Tag Archives: canola oil

Braised Chicken and Kale

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braise_chicken_kale

So this is a go to recipe in our home.  It is a very light, healthy meal that’s also rather filling.  That’s because I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light.  I end up making it once a week and I feel healthier for doing so (although I really don’t like kale and can’t wait for that food trend to end).

Ingredients
2 tbs. canola oil
4 chicken thighs
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup flour
5 garlic cloves, minced
16oz package chopped kale
14oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbs. red wine vinegar

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the canola oil.  Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour.  Place chicken, skin side down first in oil.  Render out most of the fat from the skin, about 5 minutes.  Then flip over chicken and brown for another 2-3 minutes.  Remove from dutch oven.

Take half of the kale and put in dutch oven.  Stir and then cover for 2 minutes to let the kale wilt down a bit.  Then take the remaining kale and garlic and add to the dutch oven.  Stir and cover again allowing the kale to wilt all the way down.  Then add tomatoes and its juices and stock.  Bring to a boil.  Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom bits off the dutch oven.  Then bring mixture down to a simmer.  Place chicken back inside the dutch oven.  Cover and place in the oven for about 50 minutes (or until the chicken reaches and internal temperature of 165°F).

Remove from oven when done.  Take chicken out and add vinegar to the veggies.

Cook’s Notes
I actually serve this with a side of rice because we can’t live without carbs in this house.  I’m sure it would go great with potatoes, or as pictured above.

This is actually a really great baby led weaning recipe.  Just take the skin off and shred the meat.  And make sure you give the kale without the rib pieces as those are far too tough to gum.  I mix it all up in a bowl with rice and serve it to my kids.  My daughter actually preferred the kale over the meat.

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Huevos Rancheros

Posted in Recipes by

huevos_rancheros

So this is a breakfast I make if I’m not feeling lazy.  I also use some shortcuts to speed up the process since everyone seems to be hangry in the morning.  But it is pretty delicious to have first thing on a rainy Saturday morning, like today.

Ingredients
4-5 tortillas
Canola spray
Refried black beans (like this)
Bacon
1 tbs. canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
6 oz. can diced green chiles (optional)
1 tsp. chili powder (optional)
4-5 eggs
4-5 tbs. butter
Mexican blend cheese

Directions
In a medium skillet, heat up canola oil.  Saute onions until they become translucent. Then add the tomatoes (with the juice) and the chiles.  Stir in the chili powder and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

In a pan over medium high heat, I spray with canola spray and warm each tortilla individually.  About 2-3 minutes on each side.

I then take another pan on medium high heat and fry my eggs. I use a tablespoon of butter for each fried egg.

I then microwave my bacon and the refried black beans (separately of course).

I then plate my tortilla. Lather on a healthy portion of the black beans. Place my eggs on top. Then add a heaping spoonful or two of the tomato. And then I top it with some cheese and the bacon. So so so yummy!

Cook’s Notes:
I know you are probably rolling your eyes about microwavable bacon and refried black beans.  It makes expediting breakfast in a timely matter so much faster when you have a hangry husband and toddler.  If you have the time, go for it and make things from scratch.  I would probably bake the bacon in the oven before I started the tomatoes. But this meal can seriously be made in 30 minutes the way I do it.

While my son has been eating this meal since he was 18ish months old, I wouldn’t call this a baby led weaning recipe per se.  You can definitely give each component to your baby. The only reason why we didn’t do this as a baby led weaning recipe is because we put chiles and chili powder in the tomatoes, which sometimes can be a bit spicy for my now 3 year old.  You can obviously eliminate them if you do want to make this a recipe fit for you 6+ month old child. However, it just doesn’t taste as good for the adults to add these crucial flavor components afterwards like you can with salt.  I also give my son scrambled eggs instead of fried eggs.