Winter is not an easy time to eat locally in the Northeastern U.S. I hear it’s already spring in California (at least judging by the weather and produce), and Florida has its famed citrus. Though still seasonal by the time they get here, in transit those Sunshine State oranges have incurred the carbon debt and nutrient loss of shipment and storage, not to mention the wear and tear of a big chain supermarket.

Local, seasonal food is the holy grail of the conscientious urban eater. Okay, a garden would be better; there’s no trucking required, and the food is as fresh as can be. But when you live in a one-bedroom with east-facing windows that look onto another building, your growing options are scarce. (See also: last summer’s failed herb garden. The basil and rosemary died for lack of sun.)

So, I try to shop as much as possible at the greenmarket. Chatting with the farmer isn’t quite the same as getting my hands dirty, but it will do for now. At least the food comes from not-too-far away.

But February! Jeez, February, you break my heart. Sure, the seafood guys are still at the market, along with the wineries, the goat cheese lady, and the bags of locally braided pretzels, but produce is scarce. Thin on the ground. Thin in the air. Generally pretty trim. (Quoting Eddie Izzard might not help, but it makes me feel better.)

Last weekend, in terms of produce, my local farmers market boasted: mushrooms, onions, potatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, and squash. Not exactly a variety of nutrients therein. I left with an onion and two apples in my canvas bag. I knew the apples had been in storage since the fall, almost as long as the acorn squash on my kitchen table.

The squash’s stripes had gone from green to orange, but that’s the point of winter squash, right? With their thick skins and all? To stay good for months? Sure. Local from last December still equals local. Local in a lazy kitchen.

Roasting a halved acorn squash with butter and brown sugar is tasty enough, but I wanted to try something new. Inspired by this recipe from Epicurious and this one I posted on CHG a while back (plus a little old fashioned making-it-up-as-I-went) I ended up with a sweet, flavorful-but-not-spicy side dish that I’m very happy with.

Seasoning the apples and squash separately gives a little more variety to the dish; the squash receives more of the sweet-tasting garam masala, while the apples get a heavier hand with the curry powder. A splash of apple juice keeps everything moist, though you could probably roast this, too, with maybe a touch more oil.

Note: though the rind was very pretty, it didn’t make for easy eating. I added peeling to the instructions so you don’t have to pull shards of squash skin from your mouth. Additionally, the prices below reflect greenmarket/local apples, squash, and onions. In general, buying them there is fresher, kinder to the environment, and more supportive of my local economy. In this case, it’s cheaper than supermarket produce, as well.

Not having had the foresight, freezer space, or extra dough to lay in a frozen store of last summer’s veggies, I do what I can. But it’s nice, when you can, to go whole hog (whole local, grass-fed, ethically raised hog) and make an entire dish from foods (relatively) nearby.

~~~
If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Autumn Apple Salad
• Curried Sweet Potato Stew
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes

~~~

Curried Apples and Acorn Squash
Serves 4

1 acorn squash
2 apples, cubed (I used something that looked like Galas, but I bet Granny Smiths would add a nice tartness. I’d avoid anything mushy like Macs.)
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ c apple juice or cider
1 t (plus a dash) curry powder
1 T maple syrup
1 t garam masala
½ t powdered ginger
¼ t salt
dash of nutmeg
1 ½ T butter
1 T olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil (or not, if you like scrubbing).

2) Peel and cut the squash into cubes, 1 to 1½ inches on a side.

3) In a bowl mix 1 T olive oil, 1 T maple syrup, 1 t garam masala, ½ t powdered ginger, ¼ t salt, and a dash of curry powder. Add squash cubes and toss to coat.

4) Spread into your baking pan, in as close to in a single layer as possible. Bake about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice for even cooking.

5) Meanwhile, melt 1 T butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, a sprinkle of salt, and sauté until tender, maybe 12 minutes.

6) Add 1 t curry powder and a dash of nutmeg and stir for 1 minute.

7) Add apples and saute a few more minutes, until the apples are hot. Transfer to a bowl to wait for the squash.

Once the squash’s 25 minutes are up, add the apple mixture to the squash in the baking dish. Sprinkle with ¼ c apple juice, and stir together. Bake another 20 minutes or so, until the squash is tender.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber and Price per Serving
237 calories, 9.6 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, $0.93 (4 servings)

Calculations
1 acorn squash: 345 calories, 1g fat, 13g fiber, $1.00
2 apples: 143 calories, 0.5g fat, 6.5g fiber, $1.25
1 medium onion: 106 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber, $0.75
¼ c apple juice or cider: 30 calories, negligible fat or fiber, $0.15
1 t (plus a dash) curry powder: negligible calories or fat, 0.5g fiber, $0.04
1 T maple syrup: 52 calories, negligible fat or fiber, $0.25
1 t garam masala: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.02
½ t powdered ginger: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.01
¼ t salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.01
dash of nutmeg: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.01
1 ½ T butter: 153 calories, 17g fat, 0g fiber, $0.11
1 T olive oil: 120 calories, 14g fat, 0g fiber, $0.12
TOTALS: 949 calories, 38.5g fat, 23g fiber, $3.72
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 237 calories, 9.6g fat, 5.8g fiber, $0.93

Winter is not an easy time to eat locally in the Northeastern U.S. I hear it’s already spring in California (at least judging by the weather and produce), and Florida has its famed citrus. Though still seasonal by the time they get here, in transit those Sunshine State oranges have incurred the carbon debt and nutrient loss of shipment and storage, not to mention the wear and tear of a big chain supermarket.

Local, seasonal food is the holy grail of the conscientious urban eater. Okay, a garden would be better; there’s no trucking required, and the food is as fresh as can be. But when you live in a one-bedroom with east-facing windows that look onto another building, your growing options are scarce. (See also: last summer’s failed herb garden. The basil and rosemary died for lack of sun.)

So, I try to shop as much as possible at the greenmarket. Chatting with the farmer isn’t quite the same as getting my hands dirty, but it will do for now. At least the food comes from not-too-far away.

But February! Jeez, February, you break my heart. Sure, the seafood guys are still at the market, along with the wineries, the goat cheese lady, and the bags of locally braided pretzels, but produce is scarce. Thin on the ground. Thin in the air. Generally pretty trim. (Quoting Eddie Izzard might not help, but it makes me feel better.)

Last weekend, in terms of produce, my local farmers market boasted: mushrooms, onions, potatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, and squash. Not exactly a variety of nutrients therein. I left with an onion and two apples in my canvas bag. I knew the apples had been in storage since the fall, almost as long as the acorn squash on my kitchen table.

The squash’s stripes had gone from green to orange, but that’s the point of winter squash, right? With their thick skins and all? To stay good for months? Sure. Local from last December still equals local. Local in a lazy kitchen.

Roasting a halved acorn squash with butter and brown sugar is tasty enough, but I wanted to try something new. Inspired by this recipe from Epicurious and this one I posted on CHG a while back (plus a little old fashioned making-it-up-as-I-went) I ended up with a sweet, flavorful-but-not-spicy side dish that I’m very happy with.

Seasoning the apples and squash separately gives a little more variety to the dish; the squash receives more of the sweet-tasting garam masala, while the apples get a heavier hand with the curry powder. A splash of apple juice keeps everything moist, though you could probably roast this, too, with maybe a touch more oil.

Note: though the rind was very pretty, it didn’t make for easy eating. I added peeling to the instructions so you don’t have to pull shards of squash skin from your mouth. Additionally, the prices below reflect greenmarket/local apples, squash, and onions. In general, buying them there is fresher, kinder to the environment, and more supportive of my local economy. In this case, it’s cheaper than supermarket produce, as well.

Not having had the foresight, freezer space, or extra dough to lay in a frozen store of last summer’s veggies, I do what I can. But it’s nice, when you can, to go whole hog (whole local, grass-fed, ethically raised hog) and make an entire dish from foods (relatively) nearby.

~~~
If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Autumn Apple Salad
• Curried Sweet Potato Stew
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes

~~~

Curried Apples and Acorn Squash
Serves 4

1 acorn squash
2 apples, cubed (I used something that looked like Galas, but I bet Granny Smiths would add a nice tartness. I’d avoid anything mushy like Macs.)
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ c apple juice or cider
1 t (plus a dash) curry powder
1 T maple syrup
1 t garam masala
½ t powdered ginger
¼ t salt
dash of nutmeg
1 ½ T butter
1 T olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil (or not, if you like scrubbing).

2) Peel and cut the squash into cubes, 1 to 1½ inches on a side.

3) In a bowl mix 1 T olive oil, 1 T maple syrup, 1 t garam masala, ½ t powdered ginger, ¼ t salt, and a dash of curry powder. Add squash cubes and toss to coat.

4) Spread into your baking pan, in as close to in a single layer as possible. Bake about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice for even cooking.

5) Meanwhile, melt 1 T butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, a sprinkle of salt, and sauté until tender, maybe 12 minutes.

6) Add 1 t curry powder and a dash of nutmeg and stir for 1 minute.

7) Add apples and saute a few more minutes, until the apples are hot. Transfer to a bowl to wait for the squash.

Once the squash’s 25 minutes are up, add the apple mixture to the squash in the baking dish. Sprinkle with ¼ c apple juice, and stir together. Bake another 20 minutes or so, until the squash is tender.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber and Price per Serving
237 calories, 9.6 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, $0.93 (4 servings)

Calculations
1 acorn squash: 345 calories, 1g fat, 13g fiber, $1.00
2 apples: 143 calories, 0.5g fat, 6.5g fiber, $1.25
1 medium onion: 106 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber, $0.75
¼ c apple juice or cider: 30 calories, negligible fat or fiber, $0.15
1 t (plus a dash) curry powder: negligible calories or fat, 0.5g fiber, $0.04
1 T maple syrup: 52 calories, negligible fat or fiber, $0.25
1 t garam masala: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.02
½ t powdered ginger: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.01
¼ t salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.01
dash of nutmeg: negligible calories, fat, fiber, $0.01
1 ½ T butter: 153 calories, 17g fat, 0g fiber, $0.11
1 T olive oil: 120 calories, 14g fat, 0g fiber, $0.12
TOTALS: 949 calories, 38.5g fat, 23g fiber, $3.72
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 237 calories, 9.6g fat, 5.8g fiber, $0.93

Q: One thing I have always struggled with is having a good breakfast, especially on the go. I’m a college senior (class of 2010!) and my time is very limited in the mornings (probably because I get up at the latest I can). I have come to hate buying breakfast from the food carts or spending money (college/intern=broke) and would like to know any suggestions for any nutritious (and quick) meals in the morning. I have long commutes to Manhattan and usually have to eat on the go. Normally I try to eat fruit and a yogurt, or some sort of “cereal bar.”

Anyway hope you can help with some suggestions!

A: Good question, sweet reader. You’re definitely moving in the right direction with fruit; portable, cheap, and healthy, it beats the everloving crud out of Go-gurt and its rainbow-colored kin. If you can pack a big ol’ fruit salad, it would provide a little variety, too. Sprinkle nuts on it for kicks.

Since you’re eating on the subway, I assume oatmeal and/or cereal are poor options. Do you mind baking? If you can set aside an hour or two every other week, you can do granola bars, muffins, or banana bread. It’d set you up for the whole month, and each piece will probably run you between $0.15 and $0.35. These Cranberry Zinger Muffins from Cooking with Amy are wonderful, and I remember digging Everybody Likes Sandwiches version of Chai-spiced Apple Oatmeal Bread very much.

Readers, beyond that, I throw the question to you. What are your favorite portable breakfasts? How do you eat on the go?

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

Q: One thing I have always struggled with is having a good breakfast, especially on the go. I’m a college senior (class of 2010!) and my time is very limited in the mornings (probably because I get up at the latest I can). I have come to hate buying breakfast from the food carts or spending money (college/intern=broke) and would like to know any suggestions for any nutritious (and quick) meals in the morning. I have long commutes to Manhattan and usually have to eat on the go. Normally I try to eat fruit and a yogurt, or some sort of “cereal bar.”

Anyway hope you can help with some suggestions!

A: Good question, sweet reader. You’re definitely moving in the right direction with fruit; portable, cheap, and healthy, it beats the everloving crud out of Go-gurt and its rainbow-colored kin. If you can pack a big ol’ fruit salad, it would provide a little variety, too. Sprinkle nuts on it for kicks.

Since you’re eating on the subway, I assume oatmeal and/or cereal are poor options. Do you mind baking? If you can set aside an hour or two every other week, you can do granola bars, muffins, or banana bread. It’d set you up for the whole month, and each piece will probably run you between $0.15 and $0.35. These Cranberry Zinger Muffins from Cooking with Amy are wonderful, and I remember digging Everybody Likes Sandwiches version of Chai-spiced Apple Oatmeal Bread very much.

Readers, beyond that, I throw the question to you. What are your favorite portable breakfasts? How do you eat on the go?

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

“But Yoni, the advertisement for the Del Monte Fruit Twists says says there’s “no sugar added”.”

I beg to differ.

With the exception of natural flavour, colour and pectin the only ingredients are fruit concentrates. Wanna guess what the main ingredient of fruit concentrates are? Sugar. So much sugar that in each and every Health Check’ed serving of Fruit Twists there’s 3 teaspoons of the stuff which account for nearly 70% of each serving’s weight and 80% of each serving’s calories. Buy hey, it’s “natural” sugar, right?

According to the copy,

“Get your daily servings of fruit in a convenient and delicious way with new Fruit Twists“

Fruit?

Let’s compare blueberries with Blueberry & Raspberry Del Monte Fruit Twists. Gram per gram the Health Check’ed Twists have 600% more calories and 666% more sugar (Hmmm). Put another way, if you wanted to consume the equivalent number of calories from berries as you’d get from a two Twist “serving” you’d need to eat 3/4 of a cup of blueberries (and that 3/4 of a cup still won’t give you the sugar of the two tiny Twists).

But as with virtually everything Health Check’ed it gets worse.

Given that the Twists look exactly like Twizzlers, I decided to compare the two. Comparing Del Monte Fruit Twists – endorsed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s stellar dietitians – with Twizzlers, gram per gram we see identical calories and get this, 40% more sugar in the Health Check’ed Twists.

So once again here we have the dietitians from the Heart and Stroke Foundation discouraging the consumption of actual fibrous, nutritious, satiating fruits and berries by promoting and endorsing a heavily processed product that’s basically just a sugar-sweetened Twizzler.

They sure seem like a smart bunch.

As far as I’m concerned, the misinformation the Heart and Stroke Foundation is providing Canadians should be downright criminal but sadly there’s no law that prevents them from abusing the public’s trust.

“But Yoni, the advertisement for the Del Monte Fruit Twists says says there’s “no sugar added”.”

I beg to differ.

With the exception of natural flavour, colour and pectin the only ingredients are fruit concentrates. Wanna guess what the main ingredient of fruit concentrates are? Sugar. So much sugar that in each and every Health Check’ed serving of Fruit Twists there’s 3 teaspoons of the stuff which account for nearly 70% of each serving’s weight and 80% of each serving’s calories. Buy hey, it’s “natural” sugar, right?

According to the copy,

“Get your daily servings of fruit in a convenient and delicious way with new Fruit Twists“

Fruit?

Let’s compare blueberries with Blueberry & Raspberry Del Monte Fruit Twists. Gram per gram the Health Check’ed Twists have 600% more calories and 666% more sugar (Hmmm). Put another way, if you wanted to consume the equivalent number of calories from berries as you’d get from a two Twist “serving” you’d need to eat 3/4 of a cup of blueberries (and that 3/4 of a cup still won’t give you the sugar of the two tiny Twists).

But as with virtually everything Health Check’ed it gets worse.

Given that the Twists look exactly like Twizzlers, I decided to compare the two. Comparing Del Monte Fruit Twists – endorsed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s stellar dietitians – with Twizzlers, gram per gram we see identical calories and get this, 40% more sugar in the Health Check’ed Twists.

So once again here we have the dietitians from the Heart and Stroke Foundation discouraging the consumption of actual fibrous, nutritious, satiating fruits and berries by promoting and endorsing a heavily processed product that’s basically just a sugar-sweetened Twizzler.

They sure seem like a smart bunch.

As far as I’m concerned, the misinformation the Heart and Stroke Foundation is providing Canadians should be downright criminal but sadly there’s no law that prevents them from abusing the public’s trust.

While it’s sweet having friends who read, it’s even sweeter having friends who’ll lend you their reading material. Borrowed books are how I discovered Philip Roth and Toni Morrison, Betty Smith and John Irving, Art Spiegelman and uh, Stephenie Meyers. (What? I like vampires that sparkle.)

Recently, my pal Mo lent me a bunch of tomes on multitudinous topics: plastic bottles, Batman, herb gardens, some chick with a dragon tattoo, etc. Her collection is as vast as her little boy is adorable. Which is to say, hugely.

The last one was called The Ungarnished Truth: A Cooking Contest Memoir. Written by Washington native Ellie Matthews, it chronicles her victory at the 1998 Pillsbury’s Bake-Off, along with the ensuing whirlwind of publicity. Thanks to a simple dish called Salsa Couscous Chicken (later renamed), Ellie walked away with a million bucks, an appearance on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and poultry immortality.

You know how everyone has one great story? One tale that’s a bit of a jaw-dropper? (Mine = worst date ever.) This is Ellie’s. The story itself isn’t a rip-roaring, Indiana Jones-style roller coaster of action, but it’s a neat read, because she’s so dang easygoing. By the end, you wanna sit down and knit a blanket with her. I think that’s a good thing.

At the conclusion, she includes the recipe for Salsa Couscous Chicken. Being inexpensive and relatively healthy-looking (not to mention a contest winner), I had to try it.

The first go-round was a disaster. I used bland (mild) salsa, never got the pan hot enough, and tripled the water. Essentially, I proved myself the fool making a supposedly foolproof recipe.

The second time, though? Sweet n’ spicy triumph. The cinnamon and cumin temper the salsa’s heat. The raisins plump when you cook ‘em. The almonds provide crunch, a valuable textural variation in the midst of so much moistness. Speaking of that moistness – the chicken cooks perfectly, remaining juicy and flavorful, as if it’s been braising for hours.

A word on the calculations: the official recipe/book and Recipe Zaar list different nutritional numbers, probably due to chicken thighs of varying sizes. (It rhymes! Kind of!) So, I did my own math. My thighs averaged out to 5.6 ounces each, raw. For me, that’s a lot of meat. For Husband-Elect, that’s not quite enough. Consequently, my numbers are split into four, six, and eight servings.

Next time you’re looking for inspiration (chicken-related or otherwise), check your friends’ libraries. You never know what you’ll find next to Twilight. (Uh … look! A shiny thing! *runs away*)

~~~
If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Bruschetta Chicken Bake
• Chicken and Mushroom Marsala
• Chicken Provencal

~~~

Salsa Couscous Chicken OR Moroccan Chicken (Depending)
Serves 4 to 8
Adapted from Ellie Matthews, via Pillsbury.

1 cup uncooked couscous or rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 or 6 ounces each)
1 cup bottled salsa, medium heat
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1) Cook the couscous or rice according to package directions. Set aside.

2) In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add almonds. Cook, stirring occasionally. Once browned, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3) To the same pan, add garlic. Cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Add chicken. Cook about 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Meat should be slightly browned when finished.

4) While chicken is cooking, combine salsa, water, raisins, honey, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir.

5) Add salsa mixture to pan. Stir to combine. Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it’s getting a little dry, add water as you go along. Chicken should be cooked through when finished. If not, give it another few minutes.

6) Serve chicken over rice/couscous. Top with sauce. Sprinkle with almonds.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
4 servings: 666 calories, 19.9 g fat, 3.4 g fiber, $2.18
6 servings: 444 calories, 13.3 g fat, 2.3 g fiber, $1.46
8 servings: 333 calories, 10 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, $1.09

Calculations
1 cup uncooked couscous: 650 calories, 1 g fat, 8.7 g fiber, $1.30
1 tablespoon olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.12
1/4 cup slivered almonds: 170 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g fiber, $0.47
2 cloves garlic, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $0.08
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs: 1512 calories, 49.6 g fat, 0 fiber, $5.06
1 cup bottled salsa, medium heat: 70 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $1.45
1/4 cup water: 0 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.00
2 tablespoons raisins: 65 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, $0.11
1 tablespoon honey: 64 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.10
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.03
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon: 3 calories, 0 g fat, 0.6 g fiber, $0.01
TOTALS: 2662 calories, 79.6 g fat, 13.5 g fiber, $8.73
PER SERVING (4 servings): 666 calories, 19.9 g fat, 3.4 g fiber, $2.18
PER SERVING (6 servings): 444 calories, 13.3 g fat, 2.3 g fiber, $1.46
PER SERVINGS (8 servings): 333 calories, 10 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, $1.09

While it’s sweet having friends who read, it’s even sweeter having friends who’ll lend you their reading material. Borrowed books are how I discovered Philip Roth and Toni Morrison, Betty Smith and John Irving, Art Spiegelman and uh, Stephenie Meyers. (What? I like vampires that sparkle.)

Recently, my pal Mo lent me a bunch of tomes on multitudinous topics: plastic bottles, Batman, herb gardens, some chick with a dragon tattoo, etc. Her collection is as vast as her little boy is adorable. Which is to say, hugely.

The last one was called The Ungarnished Truth: A Cooking Contest Memoir. Written by Washington native Ellie Matthews, it chronicles her victory at the 1998 Pillsbury’s Bake-Off, along with the ensuing whirlwind of publicity. Thanks to a simple dish called Salsa Couscous Chicken (later renamed), Ellie walked away with a million bucks, an appearance on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and poultry immortality.

You know how everyone has one great story? One tale that’s a bit of a jaw-dropper? (Mine = worst date ever.) This is Ellie’s. The story itself isn’t a rip-roaring, Indiana Jones-style roller coaster of action, but it’s a neat read, because she’s so dang easygoing. By the end, you wanna sit down and knit a blanket with her. I think that’s a good thing.

At the conclusion, she includes the recipe for Salsa Couscous Chicken. Being inexpensive and relatively healthy-looking (not to mention a contest winner), I had to try it.

The first go-round was a disaster. I used bland (mild) salsa, never got the pan hot enough, and tripled the water. Essentially, I proved myself the fool making a supposedly foolproof recipe.

The second time, though? Sweet n’ spicy triumph. The cinnamon and cumin temper the salsa’s heat. The raisins plump when you cook ‘em. The almonds provide crunch, a valuable textural variation in the midst of so much moistness. Speaking of that moistness – the chicken cooks perfectly, remaining juicy and flavorful, as if it’s been braising for hours.

A word on the calculations: the official recipe/book and Recipe Zaar list different nutritional numbers, probably due to chicken thighs of varying sizes. (It rhymes! Kind of!) So, I did my own math. My thighs averaged out to 5.6 ounces each, raw. For me, that’s a lot of meat. For Husband-Elect, that’s not quite enough. Consequently, my numbers are split into four, six, and eight servings.

Next time you’re looking for inspiration (chicken-related or otherwise), check your friends’ libraries. You never know what you’ll find next to Twilight. (Uh … look! A shiny thing! *runs away*)

~~~
If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Bruschetta Chicken Bake
• Chicken and Mushroom Marsala
• Chicken Provencal

~~~

Salsa Couscous Chicken OR Moroccan Chicken (Depending)
Serves 4 to 8
Adapted from Ellie Matthews, via Pillsbury.

1 cup uncooked couscous or rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 or 6 ounces each)
1 cup bottled salsa, medium heat
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1) Cook the couscous or rice according to package directions. Set aside.

2) In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add almonds. Cook, stirring occasionally. Once browned, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3) To the same pan, add garlic. Cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Add chicken. Cook about 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Meat should be slightly browned when finished.

4) While chicken is cooking, combine salsa, water, raisins, honey, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir.

5) Add salsa mixture to pan. Stir to combine. Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it’s getting a little dry, add water as you go along. Chicken should be cooked through when finished. If not, give it another few minutes.

6) Serve chicken over rice/couscous. Top with sauce. Sprinkle with almonds.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
4 servings: 666 calories, 19.9 g fat, 3.4 g fiber, $2.18
6 servings: 444 calories, 13.3 g fat, 2.3 g fiber, $1.46
8 servings: 333 calories, 10 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, $1.09

Calculations
1 cup uncooked couscous: 650 calories, 1 g fat, 8.7 g fiber, $1.30
1 tablespoon olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.12
1/4 cup slivered almonds: 170 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g fiber, $0.47
2 cloves garlic, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $0.08
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs: 1512 calories, 49.6 g fat, 0 fiber, $5.06
1 cup bottled salsa, medium heat: 70 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $1.45
1/4 cup water: 0 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.00
2 tablespoons raisins: 65 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, $0.11
1 tablespoon honey: 64 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.10
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.03
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon: 3 calories, 0 g fat, 0.6 g fiber, $0.01
TOTALS: 2662 calories, 79.6 g fat, 13.5 g fiber, $8.73
PER SERVING (4 servings): 666 calories, 19.9 g fat, 3.4 g fiber, $2.18
PER SERVING (6 servings): 444 calories, 13.3 g fat, 2.3 g fiber, $1.46
PER SERVINGS (8 servings): 333 calories, 10 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, $1.09