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

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (sugar, oil, eggs, and flour-free!)

The Skinny:
Servings: 18 • Size: 1 Cookie • Calories: 99.3 • Fat: 5.1 g • Carb: 12.3 g • Fiber: 1.6 g • Protein: 2.9 g • Sugar: 4.4 g • Sodium: 91.1 mg

Ingredients:
2 Ripe Bananas, Mashed
1/3 C. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
2/3 C. Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
Dash of Ground Cloves
Dash of Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 C. Quick or Old Fashioned Oats
1/4 C. Nuts (I used dry unsalted peanuts.)
1/4 C. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 C. Reduced Fat Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (Optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Mix together the bananas, peanut butter, applesauce, vanilla, and spices.  Add in the oats, nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut; stir until well combined.

Spoon a rounded 2 tbsp. of the cookie mixture onto the lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or two between each and flatten slightly. I placed a few more chocolate chips on top of each cookie. Bake for 20-30 minutes and allow to cool slightly.

For a healthy cookie, these were actually pretty tasty! And they actually turned out just like the picture, which is always an added bonus! :)

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)

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.

Southwest Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 

Ingredients:

• 2 c pumpkin seeds
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t chili powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet or baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
2. Remove seeds from pumpkin. I try to get most of the gunk off of them, but I don't wash or rinse them because I think they're more flavorful that way.
3. Combine spices and mix well. Mix pumpkin seeds with olive oil and then spread spices over evenly.  I thought the easiest way to do this was to use a baking pan rather than a cookie sheet (easier for turning seeds with bigger edges on the sides).  I dumped the oiled seeds and then sprinkled the spices over the top.  Then stirred with spatula before putting in oven.
4. Bake for 25-20 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes.

These are a bit time consuming for the amount of seeds that you get, but it is one of our favorite traditions and the seeds are always devoured.  I really should buy some pumpkin seeds and roast them, we would get a lot more and it wouldn't take near as much time as carefully picking them out of the pumpkin guts, ha ha ha! Emma LOVES taking them in her lunch on Halloween.  There are a ton of great recipes to season pumpkin seeds with, but this one is our favorite. Enjoy!

Gluten-free Banana Protein Pancakes

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 eggs
• 1 banana

Directions:

1. Put oats in blender for about 15 seconds to create oat flour.
2. Add in eggs and banana and continue blending for another 15-20 seconds
3. Cook on skillet as normal pancakes, flipping about half way through (these pancakes won't "bubble" the same way regular ones do, so don't wait too long to try to flip).
4. Serve warm topped with pure maple syrup, nut butter, honey, yogurt, berries... or whatever you like!

This idea was shared with my by my friend, Carla, and has been a favorite for our family!  The kids LOVE them and I can't get over how filling they are.  I use this batch to make 12 small pancakes, it could easily be cut in half or doubled depending on the number of folks you are feeding.  Enjoy!

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!

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

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

This recipe will make 1 12" pizza crust. If you are feeding more than 2 people, I recommend doubling it.

1 small to medium sized head of cauliflower - should yield 2 to 3 cups once processed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (crush it even more between your fingers)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (crust it even more between you fingers)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
optional a few shakes of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg
optional 1 tablespoon almond meal

Desired amount of sauce, cheese for topping, and other toppings. 

Place a pizza stone in the oven, or baking sheet if you don't have a pizza stone. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a cutting board, place a large piece of parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking oil. 

Wash and throughly dry a small head of cauliflower. Don't get one the size of your head unless you are planning on making 2 pizzas. Cut off the florets, you don't need much stem. Just stick with the florets. Pulse in your food processor for about 30 seconds, until you get powdery snow like cauliflower. You should end up with 2 to 3 cups cauliflower "snow". Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cover. Microwave for 4 minutes. Dump cooked cauliflower onto a clean tea towel and allow to cool for a bit before attempting the next step.

Once cauliflower is cool enough to handle, wrap it up in the dish towel and ring the heck out of it. You want to squeeze out as much water as possible. This will ensure you get a chewy pizza like crust instead of a crumbly mess. 

Dumped ringed out cauliflower into a bowl. Now add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (crush up the leaves even more between your fingers before adding), 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (crush up the leaves even more between your fingers before adding), 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt), and a dash of red pepper if you want.  Now add your egg and mix away. Hands tend to work best. 

Once mixed together, use your hands to form the dough into a crust on your oiled parchment paper. Pat it down thoroughly, you want it nice and tightly formed together. Don't make it too thick, you are making a thin crust pizza.

Using a cutting board slide the parchment paper onto your hot pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake anywhere from 11-20 minutes depending on your oven, until it starts to turn golden brown. Really make sure it is a nice golden color. Remove from oven.

Add however much sauce, cheese, and toppings you want. Slide parchment with topped pizza back in the hot oven and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.

Test your patience and allow it to cool for a minute or two. Probably closer to two. Then using a pizza cutter and a spatula serve up your delicious grain-free cauliflower crust pizza!

*Our pizza slices were pretty floppy, and we had to eat them with a fork. I think if I would have left the crust in the oven longer before topping it, it may have held together better. 

This was surprisingly good! It's even hubby approved, and for something that is gluten free, that's a pretty big deal!

Recipe and picture from The Lucky Penny Blog

Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad

Ingredients: 

For the dressing and marinade:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1/4 cup ground ginger (I buy this in the jar next to the minced garlic in the jar at the grocery store or 6T fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (asian cooking section in the grocery store)
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1 T sriracha sauce (can use more or less to taste)
• 1 t kosher salt
• 4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar*
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)*

For the salad:

• 3 lb cabbage, very thinly sliced (for a time saver you can buy this pre-shredded)
• 4-6 carrots, grated 
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted (if you don't have these, you can just double the white sesame seeds)

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sriracha sauce, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup marinade to a gallon sized ziploc bag along with the chicken breasts.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. *To the remainder of the marinade, add the red wine vinegar and chopped green onions.  Now you have the dressing for the salad.
3. Grill or fully cook chicken, thinly slice.
4. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, grated carrot, additional sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, almonds and half of the sesame seeds.
5. Add the chicken and just enough dressing to lightly coat the salad.  Mix thoroughly.
6. Top with remainder of sesame seeds and serve immediately.
7. Makes enough for 4-6 people.

If you don't plan to serve the salad immediately, reserve the toasted almonds, grilled chicken, salad dressing, and remaining sesame seeds until just before serving. The inspiration for this dish along with the photo, come from menumusings.com

Lemon Chicken Turkey Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon Moroccan or Greek seasoning blend**
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup diced tomato

**If you don't have Greek seasoning on hand, you can make it yourself. Here is the recipe I followed:

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation

• Combine first 6 ingredients; add 1 teaspoon rind, stirring well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into 1/4-inch-thick oval patties.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes.
• Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rind, yogurt, and oregano, stirring well. Fill each pita half with 1 patty, 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture, 1/4 cup lettuce, and 1 tablespoon tomato.

These burgers are a fun escape from the "norm" and are bursting with flavor!