Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Mole

Even though mole is typically high in fat, it's one of my favorite Mexican dishes. Given my sweet tooth, that’s not surprising: Mole incorporates cocoa powder and sugar. My husband was reluctant to try my take on mole, because his mother and aunts prepared mole that was more sweet than spicy. Here, I’ve eliminated nearly all of the fat, and struck a balance between sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, so both my husband and I can enjoy mole.

I'm sharing this recipe with you this week so you'll have time to prepare it for any Cinco de Mayo celebrations you're planning, but it's a terrific recipe for any time of the year. !Buen provecho!

Slow Cooker Chicken Mole

Ingredients:

1 (1 ½ ounce) package dried pasilla, mulato, or ancho chiles

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar substitute
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 pound frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (see Cook's Notes)

Directions:

Remove stems from chiles, if necessary. Combine chiles and tomato sauce in blender. Puree until chiles are integrated into sauce.

Pour sauce into slow cooker. Add cornmeal, cocoa powder, sugar substitute, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, and cloves, and stir to combine. Place chicken on top of sauce.

Cook on LOW for 6 – 8 hours (do NOT cook on HIGH!), or until chicken is cooked through.

Cook's Notes:


Although mole is usually plated and served with side dishes, I think it's delish in corn tortillas with just a sprinkle of queso blanco. When I prepare it this way, I use frozen chicken breasts, then shred the meat with two forks. It's not as visually appealing as tenderloins, but it's more cost-effective.

Recipe: Vietnamese Swai

This recipe is a melding of two Vietnamese favorites: Ca Chien Sot Ca Chua is a recipe for fried fish, which is then simmered in a seasoned tomato sauce. Nuoc Cham is a popular Vietnamese condiment. To save time and healthy up the recipe, here swai is poached in a tomato-based broth seasoned with made-from-scratch nuoc cham. The end result is a flavorful fish dish that, in typical Asian style, melds sweet, spicy, savory, salty, and sour flavors.

If you can't find Vietnamese fish sauce (widely available at Asian markets), any fish sauce (or even soy sauce) can be used to replace it, but it won't have quite the same authenticity. I serve this dish with orzo, but you can serve it as-is, with noodles, or with rice, as desired. I like it served in a bowl with orzo; it turns out like a thick stew. I like to think of it as comfort food, Vietnamese-style!

Ingredients:

2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar (or sugar substitute)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground peppercorn mix
1 pound swai
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Combine tomatoes, fish sauce, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, sugar, red pepper flakes, and peppercorn mix in a large skillet. Add swai and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fish flakes easily. Add green onions and cilantro, and stir to combine, breaking up fish into bite-sized pieces.

Recipe: Salmon in Pineapple Curry

I get a kick out of finding intriguing recipes, then changing them up to make them either healthier, quicker and easier to prepare, or both. In this particular recipe, I changed up a recipe for Pineapple Curry Tofu, which I found in a "Las Vegas Chefs Healthy Recipe Book," and made it quicker and easier to prepare.

I've also changed up the seasonings a little, as the original recipe called for tofu, which I replaced it with salmon. Because salmon has a more assertive flavor, I amped up the other flavors in the dish, too.

When I made this recipe last week, I served it on egg noodles, and its overall appearance worked well. If you prefer to serve it on brown rice, spaghetti, or just by itself on the plate, I suggest switching out the crushed pineapple for chunk or sliced pineapple (choose a sugar-free pineapple so you can use the juice). Or, omit the canned pineapple altogether, and replace it with pineapple juice.

Salmon in Pineapple Curry

Ingredients:

8 ounces egg noodles (optional)
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons Sriracha (or other hot sauce)
1 pound salmon
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Directions:

If using, prepare egg noodles according to manufacturer's directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine pineapple, tomatoes, coconut milk, onion, bell pepper, garlic, curry, and Sriracha in large skillet. Add salmon. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and cook until salmon is cooked through.

If desired, break up salmon. Add lime juice and cilantro and stir well to combine. Or, leave salmon intact. Drizzle with lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro as a garnish.

Recipe: Cinnamon-Chipotle Rub

Two summers ago, my husband found a new rub for chicken at the grocery store, and tried it out on boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I was immediately smitten with the rub's intriguing combination of sweet cinnamon and spicy chipotle, which married perfectly with the savory richness of chicken thighs.

Unfortunately, the first ingredient was salt. Just two teaspoons of the rub contained 500 milligrams (21% DV) of sodium! If you've taken "Luscious," you know I don't use salt in cooking, and I choose lower-sodium options whenever I can.

So, after a bit of experimenting, I developed my own salt-free cinnamon-chipotle rub. It offers all the flavor intrigue of the original--without providing all the sodium. (I didn't include maltodextrin, vinegar solids, or modified corn starch, either.) My taste testers unanimously preferred my version to the original, noting "I can taste the flavors instead of mostly just salt."

Spicy Cinnamon-Chipotle Rub

This recipe is on the spicy side. If you prefer your meals mild-not-wild, reduce the amount of chipotle chili pepper powder. 

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute, such as Splenda
6 tablespoons ground paprika
2 tablespoons chipotle chili pepper powder
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
5 dashes fresh-ground peppercorn mix

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and mix well. Makes enough rub for 6 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Recipe: Spicy Chipotle Hummus

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted a recipe, because I've been busy experimenting with hummus. Hummus is incredibly versatile. It makes a delicious dip for raw veggies, and because fresh fruits and veggies are scarce this time of year, hummus is a wonderfully high-fiber way to encourage my family to enjoy more carrots and cucumbers. Hummus is also a fun spread for leftover turkey sandwiches, or a yummy topping for Mediterranean recipes. And, of course, it's a perfect pairing with pita chips for a healthy, hearty chips-and-dip snack while you enjoy the end of the football season!

Hummus is also versatile from a flavor standpoint. I've added all sorts of different add-ins to create all sorts of different flavor profiles. I tried roasted red peppers with basil and rosemary; extra garlic with basil and oregano; artichoke hearts and tarragon; and jalapenos and avocado, and they're all delish. However, this particular variation disappears almost as soon as I make it!

Two quick notes: First, we love garlic. If you're not quite as passionate about garlic as we are, I suggest reducing the garlic to 1/4 cup. I amp up the garlic, in part, because I don't use salt, which is a classic ingredient in hummus. If you back down on the garlic, you may want to add in a teaspoon of salt. Second, you can easily omit the chipotle powder, and either enjoy your hummus plain, or experiment with other add-in ingredients.

Either way, don't forget to come back and tell us what you try and how it turns out! As they say in the Middle East, Bil-hana wa ash-shifa! (May you have your meal with gladness and health!

Spicy Chipotle Hummus

Ingredients:

2 (15.5) ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, if desired
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup tahini, olive oil, or canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle chili pepper (or 1 1/2 teaspoons for a less-spicy hummus)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor. Process until hummus reaches desired smoothness. (I've had hummus that still had noticeable chunks of chickpeas; or, the consistency may be absolutely smooth, like whipped mashed potatoes.) Hummus may be served immediately, but the flavor is better if refrigerated overnight.

Cook's Note: When I started making hummus, I used tahini, which you can find in your grocer's Middle Eastern food section or at most health food or specialty food stores. Tahini is the oil of choice in hummus in Lebanon (which is considered to be the birthplace of hummus, by most accounts). However, after going through a few cans of tahini, I began experimenting with olive oil, which is the oil used in Greece and other areas. I've also used canola oil, and it does the trick, too.

Pasta Fagioli

I ran across the inspiration for this recipe online several years ago. I've tinkered with it quite a bit to make it quick and easy to prepare, lower in fat, and flavorful. The ingredients keep for weeks in the fridge, so it makes an excellent emergency cupboard meal. It's definitely become a family fave!

Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (my favorite is rigatoni, but any similar pasta works)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
6 ounces 70% less fat pepperoni, quartered
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1(15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained (and rinsed, if desired)
1/4 cup red wine
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground four-peppercorn seasoning
1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to manufacturer's directions. Meanwhile, saute onion, garlic, and pepperoni in olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until onion is just tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add tomato sauce, beans, wine, Italian seasoning, peppercorn, and cheese and simmer until pasta is cooked. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir well to combine.

Buon appetit! :)