Life is Peachy Chicken Stir-Fry and Grilled Pineapple

Life is Peachy Chicken Stir-Fry and Grilled Pineapple

Ingredients

3 pounds Chicken Thighs/Breasts (bone-in preferably) or 3 pounds cooked chickpeas

3 pounds of Peaches

1 bunch of Kale

1 large Onion

1 Pineapple

¼ pound of fresh Ginger Root

1 bag of Dark Chocolate Chips

Toasted Sesame Oil

Sea salt, pepper, coriander, cinnamon

Lemon Juice

Love

Yield: Serves 6-8 people

Directions

1. Begin by giving thanks for the life of the chicken and all the ingredients you are about to prepare.

2. If using bone-in chicken thighs or breasts cut them into small pieces roughly the size of 1-inch. Mix the chicken with 1 cup of lemon juice, a large pinch of sea salt, pepper, and the coriander. You can do this step a day or two ahead of time to allow the chicken to absorb maximum flavor from the seasoned marinade. The reason for using the bone-in chicken is because the dish will have more flavor.

3. Slice the onion and mince the ginger and place aside in a bowl.  Slice each peach into 6 segments. Wash the kale well and shake free of any excess water.  Using your hands tear the kale from the stem into bite sized pieces.  Peel the pineapple and slice into 4 pieces.

4. In a large wok or sauté pan add 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil along with the sliced onions and ginger. Stir this mixture constantly over medium heat until the aroma of the ginger increases. This will take approximately 3-4 minutes.

5. At this point you can add 1/3 of the peaches and the chicken and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook stirring constantly allowing the chicken to brown and cook through and for peaches to become syrup like in consistency.

6. With the sliced pineapple you can light the grill or use a grill pan or sauté pan.  Brush the pineapple with the toasted sesame oil and cinnamon and place onto grill pan over high heat. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side to allow the pineapple to develop a slight char. You can also place the pineapples under the broiler in your oven for it to brown.

7. Once the chicken is cooked toss in the remaining peaches and kale and place immediately onto a serving dish.

8. Cut the pineapple into smaller pieces after being cooked and in a large bowl toss the pineapple with the dark chocolate chips. You can also sauté the grilled pineapple with the chocolate to allow it to melt.

9. Enjoy with love!

Life is peachy and thanks to Mother Nature and the season of summer we can enjoy the bounty provided during these warmer months.  Peaches come into season in the Northeast during the month of July.  This recipe combines the fuzzy and sweet peach into a stir-fry with kale, chicken, and ginger to create a dish with an Asian flair. If you would like to omit the chicken you can prepare the dish with chickpeas. Did you know that in ancient Chinese culture peaches signified the Tree of Life?

Pineapples provide a light delicious replacement for dessert requiring only some melted dark chocolate to enjoy. Pineapples are high in enzymes that aid our digestion as well. The enzyme bromelain is found mainly in the core of the pineapple.

The dish provides a high amount of fiber, protein, and a vast spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support our overall health. Vitamins A, B, C, K, iron, potassium, magnesium are present along with many more.

Go ahead and plan a family trip to a local orchard and begin picking.

- Chef D’Amour

E.L. Doctorow 1931-2015

E.L. Doctorow 1931-2015

Everyone here at the New Rochelle Public Library is deeply saddened by the death of E.L. Doctorow.

A frequent and gracious patron while working on his historical novels, Mr. Doctorow was also an ardent supporter of the library.

We would like to share with you some images, including Mr. Doctorow's Walk of Fame sign that graces Library Green, and this quote from the great author:

“The three most important documents a free society gives are a birth certificate, a passport, and a library card.”

We offer our sincere condolences to his wife, Helen, and three children, Jenny, Caroline and Richard.

Very Berry Days at NRPL

Very Berry Days at NRPL 

We’ve had some Very Berry fun taking place at the New Rochelle Public Library and at the BID Farmers Market the past few weeks. With inspiration from some wonderful children’s books, blended with the talent of our super instructors, and topped by the enthusiasm of children, kids and parents participating in these wonderful summer activities, we’ve enjoyed some great recipes! 

Strawberry Baskets (above) were the featured BID Family Market Day Craft on July 11th. Craft instructor Dayna Reist led this easy project, with great outcomes.  Click here for a template. 

A big group of kids and their parents tried their hand at Dipping and Decorating Strawberries at the library’s "Adventures in Cooking and Science Workshop" for kids on July 13th. Instructor Ms. Jeremy Miransky led the group in the fine art of dipping, sprinklings and tasting. Yum! Find out how here. 

Blueberries for Sal led to a terrific recipe for Blueberry Jam, concocted and demonstrated by Chef D’Amour Giovanni Green (from Break Bread Not Hearts) for the BID Family Market Day Recipe on July 18th. It’s a definite "keeper," and can be used on all kinds of dishes, as we learned… 

…at the "Cook Like an Iron-Rich Chef" Workshop for Teens on July 20th, Chef D’Amour Giovanni Green made the most delicious Veggie Burgers and Fries – with Blueberry Jam as the condiment. Delicious!! Click here for the recipe and for other Blueberry Jam uses! 

Summer Recipes to Share

Summer Recipes to Share

11 ways to keep kids' minds active over the summer, an article that appeared in the July 6th issue of The Journal News, started the list with:

#1: "Check out your local library: It's a wonderful place to inspire a love of reading, whether it's required or recreational reading. Many libraries offer summer programs…"

The #7 suggestion was: "Cook with your kids. Not only can they practice their reading skills by reading cookbooks and recipes, but they can work on their math skills as well".

Put the two recommendations together and what do you get? Cooking Workshops at the New Rochelle Public Library! Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some of the recipes concocted at our workshops for elementary school children, for teens, and at some of the BID Family Market Days. Enjoy them at home as much as patrons have enjoyed them here in the library and at the Market on Library Green.

An easy recipe for playdough was introduced by Jeremy Miransky, at the first session of Experiments in Cooking and Science (for kids 6 – 12 years, Mondays at 10 am, through August 10th).

Playdough (for play – not eating!)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup water

3  tablespoons oil

1 cup flour

1/3 cup salt

10 drops food coloring

Instructions:

1. Mix water, oil and food coloring in a bowl.

2. Mix flour and salt in another bowl.

3. Add the flour and salt mixture to the oil and water mixture.

4. Mix with a spatula until the mixture forms a dough.

5. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour, bit by bit until the consistency of the dough is the way you like it.  If the dough is too dry, add a couple of drops of water until the consistency is right.

6. Store in a covered container or freezer bag.

For the Teens Workshop, Cook like an Iron-rich Chef, (Mondays at 4 pm, through August 10th), Chef Giovanni Green and the chefs-in-training cooked-up this fabulous dish:

Snow in July Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice (uncooked)

1 lb. Snow Peas *

2-3 Bell Peppers (mixed color peppers) *

3 Summer Squash (Zucchini) *

1 lb. Golden Raisins

2-3 tablespoons Ginger Root 

Toasted Sesame Oil (Coconut Oil or Grapeseed Oil works too!)

1 lb. Arugula *

2-3 Cucumbers *

Figs or Fig Jam *

1 15 fl. oz. can Coconut Milk

Smoked Paprika, Sea Salt, Pepper

Vinegar (Apple Cider or Rice)

Love

Instructions:

1. Begin by placing the uncooked basmati rice, toasted sesame oil, sea salt, pepper, and smoked paprika into a pot over medium heat stirring constantly to coat rice with oil and spices.  After stirring for about 5 minutes add 3 ½ cups of boiling water and allow to boil for 3-4 minutes. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer. The rice will cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. Snap off ends of snow peas, slice bell peppers and zucchini into whatever shapes and sizes you like.

3. Peel ginger with a spoon and then place into a food processor or mince by hand.

4. Wash the arugula and leave in a strainer to drain if it hasn't been washed already. In a blender combine the figs/fig jam, coconut milk, vinegar, with a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. If using the fig jam you can whisk/stir the ingredients together by hand. Leave dressing aside, we will use it for the fried rice and the salad.

5. Toss together the golden raisins, cucumbers, and arugula and drizzle with the coconut fig dressing.

6. In a wok or a large frying pan add the toasted sesame oil and ginger over medium heat stirring constantly until you can smell the aroma of the ginger. You can also add minced garlic to the mixture if you like as well.

7. Add in the bell peppers and summer squash with a pinch of sea salt and pepper. After 3 minutes add in the cooked basmati rice and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the snow peas and pour some rice vinegar into the pan and give the pot one final toss and stir.

8. As the rice is being served, drizzle each individual plate with the golden raisins and coconut fig dressing.

9. Enjoy with love!

Chef Green adds:

This dish is complete with a variety of fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients that are dense in nutrients. There is an abundance of iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, B-complex, K, protein, fiber, and more. Snow in July Fried Rice provides a healthy and delicious alternative to consuming fried rice purchased from an establishment which may be high in sugar, fats, and artificial/processed ingredients which only leaves us feeling lethargic and our bodies still craving the nutrients we need.

Next time you have leftover rice you can combine it with the ingredients I have listed or with any you may have on hand at home. Ingredients marked with * can be purchased right now from a local farmers market. Thus you know your food was picked most likely that morning or the day before, it will be at peak nutritional value, and will help reduce pollution since the food is coming from nearby.