Best-Ever Roasted Chicken

The secret behind your perfectly roasted chicken really is only skin deep. You want to be sure that as your chicken's natural juices are being expelled, you're re-infusing the bird with moisture and flavor.  How do you accomplish that task? EASY!

It's always important to start with a proper bird- one that was fed a healthy diet and not pumped with unnecessary medicine and hormones. It's also very important to research where your poultry comes from. I always encourage supporting your small local farmers because their farming methods are more often than not sustainable and more hygienic. You don't want to risk picking up something from a chicken who was raised in an unsanitary, hostile environment. Living with the earth is so much better than living against it!

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 Prepping and Roasting the Bird

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To get started, be sure to clean your whole chicken, removing everything from the cavity and rinsing it thoroughly.  Then place the bird on a cutting board breast up.  If you're a big meat eater, you should invest in a bamboo cutting board, as it contains natural bacteria fighting properties and is far kinder to your knives.

In a small bowl, combine a 1 1/2 sticks of softened butter, a small drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and some spices and herbs of your choosing.  At the end, I've listed some of my favorite spice mixtures!

Now, it's gonna get a little messy so roll those sleeves up. You're going to want to slide your fingers gently under the skin above the breast, separating it from the meat.  Do take care to not tear the skin.  If you do tear it, don't freak out- I'll tell you how to correct it later.

Next, Slide a fork under the skin and begin piercing the breast meat.  You want each breast to be forked at least 6 times.  The more holes, the more points of access for your butter mixture, making a tastier bird.

After that, take all but 2 tbsp of your butter mixture and smooth it under the skin, using the palm of your hand to evenly distribute the butter. If you have torn the skin, just secure with a toothpick.

Rub the remaining 2 tbsp of butter on top of the skin and drizzle with olive oil.  The oil is key because it protects the butter from overcooking and buring.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. For an added blast of flavor, lay strips of bacon over the skin. The fat from the bacon will marinate and infuse your bird as it cooks.  This works best with rosemary, dill, and sage herb recipes.

Stuff the cavity with a halved white onion, a halved lemon, 2 bay leaves, and at least 5 sprigs of whatever dominate herb you used in your butter mixture. You can even throw in some halved chilies for an extra kick if you like it hot.  Whatever you want- be creative.  My rule of thumb for experimenting is to place all your ingredients in a bowl (herbs and spices included) and take a whiff.  If it smells good, chances are it will taste good.

Transfer your bird into a baking or roasting dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 1 hour. The juices should run clear and if you have access to a meat thermometer, the breast meat should be 180 degrees.

~Spiced Apple Herb Chicken Recipe~

IMPORTANT: Let stand for 10-15 minutes before carving or else you'll lose much of the juice.

If you're using the chicken for tacos, just peel pieces off the bird along the grain.

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Butter Mixtures

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Rosemary Sage:

1 tbsp chopped sage leaves

1 tbsp chopped (1 tsp dried) rosemary

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp ground cloves

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 tsp lemon zest

Fiesta Lime: GREAT FOR TACOS!

1 tbsp cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp chili powder

a few dashes cayenne pepper

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp lime zest
*substitute halved lemon in the cavity for lime.  Great with halved chilies!

Spiced Apple:

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1 tbsp apple cider
I also add about 2 cups apple cider and some whole cloves to the bottom on the roasting pan.

* substitute halved lemon in the cavity for halved apple and add carrots, cinnamon sticks and some whole cloves

Rosemary Dill:

1 tbsp chopped dill

1 tbsp chopped (or 1 tsp dried) rosemary

1/2 tsp tarragon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp lemon zest

Baby, It's Too Friggin' Cold Outside!

Sometimes around the holidays I start craving some light dishes.  It's probably my body telling me it's sick of cloves and pumpkin- crazy, I know!  Whenever I need a light dish, I bust this one out.  The fish takes no time at all and I can reuse the salsa in salads for the rest of the week.  This just always feels refreshing and makes me think of summer - AND WARM WEATHER!

Mexican Herb White Fish

~Flounder~
Bake 5-10 minutes

THE STUFF

2   6-7 oz fillets of your locally caught white fish.  I usually use flounder or cod.

2 tbsp cilantro

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 limes- 1 halved and 1 sliced

Himalayan/sea salt and ground pepper to taste

 ~Chilean Sea Bass~

Bake 18-20 minutes

 

THE PREP

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Rinse the fish fillets and place in a baking dish.

Squeeze 1/2 lime over each fillet. Mix spices and herb together and sprinkle over fillets.  Add dashes of salt and pepper on top and top with slices of lime.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the fish flakes easily. A thicker fish would take about 20 minutes.

Mango Salsa

THE STUFF

3-4 mangoes (about 1 pound)  The mangoes should have some give when you squeeze them.

2 limes

1 red onion

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (or 2 tbsp dried cilantro)

1/2 tsp Himalayan/sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

olive oil

IF YOU WANT A 'LIL KICK...

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

THE PREP

Peel the mangoes and slice like an apple, getting as close to the core as possible.  The dice.

Add everything together in a bowl, squeeze the two limes into the mixture and stir.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Yup, that's it.  YOU'RE DONE!  

You can serve cold over the fish or in a salad or bake in aluminum foil in the oven for 8-10 minutes

You can also substitute mango for peach, tomato and avocado, or pineapple.  I encourage you to buy local or fair trade.  Just remember to have fun with it!

*Mango Salsa recipe originally by Nina Simonds

Fruit and Mint Smoothie Boost

I've tried a ton to smoothie concoctions to boost my potassium and omega 3 intake but this one was the clear winner.  I blend this at night, fridge it, and drink it as my mid-morning snack.  If I'm using it as a pre-gym smoothie, I just throw some protein powder right in.

Although fresh fruit is always best, I use frozen organic fruit- fair trade whenever possible.  It can appear to be a pricey indulgence at first but if you buy large bags of fruit, I promise it will go far.

THE STUFF

1 cup coconut water

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (I like vanilla)

1/4 cup strawberries

1/4 cup mangoes

1/4 cup peaches

1/4 cup pineapple

2-3 springs mint

1 heaping tbsp ground flaxseed

1/2 banana

BLEND IT UP!

Egg-Less Salad (raw/vegan)

 

I have to say, I've never been big with raw foods.  I personally enjoy cooking so I always blew the raw food movement off, never thinking uncooked food could actually taste good.  Well, it does!  I found a small shop in my town that caters to the vegan, raw food diet.  If you live in (or near) Montclair, NJ, I encourage you to check it out: Go Lightly, located at 4 So. Fullerton Avenue.

 

After trying Jen Chaky’s No-Egg Salad I was totally hooked. I was expecting raw foods to be bland but that's simply not the case. Everything was filled with such texture and flavor, I was truly wrong. I even loved the raw bread! Do check this place out and visit their website for information on vegan living: golightly.com.

Naturally, I wanted to recreate the no-egg salad and tried many different concoctions before finding this recipe. It's not as brilliant as Jen's but it's pretty damn close and delicious.

Additionally, it's never easy to keep on track when you're trying to watch your diet. I find that it's far easier to eat better when you prep your lunches for the week. Remember- when you fail to plan, you plan to fail! This recipe is great for meal planning that's high in both healthy fats and protein. Make a batch and use this for the entire week. Use about 1/4 cup for half a sandwich, which you could enjoy with some fruit and a small cup of non-dairy vegetable soup  Use 1/2 cup for a whole sandwich and serve with a side salad, dressed with lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and ground pepper.

THE STUFF

1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 cloves garlic
3/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
3 celery stalks – finely chopped
3/4 of a fresh red pepper – finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (optional) 

1 small white onion - finely chopped (optional)

sprinkle pepper
sprinkle paprika

THE PREP

Drain cashews and allow to dry. 

Blend everything but except celery, onion, parsley and red pepper into a blender. Blend very well until it resembles a smooth, creamy hollandaise sauce.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl.  Stir in red pepper, celery, onion, and parsley. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika

Serve on your favorite multigrain or stoneground wheat bread with a side of fruit and a small cup of vegetable soup for the perfect lunch!

*Originally found on therawatarian.com