Make your own curry powder

I came down with the monster cold on the weekend. For four days I was trapped in my apartment with only the occasional run to the 7-11 for more juice.  On Sunday night, I decided I needed some comfort food and tried to make Chicken Divan but realized (with horror) that I was out of curry powder.

However if you have a well stocked pantry you can whip this up in a jiffy. It's fragrant and has the same warmth. Note: not a spicy, hot curry.

Recipe from Food.com

2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground pepper.

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Bottle!

Sesame Chicken

Another great Pinterest find. This recipe comes from the Budget Bytes blog that promises great food on, well a budget. It was quick, easy and used ingredients that were already in my pantry.

1 large egg
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (I used thighs, you could use breasts)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp water
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 inch grated ginger (I used stuff out of a tube so measuring an inch wasn't exact. I probably used 2 tsps)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 cups jasmine rice cooked (I probably used 2)
2 whole green onions, sliced (I used 1)

In a bowl, whisk the egg and cornstarch together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any fat from the chicken and cut into small 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken into the egg mixture and coat thoroughly.

Heat a skillet with 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and all of the egg mixture. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until it is golden brown and cooked all the way through. I found this took about 10 minutes. Drain off excess oil.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the soy/sesame sauce. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, and cornstarch.

Once the chicken is cooked, pour the soy mixture over it. Toss the chicken to coat through. As soon as the sauce hits the hot skillet it will thicken (mine caramelized a bit as I was too slow), so once it is coated remove the pan from the heat.

Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with green onions. Serves about 4 or 3 if you are really hungry.

Taco Zucchini Boats

A few friends have recently been busy posting recipes on Pinterest that come from the Skinnytaste blog. The recipes are healthy, low-fat, delicious and it's easy to find gluten-free ones.  I gave this recipe a try a few nights ago and really enjoyed it, though I altered the measurements a bit (I found I only filled 2 zucchinis instead of the recommended 4. Maybe my zucchinis were bigger).  I believe the author is bringing out a cookbook which I'm looking forward to.

Serves 2-3

2 medium zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup mild salsa
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt (I usually leave out)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 Tbsp bell pepper, minced
4 oz can tomato sauce (I used about 3/4 of a 200 ml can)
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup reduced fat Mexican shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping (I forgot of course)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Place 1/4 cup of salsa in the bottom of a large casserole dish.

Using a small spoon, scoop out the inside of the zucchini halves but leave about 1/4 inch around the sides and bottom. Save about 3/4 cup of the scooped zucchini, chop it into small pieces. Squeeze out the extra water in it onto paper towel and then set it aside. Discard the rest. Drop the zucchini halves into the water and let them boil for 1 minute. Remove from water and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey. Break it up with a spoon while it is cooking. When it is no longer pink, add the spices and mix well. Add the onion, bell pepper, chopped zucchini, tomato sauce and water. Stir and cover, simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.

Fill the hollowed zucchini boats with the turkey mixture evenly, Top each with 1 Tbsp of shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through. Top with scallions or cilantro and serve with remaining salsa on the side.

*When I made these I cooked 1 zucchini the first night and saved half the meat mixture in tupperware. The next day all I had to do for great leftovers was to boil another zucchini, fill with meat and bake. I also found that I ate about 1 and 1/2 zucchinis. If you served one big boat per person I'd also make a side like rice or salad.