Coq au Vin

 Coq au Vin--I found this recipe online a while back when I was searching for healthy recipes.  I've made it twice now and we really like it, however the second time I did not put enough salt.  It's always a good idea to taste your food while you are cooking and add seasonings as needed.  I'm horrible at this.  I don't know why but I never like to taste things while I'm cooking, a habit I'm trying to break.
This is a nice hearty meal and the only unhealthy thing about it really is the flour....and the garlic mashers I serve it with.  Enjoy!

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 bone-in chicken breasts or (about 12 ounces each), skin removed, trimmed or 4 thighs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 ounces mushrooms, quartered (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, halved and sliced
• 1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, preferably Zinfandel
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Cut each chicken breast in half on the diagonal to get 4 portions about equal in weight. (Two will be smaller but thicker, the other two larger but thinner.) Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Whisk water with 2 tablespoons of the leftover flour in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the chicken. Cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan; reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms, carrots, onion and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add broth, wine, tomato paste and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir until the tomato paste is dissolved. Bring to a simmer.
4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juice to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring once or twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate.
5. Increase the heat under the sauce to medium-high. Stir the water-flour mixture, add it to the pan and cook (I do only about half and then see how thick it is, once you pour it all in you can take it out and I don't like it super thick), stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Serve the chicken with the sauce, sprinkled with parsley.

Nutrition: 288 calories per serving (yields approx 4 servings)

Tofu and Eggplant Curry

I love to cook.  Don't confuse that as meaning I'm a GOOD cook. I consider a good cook as someone who looks in the fridge, pulls out random things, throws it together, a little taste here, a little more of this there, and wala you end up with something amazing that you didn't even know you had the ingredients for.  That's how my husband is.  I'm more of a follow-the-directions-in-a-recipe kinda girl. And it comes out tasty, but I definately prefer Josh's dinners over mine. Anyhow, it's time I post some of my favorite recipes on here. 
I wanted something healthy and yummy to feed my man so that his mind could be healthy and sharp for his studies (the two are related in my opinion).  I cooked up this curry with tofu and eggplant.  It is yummy and keeps very well for leftovers.  Serve it on top of some brown rice.

Eggplant and Tofu Curry

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 7 cloves garlic (I love garlic!)
• 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds for less heat)
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (I prefer Hunt's)
• 1 Medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon curry powder (or more to taste)
• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 12 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and patted dry
• 3 cups spinach
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a mini food processor until a paste forms. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the eggplant to the pot; cook 2 minutes. Add the garlic-ginger paste and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes (if you can't do paste, just mince the ingredients). Add the curry powder and tomatoes (but not the juice) and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomato juice and 1 cup water and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and tofu; simmer until the eggplant is very tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, add more salt/pepper/curry as needed. Serve with brown rice.