A single ingredient may prolong your life?
Yes, I know. It sounds more like the hook for an infomercial than the summation of a respected medical study, but...
Last week, the BMJ (British Medical Journal) released the findings from a huge study suggesting the humble chili pepper and its many varieties may do more than spice up your life—it may actually prolong it.
To watch a fun, little 2-minute CBC News
video on the findings, click the arrow in the window below....
video on the findings, click the arrow in the window below....
********
************
According to the study, eating spicy foods once or twice a week appeared to lower the risk of mortality by 10%, when compared with those who ate spicy foods less often or not at all. Those who consumed spicy foods six or seven days a week appeared to fare even better, with a 14% lower risk of mortality.
The study has encouraged the medical community to do more research into these findings and into the benefits of hot peppers.
Why Heat May Help Your Health
One component in chili peppers, capsaicin, reduces inflammation in the body, which is believed to help prevent many diseases, including cancer. Spicy foods also raise the heart rate, which improves circulation and brain function. Other studies have shown that hot red chili peppers release endorphins in our bodies, which make us feel good.
Today I'm sharing a recipe that will make
your taste buds feel good, too...
your taste buds feel good, too...
Marc and I inhale this dish when we make it. It's fast, easy, full of very healthful ingredients, and delivers delectable flavor. It also uses the most common chili pepper in America, the humble jalapeno.
Fresh chili peppers gave the best results in the cited longevity study, and we love slicing up fresh jalapenos for salsa, burgers, and sandwiches.
 |
Cleo Coyle has a partner in
crime-writing—her husband.
Learn about their books
|
Cleo Coyle's Honey-Glazed
Garlic Chicken with Jalapeños
This is a one-skillet stovetop dinner with a quick marinating process and a fast final glaze that's fantastic.
The heat of the jalapenos is nicely controlled by the honey, which brings the spice level to a very pleasant warmth—as opposed to a call-the-fire-department barn burner. The cumin lends an earthy flavor, and the lemon juice brings a nice brightness to the balance.
May you eat it with joy and in good health!
~ Cleo
To download this recipe in a free
PDF document that you can
print, save, or share, click here!
 |
| Click here to download the free PDF |
Makes 6 chicken thighs
Ingredients:
2 Jalapeno chili peppers, chopped and divided*
10 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tablespoons
6 chicken thighs, skin on
1 teaspoon coarsely ground sea salt (or kosher salt)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup honey (any kind will work, but we suggest a raw local honey)
*Note: When working with jalapenos or any hot pepper, take care not to touch your eyes or you’ll feel the burn. Wash hands after handling. Also, make sure you discard all of the seeds and the white pulp, which is where the less pleasant heat hides.
Step 1 - Make the Fast Marinade: Cut 1 of your 2 jalapenos in half, remove the seeds and chop the flesh. Place the chopped jalapenos in a re-sealable plastic bag. Wash hands well. Mince 5 of your 10 garlic cloves. Place the minced garlic in the bag and measure in the cumin, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and lemon juice. Shake the bag well to blend.
Step 2 - Chicken in the Bag: Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Salt and pepper both sides and place the pieces in a plastic bag. Seal the bag and gently shake it, upside down and back and forth, manipulating the chicken inside to make sure the pieces are well coated. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
Step 3 - Brown the Chicken: Place your ¼ cup of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, heat on stovetop at medium-high. When the oil is very hot, place the thighs skin side down and cook for 8 minutes, or until the skin is browned. Flip the thighs over and reduce the heat to medium until the thighs are cooked through, this will take about 20-25 minutes. (Do not cover the pan at any time.)
Step 4 - Glaze and finish: While the chicken cooks, mince the remaining 5 cloves of your garlic, and chop the final jalapeno (after removing the seeds). Mix these in a small bowl with your 1/3 cup of honey and thin this glazing mixture slightly with 1 or 2 tablespoons of chicken pan drippings. When the thighs are ready, turn the heat back up to medium-high and pour the honey-garlic-jalapeno glazing mixture over the chicken. Cook 5-7 minutes more, uncovered, until the mixture reduces to a savory sauce, and...
and in good health!
Fun Foodie Note
KEEPING YOUR CULINARY COOL
Did you know dairy is the only substance that neutralizes a chili burn?
If your mouth is on fire, don't reach for water, reach for milk or yogurt or ice cream. And, of course, a sour cream dollop is a delightful addition to
many highly spicy meals.
Q. Why does dairy soothe a pepper burn? Will coconut milk, nut milks, or soy milk work?
A. Chemically speaking, capsaicin in peppers binds with lipoprotein receptors on the tongue, which causes the pepper burn. Drinking water does not help because capsaicin doesn’t dissolve in water. The most effective cure is mammal's milk because it contains casein, a substance which acts on capsaicin the same way soap cuts grease. But it must be mammal’s milk because coconut milk, other nut milks, and soy milk do not contain casein.
~ Cleo Coyle
Once Upon a Grind:
A Coffeehouse Mystery
Once Upon a Grind:
A Coffeehouse Mystery
New paperback edition
releasing September 1, 2015...
To learn more, click here
or on the cover below...
or on the cover below...
* A Best Book of the Year
Reviewer's Pick - Kings River Life
* Top Pick! ~ RT Book Reviews
* Fresh Pick ~ Fresh Fiction
* A Mystery Guild Selection
Join coffeehouse manager
Clare Cosi as she solves the crime
against "Sleeping Beauty," opens
secret doors (uptown and down),
and investigates a cold case that's
been unsolved since the Cold War.
Join coffeehouse manager
Clare Cosi as she solves the crime
against "Sleeping Beauty," opens
secret doors (uptown and down),
and investigates a cold case that's
been unsolved since the Cold War.
Wonderful recipes are also featured in Cleo's 14th
culinary mystery, Once Upon a Grind, including...
* Dairy-Free "Cinderella" Pumpkin Cake
* Snow White Chocolate Mocha
* Black Forest Brownies
* Cappuccino Blondies
* Shrimp Kiev
* Dr Pepper Glazed Chicken
* Silver Dollar Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Caramel-Dipped Meltaways
* Poor Man's Caviar
...and many more recipes, including
a guide to reading coffee grinds...
A Coffeehouse Mystery
"Top Pick" -RT Book Reviews
"...a highly satisfying mystery."
-Publishers Weekly
* * * * * *
works of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
14 titles includes the added bonus of recipes.
GET A FREE
* * *
Marc and I also write
The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries
Get a free title checklist,
with mini plot summaries,
(Recipes, contests, videos, fun info)
After you subscribe, an auto-reply will send
you a link to several past newsletters.
The chicken looks so yummy! Thank you for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jen! Marc and I appreciate easy, one-skillet dinner recipes, especially when we’re finishing a book and under deadline pressure. We also appreciate limiting the mess as we cook because our little townhouse kitchen is has no dishwasher. Strike that. We have two dishwashers—with dishpan hands. :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by today, Jen, and may the rest of your week be delicious…
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
oh wow Cleo, that chicken looks amazing! and we happen to have a garden chock full of peppers...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lucy. Sounds like a happy garden. And if you have too many peppers, send a few our way. The hotter, the better!
Delete~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
That chicken looks so delicious (although I might substitute breasts, I'm not partial to dark meat), and that's very interesting about the chili peppers…however when I read your title I was really hoping the answer would be chocolate! :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL on the chocolate, Nicole, on the other hand, researchers have found health benefits in dark chocolate, so there you go. (And for my next trick, dark-chocolate dipped chili peppers! You know, I typed that as a joke, but fine chocolatiers do put chili peppers in dark chocolate bars, hmm...maybe I will try it!)
DeleteOn the chicken breast idea, you certainly can sub breasts for thighs in this recipe. The marinade and glaze will ensure the white meat stays moist, but you may have to adjust the cooking time since breasts are larger. Be ready to cook them a little longer and it should work well. Thanks for dropping in and may you have a delicious week!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
Thanks, Cleo! :-)
DeleteThis recipe sounds amazing! I have downloaded it and plan to try it later this week. Will there be anymore "Haunted Bookshop" books?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Caryn. I hope you enjoy the recipe. As for Jack Shepard, Marc and I love writing about our PI ghost and the little New England bookshop he haunts. All the characters remain close to our hearts—including Penelope Thornton McClure, the young widow who co-owns the shop, and the rest of the quirky population in the little town of Quindicott, Rhode Island. I’m happy to tell you that we are under contract with our longtime publisher to write several more mysteries in this successful series.
DeleteWe thank you, and the rest of the fans of our Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, for being patient with us as we work to complete the next book. I will share more news in the coming year. In the meantime, did you know that Jack Shepard, our PI Ghost, now has his own Facebook page? Feel free to “friend” our friendly ghost at this link:
Jack Shepard (PI Ghost) can be reached at this link: PI Ghost Facebook Page
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
Sounds absolutely delicious! I am going to have to try this soon. Thanks for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteKim, thank you so much for your kind words, and for stopping in.
Delete~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
Thanks, Cleo! I saw a news article about the peppers, last week, and I hardly ever eat spicy foods! :( Guess I'd better give peppers more of a chance. Maybe I can "chase" them with milk. :)
ReplyDeletePatricia - You are not alone in finding spicy foods a challenge to eat. My culinary solution is a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, which brings the burn down to a pleasant warmth. My husband’s solution is a vanilla milkshake chaser—so you and he are on the same culinary page! And you're both going to be happy with the beverage list of most Indian restaurants. The "lassi" is an Indian yogurt drink (a delicious mix of yogurt, sugar, spices, fruit, and milk or water) and it pairs very well with spicy dishes. Check out the recipes online (and now my mouth is watering for one...maybe after the chocolate-dipped chili peppers, I'll try a lassi recipe)!
Delete~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
Sharing this yummy-looking recipe and these pepper facts with my readers -- or should I say, Pepper's readers?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leslie, as Marc and I had one of our own characters say (in A Brew to a Kill) “Spice is the spice of life!”
Delete~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
Another winning recipe with great information.
ReplyDeleteFor an even bigger anti-inflammatory kick, add a bit of tumeric.
Yes, Libby, you are so right about the turmeric. We have a wonderful Pakistani restaurant nearby, and not only do they spice up their food with hot chili peppers, they cook with plenty of turmeric, too. Two benefits in one meal...and let’s not forget those happy, happy endorphins....
Delete~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
My husband loves spicy food but I make it for him alone at home and then he orders the hot and spicy entrees, etc. at restaurants too, as I just cannot take the pain. I also have rosacea and you should see my face get totally red and purple and almost light up like a Holiday decoration when I have spicy foods. :) I am on a number of medications that make my tongue and mouth very sensitive and chili peppers is torture for me. I do love spicy salsa and I take a little sour cream after each loaded chip to help with the zing. But that is about it for me. I will share this recipe with my family and friends who love to cook with hot peppers and spice though. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteCynthia B
Cynthia! So nice to see you in the Kitchen, thank you for dropping by and for your comments on the spicy food front. You're description of your husband's love of all things spicy vs. your own preference for non-spicy foods reminds me of my mom and dad. My late mother (Rose) loved cream sauces, custard pies, and ice cream—no spicy foods for her, thank you very much! On the other end of the dinner table, my late father (Tony) would put so many red pepper flakes on his bowl of pasta that he'd begin to sweat halfway through the meal. As for me, I’m a controlled heat sort of person.
DeleteI think spicy peppers should be used the same way all good ingredients should be used in a dish—as one of the layers of flavor. If all you can taste is the burn or the heat in a recipe, then I believe the dish fails. There are so many ways to control that burn, if not in the cooking then in the serving—using dairy, for example, to bring down the heat; a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, etc. If cooked and served properly, spicy peppers can bring wonderful warmth and excitement to a dish...and chefs who know how to cook with them while controlling the heat have my respect (and my business)!
Thanks again for dropping in, Cynthia, it’s a real pleasure to hear from you. Spicy or not, may all of us eat with joy!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com
Your chicken looks fabulous. I'm afraid the rest of you will outlive me. I have a fairly low tolerance for hot peppers. Love their un-spicy cousins, though!
ReplyDeleteKrista - You always, always have wonderful suggestions for healthful eating--and un-spicy peppers are packed with good things, too. I do have a bucket list that includes eating the world's hottest pepper; and if I ever do it, you can bet I'll post the video here, right before I go to the culinary burn unit of New York University Hospital. :)
DeleteWishing you good eating and good health always...
xoxo
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com