Michael Pollan's "Food Rules"

In this article from the New York Times magazine, Michael Pollans talks about navigating the supermarket jungle, avoiding all those chemical-y products that even so-called "nutrition marketers" deem healthy. (For example, did you know that Froot Loops are marked healthy? He writes in his article: "One of them defended the inclusion of Froot Loops on the grounds that they are better for you than doughnuts.")

His suggestion for a solution? Return to how we used to make our decisions, before we had food pyramids and health marketers, by following the "food rules" passed down to us for generations by friends and family. They then put together this cute little slideshow of the best "food rules" he received via comments. Here are two of my favorites:

Zucchini, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Tart recipe

This tart recipe seems like a good choice for this seasonal shift that's happening right now, with the zucchini reminiscent of summer, and the earthy mushrooms getting us excited for fall flavors. And goat cheese, which is welcome any day of the year.Zucchini, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Tart

Serves 4 as "main" as a light dinner or lunch-- I also served it with a side salad

Recipe from Serious Eats

Ingredients
-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

-10 ounces mushrooms, sliced, preferably a mix of types (I used regular button mushrooms and oyster mushrooms)

-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

-2 tablespoon Madeira wine (I used Marsala wine)

-1 sheet frozen puff pastry-- DEFROSTED (I forgot this crucial step and had to nuke my puff pastry...not advised) (1/2 17.3-oz package)

-3 ounces goat cheese, thinly sliced (I think more than 3 oz would make this an even better recipe...can't go wrong with more cheese, am I right?)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini slices and cook until golden, 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through. Transfer to a plate and add the mushrooms, a good pinch of salt, and remaining oil. Continue cooking until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms have browned; add garlic and thyme and continue cooking an additional couple minutes until garlic softens. Add wine and cook until it has evaporated and absorbed into the mushrooms, about 1 minute. Season to taste.

3. Lay puff pasty on parchment paper and prick all over with a fork, leaving 1/2 inch border on the sides. Spread mushrooms over sheetthen layer zucchini on top.

Finally add cheese-- I wish mine had had more, so go crazy with it! ;)

4. Cook in the oven 30 to 40 minutes, until edges of pastry are golden and puffed. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
(Sorry for the blurry iPhone photo!)

Sneak Peek at Whole Foods Dedham

Whole Foods Dedham is like my version of Disneyworld. Dish Mom couldn't stop laughing at my wandering around the store, slack-jawed in disbelief at all the food. I darted around, shouting excited phrases to her: "A walk-in fromagerie!!" "House-made charcuterie!" "Lots of beer!"

Here are some pics that I snapped, but I highly recommend checking out this place for yourself, especially because these blurry iPhone photos don't do it justice.

The Shawarma Station:
The Gelato Bar (not nearly as good as Italy, but I guess it'll do... ;)
Vats of maple syrup:The walk-in fromagerie!:
Inside the fromagerie...yay cheese!
Scoop your own bath salts (there were lots of these, not just this one kind...who knew there were so many bath salts??):

Rosemary & Sage Burgers with Chive Mayo and Apple Slaw

First of all, SO sorry for the lack of posting. As some of my Twitter followers and Facebook fans probably guessed, I moved out of the North End this past week (so sad). Moving day was especially hellish, as it was just me and Dish Mom for the most part (special shout out to Sebastian though who came home just in time to assist me after my meltdown of epic proportions after a random Italian guy wandering around yelled at me for parking on the sidewalk). I don't really care to count how many times I went up and down my four flights of rickety apartment stairs to load up the car...My thigh muscles/entire body the next morning would probably, if they had to, guess about 4 million trips.

Anyway, busy times at work + moving + mourning/celebrating the North End to the best of my ability (lots of late night trips to Bova's, testing out last minute restaurants, etc.) led to a general feeling of grossness. So when it came time to cook dinner this past Sunday, I looked up some recipes I had flagged from Self magazine. Surprisingly enough, one of them was a recipe for burgers! A hangover-friendly recipe that is also healthy!? Cha-ching! They turned out very moist and actually quite refreshing and light-tasting for a burger. I liked the moistness from the sour cream as a healthier alternative to cheese.

Plus, check out my new iPhone photos!!! I am very excited to utilize my new best friend, err, phone, to the best of my ability for blogging-purposes. The quality is pretty good, no??

Rosemary & Sage Burgers with Chive Mayo and Apple Slaw
Serves 4

Ingredients
Burgers
1/2 pound extra-lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork (I omitted this and just used beef)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 whole-grain buns (I can never find whole grain hamburger buns. Thus, these are normal ones)
1 cup baby spinach leaves

Chive "mayo"

1/2 cup non-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 dashes each salt and pepper

Apple slaw

3 green apples, peeled, cored and grated
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparations for burgers

Preheat grill to medium high. Combine beef, rosemary, sage, and salt in a medium-sized bowl; form into 4 patties. Grill patties 4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

mmm, meat...

For chive "mayo"
In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients.

For apple slaw
In a medium-sized bowl, combine slaw ingredients. (My apples turned brown really quickly. I'd probably up the lemon amount. I couldn't grate fast enough before they browned!)

To assemble
Toast the buns and spread each top with mayo. Place burger on bun and top with slaw and several spinach leaves.

Dish Mom made a side of roasted sweet potatoes (heaven) on the side:


Will be blogging a lot this weekend! Get ready...

Dish Gal's Forays Into Veganism...and a recipe for Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas!

When I tell people that I was vegan for four days, the reaction is completely polarized: Either the person is shocked and impressed ("You ate no meat for four days!?") or laughs at me and gives me that "I knew you couldn't do it" face. Hrmph. Neither is really the reaction I was looking for.

But I'm getting ahead of myself... let's start from the beginning. A few weeks go, I attended one of Dish Mom's dinner parties, which I love as the food is always fabulous. I had been eating pretty healthily leading up to it-and even during it-until I reached this beautiful cake that had caught my eye the second it entered my home. Tall, dark, and very handsome, this chocolate cake was sprinkled with fleur de sel, suggesting that whoever made it knew what they were doing. Sweet and salty? Yes, please!!

Finally, the cake was cut. It was heaven. But when the sugar high wore off, my insides were NOT happy-- my system was definitely not used to that much sugar, eggs, flour, etc. The next day, I definitely had a food hangover. I knew I needed to cleanse. I needed to get back to pure ingredients, and get as far away from baked goods as possible.

And thus goes the story of how a salty chocolate cake led me to choose veganism.

During my brief 4 day experiment with being vegan, I noticed some things. First, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks weren’t that hard—even desserts (Whole Foods has a ton of vegan baked goods). But dinner was another story. I quickly even became sick of quinoa salads (I'd been having a lot of them leading up to the vegan adventure, including this one below for lunch, dinner, and then another dinner...) And when I decided to have a veggie burger for dinner one night, I quickly became frustrated when I realized most contain egg whites—and spent a long time wandering the grocery store aisles, pouring over each ingredient list until finally I found this one-- an Amy’s vegan veggie burger.

One fun grocery store discovery—veggie cheese. I bought the pepper jack flavor, which at only 35 calories a slice, I expected to taste pretty crappy. But I was wrong- this stuff is flavorful! And, as the packaging claims, it really does melt well. Downside though—the ingredients list was filled with unknown, chemical-sounding ingredients. Blech.

I wish I could’ve stuck to the vegan-thing longer, but sadly I have the world’s most sensitive stomach, and it completely rebelled against my brain’s decision to go vegan. I mean, it staged an all-out coup, twisting and turning and generally making me want to lie down in the fetal position. So sadly, after four days, I caved and had an omelette. Sigh.

There were things I realized I could never give up, like white fish like halibut or tilapia. I love my chicken sausages (SO easy and cheap). Egg sandwiches are a Dish Gal favorite. And of course, the occasional cheeseburger. But other changes have stuck-- I've been still enjoying soy milk with my coffee instead of regular milk. I've continued with the tofu lunches. And I love the emphasis on fruits and veggies.

And so I’ve decided to join the “flexitarian” bandwagon—those people that eat mostly vegetarian and the occasional meat product. This article explains the term more, and credits the recession for its increasing momentum and popularity. Besides fiscally making sense, I’d add on for myself the environmental benefits of eating mostly vegetarian. Paul McCartney recently brought some attention to the “Meat Free Mondays” cause, which promotes the idea that if everyone in the world gave up meat for one day we could greatly help the environment. New York Times food writer Mark Bittmann has even gotten some attention for his "Vegan Before 6" strategy, where he lets himself choose anything after 6 p.m., allowing him to reap some of the health benefits of being vegan, while remaining a "foodie."

In the meantime, here’s my favorite recipe that I made up from my vegan days. . . This was SO good, I can’t wait to make it again. I have a feeling my meat-loving friends will enjoy it, too =)

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas
Serves 1
2 tortillas
1 medium sweet potato, cubed, into 1” pieces
1 slice Monterey jack veggie cheese (or can be just vegetarian and use real Monterey jack cheese, but that has way more calories if you’re interested)
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed
handful of roughly chopped cilantro
½ lime, juiced
cayenne pepper
olive oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss cubed sweet potatoes with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes total, tossing once halfway. Remove and let them cool a bit.
3. Smush them in a bowl, and then season with S&P, lime juice, and a dash of cayenne pepper.
4. Spread this mixture on a tortilla. I used a high fiber, low-cal one with flax seeds. Add black beans and the cilantro. Then add the cheese, and top with the other quesadilla.
5. On a greased (with cooking spray) non-stick skillet, heat to medium-low heat and cook quesadilla, flipping once, about 6 minutes on each side.
6. Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Meatballs

As I started to write this, I realize every recipe I post always has the same intro: [Insert recipe title here] is easy, fast, healthy, and delicious! This one is no different =) I guess one should assume reading a Dish Gal approved recipe that it's all of these things...

These meatballs were kind of a bizarre dinner choice, but really hit the spot! The original recipe suggested they be put in lettuce cups, but I enjoyed mine with my favorite dipping sauce -- spicy szechuan-- and some steamed sugar snap peas and brown rice. This also made for great leftovers for lunch the next day!

Dish Gal's Asian Chicken Meatballs
Serves 2

1/2 pound ground chicken

1 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (should substitute fresh, but I only had dried)

1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ cup cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp red hot pepper flakes (or more, depending on how much spice you like!)

Here are some of the ingredients all set to go:

First, I set about doing my prep work, chopping my garlic and the cilantro (not pictured).Next, in a large bowl, stir together ground chicken, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and crushed red hot pepper flakes. Form mixture into 12 meatballs. They will seem a little too wet, especially since they don’t contain any egg or breadcrumbs. BUT distress not, and continue on ;) Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

This is my all time favorite stir fry sauce. It has a major kick to it, which I love, and a little goes a long way:

I also loves these microwaveable brown rice packs; they definitely cut down on the 50-minute brown rice cook times!

Finally, sprinkle the meatballs with your chopped cilantro, et voila! An easy, fast, healthy, and delicious meal ;)

Project Muffin 2009

A few weekends ago, I embarked upon what I called "Project Muffin:" I spent one Sunday making muffins with my new muffin pan. The impetus? To make enough muffins that would be a healthy grab-and-go option for breakfast (and keep me from ordering those 500 calorie monstrosities at Dunkin).

As you may have realized from reading this blog, I'm not a huge baker, so this was a very different undertaking for me. All the measuring, the baking soda, the flours-- oy vey! Not to mention the fact that I realized halfway through I didn't even own regular sugar! But I managed to sub in brown sugar quite nicely.

My first muffin I attempted was the espresso banana walnut muffin recipe from Heidi Swanson's book, Super Natural Cooking:

My sister in law gave me this cookbook for my birthday, and I had been dying to try out a recipe from it. The photos are beautiful, and her emphasis on whole, natural ingredients is very thorough and informative.

Here's a link to the recipe. It was straightforward and easy to follow, but boy did I make a mess of my tiny kitchen! I guess baking involves a lot more counter space (that I don't have) than cooking:

Yikes! =)

Here are the muffins before going into the oven:


And the muffins after!

YUM! The walnuts definitely were the best part of these, plus I loved the earthiness from the coffee flavor. One morning I warmed it up and served it with a spoonful of peanut butter, which sounds weird but was awesome.

Next, I cleaned up my area and started on the next muffin recipe: Blueberry banana muffins, a recipe I found from Self magazine. So my first muffin was healthy in a Whole Foods, organic way, and the second one was healthy in more of a low-fat, low-calorie way.

I must've been running out of steam from all the baking, because I have fewer pictures of the process of making this second muffin, but here's the final product:

These were good warm, but didn't hold my attention over the course of the next week like the espresso ones did. Plus, they didn't hold up well, either. In fact, I left my apartment for the next weekend and came back expecting a stale and hardened muffin, only to find one that was completely MUSH. EW.

In conclusion, at first after the long afternoon of schlepping home pounds of flour from Whole Foods (I can't wait for the days when I grocery shop with a car, sigh...), and then making a mess of my apartment and cleaning it all up (twice), and sitting in a hot apartment, I swore to myself that this was not worth it. However, now that I've run out of the muffins, I'm starting to think about resurrecting this project this weekend...

I mean, I already have most of the ingredients! Might as well, right!? ;)

Super easy pasta dinners

I am a huge fan of pasta for a quick, healthy dinner on weeknights. As long as you are careful about the portioning of pasta, it's easy to make a healthy yet delicious dinner in just a few minutes. Plus, with minimal ingredients, neither of these recipes will break the bank.

Here are two (very similar) versions of Dish Gal's "Easy Summer Pastas"

Cheesy Rotini with Fresh Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 1

1 cup Barilla Plus (or whole wheat) rotini

1 wedge laughing cow cheese

sundried tomatoes

fresh, torn basil leaves

1/2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1. Boil water, cook pasta according to directions (for Barilla Plus, 10 minutes for al dente).

2. Drain pasta (but you can leave it a little bit moist from pasta water). Add back into pot. Stir in wedge of laughing cow cheese until it creates a cheesy coating on pasta. 3. Add in sundried tomatoes, walnuts, and fresh basil. Season with S&P. Enjoy!

Rotini with Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage, Walnuts, and Sundried Tomatoes
Serves 1

1 cup Barilla plus rotini (or whole wheat)

sundried tomatoes

1/2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 link sweet apple chicken sausage

2 tbsp EVOO

fresh, torn basil leaves

1. Boil water; cook pasta according to directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat some EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Slice the link of chicken sausage into small, 1/2" circles and then add to pan. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Drain pasta. Return to pot. Add in tomatoes, walnuts, basil, and chicken sausage. The oil from the sausage should coat the pasta nicely. If you want more "sauce," add in some more EVOO. Season with S&P. Enjoy!

The Science Behind the PB Puffins Addiction...

I wrote the Peanut Butter Puffins post in jest, joking around about the power of certain foods over one's willpower. But according to David Kessler and this Washington Post article, there's actually a science behind this phenomenon.

"Kessler, 57, sees parallels between the tobacco and food industries. Both are manipulating consumer behavior to sell products that can harm health..."

Hey, look at that: My Joe the Camel comparison is actually kind of accurate!

This article is fascinating. It not only describes the science behind how food companies can manipulate us into craving foods we don't even want, it also gives suggestions for ways our culture as a whole can possibly solve this food problem:

"What's needed is a perceptual shift, Kessler said. "We did this with cigarettes," he said. "It used to be sexy and glamorous but now people look at it and say, 'That's not my friend, that's not something I want.' We need to make a cognitive shift as a country and change the way we look at food. Instead of viewing that huge plate of nachos and fries as a guilty pleasure, we have to . . . look at it and say, 'That's not going to make me feel good. In fact, that's disgusting.'"

I think it all comes back to my favorite food mantra from Michael Pollan: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

*****

P.S. Another quote from the article: "Not everyone is vulnerable to "conditioned overeating" -- Kessler estimates that about 15 percent of the population is not affected and says more research is needed to understand what makes them immune." I hate these people ;)


(Thanks to MCSlimJB for Tweeting about this which alerted me to this great article.)

I <3 Avocado

Avocados have a season? How did I not realize that about my favorite fruit (and possibly favorite food)?

Here's some info, via Serious Eats, about the glorious avocado:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/05/in-season-avocados-tips-ideas-and-recipes-20090516.html

I plan on trying every recipe.

Photo via rd.com

Sweet Chicken Sausage and Apple Salad recipe

This is one of Dish Gal's favorite 10 minute meals. It's especially great in summertime, when the thought of standing over a hot stove or turning on the oven makes you wanna call for delivery. I'm particularly fond of the sweet sausage and tart apple combination in this. I have to give credit to Skylar, who introduced me to this awesome flavor combination! Thanks, Sky.

Dish Gal's Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage and Granny Smith Apple Salad
Serves 1
Mixed salad greens (baby spinach works especially well)
1 1/2 sweet apple chicken sausage links, sliced
1 granny smith apple, diced into pieces about 1/4"
mushrooms

for balsamic vinaigrette (I never measure, so just eyeball it)
2 parts EVOO
1 part balsamic vinegar
teaspoon of dijon mustard
sprinkle of thyme
S&P

1. In a skillet over medium heat, warm up chicken sausage for about 6-7 minutes. I like mine a little bit darkened.
2. Combine salad, mushrooms, and apple on a plate. Add sausage.
3. Combine ingredients for dressing. Toss. Serve!

Easiest recipe ever, right?

Enjoy!

TGIF

I just got back from watching the Top Chef demo outside the Pru! My lord, was it hot outside. Nikki was so cute! Photos to come later...

In the meantime, some links to enjoy...

The United States of Sriracha Lists places all across the U.S. you can enjoy the amazing condiment sriracha (an Asian hot sauce with a cult-like following). For Massachusetts, Myers + Chang's banh mi makes the list. {New York Times}

Massachusetts set to unveil fast-food menu rules, which would require chain restaurants to list calories. {Reuters}

Making Love in the Kitchen. A food blog recommended by pal OmGal, filled with healthy tips and recipes.

8 new rules for ordering wine. The new way to enjoy wine at restaurants during these shaky, economic times. {New York Post}

First Bite: Boston Burger Company. Is it just me, or are burgers EVERYWHERE these days? Is it because summer's coming? Or is it because it's the only thing people can afford? Either way, it's making me hungry. {Boston magazine's blog "Chowder"}

Project: Muffins

Dear readers,

I need your help!

As you may have noticed, Dish Gal never bakes. I don't have the tools, the ingredients, or the self-control to not eat an entire batch of brownies.

However, I've been getting tired of my breakfast options, so I've decided this weekend to explore the world of "healthy muffins." 

Seems like an oxymoron, right? Well I'm determined to find a tasty yet nutritious muffin recipe. I'm going to make a batch on Sunday, and then have one for each day of the week. Here's one recipe I've been eyeing from Self magazine : blueberry-banana muffins. 

Here's where you come in: Anyone have any good recipes to share? Or tips? Let me know!! Comment below or email me at dishgalboston@gmail.com 

Love,

Dish Gal xoxo 

Photo courtesy of self.com 

Grilled Fish Tacos w/ Avocado Cream & Slaw

Dish Gal was home in the 'burbs last night, and offered to make dinner for the rents. I was craving my favorite food combo: cilantro, avocado, and lime (I've realized in my cooking I just make different dishes with those three ingredients), and when I realized Dish Mom and Dad had never had fish tacos before, I knew I had to make them. I'm sad I didn't have my camera handy, because these were filled with gorgeous colors, from the red cabbage to the bright green avocado. Oh well, you'll just have to use your imagination ;)

Dish Gal's Fish Tacos
Serves 3

For the fish:
4 small (5 oz or so) tilapia filets
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the avocado cream:
1 avocado, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup light sour cream

For the slaw:
1/4 of a head of red cabbage, shredded
1/4 of a head of green cabbage, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon nonfat, plain yogurt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

6 taco shells
lime wedges for garnish
1 cup cilantro leaves

1. In a small bowl, combine paprika, olive oil, and garlic. Place the tilapia filets in a large baking dish, and brush the olive oil mixture on them. Season with S&P. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 4 hours. (I did about 45 minutes.)

2. Combine the two types of cabbage and the green onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the yogurt together. Add to the cabbage mixture; toss to dress. Season with
S&P and add about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (to taste). Cover and refrigerate.

3. In a small bowl using a hand mixer blend the avocado and the lime juice. Fold in sour cream. Set aside. Season with S&P.

4. Using a grill pan, heat the stove to moderate to high heat. Grill the tilapia filets 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Roughly chop them into smaller pieces.

5. To assemble the tacos: add a dollop of avocado cream, then the fish, then the coleslaw mixture, and then top with fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.

Hot Dish of the Week

If my bank statement could include detailed reports of not only where I shop, but what I buy, you'd probably see "Whole Foods salad bar" on there about once a week for the past 15 months. What can I say? I'm an addict.

I already talked about the one in Union Square in NYC that's filled with the most amazing stuff, like mango & jicama slaw and mint & orange quinoa salad. While the Boston locations aren't quite as "exotic" in their selection, they do offer the same freshness and tastiness of their NYC counterparts.

I find the salads are most successful when I pick a theme. For example, the one pictured is kind of "Asian-style," with sesame tofu (my favorite part), grilled eggplant, brown rice, celery, cabbage slaw, and bell peppers. The salads are expensive (it's hard to get out of there for less than $7), but when you take into consideration all the health benefits you get from it, I think it's worth it. MMM, I think I know what I'm getting for lunch tomorrow...

Lemon Chicken with Olives

I very, very rarely eat or make chicken. When I cook it, I usually get so scared that it's undercooked that I overcook it, making it tough and chewy. I also never order it at restaurants because I think it's usually pretty boring. Why get the chicken when you can get the duck, the steak, or even just an inventive vegeterian dish!?

However, something about this recipe that was emailed to me from Real Simple piqued my interest. I love green olives, and I had a bunch of the ingredients already sitting at home. So it came about that I decided to actually cook myself chicken.

And you know what? This came out AWESOME. I would cook it again in a heartbeat. And the chicken cutlets, since they are so thin, cook fast and stay juicy. It tastes sort of like an updated version of chicken piccata, but without the heavy butter sauce. I highly recommend this if you're an olive fan! It's like a dirty martini in food form ;)

Lemon Chicken with Olives
Serves 4

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted green olives
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)

1. Mix the flour, cumin, zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a flat plate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and dredge in the flour mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in 2 batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

2. Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Heat the remaining oil. Add the shallots and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the olives, parsley, lemon juice, and wine and bring to a boil.

3. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it in the olives and shallots. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Divide among individual plates, spooning the olives, shallots, and any sauce over the top.

Wagamama- Now Open in the Prudential!

Exciting news! Wagamama is now open in the Prudential Center. When I was in London, I adored this chain. I feel quite honored they chose Boston as their first American city. With locations already in Faneuil Hall and Harvard Square, Wagamama's move means lots of yummy noodles for those in the Back Bay.

Dish Gal's recommendations:

edamame w/ chili and garlic salt

chili beef ramen-- spicy soup w/ ramen noodles, sliced steak, fresh chilies, bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime

yasai chili men- whole wheat noodles in a lemongrass, chili sauce with stir-fried shiitake and button mushrooms, fried tofu, squash, peppers, and snow peas

Thanks for the photo and spotting this, Julia! =)

Cod with Herbed Breadcrumbs

This simple dish is one you can use again and again. It's a great healthy yet satisfying weeknight meal. I served it with brown rice and brussel sprouts. Right now, I'm all about saving money and time with microwaveable side dishes for weeknight meals. I bought this awesome brown rice that cooks right in the bag! I love brown rice but cannot handle cooking it on weeknights-- the 45 minute simmer time is wayyyy too long for me. And I used these great single serving, steam-fresh brussel sprouts.

This product is definitely Dish Gal recommended...

Cod w/ Herbed Breadcrumbs
Serves 1

2 tablespoons butter
½ shallot, minced
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
¾ tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise

1 6-8 oz cod fillet
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
lemon wedge, for garnish

Directions:
Melt the butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.

Add minced shallots and cook 1 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and stir until butter is absorbed.

Remove from heat and add green onions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease baking pan and place fish in it. Brush lemon juice over fish. For added moisture, add 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise on the fish. Top with breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Bake until fish is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.