Week 7

Cold Sesame Noodle Salad (This may end up being a lunch - serves 4)
For the sauce, mix the following ingredients:
3 Tbs toasted sesame oil
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs grated ginger
1 large clove garlic, pressed
Sriracha sauce (or similar) to taste - I put about a 1/4 teaspoon

Toss the following in large bowl with the sauce:
8 oz soba noodles (if you can't find soba noodles in the Asian section, you could use whole-wheat spaghetti), cooked according to package, drained and rinsed in cold water
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
4 scallions (white and light green parts), sliced
2 med carrots, grated
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped

Waiting for their crusts

Chicken Pot Pie (This pie only has a top crust which keeps the glycemic index lower)
3 lbs bone-in chicken (parts or whole)
8 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
3 Tbs olive oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts, sliced into 1/2 moons. After slicing, place in bowl of water and swish to remove dirt, then drain in colander)
1 cup coarsely chopped cauliflower 
4 med carrots, thickly sliced
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon
 1 homemade pie crust

Topped and ready to bake

Place chicken in large pot and add enough broth to cover (add water if the broth doesn't cover). Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 mins. Transfer to bowl and when cool, discard bones and shred meat. Reserve 2 1/2 cups broth and freeze the remaining broth for another use. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat oil in large pot over med-high heat. Add leeks, cauliflower, carrots, and 1/2 tsp salt and cook about 10 mins, until veggies begin to soften. Stir in flour and cook 1 min. Gradually stir in wine and the 2 1/2 cups reserved chicken broth; bring to boil. Add peas, parsley, tarragon, chicken, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Transfer mix to 2 qt baking dish (9" round or 8" square). Place the pie crust on top and cut vents in the top of crust. Or, place filling into individual serving bowls and top with individual pie crusts. Place dish or bowls on rimmed baking sheet and bake until top is golden brown, about 35-40 mins. If needed, protect the edge of the crust from over-browning w/a pie shield. Let rest about 15 mins before serving.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Beef (Serves 6)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar OR succanat OR coconut sugar
1 Tbs chopped chipotles in adobo plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 red onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 lb beef brisket
6 whole grain rolls for serving
coleslaw and pickles for serving (see below for coleslaw recipe)

In large slow cooker, combine all ingredients through pepper. Stir in onions and garlic. Cut beef crosswise into 3 pieces and add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours or until meat easily pulls apart. Shred beef w/two forks and stir back into the cooking liquid. Serve on rolls and top w/coleslaw and pickles.

Coleslaw:
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup plain yogurt (I prefer full-fat)
1 Tbs agave nectar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbs white vinegar
1/2 Tbs dijon mustard
1/4 tsp either celery seed OR caraway seeds
1/4 tsp salt
a few turns of the pepper mill
2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
1 cup grated carrots

In large bowl mix everything through pepper. Add cabbage and carrots and stir well to combine. Chill well before serving (make this in the morning when you put your meat in the crock and you'll have homemade coleslaw to top your bbq beef sandwiches when you get home from work!)

Roasted Cipollini Onions and Tomatoes with White Beans (Vegetarian)
I'm getting some Cipollini onions in my produce box this week so I had to Google them to find out what they are. Sounds like they are delicious when roasted so I'm going to make this recipe I found from the Smitten Kitchen. It looks amazing!

Garlicky Shrimp and Spinach w/Ciabatta  (This fed 2 adults and 2 small children. If you want to feed 4 adults or bigger kids, I'd double. You will be able to use the loaf of ciabatta in both the cipollini recipe and this one.)
EVOO for sauteing + extra for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 red chile, thinly sliced (you can seed this for less heat or use red pepper flakes)
kosher salt and pepper
1 lb raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I use wild-caught shrimp b/c farmed shrimp is usually fed an unnatural diet)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed, washed and drained
4 thick slices ciabatta bread

Heat EVOO in large skillet and saute the garlic, chile and 1/4 tsp salt and a few turns of cracked pepper. Add shrimp and cook 1 min. Flip shrimp, add wine and bring to boil. Add spinach and cook, tossing, until just beginning to wilt, about 1 min. Toast your ciabatta bread, drizzle w/EVOO and top w/shrimp and spinach.

Salmon w/Pineapple Rice (serves 4)
1 cup brown rice
8 oz pineapple chunks, drained
1-2 jalapenos, seeded if desired and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 pre-marinated salmon fillets (I like the wild Alaskan marinated salmon from Costco)

Cook rice according to package, fluff w/fork and fold in the pineapple, jalapeno and cilantro. Meanwhile, cook salmon in skillet or on grill according to package and serve atop rice and serve with a side salad or grilled veggies of choice.


Slow Cooker Pork & Black Bean Soup (serves 6)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs chopped chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 Tbs sauce
2 tsp ground cumin
1 lb dried black beans, sorted, rinsed, and soaked overnight
2 lb pork shoulder (you'll have to fish out the bones later or if you go w/boneless you only need 1 1/2 lbs)

Combine all ingredients in large (6 qt) slow cooker and cook on high about 8 hours or until beans are tender and pork pulls apart easily. Shred pork w/forks if needed, and use a potato masher or immersion blender to puree the soup to desired consistency (I like some beans still whole but a thick sauce). Season to taste w/salt and pepper and serve topped w/salsa, sour cream and chopped cilantro.