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A Year in the Kitchen: Chicken in a Peach Mango Salsa

Stephanie

Stephanie is a mom of two, psychologist, and was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. She uses her knowledge of nutrition, healthy eating, and love of cooking to make dinner healthier, faster, and more adventurous.

Sometimes, an elaborate meal is fun, but on many weeknights, that’s just not possible.  The other day, we were running around doing errands, and I knew I had to put together something very quick for dinner.  I turn to the crockpot on such occasions, because it is an opportunity to combine some simple ingredients during a less-pressured time of the day, and have dinner ready when I want it.  If you don’t have a crockpot, however, do not fear- this one would come out just as well if cooked in the oven.

Chicken in a peach mango salsa

Using a very simple recipe found here, I made a couple of changes.  The recipe calls for turkey cutlets or even pork, but I had chicken breasts, and they worked perfectly.  Secondly, instead of the can of diced chile tomatoes, I used salsa, which made it much more flavorful.  Finally, I threw in some chunks of pineapple as well, and the flavors were great.  I served it over rice with some cauliflower puree mixed in, a side of fresh veggies and fruit, and it was a nice summer dinner.  If you don’t have a crockpot, I’d combine the ingredients as recommended and cook it in the oven at 350 until the chicken is cooked through.  It may need less water, but other than that, should be an easy meal to replicate.

To find out what’s new in our kitchen, stop by, or become a fan on Facebook.  Happy cooking!

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A Year in the Kitchen: Chicken-spinach pie

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Jun 10, 2011

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A Year in the Kitchen: Oatmeal

Jun 3, 2011

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A Year in the Kitchen: Orzo Salad

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A Year in the Kitchen: Ice Pops

May 27, 2011

The weather forecast calls for 80+ degrees for the next week or so, and make-your-own ice pops seems like a perfect topic for parents everywhere.  This recipe comes from a magazine published by BJ’s Wholesale Club. They’re fun to make with your kids, and as they are little more than pure...

A Year in the Kitchen: Grilling

May 23, 2011

Barbecue season has arrived, and is a great opportunity to do some outdoor prep and cooking, leaving your kitchen clean.  My husband is always itching to BBQ, so on a recent night I sent him outside with a package of chicken breasts, fresh veggies, and some skewers.  Zucchini and yellow squash are ...

A Year in the Kitchen: A Day in the Life

May 16, 2011

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A Year in the Kitchen: A Simple Supper

May 13, 2011

All the rage are “five ingredient cookbooks,” and I can see why.  A meal consisting of five ingredients or less is likely to be quick and uncomplicated to assemble, and inexpensive.  Who can resist the allure? Fresh basil is peeking out our garden (if you aren’t growing any, you mu...

A Year in the Kitchen: Smoothies

May 9, 2011

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A Year in the Kitchen: Lunch

May 6, 2011

I don’t know about you, but a lot of times I’m stumped with what to make for lunch.  Cooking a full meal is usually too much in the middle of a busy day, but I don’t like giving my kids the same old, same old.  Yogurt, cottage cheese, or a hard boiled egg with fruit, veggies, and s...

A Year in the Kitchen: Fish night

May 2, 2011

I’m not a big fan of fish, personally, but I include it in our meal rotation in order to reap the health benefits.  The newest dietary guidelines recommend eating fish twice a week, which means we need get creative, or it’s going to get boring.  A while back, I happened upon a tilapia re...

A Year in the Kitchen: Breakfast for dinner

Apr 29, 2011

Breakfast for dinner (aka “brinner”) is one of my family’s favorites, and a great way to plan a vegetarian meal into the week.  We keep the formula pretty consistent, but vary the details a bit.  Breakfast for dinner is always a starch (waffles, pancakes, toast, or a quick bread li...

A Year in the Kitchen: The nine lives of produce

Apr 25, 2011

It can be tricky to use up produce before it becomes past its prime, and heaven knows most children (and plenty of adults) won’t eat a bruised piece of fruit, or less-than-crisp vegetable.  What’s a girl to do? Less than desirable produce has a few options in our kitchen.  Vegetables get...

A Year in the Kitchen: Quiche

Apr 22, 2011

Quiche is a dish I’ve been making for years.  One reason I love it, similar to why I love so many recipes, is that you can really change it up with quiche.  I have a tried and true version (spinach and cheddar) but whenever I have different veggies or cheeses to use up, this is an easy way to ...

A Year in the Kitchen: A New Favorite

Apr 19, 2011

My friend Julie emailed me a link to a recipe with which she’s recently fallen in love, and I think perhaps it is to be a new favorite here as well.  What’s great about this recipe is that it’s very versatile- it can accommodate almost any protein and/or vegetables, and served as a main dish despite...

A Year in the Kitchen: Artistry in the Kitchen

Apr 11, 2011

This weekend’s visit to an avant-garde art museum has my family talking about what constitutes art, and how art is created.  After looking at a pile of broken glass that was artfully displayed as an exhibit, I concluded that something is considered art when it is prudently constructed, and pro...

A Year in the Kitchen: Getting Inspired

Apr 5, 2011

I have to admit, I’ve been feeling uninspired in the kitchen lately.  Looking back at the past few weeks, I’ve been cooking less, and we’ve been eating lots of leftovers.  Spring seems stuck in hibernation, and we face another gloomy, chilly Monday.  I’m gathering up the ener...

A Year in the Kitchen: Waffles

Mar 28, 2011

Cooking for a weekend breakfast is one of my favorite things about a Saturday or Sunday morning.  Over time, I’ve collected a number of breakfast recipes that are delicious but sure to get the day started off right, and this waffle recipe always brings rave reviews.  It has a number of ingredi...

A Year in the Kitchen: No-cook dinners

Mar 21, 2011

In planning family dinners, it is easy to feel that meal is not a ”real meal” if it isn’t, a) hot and b) involve lots of raw ingredients, measuring spoons, and at least a few pots and pans.  I’m the first to admit that I don’t always make my life easier, and often ignor...

A Year in the Kitchen: The never-ending turkey

Mar 14, 2011

One of the greatest meals I recently cooked was a seven lb. turkey breast.  The reason it was so great was because we ate from it on and off for the next five days!  Every time I thought we’d finish it, there was more for the next meal.  Enjoying leftovers makes a cook’s job worth it: it...

A Year in the Kitchen: Cooking Ahead

Mar 7, 2011

One kitchen time-saver that I’ve relied on heavily since having children is cooking ahead.  There are many cookbooks that are suited to this method, two of my favorites being, “Fix Freeze Feast,” and “Dinners in the Freezer.”  Beyond these cookbooks, I often cook ahead ...

A Year in the Kitchen: A Versatile Meal

Feb 28, 2011

Every chef (moms especially) needs a go-to recipe that everyone loves, is quick and easy to make, and doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store.  In our house, that has become a garden vegetable soup that can stand in as a lunch or dinner, and range from a vegetarian dish to a balanced and h...

A Year in the Kitchen: Enhancing recipes

Feb 21, 2011

It’s not uncommon to come across a new recipe and decide it looks enticing, until taking a second look.  Despite the knowledge that whole grains are healthier than refined grains, eating more produce lowers your risk of many health problems, and less sugar is better than more, many cookbooks a...

A Year in the Kitchen: Quick, healthy pasta sauce

Feb 18, 2011

As a follow-up to my post from earlier in the week, I’ve been asked by a few folks to share an easy, quick pasta sauce recipe (or as it is called by my Italian family, “gravy”).  The recipe I make for a Sunday pasta dinner takes four hours from start to finish, and is one that has ...

A Year in the Kitchen: Italian Roots

Feb 14, 2011

We visited my grandparents this evening, and while helping my grandma wash and dry the dinner dishes, we came across something that has really touched me.  It’s a simple waistline apron, handmade many, many years ago by my Italian seamstress great-grandmother.  The apron is beautiful and flora...

A Year in the Kitchen: Healthy desserts

Feb 7, 2011

Desserts can be a real challenge for any family trying to eat healthy.  Open any cookbook and find recipes for cakes, cookies, pies, and everything sweet… recipes loaded with perhaps your day’s worth of calories, fat, or sugar.  Everything in moderation, yes; but why not take a step back...

A Year in the Kitchen: Vegetarian Night

Jan 31, 2011

On average, I try to cook two vegetarian meals a week.  I have a few reasons for this: our health, our wallets, and the environment.  In other words, vegetarian meals are often healthier (no artery-clogging animal fats), usually more affordable than buying beef/chicken/etc., and there is less energy...

A Year in the Kitchen: Whole grains

Jan 24, 2011

Lately we’ve been attempting to lower our overall bread/pasta/carb intake as a whole.  I’m by no means endorsing a carb-free lifestyle– I think balance is essential for the majority of folks– but to focus more on fruit/vegetables, dairy, and protein rather than making carbs t...

A Year in the Life of a Kitchen

Jan 17, 2011

This was a busy week in our house, with lots of cooking due to being home on snow days and chilly afternoons.  We’ve been focusing even more on healthy eating, specifically more fruits and veggies with every meal, and I hope that’s reflected in what you’ll find here.  ??My daughter was delighted to ...

A Year in the Kitchen: Cooking essentials

Jan 10, 2011

A good friend of mine recently inspired me to look at cooking in a brand-new way.  As I mentioned last week, I grew up cooking alongside my mom (and grandma), and making healthy food for both myself and my family has always been second nature.  After a conversation with a friend, I was reminded that...

A Year in the Kitchen

Jan 4, 2011

101 days ago, I decided to begin a food blog. I’m Stephanie,  a psychologist born and raised in the Hudson Valley. I use my knowledge of nutrition, healthy eating, and creativity to make dinner healthier, faster, and more adventurous. As a busy mom of two, I’m constantly trying to stay creativ...

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