Mr. Bijoy Writes

No frills, let's get to it- What ya need: 1/3 cup 1% buttermilk 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce 4 bone-in chicken breasts (about 12 ounces each), boneless is fine, just marinate longer 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs Ok, so:    In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, chives, mustard, and hot sauce. Remove the skin from the chicken breasts, add the chicken to the bowl, and let it soak for 30 minutes (or overnight). Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray Remove the chicken from the marinade and season it with salt and pepper. Place the bread crumbs in a wide, shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the bread crumbs and toss well to coat. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the chicken with cooking spray and bake until it is just cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. ...

Today, my good friend and champagne-sipping partner Chloe expressed that she's been playing with chili recipes to find one she really likes. So I've decided to post one of my old school recipes for her, and for all of you. Chili isn't just for tailgates. Chili is for families, friends, chilly weather, and everything that is made better with a hug. Yeah, I fucking said it. Chili is a warm, cozy hug. So try this recipe and get yourself a hug. Oh, and read the recipe before you get all of the ingredients out. What ya need: 2.5 lbs of quality sirloin, cubed in 1/4 inch cubes (ground sirloin works too)  14 ounces of beef stock 14 ounces of chicken broth 1 eight-ounce can of tomato sauce 1/2 of a small onion, finely diced 3 large clove of garlic, finely chopped or mashed 3/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons of spicy red chili powder 5 tablespoons of dark chili powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt 3 teaspoons of ground cumin 1 tablespoon of light roast coffee 1 stan...

I'm tired of people saying that eating healthy tastes bad. It doesn't Try this and let me know what you think!    What ya need: 1 cup of ripe banana, sliced 1 cup of vanilla low-fat yogurt 1/2 cup of 1% low-fat mil, skim is okay as well 2 tablespoons of whole wheat graham cracker crumbs 1 tablespoon of nonfat dry milk 1/2 teaspoon of  vanilla extract 3 ice cubes Ok, so: First, grab a cookie sheet and arrange the banana slices in a single layer, Freeze these until firm, or about 1 hour. Now, in a blender, blend the frozen bananas with the rest of the ingredients until smooth. Sip in happiness.

Gumbo isn't hard to make. However, it's hard to make well. So, I took an old gumbo recipe I learned in Mississippi and modified it for you guys to get the best product with the least amount of time involved to "perfect" it.Your first batch will be good. Your second batch will be better. Every consequent batch will only get better until you've played with it to make it yours and, in hand, make it perfect. What ya need: 1 pound of pork loin, cubed 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour 1 cup of beef broth (homemade is best, but bouillon will do in a pinch) 1- 15oz can of stewed tomatoes 10oz of okra (frozen is fine) 10oz of succotash (frozen is fine) 1 teaspoon of hot sauce 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon of salt  1 bay leaf Cooking spray Ok, so: Spray a medium-sized dutch oven or a large pot with cooking spray. Heat it over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the beef and cook for 4 minutes, stirring oc...

Here's a great recipe for a Thai-style curry chicken that's rich in protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and healthy carbs! Give it a shot and let me know what you think! What ya need: 1 chicken breast, 6 ounces, or so 1 cup of light coconut milk (if you can't find light, regular works too) 1 cup of reduced sodium chicken stock 1/2 cup of chopped broccoli 1/2 cup of cubed sweet potato 1/4 cup of chopped carrots 1/4 cup of raisins 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium zucchini, finely choped 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped  1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 tablespoon of curry powder 5 teaspoons of finely sliced garlic 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper The zest of 1/2 of 1 lime Ok, so: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper on both sides. Sear the chicken in the olive oil until lightly browned on both sides. remove the chicken and set it aside. Add the onions, carrots, and g...

Here's the thing, brussel sprouts don't suck. However, if they are overcooked or mushy, they do suck. So, try this recipe to make healthy, happy brussel sprouts! And no, your mother did not tell me to post this. What ya need: 1 1/2 cups of fresh brussel sprouts 3 roughly chopped shallots 1/4 tablespoon of olive oil 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper Ok, so: Bring about 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a large pot. Insert a steamer basket filled with the brussel sprouts. Cover and let steam for 7 minutes. Remove them from the pot and set aside in bowl. Now, in a heavy pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the sprouts, shallots, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook until brown, being careful not to stir too often, as this might break the brussel sprouts apart. Serve immediately and enjoy!

I have a few friends that love fried pickle chips, but really don't like the "fried" part.  So I fixed it for them. And now you can enjoy the spoils of our fitness-minded pickle chips! Enjoy! What ya need: 12 slices of sweet pickle 3 ounces of Dijon mustard 1/2 cup of cooked Quinoa 1/2 cup of non-fat yogurt 3 tablespoons of Sriracha Ok, so: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Now, in a smal bowl, mix together the yogurt and the Sriracha and put it in the fridge to chill. In another bowl, coat the pickle chips in the mustard and toss the coated chips in the quinoa. Pat the quinoa down on the chips to make sure that it sticks. Set the chips on a drying rack, that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, on top of a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot with the chilled yogurt sauce made earlier and enjoy!

I was once asked if I could make a pesto that was cleaner and healthier than what's available in stores. Since pesto is based in oil, it's difficult to make it super-healthy, but if you add kale, you get the kick you need! So here's a recipe for some pesto that has better levels of potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. What ya need: 1/4 cup of roughly chopped Walnuts  1 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper  20 leaves of fresh basil  1 teaspoon of kosher salt  2 tablespoons of lemon juice  3 cloves of garlic  1 and 1/2 cups of chopped Kale  1/3 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ok, so:  Throw everything into a food processor and blend until slightly chunky, but smooth. You can freeze this and store it for a month or two as well.

An omelet has eggs folded over stuff. A frittata has stuff folded into the eggs. A quiche is basically a frittata with a pie crust. So, I mean, you should make a quiche.     What ya need:  1/2 cup of finely chopped yellow onion 1 egg 2 egg whites 1/2 cup  of fat-free sour cream 6 ounces of diced lean ham 6 ounces of shredded low-fat Swiss cheese 1 ready-made 9-inch pie crust Ok, so: Set your oven rack to 1/3 off the bottom. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the onions for 1 minute on high. Discard any fluids that may have come out of the onions and set the onions aside. Grease a pie pan with cooking spray and fit the pie crust to it. In a large bowl, beat the egg, egg whites, and sour cream together. Now stir in the onions ham and cheese. Pour the egg mixture in to the pie crust and place it in the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the eggs are firm and the top of the quiche has lightly browned. Serve while hot!

Tailgates are often places with nothing really all that healthy for people trying to eat right. So, I dug into my files and found this for those of you who are looking for a tasty change in pace at your next tailgate! Enjoy! What ya need: 2/3 lb of chicken 1 egg 1/2 of a medium red bell pepper 1/2 of a medium yellow onion 1 teaspoon of coconut oil 1/4 teaspoon of dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon of dried coriander 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon of kosher sea salt Ok, so: In a food processor, finely cut the chicken and set aside. Finely shop the onion and bell pepper. Mix the chicken with all of the other ingredients in a bowl until well-incorporated. Form this mixture into 2 patties. You can refrigerate these for about 2 days. When you're ready to cook, grill over medium coals or pan fry over medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side. Serve hot!

There's chocolate and peanut butter in this recipe for brownies. So, I mean, that's pretty great. However, with the addition of whey protein, this brownie helps drive those heavy workouts! Give these a shot to help you reach your fitness goals in a really tasty way! What ya need: 8 teaspoons of creamy peanut butter 3/8 cup of egg whites 2 tablespoons of skim milk 1/2 lb of cooked, mashed sweet potato, with skin 1 tablespoon of unsweet cocoa powder 1 teaspoon of baking powder 2 scoops of premium 100% whey protein powder, chocolate flavor Ok, so- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine all of the ingredients until well incorporated.This is best achieved in a food processor or stand mixer.Pour this mixture out in to a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted in the brownies, comes out fairly clean. Let cool, cut into squares, and enjoy!

It's autumn and everybody seems to have a raging love-stick over pumpkins. So, here's an easy recipe for some healthy, protein-packed (14g/5 pancakes) pumpkin pancakes so that you can have something delicious to fuel your workout! Enjoy! What ya need: 2 cups of steel cut oats 6 egg whites 2 eggs, whole 1 cup of cottage cheese 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (canned is ok) 2 tablespoons of Stevia sweetener (or 3 tablespoons of honey) 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg nonstick cooking spray Ok, so- Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes, or until fairly smooth. Lightly spray some nonstick cooking spray on a large skillet and place over medium heat. Carefully ladle or pour the batter into the skillet to make small pancakes. You should be able to fit 4 pancakes into a large skillet. Flip the pancakes in about 3 minutes, or when you can see the edges turn a golden brown. After 2 minutes, the pa...

I really enjoy onion rings, but I really don't like how unhealthy they are. So I scoured the internet to find a good recipe for a baked onion ring. I found a few, but none were really that great.  So, I decided to combine the best parts of each recipe and give it a whirl. It turned out pretty good! Try it and let me know what you think! What ya need: 2 medium sweet vidalia onions, cut into 1/2 inch slices and separated into rings 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon of fine red chili powder (cayenne will suffice) 1/2 cup of non-fat plain yogurt 1 egg 1/2 cup  of all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups of crushed kettle-cooked potato chips 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 450ºF.  Now, take two medium to large bowls and, in the first one, combine 1/4 cup of flour, salt, pepper and red chili powder. In the second, combine the yogurt, egg and 1/4 cup of flour and whisk until a smooth batter is f...

Need something tasty and a little decadent for dinner? How about if I throw "easy" into that description? How about I add the added benefit of a nice crab-load for your crazy workout days? Sound good? Oh, I got you - What ya need: 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice 2/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2/3 cup of olive oil 1- 1lb package of pasta, whichever sort you prefer, cooked 1/4 cup of water from the pasta you cooked fresh basil for garnish Ok, so: Grab a large bowl and mix together everything but the pasta and the pasta water. Whisk it together until everything is well incorporated. Now, add the spaghetti and the pasta water. Mix all of this together and you’re done! Oh and, you can garnish this with freshly chopped basil and fresh lemon zest.

So last night I had a short conversation with a few twitter folks ( @tobyamidor , @dee22ann , & @MelissaTraubRD ) about mac & cheese. So, from that conversation, here is a recipe for a healthier mac & cheese, for both deliciousness and happiness!  What ya need: 1 1/4 cups of raw cashews 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast 2 teaspoons of onion powder 1 teaspoon of kosher sea salt 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon of ground Tellicherry black pepper 3 cups of almond milk 3 tablespoons of quality cornstarch 1/4 cup of cold-pressed olive oil (you can use palm oil here as well) 1/4 cup of light white miso (yellow miso works, but I prefer the white varietal) 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice 16 ounces of cooked pasta (I like rotini, but you can use whatever you want. Just not bowtie, don't be irresponsible) Ok, so: In a food processor or powerful blender (I use my Vita-mix) grind the cashews with the nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic ...

Salsa is one of those condiments, or sauces, if you like that nomenclature more, that is almost universal. A good salsa goes well with so many things. Try it on a burger, on eggs, on chicken, on roast pork, and, obviously, with some chips. I love experimenting with salsa recipes and styles. Much like barbecue sauce, salsa doesn't have a universal recipe or style. There's room to play, and I *LOVE* that. To add, it's generally quite healthy! So, try out one of my favorite salsa recipes and let me know what you think! What ya need: 4  medium ripe tomatoes, diced 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped 1 bunch of green onions, chopped 2 medium jalapeño peppers, minced (for less heat, use 1 and for flavor only, seed the peppers) 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped 1 ear of corn, cooked 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced 6 tablespoons of  freshly squeezed lime juice 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil Kosher sea salt, to taste Freshly ground bla...

A healthy side-dish is always a good choice. Here's a healthy and delicious side dish for you to enjoy. It's a perfect addition to any lean protein, but also tastes great on its own as a snack. Let me know what you think of it! What ya need: 1 pound of fresh asparagus   1 tablespoon of quality olive oil (you don't need extra virgin, unless you prefer it)   1 tablespoon of high-quality balsamic vinegar   1/2 teaspoon of fresh, minced garlic   1/2 teaspoon of kosher sea salt   1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Cut off the tough lower ends (about lower 1/6) of the asparagus and throw those away. Rinse what's left of the stalk and pat dry. Place these stalks on a cookie sheet, in a single layer, and drizzle with the oil and vinegar. After the stalks are coated, sprinkle the garlic, salt, and pepper over them.  Now bake at 425ºF for 5 minutes. Turn, or toss, the stalks and bake for another 5 minutes. Remo...

Riverboat Salmon is a fast preparation dish with some great benefits. This dish is light, yet filling and healthy. It’s a great main item in a light lunch or dinner. The rich flavor will please many and the light burden doesn’t weigh one down after the meal. What ya need: 4 salmon steaks (6-8oz. works best) 1 lemon, quartered 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder Ok, so: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the butter in the skillet. When the butter is completely liquefied, add the soy sauce and garlic powder. Increase the heat to medium. Place the salmon in the skillet and cook 4 minutes on each side, or until well cooked. The fish will be thoroughly cooked when it flakes easily with a fork. Do not test doneness often or you will ruin the integrity of the filet. As the salmon is cooking, prepare the lemon. Cut the lemon in half. Cut one half of the lemon into four thin slices. Cut the other half of the lemon into four wedges. Wh...

"Gluten-free", "healthy", "low-calorie", and "high fiber" are buzzwords for some people, but run-away-scared terms for others. Let's try and find a happy medium. Here is a healthy, gluten-free recipe that tastes great and is, get this, a good dessert. What ya need: 6 cups of fresh raspberries 5 cups of fresh strawberries, stems removed 1/2 cup of cornstarch 1/2 cup of water 3/4 cup of granulated sugar 1/4 cup of whipping cream 2 teaspoons of confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon of quality vanilla extract 3/4 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt Ok, so: In a blender, blend together the raspberries and strawberries until smooth. Push this mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl. When you've pushed through all of the liquid and fine parts, add enough clean water to equal about 5 cups of liquid.  In a small bowl, mix the 1/2 cup of water with the cornstarch and the granulated sugar. Then, in a large saucepan, mix this mixtu...

Watermelon salad is under-appreciated, and just tasty. Give this a shot as a fun side for a nice weekend meal or as a great side to any cookout. Enjoy! What ya need: 1 small seedless watermelon, cubed 1 small cucumber, finely diced 6 ounces of crumbled goat cheese 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon of quality balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon of honey Ok, so: In a big bowl, combine the watermelon, cheese, cucumber, and mint. Lightly stir this all together. Drizzle the vinegar and honey over the top of the mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.