Chicken Fajita Salad w/Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Pin It Now! Happy New Year!

We had quite the celebration this year.  Pajamas, food, wii and movies.  Party animals to the core!  haha.  New Year's eve is much more tame these days, but we still had a really good time.  I haven't laughed so hard in a long time because Little Wright and I were playing Just Dance 2 on the wii.  I have zero dancing ability.  Seriously.  None.  But it was hilarious to see her shake her booty and for a few moments I felt like one of the Pussy Cat Dolls.

Midnight was crazy because the entire country erupts in fireworks.  They go all out here too.  None of that pansy stuff they sell back home. 

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Now that the fireworks are gone and the holiday season has officially come and gone, it's time to cleanse and focus.  A few days ago I posted about my New Year's Resolution Part I.  The other part is physical health.  I've done a lot of research on several different diets and what I have concluded is most have a commonality which is low carb, cut out the sugar, cut out processed foods, cut out white starches and reduce your caloric intake.  I want a lifestyle change.  Diets work great, but for me right now I just want to eat healthy and follow the guidelines listed above.  Also I am going to cut out red wine :(  But only until I reach my goal and am ready to maintain.

So most of the recipes I share from now on will be lower in carbs, lower in fat and lower in calories.  I will allow myself cheat days of course and am sure to share those recipes as well :)

Today I had a craving for chicken fajitas and since I don't want to use tortillas I decided a salad would be perfect.  I looked online for a cilantro lime dressing and that's how the chicken fajita salad with cilantro lime dressing was born!  The dressing does use honey, but it would be worth experimenting with a sugar substitute or even without the honest altogether for a more tangy flavor and no sugar.

This is my FAVORITE salad.  I will definitely make this over and over.  It was deelishus!!!

• 1 pound Chicken Breasts


• 1 bag Pre-washed Greens


• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil


• 1 Tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice


• ½ teaspoons Cumin


• ½ teaspoons Chili Powder


• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder


• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder


• ½ teaspoons Sea Salt


• 1-¼ teaspoon Black Pepper


• 1 whole Onion, Sliced Into Thin Strips


• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced


• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Thin Strips


• 1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Thin Strips


• FOR THE DRESSING:


• 3 cloves Garlic


• ¼ cups Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice


• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar


• ¼ cups Cilantro Leaves


• ¼ cups Honey


• ½ cups Olive Oil


• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Directions for salad

1) In a bowl mix together the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

2) Place chicken breasts in a bowl and pour the marinade over the chicken. Set aside while preparing the rest of the meal.

3) Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon or so of olive oil to the pan. Let the pan heat up for a minute or two.

4) Once the cast iron is heated, sautee the peppers and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 min.

5) Remove vegetables to a plate and set aside.

6) Add chicken to the cast iron. Cook 6-8 min per side or until cooked through. Remove chicken to platter and let cool. Remove cast iron from heat.

7) Add bell peppers and onions back to the cast iron and coat with the pan drippings.

Once chicken has cooled, slice chicken breasts and mix with the pepper mixture.

Now make the dressing. (note the dressing can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge)

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Dressing
Place garlic, lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, salt and the cilantro leaves in a food processor; pulse a few times to blend. Turn the food processor or blender on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with salt before serving.

For extra deliciousness add some shredded cheese and sliced avocado to the salad.

* Recipe for the chicken fajitas was inspired by and adapted from http://www.food.com/recipe/steak-or-chicken-fajitas-63786

The cilantro lime vinaigrette recipe was inspired and adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/cilantro-lime-dressing/Detail.aspx

Enjoy!

B

Poultry Pockets with Sauteed Whole Wheat Pasta

Pin It Now! After watching Food Inc. I have commited to making over the food I cook. (click here to read my rant after watching that movie)   I'm sure there will be times when I may cheat and used processed foods, but for the most part everything I make will come from organic, nonprocessed ingredients.  It's called clean eating and there are so many health benefits associated.   I have noticed a huge difference in the way food tastes when I use fresher, organic fruits,vegetables and meats.  According to Clean Eating magazine to eat clean means to:

Be label savvy
Clean foods contain very few ingredients.  Products with a long list of ingredients are processed and not considered clean.

Avoid processed and refined foods
White flour, white sugar white breads and most pasta.  Opt for whole grain instead.  It actually tastes better!

Shop with a conscience
Consume humanely raised and local meats.

Reduce your carbon footprint
Buy from local farmer's markets and use ingredients that are in season.  It's usually cheaper and also better for the environment.

With that being said I found this lovely recipe in a Cuisine at Home magazine a friend lent to me.  It's easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach (or frozen is fine too)
2 boneless, skinless breasts, pounded to 1/4" thick, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 large tomato slices, 1/2" thick
2 slices swiss cheese
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 oz. dry whole wheat pasta
2 garlic cloves, minced
handful chopped chives (save a few to garnish)
Olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F)
1) Saute spinach in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high until wilted; season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and blot dry to remove excess moisture.

2) Begin cooking pasta in boiled salted water according to package directions; drain and set aside.

3) While pasta is cooking arrange chicken.  Layer a tomato slice, cheese slice and 1/2 the spinach on 1 side each prepared chicken breast.  Fold other side of each breast over fillings to enclose, and secure with toothpicks.

4) Saute pockets in 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet as spinach over medium high heat until browned, about 4 min.  Turn chicken over and saute on the other side 2 minutes, then transfer pan to oven.  Roast until chicken is cooked and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and transfer pockets to a plate. 

5) While chicken is roasted, heat oil in a new skillet coated with nonstick spray over medium heat.  Add drained pasta and garlic, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes, tossing to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and add chives.

6) Return pan to the burner over high heat.  Deglaze pan with vinegar, reduce by 1/2, then drizzle sauce over chicken.

Serve chicken on top of pasta and garnish with chives.

Tips:
Be sure to pound the chicken thin enough or else it will take longer to cook in the oven.

This recipe was intended for 2, but could easily be made for more.  Just use 1 breast, 1 cheese slice and 1 tomato per person and adjust spinach as you like.

Nutritional Info.
Per pocket and 1/2 cup pasta

Calories 556 (42% calories from fat); fat 26g (saturated 6g); Chol 102 mg; Carb 32g; sodium 304mg; fiber 10g, protein 49g; iron 7 mg, calcium 402 mg; omega 40g

Information and recipe obtained from Cuisine at Home.

Honey Chicken Skewers with Corn Salad

Pin It Now!

Found this recipe over at Realsimple.com.  Gotta say that the chicken didn't taste how I thought it would.  When I think of honey chicken I think of a slightly sweet, savory taste.  Given the ingredients I should have known it would hav had more of a bbq flavor.  Either way it was still good.  Definitely LOVE the grilled corn salad.  I devoured this on my own.

Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and pepper
canola oil, for the grill
6 ears corn, shucked
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 scallions, sliced
Directions
1) Place twenty 8-inch wooden skewers in water to soak. Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, honey, and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.
2) Slice the chicken lengthwise into twenty 1/2-inch-thick strips. Thread each strip onto a wooden skewer. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3) Lightly oil the grill. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, basting with the ketchup mixture during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
4) Meanwhile, grill the corn, turning occasionally, until slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs, place in a medium bowl, and toss with the butter, scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve with the chicken.

Grilled Pork with Grape & Arugula Salad

Pin It Now!
















Holy yumminess.  Again another healthy recipe that totally surprised me.  I didn't feel like arugula since it has a stronger taste so I opted for bagged Italian lettuce.  Also used feta cheese instead of blue cheese.  Great recipe from foodnetwork.

Ingredients

• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped


• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme


• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper


• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil


• 4 5-ounce boneless pork chops


• 3/4 cup red seedless grapes, halved


• 4 heaping cups baby arugula


• 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese

Directions

Combine the shallot, vinegar, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and adding the rest in a steady stream.

Put the pork chops in a shallow dish and season all over with salt. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Coat the pork and set aside to marinate for 5 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the pork until cooked through but still moist, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Add the grapes and arugula to the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Transfer the pork chops to a serving platter or individual plates; top with the salad and sprinkle with the gorgonzola.

Chicken Cacciatore

Pin It Now! The first time I ever had this was our first night back in Colorado after living in Hawaii for a year.  Baby Wright was a month old and we had been on a flight for 6 hours and with the time change were simply exhausted.  Our amazing friends, best friends actually, took care of us.  Louis made this for dinner and it was the first home cooked meal we had had in who knows how long.  (when we lived in Hawaii cooking was not something I excelled in.  I couldn't even make eggs.  Clearly I've learned a lot since then).  This meal tastes like home.  It's fresh.  It's wholesome.  It's delicious.  It's just damn good.  And this was my first time eating Louis' cooking.  Louis probably doesn't know it, but he really inspired me to become more interested in cooking and I learned some of the most basic things from him.  I couldn't find the recipe he made that night, but this version from Giada de Laurentis is pretty damn close and tasted just as good.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs


• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste


• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste


• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging


• 3 tablespoons olive oil


• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped


• 1 large green bell pepper chopped


• 1 onion, chopped


• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped


• 3/4 cup dry white wine


• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice


• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth


• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves


• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side.  Don't cook all the way through.  They will finish cooking in the sauce.  If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell peppers, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve with rice or pasta.

*Note Giada's recipe uses chicken breasts with the bone and chicken thighs.  Her recipe also doesn't include green bell peppers.