Carb Conscious

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the farro to the pot and cook, uncovered, 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the sweet potato lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; roughly chop the leaves. Remove the husks and silks from the corn; cut the kernels off the cobs. Halve the tomatoes. Cut off the stems of the peppers; remove the cores, then thinly slice into rings. Thinly slice the cucumbers. Combine the sliced peppers and sliced cucumbers in a bowl; add half the rice vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Halve and pit the avocado. Using a spoon, remove the avocado from the skin; medium dice. Place in a bowl; add the remaining rice vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Cut off the root end of the lettuce; separate the leaves.

Line two sheet pans with foil. Transfer the sweet potato pieces to one of the sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Transfer to the remaining sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Arrange skin side down. Evenly coat 2 seasoned fillets with half the spice blend.Evenly coat the remaining seasoned fillets with the togarashi. Roast 15 to 17 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.* Remove from the oven. 

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; place in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and the remaining spice blend; toss to coat. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to  4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and sliced scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened and the chicken is browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.

In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add the corn kernels; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as it may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat. Stir in the halved tomatoes and red wine vinegar until thoroughly combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Combine the hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoons of water, and as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the sauce to be.

Combine the lemon purée, yogurt, 2 teaspoons of water, and half the tahini (you will have extra). Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Combine the miso paste, mayonnaise, and 2 teaspoons of water.

Combine the mustard, crème fraîche, and 2 teaspoons of water. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 seasoned peppers and cucumbers

• 1/4 cooked chicken

Transfer the lettuce leaves to 2 separate containers.

Transfer the spicy hoisin to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 cooked farro

• 1/4 cooked vegetables

• 1/4 cooked chicken

Transfer the tahini yogurt to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/4 cooked farro

• 1 togarashi fish fillet

• 1/4 seasoned peppers and cucumbers

• 1/2 seasoned avocado

Transfer the miso mayo to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

For each serving, in a large container combine: 

• 1/2 roasted sweet potatoes

• 1/4 cooked vegetables

• 1 spiced fish fillet

Transfer the creamy dijon sauce to 2 small containers.

Makes 2 servings:

Roughly chop the peanuts. 

Assemble each cup using 2 lettuce leaves and the finished chicken and vegetables. 

Garnish each serving with the spicy hoisin, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds.

Makes 2 servings:

Heat the finished chicken, vegetables, and farro in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. 

Garnish each serving with the tahini yogurt and cheese.

Makes 2 servings:

Roughly chop the cashews. 

Garnish each serving of finished fish, farro, vegetables, and avocado with the miso mayo and chopped cashews.

Makes 2 servings:

Wash and dry the parsley; roughly chop the leaves and stems.

Roughly chop the figs. 

Heat the finished fish and vegetables in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. 

Garnish each serving with the creamy dijon sauce, chopped parsley, and half the chopped figs (you will have extra).