Baked Feta Chicken

Servings: 2-4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs **for a vegetarian version, use extra firm tofu or Portobello mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 16 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 8 ounces feta cheese
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • fresh basil leaves, for garnish
  • cooked pasta, optional
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat dry the chicken thighs and rub with Italian seasoning, a couple pinches of salt and freshly ground pepper. In a dry oven safe large skillet sear the seasoned chicken thighs skin side down over medium high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until brown and crisp. Flip the chicken thighs and turn off the heat.
  2. Scatter the tomatoes in the skillet over the chicken, break the feta into a few large chunks, smash the garlic, and add to the skillet with the chicken and tomatoes. Drizzle over the olive oil and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the feta is melted.
  3. Add the cream and stir the feta and tomatoes; spoon over the chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with torn basil and pasta, if desired.

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes & Whipped Tahini

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes (3 to 5 total)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • pinch of red chili flake, optional

Procedure:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Scrub and pat dry 3-5 sweet potatoes. Slice in half lengthwise and slice each into 3 or 4 wedges, about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick.
  3. Rub the potatoes with oil and a heavy sprinkle of salt. Lay into a single layer on the lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Brush with maple syrup and repeat every 10 minutes until the wedges are golden, sticky and fork tender.
  4. To make the whipped tahini: place the tahini, juice and zest of one lemon and the water, along with a large pinch of salt, to a food processor. Pulse a few times then blend for a minute or two until the color lightens and the tahini becomes fluffy.
  5. Plate the caramelized sweet potatoes on a plate and dress generously with the whipped tahini. Sprinkle it with chili flakes.

Lemon Basil Spritz

Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 5 large basil leaves
  • 1 ½ ounces vodka (optional)
  • 1 ½ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 – 1 ½ ounces simple syrup (use the larger amount if omitting the vodka)
  • sparkling water or club soda

Procedure:

  1. Put 4 basil leaves in a cocktail shaker and press them gently with a muddler or a wooden spoon.
  2. Add the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup: ½ ounce if using vodka; 1 to 1 ½ ounces if omitting the vodka.
  3. Fill with ice, shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Collins glass.
  4. Top off with sparkling water or club soda.
  5. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf.