Curry Salmon

When I found this recipe I thought it looked a bit familiar to the previously posted Chicken Tandoori recipe.  I would never have thought to marinate fish in yogurt but why not?

If you remove the skin from the salmon, the fish will absorb more of the flavor, your choice.  Once again, I used Greek yogurt to give this dish more tang and I also used regular curry but those of you who like it hotter should try Madras curry, which is made with more cayenne pepper.   We enjoyed this dish with a side of my mostest favoritest Spring-Green Saag.

By the way, if you suspect that I may have a Greek yogurt addiction, you are correct.  I have tried a few different kinds but my heart belongs to Fage Total (full fat version).  I found out that any yogurt that has 'pectin' as an ingredient means they added artificial thickeners to it so eeewww.

Honestly, Greek yogurt is just regular plain ordinary yogurt that has been strained so that it has less liquid in it, which concentrates the proteins.  To me, it tastes like sour cream, but then, I love sour cream....

Curry Salmon
makes 4 servings

2/3 cup plain or Greek yogurt, full fat

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons fresh grated)

salt and pepper

4 salmon fillets, about 4 ounces each/1 inch thick


Mix the yogurt and seasonings in a large Ziploc bag, add the fish and coat well, squeezing out all the air and sealing tightly.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or even overnight. Remove the bag from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil (you'll be glad later) and scrape the excess marinade from the salmon.  Roast about 10-12 minutes, until the fillets are cooked in the center.

This dish is best served right away.  Unlike revenge, which is a dish best served cold...

Spicy Bombay Chicken

It's been a hot hot summer and I've been posting icy cold smoothie recipes for your enjoyment, but maybe I'll turn my attention to something a little mo' hotter, mo' better.  If you don’t care for spicy then you don’t have to make it that way.  But, if your name is Kelley or Susie then you probably would like it very very spicy.   However, the spicier you make it, the more likely you’ll overpower the ginger and curry flavors so the hotter the sauce, the less you should use.  Using yogurt as a marinade makes the meat tender and flavorful. 

You could serve this with crisp cold salad or slice it up, place on toothpicks and serve as an appetizer at your next party.  Those of you on Stages 2 and 3 could pair this with quinoa.

Spicy Bombay Chicken

makes 4 servings

1/3 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger (or scant teaspoonful of ground ginger)

1 tablespoon mild cayenne pepper sauce

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8 small boneless skinless chicken thighs

In a large zip lock bag, mix the  yogurt, ginger, hot sauce, curry powder and salt and squeeze to combine.  Add the chicken, seal and squish the chicken around in the bag to coat the chicken with the marinade.  Put bag in the fridge for at least an hour or even overnight.

Oil your grill or broiler rack, then either prepare the grill or preheat the broiler.

Or you could take out the George Foreman Grill that's gathering dust on that bottom shelf.

Take the chicken out of the bag, removing excess marinade.  (You can now throw away the bag of marinade.)  Grill or broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat until cooked through, try 8-9 minutes on each side.

Winner winner, spicy chicken dinner....

Strawberry Lassi

Whole Foods - that's where you'll find me every weekend most of the time.  It's the only place I can find my full fat Fage Total Greek yogurt (highly recommend!) and my mom likes to go up and down EVERY SINGLE AISLE just in case she might have missed something from last week...

Anywho - the Whole Foods website has tons of great recipes, many of which are P10 compatible or can be adjusted for P10.   I think using Greek yogurt in this will really bump up the protein.  I'm torn between labeling this as a treat, a dessert, a smoothie or even breakfast!  Guess I'll use them all.  You could totally get your kids to partake of the lovely healthy yogurt without their knowledge!   :D

Ice-cold, yogurt-based lassi is a favorite refresher in India. Sometimes made with fresh mango, this delicious version uses strawberries

 

Strawberry Lassi

makes 2 servings

1 cup plain or Greek yogurt

2 cups roughly chopped strawberries

2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

1 cup ice cubes

1/2 cup milk (regular or almond)

Few pinches ground cardamom (could sub cinnamon or nutmeg)

 

Combine yogurt, strawberries and honey in a blender and pulse until strawberries are pureed. Add ice and milk and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses and garnish each with cardamom.

Chicken Tandoori

Let's wrap up our week of Indian food with this easy version of tandoori.  In traditional tandoori, the meat is marinated in yogurt and carefully selected spices and baked in a special oven.  But really, how many of us have a tandoori oven?  Okay, I think at least one of my readers has one so I hope she won't roll her eyes at this delicious knockoff of an old WW recipe.  Plus, with only FIVE ingredients you can feel like you made a gourmet meal with hardly any effort.

I used Greek yogurt to give this dish more tang and I used regular curry but those of you who like it hotter should try Madras curry, which is made with more cayenne pepper.  Also, I should have taken my own advice and pounded the chicken flat before I cooked it, so don't be like me.

We enjoyed this dish with a side of Spring-Green Saag.

Print this recipe:  Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Tandoori
makes 4 servings

1 cup plain or greek yogurt

1 tablespoon curry powder

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded flat)

1 large onion, cut into wedges

juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)


Mix the yogurt and curry in a container or large ziplock bag, add the chicken and coat well.  Marinate the chicken at least one hour but all day would be fine.  Remove the container from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to let the meat warm up.

Move the top oven rack to the second space from the top (about 5 inches from the broiler) and preheat the broiler to high heat.

Line a baking sheet with foil (you'll be glad later) and scrape the excess marinade from the chicken.  Broil the chicken for about 8 minutes (keep an eye on it).

Turn the chicken and add the onion wedges to the pan and return to broil for another 8 minutes.  Turn the onions if they start to burn. 

To serve, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and onions, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice, serve with the onions.

Spring Green Saag

Continuing on our 'Indian food' theme this week, one of my favorite veggies cooked Indian style is spinach.  If Popeye was my husband he would be thrilled at how much we have spinach at our house.  Bubba certainly doesn't mind but the Kid does....so pooey on her!

I borrowed this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.  She has a great blog with healthy dessert recipes and once in a while, a non-dessert recipe.  This side dish was quick and delicious and to be honest, I could have eaten the entire dish it all by myself and called it dinner.  I used Greek yogurt and it gave the dish a great tangy flavor.

I served this along with Chicken Tandoori (will post Friday), and although they have very similar ingredients, the dishes complemented each other rather than copied each other.

Print this recipe:  Spring-Green Saag

Spring-Green Saag

Spring-Green Saag

serves four as a side dish

1 package frozen spinach, thawed (10-12 oz.)

1 medium onion or 1/2 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt (or more if desired)

1/4 teaspoon dry ginger (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

1 teaspoon olive oil (or more if desired)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup yogurt, depending on desired creaminess

Wring out the spinach in a (preferably green) dishcloth until dry.

Add onion and oil to a hot pan. Sauté 3 minutes, or until it begins to brown.

Stir in the garlic, curry, and ginger, and sauté for another minute. Then add the spinach, as well as 2 tablespoons water. Cook another minute, or until most of the water has absorbed.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, as well as 1/4 cup water (or non-dairy milk). You can also add a little coriander and turmeric, if desired, for more flavor.

Spring-Green Saag and Chicken Tandoori

Butter Chicken

P10 has created a monster - an Indian food monster...people at work and the waiters at Bollywood must think I'm a junkie for this stuff (they're right).  It's embarrassing when the waiter knows what you want before you even sit down.... oh yeah, but still can't do spicy... 

But, I have to realize that I can only go when I have some willpower in my pocket...because I can't resist the naan bread and will end up eating the whole thing - TAKEOUT is good for when you don't want to be tempted by other things.

This was really really really good.  And it was very creamy, rich and filling.  I served this by itself but I bet it would be great with Cauliflower Rice made with a touch of curry powder.

Please be careful going down the list of ingredients.  I accidentally put in too much garam masala (because I was going 1/2 tsp all the way down the line and oops...) and that seasoning is STRONG.   I even went to brag to my Indian co-worker about making this dish and she said 'dang we don't even use garam masala-it's too strong!'   So if you don't have any, don't feel like to you have to run out and buy some for this recipe.

TIP - tomato paste:  I hate opening a can and having so much leftover.  So, I measure it out in tablespoons and plop them on a paper plate (not touching) and put in the freezer, then when they're frozen, toss them together in a baggie and keep frozen until you need some.  No waste and tomato paste is so good in many dishes.

Butter Chicken

makes 4 servings

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp chili powder (use less if you don't like it too hot)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garam masala

14 oz uncooked chicken, cut into cubes (2 large chicken breasts)

3 1/2 oz tomato paste

3/4 cup of cream

parsley, fresh or dried

Mix all of spices together, then the add spices to the chicken cubes, mix and set aside.  I did this all in a baggie and it was easy.

Melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic gently for 2 minutes. Add the spiced chicken and continue to fry gently for a further 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving to make it pretty.

Print the recipe:  Butter Chicken

Turmeric Cabbage and Mushrooms

This is a quick and easy side dish to any Indian dinner.  I think next time I might try it with cauliflower rather than cabbage, as you can see it's a flexible recipe.

If you're saying 'oh geez do I have to go out and buy turmeric or can I substitute something else?' then I'm telling you that yes, you should have turmeric as a staple spice in your kitchen...the smell and flavor really make a difference in the dishes you use it in. 

Turmeric Cabbage and Mushrooms

makes 4-6 servings

1 small head cabbage (or 1/2 large head)

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup chopped cilantro



served alongside Almond Butter Chicken



Cut the cabbage into bite sized chunks and slice the mushrooms.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot and add the turmeric and cumin. Fry 30 seconds.

Add the vegetables, garlic, and ginger and stir to coat.

Toss in a couple tablespoons of water and cover.

Cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, or until tender.

Add lemon juice and cilantro.   Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Almond Butter Chicken

I'll never forget the first time I saw 'peanut butter chicken'...I was at a baby shower and the California hostess served chicken skewers with peanut sauce and I thought she'd lost her mind (I was raised in Iowa, pigs and peanut butter don't mix...)

But I tried one and since then, I've always loved the taste that tastes great together.  And as you may know, my new love is Indian food.  I found a peanut butter chicken recipe and I have converted it to P10 use and added a few tweaks of my own.  Of course, you can always feel free to spice it up or down.  If you use almond milk instead of water, you will need to add more spices to feel the heat.  I also used chicken thighs instead of breasts to get that richer dark meat taste.  Sweeten to taste as almond butter doesn't have all the added sugar that peanut butter has.

Almond Butter Chicken

makes 4-6 servings

1 lb boneless or whole chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup almond butter

4 oz can of green chilies, drained

2 medium onions, sliced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sweetener equivalent

3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil

3/4 cup water or almond milk

chili powder or cayenne pepper, something spicy to kick it up

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry chicken pieces until golden brown.

Add the tomatoes, chilies, onions, salt and sweetender. Stir-fry until the onions become soft.

Add almond butter and mix well. Add water/milk gradually until it forms a sauce. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

I served this with a side of Turmeric Cabbage and Mushrooms - stay tuned for that recipe tomorrow. 

Chicken Tandoori

This recipe is an easy version of tandoori.  In traditional tandoori, the meat is marinated in yogurt and carefully selected spices and baked in a special oven.  But really, how many of us have a tandoori oven?  Okay, I think at least one of my readers has one so I hope she won't roll her eyes at this delicious knockoff of an old WW recipe.  Plus, with only FIVE ingredients you can feel like you made a gourmet meal with hardly any effort.

I used Greek yogurt to give this dish more tang and I used regular curry but those of you who like it hotter should try Madras curry, which is made with more cayenne pepper.  Also, I should have taken my own advice and pounded the chicken flat before I cooked it, so don't be like me.

We enjoyed this dish with a side of Spring-Green Saag.

Print this recipe:  Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Tandoori
makes 4 servings

1 cup plain or greek yogurt

1 tablespoon curry powder

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded flat)

1 large onion, cut into wedges

juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)


Mix the yogurt and curry in a container or large ziplock bag, add the chicken and coat well.  Marinate the chicken at least one hour but all day would be fine.  Remove the container from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to let the meat warm up.

Move the top oven rack to the second space from the top (about 5 inches from the broiler) and preheat the broiler to high heat.

Line a baking sheet with foil (you'll be glad later) and scrape the excess marinade from the chicken.  Broil the chicken for about 8 minutes (keep an eye on it).

Turn the chicken and add the onion wedges to the pan and return to broil for another 8 minutes.  Turn the onions if they start to burn. 

To serve, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and onions, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice, serve with the onions.

Spring-Green Saag

I borrowed this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.  She has a great blog with healthy dessert recipes and once in a while, a non-dessert recipe.  This side dish was quick and delicious and to be honest, I could have eaten the entire dish it all by myself and called it dinner.  I used Greek yogurt and it gave the dish a great tangy flavor.

I served this along with Chicken Tandoori, and although they have very similar ingredients, the dishes complemented each other rather than copied each other.

Print this recipe:  Spring-Green Saag

Spring-Green Saag

Spring-Green Saag

serves four as a side dish

1 package frozen spinach, thawed (10-12 oz.)

1 medium onion or 1/2 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt (or more if desired)

1/4 teaspoon dry ginger (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

1 teaspoon olive oil (or more if desired)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup yogurt, depending on desired creaminess

Wring out the spinach in a (preferably green) dishcloth until dry.

Add onion and oil to a hot pan. Sauté 3 minutes, or until it begins to brown.

Stir in the garlic, curry, and ginger, and sauté for another minute. Then add the spinach, as well as 2 tablespoons water. Cook another minute, or until most of the water has absorbed.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, as well as 1/4 cup water (or non-dairy milk). You can also add a little coriander and turmeric, if desired, for more flavor.

Spring-Green Saag and Chicken Tandoori

Butter Chicken (Indian Style)

This was really really really good.  And it was very creamy, rich and filling.  I served this by itself but I bet it would be great with Cauliflower Rice made with a touch of curry powder.

Well okay....I'll admit it but I won't show the picture - I tried to make the Indian style naan bread out of oopsie roll dough by frying it in coconut oil but it was a disaster.  :( 

Please be careful going down the list of ingredients.  I accidentally put in too much garam masala (because I was going 1/2 tsp all the way down the line and oops...) and that seasoning is STRONG.   I even went to brag to my Indian co-worker about making this dish and she said 'dang we don't even use garam masala-it's too strong!'   So if you don't have any, don't feel like to you have to run out and buy some for this recipe.

TIP - tomato paste:  I hate opening a can and having so much leftover.  So, I measure it out in tablespoons and plop them on a paper plate (not touching) and put in the freezer, then when they're frozen, toss them together in a baggie and keep frozen until you need some.  No waste and tomato paste is so good in many dishes.

Butter Chicken

makes 4 servings

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp chili powder (use less if you don't like it too hot)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garam masala

14 oz uncooked chicken, cut into cubes (2 large chicken breasts)

3 1/2 oz tomato paste

3/4 cup of cream

parsley, fresh or dried

Mix all of spices together, then the add spices to the chicken cubes, mix and set aside.  I did this all in a baggie and it was easy.

Melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic gently for 2 minutes. Add the spiced chicken and continue to fry gently for a further 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving to make it pretty.

Print the recipe:  Butter Chicken