Tequila Lime Flank Steak Salad with Chile Lime Vinaigrette

ingredients:

tequila lime flank steak
1 (2 pound, 1-inch thick) flank steak
1/3 cup tequila
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
zest of 2 limes

1 head of red romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn
Margaret Bruya's Coyboy Caviar
1 ounce colby jack cheese, freshly grated
blue tortilla chips for topping (I recommend Garden of Eatin's Red Hot Blues!)

chile lime vinaigrette

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon red pepper or chile oil
2 teaspoons honey
the juice of 2 limes
a pinch of salt + pepper

directions:

tequila lime flank steak
Whisk tequila, olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper and lime zest in a bowl until combine. Add flank steak to a ziplock bag or baking dish and pour marinade ingredients over top. Marinate for 2-24 hours, flipping steak a few times. When you're ready to make the salads, heat the broiler in your oven on the highest setting and place an oven rack directly underneath. Broil steak for 5 minutes, flip and broil for 5 minutes more. If your steak is 1-1 1/2 inches thick, this will result in steak that is done medium-well. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice thin strips on an angle. Or, grill it, which is what I did!

After putting the steak in the marinade, make the Cowboy Caviar and put it in the fridge so that the flavors have a chance to meld.

To assemble the salad, place lettuce in the bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper, toss, and cover with flank steak, Cowboy Caviar, cheese, and tortilla chips. Top with dressing and toss!

chile lime vinaigrette
Combine all ingredients in a mason jar, shaker bottle or large bowl and shake/whisk until combined.

This was a MAJOR hit! The marinade was delicious and the vinaigrette is to die for! This will be a repeater for sure!

Recipe adapted from http://www.howsweeteats.com/2013/02/tequila-lime-flank-steak-fajita-salad-with-chile-lime-vinaigrette/

Photo from www.howsweeteats.com

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Or cook it in a rice cooker! Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable/meat mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

5.Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm. Freezes well!

Adapted from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon dry sherry
• 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce (found in Asian section of grocery store)
• 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (I used the pre-ground ginger found in produce section)
• 1 (14-ounce) package coleslaw (about 4 cups) 
• 4 c shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast***
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions, divided
• 24 Bibb lettuce leaves (I used romaine)

1/2 cup chopped cashews 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the first 7 ingredients.
2. In a large saucepan, combine liquid with rotisserie chicken until heated through (add in 1/4 c of green onions)
3. In lettuce leaves, layer coleslaw mix and chicken.
4. Top with remaining green onions and chopped cashews.

It's not often that I give a recipe 5 stars, but this one is deserving.  It has great flavor, is healthy, fresh, and FAST!  You can have a meal ready to serve company in less than 10 minutes.  Are you kidding me?  My two year old devoured it, my 10 year old gave it 2 thumbs up, and my husband ate 2 platefuls. This recipe is a keeper!!!  ***Just a side note... if you use regular baked chicken breast instead of rotisserie chicken you may want to make more sauce as it generally absorbs more than the rotisserie chicken does. (I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light.  Photo from Cooking Light)

Crockpot Korean Beef Tacos with Cucumber Slaw

Ingredients:

For the Korean Beef:

• 5 lb. chuck roast
• 1 10 oz. bottle low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 T ginger, grated (Have you discovered the pre-grated/ground ginger in produce section yet? Love!)
• 6 T rice vinegar
• 2 T sesame oil
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T sriracha

For the Cucumber Slaw:

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 c water
• 1 T Thai Garlic Chili Pepper Sauce
• 1 t salt
• 2-3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/4 c thinly sliced red onion

For the Tacos:

• 16 small tortillas or spring roll wraps
• Cilantro
• Shredded cabbage/cole slaw mix
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Sriracha

Directions:

1. To make the Korean beef for the tacos, spray your slow cooker crock with non-stick cooking spray and add the chuck roast.
2. Whisk soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar with the garlic, ginger, sriracha, and oils.
3. Pour over the roast in the crockpot. 
4. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove roast from crockpot and meat just falls apart.  Use the "shredded" beef for the tacos.
5. For the cucumber slaw:
   1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, water, chili pepper sauce and salt.  Stir, cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
   2. Add cucumbers to onion in an appropriately sized dish that will allow all the cucumber mixture to be covered with the marinade.
   3. Pour vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let marinate for 30 minutes.
   4. Remove cucumbers with a slotted spoon.
6. To assemble, serve the shredded meat on warmed tortillas topped a spoon of cucumber slaw, shredded cabbage, cilantro, sriracha and a dollop of yogurt.

This recipe is absolutely delicious! We actually used the coleslaw and ate it more like an asian salad, but it was absolutely delicious.  We actually used leftover cucumber slaw marinade and put some of the cabbage in there to marinate as well.  Delicious!  Everyone in our family LOVED it! This recipe inspiration (and the photo) came from the Confections of a Food Bride blog.

Pizza Stuffed Bell Peppers

Makes 4 Stuffed Peppers
Time: 1 hr, 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground Italian turkey sausage
4 bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed 
4 button mushrooms, diced
10 black olives, sliced
1/2 cup tomato or pizza sauce 
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tsp crushed red peppers
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Dash of salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Italian cheese

Directions
Heat oven to 400 F
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Once oil is hot, add onions to pan and cook until translucent, stirring often (2 to 3 minutes)
Add garlic and cook for an additional minute, while continuing to stir
Add Italian sausage, peppers and mushrooms to pan, cook until meat is browned, about 10 minutes
Drain meat mixture and add to a large bowl along with olives, tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed red peppers, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Scoop the filling evenly into each of the four bell peppers and top with shredded cheese.

Place peppers standing up into a small glass baking dish.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until peppers are tender and filling is heated through.

Flying Goat Copy: Grace Veggie Sandwich

After I had the Grace Veggie Sandwich at The Flying Goat, I wanted it again right away so I took it upon myself to recreate it. I added in some grilled chicken and the outcome was divine! To make this meal gluten free, simply make it into a salad. It's equally as delicious!

Ingredients:
2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced (I just seasoned mine with sea salt and pepper)
1 cucumber, sliced
1 onion, caramelized
1 roasted red pepper (you can buy them canned at the store)
1 roma tomato, sliced
4 oz goat cheese, sliced
balsamic vinaigrette dressing
your choice bread (I use the sandwich buns from Costco)
mixed greens (a handful for sandwiches, or enough to make a salad)

Toast bread and top with all ingredients. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and enjoy!

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 Butternut squash, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno pepper
2-3 cups chicken stock

Directions:

1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel the squash and cut into 1 inch pieces. Or for faster prep, you can buy the butternut squash pre-peeled and cut. 

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. 

3. Add the carrot, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, and then add squash, jalapeno pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender (check the carrots to determine readiness).

4. Remove from the heat and puree the soup using an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Adjust the seasonings. 

This delicious recipe was shared with me by Ali Stitt.  I absolutely loved the kick and the preparation time was much lower than the roasted butternut squash recipe I had made before. This recipe originally came from Emeril Lagasse and was posted on the Food Network.  I substituted olive oil for peanut oil, and took out the heavy cream the original recipe calls for.  Depending on the size of your butternut squash, you may need to slightly adjust the amount of chicken stock.  This recipe makes a thick soup, just the way I like it!  I definitely used the already-prepped butternut squash from Costco which was 2 lbs. of cut squash (as opposed to the entire squash weighing 2 pounds), so I added about a half cup chicken broth.  I also increased the cooking time a bit, because in order to get the smooth texture, you have to be sure that the carrots are nice and tender.  As for spice factor, it's kid friendly at our house and really just adds a little kick.  You could easily add more if you like things on the spicier side. This soup is surprisingly filling and obviously very healthy.  Highly recommend it and am already excited to make it again!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (about 5 lb squash peeled and cut or 4 lbs pre-cut)
1 large green apple, peeled, sliced and cored
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp butter
4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. First things first. How do I take a store-bought squash and transform it into something I can cook? To prepare a butternut squash, first cut a thin slice off the bottom of the squash so that it can stand flat on the counter and is easier to handle. Next, peel off the outer layer off the squash. Then, using a sharp large knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. You can either discard of the seeds or rinse them and roast in the oven. Lastly, dice the peeled and seeded squash into cubes. Of course, you could also buy pre-cubed squash from the grocery store to make life a little easier.

For this recipe you don’t need to worry about making the cubes uniform, because they will be blended eventually. The same goes for the shapes of the sliced apple, onion and carrots. Everything is roasted in the oven after being tossed with some spices, and then combined in a large pot with some chicken stock to simmer. The more chicken broth that you add, the soupier it will be

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, olive oil, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Mix together, coating the squash well. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Next, in the same bowl that the butternut squash was in, toss the apple slices, onion, and carrots to coat with the remnants. Place on a second rimmed baking sheet and add both baking sheets to the oven. Roast for 50 minutes until soft, stirring once.

4. Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot on the stove. Add the roasted ingredients and then the chicken broth. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

5. Using an immersion blender, combine the ingredients until smooth, or transfer to a blender to puree. Serve warm.

The minute I read this original recipe, my mouth started watering! I am definitely a fan of the flavors you get when roasting vegetables. I immediately bought the ingredients to give it a try. I really enjoyed the flavors, but it didn't turn out quite how I wanted it.  The following week, I tried again and added a bit more spice, longer roasting time, peeled the apples, used yellow onion instead of sweet, and a bit longer puree time to get the texture even smoother. Loved how healthy it is and the flavor was great! I modified this recipe from one found on Paleogrubs.com Photos credit to: Rebecca Bohl 

Honey-Lime Quinoa Sweet Potato Burritos

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled if desired and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5) oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen yellow corn
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• Corn or flour tortillas
• Diced avocados 
• Feta cheese

Directions

• Cook quinoa according to package directions. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil then place sweet potatoes on foil. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste then toss to evenly coat. Bake in preheated oven 15 - 20 minutes until tender, removing from oven and tossing once halfway through baking.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot add onion and saute until caramelized (golden brown on edges and tender), about 5 - 6 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sautéing. Reduce heat to medium-low, add in drained black beans, corn, honey and lime juice. Heat until warmed through. Toss in roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, and cilantro. Serve over warm tortillas with desired toppings.

Caprese Quinoa & Ground Turkey Bake

source

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups steamed quinoa/wild rice (from Costco - so good)
2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon each: oregano leaves, minced garlic, thyme, onion salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup non-fat milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved
1 cup heirloom or grape tomatoes, halved (I used heirloom)
4-6 large basil leaves, chopped into tiny bits
1 cup spinach, also chopped into bits
1/2 cup skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam quinoa accordingly.
3. Brown ground turkey with salt and pepper, in a fry pan, set aside.
4. Over low heat, warm tomato sauce, tomato paste, and the herbs/spices.  When slow simmering, add milk, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese.
5. Remove from heat and fold in ground turkey, steamed quinoa, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, chopped spinach, and 2/3 the tomatoes.
6. Coat a 9x9 cooking pan with non-stick spray and pour the quinoa mixture into the pan.  Top with remaining tomatoes and mozzarella, and cover with foil.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake until cheese is melted on top.  Remove from oven and top with fresh basil ribbons.

This was majorly adapted from an original recipe on Half Baked Harvest.

Spicy Thai Turkey Basil Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 4 t olive oil, divided
• 1/2 c minced shallots (you could use onions as well)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 4 t minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 2 t chili garlic paste (add more or less to taste)
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 t fresh ground pepper
• 1 c fresh basil leaves (thai basil is the best!)
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 4 lime wedges
• Large lettuce leaves
• Optional: cooked rice

Directions:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add bell pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Remove shallot mixture from pan.
2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add turkey; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well. Return chicken to pan over medium heat. Add chile paste; cook 1 minute. Add shallot mixture to pan. Stir in fish sauce and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper); cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat; stir in basil and juice. Spoon turkey mixture into lettuce leaves.  You can also add rice to the lettuce leaves or leave out lettuce and serve over rice.  Also, good served in a tortilla as a wrap. Serve with lime wedges.

I quadrupled this recipe to serve to 3 families for dinner club.  My family, including kids, all loved this dish.  We will repeat for sure! The chile garlic paste and fish sauce are located in the asian section of the grocery store.  Fresh basil is a must and I highly recommend the Thai basil.  The 2 t of chili garlic paste makes this minimally spicy - kid friendly.  If it were just my husband and I eating it, we would definitely add more.  This recipe is inspired and adapted from Cooking Light, enjoy!

Meatless Summer Tacos

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup white onion, diced
4 oz. diced jalapeno peppers
1/4 teaspoon crushed cayenne pepper
dash of salt & pepper
2 cups black beans (in liquid)
1 avocado
juice and zest from 1 lime
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup goat cheese (I used feta)
2 cups fresh coleslaw cabbage mix
20 small corn tortillas
1 cup pico de gallo salsa

Directions:
1.   Stir together the first 8 ingredients (through black beans) in a medium saucepan.  Simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.  Set aside.
2.  Prepare honey-lime sauce: whisk together lime juice, lime rind, and honey.  Set aside.
3.  Heat corn tortillas in a small saute pan, after coating with non-fat cooking spray or olive oil.
4.  Layer tacos from bottom up: goat cheese, black beans, avocado, coleslaw mix, drizzle of honey/lime sauce, pico de gallo salsa.  Voila!

Thai Style Chicken with Mango Rice Salad

Source

Ingredients:

2 & 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups Jasmine or other white rice
Peanut or olive oil, for stir frying
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
Finely ground white or black pepper
2 mangoes, peeled, trimmed, and sliced into thin, bite-size pieces (1 cup)
1 bell pepper, seeded, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red Fresno (milder) or Thai (hotter) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger root, grated
3-4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup basil leaves (about 20-24 leaves), chopped
1 lime, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 cut into wedges, plus 1 teaspoon zest

Serves 4

Preparation:

1.  Steam Jasmine rice according to your steamer's instructions, using chicken stock as the liquid.

2.  When the rice is about ready, heat a thin layer of oil, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with pepper. Add the meat to the pan in a single layer and do not touch for 2 minutes; stir fry until golden, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

3.  Add a little more oil to the skillet and heat up, then add the mango, bell pepper, chili pepper, ginger and garlic, stir fry until crisp-tender and the mango pieces are light golden at the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

4.  Turn off the heat and add half the basil leaves to wilt. Stir in the lime juice and zest and toss again to combine. Serve the rice and garnish with the lime wedges and remaining basil.  I also toasted sweet coconut, and topped the dish with the coconut and red pepper flakes.  

This is an original recipe based on traditional fried rice recipes.

Fresh Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Salad

Source

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of Balsamic vinaigrette 
Trader Joe's South African Smoke seasoning
salt and pepper
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into 1-inch thick rings
8 cups baby spinach /power greens mix
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced
Pear & Gorgonzola vinaigrette

Directions:
1.  Marinate chicken breasts overnight in balsamic vinaigrette in a covered/sealed container in the refrigerator.
2.  Prepare pineapple for grilling.
3.  Slice red onion, wash and drain blueberries, and chop avocado.  Place onion, blueberries, avocado, and crumbled feta on top of spinach/power greens mixture.
4.  Place marinated chicken breasts on grill, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and South African Smoke seasoning.
5.  Grill chicken on medium for approximately 10 minutes per side.  Remove from grill to cool for 10 minutes.
6.  Grill pineapple slices approximately 5 minutes per side.  Cut into 1 inch chunks.
7.  Chop grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces.
8.  Top spinach salad mixture with chicken and pineapple.  Add your favorite amount of pear & Gorgonzola vinaigrette!  

Original recipe taken from Gimme Some Oven

Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad with Baja Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• For the shrimp:
• 16 oz. shrimp, cooked large
• chipotle chili powder to taste
• 1 T lime juice
• salt to taste
• For the salad:
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, or frozen are all good options)
• 1/2 c red onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 english cucumber diced
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, chopped
• 1 c shredded cheese
• For the Baja ranch dressing:
• Equal parts ranch dressing and salsa, mixed (for healthier version, you can just use salsa)

Directions:

1. In a frying pan, put about a T of olive oil and then cook onion, pepper, and corn stirring and waiting (a couple minutes) until the veggies are cooked and "blackened".  The key part of these directions are the "waiting" part.  That's how they get that roasted feel.
2. Remove from heat and stir in black beans.  When cooled off a bit, stir in fresh cilantro and lime juice.
3. Rinse shrimp and cut into large chunks (cutting is optional).  Toss with a little salt, chipotle chili pepper, and fresh lime juice.
4. In stripes over the bed of lettuce, lay down shrimp, shredded cheese, chopped tomato, chopped avocado, chopped cucumber, and bean/onion/pepper/corn mixture.
5. Serve with the baja ranch dressing.

This recipe was inspired by one I found on skinnytaste.com as well as my Baja fish taco bowl recipe.  It was fresh and delicious... hearty enough to be dinner!  I also served some tortilla chips on the side.  It was a big hit for the whole family! Definite repeater!

Skinny Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)

2 cups roasted broccoli florets

2 cups chopped yellow squash

8 ounces fettuccine

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tbsp oregano

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, Greek yogurt, milk, pepper, and oregano. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan.

Add cooked chicken, broccoli, and squash to sauce mixture, followed by the cooked pasta. Toss to combine and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

As a chicken fettucini lover, I give this recipe two thumbs up! I don't think I'll ever make it with butter and cream again!

Original recipe and picture from Celebrations

Southwest Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients
Large head of romaine
2 chicken breasts
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn 
5 green onions
cumin, salt, and pepper to tast
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing (Recipe below)

Directions
Season chicken breasts with cumin, salt, and pepper.
Grill chicken breasts and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Toss with desired dressing.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing 
 Ingredients
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt
*The original recipe calls for 1-2 garlic cloves, but I thought it was WAY too much garlic and it               completely overtook the dressing. Next time, I will omit it completely.

Directions
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Recipe and picture from The Garden Grazer

Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
juice from 2 limes
1/2 cup of cilantro
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 t dried onions
1/2 cup of water
shredded cheese
sour cream
salsa
chopped tomatoes

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients into crock-pot. Cook on low all day, or set crock-pot to high and cook for four(ish) hours. 
2. Shred, stir well.
3. Spoon into soft taco tortillas.
4. Top with cheese, sour cream, salsa, and tomatoes.