adore adora

It's all about the Calcium ladies. Supplements are part of the daily grind. And, I'm reminded of this when I'm literally grinding my teeth trying to consume one of those chewy squares that are made to taste like caramel or cherry chocolate. I'm not fooled.

Then I was introduced to ADORA. ADORA wafers do not taste like chocolate, they ARE chocolate. ADORA is what happens when a chocolate company thinks about women's health and pms cravings, and develops a little bite-sized miracle to fulfill our needs AND wants. I have tried the dark chocolate but prefer the milk chocolate. They are thin, taste sweet enough to appease the after lunch chocolate craving, and do a body good. Need I say more?

a two timin' chicken

After suffering from a slight hip/back injury over the last two months, I am finally back at the gym and taking my regular yoga class. Because my range of motion is still not in check, I had to forego some of the advanced positions that I usually tackle immediately, and felt frustrated. After ninety minutes of yoga, however, I was able to appreciate the simple act of being there and taking this first step back toward physical normalcy. Perhaps it was the wheel pose, or too many downward dogs, but I felt the immediate need to cook after class, and on my walk home stepped into our local Whole Foods market to pick up some comforts that would yield fixings for both dinner and lunch.

The following recipes are made from one roasted chicken. I have many versions of both since I alter according to my cravings at the time, and seasonal offerings. This is how I prepared them tonight.

Namaste.

two timin’ chicken: roasted chicken salad & chunky chicken and vegetable soup

1lb seasoned roasted chicken

Salad Ingredients:
4 Large celery stalks sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
5 Scallions minced
2 T Dijon mustard
1 C Light mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper to taste

Let’s start with the chicken. You need to remove and discard the string that holds the legs and wings in place. Now, depending on how dirty you like to get when cooking, you should either use your fingers (like I do) or a knife and fork to remove the skin from the chicken (of course feel free to nibble on it, since it really is the tastiest part!). Then proceed to either cut or pull the meat off of the bones (starting with the wings, then breast, reserving one leg). Shred chunks into bite-sized pieces. I like to peel the meat apart into thin strips – blends better and creates a lighter salad. Place the meat into a medium-sized bowl. Reserve in another bowl the bones, skin, remaining leg and bits of meat, and juice. Don’t mind if you don’t "clean the bones" since this meat will prove useful in the next recipe. Now add the celery and scallions, and mix these into the chicken meat with a spoon. Mix in the mustard and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper until it reaches your liking.

Yields approximately 4 cups. Serve with warm bread or pita chips. Always tastes better after a day of refrigeration…

Now on to the soup!

Soup Ingredients:

10 C Water
1/2 T Black peppercorns
2 T Herbs d’Provence
1 t Salt
1 t Celery Salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 T Minced garlic
2 Chicken bullion cubes
2 Large potatoes chopped (leave skin on)
1 Large red onion chopped
4 Scallions (or whatever you have leftover from the first recipe) chopped
1 C Chopped baby carrots
1/2 C White rice (I use Basmati & like my soup thick, use less for thinner soup, or keep a can of chicken broth on hand to add if desired)

You need two large pots and a strainer for this recipe.

Bring the water to a boil, then turn heat down to a medium flame. Add to the pot the chicken parts and meat reserved from the last recipe. Be sure to add any juice or tiny chicken bits that have settled at the bottom of the bowl! Flavor, more flavor…Add the peppercorns, Herbs d’Provence, salt, celery salt, lemon juice, garlic and bullion cubes. Return heat to a higher setting to bring the soon-to-be broth to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to a low flame for 30 minutes. Turn off the burner, and place the strainer in the other large pot and set them in the kitchen sink, for safety/splash purposes. Carefully pour the chicken and broth into the strainer/pot combo until the pot is empty. Strain all juice into pot. Carefully remove strainer and return this mixture of chicken and seasoning to the original pot.

Now you are ready to make a soup out of this broth! Place the “broth pot” on the stove and heat on high until it boils. Add your veggie medley and cover so the veggies can sweat it out, further flavoring the soup. Simmer this soup over a medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the skin slightly peels off of the potatoes. Add the rice and simmer on med/low for about 15 minutes.

Yields about 6 to 8 thick and chunky servings. Dunk with warmed crusty Sourdough bread. I always add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to each bowl as well…

le deux

Being a professional student can be trying at times, but I think it's forcing me to be more productive. I go into work earlier so that I may leave earlier. Today, I rushed home so that I could fit in a trip to the Pru mall to pick up a gift for my boyfriend's mother, who turns 65 this weekend, and that's after we attend one of his best friend's wedding.

Busy--yes. Frazzled--at times. Still content in my choice--of course.

A broken sweat, a couple of blistered heels and a very fast-pace later, I'm walking to class along a block lined with movie trailers. No celebrity sighting to report, but the movie energy was thick, and all Back Bay passersby morphed into rubberneckers. As I had a brush with my "fifteen minutes" earlier this year, as an extra on the set of 21, nostalgia brushed my memory for a few seconds, and I wanted to stay and act again! But, class and real life beckoned...

Not a disappointment, however. Our guest lecturer was David Singer, wine educator/Certified Specialist of Wine/Master Sommelier Candidate. He was to cover Bordeaux and South-West France with his charming and many times humorous personality. Although I studied Spanish for six years, and unfortunately have never been abroad, I have a special place in my heart, palate and mind for France. Something about its terrain, varietals, and history appeals to me. It was once suggested it's because the varietals are that of which I recognize/am familiar with tasting...It's more than that.

It is not so easy to remember all of the regions when you have never studied French, let alone pronounce them correctly. It's made me struggle to grasp the essence of its history, geographic influences, strict wine laws, etc. Once I began taking that all in, I realized the romance. I was seduced by France, and the love affair is just beginning. I envy a "Chateau family" whose knowledge has been passed down for generations--wine is so ingrained that it could be genetic! It must be wonderful to be raised among the vines and know their secrets, and how to treat them just right so they'll bear their perfect fruit. We tasted wines from the left and right banks, blends of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, or Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, or Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. As we buzzed through these tastings (except for when I attempted, with a blushing face, to target whether a wine was youthful or aging, and took a bit longer than was probably needed), I paid attention to comparing the previous pours to the current, trying to pinpoint the aromas and differences in hue that would prove markers for me in blind tastings later. But, I realize that I need to learn and have on hand in my memory all that is the base for these wines in order to show the taster these hints to their individual personalities. I must know if a river is nearby, or if the soil is composed of gravel or sand, etc. Then once I taste wet stone, petrol, or blackberry, I'll have a base of knowledge from which to provide an educated assessment.

As always, I'm too eager. I was born seven weeks premature, I've always been like this! But, I am starting to realize this about myself, and it has been studying wine that has provided this realization. You can't rush wine knowledge anymore than you can rush the entire process of wine from vine to glass. This process embraces the nature of time. I have to take this subject on as if I have a wine buzz, all mellow and comfortable tucked into the simple act of learning.