I really, really like mango. Not only does it have a fantastic taste, but the texture is so thick that it can be used for a great many things. That thickness is the reason it’s so adept at smoothie-ing… and at making marinades, dips, and other thick sauce-like items. As per usual, the boyfriend was hungry, I was in the mood to experiment, and thus decided to try out a few things I had been meaning to look into for some time: a curry-marinade and the odd marriage of strawberry cucumber. I had long heard of this myth but was wary- cucumber is such a strong flavour in my opinion, and it’s hard to say what it will happily make off with… and strawberry was not a prime suspect on my list. But you never know until you try, right?

The result was quite nice, on both ends. The marinade was thick and flavourful (long live yellow curry powder and garam masala!) and the salad was fresh fresh fresh! That’s really the only word I can use to describe it. I’ll post the recipes in two pieces here below:

Mango Curry Marinade Grilled Pork Loin

Ingredients (for two people):

• 1/2 lemon’s juice
• 1/8 tsp lemon zest
• 2 mangoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 tsp of paprika, garam masala, and coriander
• 1 tsp yellow mild curry powder
• 1 tsp orange juice, no pulp
• 1.5 tbl low fat sour cream
• 4 pork loin cutlets
• 1 tsp organic canola oil
• pinch sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper

Process:

1. Place lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, coriander, garam masala, curry powder, orange juice, sour cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix together
2. Puree mango in blender or food processor until creamy and smooth. Add to rest of mariande and mix thoroughly.
3. Place pork in bowl and make sure it is fully covered by the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and cool for 30 minutes- preferably longer (overnight will be the most flavourful).
4. Once the marinade has cooled thoroughly, heat grill pan with canola oil drizzled over the pan.
5. Place pork (try to keep as much coating on as possible) in grill pan and grill on all sides, flipping over every 5-6 minutes until grill marks have a golden colour and prok is firm to the touch.
6. Season with freshly-chopped chives or parsley on top for garnish

Fresh Spinach, Cucumber, and Strawberry Salad

Ingredients (salad for two):

• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves (can leave stems on)
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced very thinly (paper-thin)
• 10 dried apricots, quartered
• 2 tbl raspberry dressing or 1.5 tbl balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Process:

1. Clean spinach, drain, and place in large mixing bowl
2. Slice strawberries rather thinly (about 1/4-inch thick) and add to bowl
3. Add thinly-sliced cucumber to bowl along with quartered apricots
4. Drizzle on raspberry dressing or balsamic vinegar and olive oil
5. Toss thoroughly to mix!

It’s a bit of a fusion dish, these two things together, but it’s quite delicious, and very fresh. The heat, though mild, from the curry marinade is offset by the freshness of the salad. Pair these together for an irresistable summer dinner!

This was, without a doubt, the most delicious salad I have ever made. The fact that it was so remains a happy stroke of luck, for I was really just haphazardly putting things together and hoping they would work in conjunction. Thankfully, they did :) and the result was a miracle. The boyfriend took three servings. THREE. Three servings of salad! Miraculous! And our other dinner guest- a friend of mine who is allergic to gluten and has issues with mainy dairy products- took two. I was proud of this accomplishment.

My friend B was joining us so that I could make her a thank-you dinner; she has gifted me so many wonderful kitchen gadgets and I thought that the clear way to say thanks would be to use them for her benefit. B, however, is an impeccable guest to the last, and thus brought yet another gift with her upon arrival… meaning that I’ll just have to have her over again soon :)

Due tu B’s intolerance to gluten, I was looking for a way to add crunch to the salad. I immediately thought, “nut!” and looked about the cupboards. We had some cashews that were sitting about in a jar, and I had some honey-roasted cashews (these are even crunchier!) and thought they would work well. I then began assembling other ingredients and eventually had a nice mix of things put together.

The key to this salad is the warm pear glaze that serves as a dressing. I had prepared some extra virgin olive oil and pear-infused vinegar to use, but they really weren’t needed at all. And happily, the dressing of pear glaze consists of pear… and nothing else, really! Cheers to simplicity and healthiness.

Warm Pear-Glazed Chicken and Cashew Spring Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breases, cleaned
• 1/3 lb spring mix, washed and dried
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup  jumbo black raisins
• 1/2 cup sultanas (to put directly in salad)
• 1/3 cup sultanas (to poach)
• 1 cup honey-toasted cashews
• 1/2 cup whole cashews (normal)
• 1 can Kerns brand pear nectar
• 1 half yellow bell pepper, diced finely
• 1/2 lb baby carrots, sliced thinly
• 1 tbl soy butter
• 1 tsp sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper, coriander, nutmeg

Process:

1. Place spring mix in a large salad bowl. Add in spinach, cranberries, raisins, sultanas (not 1/3 cup for poaching), bell pepper, carrots and toss thoroughly.
2. Chop cashews (both types) together into fairly large chunks; add in to salad and toss again.
3. Place soy butte rin a medium sautee pan. Coat chicken on one side with half of spice mix (salt, pepper, coriander, nutmeg), and place in pan. Once bottom side is seared, flip and season other side. Then flip again.
4. Once both sides are fully seared, add in the 1/3 cup of sultanas and the can of Kerns nectar.
5. Keep heat to medium and flip chicken every 4-5 minutes, moving the sultanas around and placing at times over the chicken. Once the chicken is firm to the touch and the pear nectar has caramelized to a thick, full-bodied consistency, place chicken on a cutting board and roughly chop into very large pieces. Spoon all caramelized pear nectar into the salad bowl.
6. Place chicken onto bowl and toss one last time, making sure to distribute chicken and pear nectar thoroughly.

It’s delicious- trust me. Try it! It’s better warm, though the boyfriend finished the leftovers the next day cold and said it was still very good. Thanks to the sweet pear and honeyed pecans, it has a very sweet taste. “It’s like candy”- B and the boyfriend both agreed. And if you could have candy for salad… wouldn’t you? :)

I had the pleasure of enjoying H’s company for another night of culinary fun on Friday, and what a terrific night it was! We had both seen Giada making frico cups during lunch earlier in the week while watching Food Network and had been entranced by her menu (I’m making a strawberry version of those mini cheesecakes ASAP!) and thus in an Italian mood. The challenge of frico cups seemed too exciting to pass up. We had previously decided on using a salad kit (berries and balsamic salad by Organic Girl) to fill the cups but had thought of adding chicken to the salad. H suggested a seemingly-amazing chicken parmesan recipe by Giada, and we decided to give it a whirl.

The results, I’m glad to say, were fantastic. The frico cups are indeed a difficult thing if for nothing other than the timing. You have to act VERY quickly, as they immediately begin to harden- thus the challenge of makin them into cups requires quick hands and coordination. Also, the glass we used wasn’t tapered, which thus hindered us in the depth of our cups. Lastly, we spread ours too thinly- though the recipe calls for upwards of 4 inches in diameter, ignore it and go smaller. And the courser the grate, the more meshed/cohesive your cup will be. A finer grate will result in more holes in the cup.

The chicken parmesan we followed quite closely to the suggested recipe. We did not add any butter, however, and only used dried herbs (basil, parsley, and rosemary). We also used a ready-made tomato sauce (oregano and basil, by O Organics)- and I inverted the cheese order (parmesan bellow, mozzarella on top). It’s also quite likely that I added more cheese than suggested, as we didn’t measure quantites in this one- same goes for the herbs.

It’s truly delicious. You may not think it would be- but it’s really, really good. I tried a different variation on it this evening to be sure it wasn’t a fluke- seared the herb oil-coated chicken in a sherry reduction with a hint of canola oil, and added even more cheese- and it was as superb as before.

This dish is quick, involves meat (good for your carniverous friends and loved ones!), and truly delicious. There’s no breading or butter, so what are you waiting for? Go make some and see for yourself- this is one of the simplest and most delicious recipes that will have you saying, “I could make this better at home than in the restaurant!”- I know I’m certainly never ordering chicken parmesan again.

The coming of spring means the coming of spring salads… and this one is a healthy yet delicious way to enjoy the flowers and sunshine! I needn’t tell you of spinach’s amazing health benefits- you can speak with Popeye regarding that one- but it’s a terrific base/starter for salads. A few additions make this bright and yummy:

• fresh (not cooked) spinach leaves
• sultanas (golden raisins)
• quartered cherry tomatoes
• garlic-ceasar fat-free salad dressing
• sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

A little flavour can go a long way, and garlic-caesar dressing is a great way to add a big punch of flavour without the fat. Though caesar dressing is usually quite fatty, this garlic one (eating right brand, from Randall’s/Safeway/TomThumb) is punchy, to say the least. And garlic is also terrifically good for you, so what’s not to like? (unless you’re pale and sparkly) Add in sultanas for sweetness and tomatoes for some moisture and you’re set, my friend. Perfect springy lunch!