Buckwheat with veggies and eggs

I never really understood why buckwheat isn't used in cooking alongside the likes of rice or pasta. I think it is completely underrated, but not in my house:)  It is a classic item that I always have in my cupboard.  It is versatile and valuable in a balanced diet. Buckwheat is a great source of manganese, copper, magnesium, and dietary fiber. It contains flavonoids and amino acids, and is gluten-free.

For breakfast I have it plain (with a pinch of sugar), or with milk in place of cereal. It is a great alternative side dish to serve with your meal.

Buckwheat with veggies and eggs can be served with any main course of your choice.

Ingredients:

1.5 cup cooked buckwheat

½ medium onion, peeled and diced

7 white mushrooms, diced or sliced

1 boiled egg, diced

3 tsp cooking oil

salt

pepper

parsley, finely chopped

Making buckwheat:

Rinse buckwheat thoroughly under running water before cooking and remove any dirt or debris with your hands. You need one part buckwheat to two parts boiling liquid – water or broth. Place the pot with the mixture on the stove on high heat. After the mixture returns to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Making buckwheat with veggies and eggs:

Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat and sauté the onion until soft (3-5 minutes). Add mushrooms and cook until ready (4-6 minutes). Add salt and pepper.

Combine buckwheat, onions, mushrooms and eggs together and mix well. Garnish with parsley and serve. 

Tips:

• Skip the egg for a vegetarian option 

Enjoy!

Chicken Rolls

I love chicken! It is like a perfect pair of shoes: you can dress it up - make a fancy appetizer for a festive dinner, or you can dress it down – make an effortless escalope with vegetables on the side for a quick lunch. It is perfect for any occasion imaginable. This is why it makes sense to buy chicken in bulk - you can make chicken soup from drumsticks, honey glazed thighs, spicy chicken wings and rolls with a filling from chicken breast.

These particular chicken rolls were inspired by warm and sunny Southern California weather:) They have just the right amount of cheese inside to make the chicken moist and not heavy. As for the sauce, it is quite simple and brings richness to the dish. 

Serve the rolls as a main course with a side of vegetables or pasta or make an easy and tasty appetizer for a party.

Ingredients:

Chicken Rolls:

1 chicken breast

2 slices of semi-soft cheese (e.g. Havarti, Gouda)

parsley, finely chopped

1 cup water/chicken stock

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp cooking oil

salt

pepper

Sauce:

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

salt

pepper

Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the breast in half and cut each half in 3 pieces. Cover the pieces with a plastic wrap and pound them with a flat side of a meat mallet until they are evenly thin. Season with salt and pepper.

Break each cheese slice in 6 pieces. Put 2-3 cheese pieces and a teaspoon of parsley on one side of a chicken breast and roll it up, so that the filling is inside. Secure the rolls with toothpicks or thread.

Heat the oil and the butter in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the rolls, turning them occasionally, until browned from all sides.

Pour water/chicken stock in a different frying pan (or clean the same one) and place the rolls in it. As soon as the liquid starts boiling, put the heat to a low and cover the pan. Let them simmer for 15 minutes.

Making the sauce:

Take ½ cup of liquid from the pan and add flour and sour cream. Blend the ingredients well. Add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Take the rolls out from the pan and remove the toothpicks/thread.

Top the rolls with a sauce from the pan and serve.

  

Tips:

• Parsley can be substituted for basil for a bolder flavor

• Try experimenting with different sauces for these chicken rolls 

Enjoy!

Pan - Fried Turkey Burgers

Many of you can relate that it is not easy to make a flavorful dish out of ground turkey. So I was experimenting and came up with this recipe for pan-fried turkey burgers. They turn out real juicy and fluffy.  In fact, my Man bit his tongue eating them - they were so good! You can serve them solo, with a tomato sauce, with white mushroom sauce, or just slide them into buns. 


Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

5 tbsp butter at room temperature

¼ cup breadcrumbs + for coating

2 tbsp oil

                            

In a large bowl mix turkey, egg, salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of butter with a basic hand mixer. Add breadcrumbs and heavy whipping cream and continue mixing until all the ingredients are well blended. The longer you mix, the fluffier the burgers are going to be. Divide the mixture into 4-5 equal portions and shape into ovals. Coat each patty with breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil and the rest of the butter in a frying pan over low-medium heat. Cook the burgers until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side. Put the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan. Let them simmer for approximately 10 minutes and take them out. If you are not sure if the burgers are ready, insert the instant thermometer into the side of the burger - it should be 165 °F.  Lay out the patties on a plate with a sheet of a paper towel so it can absorb the excess oil. Your burgers are ready to be served.

Enjoy!