Tag Archives: turmeric

InspiredMe: Coconut Curry Chicken

Posted in FeedMe by

This may seem surprising since I love turmeric so much, but this was my first attack at  making curry. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to attempt a dish like this, maybe it was because I was afraid it wouldn’t meet my expectaions.Yet, good news, it not only met my expectations, it was delish! Just as good as the little hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant down the street. Actually, maybe better.

This recipe is adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. I just substituted chicken instead of shrimp because my hubby doesn’t like shrimp. I know, sad :(

Enjoy.

Coconut Curry Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
For the chicken marinade:
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1-2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon organic canola oil
1 organic medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh organic ginger, from about a 1-inch peeled piece of ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 organic garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons ground  organic coriander
1/2 teaspoon organic turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 (14.5-ounce) can organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can coconut milk, light or regular
1 cup chopped fresh organic cilantro

Hot cooked organic rice for serving, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
For the simple chicken marinade, toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the chicken and any accumulated juices from the marinade. Boil until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the cilantro. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.

And as always, for some great health benefits of turmeric, check out this post here.

InspiredMe: Garlic Cheddar Ziti Pasta with Summer Veggies

This dish will have you wanting seconds and thirds. It has the perfect infusion of garlic, beautifully paired with green veggies and has just the right amount of creamy. You’ll be in love with this dish in no time. It is also packed with healthy greens and the “super-spice,” turmeric. Easy, delicious, and oh so good!

Enjoy!

Garlic Cheddar Ziti Pasta with Summer Veggies

1 pound dry organic ziti pasta

2 TBSP organic butter or safflower oil

4 cloves garlic

1 pint organic heavy cream*

1 cup organic chicken broth

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

2 TBSP flour

1 medium organic zucchini, sliced*

2 cups organic baby spinach, roughly cut

1/2 TBSP organic turmeric

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water

1 organic chicken breast, sliced and cooked

Directions:

In a large pot, cook pasta according to pkg. instructions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic in butter (or oil) over medium heat. Stir in heavy cream and chicken broth. Add cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Add flour. Simmer altogether for about 15 min.

While sauce is cooking, saute zucchini in 1 tsp. oil until soft. Once sauce is cooked and thickens, add zucchini, spinach, turmeric, and artichoke hearts. Stir all together and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Once sauce is done, put cooked ziti pasta in a large bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat and mix. Then add cooked chicken and mix all together. Serve. Enjoy!

*You can substitute steamed broccoli for the zucchini, also delicious! And half and half can be substituted for the heavy cream to make it low-fat. The sauce will not be as thick though.

This recipe uses the “super-spice,” Turmeric… to see some AMAZING facts about this spice, check out this post here.

InspiredMe: Spice Up Your Life!

Posted in HealthyMe by

I have recently learned some really amazing facts about some well used spices you probably have around your kitchen… don’t worry, it’s all good stuff… actually, REALLY good stuff. After hearing about this you might just start putting these spices in just about everything (I’ve started to!)

Today’s highlighted spice is Turmeric.

Turmeric is known for its bright yellow color and is the main ingredient in a lot of Indian foods like curry. I found this information on a wonderful website about the world’s healthiest foods… check it out! But if you are pressed for time, here’s the quick version…

It is a strong and completely safe anti-inflammatory (it has been tested to be just as good as Motrin and Hydrocordisone- yes, amazing! And with no toxic side effects, this is a winner!) So try some turmeric first the next time you have a head ache… it might just work.

It’s a powerful anti-oxidant, which not only helps with a multitude of great things listed below, but it does wonders for your immune system and brain.

The health benefits of this little wonder is incredible… it helps with/cures Crones disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cystic Fibrosis, cancer prevention, inhibits cancer cell growth, prevents Colon Cancer and Prostate Cancer, reduces risk of childhood Leukemia, improved liver function, cardiovascular protection, lowers cholesterol, and protection against Alzheimer’s disease. Does that make you go “wow,” or what!?

So you want to incorporate this into your diet? Here’s some suggestions: You can buy turmeric in capsules and take them daily, or add the spice to your foods. This spice is usually used in curries, like I said earlier, but I’ve never made curry and I use this spice in almost everything. I add it to soups, chicken dishes, pasta dishes, potato dishes… you name it… I just pour a little bit in and if the dish still tastes fine, than I’ll add a little bit more. Just so you know, it does make everything a bright yellow… so if you’re having company over and the presentation of the food is an issue, maybe lay off the turmeric… but any other time, just put it in! The health benefits are worth it.