White Chicken Chili + Prescribe Nutrition

You guys, this week has been like whoa. Two shoots, a baby shower, four batches of chocolate cupcakes, and everyone on spring break. Bouncing between stay at home mom, work at home mom, and work away from home mom has got me in a perpetual game of catch up. I am so glad that I have nothing on the schedule next week, because I need to get back in balance. 

I haven't been great about updating the blog regularly, but hopefully you're following Stir & Scribble's adventures on Instagram? The last couple of months have been a fun journey into eating a more whole foods based diet. If you've been a follower for very long - you might have noticed that I've had many false starts and stops at feeding my family a less processed diet. This time though I've had help. 

In February, I signed up for a program with Prescribe Nutrition. Prescribe Nutrition is a team of incredible woman with one incredible goal - to get you to give up a 'diet' in favor of eating real whole food. There programs are designed to shake you free from the standard American diet in a fun, approachable way with a ton of support and community. I loved my Prescribe experience so much that I shared my story over on their blog this week - you can read all about my disdain for diets here.

This weekend I'm jumping into another program with the Prescribe Nutrition team - Prescribe Balance. Prescribe Balance is perfectly timed to kick off spring. Twenty days of digging deeper into eating whole foods, getting some exercise, and daily cleaning rituals with the goal of getting everything back in balance.  I couldn't need it more right now - care to join me? Use the code 'stirandscribble' for 20% off! There's still plenty of time to sign up!

White Chicken Chili
serves 6 to 8
recipe courtesy Prescribe Nutrition

This Chili is one of the recipes from Prescribe Balance and a great example of whole foods meets comfort food that is typical of the Prescribe Nutrition team. We scaled back the spice for Ella and served it with a ton of lime and avocado. Its the perfect Sunday supper (and great for lunch leftovers).

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
1 poblano, pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped*
1 anaheim pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground chili powder*
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
32 oz (4 cups) organic veggie or chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups (about 2 lbs) cooked, shredded chicken**
Juice and zest of 1 lime, + extra lime wedges for garnish
1⁄2 cup full fat coconut milk
1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro leaves + extra for garnish

*only include if you prefer some extra spice in your chili!

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pan or dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the onions, peppers, cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprika and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

Pour in the broth. Add 1 can of the beans and, using a potato masher (or a handheld blender), mash the beans in the pot, creating a thicker texture.

Stir in the remaining beans, shredded chicken, lime juice and zest and bring to a boil. If you prefer a chili with more broth, add 1 - 2 cups of water. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and keep on a low simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with additional lime wedges and cilantro.

Grilled Teriyaki Spareribs & Crunchy Napa Cabbage Slaw

Growing up in the Seattle area you take a few things for granted - the incredible sushi, the lack of a need to wear sunscreen, and teriyaki joints on every corner. You might say that teriyaki shops are like barbecue shacks in the south, they are everywhere and you can get a decent meal at any of them (even if you have just one you're loyal to). Typically you get a few pieces of slightly charred crispy, teriyaki sauce glazed chicken thighs over white rice with a small iceberg salad. Simple food at its finest. 

Whenever I feel homesick teriyaki is the thing I crave. When I started helping my mom cook 'chicken teriyaki' was one of my go-to dinner meals. It wasn't very glamorous - just chicken breasts slathered in store bought teriyaki and served with some veggie over rice.  Lately I've even been craving teriyaki A LOT and so I started tinkering with making my own teriyaki sauce

I finally dusted off the grill this week (I know - its already the middle of July), which I think might be just the thing for perfecting the teriyaki joint style chicken, but ribs were crazy on sale post 4th of July - so I gave both spare ribs and baby backs a lick with my now-go-to teriyaki sauce. The spareribs won by a long shot for me - I think they're fatter nature made kept them juicer and gave more room for saucing. 

Rib purist might contend that you should grill or smoke the ribs first and then finish in the oven, but I find the technique below easier for a week night dinner or entertaining with kids. You can do a lot of the work the night or afternoon before and then just it takes just a few minutes to finish the ribs on the grill.  

Grilled Teriyaki Spareribs 

makes 4 to 6 servings 

2 tablespoons kosher salt 

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon black pepper 

5 pounds spareribs, sliver skin removed

 

Combine the salt, sugar, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, be sure to leave enough overhang to wrap the ribs. Rub the ribs evenly on both sides with the salt mixture, cover with the aluminum foil, and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast the ribs for 11/2 to 2 hours or until they are fork tender. While the ribs are cooking prepare the teriyaki sauce. 

Teriyaki Sauce*  

makes about 2 cups 

1 cup low sodium soy sauce

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, grated 

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 

Combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by 1/3 and slightly thickened (it will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from the heat and cool while preparing the grill. 

Heat a grill to medium high heat. When the ribs are tender, remove from the oven and cool for about 30 minutes before slicing. Grill the ribs for 2-3 minutes per side and bast with teriyaki sauce as they cook. The teriyaki sauce will caramelize on the ribs, so don't be put off by the dark color of the finished ribs. Serve with additional Teriyaki Sauce and sesame seeds, if desired.

Both the rib roasting and the sauce making can be done up to two days in advance. Cool the ribs before refrigerating and slice just before grilling - the heat of the grill will be more than enough to reheat the ribs. 

Crunchy Napa Cabbage Slaw 

makes 4 to 6 servings 

for the maple-soy dressing: 

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce 

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup 

1 tablespoon sesame oil 

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 

for the slaw: 

1 small head of napa cabbage, about 1 pound, thinly sliced 

4 medium carrots, sliced into long strips with a vegetable peeler

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leave 

1/4 chopped chives 

1/4 cup sesame seeds 

2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted  

My friends at OXO sent over this Little Salad Dressing Shaker and I'm kind of obsessed with it. You can measure dressing ingredients right into it and the spout is perfect for dressing this Napa Cabbage Slaw.

Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and ginger in a small lidded container - such as OXO's Little Salad Dressing Shaker or a canning jar - and shake to combine. Taste and season with additional salt, as desired. 

Toss cabbage, carrots, mint, chives, and sesame seeds together in a large bowl. Add about have the dressing, toss, and taste. Let the slaw marinate for about 30 minutes before serving. Add the almonds just before serving. 

*You can absolutely use store-bought teriyaki sauce for this recipe - you will need at least 1 cup for basting. 

**OXO provided products for this post - including Little Salad Dressing Shaker, the Silicone Basting Brush, the 16" inch tongs (which are killer for the grill BTW). For more on their #What a Grill Wants series be sure to follow OXO on twitter. All opinions are my own. 

Baked Falafel with Simple Yogurt Dressing

There is a lot of cooking in my kitchen for other people - steak for my husband, a whole series for my daughter, BBQ for my in-laws. This Baked Falafel is just for me. I could eat meatless hearty salads for every meal and I love greek food. The hubby will pass on tomatoes and olives and our little darling is only really interested in strawberries and cheese toast these days. 

Luckily - I'm the only cook in the house and everyone just has to deal with my whims. Just kidding, being a wife and mom just means I need meals that 1. I love and 2. I can adapt for my sweet finicky family. This Baked Falafel is good like that. My husband will eat these in a pita pocket without the tomatoes and olives and with very little yogurt sauce. Ella will have her sauce on the side, actually she'll have everything separate, please. Me? I love to eat these guys on a big bed of lettuce with lots of feta, lots of ripe tomatoes, and lots of stinky olives. The falafel and Simple Yogurt dressing also make a pretty hearty appetizer with some sliced cucumbers. 

Like most of the recipes I share here - these Baked Falafel are adaptable and forgiving. Out of cornmeal? Use all-purpose flour. Hate mint? Just chop up some parsley. The yogurt sauce can handle some red wine vinegar instead of the lemon (because 9 times out of 10 -  I forgot to buy the lemon). 

Baked Falafel 

makes 24 small falafel patties, 4-6 servings 

2 (16 ounces) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

1 small onion or shallot, grated 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup finely chopped minced herbs - I like thyme, oregano and mint but parsley is a good neutral 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

olive oil 

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Mash together the chickpeas, onion, garlic, cornmeal, herbs, paprika and salt with a potato masher in a large bowl until most of the chickpeas are smashed and the mixture holds together when pressed. You can also pulse the mixture in a food processor 10-15 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and also holds together when pressed. 

Coat a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scoop the chickpea mixture into 2 tablespoon sized balls (I like a small fisher for this) and flatten slightly. 

Bake for 12 minutes, flip and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Serve with Simple Yogurt Dressing, pita bread, feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives. 

Simple Yogurt Dressing 

makes about 1 cup dressing

1 cup greek yogurt 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs - such as chives and mint

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

Mix together yogurt, lemon juice, herbs, and salt. Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Psst. This is how I set up the components of a greek salad for Ella. She is 1000% guaranteed to eat the bread, yogurt sauce, and cucumbers. Every once in a great while she will eat the tomatoes and the feta too - so I keep trying.

Spinach & Broccoli Stalk Pesto

Having a toddler means grocery shopping is somewhat at the mercy of what she will eat from week to week. I do not enjoy buying overpriced and out of season strawberries, but they are one fruit I can guarantee Ella will eat no matter what. Bananas and apples can be gobbled up one day and picked over the next, but strawberries are forever. Same goes for broccoli. Ella will eat broccoli raw from the cutting board, she will eat it steamed, stir fried, and obviously covered in cheese. 

I buy fresh broccoli every week, whether I want to or not, and seemingly stock pile the woody stalks. I've tried a couple different techniques for using up the stalks: 1. Broccoli soup - I liked this, but no one else did 2. Veggie noodles - Ella and I liked this, but my husband did not 3. Broccoli Pesto - which we all love! 

I've written about pesto here before, but the ratio is worth repeating and hey - its a good way to use up all that spinach and broccoli stalks. 

Peel the tough outer layer off the broccoli stalks before you use them or you'll never get a smooth pesto! Also just a tip - when you plan to make the pesto - cook up a little pasta, and "clean" blender by putting a little pasta water in the blender, giving it a whirl, and then use that water to dress the pasta. 

Spinach & Broccoli Stalk Pesto 
makes 1 cup  

This weekend I had some parsley that needed using up, so I included that as part of the spinach called for. As I've said before pesto is all about using what you've got on hand. You can use any other kind of nuts, even different herbs. 

2 large cloves of garlic
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup whole toasted pecans 
3 cups fresh baby spinach 
1 cup broccoli stalks - peeled and thinly sliced  
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil 

Pulse the garlic cloves, cheese, and pecans into crumbs in a food processor or blender. Add the spinach, broccoli stalks, and salt and process until mostly smooth, stopping to scrap down the sides of the carafe as needed. With the machine running, stream in the oil, following and continue to blend until smooth. 

Pesto will keep very well in the fridge, but dose it into ice cubes trays, freeze, and then store in a zippy bag in the freezer it will last basically forever. 

Steak Frites

The original idea for this post was something akin to Ashley's dating her husband series. I'd write some kind words about my dear husband and the relaxing evening we shared. It was a really lovely and romantic idea. 

Here's what Sunday evening at 5:09 was like at our house:  

There was a rug in our front yard, I had chocolate frosting all over my shirt, Ella was crying about something (we still have no idea after asking repeatedly), my husband snapped at me because I hadn't given him enough time to vacuum the floors (its his thing), and the Brussels sprouts were burning. This was our date night. 

My husband works a lot. We are lucky if we get to have one meal as a family together during the week, luckier still if we get to have a Friday or Saturday night together. I'm not complaining - I'm happy to have a husband who works really hard (and likes it) and all that provides our family is incredible. It just means that we've been approximately 127.5 days without a proper date. 

It also means that when my husband has a day off - there are about 2,700 projects that I want to get done on that one day. This is totally doable and not insane. This Sunday was one of those days. 

Sundays are also the day when I shoot all the photography for Stir & Scribble or any freelance recipes I'm working on. Usually I'm shooting two full recipes plus two tips in a 2 hour window between nap time and losing daylight. This is also totally doable and not at all insane. 

Did I also mention that we have a toddler? What is that saying "the days are long but the years are short"? Our days are very very short right now.

I want to celebrate our little family in small ways more often - so I created this little riff on one of my husband's favorite meals - Steak Frites. Typically Steak Frites, steak and fries, is a served as rib-eye steak with deep-fried shoe string potatoes. If you think I have the time to prepare either of those - please re-read above. No, instead I bought a flank steak which is rather inexpensive and cooks very quickly and paired it with our new favorite oven fries. And because we are working on eating fewer processed foods - I also made steak sauce; My husband loves the stuff. 

The beauty of this meal is that it kind of cooks itself. Sure there are a few prep steps - but most of them can be started and forgotten; The same cannot be said for the Brussels sprouts. 

Steak Frites with Steak Sauce 

serves 2 (or 2.5) 

for the steak sauce: 

1 small onion,  chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon  dijon mustard

Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Cool the steak sauce for 30 minutes, strain out the onion and garlic and store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

1 - 11/2 pound flank steak 

kosher salt

2 large russets potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking. Salt liberally, I used about 2 teaspoons for my 11/4 pound steak, and set at room temperature. 

Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick matchsticks and cover in cold water. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Soak the potatoes for at least 30 minutes. It takes my oven about this long the heat up. 

Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels. Spread the potatoes into a single layer on a baking pan and coat with the oil. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden - flipping them once about half way through. 

Heat a large cast iron pan on high heat. When the pan is ripping hot - sear the steak for 2-3 minutes on one side then flip and sear for another 2-3 minutes on the second side. Remove the pan from the heat and cook the steak an additional 5 to 10 minutes (to desired doneness - I cook mine for an additional 5 minutes for medium rare). Wrap the flank steak in foil and rest for 15 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with juices from the foil, the fries and steak sauce. 

Easy Curried Pumpkin Soup

Sometimes I don't want to write headnotes. I want to skip any superfluous wording and head right to the recipe. This is one of those recipes - Crazy Easy Curried Pumpkin Soup that takes as little time as opening a can of soup would to heat. The smartest of smart supper recipes, I dare say. 

The BLP | Bacon, Lettuce, + Peach Sandwich

There is a small problem in my house: my husband does not like tomatoes. Sure, he'll eat tomato sauce, but do not try to serve that man a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich; in fact don't even eat it in front of him. 

Though he helped plant 16 tomato starters in our vegetable garden this year and has lovingly weeded them, pruned, and nurtured them. He still refuses to eat a ripe, perfectly seasoned, raw tomato. And I refuse to make dinner twice.

Sunday Supper: "Jambalaya" Risotto

Anytime I see quotations around any part of a recipe title I roll my eyes. I don't want to be misguided and quotations are a pretty good sign that the title is very subjective. That's one of the great things about food - we eaters view the same things differently. I say jambalaya and you might think shrimp or chicken or andouille. Maybe you think of the holy trinity or creole spice or Zataran(!). So let me be clear - when I hear jambalaya I think - rice, smokey, tomato, trinity. I also think of a dish with a nice contrast of texture. The rice should be sort of soft, but not mushy, the vegetables should still have some life left in them.  Notice I listed rice first. It's the part I always screw up - too crunchy, too mushy, or worse when it is both mushy and crunchy. But risotto, I can and will do well. And that's how we ended up here, with a quotation in our recipe title.