Spicy Cashew and Feta Beer Muffins #MuffinMonday

Every week when Anuradha sends out the muffin recipe, I put on my thinking cap (Did you have a teacher in grade school who encouraged you to put on your thinking cap?  How do they come up with this stuff?!) and consider the pros and cons of the ingredients.  Which do I love?  Which could I do without?  What about substitution possibilities?  And then I make the muffin I would most like to eat.  It’s not a very scientific process but it works for me.  I hope that most weeks it works for some of you.

Today’s muffin was most definitely savory, calling for chives and black pepper and lemon, so I chose to continue in that mien.  I kept the lemon, substituted Szechuan peppercorns for black pepper, beer for milk and added feta along with spicy roasted cashews.  I’m telling you what, lovely people, these are some seriously good muffins.  The only change I would make is to use a mini muffin tin the next time, so others can't keep count of how many of these little babies you’ve eaten.  Which gets embarrassing with large muffins.  Also, because they would be great as a bite-sized cocktail snack.  Let's go with that reason.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon for the zest
1/3 cup or 80ml canola or other light oil
1 egg
3/4 cup or 180ml beer
2 oz or 100g feta
3 oz or 80g roasted cashews, out of which reserve 12 whole nuts for topping

Method
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C.  Grease your 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray or a little oil.

Measure your flour, baking powder, Szechuan peppercorns and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Grate your lemon zest into it.  Stir well.

In another smaller bowl, whisk your oil and egg thoroughly.

Add in the beer and give it a gentle stir.

Crumble your feta if it didn’t come already crumbled.  If you freeze it a little bit first, this is much easier.

Count out 12 whole spicy roasted cashews to add to the top of the batter before baking, then coarsely chop the remainder.

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ones and mix just slightly.  There will probably still be some flour showing.

Fold in the chopped cashews and feta.

Divide the batter between the greased muffin cups.  Add one whole cashew to the top of each.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are browned a little and a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool briefly in the pan and then remove to a wire rack.

Serve these with a cold glass of beer or your favorite beverage.

Enjoy!

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup is light and flavorful with a kick of chili that clears your head and warms your body. Also, evidence may be merely anecdotal, I do believe that chicken soup is the best treatment for colds and coughs and general weariness of winter.

After last week’s indulgent recipes, #SundaySupper is focusing on healthy meals today!  Our host, the lovely Sunithi from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz is all about good food, made healthier.  I chose to make chicken noodle soup because it’s one of the comfort foods of my childhood.

Make sure you scroll on down to the bottom of this post to see what other wonderful healthy dishes my fellow bloggers have cooked up for you this week.  There are even some fabulous, guilt-free desserts!

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients to serve four

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts – about 1 lb or 500g

Sea salt

Black pepper

8 cups or almost 2 lt chicken stock

One stalk lemon grass

6-7 stalks green onions

1-2 red chilies (depending on your heat tolerance)

Large thumb fresh ginger

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 medium carrot

5 1/4 oz or 150g (or more if you love them) snowpeas or mange-tout

200g fresh baby corn (about 12 little ears)

6 oz or 170g bean thread noodles

(Note: Feel free to substitute your preferred vegetables, sliced thinly.  Just about anything fresh would taste good in this soup.)

For serving:

Small bunch fresh cilantro or coriander leaves

1 lime

Method

Start by slicing your chicken breasts thinly, then sprinkle them with some flakey sea salt and a few good grinds of fresh black pepper.  Put them into a bowl and give them a good stir.  Cover with cling film and pop the bowl in the refrigerator.

Put your chicken stock in a large pot.  Bring it to the boil and then turn the heat down to simmer.

Cut the root ends off of the lemon grass and the green onions and slice the white parts very thinly.  For the lemon grass discard the hard green part of the stalk or have a read here of some ideas to use it.  Cut the green part of the onions into 1 inch or 2cm lengths and set them aside to use later for garnish.

Chop your red chilies.  Peel and mince your ginger. 

Add the white parts of the lemon grass and green onions, the ginger and the chilies to the gently simmering stock.  Add in the two tablespoons of fish sauce.

The longer you simmer, the better the soup will taste, but ideally this step should take a minimum of 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, pull the tough threads off of both sides of your snowpeas and cut your baby corn into short lengths.

Cut your carrot into little matchsticks using a sharp knife, or if you have a handy tool like mine, (a gift from a dear friend who knows me very well – purchased at Lakeland) use that. (Update: Since a few people asked, I found a Google Affiliate ad for a similar julienne peeler from SurLaTable and I've added it at the bottom.  I think I earn a few cents if you buy through the link.)

Some recipes call for the chicken to be added to the stock a few minutes before the vegetables but I find that makes for a cloudy soup.  So, pan-fry your sliced chicken with a little drizzle of olive oil over a high heat until it is just cooked, possibly still a little pink inside.  It will finish cooking as it sits in the pan.  (If cloudy chicken soup doesn’t bother you, feel free to add the chicken straight into the pot.)

Cover the bean thread noodles with very hot water in a heatproof bowl and allow to soften.  This takes just a few minutes.  Drain in a colander and then cut the noodles with a pair of sharp, clean scissors.  This will make them way less messy to eat.  Set aside until ready for serving.

When you are almost ready to serve, chop your cilantro and slice the lime into wedges.

About five to 10 minutes before you want to eat, depending on how crunchy you like your vegetables, add the carrot, snowpeas and baby corn to the pot.  Turn the fire up slightly and cook until the vegetables are your desired doneness.

To serve, add some of the noodles and chicken (if it’s not already in the stock) to the bowl.  Fill the bowl with hot broth and a share of the cooked vegetables.  Top with a little cilantro and green onion.  Each person should get a lime wedge for squeezing into the soup.  

Enjoy!

Finish up that box of Valentines’ Day chocolates.  Go ahead.  We’ll wait.  *drums fingers and whistles*  Okay, now follow these links to make something delicious and healthy for your next meal!

Sizzling Skinny Appetizers & Soups

• Napa Cabbage wrapped Chinese Spring Rolls by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• #DairyFree Cream of Broccoli Soup by Galactosemia in PDX
• Easy Vegan Lentil Soup by NeighborFood
• Tomato Basil Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Skinny Beef Chili by Webicurean

Healthy Skinny Mains & Sides

• Chicken with Herb Tomatoes and Pan Sauce by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
• Kale Salad with Pomegranates, Apples and Walnuts by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Skinny Salad Wraps by MamaMommyMom
• Mashed Cauliflower by Supper for a Steal
• Lamb Florentine Burger with Tzatziki by Country Girl in the Village
• Skinny Avocado Egg Salad Wraps by The Daily Dish Recipes
• Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad by Family Foodie
• Parchment-Poached Salmon by Simply Gourmet
• Maddy’s Arugula Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cauliflower Pizza by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Light chicken enchiladas by My Cute Bride
• Pear Almond Arugula Salad with Honey Vinaigrette by Vintage Kitchen
• Pasta Primavera by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Cauliflower Fried Rice by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Ahi Tuna Salad by The Urban Mrs
• Soba Noodles with Edamame and Green Onions by Hip Foodie Mom
• Scallops Hong Kong Style by Magnolia Days
• Slow Cooker Pork and Green Chile Stew by Momma’s Meals
• Roasted Garlic, Chicken & Herb White Pizza by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
• Polynesian Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Herb Roasted Salmon with Steamed Cabbage & Peas by The Lovely Pantry
• Turkey and Black Bean Taco Burgers by In The Kitchen With K P
• Salmon Tikka Wraps with Cucumber Raita by Soni’s Food
• Whole wheat pasta with Spicy Roasted Cauliflower by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs by I Run For Wine
• Chipotle Black Bean Burgers with Baked Garlic Home Fries by Curious Cuisiniere
• The Ninja Baker’s Sake & Miso Salmon by Ninja Baking
• Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers with Parsnip Fries by Gourmet Drizzles
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Smoked Sausage Cassoulet by The Weekend Gourmet
• Cumin Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots by Mangoes and Chutney
• Italian Sub Salad by Diabetic Foodie
• Swiss Chard and Quinoa Croquettes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Broccoli Patties with Arugula and Champagne Vinaigrette by Sustainable Dad
• Raw Kale Salad with Chickpeas and Salmon in Orange Dressing by Shockingly Delicious
• Greek Yogurt Egg Salad Sandwich by Damn Delicious
• Confetti Cabbage and Salmon Wraps by The Roxx Box
• Escarole and Beans by Midlife Roadtrip
• Cajun Black Beans by Ruffles and Truffles
• Caprese salad by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Skinny Wholegrain Fettuccine Alfredo with Greek Yogurt & Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Guilt Free Skinny Desserts & Snacks

• Chocolate Avocado Cake by Gotta Get Baked
• Tiramisu Parfaits by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Sugar Free Banana Almond Muffins by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Coconut Cinnamon Buns by Juanita’s Cocina
• Warm Apple Crumble by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots by girlichef
• Homemade Protein Bar Recipe by Masala Herb
• Skinny Chocolate Almond Pudding by Basic N Delicious

• Wine Pairing Recommendations for Skinny Sunday Supper by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Pin this Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup! 

Blog Love Fest Part Two

Photo credit

Since it’s the day we are supposed to celebrate and show love, I decided that this would be a good time to post the second installment of blogs I love to read and tell you a little bit about each.  I hope you love them too!  (For Part One - click here.)

The Domestically Impaired Guide to the Retro Kitchen Arts (Don’t you just love the name already?) is written by kind-hearted +Kalamity Kelli Davidson who claims to be learning how to cook but I think she needs to change that tagline.  By day, she works in the public sector, advancing the cause of decent working conditions for in-home personal care assistants.  Her e-book, written from her personal and professional experience, Taking Care of Mom and Dad, is a godsend to anyone who is caring for the elderly.  In the evenings and weekends, Kelli cooks and bakes fearlessly in the kitchen for her family.  She’s a garage sale and cookbook junkie so I knew I had met a kindred spirit.  And she makes bread pudding with figs and bacon!  (I think you all know how I feel about figs and bacon.)
And she makes delicious jams.

The Om Blog is next on my list.  Author, Juls has a great sense of humor and is just starting her second semester at Leith’s School of Food and Wine in London.  When I first started reading The Om Blog, she was focused on cooking less popular cuts of meat, like sweetbreads, hearts and game, which I found fascinating.  Now that she is off at Leith’s during the week, Juls’ entertaining posts are farther apart but it’s great to hear what she’s learning so I always look forward to each installment.

Marmaduke Scarlet, written by Rachel Kelly, first caught my eye when she made Hainanese Chicken Rice for her first entry into +belleau kitchen’s Random Recipe Challenge.  Many recipes have a story of her childhood in England and Kuala Lumpur, which you know I love, and they all have an amusing introduction.  As much as I love a good recipe, and Rachel’s got some great ones, I will often read a blog, just for a funny story of cakes with stubbed toes and potential bullet holes.  It's all here.

Fourth up is City Hippy Farm Girl, which is, in the author’s own words, all about her hippy tendencies and farm girl aspirations - trying to live simply and sustainably in a city flat.  Brydie cooks for her husband and three “monkeys” doing her best to buy local, in season produce, which is something I aspire to, but seldom manage.  The first post I read, she was squaring off with beets and, after losing that particular battle her whole life, finally emerged victorious!  I love beets but I can certainly understand the challenge since my dear husband does not.  And finally she makes wonderful jams and waxes eloquent about Italy and bakes gorgeous ricotta tarts.  A woman after my own heart.


The Kitchen Maid is the personal project of journalist Lucy Corry, who writes for various online and print media but the blog, she says, is just her, making things, telling stories, taking photos and having fun.  As always, in all the blogs I like, you are probably going to get a back story with each recipe.  And she is likely to turn her kitchen disasters into triumphs and learn from her mistakes.  I love the breezy way she writes and feel as if a friend is sending me a few recipes to try.

Teaspoon of Spice is written by two dieticians +Serena Ball and +Deanna Segrave-Daly, who, as their tagline says, love food as much as you do.  Honestly, if you didn’t know they were dieticians, you would never guess by their stories or the way their recipes are presented.  I went way back to the beginning when I discovered their blog and have yet to find a mention of diet or nutrition.  Which is the right way to do it, if you ask me.  The four-letter D words scares folks off.  Their recipes are just delicious and the photographs are beautiful.


Little Macaroon is written by the very clever Camilla.  She’s Scottish and she lived in and loved Singapore for two years, both of which immediately made me like her.  And her prose about life  and food is poetry.  She’s also very funny.  And if you are a knitter, you’ll find lots of interesting posts about that too.

The last blog for today’s round up is called Appetite for China.  I discovered it when a fellow Cookbook Junkie posted a photo of a delicious dish she had just made from author Diana Kuan’s The Chinese Takeout Cookbook.  Diana grew up in Puerto Rico and then Boston, watching her family run Chinese restaurants, and eating Chinese food whenever and wherever they traveled.  She shares some wonderful, tasty recipes with, of course, stories and I want to make and eat every single one.  And she shares my fondness for chicken wings.


And that's it for this installment but stay tuned for Part Three sometime in the near future.  I hope you find a few new blogs to like in my Blog Love Fest round up!  But most importantly, thank you for reading my blog and for all your love and support.  I love you all, lovely people!