Curried Chicken Salad

This is a rich and hearty yet low-fat and healthy chicken salad recipe that is delicious served not only in pita pockets, but also rolled up in a tortilla or between two slices of good bread. You can also skip the bread and simply serve it on a bed of Boston or Bibb lettuce (both are varieties of butterhead lettuce), watercress or mache. If you’re not up to poaching the chicken, buy Trader’s Joe’s prepared chicken strips, cut into cubes and continue with step #4 below.

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package Trader Joe’s Organic Free Range Chicken Breasts (2 breasts)
• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 whole black peppercorns
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
• 1 bay leaf (or curry leaf)

For the Dressing:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise, low-fat yogurt or Nayonnaise (tofu-based mayo)
• 3 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Apple Cranberry Chutney (in the spring and summer use mango chutney)
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon hot curry powder or 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
• ½ teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
• ½ cup Trader Joe’s Unsalted Dry Toasted Sliced Almonds (optional)

For the Sandwiches:

• 1 package Trader Joe’s whole wheat pitas
• 1 package Trader Joe’s Bibb or Boston lettuce, cleaned and dried

Preparation:

1. In a 4 quart saucepan, bring water, onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt to a boil.
2. Trim any fat from chicken and add to pot, returning it to a boil and then lowering it to a simmer. Cook partially covered for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Turn off heat. Remove chicken from cooking liquid and place on cutting board to cool. Cool cooking liquid.
4. Make dressing by mixing mayonnaise or yogurt with chutney, vinegar, curry powder and salt.
5. Once chicken has cooled, using a sharp knife, cut into ¼ inch cubes. Toss chicken with dressing, taste, and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, curry powder or chutney to suit your taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
6. Strain stock and save for making soup. Freeze after it’s cooled in the fridge if not using in the next day or two.
7. To prepare sandwiches, cut a small sliver off the end of the pita pocket to make an opening. Lay a few leaves of lettuce inside, scoop in some chicken salad, and then pat on some toasted almond slices. Voila! If using traditional sliced bread, you may want to save a small amount of dressing and spread it on the sides of the bread, then dip each side (halve or quarter the sandwich) in the sliced almonds. This makes a beautiful presentation.

Both kids and adults enjoy the classic combination of hot and sweet.

Winter Is For Oatmeal

And I mean the real McCoy, as in John McCann's Irish steel cut oatmeal from where else, Trader Joe's. Yes, it takes a long time to cook, but it's worth it. I recommend starting it when you put the coffee on, then putting it on a simmer while you shower. By the time you're dressed, a beautiful pot of hot oatmeal will be waiting for you. I'm wondering if I can make this in my rice cooker? I'll have to try it and be prepared for cleaning up a potentially very big mess. I like dressing it up with all kinds of fruit, cinnamon, black strap molasses, and nuts. A morning snack becomes unnecessary. The kids love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup John McCann's Irish steel cut oatmeal from Trader Joe's
• 4 cups water
• pinch salt
• fresh or dried fruit
• black strap molasses, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup (Trader Joe's grade B is fantastic)
• nuts
• cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and then sprinkle oats over water and stir. Follow package directions and boil until the "porridge is smooth and beginning to thicken".
   
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve hot with fresh or dried fruit, sweetener, nuts and cinnamon.
   

PBBG - Peanut Butter & Banana Grahams

My four-year-old clamors for this snack almost daily. It's tasty, crunchy, sticky (read satisfying) and healthy too. To make it portable, top with another graham cracker, using a little more peanut butter as glue. Apples or pears can be used instead of the bananas.

Shopping List:

• 1 container Trader Joe’s cinnamon grahams
• 1 jar Trader Joe’s organic peanut butter
• 1 bunch Trader Joe’s ripe bananas

Preparation per serving:

1. Wash, peel and slice banana in half lengthwise.
2. Spread a teaspoon of peanut butter onto one graham cracker.
3. Top with a slice of banana cut to fit the cracker.