141.8…Need a Healthy Recipe by chance?

I’ve got a good one for you! I’ve teamed up with Great News Discount Cookware & Cooking School to bring you a new recipe each week from one of their fabulous classes. If you are ever in San Diego and want to take a class with me, let me know!

Back to the recipe…

It was from a class entitled Light and Healthy Entrees by Phillis Carey. Perfect for all those New Year resolutions right!?! This week I chose Spiced Rubbed Chicken with Curried Orange Couscous.

I made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit! Full of flavors and easy to make!

First thing I did was to set out all my ingredients.

That is the biggest tip I could ever give someone on cooking: Get all your ingredients out and measured before you start!!

First step to make the couscous is to bring orange juice to a boil:

Add some dried cranberries:

Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes.

Drain the cranberries and reserve the juice.

Put some olive oil in a pan and add garlic, onion and bell pepper:

Stir in the reserved orange juice, add some water, curry powder, salt and chicken broth and bring to a boil:

Meanwhile, prep your chicken by pounding them (so important for moist, evenly cooked chicken) and rubbing your spice mixture (cumin, coriander, salt, ginger, garlic powder, oregano, cinnamon and black pepper) on them. Get those babies on the grill:

After your couscous mixture comes to a boil, stir in the couscous and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Finish it up by adding the cranberries, basil, cilantro, lemon zest and lemon sections.

Take your chicken off the grill and let rest a few minutes before slicing:

Done! I added steamed green beans to go with it:

Verdict: Delicious! I loved the spice rub on the chicken. I was a little unsure about the couscous when I first read the recipe because of all the fruit. If you know me, I don’t like fruit with my food. But the cranberries really balanced the tart of the lemon. And curry? Forget about it! I’d eat my shoe if you put curry on it.

Spice Rubbed Chicken with Curried Orange Couscous

Serves 8

Chicken:

4 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp black pepper

8 small skinless boneless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp olive oil

Couscous:

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbsp olive oil

8 garlic cloves, sliced

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

2/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup water

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp salt

1 – 14 1/2 oz can, fat free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 cups uncooked couscous

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 tsp grated lemon zest

1/3 cup chopped peeled lemon sections

1. Preheat grill or broiler. Trim chicken and pound to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Combine the spices and rub over chicken. Brush chicken lightly with olive oil and grill or broil for about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Let rest a few minutes before slicing into thick strips.

2. To prepare couscous, bring orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in cranberries. Remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes. Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving juice.

3. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic; cook 1 minute. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in reserved juice, water, curry, 1 tsp salt, and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

4. Fluff couscous with a fork. Add cranberries, basil, cilantro, lemon zest, and lemon sections, tossing gently to combine. Serve chicken strips on couscous.

Enjoy!

I actually halved the recipe which was quite easy to do! Thanks Great News for bringing fabulous food to my life. :)

This morning’s breakfast wasn’t as exciting as my dinner last night but still was enjoyable. :)

Fage yogurt with Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal, strawberries and raspberries. After the school drop off, I went to Starbucks for a Vanilla Roiboos tea and to wait for my cooking class to start. Yes…more Great News!! :)

Today’s class was entitled Wok Toss Ups – Not Just Stir Fry by none other than Phillis Carey.

I loved every dish in this class. I can’t wait to make them all!

First up was Chicken Sauté with Tomatoes and Prosciutto on Creamy Garlic Polenta:

Loved this!! The polenta was creamy and comforting. Loved the combination of chicken and prosciutto.

Next was Spicy Orange Sesame Chicken Noodles with Sugar Snap Peas:

How could you go wrong here!?! Love this too! Simple Asian style noodles with orange chicken. Hubby will love this one!

The third recipe was Pork Tenderloin Strips with Bacon and Mushrooms in a Creamy Paprika Sauce:

This was served on parpardelle pasta (which is one of my favorite types of pasta by the way). The sauce was amazing. I wanted to lick the plate.

The next recipe was my favorite: Thai Green Salmon Curry with Spinach and Red Peppers:

You know how I feel about curry. :) This was spicy and amazing. Phillis thought it was too spicy but I loved it!! Serve it with some Jasmine rice.

The last recipe was New Orleans Style Shrimp Etouffe with Rice:

Another winner! Love Cajon style food! What a great class!!!!

After class it was errand running and pick up at school. Now onto dinner….

Do you have a wok? Do you use it?

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