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Tag: quick meals

Seite Chicken Salad with Chickpea Leek Fritters

I don’t know where to start with this one because I am really excited about a how the fritters came out, but it is a salad after all, so I guess I should start with the greens. I will admit to being in a rut with my greens selection, but I love what arugula brings to the table in terms of flavor, so it’s my solid “go to” at the grocery store. It’s not so much that I am a salad girl because I love salads, but more that I came to love a salad because I learned more and more about how important a daily does of greens is. Also, I started putting everything on a plate of greens because it looks better and because it’s a super low prep ingredient. I find that arugula holds up to the type of salads that I like to make. Ones with heartier portion of protein and lots of veggies. The greens in this salad can either add a little more kick of pepper or can help cool it down…Choose whichever variety of greens you like the best on that day, but load up the plate.

Initially I called this hot chicken. While I was typing it though, I remembered that my guys in Nashville might feel that I am being deceptive if I call it hot chicken because I simply added some Seite hot sauce to a cooked, shredded chicken breast that I had in the fridge. Their hot chicken takes a ton more work and planning.

I love Seite hot sauce and I think that the flavors are complex enough that it doesn’t need any dressing up. I would not make this dish with Tabasco sauce…I mean, you could, if that’s your thing, but I wouldn’t. Nothing against Tabasco, but it needs friends to balance it out. Even something like Frank’s Hot Sauce, which I also like, isn’t going to deliver solo like Seite does for me. That’s why, if I am making more traditional wings, I would add butter to Frank’s. Usually, I am a pretty big fan of butter (I have grass fed cow rules, of course), but I made this dish because someone was talking about wings and I am not eating dairy this month. This isn’t really anything like wings for a couple of reasons, but the spicy, juicy chicken really hit the spot. As always, use what suits your taste and add additional fat and flavor as you want. The beautiful part about the chicken that I buy, is that it is so…wait for it…moist that it doesn’t need the additional fat to keep it delicious. I also knew that I was going to use a bunch in the fritters. I am going to eat everything together, so the chicken really doesn’t need any extra oil.

The chicken breast was seasoned the night before I cooked it with sea salt and then roasted, skin on, in the Ninja at Bake/400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on size, but I take it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. I batch cook a few different cuts of chicken for the week and then portion it, without the skin, to use in different ways throughout the week. My standard serving is 4 oz of whatever the animal protein of the meal is or 112 gram. Ultimately, I probably end up consuming around 100 oz per meal because I am a sucker for my dog’s cute face, but adjust the serving size as needed for your life. Four ounces of shredded chicken also fits very nicely in a one cup mason jar and I stash them in my fridge and freezer for quick meals. So, I added a tablespoon (15g) of Seite hot sauce to a jar, stirred to combine it, popped the lid on, and put it back in the fridge for awhile.

Sometimes, I sneak a bonus veggie in there to maximize my cooking time…

Then, I used what was left of my over cooked spaghetti squash (about 3/4 cup) and mixed it up really well with some sprouted chickpea flour (1/2 cup), a couple tablespoons of sautéed leeks, a dash of garlic powder, 1/4 tsp sea salt, and a dash of black pepper and tucked that back in the fridge alongside the mason jar of marinating chicken…Is it still marinating if it’s already cooked?… hmmm… Anyway, they both joined the already roasted cauliflower that I cut into bite sized pieces.

This is another one of those “people think I eat weird foods” moments, but I have really grown to like cauliflower and it’s one of the veggies that I cooked every week. Because it’s just me in the house, I roast the cauliflower naked…both of it’s leaves and of oil, but you probably want to add some. I roast the head, whole, in the Ninja at Bake/400 degrees for 20 minutes. Depending on the size of the head of cauliflower, of course, this usually keeps it pretty crisp on the inside, but gives it some color on the outside. This way, I can eat it as a simple snack or side or I can continue to cook it into a dish without it becoming total mush. If I was going to make it just for this dish, I would probably rub about a tablespoon of avocado oil on it and roast it at 375 degrees for closer to 30 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your veggies.


When it was time for dinner, I cooked the fritters in a tablespoon of avocado oil in a moderately hot pan. A drop of water wants to sizzle, but you definitely don’t want any smoke. It’s a 4 on my stovetop, but I have burned a batch or two, so start lower when in doubt. I like to portion the oil in a little bowl and then use a brush to coat the pan. It gives me more control over how much of the oil gets used where. Chickpea pancakes, and fritters 🙂, like to stick to the pan, so use a non-stick if that’s your thing. I like the avocado oil because it’s pretty neutral in taste and high in smoke point. When I flip them, I brush another layer of oil on the pan for the new side so both get crispy and yummy. These ones were extra delicious because the spaghetti squash gives a little sweetness and the leeks bring the savory.

All that was left to do was chop some celery, put the arugula on the plate, and piled on the chicken. I cheated and used a prop sauce because I thought it would look better and because most people have a ranch or blue cheese dressing that they like. I wasn’t in the mood for a dressing, but you should use one of those options if you aren’t dairy free.

Chorizo Tacos with Broiled Zucchini

Taco Tuesday!!! These were Lola Farms chorizo tacos with sauteed leeks and homemade pickles. I served them with some zucchini slices that I brushed with avocado oil and broiled for about 15 minutes. Truth be told, I’m guessing at that number because I really just keep my eyes on it. The broiler and I have a history and I have learned the hard way that I shouldn’t get distracted while I have something under it. It’s best to just check it often because it might have been closer to 10 and, anyway, your oven will be different. Or, you could grill the zucchini and that would be delicious. I’m not allowed to have a charcoal or gas grill here…HOA rules say electric only…so the broiler is the way to go for me.


This might be one of the fastest meals that I eat all week. I love a dish that lives for variation and tacos are part of the aristocracy of that bunch. This one takes about 15 minutes to get on the plate. I brown the chorizo in a sauté pan over medium high heat until it’s cooked through. Then, I warm up a couple of sprouted corn tortillas from the freezer. Once they’re good, I pile on the chorizo and top with whatever I have in the fridge that is pickled. Tonight, I had the last of a batch of quick pickles that were in the same jar as some red cabbage. I threw the leeks on at the last minute because I had them in the fridge and I wanted a little more color.


Black Soybean Noodles, Carrots, Zucchini, and Mushrooms

Dinner was another “pasta” plate, this time black soybean spaghetti. Now that I have leaned into the single ingredient alternative noodles, you can expect to see lots more of them in my rotations. I do this with most new ingredients that I get into…potentially eat it too often…but I’m reminded why so many people are drawn to making and eating pasta. Obviously, actual, real, good pasta is also amazing, but pulling a meal together with a base of pasta is SO easy and fast. The bonus with the alternatives is that you get the plant protein you want, the downside is that none of them are pasta.

The packaging is a little deceptive on this one in that it says black bean on the front, but the black beans that come to mind don’t have the protein content this product boasts about. It’s because the noodle are actually made from organic black soybeans, so be wary if you are sensitive to soy. I’ll say it a little louder for the people in the back…ALWAYS READ THE INGREDIENTS! Sorry, I don’t mean to be so aggressive about it. Anyway, at the end of this month long challenge, I will do a whole taste test comparison of a few varieties to actual pasta. The soybean ones have a little chew to them versus the chickpea noodles, but I really like most of the varieties that I have tried.


Tonight’s plate had the noodles, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sea salt, and dried thyme. I cooked the noodles in salted water, drained them, and mixed them in a small bowl with 1tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. I heated a sauté pan over medium heat and added 1/2tbsp avocado oil to it. Once that was hot, I added the sliced raw mushrooms. I let them get a bit dark and wilty and then I added the carrots and gave it a stir. I cooked them for a bit and then added the zucchini, salt, and thyme. You can obviously add whatever you have a taste for or whatever needs using from your fridge drawer and then cook each veggie as much or as little as you like. Once everything was cooked the way I wanted it…I enjoy it really crunchy, so just a few minutes later…I added the EVOO coated noodles, stirred everything to bring it together while reheating the noodles, and then it went onto the plate. I love the texture variation on this one.

Quinoa Kale Veggie Bowl

Ingredients: Quinoa, Dinosaur Kale, Cremini Mushrooms, Tomato, Roasted Purple Onion, Kerrygold Butter

Quinoa is such a protein packed grain that I love to keep it stocked in a few places. In the pantry, obviously, but also in the fridge and freezer. Plus, it’s one of those ingredients that is almost better when made in bulk. Then I portion it into single serving containers and stash some in the fridge and some in the freezer. You can cook it in water, but I usually use stock for a little extra in the flavor department. I tend to buy the organic, sprouted variety so I don’t have to “worry” (read:plan for) rinsing and soaking the quinoa. Make sure to check the package cooking directions to see if yours have been rinsed. Mother Nature has given quinoa a bitter protective coating, saponins, so better safe than sorry. The first time I made it, I didn’t know about that part…trust, it’s much tastier when you prep it correctly. 🙂 If I can’t buy it sprouted, soaking quinoa takes no effort, just a bit of planning. I think it tastes better when you soak it. Really getting rid of the saponins that coat it and allowing the grain to breaking down a bit in a little salted, acidic water makes it taste nuttier and seem fluffier, in my opinion. So, I cover quinoa that I have rinsed under tap water in a very fine sieve with about 2 inches of filtered water, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and some sea salt. I let it sit, covered, on the counter overnight. I rinse it thoroughly the next day…until the water runs clear thoroughly…and then I cook it. Soaking it decreases the cooking time and the amount of liquid needed significantly so it was a bit of an adjustment for me when I started doing it. Like most things, there are pros and cons to soaking grains and a big Google hole to fall into if you are interested. There is a ton of conversation kicking around out there about the effect it has on digestion and nutrient absorption, but what I really enjoy about the process is the product.

For this one, I sautéed some sliced cremini mushrooms in a little butter for a few minutes before I added some leftover roasted purple onion and a Roma tomato. I let everything get warmed through before I added the dinosaur kale into the party. As a bonus, most people absorb a little more of the lycopene from tomatoes if you put a little heat to them. Once the kale was wilty, I added in my pre-cooked quinoa and let everything become a team over medium low heat for a few minutes. If you are pulling from a meal prepped fridge, quinoa bowls come together super fast and the combinations are eternal.