Baked Lemon Chicken Breasts (Healthy Recipe)

After reading through Joy Bauer's new book, "Food cures: Eat Right to Get Healthier, Look Younger, and Add Years to Your Life", it inspired me to  make a healthy chicken dish. To make the dish I used chicken breasts because the meat is leaner. Chicken breasts can taste a little bland, so I added acidic ingredients which both tenderize the meat and enhance the flavor. I used what is currently in season: pomegranate and lemon. I also mixed in capers and kalamata olives for their briny taste. I love how the flavors complement each other; all have acidic notes which make them work well together while keeping the calorie count low.

As usual, olive oil is a great choice for a healthy meal, though as Joy said a little goes a long way!

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Blueberry Mousse: Easy Dessert Recipe

Blueberries are finally in season, so I went to the farmers’ market and grabbed a few containers of the sweet, flavorful fruit. It was difficult, but I managed to save enough of these tiny treats to make a dessert. With fruit this fresh and flavorful, the dessert should be a showcase rather than cover up the ingredients. I think I accomplished that goal with this blueberry pomegranate mousse, and on top of that, it's so easy a little kid could do it.

To start, I blended blueberries with cream cheese. I cut the sweetness with a little pomegranate juice and pomegranate molasses and incorporated whipped cream for a light, fluffy mousse. Once the dessert cups rested long enough in the refrigerator, I garnished them with Italian pastry puffs and a few fresh blueberries. Voilà!

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Pomegranate Chicken Recipe

I've been wanting to cook with pomegranates for some time, but for some reason I keep postponing the experiment. We've harvested a lot of sweet, juicy and delicious pomegranates in the last 4-5 months , but what can I say, I'm a procrastinator, so I’ve waited until the very last fruit ripened on our tree to give it a shot. I should learn from my mother-in-law, who has been diligently extracting the juice for my father-in-law regularly this winter.

Like I said, I only had one fruit, so I used it as garnish for a chicken dish. To reinforce the pomegranate flavor, I made a glaze for the chicken with pomegranate paste, sumac and orange juice. The acidity of the fruit is an unconventional meat tenderizer, but very effective. The chicken came out moist, flavorful and succulent. It’s definitely worth making again, and not waiting till the last minute to do so! 

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Savory Cheesecake Appetizer Recipe

Lulu's aunt, Nikhat Auntie, sent us a jar of delicious homemade mango chutney. I couldn't resist experimenting with it. From past culinary concoctions, I've found that mango chutney pairs wonderfully with goat cheese. It made sense to mix both flavors in a savory cheesecake.

I dressed them in mini molds and served them as appetizers. I used shortbread cookie for the crust and also added pomegranate to play with the sweet, savory and tart flavors of the cheesecake.

It was a hit! These appetizers can be prepared in advance, plus they don't require any baking time, meaning I'll be making them quite often. That is, if Lulu's aunt sends me some more of her amazing chutney!

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How to Make Pomegranate Juice

My mother-in-law is a pomegranate juicing expert. I watch her every day lovingly peeling, seeding and juicing pomegranates for an hour for her husband. She goes through so many pomegranates that the two trees on the property don't produce enough fruit for her. You may wonder why she doesn't just buy commercially prepared pomegranate juice, but once you try it at home you'll know the difference. The commercial varieties are prepared from concentrate, which definitely affects the flavor. My mother-in-law is actually so fanatical about the flavor of the pomegranates that she takes a knife to the grocery store, buys one, and makes sure it is sweet before buying more. Read on to learn her tips and secrets for preparing delicious fresh pomegranate juice.
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