the thrifty crafter

The latest edition of Cooking Light Magazine has a beautiful Bulgur Salad with Edamame and Cherry Tomatoes recipe that I just had to try.  This is an herby, fresh-tasting recipe, that is best after letting it rest for at least an hour to let the flavors combine.  A great salad to keep in your summer salad armamentarium! Delicious!

Time-Saving Tip: Instead of covering the bulgur for an hour (who really has an hour to wait?), I prepared it according to the Bob’s Red Mill package instructions, which is simply to bring the water and bulgur mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

With the fast approaching summer season, the home cook should have a nice selection of refreshing salad recipes at his or her disposal  for last minute get-togethers.  I found this one about a year ago while perusing magazines at a doctor’s office.  It is a fabulous blend of flavors and is very refreshing and light, perfect for those warm summer evenings.

Curried Rice Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 1/2 c sliced almonds
• 16 oz cooked brown rice
• 1 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c dried currants
• 2 c seedless red grapes, halved
• 1/2 c scallions, thinly sliced

Dressing:

• 2 TB e.v.oo
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 4 tsp honey
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Here’s the best part – Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, dress and serve! How easy is that?

Tip: This flavor combination is also wonderful as a chicken salad for sandwiches, stuffed pitas or  served on crackers.  Simply use cut or shredded rotisserie chicken or canned chicken to replace the rice, and reduced fat mayo (or plain yogurt, if you prefer) instead of the olive oil.  So simple and delicious!

I’ve always been a big fan of Cooking Light Magazine. For the most part, the recipes are quite tasty and are a great way to cut calories and fat without losing flavor.

One of my all-time favorite Cooking Light recipes is Cashew Chicken. I’ve often found stir fry recipes bland but this is a perfect balance between salty and sweet, and has a delicious crunch. This is a meal we make at least once a month, not only for the taste, but midweek simplicity.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c chicken stock

• 3 TB oyster sauce

• 1.5 TB cornstarch

• 1.5 TB honey

• 1 TB soy sauce

• 2 tsp rice vinegar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• oil for pan

• 1 c chopped green onion

• 1 yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges

• 1 c red bell pepper, sliced

• 1/2 c carrot, sliced

• 1 c mushrooms

• 1 c sugar snap peas

• 1 lb chicken breast, thinly sliced

• 1/4 c pineapple chunks

• 1/3 c cashews

• crushed red pepper for heat

• brown rice

Directions:

• Combine the first seven ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat oil in wok. Add 1/2 c green onions and onion wedges and cook until browned. Add chicken to onion mixture and stir fry until no longer translucent, about 5 – 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of your wok.
• Add carrots, stir fry 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, snap peas and bell pepper, stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add sauce to wok with pineapple, cashews and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thick.
• Stir in remaining green onions and serve over brown rice. Enjoy!

As with all recipes, tweaking is allowed. I am not strict in terms of the proportions of “stuff” – just don’t mess with the sauce! I usually cook for two, so I’ll often use a bit less of everything with the same amount of sauce.

Stir fry veggies should have a nice crunch, so make sure not to cook them too long. They are perfect when they are beautifully bright and colorful.

Shopping tips: Shop your local farmer’s market for fresh and inexpensive produce. Also, buy chicken breast in bulk when on sale – I usually wait and stock up when it hits $1.99/lb here in Southern California. You can freeze the breasts individually for quick weekday meals.