Christmas Season Right Around the Corner

My little Christmas tree is up...a test really to see how it fares with the newest kitty... and we're taking a break from out travels and focusing on a healthier side of the holiday festivities.

Christmas is the one time of year, in our families we all tend to over-indulge. We try not to, but how do you pass up that second piece of mincemeat pie when this in the only time of year that we make it.

Ross suggested that we investigate healthy alternatives that have the flavour and ingredients that are associated with Christmas.

This does not mean that I'm having tofu instead of turkey  for Christmas dinner, but we're trying to find some ideas for serving healthier options at parties or pot lucks. And not feel like you are missing out!

Stay tuned to see what we can come up with. I'm starting today with a veggie wrap...

Chile Inspired Chicken Breast

OK. It's taken me awhile...sorry guys.

Chile is proving to be harder than expected. Does this mean if I have an opportunity to visit this country in person I will starve? Hmmm...probably not.

I've spent some time looking through the menus of the 1500 plus restaurants that I could find online.

I narrowed the search down to a few that said "authentic" Chilean or Peruvian food. And then I found one that looked interesting.

Alaska salmon (in the South Pacific?) served with finely sliced cucumber, and Parmesan cheese. This dish was served with rice cooked in white wine. Yeah...now we are getting somewhere.

The one piece of salmon I had frozen, smelled like the Harbour when thawed, so on to Plan B.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast

Per chicken breast you will need:

1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Add a little olive oil to a frying pan, or use cooking spray. Heat to medium high.








Mix together the cheese and the yogurt, coat one side of the chicken breast.












Pan fry until well browned, just a few minutes. Turn down the heat, and flip the chicken.

Cook about five minutes more to cook all the way through.

The cooking time will vary depending on how thick the chicken breast is.






I usually flatten mine out to reduce the time in the pan. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is done.












Basmati Rice with Wine and Turmeric

Basmati rice
White wine (I used Chilean since this was the theme)
Water
Turmeric
salt to taste

The ratio is equal parts rice, wine, and water. (1 cup rice, 1 cup wine, 1 cup water).
Boil together the liquids and add the rice and seasonings.

Turn down the heat and simmer until almost all the water is gone.

Turn off heat and let rice sit for about 10 minutes.
(Shelley)

And then there's the Vodka...

I know I'm supposed to be traipsing around Chile, but I would be remiss leaving Russia and not talking about the vodka.

Vodka has always been a favourite of mine when mixing drinks. White Russian, Black Russian, Bloody Caesar, a Screwdriver...in a pinch, have all been consumed in and around the house.

For the past month, I have been sampling different vodka brands, and wonder how anyone could ever drink it straight.

I did have some lime flavoured vodka leftover from the summer, that I had been mixing with club soda. That I could possible drink with just ice if there was nothing else available.



Sorry all you folks that can drink it on ice...and like it! But to me it tasked like something that should be in a sterile unit of a hospital.



But on to mixes! I found a new favourite drink while perusing the pages and pages of ways to mix up your vodka.



It's more of a summer drink, but if you like iced tea...and not the stuff from a can...but the real stuff they serve in restaurants and on front verandas in the deep south...sweetened or unsweetened, you're going to love this!




Shanghai Green Tea

Make a pot of green tea, let steep for a few minutes then remove the bags. Let cool, and then chill.

1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 tsp - 1 Tbsp sugar
1 sprig mint
cold green tea

Fill a tall glass with ice. Gently damage the mint leaves on the stem to allow the mint flavour to permeate the drink.

Add the vodka, lemon juice and the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Top with the cold tea.

Garnish with the mint sprig and a lemon wedge.


I think I'm going to have a hard time with Chile. A few of the countries past, I've been able to visit local restaurants and view the menus online.

I'm trying this tactic with Santiago, and the menus are detailed, but for the most part they don't list ingredients...just the name of the dish...

I do know the wine is good....so if all else fails, I may be drinking my way through Chile.

Bienvenida a Chile

I made virtual reservations from Moscow where I was making my virtual Chicken Kiev to Santiago, Chile, where we will start the research for this Spanish country.

Thirty hours of travelling makes me weary just thinking about it.

I might need to virtually stop off at home for a much needed rest!

The Republic of Chile is located between in the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains in South America.

Spain conquered this country from the Incas in the 16th Century, and became independent in 1818.

The cuisine is influenced mostly by what is available; seafood, beef, fruits and vegetables.


Having been conquered by Spain, recipes tend to have a Spanish flair, however other European countries have influenced the cuisine as well. (Germany, Italy, and France)

Chile is one of the world's largest producers of wine, and many of the local recipes include Chilean wine to enhance the flavour.

I can see a taste test in my future!

So let get on with it...Chile!

Chicken Kiev

Rummaging through pages of online Russian cookbooks, one thing is certain, there is a lot of Borscht consumed.

Not really sure I wanted to go that route. I think I would probably like it, but not enough to give it a try.

So on to Chicken Kiev. Both Moscow and the Ukraine claim this dish as their own, so if we do a virtual tour of the Ukraine, I'll have to chose something else, or perhaps change it up a little.

I came across a few recipes for Chicken Kiev, and decided to take ideas from each one of them.

Since the stuffing is a combination of herbs and spices mixed into butter, I didn't want to fry in additional oil.

I used a coating that wouldn't need extra fat, and baked the chicken instead. I must say...it's one of the few recipes that mine looked like the pictures I saw in the cookbooks.

And oh boy, was it ever good!




Chicken Kiev
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried dill weed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or
1 tsp dried
24 prepared croutons, crushed fine
2 tbsp Greek Yoghurt







Pound out the chicken breasts as flat as you can get them without putting a hole in them.

Mix the spices and herbs into the butter, and smear a

Tbsp of the butter mixture onto each flattened chicken breast.











Roll up each chicken breast, tucking in the ends and securing with toothpicks.












Coat each rolled breast with the Greek yoghurt, and dip in the crouton crumbs.

Spray a banking pan with a little canola oil, lay the chicken breasts in, and cook at 375F, for 50 minutes...DO NOT PRE-HEAT the oven.

Test for doneness with a meat thermometer.
(Shelley)