Jenn’s Cook Book

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.

I’ve been working with Asian-style cuisine lately for a few reasons, mostly because these dishes are generally quick and easy to prepare, but also because they are usually quite healthy. This dish combines garlic and ginger to make a tasty sauce for staples like chicken and broccoli. Even though broccoli is more of a summer vegetable, I’m still filing this one under Spring Fever because it is a light and fresh dish. Enjoy!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 tbsp vegetable oil 
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
3-4 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped if florets are large
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp dark sesame seed oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
hot cooked rice, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt over chicken tenders and place in skillet. Saute one side for 3 minutes and flip chicken pieces. Add ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, and red pepper flakes. Saute 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken broth and soy sauce, bring to a boil, turning chicken.

Add broccoli over chicken and cover skillet. Allow broccoli to steam 4-5 minutes, until crisp-tender, and toss broccoli with chicken. Remove chicken and broccoli, leaving sauce in pan. Add 1/2 cup waters and stir in cornstarch, sesame seed oil, and sesame seeds. Bring to a simmer and return chicken and broccoli to pan, tossing to coat. Serve immediately over rice.   

This recipe has appeared in several different forms, and here is the latest reincarnation. If you like cheesy broccoli soup and one-pot dishes, this is the recipe for you.

1 small onion, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 cups chicken broth
1 pkg frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp black ground pepper
1 pkg (12-14 oz) processed cheese, such as Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Coat a large stockpot with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes or until onion begins to soften. Add paprika and saute 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add chicken broth and broccoli, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk flour into milk and add to soup. Add pepper and stir well until thickened, about 5 minutes (do not boil).

Remove from heat and stir in cubed cheese. Stir until melted. Serve topped with shredded cheese.

The original recipe for this soup came from Cooking Light magazine. Over the past few months, I’ve adjusted the recipe slightly and with each attempt it has gotten better. Here is the most recent incarnation, I hope you enjoy it.

cooking spray
1 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced (1 tsp)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 package frozen broccoli florets
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1 package (14 oz) Velveeta cheese
shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
chopped green onions (optional)

Coat a large, heavy-duty saucepan with cooking spray. Saute onion and garlic over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth and broccoli. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Whisk together milk and flour. Slowly pour into pan, stirring constantly, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and pepper. Cut Velveeta into small cubes. Remove from heat and add Velveeta, stirring until completely melted. Let soup stand 10-15 minutes over serving. If Velveeta does not melt easily, place pan over low heat.

For serving, top individual bowls with shredded cheese and green onions as desired.

Here is a quick and easy side dish from Simple & Delicious Magazine.

1 bag frozen vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli), thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine vegetables with oil, garlic and italian seasoning in a large bowl and mix well.

Using two sheets of aluminum foil (approx 12×14 in each), fold vegetables into a pouch. Add lemon wedges if desired.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

This spicy dish comes from Southern Living. The ingredients are similar to Beef with Ginger, but the sauce is completely different. This is a great side to Beef with Ginger and Coconut-Ginger Rice. Heat things up with Ginger Recipe #8.

1/4 cup soy sauce
4 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced (about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 lb fresh broccoli, trimmed and separated into florets

Stir together first 7 ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and saute 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in soy sauce mixture until thoroughly heated, coating well.

This is a revision to a previous post (December 5th, 2006). The original recipe comes from Cooking Light.

1 cup minced onion
2 cloves minced garlic (1 tsp)
3 cups chicken broth
1 package frozen broccoli
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/3 cup flour
10 oz Velveeta processed cheese
1/4 tsp pepper

In a large, heavy-duty saucepan coated in cooking spray, saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Once mixture begins to brown, add chicken broth and broccoli. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

Whisk together milk and flour. Slowly pour into pan and stir well. Cook 5 minutes or until soup begins to thicken, stirring constantly (don’t bring to a boil). Add pepper and remove from heat. Add Velveeta cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

Serve with thick, crusty bread. Top with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions, and sour cream as desired.

From Taste of Home:

6 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
parmesan cheese, optional

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic in oil until tender. Add broccoli and saute for 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Drain noodles and add to broccoli mixture. Stir gently over low heat until heated through. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.

Here is an easy and delicious recipe from the cookbook Campbell’s Cooking Companion.

1 lemon
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Cut 4 to 6 thin slices of lemon. Squeeze 2 teaspoons of juice from the remaining lemon.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until it’s well browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

Stir soup, milk, lemon juice, and pepper into skillet. Heat to a boil. Return chicken to the skillet and reduce heat to low. Top chicken with lemon slices. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should be 165 to 170F).

My skillets need to be used on medium heat or lower, which lengthens the cooking time. Adjust accordingly to make sure chicken is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink. Serve chicken with the lemon broccoli sauce and sliced lemons. The cookbook suggests serving over hot cooked rice.

I’ve been in a rice phase lately, probably because rice is so versatile. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes, served dry or creamy, and it’s great on a frosty day. Here is a quick and easy recipe:

2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
1 can cream of chicken soup (with herbs)
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp onion powder (or salt)
1 bag (16 oz) frozen mixed veggies, thawed
2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400F

Combine soup, milk and onion powder in a large saucepan and stir well. Add cooked rice and cook over medium-high heat until mixture begins to bubble, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5-7 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Add thawed veggies and stir well.

Transfer to a greased 3-quart baking pan. Sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs. Bake 10-15 minutes until breadcrumbs brown and mixture bubbles on the sides. Remove from oven, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve over warm biscuits and a glass of milk.

Substitutions: the cream of chicken soup can be swapped for cream of celery, cream of broccoli, cream of potato, cream of mushroom or cream of mushroom with roasted garlic. You can also use 2 1/2 cups raw sliced/chopped veggies in place of frozen veggies (adjust cooking time accordingly). The veggie mix used here was broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.