These are fun and delicious! I roasted up some sweet potatoes and carrots with alittle olive oil, salt and pepper at 450'F for about 20-25minutes. Get the chicken started earlier in the day as it needs about 2-3 hours to marinate. Serve the chicken skewers up with some rice and a veggie side or a nice crisp green salad.
{TIP}: When choosing limes from the market, choose ones that are bright green, have a slight give to them, smell "limey" and most importantly are heavy for their size, this way they'll be more likely to be nice and juicy with great flavor!
Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/4 cup Low-Sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (~1-2 limes)
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup warm water
pepper
10-12 chicken tenders (or 5-6 chicken breasts, cubed)
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
wedges of fresh lime
Directions:
1. Whisk all ingredients except chicken in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Skewer chicken tenders onto wooden skewers, leaving some space at each end. Lay skewers in a 13x9 glass baking dish and season with pepper. Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to marinate for 2-3 hours.
3. Remove skewers from marinade and grill them over medium-high heat about 3-4 minutes per side, basting them with more marinade once, until they reach an internal temperature of 155'F. Discard any remaining marinade as it has raw chicken juice in it. Garnish chicken with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy sauce
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
generous squirt of Sriracha sauce
Combine in a small bowl with a whisk until smooth and combined.
...click here for the recipe!
This is a another chicken dish, but spiced up in a new way! You'll want to let this chicken marinate for at least 2-3 hours to really infuse the great flavor. You can whip up the marinade in the morning for dinner tonight. Don't be deterred by the list of spices, check out your grocery store's bulk bins and remember that once you buy a new spice jar it will likely last you awhile and see you through many recipes. We served this tasty chicken along side some Napa cabbage slaw with apples and carrots and some toasted whole wheat pita bread. Enjoy!
Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
Marinade:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
black pepper
Directions:
1. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, fresh cilantro, garlic, and spices in a large glass dish, set aside.
2. Season the chicken lightly with pepper and add to the dish, turn to coat. Let the chicken marinate in the dish in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 hours. Turn chicken over at least once during that time.
3. Remove the chicken and save the marinade. Cook the chicken on the grill and brush the marinade over it, discard any remaining marinade as it has raw chicken juice in it. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160'F (we like to pull ours off the grill at ~155'F and place on a plate and cover with foil, it will keep cooking to 160'F and this helps prevent it from drying out). Garnish with cilantro and serve with slaw and toasted flat breads.
Cabbage Coleslaw:
- 1/2 head of Napa Cabbage, chopped
- 3 medium organic carrots, shredded
- 1 medium organic apple, thinly sliced
Dressing:
- 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Agave Nectar
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 pinches of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
Place cabbage, carrots and apples (add any other veggies you think will taste good that you have on hand) in a large bowl, toss to coat. In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients together with a whisk, taste it, adjust seasoning as needed then drizzle over the veggies.
...click here for the recipe!
My awesome hubby loves to bake and he found yet another use for our new mini-muffin tin! I love this tin (click
here to see what it looks like). As you may recall I used it to make some delicious
mini turkey meatballs awhile back, as well as muffins and now, scones. We were having fun calling them "sconies", "minis" or even "sconitas".
Just take J's original recipe found here and substitute in the fruit of your choice, here he used organic strawberries (remember you can use frozen berries too).
Then place in the mini muffin pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (~9-12 minutes)
...click here for the recipe!
This is a hearty pasta dish I modified from one I saw on one of my favorite cooking shows. I used whole wheat pasta for extra fiber and protein. The seasonings are delicious and really resemble a sausage flavor without the sausage. My hubby suggested I call this one, "I can't believe it's not sausage". The "sauce" is one you create, not from a jar, and part of the layering of flavor comes from infusing some stock with Saffron. Don't skip this step as it really makes the whole dish. Enjoy!
Recipe: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups chicken stock
big pinch of saffron threads (about 24 threads)
1 medium size firm eggplant, diced very finely into cubes
2 small zucchini, diced very finely into cubes
2 medium garden fresh tomatoes, diced finely into cubes
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fat free milk
1 pound short-cut pasta, whatever shape you like
Parmesan cheese for garnish
fresh basil for garnish, julienned
Directions:
1. Infuse your broth with the saffron; pour 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and saffron threads in a small pot. Bring to a simmer to infuse and concentrate the flavor. (It will turn a beautiful deep orange color)
2. Meanwhile, peel the skin off the eggplant. Dice very finely into 1/8-inch pieces. Sprinkle with salt and reserve.
3. Place a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta.
4. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the turkey and lightly brown while finely crumbling it into small bits with a wooden spoon. Season with Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, thyme and chili pepper flakes.
5. Squeeze any liquid from the eggplant, then stir it into the turkey. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables are tender. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup chicken stock, stir a minute then add the reduced saffron-infused stock, about 1 cup. Stir in the milk and simmer over low heat while the pasta cooks.
6. Cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup starchy cooking liquid, then drain and toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the liquid as necessary to combine. Toss for 1-2 minutes. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh basil for garnish.
...click here for the recipe!
I saw this recipe in my new
Cooking Light Magazine and decided to give it a try. I bumped up the vegetables and added zucchini, of course, but otherwise followed their recipe fairly closely. It was a delicious combination of spicy (curry) and sweet (sweet potato). I used an ice cream scoop to portion out the rice on top of the vegetables, rather than filling our bowls with rice with a topping of veggies; a fun presentation I recently saw
Rachael Ray do. This is a great one, don't be afraid to serve it up to your kids too, it's full of fun flavors!
Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups diced, peeled sweet potato
2 cups small cauliflower florets
1/4 thinly sliced yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
3/4 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (or Vegetable broth)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, in their juices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup of Jasmine rice cooked according to package instructions (I prefer to cook our rice in Low-Sodium Chicken broth rather than water for added flavor)
Directions:
Heat olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Decrease heat to medium. Add cauliflower, onion, and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring mixture constantly. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Top with scoop of Jasmine rice and sprinkle with cilantro. This would also be great with brown rice.
...click here for the recipe!
What a wonderful treat! My sweet hubby let me sleep in on Saturday and made a delicious breakfast with our 3 year old son. We had a ton of fresh Organic apples, more than we could have eaten so he decided to make apple filled crepes...awesome idea!! He is always impressing me with his gift of patience and his cooking is no exception. He and our son took the time to peel and slice up some apples and make a special breakfast treat together. Here is his recipe, I love that he used non-fat yogurt and flax. Enjoy!
Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp flax meal
Whisk wet ingredients in a separate bowl:
1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet using a whisk. Batter consistency should be much thinner than pancake batter. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes (if you can wait).
Now for the filling. This time we tried apples. Any organic apple should work, just use them when they are almost ripe so they still have some tart flavor to them. Why organic? Organic fruits and vegetables have much more flavor than standard produce. This way the apple adds flavor as well as texture. Mix the following into a pot and cook over medium heat until apples are tender and yummy:
5 small organic apples peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp butter
pinch of salt
As the apples cook let's get back to the crepes...
Heat up a large flat pan on medium-high heat and spray with canola oil or lightly grease with butter. Pour 1/2 cup of batter in the middle of the pan and quickly swirl the pan to spread the batter evenly around the pan. Make them as thin as you can but keep a consistent thickness so it cooks evenly. Flip the crepe once the it has changed color and is lightly browned on the under side. Lightly spray the top of the crepe with canola oil and flip. Once both sides are lightly browned put the crepe on a plate and place some filling in it and roll up.
Dust with powder sugar and enjoy.
...click here for the recipe!
As I was jetting through the grocery store aisles these corn tortillas jumped out at me and I decided to give them a try. They were on the natural foods aisle and they were delicious. I stuffed them with shredded chicken, warm pinto beans, cilantro, hot sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. The perfect pair with my Spanish Rice. Enjoy!
Recipe: (serves 6)
For the Rice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup uncooked rice (white or brown)
1 small white onion, diced
1 1/2 cups low-sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup water
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes in their juices
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 bell pepper, diced (red or green)
1/2 teaspoon salt
cilantro or green onions for garnish, chopped
1. Sauté rice, onion and olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until rice is just golden and onions are tender.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except for cilantro. Heat to boiling then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, covered about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. {NOTE} if you choose to use brown rice the cooking time will be closer to 45-55 minutes. Season to taste. Garnish with cilantro or diced green onions.
For the tacos
12 delicious corn tortillas, small
6-8 boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenders*
salt and pepper
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 can (15 oz) Pinto Beans, warmed in their juices
Jack cheese, shredded for garnish
1 avocado, sliced
hot taco sauce (optional)
1. Season chicken tenders lightly with salt and pepper and place in a saute pan over medium-high heat, cook, flipping a couple times until lightly browned and to an internal temperature of 165'F, remove from heat, place in a bowl.
2. Shred chicken by pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with Cumin, 1/2 of the cilantro and the chicken broth and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning or add more broth as needed.
3. Warm tortillas on a warm flat grill pan. Place a few tablespoons of chicken in each tortilla, a spoonful of warm pinto beans, a sprinkle of cilantro and cheese, hot sauce and a slice of avocado.
*Edited to Add: You could also use our Crock Pot Chicken recipe for the chicken in these tacos. Delish!
...click here for the recipe!
We're still trying to find ways to prepare zucchini and tomatoes from our garden. I decided to roast them in the oven along with some garlic and onion to really bring out their concentrated flavors. Garden fresh basil is the perfect tasty garnish.
Recipe: Serves 4
Ingredients
4 small zucchini squash, cubed
8-9 Roma tomatoes (about 4 cups), cubed and seeded
1 medium red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
8 ounces short pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup fresh basil leaves, diced
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450'F. Spread squash, tomatoes, onions, and garlic on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and lightly sprinkle with salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning; toss to coat.
2. Roast ~30 minutes until tender and golden. No need to turn them during cooking.3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook per package instructions, drain. Add roasted vegetables to the pasta. Mix in the butter and Parmesan and stir to coat. Serve warm garnished with basil and Parmesan cheese.
...click here for the recipe!
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