Lots of things happening in this post. I’m trying to write about recent things I’ve tried and they are all getting dumped in this post.

See my latest story on CultureMap? It’s about this Sunday’s Houston Marathon and how to be a great spectator. Check it out! I have two more posting before the weekend too.

Coc-Oatmeal

I made my normal oatmeal and added 1 tsp of cocoa to the pot to give it a chocolatey color and aroma. It didn’t add much in overpowering sweetness, and probably didn’t add any nutrition, so it was just for fun of flavor. Pretty color too!

In the mix:

• 1/3 C old fashioned oats + 2 T flax meal
• 2/3 C water
• 1/4 C almond milk
• 1/2 mashed banana
• 1 T raisins
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cocoa
• topped with coconut and homemade granola

Cook like usual: Boil water, add oats and milk. Whisk. Add rest of ingredients. Whisk, whisk until thick. Enjoy!

Easy Weeknight Chicken Dinner

I am trying to come around to chicken a little more, so I bought organic chicken breasts and decided to try a new method of cooking by using the stovetop to crisp the top and the oven to cook the inside.

I adapted this recipe from a cookbook called “Chicken.” I figured they would know well how to cook the best chicken!

Ingredients:

For two large chicken breasts:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• 2 T EVOO
• 1 C milk with 1 tsp lemon juice (or 1 C buttermilk)

Instructions:

• Marinate chicken in Ziploc bag overnight or for a few hours.
• Cook on stovetop in Le Crueset pan (this was my first time trying it).
• Move to oven at 350* after 10 minutes. Cook 15-20 more, until cooked through.

For potatoes and green beans:

• Season with EVOO, salt and pepper. Bake potatoes for 40-45 minutes and less time for green beans (add them to the baking sheet with about 25 minutes to go.
• I should have seasoned the potatoes with more seasoning, like something spicy or savory.

We liked the flavor of the chicken, but it didn’t crisp on top as much as we hoped. We’ll keep trying!

Parsnip Fries and Perfect Tofu

If you still haven’t tried parsnips, let me convince you why again. First, they look like French fries, but they are a vegetable. Second, they are easy and quick (chop, drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper and roast at 425 for 35 minutes), and third, they are a great addition to anything when you might want a starch (but it’s a vegetable) or a second vegetable.

I had mine with asparagus (roasted with the parsnips) and stove sauteed tofu. I have been trying different ways of cooking tofu (oven, grilled in rectangles, with more marinade), but the best way is on the stovetop. It gets them crispy outside and soft inside, and they are cute little bite sized pieces.

Here are the steps:

• I used Nasoya Firm tofu and sliced it into 6 long pieces.
• I pressed it with a heavy block for about 15 minutes, then cut into bite sized pieces. It should make about 64 bites.
• Then I seasoned with a mix of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (more on that later) mixed with 2T olive oil and pepper and garlic powder (just a few shakes of each). I did not add salt because liquid aminos are kind of like soy sauce, and naturally salty.
• Then I sauteed on the stove for about 5 minutes per side, flipping so they don’t burn.

I have read about liquid aminos recently as an alternative to soy sauce with far less sodium and a similar taste. It comes in a spray bottle and can be used for sauces or dressings. I wasn’t fond of the smell when prepping, but it blended fine when cooked.

All together, this meal was roasted parsnips and asparagus, tofu, pickles and BBQ sauce. A nice balanced meal!

Are you scared of tofu?