZest-Juice

Zest and juice one Meyer lemon to add to the cream sauce. Look at that vivid color! LOVE.

Prep Shrimp

Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the shrimp and sauté in some olive oil for couple minutes until they are pink and set aside. Don’t overcook them though because you will add them back in to the sauce later on and you don’t want tough rubbery shrimp.

Lemon Sauce Ingredients

Prep ingredients for the Meyer Lemon Cream sauce and add the white wine, chicken broth, Meyer lemon juice and zest to the saute pan with leftover juices from the shrimp. Stir and simmer over medium heat for until the liquid reduces by half.

Meyer Lemon Sauce

Add the corn, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until heated through. I used frozen sweet corn but you can use fresh corn too which might take a little longer to cook (or you can precook the fresh corn and add the kernels into the sauce).

Add Mascarpone, Shrimp and Basil

Stir in the mascarpone cheese and blend together until it turns into a gorgeous, silky and creamy sauce. Toss in the shrimp and basil. Isn’t that pretty?

Zucchini Noodles 6

Serve over the zucchini noodles with additional basil and lemon zest and get ready to DEVOUR.

Zucchini Noodles 7

Alternatively you can toss the zucchini noodles in to the pan with the sauce and shrimp and corn and mix it all together to serve as a one pot dish. I prefer keeping the noodles separate from the sauce so they don’t get too mushy, personally.

Zucchini Noodles 5

Garnish with some extra basil and lemon zest and serve with a glass of white wine (I particularly like McBride Sisters Truvee Chardonnay who were kind enough to send me a sample which I LOVED), and some crusty bread to mop up that yum sauce, if you wish. Light, bright, healthy and delicious!

Shrimp, Basil & Corn Zucchini Noodles w/ Meyer Lemon Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Serving Size: 1 cup of noodles with sauce

This is a super healthy and totally delicious low carb option to pasta. It features sautéed zucchini noodles smothered in a Meyer Lemon cream sauce with shrimp, corn and fresh basil. It's light and bright and the perfect dish for Summer with a glass of white wine and some toasty bread to mop up the sauce.

Delicious!!

Ingredients

  • Zucchini Noodles:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (7 Barrels Basil olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Shrimp:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2-3/4 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Garlic salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Meyer Lemon Cream Sauce:
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • Zest and juice of 1 Meyer Lemon
  • 1/2 cup white wine (Truvee Chardonnay)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (Pacific Foods Lemongrass Bone Both)
  • 2/3 cup Mascarpone cheese
  • 3/4 cup sweet corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Fresh Basil, for garnish
  • Additional lemon zest, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make the Zucchini Noodles:
  2. Using a Veggeti or Spiralizer vegetable cutter, cut both zucchini into medium large noodles over a cutting board or large bowl.
  3. Form the vegetable pasta into two piles and cut each in half to create shorter, easy to manage strands.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic for a minute or so, being careful not to burn.
  5. Add the zucchini noodles, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes to your desired consistency.
  6. Remove noodles from the heat into a medium bowl and set aside while you cook the shrimp.
  7. Prepare the Shrimp:
  8. In the same sauce pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
  9. Sprinkle some garlic salt and pepper on to the shrimp, and add shrimp to the pan cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring often so they cook evenly.
  10. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and transfer to a small bowl while you make the Meyer Lemon cream sauce.
  11. Meyer Lemon Cream Sauce:
  12. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the same large sauce pan over medium heat.
  13. Add the additional garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.
  14. Add the lemon juice, zest, chicken broth and wine and let simmer down until reduced, about 3 minutes.
  15. Add the corn kernels, salt and pepper and heat through another minute or two, then stir in the Mascarpone cheese until you get a silky, creamy sauce.
  16. Add the cooked shrimp, zucchini noodles and basil; toss to coat. (You can also keep the zucchini noodles separate from the shrimp, corn and basil with Meyer Lemon sauce and spoon it over the noodles in bowls which keeps the noodles from getting mushy in the sauce which is how i prefer serving them.)
  17. Serve with additional basil and lemon zest, and a glass of Chardonnay or dry Italian wine and some crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Notes

This would also be a delicious sauce over any pasta, and if you're a vegetarian you could substitute the shrimp for another vegetable or legumes for some protein. If you can't find Meyer lemons or they aren't in season, simply mix some orange juice into the lemon juice to give it a similar flavor.

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Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp, Basil and Corn in Meyer Lemon Cream SauceZucchini Noodles 9

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Other similar recipes you might enjoy:

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Shrimp and Zucchini with Tomatoes 

Basil Shrimp Zucchini Pasta

Shrimp and Zucchini Risotto

Fettuccine with Shrimp and Zucchini

Note: I received a sample of McBride Sisters Truvee Chardonnay for tasting which inspired me to create this recipe and share with my readers. All opinions of the product are my own and I was not compensated for this post.

Superfoods Recipes for a Healthy New Year

Once the holidays are over, it’s time for a break from all the super rich food and cocktails and detox with some healthy recipes made with some of my favorite superfoods for a fresh start to a healthy New Year!

What’s all the fuss over superfoods about? They help step up your immunity, boost energy, slow down aging, lift your spirits, improve circulation, detox, improve sleep, and they have healing benefits too. And they just make you feel better and healthier all around. Colorful fruits and vegetables possess tons of vitamins and minerals – start ‘eating the rainbow’, and you’re off to a healthy start, and you can complement it with supplements as thai kratom.

Veggie Bean Soup

The best way to get your fix of Superfoods is to make a big pot of veggie soup in the middle of winter, not only for it’s warming properties, but also because soup gives a big dose of healthy vegetables that boost the immune system, as well as detox and cleanse the body with its healthy ingredients, antibacterial properties, vitamins and minerals, also people use different kind of supplements to burn fat and be healthy just visit site and find out the best ones.

Simmer Soup KitchenAid Stockpot

I’ve created a super healthy soup recipe that I made with my KitchenAid 11-cup Food Processor, that is so convenient to chop, grate and shred all those lovely veggies. Then I just threw them all in my KitchenAid 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot (part of the Stainless Steel 8-piece set that I just got!) to make a delicious and heartwarming Vegetable and Bean Soup. The Stockpot is great because it heats up fast on the stovetop to sauté all the veggies and seasonings and it has etched measurement markings inside the pot that make it easy to measure all the liquids for the soup.

Soup_Ingredients

My soup is full of onions, garlic and chicken stock, which all help build the immunity system and keep the colds away. It also has tons of fresh veggies including zucchini, kale, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and northern white beans topped with grated Parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil and some crusty whole wheat bread for dipping.

Kiwi Apple Berry Blast Smoothie

The New Year is also a great time to cleanse and detox by eating lots of healthy Superfood fruits! I love all berries that are full of antioxidants, with plenty of vitamins for a super boost in the morning.

Smoothie_Ingredients

I’ve created a delicious Kiwi Apple Berry Blast Smoothie recipe made with kiwi, apples, vanilla greek yogurt, almond milk, blueberries, acai berry puree, honey, lemon zest, flax seed and raw almonds.

Fruit and Almonds KitchenAid Diamond Blender

I simply threw all the ingredients into my powerhouse KitchenAid 5-Speed Diamond Blender with 5 different settings that does all the stirring, mixing, blending, pureeing and heavy lifting for me.And the smoothie is a healthy breakfast or snack, giving a big boost of protein and energy from the yogurt, almond milk, flax seeds and almonds; antioxidants from the berries and honey; and betacarotene, vitamin E and C from the kiwi fruit and lemon zest.

Click here to read the full post on the Kitchenthusiast blog by KitchenAid for more photos and recipes!

Homemade Rustic Pizzas: Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes :: Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggies

Rustic Pizza

Rustic Pizza

Pizza is probably one of my most favorite things on the planet. Seriously. Who can resist that crispy crunchy crust topped with melted gooey cheese and fresh, savory baked toppings? A pizza is a creative endeavor that is only limited to your imagination. The pizza dough is like a blank canvas just waiting for the artist to paint a masterpiece on.

Speaking of dough, you can certainly take a stab at making your own – here is a basic pizza dough recipe that’s easy enough to make. If you don’t want to bother making your own and want to save time, you can use pre-made refrigerated pizza dough from the grocery store (I get mine from Fairway stores, or you can try Pillsbury pizza dough which is inexpensive and easy to use. They even have Artisan, thin and gluten-free crusts now which is kinda cool.)

I made these rustic pizzas the other day in an attempt to use up some fresh veggies, pizza dough and ingredients from my kids cooking show I taped last week – we made all kinds of fun pizza on set but i couldn’t bear to waste the leftovers!

So here’s how easy these babies are to make…I divided the pizza dough and patted out the dough on to pizza pans to make four rustic pizzas – one of them topped with sauteed garlic, spinach, olive oil, savory chicken,  sun dried tomatoes and plenty of mozzarella gooey cheese. The other one I made with sauteed bell peppers in different colors, broccoli, pepperoni, ham, tomato sauce and two gooey cheeses – mozzarella and muenster, great for melting. The trick to a great pizza in my experience is to saute your veggies in some olive oil and garlic BEFORE you put them on the pizza (the chicken too!). This gives them a deeper flavor and keeps them from drying out in the oven when you bake the pizzas. Throw them in a preheated oven on 400 degrees for about 15-17 minutes, let them cool on a baking rack for about 5 minutes, and then top them with some fresh torn basil, some extra parmesan cheese and pepper flakes and you’ve got some serious deliciousness going on.

Sauteed Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomato Pizza

Chicken, Spinach, Garlic and Sundried Tomato Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a tasty and healthy pizza made with sauteed garlic and spinach, red pepper flakes, sauteed chicken breast, sundried tomatoes and Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 package fresh spinach, chopped
  • 6-8 thin chicken cutlets, cut into 1" chunks
  • 1 tablespoon seasoned salt or poultry seasoning
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned (thin strips)
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
  3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on to the base of each pizza dough.
  4. Heat an additional tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic and red pepper flakes for about a minute.
  5. Add chopped spinach and stir. Saute together for another 3-4 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
  6. Remove spinach garlic mixture from pan and set aside in a mixing bowl.
  7. Heat additional 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same pan, add seasonings and saute the chicken for approximately 8 minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from heat.
  8. Top pizza crusts with spinach-pepper-garlic mixture, sundried tomatoes and sauteed chicken (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
  9. Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella cheese and place pizza pan in oven.
  10. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

Pepperoni, Ham & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a healthy and hearty version of classic pizza made with sauteed garlic, bell peppers and broccoli with diced ham and pepperoni topped with gooey mozzarella and muenster cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup tomato sauce or puree
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
  • 1/4 cup ham, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup Muenster cheese, torn into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
  3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic for about a minute.
  4. Add diced bell peppers, chopped broccoli, salt and pepper and stir. Saute together for 5-7 minutes until vegetables get tender and soft.
  5. Remove pan from heat.
  6. In a small mixing bowl, mix together tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and garlic salt to make tomato sauce for pizzas.
  7. Top pizza crusts with tomato sauce, pepperoni, ham and sauteed vegetables (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
  8. Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella and muenster cheeses, sprinkle with garlic salt and place pizza pan in oven.
  9. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

***Stay tuned for my new cooking show – Cooking with Color 4 Kids© airs live on Oct 26th at 9:30 am EST on cable TV in NYC!!

Cooking with Color 4 Kids© by Kristen Hess

Channels: Time Warner 34/ Cablevision 67/ RCN 82/ Verizon 42 and the Internet: Channel 1
BCAT TV Network cablecasts in all five boroughs of NYC on Verizon FIOS cable.

If you don’t live in NYC and want to watch the show live online on 10/26, please use this link and watch Channel 1:
http://bricartsmedia.org/community-media/watch-brooklyn-public-network

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE PILOT TV COOKING SHOW TAPING

Savory Sauteed Chicken and Veggie Rice

Savory Sauteed Chicken and Veggie Rice

This is a quick and healthy weeknight dish I whipped up the other day with some fresh ingredients I had on hand in the fridge. It’s got some savory and slightly spicy sauteed chicken made with olive oil, garlic and cajun seasonings (I use Tony Chacere’s Creole seasoning which is awesome). I also added a secret ingredient that I absolutely love which gives it a boost of flavor – Sazon seasoning – a type of seasoned salt found in Spanish and Latin markets (you can also find it online or in the international food section of your grocery store.) The seasoning is used on meats, fish, poultry and to add savory flavor to soups and stews. Typical ingredients include coriander, cumin, paprika, cilantro, achiote, garlic, salt. Try the Sazon by Goya Foods or you can make your own seasoning following this recipe.

Now back to my recipe. I cut up some red, yellow and green peppers and broccoli, (you could also add some corn, peas and carrots into the mix if you like), which I then sauteed with minced garlic and olive oil and tossed into the chicken and garlic mixture, served over cooked rice. For leftovers, I heated up some more garlic infused oil back in the pan and reheated the rice, then added the chicken and veggies into the pan and stirred it all together to mix all the savory flavors together into one big yummy rice bowl. It’s healthy, full of flavor and color and has a little kick to it too. Who said cooking tasty food had to be difficult? This dish absolutely ROCKS. x

Savory Sauteed Chicken & Veggie Rice

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4-6

This is a quick and easy and healthy weeknight dish made with sauteed chicken and veggies with Cajun seasonings served over cooked rice.

Ingredients

  • For the sauteed veggies:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small red pepper, diced
  • 1 small yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 small green pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • For the sauteed chicken:
  • 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
  • 2 lbs thin chicken cutlets, cut into strips or chunks
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 packet Sazon season
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • White or saffron/yellow cooked rice, for serving
  • extra red yellow and green diced peppers for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook the white or yellow rice in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions and drain, set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium and add minced garlic, cook for 1 minute.
  3. Raise heat to medium high and add bell peppers, broccoli and garlic salt; saute for about 5-7 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and set aside in a mixing bowl.
  4. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil and heat in same saute pan for another minute.
  5. Add chicken (make sure to pat dry after rinsing to remove excess water or the chicken will steam instead of saute) to the pan, add Cajun and Sazon seasonings and saute for about 8 minutes until it starts to brown. Sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  6. Return sauteed veggies to the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low and saute the ingredients together for another few minutes.
  7. Place rice into individual serving bowls and serve chicken and veggie mixture on top of the rice.
  8. Add additional cajun seasoning or salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional red, yellow and green diced peppers if you wish (makes it prettier and more colorful!)

Notes

Chef's Note: this tastes better the next day and is awesome if you saute the chicken and veggies in a pan with the rice. Simply add a few tablespoon of oil and start reheating the rice over medium heat and then add the leftover chicken and veggie mixture, stir together and cover with a lid. Let it reheat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and serve. YUM.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/09/cajun-chicken-veggie-rice-bowl/

Savory Sauteed Chicken and Veggie Rice

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Daisy Martinez Arroz Con Pollo

Pioneer Woman’s Mexican Rice Casserole with Grilled Chicken and Avocado

Real Simple Spanish Chicken and Rice

Garlicky Greens and Beans with Sausage

Garlicky Greens & Beans with Sausage

Garlicky Greens and Beans

On a recent trip up to Rochester, I had the pleasure of discovering a lovely little Italian place called the Mona Lisa Café. My mother and I stopped in there on a whim one afternoon for a cappuccino, but after entering the café and seeing all the delicious pastries and gelato and enticing smells of amazing food, we decided to stay for lunch instead.

We sat at a table by a large window and enjoyed a glass of wine while perusing the menu. At first we thought we would just split an appetizer, but there were just too many tasty choices on the menu to settle for just one item. We opted for a delicious Italian Panini and their amazing Greens and Beans appetizer made with escarole and cannelloni beans sautéed with heaps of garlic, savory Italian sausage, white wine, olive oil and bread crumbs topped with Parmesan cheese. WOW. Best thing I’ve ever tasted! I loved this dish so much I was inspired to recreate it at home, and my own version of Garlicky Greens and Beans with Sausage I now present to you. Delicioso!

Garlicky Greens and Beans with Sausage

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Fingerling potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or chunks
  • 1 1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (may use chicken or turkey sausage if you prefer)
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 large bunch of greens (I used collards, but you can use spinach, kale, escarole, or mustard/turnip greens)
  • 1 can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish
  • Crusty bread or garlic bread, for dipping

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain potatoes, cut into quarters or chunks, depending on the size.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook potatoes for about 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. At the same time, add 1/2 inch of water to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sausages to and cover with a lid, simmering for 10 minutes (without turning). Remove the lid, turn sausages over, and cook for another 5 minutes until almost cooked through.
  4. Meanwhile, measure out your liquids and dry seasonings and set aside.
  5. Chop the garlic.
  6. Wash the greens well and drain. Remove and discard the veins and stems, cutting leafy green parts off on either side into 1-inch strips.
  7. Remove sausages from pan and cut into coin-sized chunks. Drain fat from pan and wipe down.
  8. Add 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pan and return to medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute while stirring often, for about 1 minute being careful not to burn garlic.
  9. Add additional 3 tablespoons of oil and start sauteing greens by the handful until they are just starting to wilt.
  10. Add cannellini beans, sausage, potatoes, broth, water and minced onion; bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer on low for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
  11. Remove lid, add 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and let simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the liquid reduces a little (you can simmer it down longer if you like a thicker stew or add more broth/water if you like a thinner stew).
  12. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  13. Serve the Greens and Beans in large bowls topped with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and crusty bread for dipping in the broth.
  14. Delicioso!

Notes

Substitute sweet Italian sausage with chicken or turkey sausage or omit all together and adjust water/broth down to 2 cups if you prefer a vegetarian dish.

Mona Lisa Cafe uses breadcrumbs and white wine in their dish which I omitted in my version because of the starch from the potatoes and adding a splash of white wine vinegar which gives it a nice tangy flavor to the broth. Feel free to experiment by topping it with toasted breadcrumbs and using some wine in place of the water in my recipe, but you'll need to adjust the amount of liquids down if you omit the potatoes from the dish so it's not too watery/brothy. The consistency should be of a nice light stew with a balance between the meat and vegetables and the broth.

Serve with a dry white Italian wine such as Pinot Grigio and crusty bread for dipping up the broth.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/04/garlicky-greens-and-beans-with-sausage/

Garlicky Greens and Beans

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Italian Sausage and Kale Soup

White Bean and Escarole Soup with Meatballs

Sausage and Bean Soup with Pasta

Greens and Beans with Sausage

All photographs, copy and content on this post and website are copyright © 2010-2016 Kristen Hess Styling & Photography and The Artful Gourmet. Please do not use, share or distribute in any way without my expressed permission granted or at least with a link back to my original blog post with credit to me. Thanks!

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

NYT Food Section featuring Kristen Hess

Hey guys! I was just featured in the NY Times Food Section yesterday (online and print versions) talking about Chicken French from my hometown Rochester NY!

Chicken French

Here’s a link to the article online discussing where it’s from and how it’s made, and a recipe from staff food writer Julia Moskin,  and a few quotes from me and my sister Jen who lives and works in a few Rochester restaurants!

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini
Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

Chicken French is an amazing dish that is popular in my hometown in Rochester, NY and on almost every menu. The Italian-American immigrants first introduced this dish in NYC and then migrated Upstate. The recipe also known as Chicken Francaise, uses lightly-floured chicken cutlets, which are then coated with a parmesan cheese and egg batter, then sauteed until golden brown. The luscious sauce is made with garlic, butter, lemon, white wine or sherry, and parsley which is served over the top of the golden brown chicken. You can serve the dish over pasta (my favorite is a linguine) or rice or a green veggie, and I decided to serve this with broccolini, a Chinese broccoli that is similar to Broccoli Rabe, and topped it with the lemon butter sauce and an extra splash of fresh lemon juice for a light and healthy dinner.

This dish has a lovely tangy, buttery flavor with the lemon, wine and garlic, and the flour coating is super light as I made it with an ultra-fine flour (Wegman’s Pan-Searing Flour, or you could use Wondra flour), and I seasoned it with salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne. If you want to use sherry instead of a white wine, this will give you a sweeter flavor to the sauce. I made my sauce with a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which is light and fruity and gives it a nice semi-sweet tangy flavor.

Serve the chicken and broccolini with some crusty french bread or some fresh pasta (i love linguine with more lemon-butter sauce, parmesan cheese and parsley over the top!) and a glass of dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinto Grigio. Enjoy!

Chop the parsley

Mince the parsley for the egg, cheese and parsley mix.

Prep the wet and dry ingredients

Prep the wet and dry ingredients to dip the chicken in (flour first, egg-cheese-parsley mixture second).

Saute the chicken in olive oil for approx. 6 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Saute the chicken in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat for approx. 4 minutes on one side.

Flip chicken over and saute another 6 minutes until golden brown.

Flip chicken over and saute another 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside, covered in a foil tent. Discard the cooking oil except for 1 tablespoon.

Remove chicken and set aside. Saute minced garlic for 1-2 minutes.

Saute the minced garlic on medium low for about a minute until lightly browned, being careful not to burn.

Add wine, and bring to a boil.

Add the wine, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil.

Add broth and lemon juice and turn heat to high, bringing to a boil.

Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and let cook for approx. 5-7 minutes to reduce liquid by half. Stir in the cold butter and red pepper flakes (if using).

Return chicken to the pan and bring to a boil, cooking for another 5 minutes to let liquid reduce and infuse flavors in the chicken.

Return chicken to the pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 4-5 minutes to let liquid reduce further and infuse flavors in the chicken. Throw in some extra chopped parsley. Remove from heat.

IMG_3403

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Insert steamer basket with broccolini and steam covered for about 5 minutes.

Lemon Broccolini

Remove cover and let cook over boiling water for another 5 minutes or so, until broccolini is fork tender but still bright green.

Plate the chicken and broccolini and spoon the lemon-wine-garlic butter sauce over the top of both. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Plate the chicken and broccolini and spoon the lemony wine and garlic butter sauce over the top of both. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Garnish with fresh lemons and additional chopped parsley, if desired.

Enjoy with a glass of white wine and some crusty Italian bread.

Enjoy with a glass of dry or fruity white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) and some crusty Italian bread or pasta (with some of that luscious buttery-lemon-wine sauce over the top).

Bon appetit!

Bon appetit!

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4

This is an amazing dish that is popular in my hometown in Upstate Rochester, NY. The Italian-American immigrants first introduced this dish in NYC and then migrated Upstate. The recipe stems from the French Veal Francaise or Chicken Francaise dish, which uses lightly-floured thin veal or chicken cutlets, which are then coated with a parsley-parmesan cheese-egg mixture and sauteed until golden brown.

The luscious sauce is made with garlic, butter, lemon, white wine or sherry, and parsley which is served over the top of the golden brown chicken. I decided to serve this with steamed broccolini, a Chinese broccoli that is similar to Broccoli Rabe, and then topped it with the lemon butter sauce for a fresh and healthy Sunday dinner. It has a lovely tangy and buttery flavor with the lemon, wine and garlic, and the coating is super light as I made it with an ultra-fine flour (Wegman's Pan-Searing Flour) or you could use Wondra, or a regular flour then season it with salt and pepper and a hint of cayenne.

If you want to use sherry instead of a white wine, this will also give you a sweeter flavor to the sauce. I made this with a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which is light and fruity and gives it a nice semi-sweet tangy flavor.

Ingredients

  • CHICKEN FRENCH:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil/canola oil blend for sauteing (I used Colavita Garlic Oil Blend)
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
  • 2-3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup of superfine flour (Wegmans Pan Searing flour or Wondra)
  • LEMON BUTTER WINE SAUCE:
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine (or sherry for a sweeter flavor)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
  • BROCCOLINI:
  • 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
  • Lemon Butter Wine sauce (see above)
  • Fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper, for garnish

Instructions

  1. CHICKEN FRENCH:
  2. Heat oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cheese, salt and pepper, cayenne (if using) and fresh parsley in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Place flour in another flat bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, then dredge each one in flour first (left hand), then egg mixture (right hand).
  6. Place chicken into the heated saute pan and cook for 4 minutes on one side. Flip chicken over and saute for another 4 minutes until golden brown.
  7. Remove from pan and set aside, covered with a foil tent.
  8. LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
  9. In the same skillet, saute the minced garlic for 1 minute, being careful not to burn.
  10. Add the wine and bring liquid to a boil over high heat, scraping up the brown bits in the pan.
  11. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice and red pepper flakes (if using) and let reduce by half, another 5-7 minutes.
  12. Stir in the cold butter and whisk until it melts and creates a velvety sauce and consistency.
  13. Reduce the heat, and add the cooked chicken back into the pan with the sauce, let simmer another 4-5 minutes.
  14. Place chicken on serving plate with the steamed broccolini (and/or cooked pasta) and spoon the lemon butter sauce over the top of the dish.
  15. Garnish with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley if desired.
  16. BROCCOLINI:
  17. Steam broccolini for about 5 minutes, covered. Remove lid and steam for another 5 minutes until fork tender but still bright green.
  18. Top broccolini with Lemon Butter sauce, additional lemon, salt and pepper to taste.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/03/rochester-style-chicken-french-lemon-broccolini/

Other recipes you may enjoy:

Veal Francese

Closet Cooking’s Chicken Piccata

Martha Stewart’s Chicken Paillards in Lemon Butter Sauce