Avocado Caprese Chicken Breasts

• Ingredients:
• 
  
• 2 (10 - 11 oz each) boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and halved
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 oz fresh mozzarella , cut into 8 slices
• 4 avocado slices (from a firm but ripe large avocado)
• 2 medium vine ripened tomatoes , sliced
• 3 Tbsp balsamic glaze (I used Bertolli)
• 1/3 cup chopped basil ribbons

Instructions

1. In a bowl mix together garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Sprinkle mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken cutlet. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken (cover pan with a splatter screen if you have one) and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 4 - 6 minutes. Rotate and cook opposite side until chicken has nearly cooked though, reducing burner temperature just slightly if needed, about 4 - 5 minutes (it should be nearly 160 in center on an instant read thermometer) then add two slices of mozzarella to the top each cutlet, followed by one avocado slice, and 1 - 2 tomato slices. Cover pan with lid, return to heat and allow to cook 1 - 2 minutes longer until cheese has melted and chicken registers 165 in center.
2. Sprinkle chicken with pepper, drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve warm.

Chicken Marinades- freezable

Instructions for all marinades:

Combine all ingredients in a heavy duty freezer bag.  Add chicken breasts and turn to coat in marinade.

Fridge- Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 2-24 hours.

Freezer- If freezing, place in the freezer immediately.  Thaw in the fridge overnight or by immersing the bag in a bowl of cold water for a couple of hours.

To bake:  

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Bake chicken in a shallow baking dish for 10 minutes, flip over, then bake for another 10-20 minutes.
2. For 5-7 oz chicken breasts, bake for 20 minutes total. For 10 oz and larger chicken breasts, bake for at least 25 minutes.
3. Allow chicken to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Cilantro Lime Marinade:

Ingredients: 
Per chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt

Sweet Chili Marinade (one of our favs)

Ingredients:
Per chicken breast

• 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons water (add just before baking)

Jerk Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:
Per chicken breast

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Lemon Ginger Marinade

Ingredients:
Per chicken breast

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• (optional) 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Soy Honey Garlic Marinade

Ingredients:
Per chicken breast

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons water (add just before baking)

Curry Yogurt Marinade

Ingredients:
Per chicken breast

• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

The yogurt will become flaky after freezing but gives the chicken so much flavor. If this bothers you, keep this recipe as a fridge marinade.

Strawberry Basil Avocado Chicken

Chicken

Just grill up some chicken without any special seasoning. I actually just cooked mine on the stove top in a pan.

Then I make this salsa and put it on top of the chicken when we eat it.  

Strawberry Basil Avocado Salsa

• 1 cup strawberries , hulled and diced
• 1/4 cup basil leaves , sliced into thin strips (chiffonaded)
• 1/2 cup red onion , diced
• 1 avocado , seeded, peeled, and diced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt , to taste

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4

Teriyaki Sauce:
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp warm water

1. Mix soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, red wine vinegar, sugars, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir with whisk until sugar is dissolved.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp warm water and cornstarch until cornstarch is completely dissolved.
3. Heat sauce over medium high heat and slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture. Simmer until thickened.

Turkey Lettuce Wrap:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
2 lg carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup diced onion
8 lg lettuce leaves

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add diced onions and cook until soft.
2. Crumble ground turkey and garlic into pan.  Cook until turkey is no longer pink.  Add grated carrots and chopped broccoli about halfway through, when the turkey is still somewhat pink.
3. Pour teriyaki sauce over cooked turkey and veggie mixture.  Stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes to combine flavors.
4. Spoon meat mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Serve immediately.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
1 celery stalk
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic
16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth (I ended up using a 32 oz boxed one)
1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce

In crock pot, combine chicken, onion, celery stalk, garlic and broth (enough to cover your chicken).  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

Remove the chicken from pot.  Drain off broth & veggies.  RESERVE 1/2-1 cup broth.  Shred chicken and return to slow cooker.  Add broth and hot sauce until chicken is well coated. Cook an additional 30 minutes.

For wraps:
large lettuce leaves
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 large celery stalks, cut into 2 inch matchsticks
blue cheese dressing
blue cheese crumbles

Place buffalo chicken into lettuce leaf.  Top with carrots and celery.  Drizzle dressing and cheese,  Wrap up and enjoy!

Black Bean Brownies

1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave or honey
pinch uncut stevia or 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth.  Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture - and even the taste- will be much better in a food processor). Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8x8 pan.  Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top
Cook the brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut.
Makes 9-12 brownies.

Kale Chips

Kale
Olive oil
Seasoned salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350.
Tear into bite size pieces and remove the thick stem
In a container add salt, pepper, olive oil, and kale and shake.
Bake until the edges are brown but not burnt, 10-15 minutes

Orange Salmon

Our favorite way to eat Salmon.

Ingredients:

• 4 salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp of Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp of honey
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Optional: Garnish with green onions, orange peel, or thinly sliced oranges

Directions

1. Turn broiler to high
2. Rinse salmon and pat dry on paper towel
3. Lay the salmon on a lined baking sheet (skin side down)
4. Season fish with salt and pepper
5. In a bowl, mix the first 3 ingredients (to taste if necessary)
6. Coat fish with sauce
7. Broil fish until slightly burnt or color turns amber (approx 5-8 mins)

We usually bake the salmon in parchment paper instead.  Heat the oven to 350.  Place the salmon in the parchment paper so that you can fold it up in to it.  Place the sauce on top of the salmon and then fold it up in the paper.  Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  The parchment paper makes for easy clean up too!!

Tip:  I froze 1 tbsp portions of orange juice in ice cube trays so that I could have it on hand without making a whole pitcher of juice each time.