Tag: Make ahead

Banana-Chocolate Overnight Oats

Posted on

I’ve been on a make-head breakfast bender, mostly because mornings are hectic and I only have a few minutes to spare. Lately my favorite are these overnight oats, sweetened with bananas and topped with shavings of dark chocolate. A healthy breakfast masquerading as a decadent dessert. Not a bad way to start the day.

This recipe makes enough for two servings, but can easily be doubled (or tripled).

Ingredients:
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon shaved salted dark chocolate, for topping
  1. In a bowl, mash together the banana, maple syrup, and chia seeds with a fork, then stir in the yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Add the oats and mix again. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. To serve, spoon into two bowls and sprinkle half the shaved chocolate on top of each bowl.

Ginger-Ponzu Tuna Poke

Posted on

Remember a few years ago where fast-casual poke spots were opening up in what seemed like every other corner? I liked that. It was a food trend I could get behind. I love poke bowls, especially in the summer, but I’ve started making them at home more often because a lot of those poke restaurants aren’t around anymore (come back please!).

This gingery tuna poke gets its creaminess from the addition of macadamia nuts and an unmistakable herbaceousness from shiso leaves. You can use salmon just as easily as tuna here.

Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (preferably Meyer) ponzu
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh shiso (Japanese or Vietnamese), plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon crushed unsalted roasted macadamia nuts, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil, plus more to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger, plus more to taste
  • 1 pound skinless sushi-grade tuna
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Toasted white sesame seeds
  • Cooked short-grain white rice and nori seaweed, for serving

Directions

  1. Stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, green onions, shiso, macadamia nuts, sesame oil, and ginger in a medium bowl. (Mixture should be slightly creamy.)
  2. Cut tuna into bite-size (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Add tuna to ponzu mixture in bowl; gently stir together until well coated.
  3. Season with salt to taste. Adjust flavors with additional ponzu, green onions (pungency), shiso, macadamia nuts, sesame oil (velvety richness), ginger, and/or salt to taste. Serve atop individual bowls of rice and garnish with sesame seeds, more shiso leaves, and nori seaweed; serve immediately. (Poke itself can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)

Corn, Okra, and Red Pepper Skillet

Posted on

If you’ve know me at all then you know okra is my favorite vegetable, and this blog is a no-okra-slander zone. This easy summer skillet pairs okra with corn and peppers for the ultimate summer side dish. Eat it with rice and chicken or even better, by itself. (I paired it with Iranian dolma here, because why not?)

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 2 slices turkey bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 10 okra, stemmed and sliced crosswise
  • 4 ears corn, shucked, kernels sliced off (or one 10-ounce package frozen corn, about 2 cups)
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Do not wipe out the pan.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet and add garlic, shallots, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high, add okra and corn, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in green onions, reserved turkey bacon, and remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.

Avocado, Mango, and Orange Salad

Posted on

This is the perfect tropical-esque salad to bridge that time of spring when the weather is intermittently cool and warm. Got some winter citrus leftover in the fridge? Toss them in with creamy avocados and mangoes and you’ve got a bright, tart and slightly sweet salad that comes together in a matter of minutes.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 orange, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened shredded dried coconut
  1. Whisk together parsley, oil, lime and orange juices, jalapeno, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add mangoes, avocado, and orange and toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
  2. To serve, transfer salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with coconut.

Butter Chicken

Posted on

Butter chicken is ubiquitous on every Indian restaurant menu, but there’s no reason you can’t make it at home. This warming dish is easily made a day ahead and can reheated to be served with rice. I like to serve it with tahdig, sabzi khordan, and torshi on the side for an Indian-Iranian mashup. Trust me, it works.

Ingredients:
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
  1. In a large bowl, stir together the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, cinnamon, and oregano. Add the chicken and turn to coat all the pieces. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, stirring.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, then add the chicken and any leftover spices and sprinkle with the salt. Cook for 5 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through when it releases easily from the pan, then add the crushed tomatoes, butter, coconut milk, bay leaf, and lemon juice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes. Season with additional salt and lemon juice, if desired. Serve warm.