Believe it or not, some of us simply do not/never have workable access to a spur-of-the-moment restaurant meal, fast-food eat-there, take-out from anywhere or delivered-to-the-door dinner options.
Yes, gastronomically short-changed, deprived of emergency or sudden-whim cuisine possibilities, that’s us.
Occasional silent whining and feeling sorry for ourselves is an excellent approach to this sorry situation. A little “poor me’’ goes a long way to venting, but it doesn’t get dinner on the table, does it?
Ah, but what could and would is the ingenuity of professionally trained chef Jennifer Iserioh, as she applies it in her new book, “Secrets of a Skinny Chef.’’
Tonight or any other “one of those’’ kind of nights, we have Jennifer’s take on take-out sweet-and-sour chicken. And, ta-da, after we’ve feasted on that dish, plus whatever else appeals as a great menu round-out, we also have her frozen coconut yogurt for dessert.
You’ll notice that not only are these easy on the cook and full of taste, but have nevertheless been trimmed of this and that to make favorite foods healthier and healthier foods tastier. Wow, talk about acing it …
So, whisk and freeze the dessert first, then you’ll be geared up to put the chicken together at just the right time later, ready to take up when everybody is stampeding for the table.
Frozen coconut yogurt
1/2cup unsweetened coconut flakes
4cups (32 ounces) plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2cup powdered sugar
2tablespoons ground flaxseed
1tablespoon coconut extract
2teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cover a small cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the coconut on the sheet and bake 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once, until the coconut has lightly browned.
Place the coconut in a large bowl with the yogurt, sugar, flaxseed, coconut and vanilla extracts. Whisk until smooth and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze 1 hour or more until smooth.
Makes 8 servings.
Note: This treat freezes hard, so let it defrost 1 hour on the countertop before serving. Or, freeze in paper cups with popsicle sticks for a frozen dessert on a stick. Thawed, it will also make a great topping for fruit.
Just like take-out sweet-and-sour chicken
Sauce:
1cup orange juice
4cloves garlic, minced
1lemon, juiced
1tablespoon orange marmalade
1tablespoon cornstarch
1tablespoon sesame oil
Chicken:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2cup whole-wheat flour
2tablespoons fine cornmeal
1tablespoon cornstarch
2egg whites
2boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound each), cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4teaspoon paprika
1red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1yellow or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1cup broccoli florets
1red onion, cubed
1/2cup cubed pineapple
1can (8 ounces) bamboo shoots, drained
1cup short-grain brown rice, cooked according to package directions
For the sauce, place the orange juice, garlic, lemon juice, marmalade, cornstarch and sesame oil in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
For the chicken, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place the flour, cornmeal and cornstarch on a large sheet of waxed paper. Mix with your fingertips until the cornmeal is well incorporated. Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and paprika.
Dip the chicken cubes in the egg whites and then in the flour-cornmeal mixture. Place the chicken chunks 1-inch apart on the cookie sheet. Coat the chicken with a thick layer of the cooking spray. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the breading is crisp.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Coat the skillet with cooking spray and add the bell peppers, broccoli and onions. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables start to brown lightly but are still crisp. Stir in the pineapple and bamboo shoots.
Transfer the chicken to the skillet. Drizzle with the sauce and gently stir until the sauce coats the chicken. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the sauce thickens. Serve immediately with the rice.
Makes 8 servings.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.
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