wrap it up!

With the weather warming up here, I tend to crave lighter and cooler menu items.  Some days all I want is a smoothie to get a good brain freeze!  I love making casseroles and stews because they are very economical and great for leftovers, but when the weather approaches the 110s all I want is something refreshing.  Do you guys get that way too in hotter weather?

Lettuce wraps are a really refreshing reprieve, and they are super easy to make.  I usually use butter lettuce instead of the nutritionally-void iceberg.  I didn’t have any butter lettuce, and didn’t feel like going to the store just for that, so I used Romaine and used them like boats instead of wraps.  And actually I think they worked out better because, while they don’t really ‘wrap’, they hold their shape well and don’t fall apart.  Yum!     

 

Mandarin Chicken Lettuce Boats

(adapted from CookingLight)

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon  canola oil
• 1/2  cup  minced green onions, plus more for sprinkling
• 2  teaspoons cornstarch
• 1  pound  ground chicken (I used 99% fat free)
• 1  11oz can mandarin oranges
• 1/2  cup  chopped water chestnuts
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2-3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup  fresh orange juice
• 3/4 tbsp black bean garlic sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee, this is pretty high in sodium, so I use it sparingly)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Romaine leaves (bottom end removed)
• cooked soba noodles

Preparation

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, cornstarch, and chicken to pan; sauté until chicken is done, stirring to crumble (the lower fat will be harder to crumble). Add mandarin oranges, water chestnuts, ginger, soy sauce, juice, black bean sauce and sesame oil to pan; cook until thick. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into center of each lettuce leaf with some soba noodles and enjoy!  So easy!  I topped mine with some chopped bell pepper for some added freshness and crunch, or you could add some chopped peanuts or almonds too.  This recipe could also be great for a little appetizer for a party!

This past weekend I also went to a gardening class for small spaces at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.  It was really informative and I am going to be taking on the endeavor of starting a garden when we move and have a little backyard!  I probably won’t start it since it will be mid-May and way too hot here when we move, but that is my goal for September.  I really want to start my own garden with various veggies and fresh herbs.   But, for now I have these little guys that I got to transplant.  There is bell pepper (front), cinnamon basil (back), and asparagus (left).  I don’t know how long they’ll last before I kill them, but we’ll see :)  I can’t wait to try a real garden!

Gotta have compost!  And this is a great way to use things that would be thrown out anyway.  They also gave us a huge handout with tons of information about gardening.  I’m looking forward to reading it and gaining some gardening skills and tips for Nevada. 

 

Here are some of the paint colors we picked out so far.  I think Home Depot is going to be our second home!  We aren’t sure if they will look quite right, but it’s exciting to have some ideas.  I have a little notebook with all the house ideas.  I love doing stuff like this, writing things down, taking notes.  Kind of silly, but fun!  We are going to have a lot of work cut out for us.

I sure hope you all had a great weekend and are getting back into the swing of things.  I’m looking forward to spring break next week.  I won’t have time off work, but at least I’ll have a little break from classes! 

Pumpkin Waffled French Toast

I love having breakfast for dinner sometimes!  It puts a nice little spin on things and is so delish.  For my French toast, I don’t usually sauté it in a pan, but I like to put it in a waffle iron because it gets a nice and crispy crust on the outside while still slightly gooey on the inside. . . . the perfect combo!  This time I decided to try a pumpkin flavored batter.  I first saw this great idea from Lee, who made it here and also from Body Mind Soul (both great blogs I may add!)  I just thought the pumpkin was such a great idea, thanks!  There is a nice hum of pumpkin flavor in the background, but not too strong.  I had a little bit of the batter left over, which I think I’m going to put in oatmeal next time!  I also like to use Trader Joe’s cinnamon swirl bread to give it added cinnamon flavor because I’m a cinnamon addict!  Greek yogurt is the perfect medium for dipping and I’m loving the strawberries coming in season.  Even though I don’t eat bacon that often, there is nothing like the real thing and is perfectly fine to eat every once in awhile.  It tastes so yum!

 

Pumpkin Waffled French Toast 

Yield

Serves 4-5

Ingredients 

• 1/2 loaf TJ’s Cinnamon Swirl Bread (about 6-7 slices) or your favorite french toast bread
• 1 cup vanilla non-fat half-n-half (TJ’s brand) or you could use plain and add some vanilla extract
• 1/3 heaping cup of canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Various sides:  I chose an egg with a sprinkling of cheese, good ol’ bacon, greek yogurt for dipping and strawberries.

Simply place all the ingredients into a pan and mix together well.  Soak each bread slice in the mixture and place onto a pre-heated waffle iron on the highest setting, sprayed with cooking spray.

When each one is done and golden, place on a sheet rack on top of a cookie sheet, and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.

A nice close-up!  The texture is amazing with the pumpkin!

I actually can’t wait to have this for breakfast again tomorrow, slathered with some peanut butter maybe?!

 

What’s your favorite breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast?

unexpected treat

Today was a pretty uneventful day.  I didn’t have class, or any other pressing obligations, so it was the usual work schedule for me.  I was planning on going home and making some din din when Chris called me and told me that his dad and step mom wanted to take us out to dinner!  Going out is such a treat for us, especially since we almost always eat in and make our own creations.  They had planned on taking a flight today out to Colorado to visit their cabin being built, but because of the bad weather there, they spent a good part of the day in the airport trying to catch flights.  So they finally decided to wait till tomorrow (fingers crossed), and decided to have a nice dinner. 

We went to a place called Casa di Amore (House of Love if I had to guess?).  It’s an American Italian eatery that has a neat ambiance . . . low lights, candles, and even a crooner named George Bugati that sings all kinds of lounge/jazz type songs.  It’s a really great place to hang out, relax and enjoy some yummy food and music.  It’s a bit on the pricey side for us, so it’s more of a special occasion type place.

I decided on the Chicken Caprese, complete with grilled chicken (I’m sure it had a light breading on it), buffalo mozzarella, thick tomatoes and a sprinkling of fragrant basil.  It also came with a side of broccoli, roasted red peppers and pasta.  Entirely too much of course!  But, I took home about half to have for lunch tomorrow, leftovers yay!  I also had a glass of chianti (pictured above).  It was such a nice wine, and I believe pretty reasonable too.  It was fruity, and although the body wasn’t too full, it had a very nice finish.  I think this may be my go-to wine for awhile :)  

Gotta love that candlelight setting . . .

Afterwards, we tried a place called Yofrutto near UNLV, where they pile any kind of toppings you like on top of plain frozen yogurt.  I love the slight twang this stuff has!  This wasn’t as good as Red Mango, and the kiwi weren’t quite ripe, but it was very refreshing and light.  A perfect ending to an unexpected treat!  Sooo glad it’s Friday tomorrow! 

Do you like things to be unexpected or are you a more planning oriented person with your day mapped out by the minute? 

easy and ethnic

Ethnic-type cuisines can be so interesting to try because they use such wonderful spices without having to add too much extra fat for flavor. 

A new spice that I recently have been trying in recipes is sumac, which is featured here in a lamb kofta pita recipe.  It’s almost similar to coriander and lends a wonderful lemony flavor.  Another one of my favorites is cumin . . . smoky, rich and yummy! 

Mediterranean cuisine is one of my favorites with falafels, gyros and hummos topping the list!  The food is fresh, flavorful and chock-full of nutrients and fiber.  Many of the recipes are plant-based focusing on vegetables, whole-grains and protein-rich lentils and beans.  You can hardly notice any ‘meat’ missing because the flavors are so rich with depth.  But, of course there are some wonderful meaty recipes too.  Lamb has a really great flavor, although it tends to be on the expensive side. 

I first tried chicken shawarma here and instantly fell in love!  Of course I wanted to try to re-create this at home and it is incredibly easy to do.  Marinating the chicken and chopping some fresh veggies is pretty much all there is to it.  Give it a try! 

 

Chicken Shawarma

(adapted from CookingLight)

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 3  tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus the zest of 1 lemon
• 1  tsp  curry powder
• 2  tsp  extravirgin olive oil
• 1/2  tsp  salt
• 1  tsp  ground cumin
• 3  garlic cloves, minced (or you could use garlic powder)
• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken tenders, cut into small strips

Remaining ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 pitas (up the fiber with whole wheat!)
• chopped romaine lettuce and various veggies
• non-fat greek yogurt for dipping (You can also mix in some tahini, garlic and lemon juice)
• hummos is also a great dipping medium

Preparation

1. Preheat grill (I used a grill pan) to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a zippy bag. Add chicken to bag; toss well to coat. Let marinate for about 1-2 hours.  If you marinate longer, more of the curry flavor will come out, but it will still be good! I just wouldn’t recommend overnight with the acidity in the lemons.

3. Place chicken strips on heated grill pan coated with cooking spray.  Cook about 2-3 minutes per side or until done.

4. Simply stuff the chicken and veggies into the pitas and dollop a nice scoop of greek yogurt or hummos for dipping.   So yummy! 

Nutritional Information

Calories: 384 (23% from fat)

Fat: 9.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.7g)

Protein: 34.4g

Carbohydrate: 40g

Fiber: 2.5g

Cholesterol: 64mg

Iron: 4.3mg

 

I am so excited for the start of summer strawberries coming  up soon!  I have been craving them terribly, seeing them on so many blogs, but I can’t stand the ones that are hard and white.  My mom, who lives in North Carolina, has a strawberry farm right next to her house.  Those are the strawberries I cherish and can’t really find here in Vegas.  They are the tiny ones, so sweet, bright and juicy that they practically melt in your mouth!  Oh those are the strawberries I love.  Any who, I decided to buy some at Costco because I was craving them so bad, and while they aren’t those amazing NC berries, they aren’t too bad and will satisfy my strawberry hunger for now :)

What is your favorite summer time fruit and/or vegetable?  And what is your favorite way to use it?

interview and t-shirt giveaway

I received interview questions from Emily and am excited to spread the word!  Just let me know if you would like to be interviewed in the comments. . . .

1. What is one food you can't live without? 

The one food I can’t live  without I would have to say would be pasta.  I love a good Italian-style dish with fresh pasta, roasted veggies, a rich tomato sauce and broiled ooey-gooey cheese!  It’s just such a comfort for me.

2. What it your all-time favorite recipe? 

My all-time favorite recipe would be Sausage Broccoli Pasta.  I posted it a little while ago.  The reason I love this dish is because it was the first one that I really memorized and it is so easy to throw together really quick. 

Everyone I’ve made it for loves it and requests that I make it again and again!

3. What is a "moderation" food you love to enjoy? 

I’ve  always really liked dessert, probably because my grandma is the type who orders dessert first and was always baking in the kitchen for us.  One of my ‘in moderation’ foods I like to enjoy is peanut butter frozen custard from a place here called Luv-It.  It is to die for!  Chris and I maybe go once or twice a month, and when we do we share a bowl, so we don’t go overboard.  I could eat a whole pint of that stuff haha.  Pictured above is a little of the peanut butter with raspberry and a TJ’s vanilla cookie.  Yum! 

4. Your most important cooking/baking tool?  My most important tool would have to be a good santoku knife, although we really don’t have good knife set yet.   I would love to get a set of shun’s someday!

5. Ethnic cuisine you most want to try (or country you'd most like to visit)?  I’ve really been wanting to try Ethiopian cuisine.  It looks really interesting and delicious.  But, by far I would love to go to Italy to experience all it has to offer and to try traditional, regional Italian dishes, not your typical Italian-American food.  And of course their wine! 

 

If you would like to be interviewed:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."  If a few people want interviews, I will randomly pick 2. 
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions). 
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. 
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post. 
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Emily is also giving away an awesome t-shirt!  I think you’ll all LOVE the design. 

Check it out and enter to win by Friday, March 27th. 

on the move

I never thought the day would actually come when I would be investing in a home of my own!  It just doesn’t seem quite possible to me.  It really says something about the markets these days when my fiancée and I can actually afford to buy!  We are so excited with this new chapter in our lives together and quite nervous as to what the future will bring. 

I am also very happy to not have to move again for awhile after this next big one.  I think I have moved every year for the past 6 or 7 years!  All throughout school, dorms, apartments, condos, roomies, limited space, dirty laundry . . . . good times!  And it seems every year that I move the more crap I have accumulated.  So I guess moving isn’t such a bad thing because it forces me to get rid of junk that would otherwise keep piling up, right?

We have opened escrow and are now waiting to get all the financial stuff squared away and close within 45 days.  We are hoping that we will get to move in mid-May when school is over for the semester!  Lots to think about! 

What is good about this townhouse, even though it is a foreclosure, is everything is in really good shape and still has all the appliances.  Most foreclosures we have seen have been completely trashed with everything missing.  We will just have to clean the carpets and splash some paint on the walls for now. 

Here is the kitchen, we like it because it’s a really open floorplan, conducive to lots of cooking while still being able to talk to guests!

Here is the living room . . .

                                                                                                                                                                                   I hope this range will work better than the one we have now that heats the entire condo when you turn it on . . . not good for 115 degree Vegas weather haha. 

I really try my hardest to avoid using that stove like the plague in the summer.  It’s so hard because you know how I love a good baked casserole and broiled pasta.

Here is the master!  I’ve never had a room this spacious.

Peace from the master bath!

   

And a laundry room without those dang stackables where I can only fit like 2 pairs of jeans in it!!  Hallelujah for a full-sized washer and dryer!   

Little view of Red Rock from our balcony . . .

Any words of advice on house ownership? 

A little taste of dinner from the crock. . .

Beef Daube Provencal on top of cous cous and wilted spinach

one fish, two fish, red fish, green fish . . .

I still have quite a bit of fish left in my freezer at the moment and it is literally packed to the gills!  (no pun intended haha)  I have to open the freezer door slowly for fear of sheer collapse of our perfectly orchestrated freezer stack.  Do any of you guys have this problem too? . . . Oh the day when I can have a sub zero with a plethora of fridge and freezer space . . . uh-em back to reality!

Fridays are the days when Chris and I try make dinner and enjoy a little vino since we usually don’t get a chance to eat together much during the week.  It seems like whenever he’s coming home, I’m leaving or when I’m leaving he’s coming home!  We also found out recently that our offer on a foreclosure here has been accepted and we have opened escrow!  Boy has it been a long process looking and dealing with short-sales.  We started looking the end of January and we are just getting the ball rolling on one of our offers.  I will have to post pictures of it because we are going to look again this weekend, just for fun!  I am both excited and nervous for this new investment in our lives and hope everything works out.

On to the recipe . . .

 

Pesto Crusted Halibut

with Roasted Veggie Cous Cous

 

For the Pesto Paste:

• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• Large bunches of fresh basil leaves (about 4 oz by weight)
• 1/4 cup roasty toasty pine nuts
• 1/4-1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• zest and juice of 1 1/2 medium lemons
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper
• 4 large halibut fillets (or you could use your favorite white fish)

For the cous cous:

• couple glugs of olive oil (2 tbsp)
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• garlic powder and herbes de provence (italian seasoning)
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb. finely chopped carrots (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1 lb. finely chopped zucchini (about 4 medium)
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat cous cous (you could certainly make quinoa too)
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium veggie broth
• 1 roasted bell pepper, drained and chopped
• 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the olive oil, balsamic, honey, garlic and spices into a zippy bag.  Place the carrots, zucchini and grapes inside and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Strain the veggies, reserving the marinade, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 30-45 minutes, turning and tossing halfway through and basting with reserved marinade if they look dry.  Just make sure the sugars don’t get too burned.

To make the pesto pulse everything, except the fish, in a food processor until a paste consistency forms.  Slather this mixture on each fish fillet and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Turn the oven down to 350 and bake fish for 8-10 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork.  Be careful not to over cook!  Then you can broil for a few minutes to get it crusty.  Alternatively, I’m sure you could grill it really quickly while slathering on the pesto. 

While the veggies and fish are baking, boil the veggie broth; remove from heat, add cous cous, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and place in a large serving bowl.

When the veggies are done add them, along with the roasted bell pepper and goat cheese, to the cous cous and toss all together. 

Serve the pesto-crusted halibut atop a nice scoop of the roasted veggie cous cous!

I had a bit of pesto paste leftover which I will use in a pasta dish, or as a slather for a roasted veggie sandwich, yum!

I also like to make a balsamic reduction to drizzle on pretty much anything:  Just boil down about 2 cups of balsamic and a little honey gently, stirring frequently, until it gets thick and syrupy.  It makes such a great accompaniment and presentation.  Sorry, I’m in dire need of a better camera!

 

 

And for the vino spotlight . . .

Elderton’s 2007 Unoaked Chardonnay 

First I have to tell you my beginnings with wine . . . When I first tasted wine (it was a red, bad idea), I couldn’t believe that people would actually drink this stuff!  It was dry, pungent and burned my throat.  I could hardly stand it.  But, it’s funny, our palettes are very adaptable (as in the case with lower sodium) and can adjust to many different flavors, and like many things, wine can be an acquired taste for some.   Chris and I have a lot of fun trying new wines and even went to Napa a few spring breaks ago to visit my aunt who works at some of the wineries there.  Here is a picture of us touring Pride Winery – breathtaking views!  Good memories!

 

When you first start out drinking wine, you have to start easy, and that means white.  Rieslings were my absolute favorite starting out.  Light, refreshing, sweet and easy to drink.  Chardonnays are a more advanced white, usually heavier, and most have a bit of oak.  I’m not a fan of oaky chards, I would much rather have butter (a fuller mouthfeel sensation created from using Malolactic fermentation).  Now I really prefer red wines like red Zinfandel, and am currently trying to get more educated about different Italian varietals. 

A great buttery chard for a great price would have to be Ravenswood (the winery in the first picture), although the one we tried at the winery is the best, but I can’t find it anywhere!  This one doesn’t age too well, so I would get the youngest year you can find.

Unoaked chards are in a class by themselves.  They are aged in steel rather than oak, so all you get is fresh, bright fruit essence that is not overpowered by heavy oak.  The Elderton chard is a wonderful example of this.  Bright, fruity and a little bit of mineral.  It has a fresh pear taste; crisp with hints of peach and melon.

  

But, really the most important part about drinking any wine is that YOU like the flavor!  And most great wines you can get for $15 and under.

What’s your favorite type of wine?  I’d love to hear all about them!

get stuffed

Stuffed Squash that is!  Many vegetables can be the perfect vehicle for stuffing practically any kind of filling you can imagine inside.  I use lean ground beef in this recipe, but there is also quinoa, brown rice, cous cous, oatmeal, barley, lentils, and the list goes on and on.  Grains and such have such a wonderful natural binding ability that using them as stuffing can be the perfect compliment to something as neutral and naturally sweet as summer squash.  Plus summer squash cooks relatively quickly which is always a plus.

Another great vehicle for stuffage is bell peppers.  Check out my bell peppers stuffed with quinoa, chicken sausage, walnuts and fontina on this post.  These are a yummy package.  Gotta love that ooey-gooey cheese!

Tex Mex Stuffed Squash

(adapted from Everyday FOOD)

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 yellow summer squashes (try to look for ones more conducive to stuffing)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), diced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef (96% lean)
• 1 cup canned corn (no salt/sugar added)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for sprinkling 

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Halve each squash lengthwise; slice a sliver from the rounded part of each half so it sits flat. Leaving a 1/4-inch border, scoop out halves with a small spoon; roughly chop flesh, and reserve. Place squash halves, skin side down, in a shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add reserved chopped squash, bell pepper, scallion whites, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add spices.  Add tomato paste to the center of the pan; cook for at least 5 minutes to intensify the tomato flavor. Add beef; cook until no longer pink, breaking up meat with a spoon.  Cook everything together for about 15-20 minutes so the flavors really develop and deepen.  Remove from heat. Stir in corn and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

Dividing evenly, spoon mixture into squash halves. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Place a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan to help steam the squash.  Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until squash is tender, 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, 10 minutes more. Garnish with scallion greens, a dollop of non-fat greek yogurt and a side salad.

If you have any of the filling left over, use it for a quesadilla/tostada, in an omelet, as a layered casserole or in a taco salad.  Lots of possibilities with this easy filling!

 

 

Stuffed squash = stuffed tummy :)

so good to be back!

I am so glad to finally have my computer back and running smoothly.  I’ve really missed the blog world!  The HP service was actually very timely and I got my laptop back within 4 days.  Wow!  Talk about quick customer service.  I also got a laptop surge protector for added protection.

While I don’t have a brand new website (still in the works!), I have much to make up for my absence and several yummy recipes to post ASAP!  Well, both of my midterms are finally over with and I’m glad to get started a new.  The first one for my adv exercise physiology class was quite the challenge, but the human physiology one was not as bad as I had anticipated.

Rotisserie chicken can be a great asset to quick and delicious meals because it’s always tender, juicy and already all cooked!  Sometimes it is even cheaper than the un-cooked bird.  While it’s not the leanest choice, it’s nice to mix up the white with the dark meat sometimes.  For this post, I feature rotisserie chicken in two really great recipes:  Chicken Enchiladas Verde and Chinese Chicken Salad.

 

Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Ingredients

• 4 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup green salsa (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1 large can (28 oz) Green Enchilada Sauce (I like the Macayos brand)
• 2 cups grated 2% Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup canned no-salt/no-sugar corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• handful of cilantro chopped plus more for topping
• 12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8-inch flour or corn tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the Greek yogurt. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, the corn, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, cilantro and 1/2 of the scallions. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.

In a large baking dish spread about a 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom. Place the rest of the enchilada sauce in another wide, flat bowl.  Dip a tortilla in the sauce to coat and shake off excess.  Place about a 1/3 cup of the filling on a tortilla, tuck the sides in, roll up and transfer to the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top.  Transfer to preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly; increase oven to 400 for about 5-10 minutes until nice and golden.  Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve with Greek yogurt (I like to add lime zest/juice) and non-fat refried beans!

These are delicious for leftovers too!

 

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

(I don’t have exact measurements, because I just threw things in!)

• 2 heads Napa Cabbage, finely sliced
• bell pepper, diced – You could use all kinds of veggies
• small can mandarin oranges
• slivered almonds, toasted
• corn (leftover from the enchiladas)
• rotisserie chicken (leftover from the enchiladas – about 1 1/2-2 cups)

For the Dressing:

• 1/2 cup Non-fat Greek yogurt
• couple splashes rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• small handful chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Simply mix everything together!  This is really refreshing, especially with the warm weather approaching.  Yea, for sunshine!  If it ends up being a little more ‘wet’ than you would like, it’s great as a topping for salad greens like romaine too. 

 

Do you miss it when you can’t blog, or if you aren’t by a computer to peruse your favorite blogs?