tasty oat bran-banana muffins

 These are super tasty and moist and the only change I would make is to add blueberries and/or hazelnuts.

From here: oat bran-banana muffins.

• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup oat bran
• ¹⁄₂ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cinnamon
• ³⁄₄ cup milk
• ¹⁄₄ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large ripe bananas, peeled and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F; grease 12 (1/3 cup) muffin cups or use muffin liners.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Put milk, oil, egg and vanilla in medium bowl and whisk to blend.
4. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined; mix in banana, being careful not to overmix.
5. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
6. Bake about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into centers of muffins comes out clean.
7. Transfer to rack to cool.

oven roasted chicken

I have long used a crockpot to cook chicken, and it's still a great option for moist chicken. 

But when I want it a bit crispy and done more quickly, I follow information from here.

Basically:  grind a couple teaspoons each of salt and pepper, cover the chicken inside and out with it, and let the chicken sit with it like that in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  (Can also stuff with herbs like rosemary, thyme etc. - but depends on the use for the chicken.)

Heat oven to 450, bake for 50 minutes, baste with juices, go another 10 minutes until juices run clear.

Let it sit about 20 minutes until carving.  (Long enough to oven roast some vegetables.)   

ground beef cabbage stirfry

From here.  Quite tasty!  Could be served with rice.  Would be good with rice.  I don't need the carbs, so I just ate it like this and that was fine too.

Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

 

Ingredients

STIR FRY SAUCE

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.18
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil $0.33 [or less - depends on strength; I would use 1 tsp.]
• 1 Tbsp sriracha* $0.05
• ½ Tbsp brown sugar $0.02

STIR FRY

• ½ head green cabbage $1.78
• 2 carrots $0.22
• 3 green onions $0.17
• ½ Tbsp neutral cooking oil $0.02
• ½ lb. lean ground beef $3.90
• 2 cloves garlic $0.16
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger $0.13
• Pinch of salt and pepper $0.05

GARNISHES (optional)

• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds $0.08
• 1 Tbsp sriracha $0.05

Instructions

1. Prepare the stir fry sauce first. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, and brown sugar. Set the sauce aside.
2. Shred the vegetables so they are ready to go when you need them. Cut one small cabbage in half, remove the core, and then finely shred the leaves of one half the cabbage (4-6 cups once shredded, save the other half for another recipe). Peel two carrots, then use a cheese grater to shred them (1 cup shredded). Slice three green onions. Mince two cloves of garlic. Peel a knob of ginger using either a vegetable peeler or by scraping with the side of a spoon, then grate it using a small-holed cheese grater.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cooking oil, ground beef, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the beef until browned (about five minutes).
4. Add the cabbage and carrots to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted (or fully wilted, if you prefer). Stir in the prepared sauce and the green onions. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha, then serve.

Notes

* 1 Tbsp sriracha makes a medium-spicy stir fry. If you don't like spicy, I'd start with 1 tsp. The sriracha adds flavor as well as heat, so I don't suggest skipping it all together.

 

Total Cost: $7.14

Cost Per Serving: $1.79

Serves: 4 (1.5 cups each)

 

 ***

This website seems promising.  Tasty, healthy food on a budget?  I'm in!  Also, I think this recipe would be good with other meats such as leftover chicken. 

 

posole

This chicken posole from a recipe from Publix is SO GOOD.
I've long searched for a good posole recipe but most of them call for pork.  Which I know is authentic, but doesn't agree with me.  This completely hits the spot.  Minor adjustments made below.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil 

1 onion, chopped
1 large poblano pepper, coarsely chopped (anaheims can sub in a pinch)
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 deli rotisserie chicken, shredded (I used about 2 c. of chicken) - will try substituting pinto beans

4 cups unsalted chicken stock (homemade is best of course)
2 (15.5-oz) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
2 (4.5-oz) cans diced green chiles (I used hot Hatch diced chilis)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)

accoutrements
1 ripe Hass avocado, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup queso fresco (or Monterey Jack) cheese, crumbled (I used a bit of cheddar)
1 lime

Steps

1. Preheat large stockpot on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan, then add onions and poblano; cook 4–5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cumin; cook and stir 1 minute.
2. Stir in chicken, stock, hominy, chiles, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until hot and flavors have blended. Meanwhile, dice avocado.
3. Top each bowl of soup with cilantro, cheese, avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve. (Makes 8 servings.)

meatballs with greens and fruit

She called it rosemary meatballs with dijon collard greens and apricots, but I forgot the dijon and used kale and nectarines instead.  And this lasted for a few meals and I have really enjoyed it. 
 Meatballs:

• 1 lb grass fed ground beef
• 3 sprigs of rosemary, de-stemmed and minced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
• salt, pepper, granulated garlic
• 1 tbs coconut oil (liquid state) (or avocado oil, or leftover bacon grease from breakfast)

Greens:

• 4-6 cups shredded collard greens (or lacinato kale)
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 4-5 apricots, pitted and chopped (or nectarines)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Add your ground beef, chopped up rosemary and pressed garlic into a large mixing bowl. Using clean hands work the meat until the garlic and the rosemary are evenly disbursed throughout the meat. Add in some salt, pepper and granulated garlic to your liking and mix again. Form your mixed meat into meatballs. I made mine on the small side and yielded eleven or so out of my pound of ground beef.(I got about 15)
3. Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with your tablespoon of oil. Make sure that the bottom surface of the pan is covered. Arrange your meatballs neatly in the pan. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until your meatballs are cooked through.
4. Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer the skillet to the stove top. Using tongs, remove your meatballs from the pan and set them aside on a separate plate. Add your tablespoon (or more if you like) of dijon mustard to the fat drippings in your pan. Whisk together lightly.
5. Add in your shredded collard greens and allow them to cook down in the leftover beef fat and mustard mixture over medium heat. Once your greens have wilted, add in your apricots and allow the entire mixture to cook down until the apricots and lightly softened.
6. Place the meatballs back in the pan over the greens and serve! Enjoy!

thai fish cakes with cilantro-lime slaw

The flavor of these is SO ON POINT. Super yummy, and with the coleslaw, it filled me up very well.  From Home Chef.

Thai Fish Cakes with cilantro-lime slaw

IN YOUR BOX
1 Lime
3 Cilantro Sprigs (more would have been nice)
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tilapia Fillets
8 oz. Slaw Mix (cabbage green and purple, carrots)
⅔ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1⅞ oz. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dark Chili Powder
2 tsp. Chopped Ginger
1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
1 ½ oz. Sriracha

Prepare the Ingredients
Quarter lime and cut one quarter in half. Stem cilantro and finely chop. Mince garlic. Rinse tilapia and pat dry.

Roast the Fish
Season both sides of tilapia with ½ tsp.salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Place tilapia on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil, and place on middle rack of oven. Roast 12-15 minutes, or until fish reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees. Remove from oven, carefully transfer to a plate, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Prepare the Slaw
In a mixing bowl, combine slaw mix, juice of two lime quarters (add additional lime quarter to taste), 1 Tbsp. olive oil, half the cilantro (reserve remaining for fish cakes), ¼ tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper. Refrigerate before serving. Mix slaw a few times throughout refrigeration to marinate evenly

Prepare the Fish Cakes
Once tilapia has cooled, transfer fish to a mixing bowl and use two forks to lightly pull fillets into shreds. Add panko breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, chili powder (to taste), ginger, remaining cilantro (reserve a pinch for garnish), fish sauce, garlic, 1 Tbsp. Sriracha (to taste), and a pinch of salt and pepper to bowl with fish. Using hands or a spoon, mix together until combined and able to be formed into cakes.

Cook the Fish Cakes
Form mixture into four evenly-sized fish cakes. Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add 2 tsp. olive oil. Add fish cakes to hot pan (in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding pan). Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until browned and warm throughout. Remove cakes from heat and set aside.

Plate the Dish
Add a serving of chilled slaw to plate. Place two fish cakes against slaw and drizzle with remaining Sriracha for a bit of heat, if desired. Garnish with remaining cilantro and lime wedge.

cashew chicken

Trying to clean out my freezer, I found a bag of cashews and found this recipe for cashew chicken.  So good!  I just made a few modifications, like adding broccoli.

Ingredients

• 1 lb / 500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into 1”/2.5m pieces
• 2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda – NOT baking powder)

Sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Chinese rice wine (shaoxing wine) or dry sherry
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Dash of white pepper

Stir Fry

• 1 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
• 6 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetabe oil)
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• ½ onion (yellow, brown or white), chopped into 1cm/1/3” pieces
• 1 small green bell pepper (capsicum), chopped into 1cm/1/3” pieces
• 1 head broccoli
• ½ cup roasted cashews (salted or unsalted)

Instructions

1. Place Sauce ingredients in a jar, screw on lid and shake to combine.
2. Place chicken in a bowl and measure out 3 tbsp of Sauce. Mix and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Add cornstarch and water into remaining Sauce. Screw lid on, shake to combine.
4. Heat oil over medium high heat in a wok or heavy based skillet. Add the garlic and fry for 15 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 1 minute.
5. Then add the chicken and bell pepper and cook until all the chicken turns white but is still pink inside (about 2 minutes).
6. Pour the Sauce in, bring to simmer and cook for around 2 - 3 minutes or until it thickens and the chicken is cooked through.
7. Remove from stove, stir through cashews and serve with rice.

Notes

1. Tenderizing the chicken with baking soda is optional.

2. If you feel like a bit of zing, add 2 tsp chili sauce or sriracha .

3. This is a recipe that has evolved over time as I endeavoured to make it as close to what it is like at restaurants. The original base recipe probably came from a Chinese cooking show like Kylie Kwong.

Nutrition per serving assuming this serves 4. It can easily serve 5 or more with other sides, as is typically served at Chinese restaurants.