When Harry & Sally Met "Paprikash"...

Harry: Repeat after me. Pepper.
Sally: Pepper
Harry: Pepper
Sally: Pepper
Harry: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Sally: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Harry: But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.

If you've ever seen the movie When Harry Met Sally (& if you haven't, you might not be old enough to cook yet) then you will probably remember this dialogue. As soon as I considered this chicken paprikash dish for dinner, I could hear them in my head...& it made me smile!

So tonight, I served up a delicious slow-cooker version of Chicken Paprikash (because we all need a warm meal to come home to), a side of savory buckwheat groats with green peas & a generous helping of laughter all around!

Slow-Cooker Chicken Paprikash
4 servings

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 medium carrots, cut in 1/2" pieces & then quartered
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 small onion cut into 1" pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 (14.5 oz) can organic stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 Tbsp cold water
Pitted Kalamata olives

Place cut carrots, pepper, & onion in the bottom of a slow-cooker. Place chicken on top of vegetables & season with salt & pepper. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest, & paprika. Pour over chicken. Cover & cook on low for 5 hours. Turn heat to high. Mix cornstarch or arrowroot with cold water in a small bowl. Add to the chicken dish & gently stir. Cook for 30 more minutes on high.

Savory Buckwheat Groats & Green Peas
4 servings

2 cups organic chicken stock
1 cup buckwheat groats, dry toasted
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup frozen green peas

To dry toast the groats, place them in a saute pan over medium heat & stir occasionally until lightly golden. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add groats, salt & frozen peas. Stir to combine. Cover & reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. (Start your groats when you put the cornstarch in your paprikash for perfect timing!)

Serve up the Chicken Paprikash garnished with Kalamata olives alongside the buckwheat groats. Enjoy the warmth of the paprika & the nutty goodness of the groats in this colorful meal!

Paprika: an amazing warm spice; surprisingly high in vitamin C; anti-bacterial; helps to improve circulation & normalize blood pressure; increases saliva production & stomach acids to aid in digestion; capsaicin has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells

Buckwheat: energizing & nutritious: great alternative to brown rice; it is not a wheat but a fruit seed related to the rhubarb; contributes to a healthy cardiovascular system including lowering blood pressure; as a good source of dietary fiber it does a great job of satisfying hunger while controlling blood sugar; excellent source of manganese, tryptophan & magnesium

Bob's Red Mill has an extensive product line including most of the grains I will introduce to you. Locally, I have found them at Vitamin Cottage, Sprouts, Albertsons & King Soopers. His product site offers a store finder for your convenience. Vitamin Cottage also has their own line of bulk & organic grains that I love.

I hope that your "paprikash" had just the right amount of pepper! Oh, & by the way, I do make a pretty outstanding "peecan paih"...there just simply isn't a single thing healthy about it...well, maybe the "peecans" :)

Bon Appetit,

Cenee'

Happy New Year of Healthy Choices...

I trust you are all having a Happy New Year thus far...cannot believe that we are already 11 days in to 2010 (I say that twenty-ten, by the way).

I started mine with a good ol' fashioned rhinovirus! Fortunately, it has been a long time since I have endured said virus. I forgot just how fun it could be!! I offer up thanks for new things like tissues with lotion, day versus night cold meds, fuzzy chenille socks and EmergenC but more importantly juicy oranges, hot green tea with mint, and soothing warm chicken noodle soup.

Today was the first day that I have felt relatively normal. I spent most of the morning attacking all my surfaces with disinfectant, washing bed linens, and tidying up in general. Amazing how out of sorts things can get when you're not doing anything but lying around trying to breathe...this must be one of Murphy's Laws...or maybe just one of Mother's Laws!

I decided that just for extra good measure, I would pack my lunch full of immune boosting goodness. This delicious salad featuring a good dose of vitamin C and a bit of Omega-3 is what brought a smile to my face.

Roasted Chicken, Grapefruit & Arugala Salad
2 servings

2 oz oven roasted chicken, rough chopped
1 Ruby Red grapefruit, segmented
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
6 oz arugala
Feta cheese

Dressing:
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
cracked black pepper
fine sea salt

Combine dressing ingredients & whisk together. Combine all salad ingredients, except for Feta, in a large bowl. Toss well with dressing. Divide onto two plates & sprinkle with small amount of Feta cheese. Enjoy all that juicy goodness while your immune system rejoices!

Bon Appetit,

Cenee'