Curried Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I've been making lettuce wraps often lately because they're easy to make, and you can make tons to last you for a few days. If you are on the low-carb diet, this is a good dish, too.

Fun to eat. Healthy, too.

"Just a bite, please?"

Curried Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 head of iceberg lettuce
1 lb ground chicken
1 can water chestnuts 8oz, diced small
1 can bamboo shoots 8oz, diced small
1 clove garlic
2 mini bell peppers, diced
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp honey, optional
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 lemon, squeezed
2 green onion, chopped
Handful cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

They add a nice crunch to the dish.

In a skillet, heat sesame oil and cook ground chicken and brown. Toss in chestnuts, bamboo shoots, diced peppers and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add salt, pepper, curry powder, fish sauce and oyster sauce. At the last minute, add green onion and fresh lemon juice. Turn off the heat and add cilantro. Wrap the chicken mixture with a piece of lettuce and serve.

Brown the chicken. Tastes better.

I'm almost out!  

Probably the only time I buy iceberg lettuce is for this dish.

Voila!

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Braised Great Northern Beans with Rosemary

Have you been to Zoe's Kitchen? They have a great side dish with white beans with rosemary. I'm not usually the girl for beans because they often feel too starchy for me, but their's is really tasty. I tried to make it at home.

Braised Great Northern Beans with Rosemary

1 can Great Northern beans
1 can chicken broth, low sodium is better
1 Tbsp olive oil for sautéing, more for topping
1/4 onion, diced finely
1 clove garlic, minced
Lots of fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Use reduced sodium broth.
When you reduce the liquid, it may get too salty otherwise.

In a medium sauce pan, sauté onions and garlic until they are soft. Drain beans and add to the pan with bay leaf and chopped rosemary. Add chicken broth and turn the heat to high to reduce the liquid. When the liquid is almost gone, add more fresh rosemary, lemon zest and lemon juice. Turn off the heat. Plate it in a bowl and top it with olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Magic is happening!

Reduce down the liquid.

Lemon zest takes it up a notch.

Top it with good olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Mr. Bean

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Kale Strawberry and Pecan Salad

Strawberries are getting sweeter. Good time to make a salad using fresh strawberries.

Eating and feeling well

Kale Strawberry and Pecan Salad

4 cups cut kale
1/2 cup strawberry, cut in bite sizes
2 Tbsp chopped pecan
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

In a big bowl, add kale, olive oil and salt and massage until kale is slightly welted. Toss in cut strawberries and chopped pecan. Add Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar and toss until everything is well-coated.

This tastes so good. I hope you can try it out.

Just crush them in your hand.

Kale is welted just enough by massaging.

Sweet strawberries and Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe's flavor the salad really well. You don't need any special seasonings! Easy!

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Good Morning Smoothie

I've been trying to get back to the low carbs/sugar diet, but it's been challenging. At least I can start my day right with a nutritious smoothie.

Good Morning Smoothie

1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup frozen blueberry
1 banana
1 apple
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
Handful parsley
1/3 cucumber

Combine all and blend until smooth. Very hydrating, alkalizing, and filling smoothie. And did I mention delicious?

My hubby came home from work yesterday with flowers. I love it when he surprises me with flowers. He added, "And I didn't do anything bad." 

How sweet!

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Azaleas on Parade

Ahh, spring! As long as I don't have to be outside suffering from the pollen, it's my favorite season. Flowers are popping up everywhere. Our yard is full of azaleas right now. 

My personal fave: George Tabor Azalea.

"I see something hiding back here."

Our neighbor's azaleas. Gorgeous!

Not much happening in my planters with shishito peppers and shiso leaves. It's been a bit cold the last couple of days. I hope they sprout this week. I just like that moment of discovery when something new happens in the planters.

I'm waiting!

Chinese Lolopetalum in our backyard

Photobombed by Kona

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Chopped Liver

There is only a few times that chopped liver is available at Whole Foods. Easter/Passover is one of them. I like how they season it. So when I had a chance to go there yesterday, I grabbed it. I buy a small package of their chopped liver and add a few things to it at home.

Chopped Liver

1 package of chopped liver from Whole Foods. I used just half of the package, and saved the other half in the freezer.
1 Tbsp cognac, I used Hennessy. Use the best you have on shelf.
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Sprinkles of onion and garlic powder
Sprinkles of cumin
A dash of worcestershire sauce 
A dash of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine everything and mix together. Serve it with your choice of crackers or vegetables. Mmm!

I put away half of the packaged chopped liver in the freezer.

Lemon and hard-boiled eggs

Bring out the the best you've got.

I used plain pita chips this time.
Makes a pretty good spread for a sandwich, too.

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Anniversary in the Bahamas

Last couple of weeks have been kind of hectic, and I almost forgot to mention our trip to the Bahamas for our 10th wedding anniversary. 

The water is crystal clear.

Cruise ships are docked right next to the hotel.

The beach is private. Not crowded at all.

We stayed at the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau. The cruise ships were docked right by the hotel. But the beach was a private beach exclusively for the hotel guests. So we still felt secluded. Nice.

Hey, that's my 007!

You gotta have conch salad while in the Bahamas.

Yah, man!

British Colonial Hilton used to be a fort.
We were asked if we saw a ghost. We didn't.

Café Martinique for our anniversary dinner.

We were just there for two days, but it was a memorable trip. We may go back there longer the next time! 


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