JoyFoodly

  • About
  • Blog

Joyful 12

enter here

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pear Perfect Korean Chicken Kabobs

Oct 27 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

#1 cover photo pear kabobs

My husband loves to grill. That’s why I gave him the job of coming up with a recipe for our friend’s birthday party “grill off.” That’s right. When there’s celebration that involves a healthy dose of competition + grilling, you know it’s going to be delicious! People rise to the occasion.

#2 pears for chicken pear kabob

With a theme of dishes from around Asia, Jim got to work on a flavorful marinade using all things he adores and a little help from his diligent internet search: ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic. And just like any great partnership, he asked me for my two cents. My suggestion was to throw in something unusual since this was a competition after all.

#3 side shot pear chix kabobs #4 overhead shot pear chix kabobs

Pears are the perfect addition to a blended marinade. From what we later read in articles like this one I love from The Kitchn, pear juice is often used by Korean cooks as a tenderizer and sweet flavor enhancer. Assuming that many of our “bros” at the party would go big time meat centric, we opted for chicken in the form of a beautiful yellow pepper, onion, and perfect pear chicken kabob. It was a HIT. We even won a little trophy, but don’t take my word for it. Fire up that grill before the snow comes and take a little Korean BBQ adventure with pears this fall.

#5 final shot pear chix kabobs

Pear Perfect Korean Chicken Kabobs
2015-10-21 21:53:31
Serves 4
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. Pear, 1
  2. White onion, 1/2
  3. Garlic, 4 cloves
  4. Tamari (gluten free soy sauce), 2 tablespoons
  5. Brown sugar, 2 tablespoons
  6. Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon
  7. Ginger (fresh), approximately 2 teaspoons
  8. Skinless boneless chicken breasts, 3, medium sized cubes
  9. Red onion, 1, medium pieces
  10. Yellow Bell Pepper, 1, medium dice
  11. Wooden skewers, 10
Prep
  1. Place the chopped pear (skin on), white onion, garlic, tamari, brown sugar, sesame oil, and ginger in a blender and pulse until smooth to make the pear marinade.
  2. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes while preheating the grill. Soak wooden skewers in a bowl of water while chicken is marinating.
To make kabobs
  1. Alternate the marinated chicken cubes, thick slices of red onion, and medium diced yellow bell pepper.
  2. Grill for 10-12 minutes over medium high heat, rotating the skewers to sear all sides.
By my husband, Jim
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, fall, grill, pears

Chicken Tagine: Cooking Like a True Moroccan

Jul 13 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

7-13 #1 cover shot for chicken tagine

If you can make a pot roast, you can make chicken tagine. Believe me when I say that Moroccan cooking is as easy to learn and embrace as our own favorite one-pot family meals. At least, that’s what I learned from my cooking class with Chef Tarik Ait Yahya at Atelier De Cuisine, an organic farm and cooking school just outside of Marrakech, Morocco, this past June.

7-13 hollie and chef tarik cooking class

I’d admit it. At first I was skeptical of this prearranged cooking class. If you’re nodding your head with me now, then I know for sure you’ve done the cheesy holiday cooking class. As a chef, I’m always entertained, but generally, I find them dull and very hands-off. Not this time. We literally got our hands dirty.

7-13 photo by chef tarik photo provided by Atelier de Cuisine

But before I dive into the organic garden where we picked our produce, or the village walk, or fresh bread making or the various recipes we made, first let me paint the scene for you. Take a seat. Imagine you’re sitting down on a very colorful Berber carpet. Take your shoes off. First, there will be a tea lesson with our tea master, Hassan.

7-8 #15 hassan pouring tea

If you didn’t catch my post from last week, you’ll find that this was one of the six reasons I fell in love with Moroccan cuisine and culture. Not only did Hassan serve us one of the most elegant teas I tasted while visiting Morocco, but he also taught us the six essential steps to making delicious mint tea…

  1. Add loose leaf green tea to a small tea pot. For 3-4 people, about 3 teaspoons.
  2. Add hot (basically lightly simmering) water mid-way up the pot.
  3. Put the pot back on the charcoal (or in our case the burner) for about 4 minutes or until it boils. Take it off the heat at this point.
  4. Add your herbs (mint primarily but you can also use lemon verbena, lemon grass, absinthe, sage, or marjoram as well), plus sugar (about 3 cubes). The sugar keeps the mint from turning black and “burning.”
  5. Do not use a spoon to mix! The Moroccan way it to pour a glass; then pour that glass back into the pot on top, which helps mix up the tea. Do this several times to get a good but gentle mix. Check on one of the last pours that you’re getting good bubbles when you pour the tea. Hassan says that means the sugar has melted.
  6. Hold the pot close to the glass and then get higher and higher away until you’ve poured a frothy cup of tea (big foam!). And say, “bisaha” as you toast your friends, which means “good health” in arabic!

7-13 bread shot 1 7-13 bread shot 2

Atelier de Cuisine, Jardin Potager Bio, was started by Chef Tarik Harabida, a culinary veteran with 27 years in the industry. He had a dream of teaching visitors how delicious and healthy his cuisine was by bringing them to a self-sustaining organic vegetable garden where they could pick their ingredients, work as a team, and learn the fundamentals (with a modern twist or two) of cooking like a true Moroccan at home. What I love most about this organic teaching farm and cooking school is that it gives women of the village sustainable work–making local cheeses and breads served at the class, among other ways they support one another.

7-8 #1 cover photo option 2

What made our class truly memorable was the way our teacher, Tarik Ait Yahya, made us feel confident that we could master his cuisine by breaking it down into 4 easy-to-remember spice combinations. That was all we needed to know for the day to master the recipes we’d be making. Wait for it. You will fall off your chair when you hear this. Chicken tagine with preserved lemons and green olive has only two dried spices in the recipe besides salt and pepper. Can you guess what they are?!!

7-13 the two spices in chicken tagine

No, it’s not cumin or paprika or cinnamon or sumac. Ginger and turmeric–even I can remember that combo–is all you need! Well, of course we also flavored our dish with diced onion, fresh lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper. And it works. How do I know it wasn’t just a crazy vacation memory? I tested the recipe this week in my home kitchen. To the best of my vacation memory it went like this…

7-13 #2 ingredients for tagine

First the chicken goes into the tagine. Don’t make the mistake I did back at home and ignore Tarik’s suggestion to use a mix of pieces. Go for dark meat cuts + the breast. Dark meat is where the flavor’s at ya’ll.

7-13 #3 building the tagine

Then, you top it with your diced red onion, minced garlic, lemon juice, spices, and a few heaping pinches of cilantro and parsley.

7-13 #4 finishing touches

And as I shared last week, make it look beautiful since Moroccans eat with their eyes first, by topping it with your preserved lemon slices, olives, and a little sprig of parsley.

7-13 #5 finished tagine

In just 45 minutes, without fuss or stress, you’ve got a succulent and tender chicken tagine that’s oozing with flavors that make you feel like you’re on a Mediterranean island (and in our case in Morocco, with sweltering heat)! The dish is sublime as is, or you can serve a simple couscous on the side to sop up all of those succulent juices at the bottom of the tagine.

7-13 #6 side of couscous

And of course, if we’re really cooking like true Moroccans, there will be plenty of beautiful vegetable sides to complement our meaty dish. But I’ve got to save some of this deliciousness for my post next week when I’ll be sharing Tarik’s favorite Moroccan summer salad of charred green peppers and juicy summer tomatoes.

 

Chef Tarik’s Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine
2015-07-07 13:49:49
Serves 4
Adapted slightly (based on my memory) from the original recipe we learned from Chef Tarik Ait Yahya at Atelier de Cuisine outside Marrakech, Morocco
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. Chicken (skinless), four pieces of white and dark meat
  2. Red onion, 1
  3. Ground ginger, 1 tsp.
  4. Turmeric, 1 tsp.
  5. Salt, approximately ¼ tsp.
  6. Black pepper, ¼ tsp.
  7. Lemon juice from 1 lemon
  8. Garlic, 2 cloves
  9. Olive oil, 3 TBS.
  10. Cilantro, ¼ cup
  11. Parsley, ¼ cup
  12. Preserved lemon, 1
  13. Green olives, ½ cup
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
  2. Wash all produce.
  3. Dice onion and set aside.
  4. Mince garlic and place into a small bowl with the juice of the lemon.
  5. Rough chop cilantro and parsley, and measure out the spices, and salt and pepper into a bowl.
  6. Rinse preserved lemon under water to remove excess salt. Then cut into quarters and remove pulp, keeping the peel only.
  7. Drain olives from their juice.
Cook
  1. Place chicken into tagine first (meat side up).
  2. Top with red onions.
  3. Pour lemon juice and minced garlic on top.
  4. Sprinkle fresh herbs, olive oil and spices next over the top.
  5. Lastly, top with the preserved lemons and olives. You can add a few extra sprigs of parsley on top.
  6. Over medium low heat, cook for about 10 minutes. Remove cover and flip chicken pieces over to ensure they’re getting heat on all sides. Add about ¼ cup water and mix together.
  7. Continue cooking over low heat for another 35 minutes. About mid-way through this cooking time, flip and baste chicken again with the accumulated juices in the tagine.
  8. Enjoy served alongside your favorite preparation of couscous and moroccan salads. To the top of our couscous, we’ve added some caramelized onion and about ¼ cup of rehydrated yellow raisins I cooked in a pinch each of cinnamon, cayenne, sugar and water--for a little extra fun.
Cooking note
  1. When we tested this dish back in my home kitchen, we made the mistake of only using two bone-in chicken breasts. Our tagine is quite small, and this fit perfectly. However, I’d always advise a mixture of dark and white meat to provide maximum flavor for this dish. Next time, I’ll be going for 4-6 chicken thighs vs. two chicken breasts. Dark meat has more flavor! In addition, really watch the amount of salt you put in your dish. Preserved lemons and olives are full of salt and flavor, without the need to add salt to this dish.
Cooking equipment
  1. If you do not have a tagine, you can use a Dutch Oven. The conical shape of the tagine allows for moisture to circulate in a way that creates a deep flavor and holds the moisture in the meat. However, this is just a low and slow cooking method, which a dutch oven can handle well, as it holds a nice seal and conducts heat evenly.
By Chef Tarik
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Joyful Updates Tagged With: chicken, dinner, favorites, gluten free, Morocco, summer

Healthy Homemade Fast Food

Sep 11 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

Who doesn’t love comfort food? Crunchy chicken, crispy potatoes, and tacos have a way of firing our pleasure centers when we’re tired, hungry, and just plain not in the mood to cook! Even chefs won’t cook a big dinner after a long day on their feet. They go straight for pleasure foods that are fast. So can you. This week, I’ve got three fast recipes you can throw together that your whole family will love that you can feel great about making fast.

9-11 post chicken-tenders

I used to think chicken fingers were only for kids. I created this recipe while teaching teens in New York City, and now even my husband requests this recipe from time to time. The trick with my Buttermilk Parmesan Chicken Tenders is high heat, parmesan cheese mixed in with the gluten free breadcrumbs for extra flavor, and the acid in the buttermilk that makes the chicken extra moist. These are great with my homemade honey mustard dressing or on top of my Strawberry Kissed Spinach Salad.

Post 9-11 purple paiche fish tacos

Fish tacos in 35 minutes? Oh, yes! When I was asked by Whole Foods Market’s Northern California team to create a fun recipe for families that used a fish called Paiche, I dug deep into my playful toolbox to come up with these simple, yet so delicious baked fish tacos. The trick is that we roll the tacos in an avocado coating and then through some crushed blue corn tortilla chips before they bake for 10 minutes in the oven. If you thought fish sticks were your only fast fish option, this recipe will help you think again!

On our dinner table, there’s always a protein, and at least two vegetables. One of those is almost always roasted, since that’s a quick and very satisfying way to work in a starchy veggie that will cure our savory cravings. This fall, I created a new take on the roasted potato with my Rosemary Roasted Celery Root and Red Potatoes for my Joyful 12 Kitchen Learning Lab. If you have never tried celery root, this recipe is a great one to get you started and you can make it in 25 minutes end-to-end.

Rosemary Roasted Celery Root and Red Potatoes
2014-09-10 11:43:44
Serves 4
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. celery roots, 2
  2. red potatoes, 4
  3. olive oil, 2 tablespoons
  4. salt, ½ teaspoon
  5. garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon
  6. rosemary (fresh), 2 big sprigs
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
  2. Wash all produce. Celery roots are especially dirty. Be sure to wash them well and when removing their outer skin with a knife, you may need to rinse them again after peeling off their dirty outer skin.
  3. Preheat oven to 450F.
  4. Peel celery root, cut into two halves, and cut each half into 3 planks of medium thickness. Then cut each plank into 3 equal sized pieces.
  5. With the skin on, cut red potatoes into six even pieces, by cutting them into halves and then cutting each half into three wedges.
  6. Tear needles off of rosemary stem and rough chop into smaller pieces.
  7. Toss celery roots and potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt, rosemary and garlic powder.
Cook
  1. Spread out celery roots and potatoes on a parchment lined cookie sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping them over about half way through the cooking time, to allow both sides to brown.
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, fall, fish, gluten free, nut free, spring, summer, veggie, winter

Strawberry Kissed Chicken Spinach Salad

May 19 by Chef Hollie Greene 1 Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

spinach salad

JoyFoodly has recently partnered with Whole Foods Market in Northern California to help families gets more seasonal fruits and vegetables into their diets. The ‘Now in Season’ program at Whole Foods will feature one seasonal produce pick every month, and JoyFoodly is creating fun family recipes with those fruits and veggies. This month strawberries are in season, and we’re diving into their sweet berry flavors on a savory salad your whole family will love.

What is your all time favorite salad you order when eating out? Does it have just the right balance of sweet and savory notes and gives you that crunchy comfort food feel? Is it so satisfying that the bacon burger sitting on your friend’s plate doesn’t even cross your mind? With strawberries at their peak of juicy sweetness, I’m honoring their perfection in this restaurant quality salad that you can make for your family at home.

What I adore about this salad is that it truly hits all the pleasure notes and is so easy to assemble. The creamy and tangy goat cheese balances the sweet strawberry vinaigrette. The perfectly moist chicken breasts add that filling, meaty flavor packed in their lean protein package. And as a Southern raised chef, I of course had to throw in some crunchy pecans.

salad-dressing
salad

To get started on the salad we included a short technique video that shows how to make a perfectly moist chicken breast every time. Once you taste the strawberry vinaigrette you may want to use the leftovers to top all sorts of foods, especially our homemade Buttermilk Parmesan Baked Crispy Chicken Fingers!

Make sure you check out our last video on how to prep strawberries!

Strawberry Kissed Spinach Pecan Salad with our Best-Ever Moist Chicken
2014-05-17 23:38:24
Serves 4
topped with Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Salad Ingredients
  1. Strawberries (fresh), 16 oz. container
  2. Pecans, 1 cup
  3. Spinach, 6 cups (or 1 bag)
  4. Goat Cheese, plain, 5 oz
  5. Chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, 2
  6. Olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons
  7. Salt, 1-2 teaspoons
Sweet Strawberry Vinaigrette
  1. Champagne vinegar, 2 TBS
  2. Agave, 3 TBS
  3. Strawberries, 1 cup (approximately 4 large strawberries from the 16 oz container)
  4. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp
  5. Poppy seeds, 1/2 tsp
  6. Salt, ¼ tsp
  7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, ¼ cup
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
  2. Take your chicken breasts out of the refrigerator and set aside while you get your other ingredients prepped.
  3. Make the salad dressing: measure the strawberry vinaigrette ingredients, place them in a blender and pulse until combined.
  4. Wash and cut the remaining strawberries into any size you like (slice, quarter, etc).
  5. Wash and dry spinach.
  6. Crumble goat cheese and set aside.
Cook
  1. Use our 6 step method for perfectly seared chicken breasts. Substitution note: a fast substitution would be to use the breast meat from a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken!
  2. On both sides: dry off raw chicken breasts with paper towels, sprinkle with a pinch of salt (about 1 teaspoon each) and drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto both sides of chicken (about 1 tablespoon each).
  3. Juice 2 lemons: about ½ cup liquid.
  4. Get out an aluminum sauté pan and turn your flame on medium high heat (no oil in pan).
  5. Place the chicken breast down (rounded side down) in hot pan. If you wiggle it a little when you put it in the pan, it will keep it from sticking. Do NOT touch it for 3 minutes.
  6. Flip chicken over in pan; turn heat on low; add your liquid and place thyme branches on top of chicken; cover with lid and set timer for 12 minutes to cook on low.
  7. When the 12-minute timer buzzes, take off the lid, remove chicken and let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting or serving.
  8. Layer your salad jars in the order you like, alternating the fruit, spinach, chicken, goat cheese and pecans.
  9. Enjoy each salad jar with a few tablespoons of strawberry vinaigrette. Save the rest of the dressing for another salad night! It’s so good you’ll want to put it on everything.
  10. If you are not using jars, just mix all ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with dressing just before serving.
TASTY TIP…for a simple pan sauce
  1. While your chicken is resting, turn the heat back up on high to reduce the leftover liquid in the pan. After it has reduced down to a thicker consistency, turn the heat on low and whisk in a tablespoon of butter and a pinch of black pepper. Check for seasoning. Enjoy over slices of your moist chicken breasts!
How to cut your moist chicken to make it tender
  1. The best way to cut any meat is against its natural grain. This will help the meat melt in your mouth!
Liquid + spice options to inspire your own creative concoctions
  1. Juice and zest of 1-2 oranges and a pinch of curry powder
  2. Juice and zest of 1-2 lemons and fresh rosemary
  3. Juice and zest of 1-2 limes and a pinch of cumin powder
  4. ½ cup of white wine with some fresh thyme
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dairy, gluten free, greens, pecan, salad, spinach, strawberry, summer, video

Buttermilk Parmesan Baked Crispy Chicken Fingers

Apr 24 by Chef Hollie Greene 3 Comments

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

parmesan-chicken

Chicken fingers have a really bad rap. But let’s face it, they taste pretty darn good or else kids wouldn’t be so addicted to eating them! I’ve got a joyful spin on this kid food favorite that will have the adults in your family going back for seconds, and maybe even thirds.

What makes the chicken nugget so darn irresistible? For me, as a Southern gal, it’s the crunchy breading and buttery grease that coats my fingers, bringing back childhood nostalgia. Even today, chefs around the country play with their own takes on fried chicken because they know people crave such greasy guilty pleasures.

honey mustard sauce

But does food that tastes so good have to be associated with guilt? I know that parents struggle to just get dinner on the table some nights without family battles around what is served versus what kids are willing to eat. My philosophy is to meet kids somewhere in the middle. Give them a comforting favorite with a healthier take that doesn’t skimp on flavor and fun.

This moist and crunchy baked gluten free chicken finger not only lives up to my fried chicken standards, but it will meet your own busy schedule requirements. You’ll be able to get that family meal on the dinner table quickly and still feel great about what you’ve prepared to nourish your loved ones. So let’s get to dippin’ and skip the guilt tonight!

If you’re looking for a great kid friendly veggie to pair with these chicken fingers, don’t miss our Curly Whirly Asparagus Salad, which is made from the same dipping sauce with just a slight modification.

cooking chicken
chicken tenders

Gluten Free Buttermilk Parmesan Baked Crispy Chicken Fingers With a Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
2014-04-10 19:03:51
Serves 4
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 2 cups nonfat buttermilk
  3. 12 chicken tenders (approximately 1.5 lbs)
  4. ½ teaspoon salt
  5. 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  6. 1 cup gluten free seasoned bread crumbs
Honey Mustard Dip
  1. 5 tablespoons honey
  2. 3 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
  3. 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a large baking sheet.
  3. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat and marinate for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Stir the Parmesan and breadcrumbs in a bowl.
  5. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
  6. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes (depending on size and thickness of tenders). We like to flip them mid-way through cooking to brown both sides. You can sprinkle the ½ teaspoon salt on top when they come out of the oven. This is a personal choice. We think they are pretty tasty as is!
  7. For the honey mustard dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dairy, dinner, fall, gluten free, lunch, nut free, spring, summer, winter

Visual Recipe: Tarragon Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Casserole

Oct 9 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

casserole

On a cold fall night, who doesn’t love a casserole? We created this one pot meal for families who need a little comfort with their dose of good health on a weekday night. The wild and brown rice give this casserole a wonderful, nutty taste and texture, which pair beautifully with the creamy tarragon chicken and mushrooms and their cheesy rich topping.  We enjoy this casserole with a simple butter lettuce salad dressed with our family friendly measure-and-shake homemade salad dressing. Voila! Dinner is served.

casserole-pairing

  • casserole-visual
  • ingredients
  • step2
  • step3
  • step4
  • step5
  • quicktipstep5
  • step6
  • step7_8
  • step9

 View Recipe

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dairy, dinner, fall, gluten free, mushroom, nut free, peas, winter

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Aug 28 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

roastedchicken

I can remember a time when handling a whole raw chicken totally freaked me out. Fast forward through culinary school training and I discovered that I loved working with all kinds of meats. The chicken was no exception. I felt liberated when I knew how to cook my own whole bird vs. buying the old, sad dried up ones that had sat in a warming incubator for who knows how long.

I’d like to share this easy, family friendly method with you. Never feel bad if for convenience you need to pick up an already roasted chicken on-the-go, but when you do have a little extra time, count on our method to make this juicy, cost effective bird that you can use for multiple leftover meals like our curried chicken quinoa salad!

roastchicken-tto

View Recipe

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, fall, meat, nut free, paleo, spring, summer, winter

25 Minute Meal: Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Parsley Potatoes and Spicy Roasted Green Beans

Aug 15 by Chef Hollie Greene 2 Comments

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

25minutemeal

This family meal is a surefire winner, playing off a kid favorite, chicken nuggets. In only twenty-five minutes, we’ve got some multitasking and time-saving tips to help you prepare this balanced family meal, without the guilt of serving processed foods to make your family happy. We deliver that crunchy, familiar chicken with a side of comforting buttery parsley potatoes and crispy, spicy roasted green beans using gluten free products and healthier cooking methods you’ll feel great about. Let’s get started!

The 25 minute break-down:

Here’s how you can multitask this recipe, cooking several things simultaneously to get it all ready and on the dinner table in 25 minutes.

  • visual_recipe
  • prep
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • cook
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
View Recipe

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: appetizer, chicken, dinner, fall, gluten free, green beans, meat, nut free, potato, side dish, summer

Summery Bright Yogurt-Curry Chicken

Jul 31 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

currychicken

After a long day of work, routines, and schedules, slide ever so gently into this one pot family meal that will leave you feeling comforted and nourished. We use the best colors, sweet flavors and textures of summer in this dish, but you can make it year-round substituting frozen peas and corn and your own fresh, favorite seasonal vegetables.

A plan ahead tip is to cook a big batch of brown rice on a Saturday or Sunday and use it throughout the week, whether with this curry or with a nice and quick bean and rice burrito or fun stir-fry. We also use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this dish, which cook quickly but have more flavor than a chicken breast. We like to leave the cherry tomatoes whole for ease of prep and for those family members who may want to easily dig them out! This dish is even more flavorful the next day as a snack, healthy lunch, or reheat meal. It will become a rotation favorite!

How to involve the kids:

  • Let your kids smell the curry powder before putting it into the pot; ask them if they can tell a difference between smelling the dry curry powder vs. when you start to heat it in the pan.
  • Have your kids help you measure out the ingredients and get them ready for you.
  • Get out a pair of clean scissors and have them cut the cilantro into small pieces, over a bowl. Remind them of safety with their fingers and the scissors.
  • Ask your child to help you stir in the yogurt one spoonful at a time. 
  • As you put individual servings of the dish over brown rice, ask your child if they want to sprinkle some of the beautiful cilantro they just cut over the plate to make it pretty and taste great.
  • currychicken2
  • ingredients
  • ingredients2
  • ingredients3
  • step1
  • step2
  • step3
  • step4
  • step5
  • step6
  • step7
  • step8
  • step9
  • step10
  • step11

View Recipe

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, corn, dairy, dinner, gluten free, green beans, lunch, meat, nut free, summer, tomato

Curried Chicken Quinoa Salad

Jul 16 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

curried chicken

Whenever I visit a deli that has curried chicken salad, I always go for this sweet and savory dish, whether it’s to top a salad or stuff a sandwich. While working with the Novato Unified School District in California, I created this dish to excite teens with a menu option that felt more upscale deli than school food cafeteria. It not only tasted great but was a really healthy source of grains, protein and fresh fruits and veggies. This dish is great on top of lettuce, stuffed in a pita pocket, or eaten atop crackers as a snack.

Get the kids involved:  

  1. Ask your child to help you make the yogurt curry sauce. Let them smell the curry and and tell them that curry is a mixture of all kinds of yummy spices from far away lands. Let them dip their finger in the honey. That way, they’ll know this is going to be a sweet sauce they’ll like.
  2. Have them help you measure the cranberries. Let them have a taste of one. You can ask them to be your “quality control” checker! 
  3. Have them try some celery before you toss it in. We like to make sure the kiddos know everything that goes into a dish, so that when they see it on their plates, they already know that the dish has all the yummy things they like inside.
  4. When it’s time to try the curried chicken quinoa, ask your child how they want to eat it: on top of one of their favorite crackers, in a pita pocket, or stuffed in a lettuce leaf. This way, your child is part of the decision making around their food, but they are choosing from three healthy options.
  • currychicken-visual-recipe
  • ingredients
  • step1
  • step2
  • step3
  • step4
  • step4b
  • step5
  • optional
  • Enjoy

View Recipe

Filed Under: Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dairy, dinner, fall, gluten free, green onions, lunch, meat, nut free, quinoa, salad, side dish, spring, summer

Hey, I’m Chef Hollie!

Here at JoyFoodly we help families joyfully eat more fruits and veggies each season. I am passionate about helping parents feel good about the food they feed their kids.

Learn more about JoyFoodly

Search Our Site

Explore The Joyful Blog

by Season

Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring

by Meal

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Appetizers, Dessert, Sides, Soups, Salads, Meatless Monday

Our Favorites

Videos

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Official Meatless Monday Blogger
HeartofMarin 2016 Nominee
  • Home
  • Joyful 12
  • About
  • Our People
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Blog
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

The information on this website is designed for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information found on this website to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare providers (such as a pediatric dietitian) with any questions regarding a medical condition, nutritional issue or any eating/feeding problem.