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Menu Plan for the week of Nov. 1, 2013: Day 6 Recipes

Chicken with Mustard and Mushrooms
Quinoa, Basmati Rice and Red Lentil Pilaf

Cooking time:  25 minutes for menu           Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     The pilaf uses red lentils which cook in the same time as the rice and quinoa.  If you prefer other lentils, cook them separately and stir together before serving.

Chicken with Mustard and Mushrooms          Preparation and cooking time:  25 minutes
    Whole grain mustard and Worcestershire add a bit of a kick to simple chicken breasts.  I cut the chicken breasts in half for quicker cooking.   

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
4oz (120gr) mushrooms
2 tbs whole grain mustard
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
1 tsp cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
2 tsp olive oil

Clean and thickly slice mushrooms.  Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet.  Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total.  Remove and keep warm.  Add mushrooms to pan and sauté 5 minutes.  Add mustard, stock, Worcestershire to mushrooms and stir to scrape up any browned bits.  Return chicken to pan, turn heat to low, cover and simmer 5 - 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce has thickened slightly. Serve, spooning mushrooms on top.

Quinoa, Basmati Rice and Red Lentil Pilaf       Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
    Quinoa, Basmati rice and red lentils all cook in about the same amount of time, making this an easy and healthy side dish.  I used black quinoa for color contrast - red or white will work equally well.               

1/2 cup Basmati rice
1/4 cup quinoa 
1/2 cup red (coral) lentils
2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) chicken stock
1/2 onion
2 tsp olive oil

Roughly chop onion and sauté in oil in a medium saucepan.  When tender, add all remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until done and all stock is absorbed.  Check when almost done and add more stock if needed.

Cooking schedule: 25 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, medium skillet with lid, medium saucepan with lid Chop onion, sauté Cut chicken breasts in half, sauté Add rice, quinoa, lentils, stock to onion, cover, cook Trim mushrooms, slice Turn chicken

Dissolve cornstarch in water, set aside Remove chicken, add mushrooms, sauté Mind the pilaf Add mustard, stock, Worcestershire to mushrooms Return chicken, cover, simmer        Pause while stuff finishes Add cornstarch mixture to skillet, stir until thickened Fluff pilaf Serve

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By Katie Zeller

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