Finally a recipe again! I've been cooking a lot recently and keep failing to blog about it. Tonight, I made a simple meal to warm up on this chilly fall evening. I wanted something with a bit of a kick, was somewhat of a comfort food, and had a fresh element to it too. I came up with a spicy cumin marinade for the chicken, added coconut milk to my rice, and used store bought organic black beans with fresh avocado to create a delicious meal. Here is the recipe below:
Spicy Cumin Chicken:
2-3 cloves of garlic (diced or smashed)
6 tbsp olive oil
Juice from 1-2 small lemons
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Cholula hot sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cajun spice
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
I used about 1.25 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I trimmed and sliced thinly and marinaded for about an hour. I sautéed the chicken in a skillet until it was golden brown on the outside and had an internal temp of 165 degrees F.
Coconut Rice:
2 cups jasmine white rice
1 can coconut milk
2.5 cups water
Cook until the rice is soft and all the liquid is absorbed, about 20-30 minutes.
Spicy Black Beans:
I just heated up a can of Organic Spicy Black Beans, but you can cook up your own black beans or use a can of regular black beans and just add cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, and whatever else you desire. I often use Cholula hot sauce to flavor plain black beans in addition to the additions above.
Slice a fresh avocado and add between 1/4 and 1/2 avocado to each serving for a bit of fresh flavor and to cool down the spiciness for anyone who isn't a huge fan of spicy foods. I also ground some fresh Cotija cheese on top after I took the picture above, which was a great addition. The entire meal took about 1.5 hours to make, including the marinade time. It makes approximately 4-6 servings depending on size. Delicious and simple, the best kind of meal.
Enjoy!
xX,
Laura Christine
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" - William Buttler Yeats
Repeating a quote I've used in a post in the past, but it couldn't be more appropriate than now. Another month has passed and what exactly do I have to show for it? Well one major thing, I have completed my first three GIA classes and now have an AJP, Accredited Jewelry Professional, degree. I have been really focusing on getting my classes finished early so I wouldn't be stressed about them during the busiest season for retail, the holidays!
I didn't expect to finish my final course, Diamond Essentials, in only 2 weeks though. It was a hefty course in terms of information, but also incredibly fascinating. Did you know that the carat, the internationally standardized weight measurement for diamonds, originated in ancient times from a carob seed. In fact, the carob seed was considered to be fairly uniform in size and weight and was used as a counterbalance for scales when weighing diamonds. Today, a carat has been standardized to be 0.200g internationally. Furthermore, according to the course, less than 1% of individuals will ever own a diamond weighing 1 carat (ct) or greater. Most mass produced jewelry has a total carat weight (the weight of all the diamonds in the piece of jewelry) of less than 1ct. So it makes sense that most individuals who are buying mass produced jewelry, which the majority of Americans purchase, won't every own a diamond weighing 1ct or greater.
All three GIA courses for my AJP were extremely informative, relatively thorough, and very applicable in my current position in the jewelry industry. They give you just enough information to adequately sell jewelry by feeling knowledgable and confident, without overdoing explanations and specifics. For many people in the industry, this is all the information they intend to need and use in their profession. For me, the 1st three courses were just wetting my palate and made me realize just how passionate I truly am about gemology and fine jewelry sales.
"Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you never cease to grow." - Anthony J D'Angelo
Until next time, wishing you all the best!
Cheers!
xX,
Laura Christine
