chicken fajita salad with scallion vinaigrette

Chicken Fajita Salad with Scallion Vinaigrette

Dressing recipe below. Salad recipe not exact - this can feed one or one hundred!

Ingredients

• Chicken breast(s) (1/2 to 1 chicken breast per salad)
• Homemade fajita seasoning
• Sliced, fresh mushrooms (1-2 baby portabellos per salad)
• Yellow onion, chopped into bite-sized chunks, as shown above (1/8 - 1/4 small onion per salad)
• Crunchy lettuce, such as Romaine, washed, dried and torn
• Tomatoes, chopped
• Black beans, drained and rinsed
• Canned corn, drained and rinsed (grilled, fresh corn would be even better!)
• Mexican cheese (I only had colby jack, which I cubed, as shown)
• Salsa
• Other toppings, such as jalepenos, cilantro, sour cream and lime
• Salt/pepper

1. Chop chicken into chunks and season chicken liberally with homemade seasoning (about two tbsp. per pound of chicken). Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add chicken and saute until pink is just gone and meat is juicy. Remove from pan. Add a little more oil, the mushrooms and the onion, and saute, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from pan when onions are slightly browned on the edges and mushrooms are soft.
2. Arrange salad in a large bowl by adding the lettuce, tomatoes, corn, beans, mushrooms, onions, cheese and chicken. Add salsa and desired toppings. Serve with vinegairette.

Scallion Vinaigrette 

Recipe makes about a cup of dressing and keeps well in a sealed jar on the counter for a few days.

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (okay to go a little over!)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion, green and pale green part

1. Stir the vinegar through the salt and peppper together in a shallow bowl.
2. While whisking furiously, drizzle the olive oil into the mixture slowly, allowing it to emulsify. When the oil is completely incorporated, the dressing should be thick and consistent, as shown above. Gently stir in the scallions and taste to see if it needs additional salt or pepper.

maple-mustard glazed chicken with sesame-roasted broccoli

I'm not a fan of an overly maple flavor in my food, which is why I think I liked this dish. The maple was just present in the background and was balanced by the tang of the mustard and vinegar. You'll have to pinch yourself as a reminder that it's good for you!

I paired this with a sesame-roasted broccoli side dish, which took as long to roast as it did to cook the chicken - 20 minutes. Not bad for a healthy dinner! This one is weeknight approved and a dinner you can feel good about eating.

Oh, and as a side note: For several months now, we have been slicing our chicken breasts in half lengthwise, only eating half per person per meal. This change came about partly because we have been eating higher quality meats, which are more expensive, and partly because we found ourselves struggling to eat a whole chicken breasts during our meals. Now, we no longer waste meat and keep our portions of it in check. Honestly, I don't think either of us miss the full serving!

Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves*
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (use half this amount if dried)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Add chicken to pan; sauté 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add broth, syrup, thyme, and garlic to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add vinegar and mustard; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Return chicken to pan, and spoon mustard mixture over chicken. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until the chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Place pan over medium heat; cook mustard mixture 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy, stirring frequently. Serve with chicken.

 *Note: If you choose to slice your chicken breasts in half like we do, then you may find that your chicken is practically cooked by the time it's browned in step two. If so, simply remove the chicken from the pan and tent it with foil on a plate. Skip the part where it is placed in the oven, and instead add it back to the pan when the sauce is nearly complete. It'll be perfect, I promise!

Quick Sesame-Roasted Broccoli

• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Sesame oil
• Salt and pepper
• Pine nuts
• Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss florets, garlic and a drizzle of oil together on a baking sheet. The broccoli should not look dry. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Roast for 10 minutes, stir, and continue roasting for another 10.
2. Remove from oven and finish with a light sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve.

avocado cobb salads with garlicky dijon dressing

"You had me at avocado." That's what I thought about this when I was browsing through one of my beloved Ellie Krieger's cookbooks this weekend looking for healthy lunch ideas. Currently I'm in a mid-day meal rut - I might turn into an Amy's bean and cheddar burrito and I can't take another peanut butter and jelly sandwich - and wanted something fresh. (See bad iPhone photo above for the solution.)

The dressing alone on this is worth saving for other salads. The modified version of Ellie's recipe made enough for two big salads for lunch - with no leftovers.

Avocado Cobb Salads with Garlicky Dijon Dressing
Ingredients
For the Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 1/4 pound Black Forest or other smoked ham, chopped
• 1/4 pound turkey breast, chopped
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced into quarters
• 6 cups romaine lettuce (about 6 ounces) coarsely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 avocado, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese  

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. 
   Assemble the salad ingredients, wrapping the avocado tightly in plastic wrap if not eating immediately. Dress salad before eating.

summer salads, part two: grilled shrimp salads with basil-garlic dressing

The second in my series of satisfying summer salads, this one had me licking the bowl primarily because of the dressing. It was so good, I brought it to lunch the next day. This one's guilt-free all the way around, and won't leave you hungry.

Grilled Shrimp Salads with Basil-Garlic Dressing
Serves 2

Basil-Garlic Dressing

• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Shrimp and Salad

• 1 lb. shrimp, cleaned and detailed and deheaded
• Two large handfuls of lettuce (I used spring mix)
• Two roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 can corn, rinsed
• 1/2 can black beans, rinsed
• 1-2 scallions, chopped
• 1/8 c shredded cheese
• Salt and pepper

1. Place dressing ingredients in a food processor until combined.
2. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and thread onto skewers. Grill on medium heat until pink.
3. Arrange greens on a plate and top with corn, beans, tomatoes, scallions and cheese. Top with dressing and shrimp.

Also check out:

• Summer salads, part one: smoked turkey salad with cranberries and bleu cheese
• Summer salads, part three: spinach and bacon salad with grilled peaches and homemade bleu cheese dressing
• Summer salads, part four: loaded lentil salad with feta, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette
• Summer salads, part five: thai chicken salad with peanut dressing
• Thai ginger-honey beef salad

beef & mushroom sloppy joes

Yes, I'm a sloppy joe "packet" girl. I grew up eating it and it was an inexpensive college meal; I can't help it. Unfortunately, I like it - in all its cheap, salty glory - even if I do doctor the packaged recipe up with onions, garlic and sometimes green peppers and mushrooms.

But because I know there are actually good sloppy joe recipes out there, I've been on the hunt for a fresher, healthier recipe. One that hides a little more veg in it. For a long time. (Ask the hubs - I think he's on the edge of hating one of my favorite meals.) Now, on about my fourth sloppy joe recipe, I think I've found it. (And if I find one better, I promise to delete this post and replace it with the better one.) And even this one is doctored up.

Serve it with a bold cheddar and an extra dash of hot sauce. And a dark beer. But don't forget the veggies. After all, it is a lot of meat. But, it's sloppy joe night ... and that's to be expected.

Beef & Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Modified from Cooking Light

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 16-ounces cremini or portabella mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (home grown!)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 slices sharp cheddar
• 4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat rolls or hamburger buns, toasted

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for four minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove onto a paper towel-lined plate and add a little more olive oil to the pan.
2. While beef cooks, place mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Once the beef has been removed, add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan; cook for three to four minutes or until onion is tender. [Salt and] pepper the mixture. Add tomato paste and next five ingredients (through salt) to pan; cook five minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates. Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon about one cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with top halves of buns.

Oh, and in case you're wondering what the side dish is, it's a simple throw-together of steamed carrots tossed with a little olive oil and a good Italian seasoning. That's all. Simple, healthy, delicious.

summer salads, part one: smoked turkey salad with cranberries and bleu cheese

It's summer and that usually means that I want to eat a bit lighter. After all, it's hot where I live and I have a bikini body to keep up with.

My biggest problem is that I'm not really a salad eater, in terms of a meal. I'm down for a fresh, tasty side salad, but usually cringe at the thought of consuming three cups of lettuce, more veggies and a handful of salad toppings. It just seems like such a cold meal. My point is, it has to be a really satisfying salad for me to like it.

Over the next several months, I'll share a few salads that I think are meal worthy – and each is perfect for helping to achieve that beach-ready bod. This is one of them.


Smoked Turkey Salad with Cranberries & Bleu Cheese
Vinaigrette

• Almost 1/4 c olive oil
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Salad

• 4 c lettuce, chopped (I like adding spinach leaves)
• 6 oz. smoked turkey or chicken, sliced (I prefer home-smoked meats, but used good quality, fresh-sliced deli meat in a pinch here)
• 1/2 an apple, thinly sliced and/or handful of dried cranberries
• 3-4 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled
• 3 tbsp. pecan halves or sunflower seeds

Combine vinaigrette and serve over assembled salad.

Still not satisfied? Try these salad ideas:

• Summer salads, part two: grilled shrimp salads with basil-garlic dressing
• Summer salads, part three: spinach and bacon salad with grilled peaches and homemade bleu cheese dressing
• Summer salads, part four: loaded lentil salad with feta, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette
• Summer salads, part five: thai chicken salad with peanut dressing
• Thai Ginger-Honey Beef Salad

carolina-style bbq and grilled romaine with blue cheese-bacon vinaigrette

 
I love BBQ sauce. Like for real love. But I like the mustardy, vinegar sauces. A little bit spicy, with the bold taste of the yellow mustard, the sharp tang of vinegar, and only a touch of sweetness. Finger-licking perfection. For this dinner, I needed to use up some Romaine from my organic produce box and found a Guy Fieri recipe that grilled it and topped it with a little bacon, red onion, and bleu cheese. Yes, please. So, that's what we had. Here's how you can make it, too.

Carolina-style BBQ Sauce

• 1/2 c yellow mustard
• 1/4 c apple-cider vinegar
• 1/4 c light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. mustard powder (I skipped this because it's a little like horseradish, which I don't care for)
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. melted butter

Whisk above ingredients together. Season chicken (~8 chicken thighs or legs is a good number for this amount of sauce) with salt and pepper before slathering with sauce and cooking. Make sure to wrap the meat in foil for five to ten minutes before eating.

Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese-bacon Vinaigrette (courtesy Guy Fieri, serves 6)

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 heads romaine lettuce, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2-3 tomatoes, diced
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the grill to high heat.
2. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add the onions and bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy. To the same pan add the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Brush the romaine lettuce with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, place on the grill cut side down, and quickly sear.
4. Serve the lettuce, cut side up, and drizzle the balsamic dressing over the lettuce. Sprinkle with blue cheese and garnish with cracked black pepper.

easy, healthy side dishes

Running out of ideas for new side dishes? Check out these recipes and tweak them to your taste. Easy, healthy and delicious, these will freshen up any weeknight dinner.

Italian-style Vegetables

This is an easy use-up-what-you-have-in-the-fridge type of side dish. Swap out any of the veggies for what you have, but these are especially tasty together.

Ingredients

• Zucchini, halved lenthwise and then sliced crosswise
• Onion, sliced into 1-inch long strips
• Mushrooms, quartered
• Italian dressing (homemade is better)
• Salt and pepper

1. Toss the zucchini, onion and mushrooms together in a pan with a swirl of prepared Italian dressing so that all of the pieces are evenly coated. Turn the heat up to medium and saute until they are starting to brown and the zucchini and onion are soft.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Garlic and Sun-dried Tomato Corn Muffins (shown above)

• 1 package corn-muffin mix, such as Jiffy
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• Cornmeal

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with nine papers. 
2. In a large bowl combine the muffin mix, corn, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream and eggs until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the muffin mix. Stir to combine.
3. Spoon the mix into the muffin tins, filling up the cups about halfway. Dust with a sprinkle of cornmeal. Bake until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Pan-grilled Corn

The next time you sear chicken in a pan, consider this yummy and flavorful corn side dish. When the chicken is done cooking, wrap it in foil and start the corn. The flavors can be easily modified to suit any style dish.

Ingredients

• 4 c corn
• 1 fresh chile, like serrano or jalapeno, diced (and seeded if you can't take the heat)
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1-2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar or the juice of one lime
• 1/2 c chopped cilantro (or basil)
•  Salt/pepper

1. Add a little oil to the pan with the bits from the chicken still in it; set it over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the corn, chile and garlic; let it cook for a minute. As the corn browns, begin to turn it with a spatula. Do this until all the corn is browned on at least one side.
2. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper, the water and stir in the vinegar or lime juice and the herbs. Serve immediately with the chicken.

Roasted Red Potatoes

There is nothing more satisying that a pile of crispy-on-the-edges and soft-in-the-middle red potatoes. Great for summery dinners and even better in the winter. Mix it up with whatever fresh herb you have, but I like rosemary and garlic – and dipping the quartered potatoes in ketchup when they're done.

Ingredients

• Red potatoes – about 4 small to medium ones per person, quartered
• 1 clove garlic per person
• Handful of rosemary, coarsely chopped
• Salt/pepper
• Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow baking pan, toss the quartered potatoes with olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Season very generously with salt and pepper. (If you like it spicy, add a little cayenne pepper).
2. Roast for ~45 minutes, until the edges are crispy and browned. Stir once or twice during the cooking process and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients

• Asparagus, woody stems removed
• Fresh-shaved parmesan
• Salt/pepper
• Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil in a jelly-roll pan. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast for 18 minutes. Remove from oven, stir around, and top with Parmesan. Roast for two more minutes. Taste, season if needed and serve.

Still need more ideas? Check out these ideas:

• cumin-roasted carrots 
• sauteed snow peas with red onion
• cheesy garlic smashed potatoes
• creamy polenta
• roasted roma tomatoes