Dear Jeff, So Sorry...

Quick shoutout to my buddy Jeff -- who apparently reads this. He posted a note on my facebook wall suggesting I update this little blog here because he has been eating Croque Madam (or my version of it) for far too long.

So sorry, Jeffy. I'd hate to think that my apparent ambivalent attitude toward this once prioritized venture has affected your waistline at all. For that I would hate to be responsible. And I apologize.

So for Jeffy, a healthier (and maybe even tastier?) alternative:

Sauce'd Chicken

Ingredients:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast
3 tbs apple sauce (I used Mott's)
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (2 to 2 1/2 if dried)
1 tbs minced red onion

Preheat the oven to 400

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Coat the bottom of a baking
dish with either Pam or oil. I use a light spritz of EVOO from my new MISTO aka
the best thing I got for Christmas.

Mix the applesauce, thyme, and onion together in a small bowl. Spoon a
small amount into the baking dish, about the size of the breast. Place the
chicken on top of it, and the spoon the remaining mixture over the chicken.
Cover and bake until cooked through, about 25 minutes.

So I got one of those herb gardens recently and needed to use some of the thyme I've been growing. The inspiration for this came from a recipe I read for whole roasted chicken with thyme and apples. If that combo works there -- why not a smaller breast?

The result is pretty tasty. The onions provide a nice contrast to the apple while marrying equally well to the thyme. And as you might know from alternative baking methods (your mom ever use applesauce instead of oil when making bread? Mine did!) using applesauce in cooking provides the same moisture that using oil does, but with a much healthier nutrient profile.

So there ya go, Jeffy. I hope you finally take a break from the previous french treat :) Oh, and I ate this with a side of greenbeans. Very basic -- just a little butter-spray, salt, and chili flakes leftover from pizza delivery this weekend.

Sorry there's no picture -- it was that good :-)

Orange Grilled Chicken w/ a Sweet Balsamic Reduction

A simple, yet terribly satisfying recipe! All you need is 5 ingredients. That's right, you heard me correctly, FIVE! I'm just going to jump right in.




Ingredients:


1 chicken breast
1 small white or yellow onion
1 orange
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbs honey
olive oil for brushing
salt and pepper


Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Pound the chicken breast out to about 1/2 inch thickness*. Lightly oil the breast, and add salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through and the juices run clear. Set aside.


While chicken is grilling, zest the orange (you'll only need about 1/2 tsp of zest). Whisk together the vinegar and the honey in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Let the mixture simmer until reduced by about half. Remove from heat and stir in the zest.


Slice and peel both the orange and the onion. You should have about five 1/2 inch pieces of orange, and five slightly thinner slices of onion. Grill them together until the onions have begun to soften and there are visible grill marks on both sides.


First plate the onions, then the chicken, and surround by your orange slices. Drizzle it all with your balsamic reduction, and enjoy!



Seriously, super tasty! And, as we always strive to do, was very inexpensive. Here's my breakdown...

Chicken: $1.50
Onion: $0.50
Orange: $0.70
Everything else I always have on hand, but if I had to guess I'd say I used about $2.00 worth of vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper.


The total: $4.70


And it's so healthy too! Grilled Chicken? A+! Onion? A+! Orange? Sure, it's got natural sugars but you can't knock your fruits, so A! If I had to guess, I'd say this recipe sits right around 200 calories, if not fewer.


Try it out -- it's totally worth it!

Leftovers!

Let's be honest -- you can't always eat in. There will always be times that you'll be with people or will make plans to go out. It's a natural part of being young and fantastic, and you shouldn't feel bad about it!

But if we're being honest, we all know what a hit eating out takes on our bank accounts.

A little tip: Don't be afraid of leftovers.

You don't always finish everything on your plate, but how often do you let them just clear it away from you? "Oh, that won't reheat well" or "I don't think it will keep"... All common justifications for watching the remainder of your meal, that you paid good money for, go off into the great Unknown.

Well, Get Creative!

Just because it's what you ate at one meal doesn't mean it has to stay the same at the next one!

For example, a couple of nights ago some friends and I were having a lazy night in. We decided to get take-out, and I ordered the Baked Ziti.

In all honesty, it wasn't that good. And I was ready, after eating about half, to just throw it out. But thinking of how much money I had just paid made me really bitter, so I kept it just to spite itself. I was going to eat it!

Two nights later I remembered it was in my fridge. The thought of microwaving it just made my heart sad. I mean, it was barely mediocre the first time around!

So instead, I changed course and made a quick visit to my friends at the food emporium to pick up a few ingredients: garlic, chicken, and asparagus.

When I got home, I broke out my skillet, threw some olive oil in it, and got to work!

First I chopped up the chicken, and seasoned them with salt, pepper, and a little dried oregano. Then into the pan they went until browned all around and thoroughly cooked. I set the chicken aside, and into the same pan went my asparagus. I also added a small pat of butter here, just to richen it up a bit. But you can always leave that part out. When the asparagus was about halfway there (about 4 minutes in) I added my minced garlic and a small palm full of crushed red pepper flakes. I let those go a minute or two, and then dumped the leftover noodles on top. They only needed to reheat, so I gave them a few minutes, then stirred the chicken back in.

This was my result.

And can I just say -- by FAR more delicious then it was when I got it from the restaurant! And not to mention cheaper: Chicken - $1.50, Asparagus - $2.99. Can't beat that from a second round, eh?

**If you want to make this and just skip the bad take-out part of the story, just buy a small box of noodles and a can of tomato sauce. Boil the noodles, and add them with the sauce at the same point I did above! Should get you pretty much exactly what I had.**

Chicken Veggie Stew

I think that for many people, the word "stew" doesn't hold a lot of positive images. I know that when I was growing up, I dreaded coming home and hearing my mom tell my sisters to stay out of the kitchen because she was making stew. I think it was the beef and the chunky broth that really turned me off as a kid.

But what exactly is "stew"?

For me, now, it's just a way better version of soup! And don't get me wrong -- I love soup. Now that the weather is changing, it wouldn't be surprising for me to eat soup 3 or 4 nights a week. It's comforting, flavorful, and very healthy. But where a stew really picks up the slack dropped by it's sister dish is in how filling it can be. It's a beautiful thing :)

Last night, my best friend asked me to come over. "We can watch TV, cook, and hang out...." which translates roughly to "Come over and make me dinner. Maybe I'll chop something for you during commercials..." LOL

I truly don't mind -- I love to cook for other people! And it's amazingly satisfying to prepare something for someone you care about and have them really enjoy it.

My best friend asked what I thought I was going to want -- and I said soup.

His response: But... I'm hungry...

So the pressure was on -- make something hearty! So here's what I came up with...


Ingredients:

2 red potatoes
1 tbs butter
1 large yellow onion
3 stalks celery
2 large carrots
2 cloves garlic
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 tbs fresh thyme
2 10 ounce cans chicken stock
Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup grated parmigiana-reggiano

In a small pot, bring enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil. Pierce the potatoes with a fork multiple times, then boil for 10 minutes. Set aside.

While those boil, chop the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the veggies and cook for three minutes. Chop the chicken breasts to about 1 inch cubes. Add to the veggies and let cook another 5 minutes. Chop the potatoes to 1/2 inch pieces and add to the pot. Add in the thyme. Let the mixture work for another 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Lower heat to medium, and bring the pot back up to a rolling low boil. Cover, and let cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove the lid. Stir in the cheese. Let sit for a few minutes, and serve! Will make about 4 servings.

If you're not feeding multiple people, let the stew cool while you eat your first bowl. Then divide the remaining stew into small plastic containers (3) and either freeze or refrigerate until you're ready to enjoy it again.

That's the great thing about being single and cooking stews. It's cheap to make a big pot like this, it will feed you multiple times throughout the week, it's very satisfying, and it's certainly not anything you need to feel guilty about having!

Enjoy!

Don't Always Eat Alone!

Hello, food-friends!

Ok, so here's the deal. This blog is all about my kitchen-adventures and the many different things that I create to maintain a healthy and affordable lifestyle. But we can't forget that the recipe for a happy life needs sometimes include other people!

I know, novel concept, right?

Last night, three of my close friends joined me for dinner and the premiere of America's Next Top Model. Obviously, Single Servings don't really work when there are four of you... but what does work is the same techniques that you'd use for cooking by yourself!

I left my office and made my way to the Amish Market. The very first thing that caught my attention was a small container of dried cranberries. It just so happened that they were sitting next to the chopped walnuts (kind of a "mix your own trail mix" type station) -- and that was enough inspiration for me to know EXACTLY what I would make...

CRANBERRY WALNUT STUFFED CHICKEN AND SALAD

(I made this last night for four people -- sorry, no pics cuz we were hungry! This isn't the exact recipe I used. I've changed it here so that you can do this on your own!)

1 handful chopped walnuts
1 handful dried cranberries
1 handful crumbled Gorgonzola
1 tbs softened cream cheese
1 6 oz chicken breast, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1/4 tbs butter
1 handful dark mixed greens
1 tbs balsamic vinaigrette

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Use a small pan to toast the walnuts over medium-low heat. Careful not to burn them! They'll get very fragrant and deepen in color when they're ready -- about 3 minutes

In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the half of the walnuts, half of the dried cranberries, cream cheese, and half of the Gorgonzola together. Season your chicken with a little salt & pepper, and then spread the cheese mixture on top. Start at a narrow end and roll the chicken up. Place in a greased baking dish and top with the butter. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

While the chicken bakes, toss together your greens and the remaining walnuts, cranberries, and Gorgonzola. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Serve the chicken alongside and enjoy!

So I know this isn't the healthiest of meals, but it's not like getting one of those 1400 calorie meals from some random fast food joint. If I had to guess (based on typical calorie counts for all of my ingredients) I would say this comes in between 400-450 calories.

And it's absolutely delicious! The tang of the Gorgonzola, the earthiness of the walnuts, and the sweet cranberries work together unbelievably well!

So go ahead and indulge yourself. Or a group of friends -- I promise they'll be SUPER appreciative :-)

Spinach Mushroom Chicken - a basic!

Alright ya'll.... I'm completely aware that at times these recipes seem to get a little "out there". Deconstructed Guac? Alright, not so basic. (Actually, it is. That's the whole point. But I don't want to fight anymore...)

So the other night I was overwhelmed with exhaustion, and could hear that voice in the back of my head starting in on the "just order sushi!" bit that I'm such a sucker for. Did you know a Spicy Tuna roll has like 600 Calories?! No bueno.

But what could I make? I absolutely didn't want to subject myself to Whole Foods for a prolonged period of time. I had chicken breasts.... so that was a start. Here's what I came up with!

Ingredients

1 6-8 ounce chicken breast
1 tsp butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 yellow onion
5 cremini mushrooms
1 cup frozen spinach
1 vine tomato (optional)

Heat a half tablespoon of EVOO over medium-high heat in a skillet. While that's heating, salt and pepper both sides of your chicken breast. Cook the chicken in the hot skillet, 6-8 minutes per side, until juices run clear and there's not more pink inside.

In a small pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Finely chop the garlic, and add to the butter. While that begins to cook, mince the 1/2 onion. Add to the butter. Let the onion and garlic work together for a few minutes while you slice the mushrooms and thaw the spinach. Add mushrooms to the mix; cook for another two to three minutes. Add thawed spinach, and stir until heated through, about one minute.

Spoon the spinach mushroom mixture over the chicken breast and serve alongside a fresh sliced tomato (if using). Enjoy!


Seriously folks, this can't be any more simple. And the taste is pretty freaking great! Basic earthy wholesome goodness. And is it healthy? I'd say so. You're only taking in about 200 Calories on this one. Maybe 220, tops! That's right - even with the butter!

And how'd our wallet do? Well, it's about $1 for chicken. A cup of frozen spinach is around 40 cents. An onion is about 70 cents. And cremini's? Those you can find in the produce section. There's usually a box where they're loose, so you can take as many (or few!) as you want and buy by the pound! So five mushrooms cost me... about 20 cents.

So you do the math. A frakkin' cheap meal? Absolutely :-)

It's nice to be nice to your wallet AND your tastebuds, don't you think?

Italian Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Boats

Yesterday was laundry day. 

But then of course mid-day I remember that it's also dodgeball night...

Dodgeball? Or Laundry?

Guess what won?

Dodgeball. And going to Geoffrey Beene and buying a new outfit for work :)

So TONIGHT became laundry night at Casa di Spence. And what was on the menu? I had no idea... but I was totally craving zucchini... wierd, right?

Eating Well Magazine had done a stuffed zucchini a few months ago (I don't remember the exact issue...) and I remember thinking it looked appetizing. So while standing in the produce section of Whole Foods at Colombus Circle, I decided that whatever I came up with would be based on my memory of that...

...and thus was born my recipe for Italian Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Boats!

Ingredients

2 small red potatoes

1 zucchini

1 tsp EVOO, plus some for brushing

1 garlic clove, cracked

2 cremini mushrooms

1 tbs skim milk

1 4 oz chicken breast

Italian Seasoning

--Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Oregano

1 vine tomato, seeded and chopped

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer until fork tender (about 10-15 minutes). Drain the pot, and set potatoes aside. Return the pot to the heat. Let any remaining water evaporate, about 30 seconds. 

Add 1 tsp EVOO to the pan with the cracked garlic clove. While oil is warming, roughly chop the mushrooms. Add them to the oil and let them cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. While mushrooms are working, quarter the potatoes. Remove garlic from the mushrooms, and then add the potatoes and milk. Give it a rough mash until it's reached the consistency you want (I like it kinda lumpy) Season with a little of the Italian Seasoning and add a little parmesan cheese (if using).

Heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Half the zucchini and lightly brush with EVOO. Grill, flesh side down, for about 3 minutes. Rotate 90 degrees, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

Lightly oil the chicken breast, and season with Italian Seasonings. Grill, 4-5 minutes per side.

While chicken grills, use a spoon to hollow out the zucchini (like a canoe!) Roughly chop the removed flesh, and stir into the potato mash. Spoon the potato zucchini mixture back into the zucchini boats. Top with chopped tomato, and extra cheese (if using) Serve with chicken alongside.

My guesstimated budget for tonight? This cost me about $8.00

And here's the other thing! I was too full to eat one of my zucchini halves, so it's now in a ziploc tupperware container in my fridge. So if I eat that another night, with another grilled chicken breast... that would make each meal about $5!

Five Dollars, ya'll. 

You can barely get a Venti Non-fat Soy Latte for that.

For the record -- I would never order a Venti Non-Fat Soy Latte. I'm a Sugar-Free Vanilla Red-Eye kind of guy. But I thought the other things just sounded better :)

Tangy Spinach Chicken

It seems that Tuesday's have become my designated "laundry night"... which means that it's also become "new recipe night"!

I didn't want to go to the store yesterday, so thought I would just make do with whatever I had in the apartment. I had 1/2 bell pepper and some onion left from the Blueberry Salmon, so I knew I wanted to use those.

I also had a frozen chicken breast, and some frozen spinach (which are both things that I try to just keep on-hand for nights like this -- freeze them and they keep for a very long time).

So, here's what I came up with!


Ingredients

1 6-8 ounce chicken cutlet OR chicken breast pounded to ¼ inch thickness
Salt & Pepper
Red Pepper flakes - optional, but highly recommended ;)
2 tsp Parmigiana cheese, plus ½ tsp extra
½ cup frozen spinach
¼ onion, finely chopped
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp brown mustard
½ red bell pepper, julienne

Preheat oven to 400°F

Lay the chicken out so that it is longest from top to bottom. Season the chicken, top-side only, with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if you like a little extra heat). Evenly sprinkle 2 tsp cheese.

In a small bowl, quickly thaw the spinach for 1 minute on half power in the microwave. Add the onion, the vinegar, and mustard; mix well. Spread the Spinach mixture on top of the chicken cutlet. Add the red pepper on top so that they run horizontally. Beginning at the end closest to you, loosely roll the chicken up.

Lightly oil a small baking dish and place chicken in it, seam-side down. Drizzle with a tiny amount of olive oil, then top with the extra cheese and a few more pepper flakes.

Place in center of oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand a few minutes before serving, and enjoy!

I know there are lots of people out there who don't think that they love spinach. To you all I say TRY THIS RECIPE. The spinach takes on a great tang from the mustard and the vinegar. The onion and the pepper cook and develop an awesome sweetness to balance. And the cheese? Who doesn't like parmigiana cheese?!

On a healthy note -- don't worry about the cheese. Even with it, the dish still comes in at just short of 300 calories!

Grilled Chicken & Peaches

Welcome! I spent a long time thinking about what I wanted my first recipe to be - I knew I wanted it to be something simple and delicious so that ya'll could get a good idea of what you're going to see here.

Earlier this month I was in Italy and discovered the wonder that is Peaches with Parmigiano-Reggiano. I stayed at a little farmhouse just outside of Florence, and the Matriarch of the estate made breakfast everyday. And, just for me, she would always include fresh fruit from her orchard and chunks of wonderfully nutty Parm. It quickly became my new obsession!

So when I got home, I knew that I had to add a peach and cheese recipe to my collection. Here's what I came up with -- as anticipated, it is incredibly delicious!


Ingredients:

1 tbs honey

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

zest from 1/2 of a lime
2 tsp EVOO, plus some for drizzling
1 6-8 oz chicken cutlet
1 fresh peach
1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a small sauce pan, whisk together honey and vinegar. Simmer over meduim-low heat until reduced by about 1/3, about 10 minutes. The mixture will be slightly syrupy at that point.

Use a small grater or zester to shred the garlic onto a cutting board. Add the zest of lime (about ½ of the total skin). Add 1 tsp EVOO and mix with your fingers, and rub mixture into one side of the chicken cutlet.

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Quarter the peach and remove the pit. Place on grill flesh-side down. Grill each flesh-side (each piece will have 2) until there are visible grill marks, about 45 seconds. Remove and set aside.

Place chicken on grill, garlic side down. Use a brush to lightly coat the other side with remaining tsp EVOO. Grill 2 minutes. Rotate 45 degrees, and grill another 2 minutes. Flip, and repeat. Chicken is done when there’s no more pink and juices run clear.

Serve chicken cutlet alongside the peaches. Top both with crumbled chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and drizzle with the Balsamic reduction.

Estimated Calories: 270
Prep/Cook Time: 15 minutes

This meal is going to pack a good amout of protein and loads of tongue-tingling flavor. I'm sure it will become a quick favorite -- it's one of mine!