Stuffed Rice w/ Red Quinoa Caps

Two of my roommates went down to Oregon and ate at a Thai restaurant called Sweet Basil, in Eugene. They told me about how beautifully the rice was presented there: a layer of red rice topping white rice in the shape of a star. I thought that was so cool that I wanted to riff on it, so I expanded the idea into an entree. Unfortunately, I couldn't find red rice but I used red quinoa for a similar visual effect and a delicious nutty taste.

Ingredients:
1 t cooking oil
5 chicken drumsticks, scored*
1 onion, diced small
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pt cherry tomatoes
salt & pepper TT

2 C white or brown rice (we used brown jasmine rice)
1 C red quinoa (or regular quinoa if you can't find red)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat a large saute pan over high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and brown it well.
3. Remove the chicken to a baking dish. Drop the heat to medium-high and add the onion.
4. Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes, then add the tomatoes and garlic. Season with salt & pepper, then add to the chicken. Cover and braise for 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the rice & quinoa according to the package directions.
6. When the chicken is done, pull the meat off the bone and mix it with the braised onions, tomatoes & garlic. Season this filling to taste.
7. Line a medium-sized bowl with plastic wrap. Put in a layer of the quinoa, pat it down and make a depression in the middle where you can stack the filling. Put about a half cup of filling in, then cover with the rice. Pack that down neatly. Put a plate upside down on top of the bowl, get a good hold of everything, and quickly invert the whole thing, unmolding your stuffed rice onto the plate. Repeat. Fun, right?

*I've found that if you're going to braise something and you want the process to go faster, you can just cut into the item with a knife before browning it so that the second-stage, low-and-slow moist heat penetrates more quickly.

Braised Brussels Sprouts & Leeks

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
6-8 Brussels sprouts
½ leek
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 T olive oil
½ t salt and black pepper
¼ C almond butter
½ lemon, juiced

Method:
Slice the Brussels sprouts thinly, about ¼ inch thick. Wash and slice the leek to the same thickness. Slice the garlic.
Heat a sauté pan over high heat and add the olive oil.
Add all the vegetables to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender. Meanwhile, mix the almond butter and lemon juice together with a fork.
When the sprouts are done, add in the almond/lemon mixture, combine and serve.

This side dish and the Sautéed Asparagus one can be matched to either of the Sautéed Duck Breast or the Scallops & Veggies in Acorn Squash entrees, for four possible meal combinations.

Braised Winter Vegetables & Chicken over Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
7 chicken drumsticks
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t oil

8 sm. yukon gold potatoes, cut into large dice
2 T oil
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

3/4 pound crimini (brown) mushrooms, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 head garlic, peeled
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 bu red chard, chopped into bite-sized pieces
4 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 t salt
1 t pepper

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 deg.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large saute pan over high heat and heat the oil in it briefly.
4. Brown the drumsticks in oil.
5. Put the chicken in a covered pan and cook in the oven about 45 min
to one hour.
6. Meanwhile, toss the potatoes in oil, coat with salt and pepper and
roast in the oven about 35-45 minutes.
7. While that's cooking, heat another large saute pan over high heat
and heat the oil in it briefly.
8. Add the mushrooms and brown well.
9. Add the salt and pepper, onion and garlic and stir. Cut the heat.
10. Put the mushroom mixture in a roasting container with the chard
and carrots. Stir together.
11. Cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes.
12. Everything will hopefully be ready at around the same time.