Sesame Encrusted Baked Chicken with Chinese Salad

Sesame Chicken

recipe from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/08/sesame-encrusted-baked-chicken-tenders.html

Ingredients

18 ounces chicken tenderloins

Salt & Pepper

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce

6 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

4 tablespoons panko

Olive oil spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick oil spray. Combine the sesame oil and soy sauce in a bowl, and the sesame seeds, salt, pepper, and panko in another bowl. Place chicken in the bowl with the sesame oil and soy sauce, then into the sesame seed mixture to coat well. Place on the baking sheet and lightly spray the top of the chicken with the olive oil spray. Bake 8-10 minutes. Turn over and cook another 4-5 minutes longer or until cooked through.

Chinese Salad

recipe adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/chinese-chicken-salad-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded

3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce

Directions

Put shredded red cabbage, napa cabbage, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. In another bowl place rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, canola oil, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce whisk until combined. Toss with salad and top with toasted almonds.

Mozzarella-Caprese Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Bundle of fresh basil

4 garlic cloves

Dried Basil

Garlic Powder

Salt & Pepper

Balsamic Vinegar

EVOO

Directions

Slice chicken breasts in half and place into a zip lock bag. Chop 2 cloves of minced garlic and place into plastic bag. Chop a handful of fresh basil and place into bag. Sprinkle garlic powder, dried basil, salt & pepper into bag. Put about 2 tablespoons of evoo into bag. Zip bag and shake to distribute all ingredients. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Once done, grill chicken.

While chicken is grilling place halved grape tomatoes, diced mozzarella, 2 minced garlic cloves, about 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of evoo, more diced fresh basil, salt & pepper into a bowl. Mix to combine and refrigerate until ready.

Once chicken is done cooking place onto a dish. Top with mozzarella-caprese salad and serve.

Healthy Stuffed Peppers

adapted from: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/04/stuffed-peppers-with-italian-sausage.html

Ingredients

6 red or green peppers, or a mixture of colors
1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 pkg.turkey Italian sausage

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced red pepper (tops of bell peppers)

3 garlic cloves, minced

4-5 button mushrooms, diced

4-6 tsp. olive oil for browning meat and veggies

Salt & Pepper

1 cup Marinara Sauce (homemade or store bought)

2 cups grated low fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut tops off peppers, making a deep enough cut that you have some pepper to chop for the filling. Square off the bottom of each pepper to make them stand up. (It's nice to have a small hole in the bottom so any extra fat can drain out, and cutting off the bottoms also accomplishes this.)  Clean out inside of peppers and wash if needed.  Choose a pan that will keep the peppers standing upright and spray with olive oil or nonstick spray.

In very large frying pan, heat a small amount of olive oil and cook chop meat until lightly browned. Put the browned meat in a colander or fine-mesh strainer,and let drain. In same frying pan, add a tiny amount of olive oil, squeeze turkey sausage out of links, and cook until lightly brown.  Add to hamburger in colander and drain.

Put a bit more olive oil to the pan and cook chopped peppers, onions, garlic, and button mushrooms for about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Turn off heat and add meat back to pan. Add 1 cup of marinara sauce and season mixture again with salt & pepper. Let mixture cool slightly, and then add 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese and almost all of the parmesan cheese (leaving extra to sprinkle on top). Stuff each pepper with mixture using a large spoon and pressing in tightly until you use all of the filling. Put more mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top of each pepper. Cover the dish loosely with foil, tenting it up so it doesn't touch the tops of the peppers.

Bake, covered with foil for about 30 minutes. Take off foil and bake another 20 minutes until cheese is melted completely and the top is slightly browned. Serve hot.

Avocado Chicken Salad

adapted from: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/05/recipe-for-chicken-and-avocado-salad.html

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

2 medium avocados, diced
Juice from 2 limes

Salt & Pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons mayo

Directions

Dice the chicken into medium-size pieces. Dice the avocados into medium-sized pieces, mix juice from 1 lime and season avocado with salt and pepper.  Thinly slice the green onion and finely chop the cilantro.  Mix mayo and and the juice from the other lime, salt and pepper to make the dressing.

Put the chicken into a bowl large enough to hold all the salad ingredients.  Add the sliced green onions and dressing and toss until all the chicken is coated with dressing.  Add the avocado and any lime juice in the bottom of the bowl and gently combine with the chicken.  Then add the chopped cilantro and gently mix into the salad, just until it is barely combined. Serve right away or chill for a while before serving. 

Mediterranean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

adapted from: http://www.marthastewart.com/877005/mediterranean-chicken-lettuce-wrap-tacos

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

2 tablespoons Mediterranean Spice (recipe to follow)

1/2 red onion sliced thin

Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

Butter Lettuce

Tomatoes, diced

Crumbled Feta

Kalamata Olives

Directions

Preheat a grill. Season chicken with 2 tablespoons mediterranean spice and place on grill. Grill chicken until fully cooked and then set aside.

While chicken is cooking make balsamic vinaigrette. To serve tacos, place a leaf of butter lettuce onto a plate. Top with chicken, tomatoes, feta, red onions, and kalamata olives. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette on top.

Mediterranean Spice

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Direcions

Combine all spices.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped shallots

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt & Pepper

1/2 cup evoo

Directions

In medium bowl whisk all ingredients together, except for the evoo. Slowly add evoo to bowl whisking until combined. Season to taste.