Jenn’s Cook Book

Here is a quick, simple recipe from Everyday Food magazine using just 5 ingredients! This is perfect when you need an easy way to spice up some plain chicken. The tangy flavor is great for fall, with just a kick of heat from red pepper flakes.

Spicy Apricot-Glazed Chicken
from Everyday Food

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat broiler. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken on broiler pan.

Combine apricot preserves and red pepper flakes. Brush half of the mixture over the chicken.

Broil chicken 5-7 minutes. Flip chicken and brush with remaining apricot mixture. Broil an additional 5-7 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

Another new recipe from the new kitchen! For my second meal, I adapted a recipe from Cooking Light magazine originally called “Orange-Ginger Skillet Chicken.” The recipe was designed to make ahead and take camping or to a cookout, but works just as well made immediately. To balance the citrus flavors, I added earthy mushrooms.

Macaroni is only a suggestion, you could also use egg noodles, rotini, or even brown rice. Though this is mostly an all-in-one meal, I would suggest a side salad or steamed vegetables to complete the meal.

Above: Okay, I cheated and used canned mandarin oranges. So sue me.

Orange-Ginger Chicken with Macaroni
adapted from Cooking Light

1/2 cup orange juice
3-4 chopped green onions
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 1/2 lb chicken breast tenders
8 0z sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped orange sections
3 cups uncooked macaroni or similar shaped pasta
Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Place chicken tenders in the mixture and chill for 15-20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions, about 6-8 minutes, until just al dente (still slightly firm). Drain and keep warm.

Over medium heat in a large skillet, saute mushrooms in a small amount of oil. When near tender, add chicken mixture to pan and increase to medium-high heat. Cook 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through until no longer pink.

Add pasta to skillet and toss well to coat. Sprinkle orange segments on top. Remove from heat and cover, allow to set 2-3 minutes before serving (this will allow the orange segments to warm without breaking).

Above: James wasn’t feeling well, so I came home and made some “comfort food.”

Well, it’s finally here! The first meal at the new apartment, complete with dinner guests. This recipe is from Real Simple magazine. It combines some of my favorite things: sweet potatoes, stir-fry, garlic, and hoisin sauce. Hoisin sauce is the Asian version of ketchup (it goes on everything!). Prepare the sauce first, then the stir fry.

For wine, I served Gewurtztraminer, which is as hard to pronounce as it is to spell (ga-VERZ-tra-mee-ner). This wine is fruity and lush, with a semi-sweet to almost medium-sweet taste. It is well known as one of the few wines that compliment Asian cuisine, particularly spicy dishes. Fetzer from California produces a great variety with a reasonable price: about $7-$9 a bottle.

To complete the dish, I prepared Vigo’s Saffron Yellow Rice to serve with the stir-fry. While normally I reserve this for Mexican dishes, but the flavor also goes well with Asian cuisine.

Garlicky Hoisin Sauce
from Real Simple

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 green onions, white parts only, chopped (reserve green parts for stir-fry)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Heat a skillet or small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

Garlicky Hoisin Beef
from Real Simple

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb flank or boneless sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup water
1/3 to 1/2 lb snow or sugar snap peas
3 scallions (green parts only, reserved from sauce), cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
1 recipe Garlicky Hoisin Sauce
cooked rice or noodles, for serving

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tbsp oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the steak, working in batches if needed, and stir-fry until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-high, add remaining oil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits, and add the bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly for 10-15 seconds.

Add the sweet potato and water, cover partially and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are near tender. Add the peas and scallions, cook for 1 minute. Add the Garlicky Hoisin Sauce and increase the heat to high. When it starts to bubble, add steak back to the pan. Toss ingredients and heat until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.

A couple weeks ago, I bought over a pound of chicken breasts for $1.97 marked down because it was almost the “sell by” date. I promptly brought them home and popped them in the freezer. To take advantage of this purchase, I adapted a stir-fry recipe from Sunset magazine. This recipe combines a few simple ingredients to make a quick and easy sauce that tastes pretty darn good.

I added some vegetables to the recipe and reduced the amount of fresh basil (3 cups of basil leaves seems a little excessive to me). To round out the meal, I made some Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice. Despite the exotic sounding name, a bag of rice typically is $1.19 and usually I will take advantage of a 2 for 1 deal.

Above: Stir-fried chicken with snap peas served over saffron yellow rice.

Basil Chicken Stir-Fry
adapted from Sunset magazine

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soy sauce
4-5 springs of fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 lb sugar snap peas (or vegetable of your choice)

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken pieces and cook 3-4 minutes until just about cooked through and no longer pink.

Whisk together stock, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Pour into skillet and toss with chicken. Bring liquid to a simmer, reduce heat, and pour sugar snap peas over top. Cover skillet and allow peas to “steam” for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in basil until all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and serve, over rice or noodles if preferred.

Above: All gone!

Economically Friendly: Get a good deal by purcahsing meat close to the sell by date and putting in the freezer as soon as you bring it home. Substitute any seasonal vegetable to save money, and the rest of the ingredients are pretty standard staples of the kitchen. I buy bouillon cubes for around a dollar so I can make a simple cup of broth without wasting an entire can. It is much more cost effective and tastes the same as far as I could tell. I did purchase extra basil for this recipe, otherwise I would have picked my basil plant clean.

Environmentally Friendly: Use seasonal, local produce (organic if possible). The basil I purchased was both local and organic from a nearby farm that sells products at the grocery store. This recipe makes a good size meal, but not a huge amount to where food would go to waste.

Excellently Healthy: Nothing to complain about here: chicken breast, vegetables, and natural flavor from garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Keep rice or noodle portions in check and this is a pretty healthy meal.

I am constantly scouring the bookstore for new cookbooks, not necessarily because I need more recipes but because I often draw inspiration for recipes for a variety of sources. Over the past two years, I have become more adapt at creating my own dishes, but still need a little guidance. Often, I will see a recipe and image how I would make that dish. This is one of those instances, from my new cookbook The Vegetarian Bible.

Through the Veganomics project, it is obvious that I am not a vegetarian but I do enjoy vegetarian cuisine. My goal was to eat less meat, not necessarily to give it up completely. This meal, however, makes me want to be a vegetarian because it is wholesome, satisfying, and delicious. The fact that eggplant is usually sold for less than $1 per pound does not hurt either.

Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan
adapted from The Vegetarian Bible

2 cups dried pasta, such as penne, rotini, or another short shape
2 eggplants, about 1 lb each
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain
2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs with Italian Seasoning
1 jar marinara sauce, without meat
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, as needed

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush foil with olive oil and set aside.

Bring a medium to large stockpot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt and pasta, preparing according to package directions until just tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to pan, tossing with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking, cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and score around the insides with a sharp paring knife, being careful not to pierce the shells. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Brush the insides of the shells with olive and and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Chop the flesh and set aside.

Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a large skillet. Cook onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add additional olive oil if needed. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, reducing heat if necessary. Add pasta, tossing gently to combine until mixture has absorbed all the liquid, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the shells of the eggplant. Spoon tomato and pasta mixture into the shells, then top with marinara sauce. Combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the prepared shells. Bake eggplant for 15-20 minutes, until topping is golden brown.

Serve topped with additional mozzarella cheese, if desired.

Economically Friendly: Most everything in this recipe was a pantry staple: pasta, onion, garlic, canned tomato, bread crumbs, seasonings, even marinara sauce. I will indulge and buy high quality Parmesan cheese, but a little goes a long way. The recipe called for penne pasta or a short, shaped pasta and I had whole wheat rotini on hand, which worked great. As previously mentioned, eggplant is an inexpensive substitute for meat.

Environmentally Responsible: Aside from being inexpensive, discovering eggplant has helped me reduce the amount of meat I consume without feeling like I am making a sacrifice, which makes my carbon footprint smaller. In the current grain and rice crisis, I am not sure where pasta fits into the picture, but the amount in this recipe is rather small (only 2 cups dried as oppose to a box or even half a box).

Excellently Healthy: Whole wheat pasta, plenty of vegetables, part-skim mozzarella, and some healthy fat from extra-virgin olive oil are all part of a healthy diet with moderation and variety. To complete the meal, I served this with my Spinach & Quinoa Salad, made with zucchini instead of cucumbers. Lightly saute zucchini in olive oil with garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper until warmed through, then toss with spinach, quinoa and golden raisins. Sprinkle with some balsamic vinegar and that is one tasty salad.

For this meal, we had guests visiting. By serving two dishes with meat substitions, eggplant and quinoa, no one felt hungry afterwards. The combination was very filling without being heavy. It also helps that our guests enjoy vegetarian cuisine, and that I have restored James faith in eggplant.

Interesting story about this recipe: during one of my visits to the doctor’s office, I spotted a great recipe for Vegetable Couscous Pilaf in Food & Wine magazine while in the waiting room. I figured I would find it online afterwards, but after trolling Food & Wine’s website as well as countless Google searches, I finally gave up my quest. Fortunately (or not, depending on your view of the situation), I returned to the doctor’s office two weeks later and hunted down the magazine. I was in the middle of hand copying the magazine when the doctor interrupted me and tore out the pages. What a nice guy!

While I did make some minor adjustments, the recipe was excellent. The spice combination of cumin, paprika, and caraway seed gave the dish a subtle, exotic seasoning complimented by hearty carrots, parsnips, and fresh zucchini. This couscous is flavored with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, which adds to the overall flavor. It is not quite an all-in-one meal, but a simple side of eggplant, mushrooms, or meat would create a balanced dinner.

Above: Sauteed veggies simmer in a stockpot. 

Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
adapted from Food & Wine

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium parsnip, peeled and finely sliced
1 medium carrot, finely sliced
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup golden raisins

Heat oil in a large stockpot or deep skillet. Over high heat, saute parsnip and carrot until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown slightly.

Add cumin, paprika, and caraway. Saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, then cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in golden raisins just before serving.

Above: Just after fluffing the couscous.

Economically Friendly: Fresh veggies are always inexpensive, along with onions and garlic. Things like chicken stock, couscous, and golden raisins are pantry staples for me and can often be found on sale. The spices in this recipe are fairly common, caraway seed is not something I normally use but is in the spice rack. At only 1/4 teaspoon, it could be omitted without sacrificing too much flavor. Fennel seed or anise seed would be adequate substitutions.

Environmentally Responsible: Root vegetables are typically considered “all season” even though they peak in autumn, as they keep for longer than most produce. Zucchini can be purchased locally in most areas this time of year as well. A dish like this also makes meat a “side” item rather than the main attraction.

Excellently Healthy:Vegetables, spices, and couscous are great for balancing a diet. Keep the rest of the meal in check and this is a very healthy (and delicious) dish.

This is a remake of the Super Easy Sausage & Egg Noodle Dinner. Italian sausage were on sale and to stretch the dollars even further, I used some for this dish and saved the rest for another dinner. Pork, like beef, is not very eco-friendly, which is why I used less than the original recipe.

4-5 cups dry egg noodles
1 tsp salt
3 sweet Italian sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
8 oz mushrooms, such as mini bella, sliced
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese, optional

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and egg noodles. Prepare according to package directions (about 8 minutes). Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet and saute mushrooms over medium-high heat. Saute until almost soft, add water if needed. Set aside in a small bowl.

Add sausage to hot skillet and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, add a bit of marinara sauce if the pan is dry. Continue to saute until sausage is cooked through and add mushrooms back to pan. Add jar of sauce of pan along with prepared egg noodles. Toss all ingredients until sauce is warmed. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Economically Friendly: The pack of 5 sausages was $2.19 on sale, leaving 3 for this recipe and 2 for another meal. Normally, I would have used 4 and the remaining sausage would have sat in the freezer (and probably suffered from freezer burn). Egg noodles are a fairly inexpensive pantry staple, and you can usually find it on sale.

Environmentally Responsible: Well, I am not sure what to say here, other than I used less meat than usual. It’s a small step, but a step nonetheless. This is a great dish to serve with steamed, seasonal veggies.

Excellently Healthy: Served with steamed veggies, this isn’t bad for you, as long as it’s in moderation. Another option is to make your own sauce to monitor ingredients and sodium content.  

I know, I know. Beef is not good for the environment, but even I need a break from vegetarian cuisine. Plus, this was a deal at $2.40 almost a pound for pre-cut strips of beef and I had leftover BBQ sauce from the BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry. It starts with balance and small steps.

BBQ Beef Stir-Fry:
3/4 to 1 lb beef strips
8 oz sugar snap peas  
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup BBQ sauce (see below)

Heat oil in a large skillet and saute onions for 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat until soft. Set onions aside in a small bowl. Add mushrooms to skillet and saute 5-7 until almost soft and tender. Set aside in bowl with onions.

Add beef strips to skillet. Saute, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Add BBQ Sauce to pan, flip beef strips, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Bring BBQ Sauce to a simmer. Add onions and mushrooms back to pan and toss.  

Add sugar snap peas to top of BBQ mixture. Cover pan and allow sugar snap peas to steam for 3-5 minutes, then toss with sauce to combine. Serve any leftover sauce on the side for dipping.

BBQ Sauce:
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard 
3/4 tsp salt, divided 
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer sauce for 10-15 minutes, until it has reduce by half.

Economically Friendly:Leftover BBQ Sauce put to good use! Onions and mushrooms are inexpensive, but sugar snap peas can be pricey. Look for sales or substitute with seasonal produce. Beef can also be expensive, so look for items close to the sell-by date for a reduced price.

Environmentally Responsible: Yes, beef is bad. Very, very bad. But just like diets, if you make foods “bad” or “forbidden,” you will only want them more. Use less and use less often, and at least you will make a small difference. Compromise by using seasonal, locally grown produce and other planet-friendly ingredients.

Excellently Healthy: Look for lean cuts of beef, increase the amount of veggies, and serve with brown rice or another whole grain for a complete meal.

Last week, I purchased chicken tenders for the bargain price of $3.00 for about a pound. Remember, Veganomics is not about vegan eating, but rather a healthy lifestyle on a healthy budget that’s also good for the planet. Sometimes it is hard to hit all three, but I think this recipe comes close.

The sauce for this recipe was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis from Everyday Italian. Her original recipe was Balsamic BBQ, and you know how much I love balsamic vinegar. I did adjust some of the amounts though. Rather than traditional grilled BBQ Chicken, I created a stir-fry for an all-in-one meal.

Above: Looks better than take-out. Careful, it’s hot!

BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 large head of broccoli, cut or broken into small pieces
1 small onion, such as Vidalia, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard 
3/4 tsp salt, divided 
1/2 tsp black pepper

To make BBQ sauce: In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer sauce for 10-15 minutes, until it has reduce by half.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet or wok on high heat. Saute onions for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and beginning to turn golden brown. Remove onions and set aside.

Toss chicken pieces with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and cornstarch. Arrange in a single layer in hot skillet. Saute 3-5 minutes, until chicken is almost done. Pour half of the BBQ sauce over chicken, tossing to coat. Set the other half aside.

Return onions to skillet along with broccoli. Cover and steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Toss to coat all ingredients. Add more BBQ sauce if necessary (sauce will thicken and reduce as it cooks, it will also thicken slightly when it cools).

Serve immediately, over steamed rice or quinoa. Pour remaining BBQ sauce in a bowl to serve on the side for dipping.

Economically Friendly: Now is the time to scout for sales in the meat department. Purchase meat close to the “sell by” date for a reduce price and freeze immediately, then thaw when you are ready to use. We did not use the dipping sauce, so I have another batch to make another dish with, which will save me time and money.

Ecologically Responsible: By cutting meat into smaller pieces, it stretches farther in a dish, meaning you use less. Adding hearty vegetables such as broccoli helps round out the meal without straining resources.

Excellently Healthy: Boneless, skinless chicken is the way to go. Add more vegetables, such as sugar snap peas, peppers, or carrots to increase the flavor and nutrition. Don’t be afraid to improvise with this recipe.

Originally, this recipe was based on Steamed Japanese Eggplant with Spicy Green Onion-Ginger Saucefrom Cooking Light magazine. My supermarket didn’t have Japanese eggplant, so I used domestic eggplant and either I do not like steamed eggplant, or I do not know how to steam eggplant. At any rate, James and I were not thrilled with the first attempt. We did, however, love the sauce, to which I had dressed up with some sesame seeds and balsamic vinegar.

Needless to say, there were plenty of leftovers.

In the spirit of Veganomics and not wasting food, I gave the leftovers another try. Instead of reheating in the microwave, I sauteed the leftovers with some fresh sugar snap peas and served it over quinoa with golden raisins. The results were fantastic! I am going to post the recipe as I would have made it the first time, sauteing the eggplant with snap peas instead of steaming. Add in the quinoa, and you have an entire meal.

Quinoa is a grain but has nutrients that make it more complete than rice or wheat, and is often used in vegan cooking as a substitute for meat. Preparation is easy, similar to couscous, using 1 cup water for every 1/2 cup quinoa and bringing to boil, then simmering for 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed.

Spicy Sesame Eggplant & Snap Peas with Quinoa

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup golden raisins  
1 eggplant (about 1 lb), cut into 3 inch x 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces 
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp roasted red chili paste
1 tsp sesame seed oil
3/4 lb (about 12 oz) sugar snap peas
bean sprouts (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, chili paste, and sesame seed oil. Stir in green onions, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger. Set sauce aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa has softened. Remove from heat and stir in golden raisins.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok. Add eggplant and saute 3-5 minutes. Add sesame seed sauce and toss to coat eggplant. Continue to saute until eggplant is near tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add sugar snap peas, tossing with eggplant and sauce, for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.

Serve eggplant and snap peas over quinoa, top with bean sprouts if desired.

Economically Friendly: Most of the recipe included ingredients I already have on hand, with the exception of the roasted red chili paste. It was a little pricy, but hopefully I find additional uses for it. Golden raisins are also a bit more expensive than regular, but I think the difference is worth the extra cost, and I already had a box in the pantry.

Ecologically Responsible: Sugar snap peas should still be in season, if not, other vegetables such as zucchini would work well too. Eggplant should be in season for most of the summer, making it easy to find locally grown produce. Quinoa has been used in other cultures for centuries, and is more nutritious than tradition grains like wheat, and is a good replacement for rice.

Excellently Healthy: Eggplant, sugar snap peas, quinoa, and golden raisins makes for a balanced meal. The flavor comes from soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chili paste, and vinegar, none of which are high in calories or fat. It tastes great, which is important, because making a healthy meal should still be delicious and satisfying!