Tag Archives: weeknight meals

Green Tea Noodles with Ground Chicken & Zucchini

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After yet another long hiatus (toddler mama over here…sigh), I am SO excited to finally share a new recipe that’s quick, super flavorful, and satisfies that Asian takeout craving that I always seem to get midweek. I discovered this package of Haiku Green Tea Asian Style Noodles at my local supermarket yesterday and was instantly intrigued. I love experimenting with soba noodles so thought I would give this one a shot and get all the benefits of green tea. Soba noodles are healthier since they’re made with buckwheat flour, but I really loved the flavor of these green tea noodles — subtle and not too overpowering!

Since time is a luxury these days, I paired the noodles with some ground chicken (cooks faster than regular chicken pieces), zucchini, and a quick homemade stir-fry sauce. The entire process took 15 minutes, and the meal was DEVOURED in less than ten. Give this one a shot — I guarantee you won’t be disappointed! Perfect weeknight dinner.

Ingredients (serves 2) 

3 rounds of the Haiku Green Tea Noodles, cooked in boiling water for 2 minutes and drained
1 lb ground chicken (you can also use beef or turkey)
2 tbsp Canola or avocado oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 small onion, sliced into thin long pieces
1 zucchini, diced
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Stir-fry sauce

1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Mirin/Japanese cooking sake
1/2 tsp honey
Pepper

Recipe

Combine the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Boil a pot of water and cook the green tea noodles according to directions for two minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the ground chicken, break up into little pieces, and stir until cooked. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the same pan and fry the garlic, ginger, and onion slices together until the mixture begins to soften slightly. Add in the zucchini pieces and stir for a few minutes. Add the ground chicken and stir-fry sauce to the pan and mix well.  Finally, add the noodles to the pan and stir everything together until the noodles are nicely coated in the sauce and ground chicken mixture. Serve with toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy! My only regret is not doubling the recipe for more leftovers!

Tandoori Chicken Tacos

Posted in All Things Indian, Cooking by

Here it is! My recipe for tandoori chicken tacos, which I guarantee is probably the easiest, no-fuss recipe you’ll find out there. My mother-in-law makes these all the time in the summer (with a more legit tandoori marinade) and they are so so scrumptious that I needed to figure out how to make a lazy girl version for myself. Enjoy, and leave a comment if you plan on trying these at home! You won’t regret it 🙂

Ingredients (serves 2)
*As with all cooking, I usually just eyeball/adjust these ingredients to taste, but here’s my best estimate for measurements

6 chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 an onion, sliced into long pieces
6 flour tortillas
1 teaspoon Canola oil

For the marinade:
1 tablespoon plain or Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
Red chilli powder to taste (I like mine spicy, so 1 teaspoon)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Canola oil

For garnishing:
*Completely customizable, but here’s how I like mine!

2 avocados, sliced into long pieces
Greek yogurt
Montamore cheese (sweet, creamy, and tangy!)
Cholula Hot Sauce

Recipe

Mix the marinade ingredients into a large bowl. Fold in the chicken thighs, mix well, and let marinate for at least a few hours in the fridge (the longer, the better!). While the chicken marinates, you can prep the other ingredients so that your taco bar is ready to go as soon as the chicken is prepared.

Heat 1 teaspoon of Canola oil on a large saucepan on medium to high heat. Fry the onions until they’re slightly brown and caramelized, and set aside on a separate plate. In the same oil, fry the chicken thighs until brown on each side (this will take a few minutes), add any additional chilli powder (for a bolder look and taste), and then lower the heat and cover until the chicken is cooked fully. Once the chicken thighs are cooked, add in the caramelized onions and mix. You should have a nice creamy chicken mixture with not too much gravy. If your gravy appears thin, then cover and cook for longer.

To serve: Add a spoonful of the chicken mixture to your flour tortilla and garnish with a few avocado slices, a teaspoon of Greek yogurt, cheeeeese, and a generous helping of that amazing Cholula Hot Sauce. Ready, set, DEVOUR. And then repeat until your belly is full 🙂 The perfect weeknight dinner for your Taco Tuesdays!

Creamy No-Cream Cauliflower Soup

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I know, I know. I’m completely failing at posting regularly on my blog, but I promise you it’s all for good reason. Life has been a whirlwind lately with tons of travel and a busy work schedule, but I’m looking forward to things slowing down a bit for the summer. We’ve had a taste of some amazing weather here in Chicago, and I’m getting so amped for outdoor music festivals, day drinking, international travel (fingers crossed), barbecues, and experimenting with some lighter summer flavors in the kitchen. It’s gonna be a gooood, good summer. I can just feel it!

This time of year, I always find myself craving more veggies. My husband and I have been trying to incorporate one meatless meal at least once a week, and it actually hasn’t been that difficult to do. Veggie soups are perfect for helping us accomplish this goal – they’re easy to make, quite filling, and last for at least three days. I’m a lazy cook, so this is a big win in my book 🙂 Last week, I made a modified/healthier version of Food Network’s Cauliflower Soup and absolutely loved it. The best part about my recipe is that it was super creamy and sweet, with NO cream at all. Enjoy!

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Ingredients (serves 4) 

1/2 stick butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 cauliflower head, cored and cut into small florets
2 tbsp fresh parsley
4 cups chicken broth/stock
6 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
Salt, to taste
Black pepper
Paprika, to taste
1 cup greek yoghurt

Recipe (*modified from the Food Network) 

Melt 1/4 stick of butter in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the carrots and cook until they begin to brown. Add the cauliflower florets, cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. The cauliflower should be very soft at this point. Add the parsley and chicken broth and let simmer for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, make a white sauce in a small saucepan. Melt the remaining 1/4 stick butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the milk and whisk to combine until the flour is no longer lumpy. Pour the white sauce into the pot. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste and allow the soup to simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes. When serving, place some greek yogurt at the bottom of the serving bowl, add the soup, and stir slowly. Creamy and delicious, with ZERO cream involved!

*Note that the Food Network recipe suggests that you can use an immersion blender to puree for a smoother, thicker soup. This is a great option, but I sort of liked feeling the cauliflower’s texture. And like I said, I’m a lazy cook, so love the added benefit of only cleaning one pot!