Instapot Greek Chicken

So Mexico is T-5 weeks.  I've still got extra belly flubber to burn off, and it is coming off slower than I'd like.  However, I am feeling so much stronger in my legs and upper body right now from my dedication to workouts, so I'm going to call it a win and keep going :)  This meal fits in great to help me reach my goals, and HELLO...another instapot recipe for the win!

I was scrolling through Instagram the other day and saw this, and I seriously wanted it right then.  I had every ingredient, so lo and behold it was our dinner that night!  We ate it on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, feta, and cucumbers with a side of fruit and it was tasty stuff :)  The next day for lunch, I heated up some cauliflower rice and ate it over that....and that was even better.  Then I ate it again for dinner, and it was finally gone.  Once drained of the juices it would be great in a wrap as well.

Instapot Greek Chicken

1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 - 2 lbs chicken (boneless skinless breasts or thighs)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon dill
1 lemon
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water and 1 bullion cube)
12oz jar roasted red peppers
12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
optional: fresh minced parsley

Set electric pressure cooker to saute mode.  Add olive oil, onion, and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes until softened.  Turn saute mode off.  

Place chicken breasts in pressure cooker and sprinkle in all seasonings.  Add chicken broth and juice from half of the lemon.  Secure lid.  Cook on manual high pressure for 6 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes or so on natural release and then quick-release remaining pressure.  (If you're crammed for time, you can quick release immediately after cooking, I just find the chicken turns out a little better if I let it sit for a few.)

Remove chicken and place on cutting board.  Drain juices from roasted peppers and dice, drain juice from artichokes and leave as is or rough chop as desired.  Add both to pot and stir so they can warm through.  Shred chicken and add back into juices.  Add juice from remaining half lemon.  Stir everything together and add parsley if desired.  

Serve on pitas with cucumber and tzatziki, or over rice or cauliflower rice, or in wraps, or whatever you like!  

*If chicken is larger than 1" thick, cut horizontally to make thinner before placing in pressure cooker.

Alternate Slowcooker instructions:  I prefer bone-in breasts for slow-cooking, but you can use whatever you like.  Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 4-ish hours until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites    

Copycat Cafe DaVinci Blackened Chicken Pasta

I tell you what...one of my favorite food destinations is....Columbus Ohio.  I've been to lots of big cities, and the one place that has me craving certain dishes over and over again is this city.   We went and visited last year with friends and seriously just went from restaurant to restaurant and threw a football game in the mix.  It was glorious!  Here are just a few of our selections...

Olive Tree

Graeters

Jenis Ice Cream

North Star Cafe

And Cafe DaVinci

It's amazing how food brings people together and brings back the best of memories, isn't it?!  Anyhow, after years of weekend cravings not being fulfilled, we decided it was time to try our hand at Cafe DaVinci's blackened chicken.  It is a great mix of cajun/italian, definitely not something I would have dreamed up on my own.  Lets just say this turned out rather spectacular and cravings were satisfied!  Give it a try, just be warned this definitely has KICK :)

Copycat Cafe DaVinci Blackened Chicken Pasta

Kosher salt
Four 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
Blackening Spice Rub, recipe follows
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1 pound fettuccine
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, for garnish
Basalmic Glaze (bought or homemade)

Blackening Spice Rub: (or can buy pre-mixed...we bought a Zatarains brand)

1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons granulated onion
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat. 

Dredge the chicken breasts in the Blackening Spice Rub. Place in the cast-iron skillet. Blacken both sides of the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and place in the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and slice the chicken into strips on the bias. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and lightly brown it, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the wine. Pour in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by half. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chicken slices. 

Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine al dente, according to the package directions. Drain. 

When the cream sauce is at the desired consistency, stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the sea salt, pepper and pasta. 

To serve, toss the pasta with the cream sauce and serve on large rimmed plates. Garnish with the green onions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.  Drizzle with basalmic glaze.  

Blackening Spice Rub:
Combine the garlic, black pepper, salt cumin, onion, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika and chili powder in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Source:  Food Network

New Orleans Style Gumbo

After returning from Disneyland and craving some gumbo from the Orleans Cafe, I went on a hunt for a recipe to satisfy my cravings!  Granted, this may not be the easiest dinner out there as it takes a long time to brown the roux.  It. Is. Worth. The. Time.  Seriously!  What is the saying...the secret ingredient is love?!  I say the secret ingredient to many recipes is TIME, which I think equals LOVE. So, next time you are craving some Southern comfort food or want to host a Mardi Gras party...make this.  It is soooo worth it! Enjoy :)

New Orleans Style Gumbo

For the Roux:

1 heaping cup flour
2/3 cup oil

For the Gumbo:
1 whole bunch/stock celery, diced, leaves and all
1 green pepper, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bunch of green onion, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1-2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
6-8 cups of homemade chicken stock
1 Andouille Sausage, sliced into "coins" (substitute Polska Kielbasa if you can't find a good Andouille)
Meat from 1 Rotisserie Chicken*
2 cups cooked Shrimp
Cooked white rice, for serving


For the Roux*:
In a large, heavy bottom stock pot combine flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 minutes. This part takes patience--when it's finished it should be as dark as chocolate and have a soft, "cookie dough" like consistency. Be careful not to let it burn! Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency.

In a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices in one layer in the pan. Brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a fork to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate.

Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot. Add remaining 5 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Add veggies, parsley, and roux to the pot and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender. (Skim off any foam that may rise to the top of the pot.) Stir in cajun seasoning, to taste. Add chicken, sausage, and shrimp.

At this point taste it and add more seasonings to your liking--salt, pepper, chicken bullion paste, garlic, more Joe's stuff or more chicken broth--until you reach the perfect flavor. Serve warm over rice. (Tastes even better the next day!)

Notes

*You can make the roux a day or two in advance to cut down on prep time!

*The best way to make this gumbo is by buying a rotisserie chicken--removing all the chicken, and using the carcass to make homemade chicken stock. Then make the gumbo using the homemade broth. You could use store-bought chicken broth, but homemade is way better! 

Recipe Source: Tastes Better From Scratch

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry

Well, I've decided to start posting some of my healthy meals, regardless if there is an actual recipe or not.  I need to keep motivated, and looking back on here for healthy meal ideas will help me do that :)

Anyhow, I just threw this together for lunch...I had a package of broccoli/broccoli slaw/snow pea mix that I needed to use up and half a bag of quinoa/brown rice that needed to be used as well.  So this is what I came up with.  Now, this isn't 100% 21-Day Fix approved.  I did add an orange container of stir fry sauce, but I highly doubt 2 Tbsp of sauce is going to ruin my day!

I'm always looking for new ways to switch things up on this diet...feel free to share!

I counted this recipe as follows:

2 GREEN  
1.5 YELLOW  
1 ORANGE  
1 RED
2 tsp

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry 
(for my one serving)

3/4 cup Seeds of Change quinoa/brown rice mix
2 Cups mixed veggies (I used broccoli, carrots, snow peas, broccoli slaw)
3/4 cup sliced chicken sausage
2 Tbsp Stir Fry Sauce
2 tsp coconut oil

Cook up sausage and veggies in coconut oil until tender and heated through.  Heat Seeds of change as indicated on package.  Stir stirfry sauce into veggie mixture until coated.  Enjoy!

21 Day Fix Creamy Chicken Salad

 Well, here's a newsflash for you...I have NEVER finished a diet plan, ever.  I also am just hitting my 6-week mark post-baby boy and am desperate to get these unwanted baby pounds gone...plus some.  So I am really putting my heart all-in this time.  Plus, the hubs is actually doing it with me this time which will make a huge difference.  AND I am in a weightless challenge to keep me accountable.  So, between all these things, I am hoping to stay on track.

The program I chose to follow is the 21-Day Fix.  If you have not heard of it, it is a portion-controlled diet along with 30-minute exercises.  The reason I chose this was the length of the exercises, the fact that it does not eliminate any food group, and I am hoping teaches me good habits for the future.  I have been experimenting with the workouts and a few recipes the last few weeks, but today is my day #1 of doing this full-out.  So far, I have been impressed.  I feel like there is no way I will ever eat the calories allowed (I bumped myself up  to the next higher calorie bracket since I am breastfeeding).  The best part is I do not feel limited on what I can have (besides the junk stuff)...just how much.

The other part of the diet I have really enjoyed and have been doing for about a week is drinking Shakeology.  The stuff is pricy, but it is delicious.  It definitely makes me want less junk and sugar by curbing my cravings, and keeps me fuller longer.  I am going to bite the bullet of the cost and keep it going, because it is full of goodness.  

This chicken salad is super yummy and the dressing is tasty as well.  Keep watching for my final review of the program after 21 days!

21-Day Fix Creamy Chicken Salad

Serves 4 (1 1/4 cups each) | Containers: 1 green if serving over romaine or 1 yellow if eating over 1 piece whole grain bread, 1/2 purple, 1 red, 1/2 blue, 1/2 orange

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken breast (boneless, skinless) (I used turkey breast this time)
1/2 cup chopped green apple
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, cut in half
1/3 cup raw almonds
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup honey mustard salad dressing (see below)
8 cups shredded romaine lettuce

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

1/2 cup reduced fat (2%) plain greek yogurt
3T Dijon mustard, gluten-free
3T raw honey
3T rice vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pink salt to taste
Combine the yogurt, mustard, honey, and vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk until combined

Then slowly add oil, whisking until well blended.

Adjust the salt until it’s totally awesome for ya!

…putting it all together

Combine all ingredients except for the lettuce in a large bowl, mix well, and refrigerate (covered) for 2 hours

Serve 1 1/4 cups of the creamy chicken salad over 2 cups of romaine lettuce or whole grain bread.

Recipe Source:  Fit Baby Steps

Grilled Thai Pork or Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce

 We just busted out our first kabobs of the year.  There is seriously nothing more satisfying than grilling or smoking your own dinner outside and having it taste completely awesome!!  I love trying out new marinades with different meats to find tasty combinations.  This one was a winner indeed.  A little kick, and the peanut sauce on the side was fab.  We served it up with some grilled asparagus freshly picked from down the street and some couscous.  So, so good!

Grilled Thai Pork or Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce


3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
Juice from 1 lime squeezed 
3 Cloves of minced garlic
1 Tablespoon of Siracha
Shake of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
Cubed chicken/pork

Mix all ingredients, place in freezer bag or large bowl.  Marinate for at least a few hours before grilling (Can be frozen for easy meal prep ahead of time).  

Recipe Source:  Ms. Simplicity

Peanut Dipping Sauce


3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. siracha hot sauce
¼ cup water
chopped peanuts to taste

Recipe Source:  Favorite Family Recipes

Pozole Verde (with Chicken)

 I've talked about it many times, but where we live we are absolutely immersed in Mexican/Hispanic culture.  This is especially true at my hubby's work, where he works with 25 women that are from that background.  Needless to say, many of the potlucks that go on at their office have to do with delicious authentic Mexican dishes.  One potluck I went to recently was a pozole potluck where a few ladies brought their best recipes.  Both my hubs and I fell in love with a green pozole.  Since then, I've thought about it and never thought I could pull it off.  Well, I got brave :)

What is posole you say?  Pozole is a soup/stew that generally has pork or chicken, a delicious broth (mine included tomatillos), and hominy.  What is hominy, you say?  Wikipedia explains is as this: "To make hominy, field corn (maize) grain is dried, then treated by soaking and cooking the mature (hard) grain in a dilute solution of lye, slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) or wood ash, a process termed nixtamalization. The soaked maize is washed, and then ground into masa. When fresh masa is dried and powdered, it becomes masa seca or masa harina." And masa is made into corn tortillas. Hominy is catching it before the drying stage. Then it is all topped off with things like avocado, lime, radishes, cabbage, and cilantro to name a few.

After dinner, my hubby told me "not bad for a white girl!" I'm guessing he liked it!

Pozole Verde (with chicken)

-Two 15 ounce cans cooked hominy, or 4 cups home-cooked hominy (8 ounces dry will yield approximately 4 cups)
-1 large white onion, sliced thin lengthwise
-6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
-bay leaf
-salt
-3 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (I'm sure you could also use breast meat, but I don't think the resulting broth would be as flavorful)
-1/2 cup pepitas
-1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed with warm water
-1 -2 bunches fresh cilantro
-1 teaspoon dried epazote
-2 tablespoons canola oil

Delicious Garnishes:
-avocados, chopped and tossed with salt and lime juice
-radishes, chopped
-small white onion, chopped
-additional chopped cilantro
-lots of limes
-more epazote, or crushed oregano
-very thin-sliced cabbge

As I mentioned above, if you are using dried hominy, it needs to be soaked and cooked before you can make the pozole. I followed the instructions on the package. 

In a stockpot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil.  Add 1/2 sliced onion, 3 cloves garlic, bay, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot. Cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Next, add the whole chicken thighs to the pot. Skim off any foam that forms. Simmer very gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Use kitchen tongs to remove the chicken and set it on a platter to cool. Strain the broth and set it aside for later. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it with your fingers and set aside.

Grind pepitas in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. ( I think it's brilliant that this recipe uses these ground pepitas for a thickener for the stew.) Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups water with remaining 1/2 onion and tomatillos over high heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 10 minutes, until veggies are tender. Discard the cooking liquid and place the cooked tomatillos and onions into a standing blender along with 1/4 cup cilantro, 3 more cloves garlic, epazote, and 1.5 teaspoons salt. Blend thoroughly.

Heat canola oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pureed veg to the hot pan - be careful as it will be splattery. Cook the sauce uncovered, stirring regularly until it thickens - about 10 minutes. Add the ground pepitas and 1 cup of the broth reserved from cooking the chicken, stir and cook another 5 minutes. 

Finally add the shredded chicken, cooked hominy, and 3 cups of reserved broth to the pot. Simmer partially covered for 20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Season with additional salt to taste - though keep in mind that adding freshly squeeze lime to soup will add a nice punch.

Scoop warm pozole into low bowls and serve with all the wonderful garnishes. Now that's good.

serves 6

Recipe Source:  Yummy Supper

Black Beans and Rice with Chicken and Apple Salsa

Well, it appears we are headed to Mexico this summer!  So excited for a little child-free time with the hubs :)  In conjunction with that, I am feeling more pressure than ever to get these baby pounds gone.  Did I mention my baby is 14 months?!  Ya, it's time.  Overall, I have been eating much better, but I just can't get rid of my love of baking.  Being able to send treats with the hubs to work has been my saving grace lately.

My hubs loves hearty meals, and things like this usually are not what he wants for dinner.  When he came in the door he said "that looks way too healthy!"  By the time he was done, he said "I stand corrected once again."  He compared the dish to beans and rice we got in Puerto Rico that he LOVED!

And don't turn your nose up at the apple salsa.  It brings everything together and gives it that "fresh" element. So, so good!

Black Beans and Rice with Chicken and Apple Salsa
Adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2012 

1 cup chopped peeled Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion, divided
2 limes
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoons coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 13.5 ounce can chicken broth
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups cooked brown or white rice
1 rotisserie chicken, or 4 grilled chicken breasts
4-6 lime wedges

Combine apple, cilantro, 2 tablespoons onion, and the juice from half a lime.  Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and black pepper.  Set aside.

Combine remaining onion, bell pepper, and oil in a large skillet.  Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until completely softened, 6-7 minutes.  Add garlic and next 3 ingredients; stir constantly for 2 minutes.  Stir in broth and beans; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium; simmer briskly, mashing some of hte beans with the back of a spoon and stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 8-10 minutes (or longer if needed).  Season with salt and pepper to taste and a big squeeze of lime juice.  Divide rice and beans among plates.  Top with some chicken and apple salsa.  Garnish with additional cilantro and lime wedges.  Serves 4-6.

Recipe Source:  Our Best Bites

Firecracker Chicken

I love it when I find a new recipe that my hubby just raves about.  Some of his favorite Pinterest finds I have made are Breaded Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce,Spicy Sausage Pasta, Saucy Crockpot Red Beans and Rice, Broccoli Beef, andCopycat Lion House Bacon Fried Rice and Sweet and Sour Meatballs to name a few.  This one is going in the books with this category!  

Really, these aren't too spicy at all.  Just a yummy sauce ready to fulfill your Chinese food cravings :)  He said the leftovers were great the next day for lunch as well. Enjoy!

Firecracker Chicken


¼ cup canola oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt
pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten

Sauce:
⅓ cup buffalo sauce (if you like more heat use hot sauce, like Frank’s brand)
1¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.

In separate bowls, place cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs. Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture. I have also found that you can put the cornstarch in a gallon sized bag and shake the chicken to coat.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, buffalo sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, water, salt and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and bake for 1 hour.

I stirred the chicken every 15 minutes so that it coated them in the sauce.


Recipe Source:  The Recipe Critic

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with Grilled Summer Veggies

Every time we have gone to Bonefish Grill, the hubs always orders Bang Bang Shrimp.  I am not much of a seafood gal, but I tasted one anyhow and LOVED the sauce!  On a future trip, I saw they had some bang bang chicken and I'm hooked!  This chicken is not the same as they do in the restaurant...I wanted a little healthier version rather than the breaded variety (although delicious).  

We paired ours up with some yummy zucchini, summer squash, green bell pepper, red onion, and couscous for a delicious dinner.  If nothing else, make the sauce and try it on some different meats, with your chicken nuggets...experiment and see what you like!

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with Grilled Summer Veggies

4 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 12-oz package of mushrooms, cut in half
1 pint grape tomatoes
Olive oil, a few tablespoons for drizzling
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
2 teaspoons chile garlic sauce, or more to taste

Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes before using. You can also use metal skewers.

Thread the chicken, zucchini, onion, mushrooms and tomatoes onto the skewers (keep each thing separate since they have different cooking times). Drizzle the chicken and veggies with oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and chile garlic sauce. Set aside.

Pre-heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the skewers. Cook the veggies for 6-8 minutes, or until tender, and the chicken 10-12 minutes.

Remove the skewers from the grill and let rest a few minutes. Remove the chicken and veggies from the skewers before eating. Toss the chicken with the sauce and serve alongside the veggies.

Recipe Source:  Taste of Home Cooking

Copycat Kneaders Chicken Salad

It's Spring!  I was definitely ready for some Springtime meals this last week, and nothing says warm weather meal to me like a chicken salad sandwich!  So I went to my files and found this one I haven't tried yet, and I must say I think I have found my new go-to!

This claims to be a copycat of Kneaders chicken salad, and I must say I haven't ever tried Kneader's version...but I know I love this!  

Copycat Kneaders Chicken Salad

1/4 cup white vinegar
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
1-1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/4 cup sour cream
4 stocks celery, chopped
1 bunch green onion, chopped
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and shredded*

Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise and sour cream together.  Mix celery, green onion and chicken in separate bowl. Mix all ingredients together. Let set overnight or for a few hours for the best flavor.  Serve on buns or rolls.

*For my chicken, I placed 6 chicken breasts in the crockpot with a can of chicken stock and sprinkled with seasoning salt.  Cook on high for 4 hours.  Place cooked chicken in Kitchen Aid mixer and use paddle attachment to shred chicken to desired consistency.

Recipe Source:  Six Sisters Stuff

Oriental Chicken Salad

I've mentioned it before, but I live in a small-town.  The small-town is predominately compromised of those from the Hispanic culture.  Therefore pretty much all of the restaurants around here are Hispanic restaurants.  There is one little gem among the tacos and burritos called Bon Vinos Bistro.  I have had phenomenal breakfast, sandwiches, desserts, and this salad (or at least my interpretation of it :)  I loved this salad when I first tasted it and knew I needed to recreate it.  

The description from their menu says..."Grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, coleslaw mix, toasted almonds, Linguini noodle, sweet & sour dressing, topped with green onions."  Simple enough, right?!  I found a ginger sesame dressing that was delicious on this salad.  I actually got it at Walmart in the produce section, it is the Marketside brand.  I had some yummy homemade fettucine noodles from my hubby's grandma, and they were perfect for this!

Oriental Chicken Salad

Coleslaw Mix
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Sliced almonds
Chicken Breasts
Fettucine or Linguine noodles, cooked al dente
Sliced green onions
Sesame Ginger Dressing

I marinated the chicken in some of the dressing for 3-4 hours then grilled it and sliced it.  Mix the coleslaw mix with the romaine lettuce and pile on each plate.  Mix the cooled noodles with more dressing and chill.  Pile noodles on lettuce, place chicken on top and sprinkle with almonds and green onions. Drizzle with more dressing if desired.

Recipe Source:  My Own Recreation

Sriracha Honey Chicken

I feel so out of it when it comes to my little food blog.  I started doing this about 6 years ago as a way to share our family's favorite recipes and turned into quite the hobby!  I want to keep it going, but lately with the whole home building process, 3 small children, and life in general it has taken a back-burner for now.  I do want to keep it going when I can!  Maybe when life slows down a bit I can make my posts a more regular thing :)  

Anyhow, we have been eating a lot healthier around here (for the most part).  We are trying to incorporate more veggies into all meals, and so far so good.  I follow a girl on Instagram and have loved seeing her ideas for eating whole.  This recipe for the chicken comes from her.  See the link below for her blog ;)

Sriracha Honey Chicken

3 chicken breasts, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. Sriracha Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook until almost cooked through.  Drain any juices from pan, add honey, sriracha, garlic, and salt and pepper and cook until the outside of the chicken gets a little caramelized.  

*I served this over rice and stir-fried veggies.  Fried rice would be great as well.

Recipe Source:  Eating Whole

Cobb Salad

I take a very loose interpretation of Cobb salad.  I like to switch up a few ingredients every time I make it based on what I have in the refrigerator.  I love that this salad is definitely hearty enough for a dinner...especially when you pair it up with a fresh slice of French bread. Yum!

The "classic" Cobb is as follows: 

Classic Cobb Salad

bacon
chicken
blue cheese
tomato
avocado
bibb lettuce
hard boiled eggs
and from what I've seen, the classic has may variations on dressing choices.  

I like to switch it up with things like:

black beans
olives
cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
corn
romaine lettuce

The dressings I prefer are:

balsamic vinaigrette
honey mustard 
ranch
raspberry vinaigrette
poppy seed
creamy Caesar

Use your imagination and come up with your favorite combination :)  What do you put on yours?  I'm always looking for new variations!