So this is an easy one… honestly. When regular couscous is involved… it’s pretty easy! And, if you want to go vegetarian, just take out the cheese and chicken and you’ve still got more than 10g of protein per serving!! Whole wheat couscous has 8g of protein per serving, and I added some flax seed meal to this and it has 6g of protein per serving! Good way to get a large amount of your daily needs in one meal!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups whole wheat couscous, uncooked
• 1 TB flax seed meal (I used Trader Joes)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 TB butter
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lemons (I used the zest AND the juice from the lemons)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• parmesan to sprinkle on top
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add in 1 TB olive oil and the 2 TB of butter. Stir in the couscous, and the mixed vegetables and flax meal. Cover the pan, remove from the heat and let stand for five minutes. 
2. While the couscous is sitting, cook the chicken. I brought 1 TB of olive oil, and 1/4 up of chicken broth to simmer and added the chicken. I sprinkled salt and pepper onto the chicken, and a bit of garlic salt onto the chicken. I then added lemon juice from 1 lemon to the pan and added the zest to both sides of the chicken. Cook until both sides are browned and the liquid is reduced. (About 5 minutes per side). Remove and let the chicken rest. After about 5 minutes, cut into slices.
3. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice from other lemon, lemon zest, garlic, and salt and pepper, and pour over the couscous mixture and toss.
4. Add the chicken to the couscous mixture and then sprinkle with the chopped basil and stir lightly. 
5. Serve and sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top. (I served mine with pineapple so that we’d get a bit of each food group!

It was light, but still really filling!!! 

Enjoy!

And now, for the quote of the day:

Ok, so I had my brother and dad eating dinner with us tonight… PLUS my husband and father-in-law… and Me… SO… I had to make sure I had something quick, easy, not a ton of dishes that I had to clean up, and that would feed everyone and be satisfying… what do I make?? SOUP! I know, it’s like 90 degrees out today, but it was honestly really satisfying, and tasted soo good! I was surprised! But it probably helped that I basically ate this with chips. 

All of the guys gave it a thumbs up too, really good and filling. And, I’ve got a bit of leftovers too! YAY for me! 🙂

So, in the mood for a slightly spicy tortilla soup? Eat it will tortillas in it, or scoop it up with chips (if you’re like me and would like to skip the whole soggy tortilla idea)…

Chicken (sans-tortilla) Soup!

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
About 1 1/4 teaspoons chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion diced
1 red bell pepper diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper
One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Rotel
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups hot water
1 1/2 cups organic tomato sauce
1 can organic black beans (rinsed well)
1 cup frozen corn
3 tablespoons cornmeal
5 small corn tortillas (or a large bag of tortilla chips as I preferred)

Directions

Start by mixing together the cumin, 1 teaspoon of the chilli powder, the garlic powder and salt. Drizzle the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Set the rest of the spice mixture aside. Put into the bottom of a large pot (like you would boil potatoes in) that’s been coated in 1 TB olive oil and cook until browned on both sides (about 3-5 min per side). Next, throw in the onions, red bell peppers and garlic. Throw in a tablespoon of the spice mixture used to season the soup. Add a little extra chilli powder (about 1/4 teaspoon) for heat and a dash of cayenne pepper. Stir to cook the vegetables, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, juice and all. Add the chicken broth, hot water and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Shred the chicken while in the sauce and then continue to cook. Add the drained black beans and the corn. Next, mix together the cornmeal with 1/2 cup water. Add the mixture to the pot, and then simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes. Give it a taste and add salt or seasonings as needed; be sure to not under salt it!

Cut the tortillas into uniform 2- to 3-inch strips. Stir most of them into the soup just before serving. This is what makes tortilla soup tortilla soup! Turn off the heat and get ready to serve it up. Ladle the soup into a bowl, then add avocado, red onion, sour cream, cilantro and extra tortilla strips to the top. The more toppings on tortilla soup, the merrier. 

**** The above paragraph about the tortillas I copied from the original recipe (That I made a few changes to) so that you could see how she added tortillas to her soup. I personally did NOT. I just ate the soup with tortilla chips… up to you!

Here is her original recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Enjoy!!!

And now, for the quote of the day: 

Ok… so picture is from a cell phone and not edited… but that’s ok! We had friends over!! Our sweet friends came over for dinner as a “farewell” since they are moving far, far away…. so we had to have them over! I made the above meal… something on the more simple side… pasta with chicken and vegetables… my favorite theme!!! And then I made a fruit crisp as dessert. I did NOT take a picture of that, and I definitely should have because it actually turned out really yummy! Oh well, another day and another crisp…

So, as my friends got here I was elbow deep in a large pot of pasta… had to make sure there was enough pasta for us all!! I made 2 lbs… lets just say I have leftovers… HA! Oh well, better to over prepare then to not have enough for hungry guests, am I right!!??? 

So, here is the recipe!

Bowtie Pasta with Basil and Parmesan with a Light Tomato sauce

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb Bow Tie Pasta (Or your other favorite pasta) – yes, I reduced it to 1 lb for your sake… 😉
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ Onion chopped
• 1 can Italian fire roasted tomatoes and 1 can Rotel, or similar
• 2 tbs chicken broth
• 8 chicken tenderloins cooked and cut into bite size pieces
• 10 leaves Fresh Basil chopped
• Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat a large pan over medium high heat. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. As the pasta cooks, add the oil to the pan and add the chicken tenderloins. Season with salt and pepper and a bit of ground cumin on each side. Cook through and remove from the pan. Add then 1 TB oil to the pan and add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions start to get translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Next add the tomatoes and cook until they start to simmer. Add the chicken broth and bring back to a simmer.
4. Toss in the chicken and basil, bring back to a simmer, and season with salt and pepper. Serve over the pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

I served this with sauteed zucchini and it went quite well!!!

Enjoy! I know we did!!!

And now, for the quote of the day:

So I needed something not too complicated because I had a LOONNNGG day today. Left the house at 8a, and didn’t get home until 4. Now, I know what you are thinking… working moms do that every day! You are right… I shouldn’t complain… but I wanna!!! 🙂 Anyways, that’s my reasoning. I made something Italian… carb free! That seems like an oxy-moron doesn’t it? It was delicious though! So much flavor and freshness packed into each bite! Recommended for sure!

My recipe is adapted from none other than Giada’s recipe: Roman-Style Chicken by Giada

I changed more than 3 things… this version below is mine… but for those of you who want to check out the original version… Giada’s recipes are always delicious!

Ingredients
9 boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tsp. 21 seasoning salute (TJ version of Mrs. Dash)
1/4 cup olive oil
6 sweet mini bell peppers (I used 3 red and 3 yellow)
1.5 oz pancetta, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilis (like rotel)
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/4 onion sliced rough
2 tablespoons capers WELL RINSED
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Directions
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 21 seasoning salute (or Mrs. Dash) and lemon zest. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the lemon juice, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve. 

I served this with green beans and a mixed-greens salad. Very light and just filling!

Enjoy!!!!

And now, for the quote of the day:

Avocado Chicken Salad… Mayo Free!!

Chicken:

12 Chicken Tenderloins
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Drizzle olive oil (or similar) into skillet and heat on med. high. Place seasonings in a bowl and mix. Season each tenderloin on both sides and place into skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set on cutting board to cool.
Once cooled, cut into bit size pieces (or shred) and set aside.

Avocado Chicken Salad:

Chicken listed above
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
juice and zest of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
2 scallions chopped finely
4 leaves basil chopped
1 tsp. fresh tarragon leaves
2 avocados sliced and diced and slightly mashed
20 grapes cut into quarters

Mix all above ingredients together in a bowl and chill until ready to serve!

I put this over a mixed green lettuce salad, and then drizzled homemade dressing over top: https://dancinandcookininthekitchen.com/2014/06/02/my-favorite-homemade-salad-dressing-vinaigrette/HomeMade Dressing

This chicken salad is very satisfying and, in my opinion, guilt free! This one is all taste and no worries!! Definitely try this one out!

So… I served the chicken salad with a FRUIT salad… and it got such rave reviews, I am going to put the “dressing” that I put onto it here!

Ok… so I put blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, white peaches, and grapes into a bowl. Then, I juiced 1 1/2 lemons and zested 1 lemon, added 2 TB honey and some mint and whisked. I then poured the “dressing” over the fruit and tossed as a salad. This whole bowl, PLUS the amount I gave my parents was GONE!!! It’s a good one!!!!

And now, for the quote of the day:

So tonight my husband requested for me to make a dish that was spicy… with a bit of heat. He originally requested a soup… but I just couldn’t bring myself to sit over a pot of soup… not when it’s 94 degrees outside. Not gonna do it.

I made this to my husbands preference for spiciness. Therefore, I did not eat it. 🙂 Too spicy for me. I had leftovers. I will do anything for my husband though, and if he wants to have a very spicy dish one night, I will GLADLY eat a bit of leftovers!!! So my husband and father in law got a good spicy tomato dish for dinner! They really liked it too! Said it had a good heat, and great flavor. So, this is a winning dish! YAY!!

If you do NOT want a spicy turnout, check out the original recipe that I adapted mine from here: Chicken Marengo

Ingredients

1. 5 boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
2. 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
5. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder
6. 2 Tbsp olive oil
7. 1/2 large yellow onion, sliced or chopped
8. 2 TB butter
9. 1/2 tsp Emeril’s Bayou Blast Essence seasoning
10. 15 grape tomatoes
11. 1 can (14.5oz) fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis (Like Rotel)
12. 1 tsp. minced garlic
13. 1/2 c sliced black olives
14. 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
15. 1/2 tsp dried oregano
16. 1/2 c white wine
17. 1 c chicken broth
18. 2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
19. juice and zest from 1/2 of a lime

Directions:

1. Mix flour, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
2. Cut chicken in 2″ pieces.
3. Heat up the oil in pan.
4. Toss the chicken in flour and salt and pepper and cayenne powder.
5. Place in batches in the pan and brown on all sides.
6. Remove to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil.
7. Add the butter to the pan if needed.
8. Add onion, garlic and Emeril’s Bayou seasoning to the pan.
9. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softens.
10. Add wine and deglaze the pan.
11. Add can of tomatoes with chilis, broth, oregano and olives and the red pepper flakes.
12. Bring to a boil.
13. Add the chicken back and cook for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
14. Add the lime zest and lime juice just before serving.
15. Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes. I had a little bit of both, so I served with a little bit of both!

I also added a bit of Rye Bread to the side with some butter to eat along with the meanl Delish!

Enjoy!

And now, for the quote of the day:

So… I was needing something relatively easy to make. I was also needing something that wasn’t too complicated ingredient-wise. This is probably a bit more “fall or winter” themed meal… but who cares if it’s 92 degrees outside… I want some cheese and broccoli!! RIGHT? This is a lightened version of a comfort food, with WAY more protein. It was a total hit with my brother, father in law and my husband… so I’d say WINNER! I’ll be making this one again too! When my son grows out of his dairy allergy… I have a feeling he’d LOVE this one!!! I may have to tempt my daughter into eating it too… just w/out the chicken. But hey, with the quinoa being 6g of protein per serving, you can’t really lose!

So… Here we go!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups frozen broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup Panko*
• 7 chicken tenderloins
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups Rice Milk (OR skim milk… whichever you have)
• 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 TB shaved parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 onion chopped fine

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 9×13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
• Cook Quinoa AFTER RINSING it as directed. I cooked mine (1 cup dry quinoa to 2 cups water) in my rice cooker and it comes out perfectly!
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken tenderloins with the salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne. Add the chicken to the heated skillet and cook 3-4 min per side flipping once (I keep the lid on). Remove from pan (leave all drippings, etc. in the skillet) and let rest. Then dice into bite-size pieces and set aside..
• Melt butter in the skillet, that you just took the chicken out of, over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, add parmesan cheese about 3-4 minutes. Add chopped onions  and broccoli and let cook through. Stir in quinoa, chicken, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, and Greek yogurt; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spread broccoli mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining parmesan and shredded cheese and the panko bread crumbs. Place into oven and bake until cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. If desired, do as I did… place under the broiler for an extra 5 min for those nice crispy bread crumbs on top.
• Serve immediately.

Enjoy!!!

And now, for the quote of the day:

This afternoon I wanted something lemony… kind of light with lots of flavor… and THIS was IT!!! It was really quickly made after church, MAYBE took me 20 minutes… MAYBE. It uses pre-made gnocchi so it took a lot of time out of it too. LOVE!!! I will be using this as a comfort go-to again for sure!! I also like that the gnocchi isn’t boiled, just sauteed, so it gives it a bit of a crispy outside and soft inside..,. like a delicious roll… mmmmmm…. !!!! 🙂

Try this one for sure!!

Ingredients

• 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 package gnocci (I used Trader Joes – it’s 17.6 oz.)
• 1 TB smart balance w/olive oil
• 1 zucchini (small, chopped)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 onion (small, chopped)
• salt (& pepper)
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 TB (or so) pesto (to drizzle on top after serving)
• 1/4 cup half & half
• 2 tbsps shaved parmesan cheese
• zest and juice of 1/2 of a lemon

Directions:

1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add gnocchi then spread in one layer and saute undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Toss then add the lemon zest and lemon juice and continue sauteing for 3-4 more minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Remove skillet from heat then set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter in another large skillet then add zucchini, corn, and onion and garlic, and then season with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender, about 3-4 minutes and then saute for 30 more seconds. Remove skillet from heat then add half & half and parmesan cheese, and stir to combine. Pour mixture into skillet with gnocchi then toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. 
3. Serve and top with more parmesan if so desired, and drizzle with a little bit of pesto.

Enjoy!! I know we did!

And now, for the quote of the day: