How lucky could a girl get? At my own dinner table last night, I was again treated like a Queen - no, make that a Persian Princess, when the boyfriend (who also happens to be a Principal of a local school) of my spiritual daughter brought over a Pakistani masterpiece that left me moaning and in ecstasy for most of the meal. I couldn't decide what was more enjoyable: eating the delicious food or the fact that I didn't have to do the cooking...I think it's a tie.
The dish was an aromatic delight of Eastern spices such as turmeric and curry, and worked magic on not only our taste buds but our digestive systems as well (and my husband, who was suffering from a cold, could momentarily breathe again). I don't know how the Principal made it, or how much time it took to cook, but I can tell you there was chicken as tender as can be simmering in a tomato-based sauce and served over rice, and every bite warmed me up on its way to my stomach.
Evidently the Principal has a friend from Pakistan from whom he learned how to make this dish. My lesson for the evening? I gotta get me some new friends...am I too old to become a Pakistani Pen Pal?
But hold on, I'm not done. This meal was only topped by the absolutely delicious side dish we shared: Roasted Cauliflower. Now I've had plenty of cauliflower in my time, and have eaten it many different ways, but this dish tops them all. The secret? Turmeric. And go figure: this spice is one of the healthiest you can eat!
Try it tonight (I'm making it again, but I'll be making more this time): Cut up a head of cauliflower and toss lightly with olive oil, salt, and sprinkled with turmeric. Roast about 25 minutes at 425 (I'm totally guessing here because I was only half paying attention, with the other half of my attention on my glass of champagne). Trust me when I say this is an absolutely delicious way to cook a veggie (even if my kids didn't necessarily agree).
So thank you to the Principal (all you locals can figure out who I'm talking about) for giving me a break from cooking, and delighting my senses with the taste of Pakistan. I'm pretty sure he had no idea what a treat the evening was for me (since his eyes were feasting both on the good food and his beautiful girlfriend, as it should be).
And thank you to the country of Pakistan for opening my eyes to a new world of food. Bahut Shukria...actually make that Bahut Bahut Shukria (thank you very VERY much). First Spanish, now I'm speaking Urdu? Damn I love the language of great food!
Here's wishing you a December menu filled with all your favorite countries!
Yours in health & happiness,
Suzanna Quintana, Holistic Health Coach & Certified Foodie
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Viva la Turkey! (and how Terrence became Tomas)
It seems that a Thanksgiving can't go by without a new tradition being born in our family. This year it so happened that we've begun naming our turkeys, since the intimacy of me shoving my hand deep in its privates called for the courtesy of being on a first name basis.
As I cleaned, and dressed, and buttered the happy turkey (a.k.a. organic), and my oldest son looked on with horror as I reached into the dark backside and ripped out the organs (okay, it wasn't really that violent), names starting with "T" kept popping into my mind. Since my son and I agreed that naming it "Tom" would be childish and stupid (as if just naming our turkey was not), we finally settled on "Terrence" before popping him into the oven (the turkey, not my son).
Terrence turned out to be the most delicious and moist bird we've ever eaten on Thanksgiving, and we included him in our "What we are thankful for" mantra at the beginning of the meal.
And as it turned out, Terrence was a gift that kept on giving...in the form of leftovers. But I didn't want to go the normal route of turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, turkey pie, so I checked in the fridge to see if I had any cilantro and tortillas, and within minutes...Terrence became Tomas.
Viva la Turkey...in the form of enchiladas!
And true to form, my spontaneous meal was not only delicious but healthy as well...so easy too. Here's how:
In a large bowl, toss in around 2 cups of shredded turkey, 1/2 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of black beans, 1/2 cup of salsa, 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of low fat shredded cheddar cheese.
Heat the oven to 375 and lightly coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Fill 7 to 8 tortillas with a little of the mixture and place in dish (I find it helps to use a toothpick to keep them from unrolling). Then in the same bowl (less to wash), stir together remaining can of tomatoes and another 1/2 cup of salsa before spooning over tortillas. Top the dish with as much or as little cheddar cheese as you like, cover with foil, and pop in the oven for about half an hour.
Hay Dios Mio (OMG for Gringos) these enchiladas were delicioso! And can I just say again how also nutritious this dish is? What a combo!
So I'd like to extend a warm "Gracias!" to Terrence/Tomas for bringing such delightful meals into our lives this Thanksgiving holiday. Food & Family...really, what else matters?
Wishing you the best of leftovers, no matter the season!
Suzanna Quintana, Holistic Health Coach & Certified Foodie
As I cleaned, and dressed, and buttered the happy turkey (a.k.a. organic), and my oldest son looked on with horror as I reached into the dark backside and ripped out the organs (okay, it wasn't really that violent), names starting with "T" kept popping into my mind. Since my son and I agreed that naming it "Tom" would be childish and stupid (as if just naming our turkey was not), we finally settled on "Terrence" before popping him into the oven (the turkey, not my son).
Terrence turned out to be the most delicious and moist bird we've ever eaten on Thanksgiving, and we included him in our "What we are thankful for" mantra at the beginning of the meal.
And as it turned out, Terrence was a gift that kept on giving...in the form of leftovers. But I didn't want to go the normal route of turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, turkey pie, so I checked in the fridge to see if I had any cilantro and tortillas, and within minutes...Terrence became Tomas.
Viva la Turkey...in the form of enchiladas!
And true to form, my spontaneous meal was not only delicious but healthy as well...so easy too. Here's how:
In a large bowl, toss in around 2 cups of shredded turkey, 1/2 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of black beans, 1/2 cup of salsa, 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of low fat shredded cheddar cheese.
Heat the oven to 375 and lightly coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Fill 7 to 8 tortillas with a little of the mixture and place in dish (I find it helps to use a toothpick to keep them from unrolling). Then in the same bowl (less to wash), stir together remaining can of tomatoes and another 1/2 cup of salsa before spooning over tortillas. Top the dish with as much or as little cheddar cheese as you like, cover with foil, and pop in the oven for about half an hour.
Hay Dios Mio (OMG for Gringos) these enchiladas were delicioso! And can I just say again how also nutritious this dish is? What a combo!
So I'd like to extend a warm "Gracias!" to Terrence/Tomas for bringing such delightful meals into our lives this Thanksgiving holiday. Food & Family...really, what else matters?
Wishing you the best of leftovers, no matter the season!
Suzanna Quintana, Holistic Health Coach & Certified Foodie
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