Sesame Mango Chicken

Today is our 4 year anniversary!  We decided to celebrate at home because we've both been so busy the last couple weeks.  I wanted to cook something really special for my hubby.  I've had my eye on a recipe similar to this one for awhile and tonight is the perfect night!  I'm like a mad scientist in the kitchen.  I get a few recipes, take the best of them and add my own flare.  This turned out excellent and the hubby loved it.  Plus it is clean food with only healthy whole grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs. I served it with a crisp white wine that cut the heat, which was delish! Brown rice, black beans, and a green salad with homemade champagne vinaigrette. Enjoy.

  Sesame Mango Chicken

Rice:

2 Cups Chicken Stock

2-3 Tsp Salsa

1 Cup Brown Rice

Chicken:

2 T Sesame Seeds

1 T Olive Oil

1 Lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2 T Ginger

1/4 t Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1 Mango, Peeled & Diced

3 Green Onions Sliced

1 Jalapeño, De-seeded, Chopped

3 Medium Vine Tomatoes, Chopped

Juice from One Lime

Palm of Cilantro

Directions

1. Prepare rice according to package directions and add salsa at same time as water

2. Toast sesame seeds over low heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and set aside

3. Swirl olive oil into pan, add chicken, garlic, ginger, black pepper and cook on medium heat for 4 minutes

4. Add mango, green onion, jalapeño and simmer for 2 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes

6. Stir in sesame seeds

7. Serve over rice

Recommend serving with Goya black beans following the recipe on the can

East Dillon Dinner Party

Friday Night Lights is one of our favorite TV shows, so to celebrate its long awaited return we had a Texas style dinner party with good friends.  While I was really disappointed that Coach Taylor forfeited his first game with the East Dillon Lions, it was great to see our old buddies of Dillon.  I had fun planning the menu…I wanted that good southern cookin' for my yankee peeps, but also wanted to keep it somewhat healthy.  So here's what I decided on...

Appetizers: Pita & Corn Chips, Salsa, Guac, Cheese, Crackers
Salad: Pear & Goat Cheese Salad with a Champagne Vinaigrette (not southern, but a favorite)
Main Dish: BBQ Chicken, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Bacon Green Beans, Mac N Cheese
Dessert: Banana Pudding courtesy of Magnolia Bakery and our guests
(A bottle of vino for the ladies and beers for the fellas)

Here are a few of the recipes…

BBQ Chicken Made Easy

Grilled chicken is a healthy food but can be so boring.  This is super easy and makes blah chicken more interesting.

4 Breasts, 4 Leg/Thigh Pieces

Salt & Pepper

BBQ sauce – I like Stubbs

Clean the chicken, salt & pepper to taste, throw in a ziplock with the BBQ sauce, refrigerate for a bit, Grill. (Not sure how, that’s the hubby’s job)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I’m not a huge sweet potato fan and I liked this dish a lot.  Sweet potatoes are a super food with more nutrients than regular potatoes.  This was super easy and delicious. 

2 lbs Sweet Potatoes

4 T Butter

1 t Vanilla Extract

¼ C Lowfat Milk or Cream

Salt & Pepper

Peel, cut, boil the potatoes in salted water until soft or about 20 minutes.  Drain, mash, add other ingredients, mix. 

Bacon Green Beans

Green Beans are good for you and bacon makes them delicious.  I tried to copy the green beans at Dickies, which I eat in the airport every time I leave DFW.  I can reconcile it if I don’t actually eat the bacon, but I’m pretty sure that logic is flawed.  Oh well.

Fresh Green Beans (I took 3 handfuls)

6 Bacon Slices

1 Large Onion

1 Dash Red Pepper Flakes

Salt & Pepper

Wash and cut the ends off the green beans, thrown in pot.  Cook bacon a little bit, but remove before crispy, rip into big bits, throw in pot.  Slice the onions into large chunks, throw in pot.  Spice it up to taste and add enough water to see at the bottom of the pot, but don’t cover the beans.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours or in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours or so.

Enjoy!!

Tex-Mex Couscous

Tex-Mex Couscous

I love Tex-Mex, but I also like to watch my girlish figure.  So I’m always on the lookout for yummy AND healthy Tex-Mex dishes.  I found several recipes that I combined and modified to create this one. I wanted to use quinoa because it is high in protein and fiber, but my grocery store was out so I substituted Israeli couscous which is almost as good.  I also threw in more of my favorite Tex-Mex veggies.  Everything in this recipe is fresh and clean and nutritious fuel for your body.  (It goes great with a Negro Madelo…nobody’s perfect!)

1 T Olive Oil

1 C Sweet Onion

2 T Garlic

1 ½ C Israeli Couscous

1 Palm of salt

2 C Water

1 T Taco Seasoning

2 Limes Juice

1 t Red Wine Vinegar

4 Green Onions

1 Bell Pepper

1 Can Black Beans (Goya is best)

1 Handful of Cilantro

Sliced Avocado as Garnish

Directions

1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes.
2. Add Israeli couscous and saute for 10 minutes.
3. Add salt, water, taco seasoning and cook for 10 -15 minutes until water is absorbed, but couscous is still al dente (not mush).
4. Remove from heat and add lime juice, vinegar, green onions, bell pepper, black beans, cilantro.

Enjoy!