I lingered over my coffee this morning making my final grocery list for the Bon Appétit Food Lover’s Cleanse. If you would have told me that any sort of cleanse was going to fly by, I would have seriously doubted you. I’m surprised to find myself already almost at the end but there I am. Before I get too sentimental about it all though, I have 3 more full days of recipes to enjoy and a refrigerator full of groceries to make them happen!

Notes from today:
• To see original recipes from Bon Appétit, click on the link for the recipe in the titles below. Any changes I’ve made are reflected in the recipes below.
• I completely rewrote the dinner recipe for today because the original used a whole chicken and at my house tonight it was dinner for one so chicken breasts it was!

BREAKFAST

Quinoatmeal with Apple and Toasted Walnuts

Quinoatmeal with Apple and Toasted Walnuts
This is a repeat from week one. You can find my post on it here.

LUNCH

Pork, Mushroom and Arugula Salad

Author: 
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Toss pork, mushrooms, and arugula with mustard dressing; top with pepitas.

DINNER

Chicken with Rutabaga, Turnips and Barley

Author: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup pearled barley
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup brandy or dry white wine
  • 3 carrots, sliced 3″ thick
  • 2 leeks, whites and light greens only, trimmed, sliced 3″ thick
  • 6 oz rutabaga, peeled, cut into 1″ wedges
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Cook barley according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place garlic, thyme, and bay leaf inside chicken.
  3. In a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and place in pot. Cook until browned, 5–7 minutes per side, then transfer chicken to a plate. Pour brandy into pot and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaf, carrots, leeks, and rutabaga and nestle chicken among vegetables. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until chicken is done – about 30 minutes.
  4. Remove chicken from pot and gently spoon out vegetables. Increase heat and reduce down liquid to about ½ cup. Stir in barley to warm; season with salt and pepper. Reserve 4 oz. chicken for Chicken, Apple, and Fennel Salad.
  5. Serve topped with parsley.