Jambalaya

This is a dish that has so much flavor! Plus it fills you up and warms you up on a chilly fall day. The husband loved it and told me I can make this anytime (translation make this once a week please). So get out your largest pot and cook up some good ol jambalaya!
Also this recipe can be found on Real Food Wednesday, along with other great dishes!

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp ghee or butter
• 1 cup brown rice
• 3 cups hot chicken or fish stalk
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, any kind, seeded and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
• 6 oz andouille smoked sausage, chopped
• 2 tsp paprika or Bay seasoning
• 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1-2 tsps red pepper flakes
• 3 bay leaves
• 12 large jumbo shrimp or 30 small
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions: 

1. Heat the ghee in a large skillet. Add 1 cup of brown rice and stir until lightly toasted. Move into a very large pot and add in the chicken or fish stalk. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Let the rice cook for 40 minutes before adding in the other ingredients.
2. Then heat 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat in the same skillet used for the rice. Add in the onion, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Stir and cook for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add this to the large pot of rice.
3. Use the skillet again to heat up the other Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add the chicken and sausages and cook for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle the paprika or Bay seasoning over the meat and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Turn the heat down to low-medium heat, then pour in the can of diced tomatoes. Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and shrimp. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Pour into the large pot along with the parsley.  Gently stir until the ingredients are mixed together.
5. Transfer to a large serving dish (optional), garnish with fresh herbs, and serve
6. Total cook time is about 1 hour and 10 minutes. 

Chicken and Rice with a Tropical Twist

I have been going to Bill the Butcher to get quality meat. Their meat is different from what you will buy at any ol grocery store, just read their following statement.

"Bill the Butcher believes in supporting sustainable farming practices and working with local farmers and ranchers who raise beef, pork and poultry without hormones, steroids and genetically modified feed. We also feature open pastured organic and natural grass fed beef that has not been artificially and intentionally fattened on corn. This gentle and natural diet creates meat that is high in Omega 3 and 6 essential oils and is far healthier than traditional beef raised in a feedlot."


I can feel the difference as well. Last year I was vegan. Before that I tried to eat healthy but knew something was off. (Have you ever realized that the typical low fat diet is a high sugar diet?) After I read the China Study I went vegan. Then my body went really out of whack and I found out I have food intolerances to a lot of vegan food. I have been doing more research and have started to follow a traditional food diet (with a few alterations) and I am noticing a difference. 


In September I will be taking an 8 month course through the Nutritional Therapy Association. They use Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon in their teachings so in a year I will have a lot more knowledge than I do now. I am constantly reading and doing research on my own when it comes to nutrition and I am excited to finally have experts give me some guidance. 

I cooked chicken with fresh pineapple, rice, and other veggies to make this fun dinner!

I doubled the recipe so I had to combine everything in a large mixing bowl. Brown rice, sautéed onions, garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes all mixed together.

 Caramelized fresh pineapple

 I cut the pineapple in half and scooped out the fruit. It was trickier than I thought it was going to be. The first half I scooped out I completely destroyed. I was smarter with the second one. I cut it up before trying to scoop

I topped it off with chopped up cilantro but didn't get a final picture of it because we were hungry. There is more filling than the pineapple can hold so it was served in another dish.

Pineapple Chicken and Rice

1 cup brown rice. Soaked, drained, and cooked

1/2 onion, chopped

1 Tbs fresh grated ginger

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup peas

1 organic chicken breast

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 fresh pineapple + 1 can of pineapple

1/4 cup Pineapple juice

 sesame oil

fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Soak the brown rice for 24 hours in water and 1 tsp of vinegar. This will reduce the phytic acid making it easier to digest and allowing more vitamins/minerals to be absorbed. Drain and rinse the rice and cook in 2 cups of water with a tsp of olive oil.
2. Drizzle the chicken breast with some sesame oil and pineapple juice. Wrap it in tinfoil and bake it at 350 for 20-30 minutes until it's 160 degrees and no longer pink in the center.
3. While the chicken and rice are cooking prep all the veggies. Chop the onion, chop the pepper,  mince the garlic, slice up the pineapple, chop of the cilantro,  and set the peas out to thaw.
4. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in some sesame oil. Set aside.
5. Sauté the red bell pepper for  2 minutes but don't overcook it. It should still be firm. Set aside.
6. Sauté the pineapple so the sides get caramelized.
7. When the rice is done mix in all the sautéed veggies and thawed out peas. Add the red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and pineapple juice.
8. Shred the chicken and mix it in as well. Fill the empty pineapple with the chicken-veggie-rice mixture and top with cilantro. The extra filling can be served in a separate dish.