jenny can cook

I made one of my favorite meals ever for dinner today, my Orange-Sesame Chicken. If you like Chinese food then you know that much of it is deep fried but this chicken is just lightly sauteed and the sauce, made with fresh-squeezed orange juice, is fantastic. It takes longer to cook the rice than it does to make this healthy meal so be sure to start your rice first.

Today, I made fragrant jasmine rice. I always include a side of broccoli and you can add your broccoli to the rice during the last 5 minutes to save extra dishes. This orange-sesame chicken is an easy, healthy recipe that actually cooks up in less than 10 minutes, but you have to wait for the rice to cook! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

My stepmom is Greek so I have grown to love Greek food (and her, too!). She told me that you can cook almost any Greek dish with olive oil, lemon, and oregano and this delicious side dish is the perfect example. The potatoes are marinated and roasted in the oven until they’re tender inside and the edges are crispy and golden. And wait until you taste this delicious combination of fresh lemon juice, garlic, and oregano.

There’s been lots of talk lately about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet so there’s plenty of reason to try my easy Greek lemon potatoes. Did I say easy? See for yourself. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

For someone who likes crunchy food, my sesame seed breadsticks are a must. You simply cannot buy breadsticks like this anywhere and when they’re fresh out of the oven (after they stop their snap, crackle, and popping) it’s hard not to eat half the batch right there. I make 15 at a time and when there’s only one left, I make more. If you haven’t tried this easy recipe, you’re missing out. I was out of whole wheat flour so I made this batch with just all-purpose flour.  To see the video and printable recipe, click here. – Jenny Jones

My dad used to make the best potato pancakes but my recipe has a secret he never knew – it’s in how you drain the potatoes. Also, his method took some work but that was before food processors were invented. I used to help him grate the potatoes on a box grater but now, thanks to my food processor,  I have an easy way to make fantastic Polish placki kartoflane and mine are healthy, never greasy, and super easy. If you don’t have a food processor, you can prep the potatoes old school style, grating by hand, and you’ll still get the best potato pancakes ever.

I’ve given up ordering these at a deli because they’re practically deep fried! Mine use very little oil because you don’t need it. To me, they’re best with a little (reduced fat) sour cream, and when you have leftovers, save them for breakfast. My mother used to slice up the  leftovers and cook them into scrambled eggs for an awesome breakfast, which is what I’m having right now! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

This healthy pasta dish is quick & easy and full of green vegetables, known to support your eyes, teeth, and bones and the cannellini beans are a good source of iron, calcium, and protein. Vegetable-bean pasta is one of my favorite go-to meals and only takes about 20 minutes to make. You can vary the vegetables but always try to include broccoli for its cancer protection. I can never get enough of this creamy comforting pasta dish! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Weekend breakfast is the perfect time to make these fantastic, healthy apple muffins. People have asked me for this recipe so many times, or they just ask me to make them some of my delicious apple muffins. With lots of apples, they could even BE breakfast in a pinch. The batter is easy to make and you will have to peel and slice apples but it’s really worth it. I’m pretty sure if you make these apple muffins once, you will make them again and again. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Vegetable-bean soup makes a healthy meal all by itself. This is the reason I always have a bunch of vegetables in the fridge and my own frozen chicken stock in the freezer. It was “Soup for Dinner” night tonight. So I thawed some of my homemade stock and added… carrots, potatoes, parsnip, celery, cabbage, broccoli, kale, spinach, asparagus, cannelini beans, some leftover diced chicken, orzo, and parsley. It’s basically a delicious vegetable soup but the added chicken and beans provide protein and fiber for a complete meal and a filling one. I was going to have one bowl but it was so good I had two! There were more vitamins in this healthy meal than any vitamin pill.

Wait ’til you taste this moist, delicious blueberry streusel coffee cake. It’s an easy recipe made with whole grain flour and no butter. And blueberries are in season right now so you won’t need a loan application to buy them! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

 It only takes three ingredients to make soft and tender potato gnocchi. My Polish dad was the cook in our family and he used to make them and called them kluski which I later learned are the same as Italian gnocchi. In Poland they are called kopytka and the Polish way to serve them is with fried bacon and onions but nobody needs to do that any more! I prefer gnocchi Italian style as a side dish with red sauce or as a main dish topped with my homemade bolognese sauce. Anything you can do with pasta, you can do with gnocchi and it’s a pretty simple recipe. Plus they freeze beautifully. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

If you haven’t tried this easy recipe yet, it’s absolutely delicious and so healthy! I often make these skinless chicken drumsticks for the weekend because they’re just as good cold for a quick snack and it’s such an easy recipe. You won’t miss the skin which is where all the saturated fat is. I made these for the weekend (a dozen every time) and there are still some left… but not for long. It’s one of my best chicken recipes. Here’s the link for the recipe. – Jenny Jones