From Bombay to LA?

earlier this summer, i went with some co-workers to a special west side story screening featuring the LA phil at the hollywood bowl. the movie's a classic and the music was fantastic even from our nosebleed seats, but the best part of the night was definitely our pot-luck picnic! cous cous and pasta salads, grilled veggies, red wine, and fudge brownies were the perfect complement to tony and maria's tragedy.

my friend marie brought curry chicken salad from whole foods which was surprisingly awesome. i'm pretty anti-mayo in general, but couldn't taste it at all in the mix of spicy curry, roasted chicken chunks, nuts, and sweet raisins. since i'm always on the quest to make a healthier yet still tasty version (and budget friendly, the salad is $12.99/lb at whole foods!), i decided to give ellie krieger's recipe a shot.

curry chicken salad
courtesy ellie krieger

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves (or chicken tenders)
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (i used voskos greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup halved grapes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed green salad
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. poach chicken in the broth (boil broth first, then add chicken and simmer, covered, for 8 min. turn the heat off and let chicken stand in the hot liquid, covered, until cooked through, about 20 minutes).
2. remove chicken from the broth and cool completely in fridge. cut into small chunks, ~ 1/4 inch.
3. in a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and curry powder.
4. fold in the chicken, grapes and cilantro. (i also added diced carrot and chopped celery for extra texture and nutrients :D). season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. in a separate large bowl, toss the greens with the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste.
6. plate the greens. top with a generous scoop of chicken salad. add toasted almonds/nuts as desired.















verdict: satisfies the craving but a little too dense in texture. will probably use regular instead of greek yogurt next time.

Simply Soba

The ridiculously nice California-esque weather we've been having the last few days seems to suggest that warm temperatures and sunny skies are here to stay. You know what this means- time to bust out the flipflops, hit the pool, and let those freckles come out to play!

With spring in full bloom and summer just around the corner, I've slowly but surely been increasing my intake of warm weather essentials- frozen yogurt and salad. For froyo, the best I can do is point you in the direction of Red Mango or Costco, depending on your budget. But for salad, I offer a recipe that is easy, light yet filling, amazingly healthy, and with asian flair. Oh, did I mention, it's also vegetarian?

Seared Tofu-Soba Noodle Salad
courtesy Cooking Light

-2 packages firm tofu (abt 12 oz each)
-1/4 cup rice vinegar
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-2 TBS sugar
-1 TBS sesame oil
-2 tsp ginger, grated and peeled
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1 TBS olive oil
-lettuce (**Note: original recipe called for romaine, but I used Spring Mix)
-4 cups cooked soba noodles
-optional: chopped green onions

1. Cut tofu to slices, about 3/4 in wide, 2 inch long. Place slices in single layer on a plate, cover with paper towels. Then place another plate on top of the towels, pressing down on the slices occasionally. Let stand 20 min, drain liquid. Repeat for another 20 min.

2. While draining tofu, combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, black pepper to make dressing. Shake vigorously. Set aside in fridge.

3. Heat olive oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add tofu slices. Cook about 5 min on 1 side, until lightly browned. Remove dressing from fridge, shake, and add about 2-3 TBS of dressing to tofu before flipping over to other side (add enough dressing to lightly coat all slices of tofu). Cook another 5 min on this side.

4. Place lettuce on plate. Next, top with soba noodles, then tofu slices. Garnish with green onions if desired. Drizzle dressing over tofu, noodles, and salad, adding more as needed.

refreshing summer salad, for omnivores and herbivores alike

sorry, poor photo quality due to phone camera :(





easy-to-assemble leftovers make for a delicious next day lunch