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Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Thai Curried Lentils

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:50:09 -0800

If you don't cook with lentils on a regular basis, you should start experimenting with them. The small legumes cook quickly, are filling, and can be served with everything from chorizo to arugula. Not to mention they're supposed to help you lose weight!

This recipe combines lentils with sweet potatoes, red pepper, and cauliflower. The exotically flavored dish is seasoned with coconut milk and red curry paste. It's a hearty and healthy vegetarian meal, so get the recipe now and read more.

Spicy Thai Curried Lentils
From Woman's Day

Ingredients

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
1 cup canned lite coconut milk (not cream of coconut), stirred well before measuring
11⁄2 Tbsp red curry paste or 2 tsp red curry powder
3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut in 3⁄4-in. chunks
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1⁄4 cup basil, finely shredded
1⁄4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Directions

Mix lentils, broth, coconut milk and curry in a large saucepan. Simmer, covered, 15 to 20 minutes until lentils are almost tender.
Place cauliflower, sweet potato and red pepper on lentils. Return to a simmer, cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes until vegetables and lentils are tender.
Sprinkle servings with the basil and cilantro.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Thai Beef With Coconut Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:15:44 -0800

Last night I made an Eastern European-inspired ground sirloin stew with egg noodles, and tonight I'm going to use the leftover beef to make something on the opposite end of the spectrum! I'm craving takeout, but - inspired by my recent successes - I'm going to continue my pattern of preparing Asian foods at home.

Spice up the sirloin with the help of minced garlic, lime, and Asian fish sauce, and wake up your senses with freshly-torn basil and julienned chiles. Complement the fiery protein with a soothing side of milky coconut rice. The result, which is healthier and cheaper than takeout, after the break.

Sunday Dinner: Drunken Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:30:52 -0700

For this week's Sunday night chicken dinner, I can't wait to apply the mainstream meat to a home-cooked Southeast Asian meal.

I love preparing ethnic foods at home, and this spicy noodle stir-fry, with its complex flavors, comes together in mere minutes, thanks to quick-cooking (and inexpensive) ground chicken.

Craving Thai takeout, sans the grease? For the recipe, read more.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad

partysugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:50:31 -0700

Now that it's officially Summer, I crave healthy yet hearty salads for dinner. With its creamy, mayonnaise-based dressing, shrimp salad is a delicious favorite, but it's not so light. That's why I prefer to make a spicy Thai-inspired shrimp salad.

It's packed with bright, crisp flavors and crunchy, cool veggies. The recipe serves the salad on bibb lettuce; I think mixed greens or romaine would be equally scrumptious. Get the technique when you read more.

Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad
From Eating Well

Ingredients

2 tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound cooked and peeled small shrimp
1 cup thinly sliced red, yellow and/or orange bell pepper
1 cup seeded and thinly sliced cucumber
1/4 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro and/or mint
Bibb lettuce, for serving

Directions

Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, oil, brown sugar and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp, bell pepper, cucumber and fresh herbs; toss to coat.
Serve the shrimp salad on a bed of bibb lettuce.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Coconut Lime Chicken Soup

partysugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:50:04 -0700

This fragrant and scrumptious recipe is a cinch to throw together, making it the perfect midweek pick-me-up. It combines the exotic freshness of Thai cuisine with the comforting classic, chicken soup.

Although the ingredient list only calls for carrots, I plan on throwing in lots more vegetables like asparagus, green onions, and mushrooms. Feel free to do the same! To get the recipe, which is a great use for leftover chicken, read more.

Coconut Lime Chicken Soup
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1 2- to 2-1/2-lb. deli-roasted chicken
1 15-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups water
1/4 cup lime juice (2 medium limes)
3 medium carrots, thinly-sliced diagonally (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Thai seasoning blend
1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh cilantro, optional for serving
Lime wedges optional for serving

Directions

Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Shred chicken.
In large saucepan combine shredded chicken with coconut milk, water, lime juice, sliced carrots, soy sauce, the 2 teaspoons Thai seasoning and salt.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 8 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
To serve, sprinkle bowls of soup with additional Thai seasoning and cilantro. Pass lime wedges.
Serves 4.

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Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:15:35 -0700

On the occasion that I enjoy takeout, this tangy Thai salad, made of minced meat, is one of my favorites. Do you know what it is?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Coconut Chicken With Snow Peas

partysugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:50:47 -0700

Everyday chicken doesn't have to be boring, especially when using exotic ingredients.

With its coconut milk, fresh ginger, and fish sauce, this recipe is inspired by Thailand. It's surprisingly quick to make - you simply boil the sauce components and toss in the chicken pieces - and delicious to eat.

If you dislike cilantro, substitute finely chopped basil. For the recipe, read more.

Coconut Chicken With Snow Peas
From Good Housekeeping

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine rice or long-grain white rice
1 can (14-ounce) light coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 thin slices fresh ginger
2 strips (3 inches each) fresh lime peel
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
6 ounces (about 2 cups) snow peas, strings removed
1 tablespoon less-sodium fish sauce
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Lime wedges

Directions

Prepare rice as label directs.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, stir together coconut milk, broth, cornstarch, ginger, and lime peel; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute.
Add chicken and snow peas to skillet; cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes longer or until chicken loses its pink color throughout.
Remove skillet from heat; stir in fish sauce and cilantro. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken and Pasta in Peanut Sauce

partysugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:45:25 -0800

FabSugar just got back from an amazing trip to Thailand, but now she's feeling a little blue about returning to her daily routine. To ease the culture shock, I suggested she make this simple, Thai-inspired dish for dinner. Seared chicken is tossed with pasta, broccolini, red peppers, and a store-bought peanut sauce. To make it more fit-friendly, use whole-wheat pasta. If you dislike broccolini or red pepper, feel free to swap in carrots, mini corn, bok choy, or peas. To make this scrumptious pasta, read more.

Chicken and Pasta in Peanut Sauce
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

8 oz. thin spaghetti
1 bunch broccolini, cut in 2-inch lengths
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut in bite-size strips
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup bottled peanut sauce
Crushed red pepper (optional, for serving)

Directions

In Dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccolini and sweet pepper during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain. Return to Dutch oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, halve chicken breasts horizontally. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In extra large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes each side, or until no longer pink (170 degrees F).
Transfer to a cutting board. Slice chicken; add to pasta and vegetables.
Heat through. Add peanut sauce. Pass crushed red pepper.

Serves 4.

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How Common Is Female Nipple Hair?

DearSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Hair on a guy's chest - now that can be sexy, but when it comes to women, hair on your breasts is not something you want to find. Or worse, it's not something you want someone else to point out. I'm sure you think that hair on a woman's nipples just shouldn't be happening, but it's more common than you might think.

According to Cosmo, a few stray strands is extremely normal. It's typical for a woman to find as many as 15 or so dark, straight strands at one time. Generally, if you have darker hair on your head, you'll have more hair on your nipples.

But just because it's common doesn't mean you're OK with it. To find out what to do about your nipple hair, read more.

If you have an abundance of strands on your girls, waxing is a good solution. Don't be embarrassed, because like I said, I'm sure your technician has seen tons of ladies with hair there. If you only have a few lonely strands, then plucking them is a good option. Clean the area with alcohol first, use clean tweezers to pluck each hair, and then wipe the area with alcohol once more to prevent infection.

Source

Monday's Leftovers: Peanut Tofu Wrap

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:45:21 -0700

If you need a healthy, on-the-go lunch for the start of the week, use leftover grilled tofu to make a portable peanut wrap. The recipe only makes one serving, so if you are planning on making it for the whole family, you will need to adjust your measurements accordingly. To get this delicious recipe, which takes only 10 minutes to make, read more.

Peanut Tofu Wrap
From Eating Well magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon store-bought Thai peanut sauce
1 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla
2 ounces seasoned baked tofu, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper
8 thinly sliced snow peas

Directions

Spread peanut sauce on the tortilla.
Place tofu, peppers, and snow peas in the center; fold the sides over the filling and roll up.

Serves 1.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 310 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 19 g protein; 5 g fiber; 693 mg sodium; 154 potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (90 percent daily value), Vitamin A (50 percent dv), Iron (20 percent dv).

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