I was trying to come up with a healthy dinner menu this past week when I came upon Tiffin Tale’s menu for a Fall Harvest Dinner that she entered for a food blog challenge. What perfect timing! Tiffin Tales has amazing pictures and recipes, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong. My goal was to come up with a menu for the cooler weather that was hearty but healthy.
I used organic ingredients where ever possible.
I decided to make a Farmer’s Market Corn Chowder, Braised Chicken with Fig Balsamic Glaze, and Sauteed Rainbow Chard. From Tiffin Tales’ menu, I chose the Wild Mushroom Bolognese Polenta Gratin, and Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil and White Wine. For dessert, I turned to my trusty Cancer-Fighting Kitchen cookbook by Rebecca Katz, and decided on fresh Strawberries with Mango Coconut “Sabayon.”
Here are the recipes for this healthy dinner menu:
Farmer’s Market Corn Chowder
Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Soups cookbook. All the vegetables came from the local farmer’s market.
2 ears sweet corn, shucked and cooked for 5 minutes (about 2 cups of kernels)
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, finely diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
½ red pepper, diced into ½ inch cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup low-fat milk
2 ears sweet corn, shucked and cooked for 5 minutes (about 2 cups of kernels)
salt and pepper, to taste
Cut corn kernels off the cobs; reserve cobs. Heat chicken broth, reserved corn cobs, bay leaf and thyme in a large saucepan. Simmer while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Remove cobs before using broth.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the celery, onion, potatoes, red pepper, garlic, and smoked paprika. Saute until vegetables are just soft. Stir in flour and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add ½ cup of broth to vegetables, loosening any vegetables from bottom of the pot. Gradually add remaining hot broth to vegetables; stir in milk and corn kernels. Remove thyme sprig. Season with salt and pepper.
BRAISED CHICKEN WITH FIG BALSAMIC VINEGAR GLAZE
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 3 shallots thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- parsley minced for garnish
Instructions
-
In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, broth, honey and tomato paste to a boil, stirring well. Simmer the vinegar sauce until reduced to ½ cup, about 8 minutes.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper; add half of them to the skillet. Cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining breasts.
-
Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to skillet. Add garlic and shallots, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the wine; boil until reduced to ¼ cup. Add the vinegar sauce and bring to a simmer.
-
Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes; turn over and cook another 10 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and spoon sauce over.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Food and Wine’s Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar recipe; here, I’ve made the dish lighter by using olive oil and boneless chicken breast, and omitting the crème fraiche. The fig balsamic vinegar gives this dish a fruity, tangy flavor and a rich dark color.
WILD MUSHROOM PORCINI BOLOGNESE POLENTA GRATIN
Ingredients
Wild Mushroom Porcini Bolognese Polenta Gratin
- 2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion peeled, chopped
- 1 carrot peeled, chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms cleaned, trimmed, sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 3/4 cup porcini soaking liquid
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Polenta
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup polenta not instant
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese grated
Instructions
Wild Mushrooms Porcini Bolognese
-
To rehydrate porcini mushrooms, place in a small bowl and add 3/4 cup boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve soaking liquid
-
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
-
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add fresh mushrooms, rehydrated porcini mushrooms, and thyme sprigs; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomato and tamari, and cook, about 2 minutes more.
-
Add reserved porcini mushroom soaking liquid and wine. Simmer until thickened, about 20-25 minutes (NOTE: Prepare polenta while mushrooms are simmering). Add balsamic vinegar and reduce another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set Mushroom Bolognese aside to cool.
Polenta
-
Bring 4 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water and slowly stir in polenta. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook polenta, stirring occasionally, until no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in olive oil and season with salt.
Assembling Gratin
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon half of the polenta into an 8” square pan or deep pie dish. Cover with half of mushroom Bolognese. Top with remaining polenta and another layer of mushroom Bolognese. Sprinkle top with cheese.
Bake until top is golden, about 25-30 minutes.
SAUTEED RAINBOW CHARD
You can substitute any leafy green vegetable. Try kale or collard greens.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch Swiss chard washed well, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 leek washed thoroughly, white part minced
- 2-3 tablespoons water or vegetable broth
- splash Ume Plum vinegar or your favorite vinegar
Instructions
-
Heat olive oil in pan and saute leek 3-4 minutes. Toss in chard. Add a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth and cover the pan. Cook until just tender, but still bright colored, about 4-5 minutes. Do not overcook. Add splash of vinegar and serve.
ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL AND WHITE WINE
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium leeks trimmed, washed well, tender parts quartered lengthwise and cut into 2" lengths
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 1 large onion halved, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot peeled, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts thawed
- 1 small fennel bulb cored, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 sprigs tarragon
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- half bunch pencil thin asparagus
- 1 1/2 cup mixed green and waxed beans trimmed
- 2 medium tomatoes finely diced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chives or basil coarsely chopped
Instructions
-
Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the leeks, celery, onion and carrot and cook over low heat, stirring often, until softened but not browned, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-
Add the frozen artichokes, sliced fennel bulb, lemon juice, thyme, tarragon and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and broth, cover partially and braise over moderately low heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in peas and cook 2 more minutes. Discard the herbs.
-
Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus and beans separately in boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and retain bright colors.
-
Mound the asparagus and beans in soup plates and spoon braised artichokes and fennel on top. Scatter chopped tomatoes and fresh herbs on top.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Tom Colicchio’s recipe as seen in Food & Wine, June 1999. To lighten the dish, I reduced the amount of olive oil. To simplify the recipe, I used frozen artichoke hearts. I also decided to braise the fennel along with the artichokes.
STRAWBERRIES WITH MANGO COCONUT “SABAYON”
Ingredients
- 14 ounces coconut milk canned
- 1 1/2 cups fresh mango chopped
- pinch sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 3 cups strawberries hulled, halved
- fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
-
Put coconut milk in a saucepan and stir until homogeneous. Stir in the mango and salt and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until the mango is soft, 15-20 minutes.
-
Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor. Add agave nectar and lime juice, and blend until smooth. Spoon over fresh organic strawberries and serve garnished with mint if desired.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Rebecca Katz’s Cancer Fighting Kitchen cookbook
More Braised Chicken Recipes:
Food Floozie’s Cider Braised Chicken
Trade Recipe’s East African Braised Chicken
Eye for a Recipe’s Roman Style Chicken
Anticancer Ingredients: Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Carrots, Celery, Artichoke Hearts, Fennel, Asparagus, Garlic, Onion, Leek, Mango
 |
Wild Mushroom Porcini Bolognese Polenta Gratin |
 |
| Sauteed Rainbow Chard |
 |
| Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil and White Wine |
 |
| Fresh Strawberries with Mango Coconut “Sabayon” |
Wow, those all sound and look amazing! Love your blog, I am always looking for good healthy recipes!
Hi Christina, you have some great recipes on your blog! Look forward to sharing healthy recipes with you.
What a great meal! I can't resist mushrooms with polenta and love all the veggies added along with the porcini 🙂
Thanks for your nice comments on my blog.
Regarding the kitchuri, I have never used brown rice, but planning to use brown basmati rice that I have just bought. I supppose the only difference is to cook the rice until slightly mushy, which might involve the grains to split. Apart from the fact that it won't look nice, I am sure it will taste nice 😉
What great healthy recipes. They all look so good that I'd definitely crave those foods instead of junk food or fast food.
Thanks Lisa, I hope you have a chance to try a few recipes.
Wow, great looking food. Love the porcinis. Will try the chicken with figs.
Fig balsamic vinegar adds some natural sweetness. Hope you like it.
Wow!! That sounds like an amazing meal! I’m glad I was able to help in a small way : )
Braised chicken was absolutely delicious. thank you!
Lisa, thank you for the feedback – so glad you enjoyed it!