Food Pic of the Day

Saturday, April 28, 2012

For today's food pic of the day I choose a very ripe, juicy kiwi! It's a hot day out in San Diego, CA and what better way to start a sunny Saturday than with a fresh kiwi. Enjoy the weekend!

Cheers, Annie

Kiwi Fruit

Tomato and Salsa Chicken Thighs

Hello! Today is a great day….for the reason that: if you choose to make these tomato and salsa chicken thighs you will have a wonderful dinner, and be trying a very new recipe. I created this recipe one night when I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to have for dinner but had a general idea of the flavors (and the ingredients in my fridge/cupboard) that would taste good.

Yesterday, I found my little scratch pad that I had quickly jotted notes on for it and decided to try the recipe again. Turns out, this recipe is a keeper and one that should be shared for all to enjoy! And, I think it can go on the healthy list.

Tomato and Salsa Chicken Thighs

4                                 chicken thighs

796 mL (28fl oz)        canned tomatoes

1 ¼ cup                      salsa (any kind you like, spicy…chunky, your choice!)

6                                 cloves of garlic (pressed)

1 ¼ tsp                       cayenne pepper

¼ cup or so                parmesan cheese

1 swirl/glug                olive oil

a handful of                cilantro (chopped)

a bit of                        salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to about 375°F

The convenience of this dinner is that you can make it all right in the dish that its going to be cooked in. And, as per my style of cooking, all of the measurements are approximates and to be used as a guideline. I am always straying from the recipe when I use cookbooks...so estimates seem good to me!

Using a medium sized casserole dish, put half of the canned tomatoes, salsa, and garlic (pressed) into the pan. Then add all of cayenne pepper and half of the chopped cilantro and mix the sauce together. Place the chicken thighs on top of the tomatoes et al. (side note: much more than 4 chicken thighs can be made, just used a little more of the ingredients than listed and a bigger pan). Now add a swirl of olive oil over the chicken.

Continue by adding the remaining canned tomatoes, salsa, garlic, and cilantro on top of the chicken. Add a bit of salt (not too much) and pepper as well as the parmesan cheese. Spoon some tomato sauce over top to wet the parmesan and mix in the salt and pepper. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 37-40 minutes at  375°F or until juices run clear.

Serve and enjoy….p.s. your house will now smell like a fancy restaurant.

San Diego Farmer's Market

Good Day Everyone,

How relaxing and entertaining is it to slowly meander through a weekend Farmer's Market? That's what my boyfriend and I did last weekend, so I just thought I would share some pictures to encourage you to attend your own local market.

There is always a wide variety of different delicious breads at the farmers markets, and they are very fresh. Fresh veggies are always present at the market, and its great because sometimes you can purchase them right from the person who helped grow them! That's local, and a good way to be green.

Of course, what would a morning or a farmers market be without chocolate!? The different kinds of chocolate available for sale at the farmer's markets are often impressive.

We also came across a fantastic discovery....chocolate peanut butter! That's rights, so good, and they also have caramel and a few other flavours.

I always try and make room in my basket for the fresh flowers they sell at the market. The price is right and they are beautiful. The last ones I bought lasted for over a week and looked great on my kitchen table.

And last, but certainly not least, perhaps the best part of the Farmer's Market you ask? All of the adorable dogs and puppies the join their owners to check out the good deals and maybe even find a tasty crumb or two left behind by those walking and eating.

All of the dogs and puppies actually encouraged me to start yet another blog called 'The Dog Blog'...if you'd care to take a look visit: http://anniekathleen.tumblr.com/

This is the Farmer's Market in Little Italy right downtown in San Diego. For a list of Farmer's Market's all over San Diego, please visit:

http://sdfarmbureau.org/BuyLocal/Farmers-Markets.php

YOGURT & FRUIT

What better way to start the day than with a bowl of yogurt and fruit?! Some of my personal favourite items to add to my yogurt are strawberries, grapes, bananas, granola, and cinnamon.

Low fat plain yogurt is one of the healthiest options. The flavoured varieties of yogurt often have a lot of extra sugar added, and why bother when you can add your own fruit! If you haven't yet acquired a taste for plain yogurt and find it a bit sour, try adding some all natural maple syrup for sweetness. I have found that sometimes you have to try a few different brands of the plain yogurt to find one you like because they all taste a little different.

Also, a healthy source of protein and an easy quick snack is Greek Yogurt, you can do all the same additions as with regular yogurt, but its a bit more substantial.

If you have lactose sensitivities yogurt can be a great alternative for some people. And of course, if you are taking antibiotics, yogurt is an excellent way to restore all those healthy bacteria in your digestive system.

Spicy Quinoa

Quinoa is my new favourite healthy grain! It is gluten free, super easy to make, and delicious! So I thought I would share a quick recipe I came up with this evening. And because I made this one up as I went, the measurements are approximate...I don’t think they need to be exact for the desired effect.

Quinoa                          ½ c.

Water                            1 c.

Garlic Clove                 2 large cloves

Red Pepper                  1/2
Jalapeno Peppers (canned) - good scoop - depending on your desire for spice!

Mushrooms                  4

Celery                          2 small stalks 

Sesame oil                   approx. ¾ tbls.

Olive Oil                      1 tbls.

Boil quinoa in water according to directions on package. Once cooked add pressed garlic, followed by red pepper, jalapenos, mushrooms (white button or any other kind of your choosing), celery (all chopped). Then add sesame oil and olive oil to pot. Stir until thoroughly mixed, replace lid of pot and let sit – 10 to 15 min. And that’s it! Scoop onto plate and enjoy. Suggested paring: Lightly seasoned chicken breast and corn on the cob, perhaps a glass of white wine.