Zucchini and Sweet Potato Pilaf

I recently bought 3 beautiful zucchinis of different colours, but didn't know what I wanted to make with them.  Then I remembered this brown rice casserole that I have made a few times before.  I usually just make it with regular dark green zucchini, but I thought the extra colours would brighten the dish up more. This is a really hearty casserole that I like to serve as a side to fish, or on its own if I'm having it for lunch.  And with only 4 ingredients it's a convenient recipe to make.  

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Pilaf

1 1/2 cups of brown rice

2 1/4 cups vegetable broth

2 small zucchini, diced

1 sweet potato, diced

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix all of the ingredients in a baking pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Stir rice and vegetables and add a bit of water if necessary.  Cover tightly again and continue cooking for another 15-30 minutes.  Rice and sweet potatoes should be fully cooked.

General Tao Chicken

This is my hubby's absolute favourite meal.  He would be very happy if I made it for him every week.  And I have to say, it is pretty good.  And spicy.  The first time I made this I used 2 tablespoons of chili flakes.  I couldn't eat it, it was ridiculously hot.  It could have just been the type of chili flakes I had bought, but from then on I only used a 1/2 tablespoon.  I like spicy food, but I couldn't even taste anything that first time, my mouth was numb from the burning.  So I'm writing a 1/2 tablespoon in the recipe, but if you're feeling brave....

I like to get everything chopped and ready before I start cooking the chicken, because everything cooks really  fast, and once the chicken is done you want to be able to add the other ingredients while quickly stir-frying.  I mix the soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar beforehand too.  Plus I always like having little bowls of ingredients, it makes me feel like I'm on a cooking show.  

Also, I should mention that this recipe doesn't make the crispy chicken pieces that you get when you order General Tao at a restaurant.  If you do want them crispy like that you would need to deep fry them and make some kind of batter.  Probably just dipping the marinated pieces in flour would work.  When I make this I cook each piece of chicken individually, letting one side get a little crispy and then flipping it to crisp up the other side.  It takes more time that way though, and if you want to just dump the chicken and marinade in the pan and stir-fry it, that will taste great too.

General Tao Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 tbsp each minced ginger and garlic

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 tbsp chili pepper flakes

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil...or a bit more if you love it as much as I do!

soya oil for cooking

Marinade:

1 egg white

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp soy sauce

Make the marinade, add the chicken to it and refrigerate it for 1-2 hours.  Add the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to chicken broth and refrigerate.  Over med-high, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok.  Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink.  Remove the chicken and let stand.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper flakes.  Stir quickly for about 2 minutes.  Add in the chicken, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and chicken broth and cornstarch mixture.  Continue stir-frying until the sauce has thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil.  Serve over rice.  If you find that the sauce has thickened too much, just add a bit more chicken broth.  Enjoy!



Mango and Sweet Potato Coconut Curry

A few years ago I was working at a daycare with a child who had quite a few allergies, so his mom used to bring in his own lunch.  Quite frequently she would bring in a delicious-looking curry rice dish, which was the inspiration to this recipe.  I suppose I could have asked her what she put in it, but I just guessed and made  it up.  I love this dish because it's easy, filling, versatile, and best of all, delicious.  When I made it for my mom-in-law she said it was the best lunch she has ever had.  I have made this dish a variety of ways, adding  and omitting some ingredients.  I didn't put chickpeas in it at first, but to make it more filling I have started adding them.  I also sometimes add pineapple or raisins, and sometimes omit the pepper.  It just depends on what I have on hand and what I feel like eating.  I'm going to write the 'basic' recipe here.

Mango and Sweet Potato Coconut Curry

2 cups cooked rice (I prefer brown)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 mango, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper (or orange, or yellow...) finely chopped

1 540ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 400ml can coconut milk

1 tbsp red curry paste (more or less, depending on how spicy you want it)

Over medium-high heat saute the sweet potatoes in a large pan with a tablespoon of cooking oil.  When they are about half-way done add in the red pepper.  Cook for another few minutes and then push the vegetables to the sides of the pan so that there is a space in the middle.  Put the curry paste in that spot and add a little of the coconut milk, mix until it's creamy, then stir into vegetables.  Add the mango, stir.  Add the rest of the coconut milk and the chickpeas.  Bring to a simmer and then add the rice.  Cook over low heat until the sweet potatoes are tender.  Serve and Enjoy!