Zucchini Pasta with Pesto Chicken

Recently I have seen pasta recipes that use ZUCCHINI in place of the noodles.

But you need this fancy tool called a "spiralizer"

which makes your zucchini turn into pretty noodles like this!

 

 that tool is currently in my amazon cart and will be my new best friend :)

But in the meantime, this is how I made my...

 

Ingredients:

* 1 small zucchini cut into long thin slices

* 1/2 c. marinara sauce (Trader Joes sells a no sugar added kind)

* 2 organic chicken tenders

* 2-3 T. pesto (found at Trader Joes)

Directions:

1. Season both sides of the chicken tenders with salt & pepper and place in a glass baking dish.

2. Top tenders w/ desired amount of pesto

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 or until inside temp. is around 180 degrees

4. While chicken is baking, boil zucchini noodles for 5-7 minutes until softened but not mushy.

5. Top noodles with marinara sauce and sliced chicken. Enjoy!

Avocado Chicken Parmigiana

Jess frequently requests Baked Chicken Parmesan for dinner.  While playing around on Pinterest the other day, I found this amazing recipe for 

AVOCADO CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

photos and original recipe via ellenaguan.blogspot.com

Jess and I both devoured it with THIS SALAD on the side.  It was a delicious change to our normal chicken parmesan and one that I will definitely make again

(serves: 4 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breast Fillets, halved lengthways (I prefer to use chicken tenders because they are the perfect size and it's really difficult to cut a breast in half perfectly)
1/2 Cup Plain Flour (I use whole wheat)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Milk
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Dried Breadcrumbs (see THIS RECIPE for homemade breadcrumbs)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil/Cooking Spray
1/2 Cup Tomato Pasta Sauce
2 Avocado, Sliced
1/2 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese 


Method:
1. Place chicken breast in a clear plastic bag(alternatively between 2 sheets plastic wrap), using a rolling pin or meat mallet pound until 0.5cm thick.

2. Place flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plate and lightly whisk milk and egg together in a shallow bowl.

3. Coat 1 piece of chicken breast in flour(shaking off excess), dip in egg mixture then coat in breadcrumbs using your fingertips pressing on to secure.

4. Place on prepared baking tray lay with foil or baking paper, repeat the same process with the remaining chicken breast with flour, egg and etc.

5. Lightly spray or brush the prepared chicken with oil, bake for 10 minutes(turning after 5 minutes to have evenly colours on the breadcrumbs) in 400 degree preheated oven.

6. Remove from oven and spread each chicken breast with 1 heaped tablespoon of pasta sauce. Arrange avocado slices over sauce and sprinkle with decent amount of mozzarella cheese.

7. Return to oven and bake for another 5 - 7 minutes or until golden and chicken is cooked through.

8. Serve with either garden salad or use it as a main topping on cooked pasta.

Crock-pot Chicken Tostada Mix

This recipe is one of my all time favorites! It's a crock pot recipe which is always delightful because of the convenience and minimal clean up.  This is the CLEANER version of the original recipe which calls for a whole lot of cream cheese and cheddar cheese. SO NOT NEEDED, this modified recipe is creamy and delicious and still easy on the calories! Check the bottom of this post for all the nutritional information!

*As usual, I always HALF this recipe, but if you like leftovers feel free the freeze the extras and 2 weeks down the road when you are craving them again... put it back in the crock pot and heat it up! SO EASY!

Chicken Tostada Mix

Yield: Enough for 20 tostadas!

Ingredients

2  lb. chicken breast

1  10oz can green enchilada sauce (I use MACAYO'S brand because it has 8 ingredients and I know what each of them are! Also watch out because most cans are 16 OUNCES! So you need to measure out 10oz)

1   4oz can diced green chilies

6oz reduced fat cream cheese

1 cup diced bell pepper (I buy red, orange, yellow, and green peppers and dice them ALL up and then put them in a bag in my freezer. When a recipe calls for them I just measure it out and throw them in! So easy! Also the variety of color makes this mix so beautiful!)

Directions

Place the first 3 ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4-5 hrs.)  

Once done, shred the chicken in the crockpot to incorporate the sauce evenly.  Then add remaining ingredients and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Stir well to combine and serve on top of tostada shells with a little shredded cheese on top!

Nutritional information for the chicken mixture (based on 20 servings)

Calories:   70

   Carbs:     2 grams

       Fat:     2 grams

 Protein:   10 grams

** I typically have 2 tostadas with shredded cheese on top which equates to 350 calories! Not bad for a delicious dinner that is filling, packed with protein, and easy to make!

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

This is one of Jess's favorite dinners that I make.  I love it because the chicken always comes out tender and it is a great Italian alternative to pasta when I'm more in a PROTEIN mood instead of a CARB mood.

I also love that the bread crumbs in this recipe are homemade, as long as you have the few basic spices you should be good to go! 

You can find the original recipe and VIDEO on how to make it

HERE

*I always half this recipe and it make enough for 3 adult servings*

Ingredients

• 4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each) (I used TJ's gluten free brown rice bread)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 teaspoons paprika (I always use less)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup skim milk (I use rice milk or almond milk)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I've used sorghum, brown rice, and coconut flour... ALL GOOD!)
• 4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness (I like using chicken tenders)
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (about 3 1/2 cups) 
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons (1/2-ounce) shredded Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine crumbs are formed, about 25 to 30 seconds. Put the crumbs on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until golden. (You will wind up with about 1 1/3 cups toasted crumbs.)

In a medium bowl, toss the crumbs with oregano, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a third bowl stir together the flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Dip each piece of chicken, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place breaded breasts in a glass baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray and spray the tops of the chicken as well.  Bake breasts until cooked though and crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.

Kim's Notes:

All of my suggestions are what work for me and may not be what works best for you, I enjoy adapting recipes to make them gluten free and see if the end result tastes different, In this recipe it tastes the same gluten free! 

Also please try this marinara sauce. It is the purest and most homemade tasting sauce I have even tried. Ingredients: Whole tomatoes, tomato puree, Cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onions, Herbs, Garlic, Salt.

Such a beautiful ingredient list... and NO SUGAR! Look at your jar of marinara sauce and check out the sugar content, then make the switch! I believe this sauce is $1.79 for a 28 oz can. And trader joe's incorporates tax into their listed prices. So $1.79 is all you pay for this goodness!!!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Sante Fe Chicken {Crock-pot}

This recipe come from 

www.skinnytaste.com

which is a great website that has so many clean recipes

One of my personal favorites is the Sante Fe Chicken

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken 

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice.

{For the rice I usually cook 1 cup of rice with 1.5 cups of chicken broth and a dash of lime juice}

Shredded Chicken Tacos

The easiest way to add stress to your day is to

NOT

make a weekly dinner plan.

...I know this...

and somehow I ALWAYS fail to plan.

So I took inventory of what was in my fridge and tried to figure out what I could make for dinner tonight.

Here's what I had:

2 very ripe avocados

1 red onion

1 yellow onion

2 Trader Joe's flour tortillas

Some hard shell corn tortilla shells

A garden full of greens

3 frozen chicken breast tenders that I had set out in hopes of finding a recipe to use!

I hate cooking Chicken unless it is in a crock pot recipe. It always seems dry and bland.

But when looking on FOOD GAWKER I found a great recipe for Shredded Chicken Tacos

that called for POACHED chicken.

Poaching chicken is something I had never attempted before and I feel like I've been missing out on life. 

Poached Chicken Breasts (serves 2 or yields about 3-4 cups shredded chicken, depending on size)

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 cups water

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Bring water, onion, garlic and salt to a bowl. Add chicken breasts and oregano.

Turn down the heat and simmer, partially covered for 35-40 minutes.

When finished cooking, remove chicken with a slotted spoon, if using in another dish shred with two forks, if not, serve. Strain liquid and reserve for stock.

...So here is my recipe review...

It was 

FANTASTIC

Jess gave it 5 stars :)

We made mini tacos using the flour tortillas and also used the hard shells

I made my Favorite Guacamole and also homemade salsa to top it all off.

So fun just going in my backyard and harvesting the cilantro and jalapeño for the salsa!

Shredded Chicken Tacos (makes enough for 12-15 tacos)

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped or grated
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups shredded POACHED chicken
1/2 cup crushed tomato
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions

In skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute.

Add chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute or until fragrant.

Turn down heat to low and add the chicken. Stir so that the chicken is covered in spices. It may take a few times to get chicken fully coated.

Add crushed tomato and chicken broth. Cook for a minute or until only a little liquid remains.

I will definitely be making these again and am so glad I discovered the process of POACHING!

**Recipes and Photos from http://www.livinglou.com

Product Favorites & Dinner Idea

Man, life just never slows down does it?

Sorry Kristen & I have been blog slackers lately (come on Kris!)

She has been enjoying her month off of teaching piano and I have been busy with my first month OF piano!

* But let's get back to business here *

Remember how Trader Joe's is my heaven on earth? Well here are a few of my current FAVORITES.

* 100% Pineapple Juice *

This stuff makes amazing smoothies! I find Jess drinking it straight from the can all the time :)

And seriously with the cans?? How stinkin cute are they?

* Unsweetened Coconut Milk *

Gluten/Dairy/Sugar Free and Smells so delicious

 4 oz coconut milk + 4 oz pineapple juice + frozen fruit + flaxmeal or flaxoil = Favorite Breakfast

 * Chocolate Icecream made w/ Coconut Milk *

Dairy Free and surprisingly addicting :) They also sell strawberry

* Chile Lime Chicken Burgers *

Find these in the frozen section! They are healthy with all REAL ingredients

 Now obviously this messy pile of goodness is no masterpiece but let me tell you it was phenomenal.

Chile Lime Chicken NACHOS!

(This recipe made enough for 2 adult servings. If you use ALL 4 burgers, double the RED ingredients)

Ingredients:

These ingredients in RED are optional but highly recommended!!!!

* 1 mexican grey squash (or a regular zucchini works too)

* 1/4 c. chopped onion

* 1 T. chopped cilantro

* 1 small garlic clove, minced

* 2 TJ's Chile Lime Chicken Burgers

* TJ's Reduced Guilt Tortilla Chips

* Extra Sharp Chedder Cheese

* Homemade CLEAN Guacamole

* Pico de Gallo

Directions: If you want to take the super simple route, heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame and add the 2 chicken burgers. Cook through, crumbling burgers into taco-style meat as you cook. Construct a layer of tortilla chips on your plate, add SMALL amount of *Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, top with chicken, guacamole, and pico.

This time around I used my mexican squash that I had gotten in my Bountiful Basket! Heat oil in a large skillet and add chopped mexican squash (or zucchini) & onion. Saute for 5 minutes or so until softened. Add cilantro and garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add 2 Chicken Burgers and cook thoroughly, crumbling into taco-style meat. Layer goodness and directed above :)

*p.s. Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese has a much stronger flavor and taste than regular cheddar cheese, so you can use LESS but still get MORE flavor. WIN WIN Situation.

Thanks for READING!

Flatbread Pizza w/ Spinach, Carmelized Onions, and Feta

This recipe comes from our sister Kelli Adams! Kelli and her husband Payne are serious GOURMET cookers.  Payne smokes his own meat for like 10 hours, makes his own special BBQ sauces, etc! They are pretty much the best cooks in the family.

This pizza recipe look delicious! Especially with the healthy spinach!

Thanks Kelli!

Flatbread Pizza with Spinach, Caramelized Onions, and Feta
Recipe originated from Our Best Bites

·         Flat Bread or Pizza Dough (Whole Wheat Pizza Dough from Fresh & Easy or homemade)

·         Tiny Bit of Alfredo sauce (either store bought from a jar or homemade)

·         Fresh baby spinach leaves

·         Cooked chicken, cut in cubes, strips or shredded

·         Caramelized onions*

·         Feta cheese

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

If you are using pizza dough, roll out your dough on a stone or pan and then pre-cook it for 7 minutes.

Layer the above ingredients on flatbread or pizza dough and cook in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Slice and serve!

*Caramelizing Onions: thinly slice onions and saute them in a skillet on med-low heat with a couple of pats of butter.  After about 15 minutes, when they’re nice and soft, add a sprinkle of sugar (either brown or white) if you want to enhance the sweetness.  Continue cooking until they’re caramel colored.  It can take 20-30 minutes depending on the heat of your pan and the thickness of the onion.  You could make them ahead of time and just store them in the fridge.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Braid

Jess and I are BIG FANS of BBQ chicken pizza. This pizza braid recipe is a fun twist to the traditional pizza and Jess said he loved it WAY BETTER. Even though it is the EXACT same thing :) and please, dip it in ranch. it is so good :)

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough (I recommend whole wheat of course!)
• Barbecue Sauce
• Part Skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 - 1 1/2 c. cooked chicken, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 c. Red onion, diced

 Place the pizza dough onto a floured surface and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place a silpat mat (or just use your pizza pan or stone) on the counter and coat with cooking spray. Roll (or spread) the dough out on top of the silpat mat into a rectangle. Drizzle a bit of sauce on top of the chicken and mix until evenly coated. Spoon some of the barbecue sauce down the center of the pizza dough, add slices of chopped mozzarella to the sauce followed by the chicken, cilantro, and red onion. Note: Don't use too much sauce or your pizza braid will be a bit soggy.

Cut even slits on both sides of the filling with a pizza cutter. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling.

Once you have completed the braid carefully place the silpat mat onto a baking sheet.

Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy.

Recipe adapted from: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/04/barbecue-chicken-pizza-braid.html

Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from pleaseholdtheonions.blogspot.com

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time 30 min.

Ingredients:

3/4 - 1 lb. chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (use 3 T. butter + 3 T. Oil)
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 cups chicken broth (you should BUY THIS at Shar's Bosch Kitchen Center, will be your new best friend)
1/4 cup flour (use whole wheat when you can!)
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
2 T. milk
12 herb biscuits (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat and add carrots and celery. Saute, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, while stirring, until flour is light brown, 3-4 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Add peas. Season with salt and pepper, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, 10-15 minutes. Add chicken, remove from heat, and transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. Top with biscuits. Beat egg and milk together and brush over biscuits. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and chicken mixture is bubbling around edges, 25-30 minutes.

Herb Biscuits
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting (again USE WHOLE WHEAT!!!!)

1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes (use 1/2 stick butter + 1/4 c. oil)
1 tablespoons dried parsley

3/4 cups buttermilk

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Stir in parsley. Make a well in center of flour mixture, pour in buttermilk, and stir using a fork until dough comes together- do not overmix. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and pat dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits using a floured 2 1/2 inch round cutter.

Mini Chili Lime Chicken Tacos

 These chicken tacos are so quick and easy and a nice change to the typical beef based taco meat. I made ultra clean guacamole to go on top and they were awesome! 

Recipe from Trader Joes

- 1 package TJ's Chili Lime Chicken Burgers (frozen section)

- 1 package corn tortilla or TJ's reduced guilt tortilla chips

- Optional Garnishes: Lettuce, Cheese, Salsa, Guacamole, etc

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Add the four chicken burgers and cook through, crumbling burgers into taco-style meat as you cook. Set aside and keep warm. In a separate skillet, heat additional oil and lightly sauté tortillas until soft, turning frequently. Or, wrap tortillas in paper towels and place them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Fill tortillas with crumbled chicken and top with your favorite garnishes.

*For taco salad lay a few tortilla chips on your plate and add chicken and topping!

Cheesy Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

 

 This recipe is from picky-palate.com!
Click on the link for detailed pictures and instructions 

 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic
2 Cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
2 Cups steamed white rice
16 oz prepared wild rice (I get mine at Trader Joes, LOVE it)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
______
Cheese Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 Cups chicken broth
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

*1/2 c. shredded cheese on top

(original recipe calls for ALOT more cheese, totally don't need it, I promise)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium heat.  Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in chicken, both rices, salt, pepper and garlic salt.  Reduce heat to low.
2.  To prepare cheese sauce melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously.  Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in cheese until melted.  Pour cheese sauce into rice mixture then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.  Serve.
8-10 servings