Recipes Archives - Modern Pineapple

March 11, 2015

Simple Weeknight Chicken Stir-Fry

By the middle of the week, I’m usually looking for a quick, healthy dinner to keep us going but requires minimal effort. We often start the week off on Sunday with a roast chicken {my favorite dish to make by far}. I love this ritual we have — it is just the best, heartwarming meal to connect after a fun weekend and gear up for the week ahead.

We’ve never finished an entire chicken just the two of us, so we have more to use in salads in the following days. I also can usually make one more dinner out of it, which can range from tacos to soup to stir-fry. This broccoli and chicken stir-fry always makes my husband happy {and full! which is important}, so we usually enjoy it every few weeks. Happy cooking!

Chicken Stir-Fry

1 cup cooked chicken {this can vary with what you have — you be the judge}
2 cups broccoli
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon Coconut oil
1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
Quinoa

1. Turn the burner for the frying pan on high, and add coconut oil to melt.

2. Cook the quinoa on a separate burner {one part quinoa to two parts water and a dash of sea salt, first to boil then down to a low heat for another 15 minutes}. By the time the quinoa is cooked, your stir-fry will be ready.

2. Cut up the broccoli {or buy pre-cut} into bite-sized pieces, and toss into the frying pan. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes while cutting up mushrooms. Add mushrooms and chicken into the pan and stir until you start to see the mushrooms turning a lighter brown color.

3. Turn the heat down to medium-high and add the light soy sauce {I really try not to use much soy sauce, but we really enjoy the flavor — use your judgment but I like to add just a bit}. Put the lid on the frying pan, and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Voile! Sample to taste, see if you need to add any more soy sauce or cook another minute or two. Once ready, serve the stir-fry on top of a bed of quinoa, light some candles and enjoy a glass of wine with your delicious dinner.

March 10, 2015

Blueberry Mango Galette

This past summer {thanks to the New York Times} was the first time I discovered galettes, a mouthwatering cross between a pastry, pie, tart and cake all in one. And by discovered, I mean I made one myself. I used some sweet peaches we had and found how simple it was to make a delicious dessert from start to enjoying in under an hour.

Since then, fruit galettes have been one of my go-to desserts. They’re relatively forgiving, comforting and can be filled with just about anything you wish {traditionally galettes were a savory dish, but now are often served with a sweet filling}. Plus, I love a homemade dessert that is served warm and can be accompanied with ice cream. Sold.

This past weekend, champagne mangos were featured at our neighborhood Whole Foods, so I picked up a couple and matched it with blueberries we had at home. There are lots of recipes out there, but I’m fearless in the kitchen and pull together bits of recipes to make up my own. Instead of a pie crust {I usually use a pre-made one}, I went with a flaky puff pastry for a lighter feeling. I recommend it wholeheartedly for your next gathering, and for my UK friends hosting their mums for Mother’s Day this weekend, you’ll make her proud.

Blueberry Mango Galette

Filling

1 C blueberries {ideally fresh, but can be frozen}
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and sliced
Pinch of salt
1 T sugar
1 T flour
¼ t ground cinnamon
1 t lemon zest

Assembly

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 T water
2 t sugar

Instructions

Crust

Take pre-made crust out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before using.
Roll out dough onto floured surface to about a 12″ circle.

Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine blueberries, mango, salt, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon zest.
Toss until all fruit is coated and set aside.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 400 F / 205 C.
Transfer rolled dough to parchment lined baking sheet with lip.
Pour filling into the middle of dough.
Spread evenly, leaving about 2” around the edge for folding.
Fold edges of dough over filling, forming a circle/hexagon shape and gently pressing to seal dough around filling.
Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl.
Brush pastry dough with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake for 40 minutes {I let mine cook slightly too long this weekend – be prompt!}.
Let it cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

February 7, 2015

Shrimp Tacos for Two

As newlyweds, my husband and I have a lot of at-home date nights. I still like to think of them as entertaining, it’s just for two! We mix it up a lot — I’m lucky my guy is eager to try new things just like me.

I usually look through my cookbooks or Pinterest a few days before, and plan our dinners with enough time to swing by grocery stores. In our neighborhood we have Whole Foods (a total win) and the Kensington Fish Shop, so it’s easy to get everything you need for healthy meals quickly. I usually stock up on staples at Tesco near Notting Hill Gate, or Sainsbury’s on Kensington Church Street. If I’m out and about in Notting Hill, I especially love getting vegetables at Daylesford.

We love Mexican food. I mean, really love Mexican food. We miss good tacos and guacamole and chips and margs all the time (Rosa Mexicano, please open in London!). I recently came across this Chipotle Shrimp Taco recipe [here], and loved making them. I made a few modifications for us — the recipe below. Just add a Corona or margarita, and you’ve got a delicious fiesta for two.

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Chipotle Lime Cream (Sauce for the tacos)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
Salt to taste

Chipotle Shrimp
3/4 lb (340 grams) fresh shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 taco shells
Avocado
Shredded lettuce
Salsa

For the Chipotle Lime Cream, mix together the sour cream, lime juice and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and store in the fridge until ready to use.

For the Chipotle Shrimp, wash, devein and peel your shrimp or prawns. Mix together the dry ingredients (chili powder, taco seasoning and salt) in a bowl. Let shrimp sit marinating for about 30 minutes. Then pour the olive oil in a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. In the interim, heat the taco shells in the oven at 350 F (177 C) for just a few minutes till warm.

Once shrimp are cooked, serve with salsa, shredded lettuce, and avocado. They’re spicy and so, so good. Dig in!

I love fighting off the winter blues with a pretty blue and white table, a classic combination.