The way I prepare meals has evolved over years. As a younger mother, I was all about learning the family recipes from my mother and mother in law. There was a good deal of comfort food especially in the colder months. Often time those recipes were detailed and very heavy.
Over the years, I devised some of my own cooking skills to be lighter, and simplified. The reasons for this was that I did not have time between driving kids to sports, and helping with homework to prepare the comfort meals of my youth. Along the way, I also realized that it became easier to log my food with simplified recipes. I have been logging my food almost continually since 1999. (Food journaling is a topic for another day)
Below is a simple recipe I came up with, on a cold and dark day, when I was wishing for the smell of my mothers Italian cooking.
This dinner is very light but feels hearty. It delivers on flavor, and comes together quickly.
Chicken Thighs with Eggplant and Fire Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 medium to large eggplant
Olive oil nonstick spray
4-5 cloves of garlic sliced thin
8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Smoked Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (15-16oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste (I like to buy this in a tube so I don’t open a whole can for 2 Tbsp)
1 tsp. each dry Basil and oregano
Directions:
1. Cut eggplant into 3/4 inch cubes, lightly salt and set aside.
2. Spray a cast iron or nonstick skillet with olive oil nonstick spray, and Place over a medium flame.
3. Add garlic and sauté just until soft, and remove from heat. Season chicken with salt and fresh ground pepper, and place in skillet. Return skillet to medium-high heat and sear chicken on both sides just until lightly golden. Remove chicken.
4. Add rest of ingredients and bring up to a boil.
5. Carefully nestle chicken in skillet, lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
6. Serves 4, One serving is two thighs and 1/4 of the tomato eggplant mixture.
7. Optional: serve with rice, pasta, or crusty French bread. Add a leafy green salad to complete the meal.
*picture above is before the simmer time.
Macros: For 5oz. chicken and 1/4 of the tomato eggplant sauce: protein 42g, carbs 30g, fat 10g, fiber 11g.