Being a Hoosier means a lot of things to me. And of of those things is that summertime = corn time. Knee high by the Fourth of July is no joke where I come from.
Earlier this week, I got an itchin to be in the kitchen and wanted to try something completely new. I knew I wanted corn involved and the meal had to be fresh. Essentially, seasons completely dictate my palate.
Since I was feeling adventurous, I decided to try out Yucca Root (the grocery labeled it as Yuka FYI). It has a lot of vitamins, antioxidants and some fiber and protein. And also, it looks like a tree. Sooo I wanted to try eating it. Because that's fun.
Normally I shy away from anything I don't know how to make (like Yucca) but I strongly recommend it. It was easy peasy! And here's how you do it...
{Side note: Because the chicken is better the longer it marinates, I would start with that and while it is in the fridge, start on the Yucca. But I did it backwards and it was still tasty :)}
Cast-Iron Charred Corn & Yucca
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
1 Yucca Plant (about 12 inches long)
3 c. Corn (frozen)
1 T Coconut oil
Salt, pepper, Cayenne and onion powder to taste
Directions
Cut ends of Yucca plant, then cut in half
Begin shaving off the bark - similarly to how you peel a potato. It's OK if you lose some of the meat of the root in the process.
Cut the remaining plant into cubes
In a regular sauce pan add coconut oil and cook Yucca at medium heat
Add salt, pepper, Cayenne and onion powder to taste
Cook until plant begins to brown (see below)
Mix Yucca and corn in cast-iron skillet
Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes - until the corn begins to brown (if you want a creamier taste, you can throw in more coconut oil here. I also added more Cayenne to the corn because I love spicy.)
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes - stirring often
Enjoy!
And next up: Spicy-Lime Chicken Salad
Spicy Lime Chicken Summer Salad
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
4 Chicken breasts
5 T hot sauce (I prefer Frank's)
2 limes
1 large bag of spinach
1 c. cherry tomatoes
1 large avocado
1 pineapple (confession, I bought one package of pre-cut.)
1 red pepper
1 cucumber
Salt, pepper, Cayenne and onion to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350-degrees
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk hot sauce, squeezed lime juice and salt and pepper
Cut chicken breasts into cubes
Mix chicken into marinade bowl and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes
While chicken is marinating, cut vegetables and lay over spinach
Refrigerate while chicken is cooking
Bake chicken on a lightly greased/oiled cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes (until cooked all the way through). Flip chicken once throughout baking to ensure it's cooked evenly.
Eating alongside the corn and yucca and enjoy!
And that's all :)