The combination of sweet squash and corn with the spicy red curry paste makes this dish a winner. Add the freshness of cucumber and you are all set. This is easy to make but you will need red curry paste. You will find it in Asian grocery stores or in the Asian aisle of your grocery store. Here is what you are going to need for this:

Serves six

2 cups diced squash of your choice
2 TBS oil – canola, vegetable, peanut or coconut
2 scallions – chopped
4 garlic cloves
½ TBS grated fresh ginger
1 pound flank steak – finely sliced
1 red bell pepper – sliced
1 TBS red curry paste*
1 cup thawed corn kernels
½ cup thinly sliced seeded and peeled cucumber
14.5 oz. unsweetened coconut milk
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Asian basil or basil leaves – optional

Place the squash in a wok or large skillet with some water. Cook it for about 15 minutes until almost cooked through. Remove from water and set aside. Discard the water.

Heat the wok or skillet. Add oil. Add the scallions, garlic and ginger. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the beef. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the bell peppers and cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.

Move the meat to the sides and for a well. Add the curry paste and allow cooking for about 2 minutes. Mix well.

Return the squash to the pan. Add the corn kernels and cucumber. Mix well. Add the coconut milk and mix. Add the salt and pepper and stir to mix. Bring curry to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the basil if using. Serve with white rice and enjoy!

Beef Curry no Rice – CALORIES 389.11; FAT 29.45 grs (sat 20.00; mono 3.9; poly 0.68); PROTEIN 19.87 grs ; FIBER 1.69 grs; CARBS 12.37 grs; CHOLESTEROL 35.25 mg; IRON 2.95 mg; SODIUM 811.29 mg; CALCIUM 38.02 mg

Print the Beef Curry Recipe Here

This dish is really easy to make and is loaded in flavor. It is elegant enough to entertain and very, very frugal. I used chicken legs and thighs but wings work beautifully with this glaze. Here is what you are going to need for these:

Serves eight

16 chicken legs (you can use thighs if you want)
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp. coarse salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup soy sauce
¾ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup molasses
2 TBS sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place rinsed chicken in a roasting pan in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Toss the chicken making sure to coat all sides. Place pan in oven and roast for about 35 minutes – or until chicken is cooked through. All ovens are different so make sure you check for doneness.

While the chicken is cooking, place the soy sauce, vinegar and molasses into a pot. Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat. Simmer sauce until it thickens and reduces by 1/3rd – about 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and discard any rendered liquid. Pour the sauce on to the chicken and toss to coat well. The glaze will thicken on the chicken so don’t worry if it is too liquid. Add the sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy!

2 chicken legs – CALORIES 353; FAT 16.36 grs (sat 4.05; mono 7.68; poly 3.58); PROTEIN 30.48 grs ; FIBER 0.55 grs; CARBS 16.24 grs; CHOLESTEROL 110.00 mg; IRON 3.46 mg; SODIUM 2354.26 mg; CALCIUM 30.99 mg

Print the Soy Molasses Glazed Chicken Legs Recipe Here

This meal comes from my Fijian friend Amelia. She was kind enough to cook this very simple yet absolutely delicious meal for us. I highly recommend you give this one a try. You are going to need a meaty, white fish fillet such as Catfish, Mahi-Mahi or Cod. You can usually find frozen Mahi-Mahi fillets that are not expensive. You play it by ear and see what you can get for a good price.

Here is what you are going to need for this:

Serves two

2 meaty white fish fillets such as Mahi-Mahi, Catfish or Cod
8 oz. coconut milk – or less
1 TBS sliced white onion
1 – 1/2 inch piece ginger – peeled and sliced thinly
1 TBS chopped tomato
1 TBS chopped scallion greens
1/2 tsp. salt

Place fish in a pan and add enough coconut milk to reach it half way. Add the onion and ginger. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes – until fish is cooked through.

Add the tomato and scallion. Bring back to a simmer and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and serve.

Serve with boiled sweet potatoes and lime wedges. Enjoy!

1 Mahi-Mahi Fillet – CALORIES 264.87; FAT 16.84 grs (sat 11.96; mono 0.57; poly 0.15); PROTEIN 22.45 grs ; FIBER 0.44 grs; CARBS 4.48 grs; CHOLESTEROL 82.50 mg; IRON 2.22 mg; SODIUM 692.50 mg; CALCIUM 13.64 mg

Print the Fish in Coconut Milk Recipe Here

Serves six

6 chicken milanesas

FOR THE FRESH TOMATO SALSA:
½ pound cherry tomatoes – halved
2 TBS chopped capers
1 tsp. fresh thyme – chopped
½ TBS chopped parsley
1 garlic clove- minced
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Place the tomatoes, capers, thyme, parsley and garlic in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour dressing over tomatoes and toss to coat well. Set aside.

Suggested sides – Baby Smashed Potatoes or Sweet Potato Chips

¼ salsa – CALORIES 75.39; FAT 6.9 grs (sat 0.97; mono 4.96; poly 0.8); PROTEIN 0.75 grs ; FIBER 1.04 grs; CARBS 3.6 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 0.5 mg; SODIUM 712.52 mg; CALCIUM 13.42 mg

Print the Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe Here

Print the Chicken Milnesas Recipe Here

Breaded chicken can be made fairly easily. I like making a lot at once because these freeze beautifully. You can eat these as is with you side of choice or you can use them for making meals like chicken Parmesan. Whatever you decide, this is what you need for these:

Makes 12 Milanesas

2 cups white flour
2 cups bread crumbs
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cumin
Salt & Pepper
2 eggs – lightly beaten
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts – about 6 oz. each

Place the flour in a shallow pan. Add 1 tsp. garlic powder, the paprika and cumin. Add salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Place the bread crumbs in another shallow pan and add ½ garlic powder. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside.

Place the eggs in a bowl and beat lightly.

Cut each breast in half. Using a sharp knife, butterfly each half breast. Cut these in half as well.

Place the chicken on a board and pound with a meat mallet. If you would prefer, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound the meat until thin but do not beat it to a pulp.

Place each individual piece the flour. Shake off the excess. Place each piece – one by one – into the eggs. Shake off the excess. Place each piece into the bread crumbs and coat well. Shake off the excess.

Place some oil in a skillet and heat well. Add the milanesas into the pan and allow browning on the bottom. Flip and finish cooking. The process should take about 7 to 8 minutes in total.

Place the cooked milanesas on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve and enjoy!

CALORIES 234.76; FAT 5.92 grs (sat 1.64; mono 2.37; poly 1.46); PROTEIN 14.59 grs; FIBER 1.56 grs; CARBS 29.48 grs; CHOLESTEROL 58.21 mg; IRON 2.44 mg; SODIUM 559 mg; CALCIUM 48.53 mg

Print the Chicken Milnesas Recipe Here

Shrimp tacos are so fresh and easy to make. They are great for these days that the weather is starting to get warm. The beauty of tacos is that you really do not need a whole lot of ingredients to make a wonderful meal. Here is what you are going to need for this:

FOR THE SAUCE:
¼ cup cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 TBS lime juice
1 tsp. chipotle powder
1 TBS chopped cilantro

FOR THE SHRIMP:
1 pound shrimp – peeled, de-veined and halved
4 garlic cloves – minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo – chopped
½ a large lime – juiced
½ cup chopped cilantro

FOR THE CABBAGE SALAD:
2 cups sliced green cabbage
2 tomatoes – peeled and diced
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 large lime – juiced
Salt

Corn tortillas

• Whisk all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt. Set aside.
• Heat 2 TBS of vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and chipotle. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp. Mix well. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes – until shrimp turns pink. Add the cilantro. Mix well. Set aside.
• Place all the cabbage salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
• Heat your tortillas. Place two tortillas on a plate. Smear some sauce on the bottom.
• Top with shrimp and cabbage salad.
• Serve with a wedge of lime. Enjoy!

Print the Chipotle Shrimp Tacos Recipe Here

These ribs cook very slowly in your oven. The final result is a tender rib that is loaded in flavor. You will need to marinate these ribs overnight so make sure you allot the time for that. Here is what you need for this:

Serves 4

1 sparerib pork rack – about 3 pounds

FOR THE MARINADE:
¼ cup sherry
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Hoisin sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. hot Chinese mustard
1 head garlic cloves – peeled and smashed

FOR THE GLAZE:
1 cup plum marmalade
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
½ TBS prepared horseradish

Remove the fascia or membrane from the back of your ribs. You can do so by separating it carefully from the bone and pulling it away with a paper towel. Trim off all the excess fat from the front.

Place all the marinate ingredients in a bowl – except for the garlic. Whisk it well. Add the garlic and mix.

Place the ribs in a large zip bag and pour in the marinade. Make sure the whole rack is coated well. Refrigerate for 24 hours – turning the bag a couple of times.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the ribs on a rack in a roasting pan. Add some water to the bottom of the pan. Remove the smashed garlic from the marinade and place in the water. Discard the marinade. Cover the ribs with foil and bake for 3 hours.

While the ribs are baking, place all the glaze ingredients in a heavy bottom pan. Whisk until the marmalade has dissolved completely. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is reduced and thick.

Remove the ribs from the oven – after 3 hours – and brush with half of the glaze. Return the ribs to oven and continue baking – uncovered – for another hour. Re-glaze the ribs and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cut. Enjoy with many napkins!

4 ribs – CALORIES 459.74; FAT 34.36 grs (sat 12.61; mono 15.28; poly 3.1); PROTEIN 33.27 grs ; FIBER 0.06 grs; CARBS 2.43 grs; CHOLESTEROL 137.21 mg; IRON 2.22 mg; SODIUM 317.40 mg; CALCIUM 54.66 mg

Print the Asian Style Baked Ribs Recipe Here

This recipe was made with our homemade mole. However, you can go ahead and make this with store ought if you want. Here is what you need to do for 4 people:

3 cups mole sauce
2 cups shredded chicken or 8 cooked chicken thighs or legs
3 TBS sesame seeds

Place the chicken and the sauce in a pan. Bring it to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, dry toast the sesame seeds for about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle the seeds over the cooked chicken and serve with white rice. Enjoy!

Print the Chicken Mole Recipe Here

This sauce is absolutely wonderful. The amazing combination of spices, nuts and chilies makes this a deep and bold sauce. It takes a lot of work but it is well worth it! Here is what you need to do for this:

Makes 6 cups

6 ancho chili pods
6 guajillo chili pods
6 arbol chili pods
½ cup raisins
8 garlic cloves
1 medium white onion – peeled and quartered
3 medium plum tomato
3 to 4 medium tomatillo
1 inch piece cinnamon stick
1/8th tsp. anise seeds
1/8th tsp. coriander seeds
1 TBS sesame seeds
4 cloves
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 TBS vegetable shortening or lard
½ cup raw almonds
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup raw peanuts
1 corn tortilla
½ cup soaking liquid
2 cups chicken stock
5.5 oz. Mexican drinking chocolate (1 round tablet) or 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Remove the seeds and stem from the dry chili pods. Place them in a dry skillet and toast them until starting to blister. Place in a bowl. Add the raisins to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until puffed. Add to the chilies. Cover with boiling water and weigh down with a plate. Allow soaking for about 30 minutes.

While the pods are soaking, add the garlic and onion to the skillet. Cook until charred on all sides. Set aside. When garlic is cool enough, peel it. Add the tomatoes to the skillet. Repeat the process.

Add the sesame seeds, anise, coriander and cinnamon to the pan. Toast for a couple of minutes – until fragrant – stirring constantly. Place in a mortar or coffee-grinder with the cloves and turn into a powder.

Add shortening to the skillet and melt. Add the nuts and brown. Set aside. Add the tortilla to the shortening and brown well.
Place the hydrated chilies and raisins in a blender with ½ a cup of soaking liquid. Blend well. Transfer to a sieve and strain into a bowl. Rinse the blender and add all of the other ingredients – except the chocolate – and blend. Pass through a sieve into the same bowl where the chilies are. Mix sauce well.

Place the sauce in a large pot – it will spatter so be careful – and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

You can keep this sauce for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Print the Mole Sauce Recipe Here

Black beans burgers are a great alternative to beef. They are full of protein and very low in fat. You can go ahead and make a sandwich with them or serve them as I did with a cabbage, tomato, cilantro and lime salad. Here is what you need for this:

2 – 15 oz. cans black beans –drained and rinsed
1 large garlic clove
3 TBS mayonnaise
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 small chipotle pepper (or ½ a large) – optional
1/3 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup minced red onion
1 TBS chopped cilantro

• Place on of the cans of drained and rinsed beans in the food processor.
• Place the second can into a bowl.
• Add the garlic, mayo, cumin, oregano. Chipotle and bread crumbs to the food processor. Process until beans are mashed and all ingredients are incorporated.
• Add the mashed beans to the bowl of whole beans. Add red onion and cilantro.
• Mix well and form patties.
• Heat a skillet with a little bit of oil. Add the patties and cook until bottom forms a brown crust. Flip burger and cook until second sides browns as well.
• Serve in a sandwich with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, red onion and tomato OR topped with cabbage salad.

CABBAGE SALAD:
1 small green cabbage head – sliced
2 medium tomatoes – chopped
¾ cup chopped cilantro
1 large lime – juiced
Salt to taste
• Mix cabbage, tomatoes and cilantro in a bowl. Add lime juice and season with salt.

Patty no bread or salad – CALORIES 220.75; FAT 4.41 grs (sat 0.48; mono 1.21; poly 2.06); PROTEIN 11.44 grs ; FIBER 12.77 grs; CARBS 42.07 grs; CHOLESTEROL 3.75 mg; IRON 4.11 mg; SODIUM 1702.68 mg; CALCIUM 146.96 mg

Print the Black Bean Burger Recipe Here