Chicken Tagine

  

Moroccan Chicken Tagine - Braised chicken in a rich spiced sauce adorned with chickpeas and dried apricots. For an authentic eating experience, serve over couscous.

 

1 cup dried apricot, halved

7 oz chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion cut into 0.3 cm/ 1/8" slices

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 cinnamon stick (sub 1/2 tsp powder)

14 oz crushed tomato

14 oz canned chickpeas, drained

1 tbsp preserved lemon skin, finely minced

2 1/2 cups chicken stock, low-sodium

 

SPICE BLEND

1 tsp cooking salt

3/4 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp allspice powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/8 tsp clove powder

Plump apricots by soaking them in a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain them.

Brown the chicken in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Heat the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until deep golden. Cook for 1 minute on the flesh side before transferring to a plate.

Toast aromatics and spices - Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 3 minutes after adding the onions. Cook for 1 minute after adding the garlic. Stir in spice blend for 30 seconds.

Stir in the cinnamon stick, tomato, chickpeas, plumped apricots, stock, and preserved lemon. Place the chicken skin side up on top.

5 minutes covered - Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the liquid at a gentle simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for another 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with couscous and fresh coriander on top.

Easy Pork Roast

  

A tasty pork dish made from a simple and versatile roast. Great for a weekly dinner with family or for a special occasion.

 

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/4 lb)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves.

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed

¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 large dark-orange sweet potato peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

2 firm ripe small pears, unpeeled, each cut into 6 wedges

1 medium sweet onion (halved crosswise), cut into thin wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil

Fresh sage leaves if desired

 

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Position the pork tenderloin in the pan. Combine rosemary, salt, sage, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub half of the seasoning mixture onto the pork.

 Mix sweet potato, pears, and onion with oil in a medium bowl until evenly coated. Toss with the left seasoning mixture. Arrange vegetables around the pork. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, mixing vegetables and pears carefully once or twice throughout baking, until pork has a slight pink blush in the middle and a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 145°F, and vegetables are tender. Take out from oven and tent with foil. Allow to stand for 3 minutes. Pork should be cut into 1/2-inch slices. Serve alongside vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh sage leaves if you would like.

Easy Vegan Salad

The Most Delicious Easy Vegan Salad is colorful, flavorful, and crunchy. The result incredible veggie salad that requires only 9 ingredients and is prepared in 10 minutes. 

Ingredients

2 cups spring salad mix

1 cup sliced cucumber

¼ cup julienned or ribboned carrot

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced

⅓ cup pepitas

1 avocado, sliced

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Toss salad mix, cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, and onion in a large mixing bowl.

Split the mixture between two bowls and top with pepitas as well as sliced avocado.

To taste, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, or top with your favorite salad dressing.

Low Sodium Meatloaf

The following traditional meatloaf recipe is low in sodium and packed with all of the delicious flavors that you know and love. It is made with everyday ingredients and takes about an hour to prepare. Meatloaf is one of those meals of comfort that seems to have existed forever. It's a classic dish that's filling, simple to prepare, and delicious!

 

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef

¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup no-salt-added ketchup, divided

1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 large egg

Set the oven to 350°F.

In a big mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except 1/4 cup ketchup with your hands.

Form the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in a lightly greased baking pan. It is not required to touch the sides. A 9.5′′ x 5′′ loaf pan is ideal.

Roast for 45 minutes at 350°F. Cover the remaining ketchup onto the meatloaf and cook for an additional 15 minutes, for a total duration of 60 minutes.