With kids going back to school and workers returning to serious business, September is the perfect time to enjoy healthful dinners that are easy to prepare. Jmore foodie Elite Jakob recommends incorporating what she calls “one pan dinners” into your meal planning repertoire.
Elite Jakob is a Reisterstown-based integrative health coach, food blogger and author of the self-published cookbook “I Live in my Kitchen, But You Don’t Have To.” For more recipes from Jakob, visit her website, Iliveinmykitchen.com and follow her on Instagram and TikTok @Iliveinmykitchen.
On the Menu:
Chicken Skewers
With sides of Roasted Eggplant Salad,
Carrots and Potato Baked Fries
(2-4 servings)
Chicken Skewers with Roasted Eggplant Salad and Baked Fries
Ingredients
Eggplant Salad
- 2 medium eggplants
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Chicken Skewers
- 2 chicken breasts
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons capers
- 1/2 Tablespoon paprika
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 lemon, juice only
- 4-5 wooden skewers (optional but makes it easier to pick up)
Carrots and Potato Baked Fries
- 2 carrots
- 2 medium potatoes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper
Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup raw tahini
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional Ingredients for plating
- Tomato
- Chopped parsley
- 2 pitas cut to wedges
- 1 Tablespoon harissa (optional)
Instructions
Eggplant Salad
- Preheat oven to 425 F
- Cut the eggplants in half, tip to tip and score with XX on their cut side.
- Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper
- Place them cut side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes before adding chicken and fries.
- While eggplant is in the oven, prepare the chicken and fries.
Chicken Skewers
- Cut the chicken breast to 1”x1” cubes and place in a small bowl.
- Add the seasoning and toss well to coat.
- Place the chicken pieces on the skewers.
Carrots and Potato Baked Fries
- Peel and cut the carrots and potatoes to sticks, about 5”x1/2”.
- Place in a bowl, season and toss.
- After the eggplant has cooked for 15 minutes, remove tray from oven and add the chicken and fries. Return tray to 425 F oven and bake for 30 minutes, so total cooking time for eggplant will be 45 minutes and total cooking time for chicken and fries will be 30 minutes.
Tahini Sauce
- In a small bowl add tahini, water and salt and whisk. Start slowly to dissolve the tahini and increase the speed until a lighter paste forms. If it’s too loose, add 2 tablespoons raw tahini; if it’s too thick add 2 tablespoons of water.
To Assemble and Plate
- Remove the tray from the oven and using a spoon, scrape the baked white flash of the eggplant onto the tray.
- Use a potato masher and mash the eggplant just enough to break it down. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the tahini all over the chicken and the eggplant.
- Serve with grated tomato or a tablespoon of harissa on top of the eggplant.
- Sprinkle parsley and place pita wedges near the eggplant.
- Take a piece of pita and load it with eggplant salad and a piece of chicken and enjoy.
You can bake these no-flour, no-white sugar blueberry muffins from Elite Jakob in a regular muffin tin or as bite-size mini muffins.
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