To try: Breakfast burrito

 Southwest Chicken & Black Bean Breakfast Burritos (8 burritos)

Ingredients

Protein

• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups liquid egg whites (about 16 oz)
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

Fiber & Carbs

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 large high-fiber tortillas

Vegetables

• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 5 oz baby spinach
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced

Fat & Flavor

• 8 oz sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 avocado per serving when eating (don't freeze avocado)
• Salsa for serving

Seasoning

• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder

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Step 1: Cook the Chicken

1. Heat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss chicken thighs with:
   • 1 tsp salt
   • 1 tsp pepper
   • 1 tsp cumin
   • 1 tsp chili powder
   • 1 tsp smoked paprika
3. Roast for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
4. Let cool and chop into small pieces.

You should end up with roughly 24 oz cooked chicken.

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Step 2: Cook the Vegetables

1. Spray or lightly oil a large skillet.
2. Cook onions and peppers for 8-10 minutes.
3. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
4. Stir in green onions.

Set aside.

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Step 3: Cook the Eggs

1. Whisk together:
   • 8 eggs
   • 2 cups egg whites
   • remaining seasonings
2. Scramble gently until just cooked.

Don't overcook them—they'll cook again when reheated.

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Step 4: Assemble

For each burrito:

• 1 tortilla
• ~3 oz cooked chicken
• ~1/2 cup black beans
• 1/8 of egg mixture
• 1 oz cheese
• 1/8 vegetable mixture

Roll tightly.

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Freeze

1. Wrap each burrito in parchment paper or foil.
2. Place in a freezer bag.
3. Freeze.

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Reheat

Microwave:

• 2-3 minutes from frozen

Or:

• Microwave 90 seconds
• Finish in a skillet for a crisp tortilla

Add:

• 1/4 avocado
• salsa

after reheating.

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Estimated Nutrition (per burrito)

Approximately:

• Calories: 600-700
• Protein: 42-48g
• Carbs: 40-50g
• Fat: 20-25g
• Fiber: 12-15g

What I'd Pay Attention To

After eating one at 7:00 AM, ask yourself:

• Am I hungry before 11:00?
• Am I comfortably full until noon?
• Do I feel sluggish?

If you're hungry by 10:30-11:00, my first adjustment would be increasing the black beans to 3/4 cup per burrito before increasing the meat. That will add more of the fiber that seems to work well for you in your oatmeal. If you're still hungry after that, then I'd increase the chicken to about 4 oz per burrito.

To try: Chipotle-Adobo Grilled Shrimp Skewers

 

Chipotle-Adobo Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Marinade

• 1 lb large shrimp
• 1 to 2 chipotle peppers from the can
• 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, or 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/3 to 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp honey or brown sugar, optional
• 1 1/2 tsp lime juice, optional; add near the end of marinating or after grilling

Blend the marinade, toss with shrimp, and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes max.

Thread onto skewers and grill over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until opaque and lightly charred.

 Serve with:

Mexican street corn rice bowl base
Rice with corn, cotija, lime, cilantro, and a little mayo or crema-style sauce on top.

Warm tortillas
Turn the skewers into tacos. Add slaw, avocado, lime, and crema.

 Roasted sweet potatoes
Cubes or wedges with cumin, chili powder, salt, and lime. Sweet potatoes are especially good with smoky chipotle.

Black bean and corn salad
Black beans, corn, tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime, cumin, salt. Easy and filling. 

 

Simple “complete meal” combos

Taco night:
Chipotle shrimp + warm tortillas + cabbage slaw + avocado + lime crema.

Rice bowl:
Cilantro-lime rice + shrimp + black beans + corn + mango salsa + avocado.

Grill dinner:
Shrimp skewers + grilled corn + roasted sweet potatoes + cucumber-lime salad.

 

Black bean and corn salad

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained)
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• ¼ medium red onion, finely diced (about ¼ cup)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• Pinch of black pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomato, red onion, and cilantro.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more lime juice or salt if desired.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving for even better flavor.

To try: Golden chicken noodle soup

 Attempt to copy-cat the mian version:

https://chatgpt.com/c/6a14a702-9198-8329-ac29-dee3a1b5a539 

To try: Dhan Saag recipe

Shaukat's recipe is here.  seems quite involved. 

Gai Pad Krapow (thai ground chicken)

This was very good!

We modified this one to include dark green vegies:  https://thewoksoflife.com/thai-basil-chicken-pad-krapow/

 

Pre-prep:

- 6 oz (small bunch) dark green veg.  We used Yu Choy.  If stems take longer to cook, thinly slice and keep separately.

- 2-3 shallots thinly sliced (we did 2 ... 3 could have been ok)

- 1 - 4 thai birdseye chilies (or even more if you want) sliced. 

- 6 cloves garlic sliced or roughly chopped (make sure pieces aren't too small or they'll burn)

pre-mix the sauce:  2-4 Tbsp water or broth, 2 tsp light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1.5 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp dark soy (for the color) and pinch white pepper.

Heat pan:

- In large pan, heat over high heat until water droplets bead and dance.

- Add 2-3 Tbsp oil.  Add shallot, cook 20 seconds, add garlic and chili and cook 20 seconds, add 1 lb ground chicken, flatten and let crisp at edges for 45 seconds.  (ours didn't really, but it was ok).

-  Add the yu choy stems and cook for 1 min.  (it's ok if chicken isn't fully cooked ... it will cook).

- Add the sauce and cook until it concentrates and is slightly sticky.  

- Toss in the yu choy leaves and stir until they wilt.

- Turn off heat at stir in one large (large!) handful of thai basil leaves and stir until wilted.

Taste:  If it needs more brightness, add a squeeze of lime.  If it needs more salt, fish sauce.  If it needs more sweetness, pinch of sugar.  If it needs more heat, some freshly sliced chilies.

We serve it over white rice and top with a fried egg.  The fried egg really adds a lot to this dish so try not to skip it! 

Chewy chocolate chip espresso cocoa nib cookies (GPT)

 

Bakery-Style Espresso Cocoa Nib Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 10 large bakery cookies

Ingredients

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 20 g bread flour.
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  (or 3/4 tsp Morton)
• 1 tbsp milk powder (optional but excellent)

• 227 g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp espresso powder
• 220 g dark brown sugar
• 70 g granulated sugar

• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips or fèves
• 85 g chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 45–55 g cocoa nibs

Optional finishing:

• flaky salt
• a few extra cocoa nibs pressed on top before baking

Method

1. Brown the butter

Cook butter over medium heat until deeply golden and nutty. Stir frequently near the end.

You want it noticeably browned, not just melted.

Transfer to a bowl to cool.

After about a minute, stir in the espresso powder until dissolved.

Let cool another 10–15 minutes.

2. Mix sugars

Whisk brown sugar and granulated sugar into the butter thoroughly.

It should look glossy and thick.

3. Add wet ingredients

Whisk in:

• egg
• egg yolk
• vanilla

Whisk until smooth and slightly lighter.

4. Add dry ingredients

Fold in:

• flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• salt
• milk powder

Mix until almost combined.

5. Add chocolate + nibs

Fold in:

• chocolate chips
• chopped chocolate
• cocoa nibs

The dough should be soft but not loose. If dry, add 1tbsp water or milk.

If it feels greasy/warm, chill briefly before scooping.

6. Scoop + chill

Portion into large cookies:

• about 95–105 g each

For bakery texture, form rough tall mounds rather than smooth balls.

Chill at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Bake

Bake at:

• 375°F
• 13–16 minutes

Bake until:

• edges are browned
• centers still look slightly underdone
• tops are crinkled

Immediately after baking, optionally use a round cutter or bowl to swirl them into perfect circles.

Finish with flaky salt.

Spiced Date & Nut Cookies (Indian-leaning)

Spiced Date & Nut Cookies (Indian-leaning)

Texture: soft centers, lightly crisp edges
Flavor: warm spices, caramel-like dates, nutty crunch

Ingredients (makes ~20 cookies)

Dry:

• 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger (optional)

Wet:

• ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix-ins:

• 1 cup chopped dates (Medjool preferred; if using Indian dried dates, soak 10 min in warm water and drain well)
• ¾ cup chopped nuts (pistachios, cashews, or almonds work best)
• Optional: 2 tbsp desiccated coconut or 1 tbsp chopped crystallized ginger

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Method

1. Prep
   • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Line baking sheets.
   • If dates are firm/dry, soak briefly and pat dry.
2. Cream
   • Beat butter + both sugars 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
3. Add wet
   • Mix in egg and vanilla until smooth.
4. Dry ingredients
   • Whisk dry ingredients separately, then fold into the dough.
5. Fold in mix-ins
   • Add dates + nuts (and any optional additions).
6. Shape
   • Scoop ~2 tbsp portions, roll lightly, and slightly flatten.
7. Bake
   • 10–12 minutes until edges set and centers still soft.
8. Cool
   • Let sit on tray 5 minutes, then transfer.

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Make-Ahead Option

• Dough can be refrigerated up to 24–36 hours.
• Flavor improves as spices hydrate and dates soften further.
• Let dough sit at room temp ~15 minutes before scooping if very firm.

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Notes & Variations

Using Indian dried dates (kharek/chhuhara):

• Must soak and finely chop (they’re firmer and less sticky than Medjool).
• Flavor is more earthy and less caramel-like.

Nut choices:

• Pistachio + cardamom = most “Indian dessert” profile
• Cashew = softer bite, slightly buttery
• Almond = more structure and crunch

Flavor upgrades (optional):

• Add 1–2 tbsp ghee replacing part of the butter for a subtle richness
• Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky salt
• Add a pinch of saffron bloomed in 1 tsp warm milk for a more dessert-like aroma

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If you want a slightly different direction

• Make them as thumbprint cookies and fill with a quick date paste (dates simmered with a little water + cardamom, then blended).
• Or shape into slice-and-bake logs for cleaner edges and easier prep ahead.

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If you want, I can tune this toward a chewier vs crisper texture, or push it further into something like a bakery-style pistachio-cardamom cookie or a more traditional Indian mithai-inspired version.

chewier bakery style pistachio cardamom with dates

For a chewier, bakery-style cookie, you want higher moisture (dates + brown sugar), slightly underbaked centers, and a bit of structure from bread flour. Pistachio + cardamom + dates fits that perfectly.

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Chewy Pistachio–Cardamom Date Cookies (Bakery Style)

Texture target: thick, soft centers, slightly crisp edges, chewy from dates
Time: ~1 hour active (or split over 2 days)

Ingredients (16–18 large cookies)

Make these combined changes:

• 
  

Dry:

• 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (65g) bread flour (key for chew)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp ground cardamom (freshly ground if possible)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon (optional)

Wet:

• 10 tbsp (140g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (extra yolk = chew)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix-ins:

• 1 cup (160g) chopped Medjool dates (pea-sized pieces)
• ¾ cup (100g) shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
• Optional: 2 tbsp ghee (replace part of butter) or 2 tbsp milk if dough feels stiff

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Method

1. Prep
   • Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line trays.
   • If dates are firm, microwave 20–30 sec or lightly warm to soften.
2. Mix wet
   • Whisk melted butter + sugars until glossy and thick (~1 min).
   • Whisk in egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Combine
   • Stir in dry ingredients just until no flour streaks remain.
   • Fold in dates and pistachios.
4. Rest (important)
   • Let dough sit 20–30 minutes at room temp
     or refrigerate 12–24 hours for best flavor + chew.
5. Shape
   • Scoop large portions (~3 tbsp / 70–80g).
   • Roll into tall mounds (not flat discs). Press a few pistachios on top.
6. Bake
   • 11–14 minutes
   • Edges set, centers look slightly underdone.
7. Finish
   • Cool 10 minutes on tray.
   • Optional: light sprinkle flaky salt.