Spicy southwest chicken with couscous, carrot and brussel sprout medley

This chicken has some bite to it thanks to pureed chipotles in adobo in the marinade, which was repurposed from my Rebar cookbook. Couscous, fresh and crunchy carrot and brussel sprouts, sweet currants and crispy sage (my own combo) round out this dish. This recipe serves 4-6.

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To prepare the chicken:

To prepare the marinade, place 2 roasted red peppers (canned or fresh), 1/4 head roasted garlic, 2 chipotles in adobo, 1 peeled shallot, 2 tbs rice wine vinegar, 2 tbs fresh lime juice, 2 tsp maple syrup and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender. With the blender on low, slowly pour in 3/4 cup olive oil. Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag, add 12 chicken thighs and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Bake the chicken at 375°F for about 25 minutes, turning once.

Prepare the couscous:

Cook 1-1/2 cups dry couscous according to package directions, substituting vegetable broth for the water.

To prepare the vegetables:

Wash and trim about 1 lb of brussel sprouts, 3 large carrots and 6 green onions. Using a food processor fitted with the slicing attachment, thinly slice the vegetables. 

To prepare the crispy sage:

Heat 1 tbs oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Quickly sauté 1/2 cup sage leaves until bright green, turning once. Dry on a paper towel.

To prepare the salad:

Gently toss together the couscous and vegetables, along with 1/2 cup of currants. Top with chicken and crispy sage.

Quinoa patties with spring vegetables and feta

After seeing a recipe for quinoa patties with spring herbs on pinterest, I was inspired to try my own version. I decided to use up some leftover mashed sweet potato by adding it to the mixture, and made it more of a whole meal with finely chopped vegetables. The patties won't hold their shape as easily as burgers, so handle them gently. You can add an extra beaten egg to the mixture if needed. 

The end result was amazing. It's now one of Brad and my favourite recipes on the blog. The lightly crisp coating of browned panko and quinoa contrasted nicely with the tangy creaminess of the feta, while fresh vegetables added a burst of flavour. This recipe serves four. If you're heading to a famers' market today, you may want to get the ingredients to try this yourself!

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Cook 3/4 cup dry quinoa according to package directions. While the quinoa is cooking, place 6 white mushrooms, a large handful of spinach, 1/2 cup peas and 6 stalks green onion in a food processor. Pulse for several seconds, until finely chopped.

In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the vegetables, cooked quinoa, 3 beaten eggs, 1/3 cup mashed sweet potato (I'd mashed mine with a bit of margarine, orange juice and maple syrup), 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup crumbled feta, 1T dried thyme and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.

Gently shape in palm-sized patties. Pour enough vegetable oil in a large pan to just coat the bottom, and heat the oil over medium. Working in batches, add 3-4 patties to the pan and cook for several minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom. Use a large spatula to flip the patties and cook the other side.