I was looking for baby bok choy, but this was all I could find. The person at the farmer's market wasn't quite sure if this was baby or not...
I've learned that with veggies, I prefer the smaller, younger veggies because they seem to be more tender and have a more subtle flavor.
This is going to become Easy Bok Choy.
Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-bok-choy/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=bok%20choy&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page
I sauteed the stems first to help it all cook evenly, as some of the reviews recommended.
The aroma of the bok choy had a little tang in the air, so I was a little scared!
And rightly so! The bok choy was bitter and even the hubs (who eats anything) didn't eat it.
I'm not completely crossing bok choy off of my list, I may try baby bok choy if I find it and find a new recipe, but this recipe won't be happening in my kitchen again.
Verdict: Failed for now...
Oh, peas! I've been excited to try out the fresh version of you...
I bought some at the market in the spring and they camped out in my refrigerator until I realized they probably weren't good anymore...
And they weren't in season all summer, so when I saw fresh shelled peas at the market this week, I just had to get some...
They're going to become Italian Peas! Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-peas/
I remember cans of peas being dumped into a bowl as a kid, and nothing about that was appetizing... Wrinkly, wet, syrupy, yellowish/green... Ugh! I've never tried them, except mixed into soups or pasta dishes... which I still pick out when it's easy enough...
So I've been anxious to see if they're any better when fresh. I mean, they look beautiful that way!
This recipe mixed in some onions, garlic & chicken broth.
I didn't want to open chicken broth for just 1 Tablespoon, so I followed the suggestion to just use 1 T water and a sprinkle of chicken bouillon. I also added an extra spoonful of water because the skillet seemed a little dry.
I also tried a recommendation by a reviewer to add a sprinkle of parm cheese on top before serving.
All of these years of "hating" the idea of peas... Definitely a little nervous!
Not instantly in love, but I'm thinking about it...
I didn't instantly hate it either, so that's a start!
I did finish my helping, but didn't go back for seconds.
Eh, I declare this one a semi-success...
I'll definitely try peas again, but maybe not with this recipe. There has to be a better way to like peas!
I really want to like peas, so if anyone has a suggestion of a way to make a picky eater fall in love with peas, send it my way!
This may look very basic to you... but remember, this is coming from a girl who wouldn't voluntarily eat a salad a year ago... So this is a big step!
Inspired by the delicious Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken from
Cafe d'Italia on the square in Chambersburg, PA...
Their salad includes fresh spinach, red onion, tomato, mushrooms, egg and bacon. I add their tasty and fresh grilled chicken on top, and it's just mouth-watering!
Even though I've gotten behind on my weekly new vegetable, I have been incorporating some of my favorite experiments into weekly meals, but I've even been trying to make salad about once a week! This is what was in last week's salad, but it varies, depending on what I have on hand.
Some of my other faves to throw in the mix are cucumber, peppers, parm cheese and we like the tortilla strips instead of croutons. Brandon actually loves to add fresh sliced hot peppers to his salad too.
I haven't mastered the completely veggie salad though, so to help my carnivorous side, I need some protein mixed in to feel like I'm eating a meal... via chicken, bacon and/or hard-boiled egg! Just saute the chicken with some Italian or Greek dressing!
Lovin my salad, with my current fave dressing: Gazebo Room Greek! Yumm!
Coming from a picky eater, here's my fave salad concoction:
- Grilled or sauteed chicken (marinated in Italian dressing or whatever's on hand...)
- Fresh crumbled bacon
- Sliced hard-boiled eggs (one of those slicer gadgets is absolutely wonderful here)
- Baby spinach leaves (much sturdier, tastier, and nutritious than lettuce)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Diced bell peppers
- Diced onions
- Diced baby portabellos
- Dash of parm cheese
- Pinch of tortilla strips (The size/texture fit so much more nicely than a big ol' crouton, and they're a little zestier too!
- Splash of Gazebo greek dressing (or any dressing, this is just my fave right now!)
Again, making salad is probably basic to most of you out there, but I had to research quite a bit to find ways that I would like salad... Here's a few of my
not-so-professional tips:* If the chicken breasts are thick, cut them in half before marinating/cooking so they cook through faster. * My preferred marinade is Italian dressing. Supposedly the acidity in the dressing helps to break down the meat and make it more tender. I just think it tastes good.
* Saute chicken breasts on high heat, add a little extra Italian dressing if it cooks off or chicken sticks to pan. A little carmelization or browning on the chicken is perfectly fine and delicious!
* After chicken is cooked, transfer to a container and plop it in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting. This helps stop the cooking and lock in the moisture. (Don't put a hot container or anything that it will thaw! I look for an empty spot on the shelf.)
* When cutting the cooled chicken, cut into thin slices on a diagonal and against the grain. I found that this is more like what you get in a restaurant, and by cutting against the grain, you get nice pieces that you can easily break apart with your fork in the salad and you won't need a knife to get through those pieces. * Make sure those veggies are diced or cut into bite-sized pieces to avoid having to cut into smaller pieces once in your bowl. * In order to get your salad more evenly covered with your dressing, put a little squirt in the bottom of your empty bowl. By having some dressing on the bottom, and add a little more on top at the end - it's much easier to mix it up in your bowl to get everything covered! (A handy trick from my husband...)* If you prep all of these items at the beginning of the week, it's quite easy to throw together little lunch-time salads for the rest of the week!
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