Chicken, Pomegranate, Walnuts

What a bizzzzzzy weekend!  Starting with the chili cook-off on Friday, then a party at my house on Saturday, and finishing with a birthday party at Lucky Strikes bowling lanes on Sunday, now I need a vacation!!  Here's how it all turned out:  

I showed up late to the chili cook-off and people had already been tasting and voting for half an hour.  I missed a big pot full of votes!  I was SO bummed.  This was all my son's fault.  He had not done a stitch of homework all week (due on Fridays), so I got caught up helping him and couldn't get it together for the competition.

The party was a lot of fun for me.  One of the moms in my son's class is a Chef.  She came over and put together a noodle bar, with slow cooked broth, variety of noodles, veggies, herbs and sauces.  I, in turn, heavily rubbed 6 racks of baby backs with my Big Wooden Spoon Seasoning, marinated in fridge overnight, and baked in a 200 degree oven for 9 hours.  Then I made a pomegranate-chipotle BBQ sauce for dipping.  We got great reviews on the food!

Lucky Strikes Lanes was a HUGE disappointment.  The snail-paced food service (one and half hour wait for a hot dog), the negligent waitress (did not bus the area at all the entire duration of the party),  disorganized management (reneged on previously agreed upon terms, such as substituting bottled water for soda for the kids, didn't have all four reserved lanes ready on time, failed to provide props such as bowling pin and sharpie for birthday girl, etc), unprofessional manager called Alicia, who "vented" to her staff about the host (she had no idea the host was right behind her and heard everything), all made the experience really stressful for our friends.  No more Lucky Strikes until they change their ways.

Tonight, I will cook a recipe from my cookbook.  This is a healthy dish, rich with heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids from walnuts (you may use a mix of almonds and pecans if you prefer the mono-unsaturated fats known to lower belly fat), antioxidants from reduced pomegranate juice, and juicy chicken.  Serve this delicious sweet and sour dish over a scoop of brown rice (which apparently is a "resistant carb").

1 cup ground walnuts

1 chicken breast cut in 1” strips 

1/4 cup pomegranate syrup, available in specialty or ethnic stores -- Whole Foods carries this!

1 cup water

Salt to taste

Sugar, to taste, optional

 

Heat a 3.5 quart casserole over medium high heat.  Stir in the ground walnuts and toast for one minute to start releasing the oil and deepen the walnut flavor.  Add water, pomegranate syrup and salt.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add chicken and cook another 30-40 minutes until thick like gravy.   It will be watery, with the nuts floating around for a long time.  Be patient, it will eventually get cohesive and the color will become brown when it is done.  This dish needs some attention and an occasional stir so as not to burn the bottom.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Add sugar if it tastes too tart for your palate.