Grilled Chicken Breasts with Peach Salsa and Crispy Asparagus

I told you all I would be MIA this last week. My husband came home for a week of leave, and that week filled up fast. Everyone who loves him wanted to see him, and we had side plans for a stay at the beach, it was like we packed a year into one week. I was happy that it went by quite slowly, but now that I just took him to the airport this morning, I am wishing it could have lasted longer. Now my second count down begins for the next half of this tour!

In the next few days I have to get back into my routine, so I thought I would start with a post! This recipe was something I had been wanting to try. I have seen salsas with mangos and oranges before, but I was never sure about them. For some reason a sweet salsa didn't sound appetizing to me. Well, for a couple weeks I was craving peaches like crazy and when I found this recipe and I really wanted to try. I was surprised how all of the different flavors blended together. The sweetness of the peaches, the citrus from the lime, and a little kick of spice from the jalapenos. You wouldn't think those would taste good together, but with a hot grilled piece of chicken the flavors really came together and make for one fabulous dinner!

Who needs fries when you can get the same crispy texture, with tons more nutrition from these crispy baked asparagus?!

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Peach Salsa and Crispy Asparagus
Pillsbury Fast and Healthy Cookbook


Ingredients:
Salsa:
1 cup chopped peaches (peeled if desired)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
Dash salt

Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat cast iron grill pan on medium heat. In a medium bowl, combine peaches, lime juice and brown sugar; mix well. Stir in bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, and dash of salt.
2. Place 1 chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Working from center, gently pour with flat side of mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick; remove wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast.
3. When ready to grill, lightly sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; then brush lightly with olive oil  on both sides of breasts. Place chicken on grill pan, cook 6-10 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, turning once. Serve chicken with salsa.

Serves 4.

Nutrition: (1/4 of recipe) Calories 160; Fat 3g; Cholesterol 75mg; Fiber 1g; Protein 27g; Carb 6g

Crispy Baked Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

2 egg whites

Bunch of asparagus (20-30 pieces depending on size)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º and line a baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on the foil. 
2. Gently find the breaking point of each asparagus, and discard the bottoms. Wash and dry stalks.
3. Combine panko, parmesan, and salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat the egg whites in a separate shallow dish. 
4. Dip each stalk into the egg whites then into the panko bread crumbs; if crumbs are not sticking dip into egg whites one more time and repeat. Place on wire rack on baking sheet lined with foil. Repeat until all asparagus stalks are covered. 
5. Bake for 20 minutes until bread crumbs turn golden brown. 

Serves 4.

Nutrition: Calories 183; Fat 5g; Carbs 22mg; Cholesterol 6mg; Protein 13g; Fiber 3g

Couscous and Summer Vegetable Saute

Couscous is one of those ingredients I wasn't too sure of. For a while now I have been intrigued to try it  and I was looking for a light and nutritious recipe for my first try. I believe I found a great one. This dish was lightly flavored but really filling. I loved the freshness with the vegetables and the heartiness of the couscous. It is great as a side dish, or even on it's own. At less than 200 calories per cup, its a healthy and delicious meal! 

Make sure to fluff the coucous with a fork to get the great hearty texture.

Couscous and Summer Vegetable Saute
myrecipes.com


Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium/2 small)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups fresh corn (or thawed if frozen)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Keep couscous warm.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onion; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in couscous and corn; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in salt and black pepper.

Serves 6

Nutrition: (per 2/3 cup) Calories 133; Fat 1.8g; Protein 4.5g; Carbs 25.9g; Fiber 2.6g; Cholesterol 0mg; 

Flaxseed and Oatmeal Wheat Bread

I have been MIA for the past week and I am so behind in my postings! My husband comes home soon for a week long leave and I have been so busy getting things ready for his arrival. I haven't even cooked a meal in almost a week! What is going on? I have been planning his birthday and the meals I am making for when he is home that I have let my fridge get down to the bear minimum. Pretty much I have been microwaving a lot of meals for myself. :)

Well, I will definitely be away for the whole time he is here, but I will definitely pick back up after he heads back overseas. I have tons of recipes I want to make and I promise I will start posting a lot more!

This bread is really not for those with a sweet tooth. If you want to make it a little bit sweeter, just add a little more honey, or agave syrup in my case. I thought I had more honey left, but the agave worked perfectly fine. I love sweet things, but I knew this bread is not a sweet one so I spread a little honey when I snack. If I know that I am getting a lot of nutrients and healthy ingredients in my foods, I am not just upset if it isn't super sweet. The best thing about the bread was having a slice covered in honey with my cup of coffee in the morning! Great way to start the day!



Here you could really top your bread with anything, or nothing. I had a little leftover walnuts from a previous recipe so I decided to throw them on. Delicious!  



Flaxseed and Oatmeal Wheat Bread
adapted from allrecipes.com


Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats (additional for topping, if desired)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons agave syrup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped nuts, if desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450º degrees.
2. Grind oatmeal in a food processor or blender. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, baking powder, flaxseed, and salt. In a seperate bowl, dissolve honey in a vegetable oil then stir in the milk. Combine both mixture and stir until a soft batter is formed. Pour into greased 8x4in loaf pan. If desired top with 1 tablespoon oats or chopped nuts, gently press into the batter.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes until top is golden brown.

Serves 12

Nutrition: (per slice) Calories 98; Fat 2.6g; Cholesterol 2mg; Carbs 15.5g; Fiber 2.5g; Protein 3.15g

Spicy Pasta with Olive Oil & Sun-dried Tomatos

I am officially in love with sun dried tomatoes. Since I first started eating them, I am trying to find any excuse to put them in the things I make. I believe there are two out of the other eight recipes I have in backstock that have sun dried tomatoes. Don't even know what it is about them that I love so much, but I want them in everything! 

This pasta was full of great flavor. With a little bit of spice and saltiness from the cheese. You really want to try and save some of the water every time you make a sauce with an oil base. The starchiness from the pasta infuses the water, giving your sauce a thicker consistency. I love seeing the difference after you add the water. You can really tell!

Sorry for the lack of pictures this time, but it's really simple I promise!

Spicy Pasta with Olive Oil & Sun-dried Tomatoes


Ingredients:
1 package of spaghetti, whole grain/fiber (any healthy kind of pasta)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
14 cup sun-dried tomatos, in oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
1/4 cup parmesan, plus a little more for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions, a little less than al dente. Drain pasta, saving 1/2 cup pasta water. Do not drain pasta with water, you will lose the starchiness that allows the sauce to stick. 
2. In same pot, add olive oil and garlic. Cook 1 minute until garlic starts to brown a little, do not burn garlic otherwise it will be bitter. Add sun dried tomatos and red pepper flakes, cook for 1 minute. 
3. Take off heat; add pasta, cheese, 1/4 cup pasta water (more if desired), and salt and pepper to taste. Toss until combined. 
4. If desired, top with cheese and bread.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: Calories 515; Fat 22g; Cholesterol 6mg; Carb 76g; Fiber 10g; Protein 14g

Grilled Raspberry and Rosemary-Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Ever since I bought my cast iron grill pan, I have been trying to find reasons to use it. As much as I like grilling outdoors, I want to find as many recipes for indoor grilling as I can. We are in the Pacific Northwest where summer lasts for like two weeks. The char on the drumsticks was a bit more than what I would have liked, but I am still learning how to use my cast iron pan and I turned the heat on a little too high at first. You should have seen my kitchen, it was a little hazy there for a couple minutes. Oh how I love fanning my smoke detector so it doesn't go off. I'm sure everyone has had to do that once or twice right...right?! :)

Grilled Raspberry and Rosemary-Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
Betty Crocker's Healthy New Choices


Ingredients:
1/4 cup seedless raspberry spreadable fruit
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 tablespoon rosemary, minced
2 pounds chicken drumsticks, skin removed

Directions:

1. Mix spreadable fruit, lemon juice, mustard, and rosemary; brush on drumsticks. 
2. Heat cast iron grill pan on medium heat, when hot brush lightly with oil. Grill drumsticks 5-6 minutes per side, 25-30 mins until center reaches 160º with thermometer or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Occasionally brush with extra fruit mixture. To make chicken cook faster, and prevent lots of splatter, cover lightly with any kind of pan lid. 
3. To Broil: Set oven control to broil. Place chicken on broiler pan. Brush with fruit mixture. Broil chicken with tips 7 to 9 inches from heat 20 minutes; turn. Brush with fruit mixture. Broil 10 to 15 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. 

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: (2 drumsticks) Calories 270; Fat 12g; Cholesterol 90mg; Sodium 130mg; Carb 10g; Fiber 0g; Protein 30g

Pulled Pork Panini

After my day of slow-cooking I found that I had plenty of Pulled Pork left over to feed a family of 10. I then spent the next couple days finding ways to use those left overs. Then I came across this naan bread at the store. All of a sudden I was in the mood for a warm pork panini. This really is a fast recipe, the only time taking part is the caramelization of the onions. Now don't judge me on my onions, it was my first time making them. Perfection comes with practice and I plan on making them again many times! 

The one surprise from this was the bread. It came out of the panini press crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. A few days later I paired the second bread with a large bowl of pasta, and it was fantastic. I have found recipes for naan bread and I plan on making it very soon! 

Pulled Pork Panini


Ingredients:
1 flatbread, wrap, pita, or naan
1 onion, caramlized
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup bbq pulled pork
1 -2 tablespoons cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat a non stick skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and onion julienned. Stirring occasionally so onions don't stick, cook until onion is brown and soft; about 20-30 minutes. 
2. Place pork on 1/2 of bread, layer with cheese and onions. Press in a panini press and cook until heated through. Cut in half.

Serves 2

Nutrition: Calories 413; Fat 19g; Cholesterol 51mg; Carb 41mg; Fiber 5g; Protein 25g

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

Along with baking, summer is my favorite time to pull out the crock pot. Putting together all of your ingredients and throwing them in one pot. The rest of the day you can do what ever you please while dinner cooks for you. This time I was craving some pulled pork. The funny thing is that I have never had pull pork. It's odd I know. The house smelled so good all day while the crock pot was on. This recipe is so versatile too. You can make a sandwich like I did, tacos, quesadillas, or even a pizza recipe!  Trust me with this recipe you will have plenty left over for days worth of left overs. So much awesomeness with one ingredient. :)

The little blue thing was one of those timers that pop up when the meat is done. I tried to take it out before cooking but it was stuck!

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
adapted from All You magazine Issue May 2007


Ingredients:
1 (3lb) boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, or water
2 cups bottled or homemade barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Trim pork of any excess fat, season with salt and pepper. Scatter onion over bottom of slow cooker and place pork on top. Add brother, cover and cook on low until very tender, about 8 hours. Removed meat and let cool.
2. When cool enough to handle, pull meat into thin shreds (use two forks or hands), removing all fat and gristle. Drain liquid from slow cooker, leaving onion. 
3. Return pulled pork to slow cooker and stir in barbecue sauce, mustard, honey, and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour longer on low. If desired, serve with hamburger buns and sides of pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, and coleslaw.

Makes 6 serves.

Nutrition: Calories 584; Fat 24g; Protein 50g; Carb 38g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 178mg; Sodium 192mg