The recipe could not be easier. Mix together the sauce ingredients, place sauce and chicken in Instant Pot, let IP do it’s thing.

It’s plum jam, water, soy sauce, sambal oelek, ginger, green onions, and garlic. If you can’t find plum jam, apricot jam would work nicely here, too.

I sliced the chicken into bite-sized pieces and poured the sauce over it, so it would really be coated and flavorful. Serve over rice with broccoli or try it with some spiralized veggies! The recipe isn’t very spicy as is, so feel free to add more sambal oelek, sriracha, or hot sauce to the finished dish if you like it spicy!

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So, how’s it taste?

I was really curious about how almond butter would work in a soup. I’ve had it mixed with savory before in this sandwich, but I couldn’t imagine how it would work in broth. It makes it incredible! The almond butter with the ginger makes this soup phenomenal! The original recipe in Clean Slate called for collard greens, but I subbed kale. Kale really stood up to the soup and didn’t get mushy. I had leftovers from the fridge and froze some as well, and both times the soup was just as good as when I first made it. I loved the texture of the smooth broth with the chunks of chicken and sweet potato. The squeeze of lime at the end brightens the dish. I can’t wait to make this one again!

The dishes you see in the pictures above are part of the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware available exclusively at Macy’s. Fantastic dishware for everyday use, plus they’re dishwasher and microwave safe!

Yield: 4 servings

Almond Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato, Kale, & Ginger

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and finely chopped
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1 cup chopped, trimmed kale leaves (or collard green leaves)
2 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper
lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

1. Combine stock, onion, garlic, and sweet potato in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add the chicken; cover and simmer 20 minutes.

2. In a bowl, whisk together almond butter and 1/2 cup of hot broth into a thick paste.

3. Add kale (or collard) and ginger to soup; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in almond butter paste. Season with salt and pepper. Serve soup immediately with lime wedges.

per serving: 348 calories, 21g fat, 17g carbs, 26g protein, 3g fiber

*Nutrition based on using collards, not kale.

Source: Clean Slate by the editors of Martha Stewart Living

Disclosure: I received a copy of Clean Slate: A Cookbook and Guide: Reset Your Health, Detox Your Body, and Feel Your Best and the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware at no cost. All opinions expressed here are solely my own, as always. This post contains affiliate links.

Copyright © 2009-2020 Leah Claire - Leah Claire

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So, how’s it taste?

Another hit! I loved the combination of flavors in this salad, plus it was really easy to put together. Instead of cooking the zucchini in a pan, next time I’ll roast it and increase the amount. I love, love, love roasted vegetables, especially zucchini so the more the merrier! I really like the contrast of textures with the quinoa and crunchy pistachios. The pistachios also gave it some saltiness. The mint and lemon brighten the salad, while the scallions gave it a touch of subtle heat (and more crunch!). I took this salad to work for lunch several days in a row and the leftovers were just as tasty, although I will warn that the quinoa continues to soak up the oil and lemon juice so it can get a bit dry.

Even with such simple ingredients, this was really filling for lunch. I’m finding out clean eating is really tasty eating! The dishes you see in the pictures above are part of the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware available exclusively at Macy’s. Fantastic dishware for everyday use, plus they’re dishwasher and microwave safe!

Yield: 4 servings

Quinoa Salad with Zucchini, Mint, & Pistachios

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted salted pistachios, chopped
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring the water, quinoa, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; fluff with fork and let cool.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant (do not let brown), about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, and add to quinoa.

3. Stir in scallions, pistachios, lemon zest and juice, and mint. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

per serving: 286 calories, 13g fat, 36g carbs, 8g protein, 5g fiber

Source: Clean Slate by the editors of Martha Stewart Living

Disclosure: I received a copy of Clean Slate: A Cookbook and Guide: Reset Your Health, Detox Your Body, and Feel Your Best and the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware at no cost. All opinions expressed here are solely my own, as always. This post contains affiliate links.

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So, how’s it taste?

What really stood out to me is that even though it’s a hearty bowl of chili, it has such a clean, refreshing taste. The tomatillos make a really nice base that is thinner than a red chili. I also really like how chunky it is. Chunks of chicken, onion, peppers, corn, and all those beans. It’s so stinkin’ good! The finishing touch is the bit of lime juice. It changes the whole game. It enhances the entire dish, but it isn’t enough to make you pucker. I think the lime is what gives it that clean taste.

I topped my servings with sour cream, cheese (Jack and Cheddar), and avocado and then dipped tortilla chips in it. It was almost like I was eating a super yummy dip and not chili. I was worried I’d get tired of eating it since it makes so much and even though I froze most of it, I look forward to those leftovers! This is a great recipe to make and then have leftovers in the freezer for when you want a great meal, but don’t feel like cooking.

Chicken & Three Bean Chili Verde

Southern Living, October 2012
makes 12 cups

Ingredients:

Chili
3 lbs. fresh tomatillos, husks removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 extra-large chicken or vegetable bouillon cube
1 large onion, chopped
3 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 (16-oz.) package frozen whole kernel corn
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can small kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Optional toppings
avocado slices
shredded Jack cheese
fresh cilantro
tortilla chips
sour cream

Directions:

1. Bring tomatillos, garlic, bouillon cube, and 3 cups water to a boil in a 3-qt. saucepan; boil 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sauté onion and peppers in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until tender. Add corn; sauté 2 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin; sauté 4 minutes.

3. Remove tomatillo mixture from heat, and cool 5 minutes. Process mixture in a blender until smooth.

4. Add chicken, beans, and tomatillo mixture to Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

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So, how’s it taste?

I had a feeling it would be pretty good, but it really blew me away. It’s probably the ugliest soup, but who cares when it tastes that good?! It starts with finely chopped ginger, shallots, garlic, and carrots. You’ll want to make sure you chop them finely as some will remain in chunks and the rest will get blended. You don’t want a huge chunk of ginger on your spoon. I wanted my soup thicker and chunkier than the original recipe, so I used an immersion blender instead of a regular blender. The regular blender will produce a smoother consistency, but the soup still has chunks for texture. You could blend the entire batch if you wanted a smooth, creamy texture instead.

The starting ingredients are fragrant enough, but once the curry powder hits, I couldn’t wait for it to be ready. Curry powder adds a hint of heat and it’s so buttery and rich to me. The coconut milk didn’t add as much to the overall flavor of the soup as I would have liked, but it’s needed for creaminess. I think you might be able to substitute milk or cream if you didn’t want to bother with it. The end result was fabulous, except for the not-so-appetizing color. I finished my serving with a dollop of sour cream. You could also use yogurt instead. The recipe calls for cilantro, but you’ll notice that’s parsley in my picture. I didn’t pay attention at the grocery store and bought parsley instead. It actually worked really well, so if you’re a cilantro hater, go the parsley route. I’m a cilantro lover, so I imagine this soup would have knocked my socks off even more if I’d learn to read herb labels.

Curried Green Lentil Soup

adapted from Martha Stewart Living, March 2012
makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. finely chopped peeled ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped (2 tbsp.)
1 large shallot, finely chopped (4 tbsp.)
2 carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 cup green lentils
3 tbsp. cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish (parsley works great too)
sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, shallot, and carrots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add salt, coconut milk, water, broth, and the lentils, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils and carrots are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour 2 cups soup through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving solids. Puree strained liquid with remaining soup in a blender until smooth. Reheat after blending. Stir in reserved solids. (I prefer a thicker, chunkier soup, so I used an immersion blender instead of a regular blender.)

3. Reserving some for garnish, stir cilantro into soup, and ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with more cilantro.

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So, how’s it taste?

It was really good! It’s great for a meal when you want something filling, but not heavy. The broccoli pesto had a lot of flavor, which surprised me. I like broccoli, but compared to an herb in pesto, I wasn’t expecting much. It made a great base and plays well with the Parmesan, lemon, garlic, and parsley. The color is beautiful. I loved the pale green, with flecks of dark green. Be sure you save the two cups of cooking water. I used almost all of it making the sauce creamy. It really soaks it up!

The leftovers were ok, but kind of boring compared to how good it tasted fresh. I took a cue from how I used my mint pesto and added turkey meatballs. You can make your own or for a really quick meal, use frozen. That extra boost of flavor from the meatballs really jazzed up the leftovers. They went from boring to me not being able to get enough of it. It makes the dish really hearty, but you’ll eat less per serving and it’ll stretch the recipe! Budget bonus!

Pasta & White Beans with Broccoli Pesto

Everyday Food, January/February 2012
makes 4 servings
per serving: 484 calories, 9g fat, 82g carbs, 10g fiber, 22g protein

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
10 oz. short pasta, such as fusilli
5 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (1/4 cup), plus more for serving (optional)
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/2 small garlic clove
1 can (15.5 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a food processor. Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

2. To food processor, add oil, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and garlic. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed. Transfer pesto to pot with pasta. Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in beans and heat over medium until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

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