Whole Spelt Soft Pretzels

I'm not usually one for buying soft pretzels at the mall, but every now and again I do enjoy the salty, dough-y, buttery taste of a nice big pretzel.  With mustard.  Obviously.

I like using whole grains as often as possible when I bake, and these pretzels were no exception.  The original recipe from this delightful site called Heavenly Homemakers called for whole wheat flour, but I used whole spelt flour.  Spelt is high in B vitamins and minerals, and although it is not gluten-free, it is thought that the gluten in spelt may be better digested because it breaks down easier than the gluten in wheat.  Of course, you can always try whole wheat flour as well, or experiment with another gluten-free flour if you want to get fancy!

I also cut the recipe in half because I didn't need 18 of these suckers.  The halved recipe was definitely plenty.  I will defer to many of the photos on the Heavenly Homemakers site because I was home alone prepping these pretzels and couldn't take a picture of myself (especially with messy hands).  Additionally, as usual, I changed the types of ingredients slightly to accommodate some of my nutritional preferences.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 Tablespoon yeast
2 teaspoon honey
2 1/2 cups organic milk
1 stick pasture butter (or at least organic)
1/2 cup honey
4 teaspoon salt
8 cups whole spelt (or wheat) flour
pasture butter for topping
coarse sea salt

Instructions:

Here are your players:

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup very warm water, 2 T. yeast and 2 t. honey.  

Stir this together and kind of mush the yeast around.  Let this sit for a few minutes while you do the next step.

Melt a stick of butter in a large saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup honey, 4 t. salt and 2 1/2 cups of milk.  Heat this to 120 degrees. I went a bit overboard on the temperature, but it still worked out fine.

Pour milk mixture into yeast mixture and stir.  

Stir in 8 cups of flour, 2 cups at a time.  Add more if it seems too "wet."  

Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes.  

Plop it into a bowl, cover it and let it rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.  Mine doesn't look all that different in this photo, but I could definitely tell it had risen.  

Pull it out of the bowl and knead it a few times to get the air out.  Pull a ball of dough, about the size of your fist off and get ready to make your very first pretzel! (such a proud moment).  Roll it into a long snake.  Cross the two ends about 2 inches from the tips, then twist the ends again - this is where you check the pictures on the original recipe post!  Then pick up the ends and pull them down to the bottom. And then, it should look like this.  And if it doesn’t, just undo it and try again. 

After you shape each pretzel, put them on a cookie sheet about an inch apart.  

(Mine are a bit shinier because butter was applied to the dough accidentally...although I wasn't complaining about how it made them taste!)

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan.  Right when you take the pretzels out of the oven, slather them with butter.  (I accidentally did this before I baked them, so I used just a bit afterwards.)  Sprinkle them with salt and enjoy hot!  They also freeze well in an air-tight freezer bag.

You can also vary this recipe by sprinkling them with cinnamon and sugar instead of salt.  I'm sure they'd also be great dunked in some melted cheese or topped with roasted garlic and olive oil.  The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

*M*

Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

I'm a big fan of recipes that make me look like a restaurant chef yet don't require fancy ingredients or an entire afternoon to cook.  This, my friends, is one of those recipes.  It's a lightened up version of cream of mushroom chicken (sans Campbells soup) that tastes divine, even the day after.  Adapted from this EatingWell recipe, it is also healthier than what you will find at your favorite dinner spot.  I love mushrooms and used even more than the recipe called for, even when I doubled the recipe.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.  It was seriously delicious!

Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (I used boneless organic chicken thighs)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil (I used organic pasture butter, but any type of butter is better than GMO canola!)

1 medium shallot, minced

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps

1/2 - 1 cup sliced white mushrooms (bonus mushrooms)

2 tablespoons dry vermouth, or dry white wine

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons heavy cream (organic)

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, or scallion greens

Instructions:

 Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.  Heat oil (butter) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

 

Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. 

Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

I served it over brown rice paired with a baked zucchini dish and it was awesome - and definitely a lightened up version of a comfort food favorite!  Enjoy a few pics of this weeknight masterpiece...

Enjoy!

*M*

Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken Bake

I'm always looking for ways to save some time in the kitchen while also preparing yummy, healthy foods.  I made this recipe a few months ago and completely forgot to post it, but it was so good I can't help but share.  I found it on Fast Paleo's website while web searching healthy recipes for store-bought rotisserie chicken.  In case you were confused, this recipe is actually not Paleo because it contains dairy.  I'm not advocating a Paleo diet, but there are actually some pretty yummy recipes on this site.  (By the way, I think there are some compelling reasons to eat a more "paleolithic" diet - more vegetables/fruits, fewer processed grains/sugar - but I wouldn't take it as nutrition doctrine.  Consult with me if you have questions about your own nutrition needs.)

Anyway, back to the chicken cheese goodness.  I decided to make this because I had purchased an organic rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods.  Most grocery store-purchased rotisserie chickens are pumped full of salt and other preservatives and are often made from hormone-treated chickens.  For this reason, I only buy my pre-cooked rotisserie chickens Whole Foods.  They range in price from $8.99 to $11.99 (depending on if you purchase organic - the non-organic is certified humanely raised without hormones or antibiotics).  The best part?  I think they taste better than the ones from your run-of-the-mill grocery store.  

I used organic sour cream and raw organic cheese that I shredded with a fine grater.

Ingredients:

1 store bought organic rotisserie chicken

1.5 tablespoons cumin

1.5 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped (I used about 3 tablespoons)

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used about 1/2 cup)

Optional garnishes:
Shredded lettuce
Diced cherry tomatoes
Sliced avocado
Cilantro leaves
Sour cream

Instructions:

I didn't even think to take photos as I prepped the recipe, but it was turning out so delicious looking that I snapped a few shots mid-way through! Don't worry, it's really simple.

Preheat your oven to 375º. In a large bowl place the shredded chicken, spices, lime juice, sour cream, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste then mix well. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking dish and top with cheese.

 

 

Pop into the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  The cilantro will wilt a bit in the heat, but it lends a great texture and flavor.

Garnish the top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado slices and serve with a nice dollop of sour cream and your favorite hot sauce.  I topped mine with fresh tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole and served it with a mixed green salad made with various spring herbs and cabbage.

Try it the next time you buy a rotisserie chicken at the store - it's so easy and really delicious, both at the time you make it and for leftovers.

Enjoy!

*M*

Artichoke Chicken and Potato, Squash and Goat Cheese Gratin

Sundays are for cookin' in my house.  I normally don't get home until between 5:30 and 8 pm during the work week, so if I want to try a more time-consuming recipe I love to do it on Sunday afternoons.  It makes for great leftovers all week too!

I saw this Artichoke Chicken recipe on The Chew, a great daytime cooking show hosted by chefs, food lovers, and quirky personalities.  Check it out on ABC if you haven't before - I watch it when I come home for lunch (my office is 3 miles away).  It intrigued me for two reasons: 1) it only requires one baking dish (or Dutch oven); and 2) it won a cook-off hosted on the show.  OK, a third reason: it's really healthy and really delicious!

A coworker gave me some beautiful yellow squash from his friend's garden, so I wanted to experiment with a new recipe for squash as well.  Five minutes of internet searching gave me this fantastic Potato, Squash and Goat Cheese Gratin from the Kitchn.  I bought potatoes from the North Scottsdale Farmers' Market and used fresh organic basil, goat cheese, and parmesan cheese from Whole Foods.  Served with a spinach and avocado salad, this meal was a hit with the boys.  It's flavorful and easy - all you need is some time to cook it!  

I doubled the potato gratin because I had so much squash and cooked it at 350 instead of 400 so it could go in with the chicken, which required 90 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees.  Once the chicken was done, I cranked the oven to 425 and cooked the potatoes until they were soft, then removed the foil for an additional ten minutes.  The potatoes ended up taking almost 2 hours because they had to cook at a lower temp and there were so many of them with a doubled recipe, but it was well worth it.  I had accounted for about 2 hours of cooking time anyway; however, I wouldn't recommend making these recipes when you're pressed for time!

I did forget one step - pouring the milk over the potatoes - but we didn't miss it!

Artichoke Chicken

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 1/2-4 pound chicken legs and thighs

1 cup artichoke hearts (halved)

1 medium onion (cut into chunks - to match the artichokes)

1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)

2 tablespoons brown mustard

1 clove garlic (minced)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar because I was out of red wine vinegar)

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Place chicken, skin side up, in a baking pan.  

Distribute onion, artichoke and mushrooms over the top. 

Combine olive oil, mustard, red wine, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper and pour over the chicken.   

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, basting every half hour.  Yum, right?

Potato, Squash and Goat Cheese Gratin

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow squash
4 small to medium red potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
salt and pepper
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil, optional

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.  (Again, you can cook at 350 if you make it with the chicken - it just takes longer to cook.)

Use a mandoline or chef's knife to slice the squash and potatoes into very, very thin slices, 1/8-inch or less. Toss the sliced vegetables with the olive oil in a large bowl.

Pour a small drizzle of olive oil in a casserole dish (around 8 or 9 inches square) and spread it around the bottom and sides. Place 1/3 of the squash and potato slices in the bottom of the dish—no need to layer them squash-potato-squash-etc.—then season with salt and pepper. Top with half of the goat cheese, scattered evenly in large chunks. 

Repeat with another 1/3 of the vegetables, seasoning again with salt and pepper and topping with the other 1/2 of the goat cheese. Finish by layering on the final 1/3 of the vegetables and seasoning with salt and pepper.  Below is the top layer before I added the cheese:

Pour the milk over the entire dish. Top with the parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes, until the top browns. 

Scatter on the fresh basil, if using.

Here are both finish products:

And the chicken is perfect:

Perfect potato/squash medley:

Serve with a spinach salad - a perfect dash of color (and nutrients)!

Enjoy!

*M*