Keeping it weird

The best 5 minute dinner hack is to rub your meat of choice with your favorite spices of the moment, add some sides, and call it a meal.

Of course, the best spice blends are full of flavor and border on a little weird, because life is too short to have a boring dinner!

This particular blend is like a mole cheat in which a cocoa base is blended with herbs and heat to create warm, intricate layers of flavor that wrap around the chicken as it bakes.


If you're nervous about how well chocolate and spice go with chicken, don't worry, it's not as different as it sounds!  The cocoa flavor is really mild and acts as a blanket to help the spices stand out, but isn't overwhelming in the recipe.  Top it with mango pico and quick-pickled onions, and serve with some cheesy, chile polenta for the perfect week-night meal when you're looking for a delicious sort of different.

Recipe notes:  This was a one tissue meal for me, but if you don't have a high spice tolerance try reducing the chipotle to 1/2 a teaspoon, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, and omitting the cayenne completely.  For the chile polenta, cooking the chiles a little longer will ensure that their heat is reduced keeping it enjoyable.

Chocolate Blackened Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 T light, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 t onion powder
• 2 t chipotle, see notes.
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t chili
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/4 t cayenne, see notes.
• 1/4 t coriander
• 1 T olive oil
• Salt as needed

For the salsa:

• 1 mango, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 c cilantro leaves
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 lime, juiced

For the pickled shallots:

• 3 small shallots, thinly sliced
• White vinegar to cover
• 1 t salt
• boiling water

For the polenta:

• 2 small poblano peppers
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3/4 c polenta
• 2  T oil
• 3 T cotija
• 1 can of red beans, rinsed well

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Bring water to a boil.  Put the shallots in a small glass container with the salt, cover with vinegar, then add about 1/2 cup of boiling water and set aside.
3. Toss together the ingredients for the salsa and set aside.
4. Stir together the spices for the chicken.  Clean the chicken, drizzle with just enough oil to lightly coat, sprinkle with a little salt on each side, then coat liberally with the spice mix.
5. Bake the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes until the internal temperature is 155 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove from the oven and let sit for 1-2 minutes.
6. While the chicken cooks, heat the oil in a small pot with tall sides until in shimmers then add the garlic and peppers and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the polenta to the pot and 3 cups of water, bring to a boil while whisking constantly then reduce to a simmer until most of the water is absorbed.  Stir in the cheese and continue whisking until cooked through adding more water if needed.  Note: the raw polenta will look distinctly spotted, when it is done cooking it will be more uniform in texture and color.
7. Plate a scoop of the polenta, top with red beans, top with a piece of chicken, garnish with mango salsa and pickled onions, and enjoy!

On Drinking Green

Things I miss about Massachusetts include this kale smoothie from Woodstar Cafe.

Although it isn't their exact recipe, this version has done a pretty good job holding me over until I finish trying every smoothie cart and juice bar in The City to find my new favorite.

Tropical flavors of banana, mango, and orange bring out the best of kale's health aspects while masking its bitterness.  Greek yogurt adds protein and balances the kick from the fresh ginger.  Sprulina and lemon brighten up the drink while flax grounds it with a little nuttiness.

If you like your smoothies sweet try adding a splash of honey!

Woodstar's Green Smoothie

Ingredients (makes 2)

• 1 1/2 c kale, washed and chopped
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 mango (or a second banana), peeled and chopped
• 6 oz greek yogurt
• 2 inches ginger, peeled
• 12 oz orange juice
• 2 T flax or chia seeds
• 1-2 T sprulina powder 
• squeeze of lemon

Optional: 1 T honey

Combine

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.
2. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to enjoy chilled.
3. Stays good in fridge for 3-5 days.

Mango Margarita Pops

Repetitive heat waves in combination with the blanket of humidity suffocating Massachusetts have left me freezing a new popsicle each week in hopes of chilling myself from the inside out.

Although only a momentary relief from the sticky heat, these fruity but not overly-sweet pops are a summertime must.

Leave out the coconut milk for a more icy pop and enjoy in front of a fan on full blast for increased deliciousness.

Mango Margarita Pops

(inspired by Coco's Well)

Ingredients (4 pops)

• 1 large ripe mango, skinned and chopped
• 1/2 a lime, juiced and zested
• 2+ T full fat coconut milk

Optional

• a small pinch of salt

Combine

1. Dump the mango, lime juice, lime zest, and salt in a food processor.
2. Add 2 T of coconut milk and puree until smooth.
3. If chunks remain in your mixture add a little more coconut milk and puree again.
4. Fill popsicle mold with puree and freeze until solid.
5. Enjoy!

The Only Chicken You'll Ever Want to Eat

This recipe is SO good it's a struggle to not reach for this spice mix every time I make chicken.

As with most of the recipes I make this is super easy to put together so it's great for weeknights as a post-work, post-gym, protein-based meal.  I usually eat it over a bed of greens or with rice but this side of fresh mango added a nice complementary sweetness.

Note: the amounts of spice listed below create a medium spicy rub.  If you don't like spice just omit the red pepper flakes and you can still enjoy the overall product, or if you have a high spice tolerance you can try increasing it!

Paprika Chicken

Ingredients (2-4 s)

• 1 pound chicken breasts, cleaned
• 2 1/2 t smoked paprika
• 1 t pure onion powder
• 1 t pure garlic powder
• 1 t oregano or basil, dried
• 1/4 - 1/2 t crushed red pepper, leave out if you don't like spicy
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/8 t coriander
• 1/8 t nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T olive oil

Optional Sides

• 1 mango, diced
• 4 leaves of chopped kale
• 1 T olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• lime, garnish

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the spices in a small mixing bowl.
3. Rub the chicken with 2 tablespoons of oil so it is lightly covered, then coat with spice rub.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is 160 degrees internally.
5. While waiting for the chicken to bake, lightly saute the kale with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and dice up a mango.
6. Serve with a squeeze of lime and enjoy!