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!

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!

BBQ Shredded Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients for BBQ shredded chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon grill seasoning
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
14. 5 oz. diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon Worchestshire sauce

For everything else:
8 clean-scrubbed white sweet potatoes
Pam cooking spray
dash of salt per sweet potato
1 cup shredded colby/jack cheese
1 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
dash salt & black pepper
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
fresh off cobb or frozen sweet yellow corn

Directions:
1.  Mix together all ingredients for BBQ shredded chicken, except the raw chicken.  Pour BBQ sauce into crock pot, add chicken breasts and slow cook for 6-8 hours on low setting.
2.  Stir together the Greek yogurt, salt & pepper, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro.  Chill.
3.  With about 2 hours to go on the BBQ chicken, scrub and clean sweet potatoes. Coat lightly with cooking spray and dash of salt.  Wrap in foil and place in heated 375 degree oven to bake for 1.5 hours.
4.  When the chicken is finished, remove from crock pot and shred with a fork, and stir back into BBQ sauce.
5.  Once sweet potatoes are baked, slice open in the center, fluff with fork, and stuff with BBQ shredded chicken, Greek yogurt concoction, shredded cheese and sweet corn.

NOTE:  I also gave an option of making this a BBQ shredded chicken sandwich and sweet potato meal by providing whole wheat hoagie rolls, baby greens, and fresh pineapple.

Curried Thai Sweet Potatoes and Lentils - gluten free, vegan

Ingredients:

• 1 c lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups broth, you could use *vegetable or chicken (*vegan)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled and diced
• 1 t tumeric
• 1 T curry powder
• 3 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced/shredded
• 2 jalapenos, minced (remove ribs and seeds)
• 2 t fresh grated ginger (I love the stuff already pre-ground in the tube or jar)
• 1 can (14.5oz) fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can light coconut milk
• salt to taste (I used 1 t)
• fresh cilantro for garnish
• Red pepper chili flakes optional for added spice
• Optional: 2 small chicken breasts, baked and cubed (not vegan)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring lentils, broth, and sweet potatoes to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer on low for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and lentils are barely done cooking. 
2. Add in the tumeric, curry, salt, fire-roasted tomatoes, and ginger to the same pot and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil and saute onions, garlic, and jalapenos for 2-3 minutes.  Then add in the sliced cabbage and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the sauteed mixture to the large pot and stir in the coconut milk.  Top with fresh cilantro.

I went ahead and included some baked chicken in this dish for some added protein, but that is optional for sure.  I used 2 chicken smaller chicken breasts, (baked and cubed) and added them in with the coconut milk.  Without adding in extra heat, this is about a 1 star recipe and great for the not -too-spicy curry lovers.  For the adults, we added in a couple shakes of red pepper flakes for some extra kick.  Absolutely delicious both ways! Sometimes it's nice to keep it mild and let everyone add in the spice factor that they prefer.  This was a very healthy, hearty, and flavorful dish.  Really delicious!!! Photo credit and recipe inspiration goes to Pinch of Yum.

Thai Fried Rice

Ingredients:
3 cups jasmine rice, steamed
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in small cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed cayenne pepper
1/2 large yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped
3 egg whites, scrambled
1 whole egg, scrambled
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch portions
3 Thai chili peppers (optional)
4 tsp vegetable oil
4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (or more to taste)
2 tsp fish sauce

Prepare rice ahead of time according to package instructions. I steamed ours. It's best if it's made slightly on the dry side.

Heat a wok on a high flame. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. When the wok is very hot, add 2 tsp oil. When the oil gets hot, add the chicken and cook on high a few minutes, tossing so that it browns all over. Remove chicken from wok and set aside, add the eggs and cook a minute or two until done. Set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the onion, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic. Saute 1 minute, add the Thai chili pepper, and pineapple and stir in all the rice. Add soy sauce and fish sauce stir to mix all the ingredients. Keep stirring a few minutes, then add egg and chicken back to the wok. Adjust soy sauce if needed and stir well another 30 seconds. Serve with toasted coconut, and fresh cilantro.

Baja Fish Taco Bowls

Ingredients:

• 1 T chili powder
• 1 T cumin
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 3-4 tilapia filets (or other fish of your choice - mahi mahi, cod, etc.) *I used the frozen filets from Costco
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh would be ideal, frozen is next best *what I used as corn isn't in season right now, canned is last choice)
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can of black beans, drained
• cooked brown rice (I used 2 cups uncooked) or you use spinach for a low carb option
• Optional toppings: fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, baja ranch (equal portions ranch dressing mixed with pico de gallo or salsa)

Directions:

1. Mix the spices together in a small bowl and rub on both sides of fish filets. I used all my seasoning, but this could be easily adjusted for your preferences.
2. In a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, heat about 1-2 T of olive oil.  Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds before adding the fish filets to the pan.  Cook fish on each side for several minutes.  I flipped the fish when the white color (indicating it was cooked) starting creeping up to the top side/edges of the fish.  Fish is done when it is white all the way through and flakes apart.  Remove fish filets and set aside.  Do NOT clean the pan out.
3. In the same pan, add corn, red bell pepper, and onions without additional oil.  Stir and then let cook for a couple of minutes without stirring.  Repeat the stir and wait process a few times until the peppers and onions are tender crisp. The "wait" part of this process gives them the roasted touch and blackened edges. Add in the black beans and stir to heat through.
4. In a bowl, layer rice, corn/bean/pepper/onion mixture and top with fish (flaked apart).  Top with your preference of goodies listed above!

My family FLIPPED over this meal!  100% repeater... and probably next week even! We also did a low carb version by serving up the fish and veggies over spinach instead of rice and used pico de gallo or baja ranch for the dressing, also delicious! It was quick and easy.  Extremely healthy too depending on how you top it.  Love, love, love!  adapted from a recipe on pinchofyum blog.

Spicy Hawaiian Burgers

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground chicken
6 pineapple rings (or equivalent slices, cut about 1/2" - 3/4" thick)
6 slices pepper jack cheese
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt 
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
chipotle mayo (I used store bought, but there are plenty of recipes online if you'd like to make your own)

Combine the ground chicken, soy sauce, 1/2 the paprika, 1/2 the chili powder, seasoning salt, cumin, and garlic. Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 6 even balls. Form patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle and sprinkle with remaining paprika and chili powder. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Coat grates lightly with oil. Grill burgers over medium heat about 6 minutes per side. The burgers should flip easily when they are ready to turn, if they want to stick, give them another minute. Top with cheese for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to melt. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest. Grill buns if desired.

For the pineapple, if you are using rings, grill directly on the grates over medium heat. Carefully turn after 1-2 minutes. If you are using pineapple slices or chunks, thread onto skewers and grill skewers in the same fashion. Assemble burgers and enjoy.

These were absolutely delicious!

Recipe from http://homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com/2010/06/spicy-hawaiian-burgers.html 

Crockpot Spicy Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped or sliced
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeños
1 can each of black, kidney and chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 oz of low-sodium non-fat chicken broth
Salt and cumin to taste
1/8 cup Chalula Sauce
1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper, chopped

Preparation:
1. Heat oil on medium-high. Sauté onion for about five minutos, or until transluscent. Add the turkey and brown.
2. Combine the tomatoes with juice, beans, broth, Chalula, and spices in your crockpot.
3. Simmer on low setting for 6-8 hours.
Serve with shredded colby/jack cheese and Trader Joe's whole kernel cornbread :)

This recipe comes from my super sweet friend, Melissa! She originally found the chili recipe in the Men's Health magazine.

Easy Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

8 pieces of naan or pita flat bread

2 medium chicken breasts, cooked (season with salt and pepper) or use a rotisserie chicken

2 c shredded mozzerella

1 medium bell pepper, sliced thin (red, orange or yellow)

1/4-1/2 small red onion, sliced thin

fresh cilantro

Peanut sauce:

1/2 c hoisin sauce (found in the asian cooking section of the grocery store)

1/2 c peanut butter

1-2 T fresh ginger, grated

1 T Sriracha hot sauce (adjust to your liking or use another spice/hot sauce you have)

1/3 c hot water

Directions:

1) Prepare the peanut sauce. Combine the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and 1/2 tsp of sriracha sauce in a bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it straight into the bowl. Add about 1/3 cup of hot water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the chicken into small pieces and transfer to a bowl. Thinly slice the red onion and red bell pepper.


3) Spread about 2 Tbsp of the peanut sauce over each piece of naan or pita bread. Top with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, a handful of the chicken, some red bell pepper, and red onion.


4) Place the pizzas on a perforated pizza pan, cookie sheet or directly on the oven rack and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly (about 10-15 minutes depending on which method you use). When the pizzas come out of the oven, top with fresh cilantro leaves and enjoy!




This recipe is slightly modified from one found on Budget Bytes.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked linguine
• 1 pound chicken breast strips
• 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (I made my own - see below)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp light cream cheese
• fresh cracked pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning.

2. Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

3. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside. OR Grill it (much better in my opinion)!

4. Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes. 

5. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

7. Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Recipe from Skinnytaste.com 

Cajun Seasoning Recipe:

• 2 1/2 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp ground black pepper

Naked Chicken Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs. chicken (3-4 large breasts)
• 16 oz. of your favorite salsa
• 8 oz. frozen corn
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 T chile powder
• 2 t minced garlic
• 2 t cumin
• 1/2 t dried oregano
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t cracked pepper
• 1/4 c water
• 2 cups dry rice, cooked

 Optional garnish:

• 8 oz. shredded cheese
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• Raw spinach leaves
• 1 large or 2 small avocados, sliced for garnish
• Sour cream or plain yogurt

Directions: 

1. Place all ingredients in crock pot except for rice and garnish options. Stir well and make sure chicken is covered.
2. Place on low setting for 8 hours.
3. Chicken will just fall apart, so you can shred it easily right in the crock pot with a couple of forks. Mix well.
4. Serve bowl of rice topped with chicken mixture.  Add desired garnish.  Serves 6-8.

My family really enjoyed this.  I was cooking for dinner club as well as a few other meals so I actually quadrupled it by doubling the batch and making it twice.  We ate it tonight and my family really enjoyed it.  Although the total cook time is long, the hands on time is very minimal. In a pinch, you could likely substitute the spices for a packet of taco seasoning. Very easy and makes great leftovers.  Two thumbs up! This recipe was inspired by one I saw on Budget Bytes.

Braised Peanut Chicken

• 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrot (3 medium)
• 1 small red sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 - 3 teaspoons red curry paste 
• 4 garlic, minced
• 1-2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Hot cooked rice
• Chopped peanuts (optional)
• Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, place onions, carrot, and sweet pepper. Top with chicken. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, peanut butter, lime peel, lime juice, soy sauce, tapioca, ginger, curry paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Pour over all in cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Stir in coconut milk and peas. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
3. Serve chicken mixture over hot cooked rice. If desired, sprinkle each serving with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Makes 6 servings.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it was a big hit in my house!

Thai Turkey Burger with Plum Sauce and Spicy Slaw

Ingredients:

Spicy Slaw:

• 1/2 cucumber, coarsely grated
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
• 1/2 cup grated cabbage
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Plum Sauce: (or buy pre-made in the Asian food section)

• 1/3 cup plum jam
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Burger Patties:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 cup grated red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt

Assembly:

• 6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions:

1. To make the spicy slaw, mix shredded cucumber, carrot, and red pepper in a medium bowl. Mix rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl. Pour dressing over veggies and stir well. Place in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.
2. To make the plum sauce, mix plum jam, rice vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl and stir until smooth. * I couldn't find plum jam, so just used store-bought.
3. To make the burger patties, heat oven broiler to 500. Place ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, and salt in a large bowl and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands; form 6 burgers that are slightly larger than your buns. Place patties on a broiler pan and broil for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
4. To assemble the burgers, place a patty on top of the bottom half of each bun and evenly spread the plum sauce on top of each burger. Drain any excess liquid off the slaw and spread evenly on the burgers. Add the burger tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.

These burgers are healthy and delicious!  I was a much bigger fan that I anticipated and loved all the flavors melded together.  This recipe will definitely be repeated and could easily be eaten without the bun for a gluten free or lower calorie version.  Also, you can use a pre-bagged version of coleslaw mix and just add some cucumber and peppers to speed things up a bit. Slightly modified from a recipe I found on cakebatterandbowl.com  

Baked Southwestern Eggrolls

The recipe idea for this meal came from Robyn Louis' FB page.  I adapted it to suit my style of cooking and my clubmates' tastes!  The recipe that follows fed eight people.

Ingredients:
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts
48 oz. low-fat/low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup lime juice
3 teaspoons garlic, minced
3 teaspoons organic honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large + 1 small can of green chilies, diced
3-10 oz. cans of organic black beans
1 cup of spinach, fresh, de-stemmed & chopped 
10 green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, ground
4 cups of colby/jack cheese, shredded
40 egg roll wrappers
non-fat cooking spray

Directions:
Combine first seven (7) ingredients in a crock pot and cook for 4-6 hours at 250 degrees. 
After all of the prep-work has been done to the next four ingredients, combine all remaining ingredients from the green chilies through the shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl. 
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 
When the chicken is fall-apart tender, remove it from the crock pot to cool about 15 minutes.  Once cooled enough, shred the chicken with a fork and add it to the mixing bowl, combining thoroughly. 
Rolling the egg rolls is a little tricky, but once you establish a routine...it'll go along quite smoothly.  Coat a baking sheet with non-fat cooking spray.  Then coat a dinner sized plate with non-fat cooking spray.  Lay out one egg roll wrapper so that one of the four corners is facing you.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of chicken/bean mixture onto the egg roll wrapper about 1/3 of the way from your corner to the adjacent corner.  Tightly roll the wrapper, ends tucked in or out (your preference), and make sure all corners are securely against the egg roll when finished rolling.  Repeat this procedure, including the spray on the dinner plate, 39 more times ;-)
Place egg rolls on your baking sheet just so they are not touching each other.  Bake a full pan for 16-20 minutes, turning over at the half-way time if you prefer.

Cook's note:  Greg and I loved this meal!  I also served saffron/cayenne flavored yellow rice and guacamole dip with the egg rolls.  Warning: this meal is very time-intensive.  From the time I started preparing the different vegetables, and then shredding the chicken...and eventually rolling the egg rolls, I had been working for 4 hours.  With cook time, this meal (for eight people) took almost 5 hours.  We thought it was well worth it though! 

Chipotle Flank Steak with Peach Salsa

Ingredients:

• 3-4 peaches, pitted and chopped
• 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded, then minced (I use 2, remember to wear gloves!)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 pound flank steak
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chipotle or ancho chili powder

Directions:

1. Peel and chop fresh peaches and place in a medium bowl with onion, jalapenos, cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Thoroughly tenderize the meat by pricking both sides with meat tenderizer or fork. Stir together garlic salt, cumin, oregano and chili powder in a small bowl and rub onto both sides of meat.
3. Place on grill over medium heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until meat is cooked to your liking. Let stand for 5 minutes before thinly carving at an angle against the grain. Transfer meat and juices to a platter. Serve topped with peach salsa.

This recipe is modified from one I found on The Nibble.  To make this recipe quick and easy, you could buy pre-made peach salsa from the store which is what I would have probably done had it not been August with ripe peaches everywhere.  Also, if you are not into spice, I would decrease the amount of chili powder.  My 8 year old ate it happily (and had seconds), but commented that it was spicy.  Hubby and I wouldn't have changed the spice.  We served with fresh corn on the cob.  Perfect summer dinner!

Trinidad Stewed Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups canned coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Mix the green onion, cilantro, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and olive oil.  Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours or overnight.
2. Heat the butter in a deep pot over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, and cook until the sugar has melted into a nice golden brown syrup. Add the chicken pieces, and brown while turning continuously. (If any of the brown sugar clumps up due to the cold chicken/marinade, don't worry, it melts/dissolves in the next step).
3. Pour in coconut milk and pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the ketchup.
4. Mix cornstarch with 2-4 tablespoons of water prior adding to sauce to thicken. 
5. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve chicken with the sauce over rice (try coconut rice). 

I found this recipe (which I modified) from allrecipes.com.  I am a sucker for recipes with coconut milk and was also lured in by all the great reviews it had.  I modified a few things as I went and also from reading reader reviews and suggestions.  I was really excited about the end result and will definitely be making it again!

Chipotle Black Beans

Ingredients:

1- 16 oz. can of black beans
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
non-stick cooking spray
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon Cholula Chipotle flavored hot sauce

Preparation:

Spray a medium sized sauce pan with cooking spray.  Saute bell pepper, onions and garlic in bottom of sauce pan.  Drain some (~1/4 cup) of the bean "juice" into the sauce pan when sauteing is finished.  Drain the remaining juice from beans and rinse beans.  Stir in the beans and add chipotle hot sauce to the sauce pan.  Simmer beans mixture on low for 15 minutes.  Serve warm.  These beans go well with the BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders from this blog!

BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders

Ingredients:

32 oz. Old South bar-be-que sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1-1.5 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6-8 slider mini buns
6-8 slices pineapple
8 oz. fresh, raw spinach leaves


Preparation:

Combine bar-be-que sauce, ketchup and pineapple juice in crock pot.  Add the chicken and slow cook at 250-300 degrees for 7-9 hours.  

When bar-be-que chicken is done, turn off crock pot.  Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred it on a cutting board.  Place the chicken back into the bar-be-que sauce until ready to eat.

Prepare mini buns by slicing in half and toasting.  Spoon 1/4 cup of pulled chicken on bottom mini bun.  Layer fresh spinach and pineapple on top of chicken, place other mini bun on top.  Gobble!

Disclaimer:  I got the idea for these sliders from my Cooking Light magazine.  The recipe in the magazine called for a quick-cooking stove top method with a homemade bbq sauce.  I wanted to use the slow cooker and my favorite bbq sauce, Old South - but my husband accidentally bought the "spicy" version. Knowing I was cooking for my two pregnant friends,  I added some ketchup and pineapple juice, hoping to tone down the spice factor.  However, these little sliders packed a punch!  I loved them, but if you don't like spicy food - purchase your favorite milder bbq sauce or make one.  As you can tell from the picture, I made a side dish of chipotle black beans and organic tortilla chips.  Check out the chipotle black bean recipe too.

Sesame Chicken and Asparagus Penne

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 8 oz. penne pasta
• 1 lb. asparagus (I've also used broccoli)
• 4 T toasted sesame seeds (reserve one for topping)
• Sauce ingredients:
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 4 T sesame oil
• 3/4 T hot chili sesame oil
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 3 T chunky peanut butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Toppings: 
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 3 green onions, sliced thin

Directions:

1. Boil chicken breasts until cooked through.  Let chicken cool before shredding.  You can pick it apart with your hands or use two forks for this.  Put chicken in large bowl.
2. Cook penne noodles as directed.  Drain.  Toss with a tiny bit of extra sesame oil to keep noodles from sticking.  Add to large bowl with chicken.
3. Snap ends off of asparagus and put spears in boiling water for 1 minute.  Remove from water, let cool slightly and cut into 1 inch pieces.  Add to large bowl.
4. In a blender, combine all the sauce ingredients until well blended.  Pour over the penne, chicken and asparagus.  Add 3 T toasted sesame seeds.  Stir until well-coated.
5. Serve either warm or chilled.  Topped with 1 T sesame seeds, cucumber and green onions.  Serves 4.

Man, I love this dish!  Like I mentioned in the ingredient list, I've also made this with broccoli which is also very tasty (although asparagus is my favorite).  If you wanted more kick to it, you could beef up the hot chili oil.  Since I make this for my whole family, I usually scale back on the hot chili oil (to 1/2 T) - then Roger and I add extra hot chili pepper flakes to add the heat, while Emma can have a less spicy version.  I've also frozen this dinner (minus the toppings) and thawed later - it worked surprisingly well.  Easy to make in bulk too, it would also be a great pasta "salad" to take to any kind of potluck/event.  Thanks to Stacy Ferney who shared a recipe with me that inspired this one!