Chicken Satay Spaghetti Squash with Thai Peanut Sauce

I’ve always been pretty skeptical of spaghetti squash–I don’t want my vegetables trying to pose as a big bowl of pasta.  However, I’m not one to shy away from new foods, and the spaghetti squash fad certainly isn’t going away any time soon, so I decided to hop on the bandwagon and finally give it a shot.  Caroline has always been a big advocate of the squash’s versatility, and she had lots of great tips and recipes for me to try out.  But in order for me to finally give it a try, I thought it would be best with flavors I already know and love–Thai!  I marinated and grilled a little chicken and added it to my spaghetti squash with some homemade peanut sauce, and I have to say, I’m definitely a believer now!

Satay Chicken

-2 chicken breasts

-2 Tbsp vegetable oil

-2 Tbsp fish sauce

-1 Tbsp soy sauce

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp cayenne (less if you’re not into spicy food)

-1 tsp coriander

-1 tsp tumeric

-2 tsp sugar

-juice of half a lime

Combine all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag, and let them marinade over night or at least an hour.  Grill the chicken until it’s cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.  Allow the chicken to cool before shredding or chopping it into bite sized pieces.  Set aside.

Peanut Sauce

-3/4 c coconut milk

-1/2 c peanut butter

-2 1/2 tbsp red curry paste

-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

-1/2 tsp soy sauce

-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

-juice of 1/2 lime

-1/4 c finely chopped peanuts

Add everything to a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.  This is just to soften everything up a bit so it’s easier to mix.  Whisk it all together and set aside.

Spaghetti Squash

-1 spaghetti squash

-1/2 tsp salt

-2 Tbsp canola oil

-2 large cloves of garlic, minced

-1 inch of ginger, minced

-3/4 c shredded carrots

-1/2 c peanuts, chopped

-6 green onions, chopped, whites separated from greens

-cilantro for garnish

First, cut the spaghetti squash in half.  Remove the seeds, sprinkle it with salt, and rub it with 1 Tbsp of canola oil.  Bake it, cut side down, in a 400º oven for 30-40 minutes.  Remove the squash and shred it with a fork.

Next, heat a sauce pan over medium high heat and add the remaining Tbsp of canola oil, garlic, ginger, and whites of the green onions.  Saute until everything is fragrant.  Next add the spaghetti squash, chicken, carrots, peanuts, and greens of the green onions.  Let everything saute for a few minutes before adding the peanut sauce.  Go slowly here, adding just a little at a time until you reach your peak sauciness.  Finally plate and garnish with cilantro.  Enjoy!

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Tuesday’s Table – Thai Minced Pork with Holy Basil

If you’ve ever wanted to make delicious, authentic Thai food at home, Pad Gra Prao, or Thai Minced Pork with Holy Basil, is the one to try.  It’s easy to put together, and the ingredients can be found in any regular grocery store, but beyond that, it’s the dish that I request my fiance to cook more than anything else.  He loves that this is my favorite, because he always talks about how fast it is to make…  And finally, I’ve learned to make it myself!

Thai Minced Pork with Holy Basil

Serves 4

-2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

-1 pound ground pork (as lean as you can find)

-5-6 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 shallot, minced

-3-4 Thai chilies, minced (can substitute for crushed red pepper)

-2 bunches of basil, finely chopped

-1 1/2 Tbsp tamari

-1 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce

-1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce

-1 egg per serving

-as much black pepper as you can crack

Heat one Tbsp of canola oil in a wok or large pan over high heat.  Try to not use a non-stick pan with this recipe due to the high temperature needed throughout.  Add the garlic, shallot, and Thai chilies, and stir constantly for about one minute.  Next add the pork.  Continue stirring constantly until the pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Once the pork is fully cooked, you will probably notice a good bit of grease in the pan.  Make sure you drain this thoroughly before adding the tamari, oyster sauce, and fish sauce.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.  Turn off the heat, add the basil and tons of freshly cracked black pepper, and stir to combine.

Set this to the side while you fry your eggs.  I do suggest a non-stick pan for these!  Add the reserved Tbsp of canola oil to a small pan over medium high heat.  Crack both eggs into the pan, and let them cook untouched until the whites are almost set.  Then flip!  You will have the best chance of no yolks breaking if you try flipping your eggs with just the flick of a wrist and not the help of any utensils–you can do it!  Only leave the eggs on their second side for a matter of seconds or the yolks won’t stay runny.

Finally, serve the pork over white rice and top with a fried egg.  A little more black pepper, and you’re set!  Enjoy!

Tuesday’s Table – Massaman Curry

Everyone needs recipes in their pocket to pull out when you’d rather spend a few more minutes lounging and a few less slaving over a hot stove, and curries do just the trick.  Now, you can certainly make curry paste from scratch, but there are lots of great options on the Asian aisle of your regular grocery store.  There are even more fantastic curry pastes to choose from when you venture into an Asian market.  Warm a little up with coconut milk and broth, pour it over rice or noodles, and top it with your favorite garnishes, and dinner is served in no time!

Massaman Chicken Curry

Serves 6

1 Tbsp canola oil

3-4 Tbsp massaman curry paste

2 cans coconut milk

1 c. chicken broth

2 chicken breasts, sliced thin

1 can bamboo shoots

rice or rice noodles

Optional Toppings

Green onions

Chopped cashews

Sliced avocado

Lime

In a stock pot, warm your curry paste with the canola oil over a medium low heat until you start to smell the spices cooking, about a minute.  Then add the coconut milk, chicken broth, sliced chicken breasts, and bamboo shoots.  Increase the heat to medium high and stir occasionally until your curry comes to a simmer.  Then you are seriously done.  The whole process will take about 15 minutes.  Pour over rice or rice noodles and add top it however you’d like.  

**Tip:  Prepare extra rice noodles according to the package’s instructions.  When they have reached the right texture, run them under cold water to stop the cooking process and drain them well.  These can then be stored in your refrigerator for several days.  To make the easiest leftovers ever, just top the cold noodles with heated curry or any hot soup–they will warm up very quickly

Enjoy!!



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Tuesday’s Table – Chicken Satay Bowls

After a weekend of over-indulgence (think: Farm Burger, Manuel’s Tavern, etc.) nothing makes me feel back on track like a lot of raw veggies.  And nothing can make me eat a bowl of vegetables like a drizzle of delicious Thai peanut sauce!  This recipe is as easy as they come, but it does take a little chopping, so turn up the tunes and get ready to eat the best tasting, healthy meal you’ve had in quite a while!

First, start by marinating your chicken.  This can be done up to a day in advance or at least four hours before cooking.  Combine coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, salt, fish sauce, white sugar, and cayenne pepper in a ziploc bag.  Then add your chicken breasts and set in your fridge to marinade until you are ready to cook.

Next get to chopping!  Prep your cabbage, lettuce, bell pepper, onion, avocado, carrots, and mango.

Now time to get your satay sauce ready.  Combine the peanut butter, hot water, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, fish sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and pepper flakes in a small bowl.  Alternately, you can buy satay sauce at the grocery store.  No one will know, and certainly no one will judge!

Finally, cook your chicken under the broiler or on the grill for about 8 minutes on the first side–you’re looking for a good char.  Then flip and cook for another 4 minutes.

Shred the chicken and layer everything together in a big bowl.  Drizzle it with the satay sauce and top with some chopped peanuts.  If anything is going to get you to eat your vegetables, I can guarantee that this will do it, and it will certainly get you ready for another big weekend to come!

Julia

* To bulk this recipe up, add a layer of rice or quinoa, serves 4-6

** Caroline says she may try this using a rotisserie chicken to save time. It will not be quite AS good without the marinated, charred chicken but that would definitely do the trick.

 

Chicken Satay Veggie Bowl Recipe:

Marinade for Chicken–

-1 can coconut milk

-1 Tbsp turmeric

-1 Tbsp coriander

-1 tsp salt

-1 Tbsp fish sauce

-1 Tbsp white sugar

-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

-4 chicken breasts

Veggies–

-1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded

-1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded

-1 red bell pepper, julienned

-1/2 white onion, julienned

-1 avocado, sliced

-1 bag shredded carrots

-1 mango, diced

Satay Sauce–

-1/2 cup peanut butter

-3 Tbsp hot water

-2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

-2 Tbsp soy sauce

-2 Tbsp honey

-1 tsp fish sauce

-1/2 tsp sesame oil

-juice of 1 lime

-pinch of pepper flakes