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Recipe - Coconut Barley Pilaf With Corn, Chicken and Cashews

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 10 ounces), rinsed and patted dry

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup salted roasted cashews, roughly chopped

1/2 medium onion, diced small (about 1 cup)

1 jalapeño pepper, diced

2 cups pearled barley

1 can (15-ounce) coconut milk

2 ears corn, kernels sliced off the cob (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, cilantro or parsley.

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks; season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Stir in cashews and cook 1 minute more. Transfer mixture to a plate.

3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot. Stir in onions and jalapeño and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until onions are slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in barley and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute more. Add enough water to coconut milk to yield 2 cups liquid and add to pot. Bring liquid to a simmer, then cook, covered, over low heat until the barley is almost tender, about 40 minutes.

4. Stir in corn. If mixture looks dry, stir in 1 1/4 cups more water; cover and cook until barley and corn are tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.

5. Return chicken mixture to pot and stir well. Fold in herbs and more salt to taste.

Yield: 4 servings.

via nytimes.com

This sounds so good but am very wary of the use coconut milk. It's very high in fat and calories. I'm thinking of substituting the coconut milk with very healthy coconut water.

For those that are not familiar with coconut water, you should check it out. Very good source of electrolytes and potassium. Very low sugar content. Is prescribed quite often for quick hydration.

Filed under  //   food   recipe  
Posted September 23, 2009
// 1 Comment
 

Quinoa Salad With Lime Ginger Dressing and Shrimp

This salad, with its gingery lime dressing, scallions, cilantro and a little bit of heat, has Asian overtones. Serve it as a side dish or a light lunch or supper. Vegetarians will enjoy this without the shrimp, which garnish the top of the salad.

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (more to taste)

1 small garlic clove, minced

Salt to taste

Pinch of cayenne

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil or walnut oil

1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk

For the salad:

3 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup uncooked)

4 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced thin

1 small cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

12 to 16 cooked medium shrimp, peeled

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, cayenne, sesame oil, canola oil, and buttermilk.

2. In a salad bowl, combine the quinoa, scallions, cucumber, and cilantro. Toss with the dressing and divide among salad plates. Top each portion with 3 or 4 shrimp, and serve.

Filed under  //   food   recipe   salad  
Posted September 21, 2009
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Barley...A Fantastic Low-GI, Healthy Grain...Try It!!!

Besides having a wonderful texture and delightful nutty taste, barley also has proven health benefits. The federal government said last month that barley can reduce cholesterol levels, just like oats.

Unlike oats, though, it can be mixed into savory dishes with tomatoes, corn, mushrooms and fresh herbs, and brightened with peppery olive oil and assorted vinegars.

A barley salad with corn, tomatoes and arugula makes an ideal side dish. Barley turns into an amazingly creamy risotto, redolent of porcini. And a recipe from Peter Hoffman of the restaurant Savoy in SoHo inspired an intriguing yogurt soup.

Corn and Barley Salad on Arugula
Time: 25 minutes plus several hours' soaking

1 cup pearl barley
Salt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil or oregano leaves
2 tablespoons sliced chives
1 cup diced red tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby arugula leaves, rinsed and thoroughly dried
3 tablespoons fresh goat cheese, optional.

1. Rinse barley, place in a bowl and cover with 4 cups of water. Soak for several hours or overnight.
2. Transfer barley and soaking water to a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender and most or all of water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, if using frozen corn, cook according to package directions; fresh corn does not need to be cooked.
3. If necessary, drain excess water from barley. Return to pot and immediately add corn; mix well. In a large bowl, mix together oil and vinegar. Add basil or oregano, and chives. Add barley mixture and tomatoes, and mix gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, spread arugula on a platter. Top with corn and barley salad. Garnish with dollops of goat cheese, if desired, and serve.

Chilled Yogurt and Barley Soup
Time: 30 minutes plus several hours' soaking

1/2 cup pearl barley
Salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or as needed
1/3 cup raisins
White pepper
Red pepper flakes, optional
1 medium Kirby cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, optional.

1. In a small bowl, combine barley with 2 cups water. Allow to soak for several hours or overnight.
2. In a medium saucepan, add barley, its soaking water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until barley is tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until light golden. If necessary, drain excess water from barley. Add onions to barley and set aside.
3. Place eggs in a medium saucepan and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle flour over eggs and whisk until combined and free of lumps. In a mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt and 2 1/2 cups chicken broth. Pour into egg mixture and stir until smooth.
4. Add barley and onions to egg mixture. Stir in raisins. Place pan over medium heat just until steaming and slightly thickened; do not boil. Remove from heat and season with salt and white pepper to taste. If desired, add pepper flakes to taste while soup is still hot.
5. Allow soup to cool, then transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until well chilled and thickened. To serve, stir and adjust thickness of soup to taste with additional chicken broth. Add cucumber and mint. If desired, drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Filed under  //   food   recipe   salad   soup  
Posted September 21, 2009
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