Spinach & Pomegranate Salad

I'm planning to feast on a ton of game day food this weekend at my Super Bowl party, so it's probably a good idea to stick with some healthier options in the meantime. I'd been wanting to make this salad for awhile now, ever since I tried a similar version at The Blue Plate. It can be a hassle to get all the seeds out of a full pomegranate, but some supermarkets now sell the packages of pomegranate seeds which saves a lot of prep time. The salad was delicious, took virtually no time to put together, and would be the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup.


Spinach, Feta & Pomegranate Salad:

• Place a dry skillet over medium heat and add 1/4 c. raw pine nuts. Toast nuts for 3-5 minutes and let cool.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. olive oil with 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and set dressing aside.
• Meanwhile, empty one package of pre-washed baby spinach into a large bowl.
• Add toasted nuts, 1/2 c. pomegranate seeds, and 1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese.
• Toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serves two - three (side dish)

Polenta & Sausages

With most of the country covered in ice and snow (-2°F in Boulder, CO), my mind kept drifting to thoughts of eating warm, comforting food - preferably by a fireplace. So while I wasn't able to enjoy a snow day in L.A., I still cooked the comfort food I couldn't stop thinking about. The creamy, rich polenta, which I adapted from Ina Garten's How Easy is That?, and roasted sausages were the perfect home-cooked meal to satisfy my craving.


Parmesan Polenta with Sausages:

• Place sausages on a cookie sheet and bake in a 400°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until sausages are browned and cooked through.
• Remove sausages from oven and cut in half.
• Meanwhile, boil 2 c. chicken stock and two cloves chopped garlic in a medium saucepan.
• Whisk in 1/2 c. of quick-cooking polenta and cook according to package. Make sure to whisk constantly to avoid lumps.
• Once polenta is done, turn off the heat and add 1 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. creme fraiche, and 1/2 c. grated parmesan.
• Spoon the polenta onto a plate, and top with halved sausages.* Enjoy.

Serves four
*I also rounded out the meal with some sauteed spinach.

Thai Chicken Curry

Homemade Thai chicken curry that's quicker than delivery

I absolutely love Thai food, but I have pretty high standards for the take-out places I use. I really haven't found one I like within delivery range, so I decided to make one of my favorite dishes on my own: chicken curry. I've made more complicated versions of chicken and vegetable curry before, but to save time, I like to use store-bought Thai curry paste. I adjusted this recipe to add some heat, but the whole meal was still ready in thirty minutes. Make sure serve some rice with it to soak up all the rich, coconut-milky sauce.

Note: I used red curry paste in this recipe, but you can also use green curry paste for a slightly different color and flavor.


Related Recipes:
- Red Curry Fish with Peanuts & Cilantro
- Thai Curry Chicken Drummettes
- Shrimp in Thai Curry Sauce


Thai Green Curry with Chicken:

• Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large saucepan.
• Add 1 chopped red onion and 1 tbsp. curry paste; stir for 2-3 minutes or until onions are soft.
• Add 1 can coconut milk, 2 tsp. fish sauce, 1 tsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce.
• Bring sauce to boil and add 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, a sliced boneless skinless chicken breast, and a large pinch of salt.
• Cook 5-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
• Stir in the juice of 1/2 lime and check for seasoning.
• Divide into bowls with and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serves two