Happy New Year from Baja Sur, Mexico.
How did the Holiday Wellness Challenge go for you?
I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t gain any weight and I’m feeling stronger. I admit that I ate about 2 dozen homemade cookies by myself over the Christmas week. Ugh. When you don’t normally eat wheat and sugar, cookies can make you feel terrible. I swear that I had less energy and more pain than usual. Lesson learned.
Did you eat your 12 grapes for good luck on New Years Eve, Mexican tradition? Or just drink the grapes?
I was in bed by 11 pm. Happily sober. Have you tried any non-alcoholic sparkling wines? I’m loving St. Regis’s Brut which I can almost make myself believe tastes like prosecco, almost. The Kir Royale was particularly delicious but I couldn’t find any in Reno to bring with me. Total Wines carries St. Regis in the U.S.
Try this chicken verde pozole Instant Pot recipe for a comforting healthy Mexican soup.
You can make it on the stove top or in a pressure cooker, too. I bought a can of hominy with this recipe in mind and the Instant Pot was perfect to get dinner ready quickly. I used canned salsa verde because it’s easy but you could substitute tomatillos and green chilies for the salsa. I used Herdez brand which is readily available in Mexico and in the U.S. I presoaked the chickpeas to make falafel and I had leftovers so those went into the pot too. This would be a great vegan stew/soup without the chicken.
I have an abundance of zucchini and green beans from the CSA so I’m adding them to almost ever meal. 😉 It’s easy to add these fairly neutral veggies to stews or soups. They add vitamins and fiber and don’t detract from the soup.
The Instant Pot gets dinner on the table in less than an hour. The chicken and chickpeas will be tender and the spices hold up well in a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers and Instant Pots can leave your food bland so be generous with the garlic and spices. I didn’t add extra salt because the chicken broth I find in Mexico is already too salty in my opinion. Go easy with it at first until you know how much to use.
I made a variation of this masa flour corn bread and it was delicious. It’s lighter than corn bread made with corn meal and I liked it.
Chicken Verde Pozole Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Easy chicken pozole with hominy, chick peas, salsa verde, green beans and zucchini. Healthy Mexican comfort food.
- 16 Ounces Chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Cup Diced onion
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 28 Ounce Can of hominy
- 4 Cups Chicken stock or broth
- 2 Cups Soaked chickpeas (Substitute canned )
- 14 Ounce Canned salsa verde
- 1 Cup Fresh green beans
- 1 Cup Diced zucchini
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin seeds
- 2 Teaspoons Coriander ground
Garnishes
- 1/2 Cup Cilantro leaves
- 1/2 Cup Scallions
- 1/2 Cup Radishes, sliced
- 6 Lime wedges
- 1 Avocado, sliced
- Prepare vegetables. Dice chicken. Brown chicken pieces in olive with Sauté mode. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add chicken broth, salsa and seasonings. Scrap any brown pieces off the bottom of the pot. Add remaining ingredients except garnishes. Seal lid and use Stew Meat setting or pressure cooker for 35 minutes and let pressure reduce naturally.
Serve with garnishes.
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What's for dinner, Doc? 