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Chicken Korma

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Chicken Korma (updated!)

(this recipe has recently been updated | updates in bold) If you’ve been following this blog for a minute, it’s no secret that I love curries of all kinds (tagine, dahl, Thai noodle… to name a few). This one is more traditional. A Korma is a traditionally Moghul dish, which has origins in Northern India on into AFPAK. It has a base of coconut, roasted nuts, and raisins or honey, blended into a thick paste which serves as the base for a species of spiced gravy. Served over rice, with naan, or with a side of lemon arugula, it is hearty and filling and brimming with spice. 

what you need

1 large chicken breast cut into chunks, marinated as you desire (e.g., lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, cayenne, thyme)

(optional) 1 can of drained chickpeas, or 1 cup of cut cauliflower, or 1-2 cups of other vegetables 

1 tablespoon Ghee or sunflower oil

1/2 unsweetened coconut flakes

1/4 cup roasted nuts of choice (cashews or almonds work very well) (pro tip: toast the nuts first!)

1/4 cup golden raisins

Juice from one lemon

2 onions, sliced thinly or diced

1 small, hot chili pepper, minced with all its seeds

1 large knob of fresh ginger, minced or grated

1 knob fresh turmeric, minced or grated

2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup water

1 16oz can coconut milk

//spices

2 tablespoons turmeric powder

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons fennel

1 teaspoon mace

(optional) 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon coriander powder

2 teaspoons cumin  

//

Fresh cilantro (for topping)

Na’an, basmati rice, or simple arugula salad for serving

how to make it

First, you’re going to make the paste, which is going to serve as the base for the korma. Place the coconut, roasted nuts, poppy seeds, and golden raisins in a small grinder along with all the spices (except the fresh turmeric, ginger, and cilantro leaves). Add 3 tablespoons of water and grind until meal-y and well-combined (adding water as necessary). 

Korma Base
Korma Paste

Next, you will make the curry. In a large pan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Sauté the onions until fragrant (~4 minutes). Then add in the chopped chili pepper, fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, and fresh garlic. Cook for one minute more. Add the paste and continue to cook until the oils begin to separate over the top of the paste (~3-5 minutes). Add the tomato paste and stir. 

Onion, Ginger, Garlic
+ Chili
+ Korma Paste
+ Tomato

Add the cup of water and the chicken chunks, stirring to combine. At this point, add in salt and a hefty amount of black pepper. Bring mixture to a low/medium simmer for ~15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the lemon juice and test korma for salt, adding more if required. Add the coconut milk, stir well, and bring to a rolling boil (I usually use slightly less than 1 full can of coconut milk). Hold the boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Top with fresh cilantro leaves. 

//interlude. Did you know that CILANTRO and CORIANDER are the same plant??? In the U.S., “coriander” is the name for the dried, ground seeds, which you see in the ingredients list above. “Cilantro” is the name for the fresh, green leaves. In other parts of the world, both parts are referred to as “coriander.”//

+ Water, Chicken
+ Coconut Milk

Serve the korma on its own with a side of toasted na’an (see note below) or spooned over basmati rice. I also like it with a side of arugula tossed in salt and lemon juice, which adds a super fresh component to this otherwise dense, sweet dish. 

Stonefire Roasted Garlic na’an is great with this (or just the plain or whole wheat versions). Cut into quarters, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Broil in the oven on high until brown and crisp, being careful not to let it burn in the broiler. Simple as that. 

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Sweet

Sweet Coconut Cookie Snacks

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Sweet Coconut Cookie Snacks

Yo, LOVE is in the freaking AIR! It’s Valentine’s Day (or thereabouts) and I made treats / used it as an excuse to be a little extra (remember when I sprinkled the lemonade???). For✌🏼Day this year, I made homemade cereal (yes, you read that correctly), homemade peanut butter cups (because I have issued a blanket moratorium on seed oils in my house), and these adorable four ingredient cookie snacks that are kind of like those samosa Girl Scout cookies. Now before you go off on a V Day tangent, I would like to stress that these cookie snacks are my new go-to, Valentine’s Day aside. They are the perfect dessert. I mean perfect.✨ And they are super easy to make. If you have kids, I ultra recommend these as a dessert option. There is zero sugar as they are sweetened with dates.

💖💖💖

Now, on the homemade cereal side, I forget about once every three years that I do not enjoy self-torture and make the cutest homemade cereal, a la Molly Yeh (champion of all things cute and sprinkles). Is it worth it? Probably not. Do I forget this periodically? Absolutely I do. This year it made for great mailing gifts but, man, is it a lot of work. Hundreds of hand-cut, 1/4 inch hazelnut cookies. In the words of Charlie Brown, good grief.

what you need

(this makes 6-8 cookies)

1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut <– these words matter

1 cup (~8) pitted, soft Medjool dates

1 tablespoon smooth almond butter

1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips + 1 tablespoon coconut oil

(optional) 1 tablespoon honey

how to make it

  1. In the oven, toast the coconut shreds for ~5 minutes on 350, or until beautifully golden brown. 
  2. Use the food processor to process the dates until they are in smaller chunks. Add in the coconut and the honey, if using, and mix until a grainy “dough” forms. Using your hands, form 6-8 little discs, ~1/2 inch high, with the dough. Use a chopstick to poke a hole through the middle. 
  3. Plop the discs in the freezer. Yes, plop.
  4. On the stove, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a small saucepan or small double boiler (truth: I totally set a bowl on top of a pot with water in it.) 
  5. Once the chocolate is melted, remove cookies from freezer and dip the underside of each cookie in the chocolate, returning it to the plate with the chocolate side up.
  6. Return to freezer for ~30 minutes or until chocolate hardens completely. 

P.S. The homemade cereal contains: homemade hazelnut cookies, tiny amaretto meringues, toasted coconut flakes, mini chocolate chips, and dried tart cherries. 

additional quirky dessert ideas
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Veggie

The Florida Salad

one and a half slices the Florida salad recipe local vegetables
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The Florida Salad

This salad takes me home. Back to my home town in Florida to be exact. 

Crafted out of inspiration from Crush Xl – a young, vibey restaurant local to Melbourne that takes salads (and bacon wrapped dates) to another level. Melbourne Beach, Florida isn’t really known for its food but if you’re looking for a date night meal or a business dinner, I definitely recommend Crush. It is probably the only place in Melbourne that knows what it’s doing when it comes to cocktails and interesting dishes.  

At first, this salad may look a little strange (rice noodles and coconut?). Fair. But you’d be surprised what a cup of mango, flakes of toasted coconut, & a handful of mint leaves can do to a dish. 

See for yourself…

what you need

3 cups romaine lettuce, cut into thin strips

1 cup diced mango

1 cup diced avocado

1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes (not shreds!). It makes a difference. If you haven’t replaced your normal coconut with Let’s Do Organic’s Unsweetened Coconut Flakes and gotten into the habit of toasting them in the oven, this is your sign.

1 cup rice noodles, cooked according to package, rinsed in cold water, and cut in half (pad thai rice noodles or vermicelli rice noodles, both fine)

1/4 cup fresh mint

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

(optional) toasted peanut crumbs for garnish

For the dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil

juice from half a lime 

1 tablespoon sriracha OR several dashes of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon fresh honey

1-2 teaspoons soy sauce or Tamari 

how to make it

Toss all ingredients together in a serving bowl (except the coconut).

Add salad dressing and toss until well coated. Garnish with toasted coconut and toasted peanut crumbs, if using.

A note on toasting: I am constantly toasting coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, and chopped nuts under the broiler. It takes a few moments with the broiler on high and adds so much flavor to salads and stews. For example, the toasted peanuts on top of the Cucumber Sesame Salad. Bomb.

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Sweet

Lemon Coconut Morning Pudding

one and a half slices lemon coconut overnight oats breakfast easy
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Lemon Coconut Morning Pudding

one and a half slices lemon coconut overnight oats breakfast easy

Okay, okay, this stuff may not look super appetizing, but it tastes fantastic and is packed with very healthy things that make for an awesome breakfast. You are talking something like 20-30g of protein (depending on the yogurt you use and whether you include protein powder). Not to mention the chia seeds, which are packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats…iron, magnesium, all the healthy B vitamins… This dish is a great meal prep option for the week if you’re into that. I go in and out of Overnight Oats phases but this definitely tops the oats, IMO. This recipe makes one hearty jar. Double it or triple it and divide evenly between more jars for meal prep or other family members.  

🍋🍋🍋

what you need

2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds

1/4 cup of regular oats 

1 cup of nut milk of choice (coconut, oat, macadamia all work well)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I💖my Skyr). 

(optional) 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (so, if it’s a gym day, I’ll do this. My plant-based, easy-on-the-stomach protein powder of choice is Sprout Living and their vanilla flavor works well in this).

3 tablespoons fresh coconut flakes, toasted (flakes, not shreds!). It makes a difference. If you haven’t replaced your normal coconut with Let’s Do Organic’s Unsweetened Coconut Flakes and gotten into the habit of toasting them in the oven, this is your sign.

*Note: If you want to double up on the coconut, you can also use coconut milk from a can in place of nut milk. I am really enjoying Native Forest’s Unsweetened “Simple” Organic Coconut Milk. It has none of that guar nonsense. I am constantly on the hunt for nut milks without gums or stabilizers like Malk because, let’s be honest, I just can’t make my homemade almond milk all the time. 

how to make it

The vessel here can get interesting. You can use a mason jar (what the internet uses). You can use a drinking glass (what I use). You can use a tupperware (not recommended unless it is glass). 

Whatever you choose, place all the ingredients inside except the nut milk and, optionally, the toasted coconut flakes. Stir it up well! No need to layer. 

Once combined, pour in the nut milk and continue stirring. 

Cover and place in fridge overnight. Enjoy in the morning. If you didn’t mix in the toasted coconut, you can sprinkle that on top in the morning for a crunchy topping. 

The consistency will have thickened considerably but you want it more like a thick stew than like oatmeal, so play around with it until you get your desired consistency. The type of yogurt you use, the type of milk, and the protein powder all make a difference in the consistency. 

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Sweet

Amaranth Granola

amaranth granola gluten free healthy one and a half slices breakfast recipes
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Gluten-free Puffed Amaranth Granola

You’ve all probably tried my regular homemade granola which is massively better than store-bought granola. And my muesli, while we are on the topic of breakfast foods. But this became my new favorite this year. On a trip to Mexico with My New Roots, the resort had ample gluten-free options. Naturally insistent on sampling one of absolutely everything especially when it comes to baked goods, I tried the lot. And the gluten-free options, in my opinion, were better than the gluten-full options! Hence the birth of the Coricos Cornmeal Cookies. Anyway, this is my new favorite granola. While puffing amaranth might seem at first blush like a serious undertaking, it is one of those things that takes practice but is not particularly difficult. I have tried to describe the process well but just know you need an extremely hot pan, an extremely short time window, and a lot of patience for the first few tries. Happy puffing!

what you need

4  cups puffed amaranth

1 cup chopped raw pecans

1 cup chopped raw almonds

1/2 cup raw pepitas

3 tablespoons chia seeds

3 tablespoons golden flax seeds

2 1/2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil

1/3 cup honey

1 cup dried fruit of choice (I like blueberries)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

A healthy amount of cinnamon

how to make it

[heat] oven to 350

[don’t freak out] if you don’t have all the nuts and seeds. Granola is super flexible. The main focus here is on puffing the amaranth. You can use whatever nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or raw coconut is to your taste. No pressure. 

[puff] your amaranth. See notes below.

[combine] amaranth, nuts, and seeds (not fruit) in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. You can melt the coconut oil for 10 seconds (no more) in the microwave to help combine the wet intgredients. 

[pour] the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until well combined. 

[bake] granola in two batches spread out on parchment paper on large baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes, toss granola with a spatula, and bake five minutes more. The granola will turn golden but should not burn. You may need a third round for 3-5 minutes depending, but you should start at 10 minutes to ensure the delicate amaranth does not burn. 

[cool] for ~20 minutes and then mix in your dried fruit of choice. Store in airtight container for up to 10 days, serving over Greek yogurt with fruit as you desire a delicious breakfast or snack. 

how to puff amaranth

Puffing amaranth takes a bit of patience. Basically, you want a super large skillet and you want to get it extra hot (this is on the highest setting on my electric stove until it starts to smoke a bit).  Add your amaranth one tablespoon at a time. It should begin to puff (popping like popcorn) almost immediately. 

KEEP THE PAN MOVING!

You should use a grease screen so keep the adorable little amaranth puffs from popping all over your kitchen. 1 tablespoon of amaranth should puff in 15-20 seconds. You want to pour it into a bowl quickly as you will notice it will start to burn (turn slightly black and smell). Try this on repeat with 1 tablespoon of amaranth at a time until you get the hang of it. 

When you’re ready, graduate to 1/4 cups of amaranth at a time.

pour in 1/4 cup,

place the grease screen,

move the pan constantly as the amaranth puffs (~20-25 seconds for 1/4 cup),

remove from pan quickly and pour into a bowl to let cool.

you should remove the amaranth from the pan while it is still popping slightly… yes… while there are still pops happening! Like microwave popcorn, guys!

It will take you maybe 10 minutes to get the hang of this process and then you’re golden.
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Sweet

Oatmeal Everything Cookies

One and a half Slices cookies
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Weeknight Oatmeal Everything Cookies

One and a half Slices cookies

This is a super versatile, unique, hearty cookie recipe with very low sugar. They’ve got just about everything you could want in a cookie – coconut, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips. You can swap in and out things you may prefer – like pecans or chopped hazelnuts, different kinds of chocolate chips, etc. You could probably cut the sugar more if you used, say, golden raisins or dried blueberries, which are quite a bit sweeter than the cranberries. The higher the cacao percentage of your chocolate, also, the less sweet the cookies will be. I’ve made them with 100% bars before all chipped up and the rich, cacao-forward flavor is incredible. In short, get fancy. Play around. Make these your weeknight go-to cookie. And keep some in the freezer for late night cravings or, idk, breakfast… 🍪

what you need

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar

1 cup chocolate chips of choice (I prefer these cookies with +70% cacao… I’ve even made them with 100%)

1/2 dried cranberries

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (flakes, not shredded or grated)

1/2 cup pepitas

how to make it

Heat oven to 350.

Cream the butter and sugar together either with a hand mixer or with a fork until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, and beat until combined. Stir in flour, spices, and baking powder until a mild dough forms.

Mix in the rolled oats. Then add the coconut, pepitas, chocolate chips, and cranberries, and stir until combined. Mold the cookies into pressed patties (not round balls). This recipe will make somewhere between 15 and 24 cookies depending on how large you make them. 

Bake on a cookie sheet for ~15 minutes or until just golden brown. Serve warm. 
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Veggie

Creamy Sweet Potato Stew

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Creamy Coconut Sweet Potato Stew

As we bring October to a close and launch into November, we are still sticking to vegan weekdays and meat-friendly weekends. We’ve been out and about to The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, Clarity, and Founding Farmer’s for our non-vegan exploits, and are soon headed to try Kinship’s sister prix-fix locale Métier.

To pull off vegan weekdays and still keep the gentlemen appeased, I have relied heavily on Laura Wright of The First Mess, arguably my favorite vegan food blog. I’ll get a vegan gravy recipe up here on the blog soon that you won’t possibly believe is vegan – it’s the best gravy I’ve ever had.

But for now, we are a little tired of lentils and were looking for something to do with copious amounts of sweet potatoes (yes, we’ve made Sweet Potato Pie). Hence this little gem was discovered. Creamy with coconut milk, almost like curry. Spiced with flavors of the same. Hearty with sweet potato and flourished with kale. Yes, there are still a few lentils, but they are hardly the stars of the show. This soup is light enough for any season and feels perfectly at home here at the end of October. 🧡

what you need

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 onion, diced

(optional) 1-2 shallots, diced

1 tablespoon dried chili flakes or 1 hot chili, minced

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 small knob of fresh ginger root, minced or grated

1 garlic clove, minced or grated

1 extra large sweet potato, peeled and diced (option here to sub some sweet potato for carrot)

1/2 cup French lentils

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (13 oz) coconut milk (I used slightly less than 1 can)

1 bunch of kale, swiss chard, or mustard greens, de-ribbed and cut into thin strips

Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, naan wedges, and more chili flakes to garnish 

how to make it

Melt the coconut oil over medium heat on the stove in a Dutch oven. Add the onion and the shallots, and sauté until translucent, ~3-5 minutes. Add the chili flakes, spices, ginger, garlic, plus a hefty pinch of salt. Let sit in pot for another ~1 minute, then stir, scraping any brown bits up off the bottom. 

Add the sweet potatoes/carrots and lentils, stirring everything to combine. Once combined, add the vegetable broth and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check to ensure the sweet potatoes are tender. 

Add the coconut milk and the kale to the pot, and simmer another 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, a squeeze from a lime wedge, and more chili flakes. 

Note: I like to buy store-bought naan; cut it into strips or wedges; top with olive oil, salt, and black pepper; and broil for a few minutes in the oven, flipping once. This makes nice little crispy strips to garnish any stew!

🌶🧅🍲
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Omni

30 Minute Curry

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30 Minute Curry

I know there is already a recipe up for my beloved Chicken Korma curry, best served with naan, over basmati rice or, my favorite, with arugula dressed with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. As I’ve been chatting with more and more folks, I continue to hear that homemade, restaurant-grade curry is intimidating to make because of all the grinding, mortar-and-pestling, and slow cooking that is required. So I decided to make a video with the 30 minute version of my chicken korma to show that, as long as you have enough forethought to marinate some chicken in some lemon juice, this really doesn’t have to be all that difficult. So for those who don’t follow OneandahalfSlices on Instagram (which you totally should), here you go! You could have this in 30! 

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Sweet

Granola

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Granola

A good granola is difficult to find and expensive when you do find it. It is also full of preservatives and overly sweet, usually with added sugars. Making your own granola is easier than you might think and a great way to ensure you get granola exactly as you like it… whichever nuts, whatever fruit, and resolution to the endless honey-versus-maple-syrup-debate. Serve over Greek Yogurt with a few slices of fresh fruit or make yourself a OneandahalfSlices signature Plate Parfait. A batch of granola will keep for 1-2 weeks in your pantry and quickly replace bagged granolas and cereal forever. And if you really want to have fun, try my gluten-free Amaranth Granola.

what you need

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 cups puffed kamut (I find puffed kamut makes the granola overall lighter, but if you don’t have any, just use 4 cups of rolled oats)

2 cups of nuts/seeds of choice, coarsely chopped (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pepitas | pictured here is 1 1/2 cups pecans and 1/2 cup pepitas)

3/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes

3/4 cup lightly melted coconut oil

1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup or honey 

Spices: cinnamon (be generous), nutmeg, turmeric, salt, 1 tablespoon vanilla (optional)

(optional) 3/4 cup dried fruit such as cranberries, blueberries, or golden raisins

(optional) 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Note: I use coconut oil because it is slightly sweeter. Your other options are butter/ghee (makes granola buttery), or olive oil (makes granola a bit more savory). Any of the three will work.

how to make it

Preheat oven to 300. Mix rolled oats, puffed kamut (if using), nuts/seeds, and coconut in a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined, then add spices on top.

Be generous with the cinnamon (several tablespoons), sparing with the nutmeg, add a pinch of salt, and use the turmeric only if it suits you. I feel it lends an unexpected exoticism to the spice profile, but to each his own. A dash of dried ginger would likely accomplish the same thing. 

Melt the coconut oil in a bowl (note: it will melt in the microwave in about 10 seconds, and then begin to spit, spat, and fizzle noisily. Do not over-microwave). 

Add the coconut oil and maple syrup to the dry ingredients and stir gently until all the grains are completely coated. 

Spread granola evenly on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from oven and stir, pressing the granola down lightly afterwards. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Granola should be toasted golden (the coconut and nuts will brown) but still wet. 

Remove from the oven and cool completely (about 20 minutes). Mix in dried fruit and chocolate chips (if using). The granola will keep for 1-2 weeks in an airtight container. 
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