Chicken Skewers & Tzatziki Sauce

If you're a fan of dill, or if you're on the fence about if you like dill please try this recipe.  It will fuel your enjoyment of it.  Plus, it's healthy for you!  

Cut chicken into bite size pieces.

In a bowl combine lemon zest and juice, dill, salt, cumin, and oregano together and mix well.

Place chicken in a zip lock baggie and cover with the dill/lemon marinade.  Place in the fridge for at least one hour to marinate.

To make the tzatziki sauce, cut the cucumber into small pieces.  Try to absorb as much of the moisture of the cucumber with a paper towel before you put in the blender or food processor.  *Note that if you want a chunky sauce you can add the cut up cucumbers later and leave whole.

Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dill, and garlic to the blender.

I'm trying to not eat a lot of dairy, because my body doesn't really like it when I do, so I tried this coconut yogurt instead.  I had tried it before as a breakfast alternative and really enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a whirl for my sauce too.

Add the yogurt to the blender, if you want to use greek yogurt that would work great too.  Blend and place in the fridge to let the marinate come together for around an hour.

Once the chicken is marinated, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Put the chicken pieces on skewers, I added some red pepper between each piece.  Bake for around 18 minutes in the oven, until chicken is cooked through. 

Serve immediately with a side of the tzatziki sauce.  I really enjoyed the different textures and temperatures as you ate this dish.  The hot chicken and peppers dipped in the cool cucumber and dill sauce tastes delicious!  Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  

Happy Hump Day!

Chicken Skewers & Tzatziki Sauce

Adapted from With Style and Grace Blog

Chicken:

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 lemon zested and juiced

ground pepper to taste

Tzatziki Sauce:

1 large English cucumber, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon salt + ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fresh dill

2 garlic cloves, minced

12oz plain yogurt, greek yogurt, coconut yogurt

Cut chicken into bite size pieces.

In a bowl combine lemon zest and juice, dill, salt, cumin, and oregano together and mix well.

Place chicken in a zip lock baggie and cover with the dill/lemon marinade.  

Place in the fridge for at least one hour to marinate.

To make the tzatziki sauce, cut the cucumber into small pieces.  

Try to absorb as much of the moisture of the cucumber with a paper towel before you put in the blender or food processor.  

Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dill, and garlic to the blender.

Add the yogurt to the blender, blend and place in the fridge to let the marinate come together for around an hour.

Once the chicken is marinated, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  

Put the chicken pieces on skewers.

Bake for around 18 minutes in the oven, until chicken is cooked through. 

Serve hot with the tzatziki sauce and enjoy.

*Note that if you want a chunky sauce you can add the cut up cucumbers later and leave whole.

Salmon Stir-Fry

This is another one of Jenn's recipes from For the Glow.  I knew it would be tasty just reading through the ingredients.  Plus, topping anything with avocado instantly makes it delicious.  This is a healthy and fast recipe that you are sure to enjoy.  Let's dig in...

Mix together orange juice (freshly squeezed) honey, and tamari sauce.  Set aside.

I have been going to the farmers markets around the Phoenix area lately and have really enjoyed picking out fresh and local food.  I was excited to use these plum tomatoes that I had picked up on a whim! 

Heat coconut oil in a large pan or wok and add broccoli.  Stir-fry for around two minutes. 

Add the salmon and green beans, cooking for another two minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the salmon has cooked through, with the veggies still keeping a crunch.  

Add the orange dressing, cook for another minute.  Remove from heat, plate and serve. I topped with a slice of avocado.

The many different textures and flavors make this dish very tasty.  I really enjoyed the orange sauce as well, gave it a kick while adding flavor.  It also helps that this dinner is very good for you!  

Happy Monday - here's to a good week! 

Salmon Stir-Fry

Adapted from For the Glow

Serves 2

juice of one orange

1 teaspoon raw honey

2 tablespoons wheat free tamari sauce

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 8oz salmon fillets, skinned and sliced

6 oz broccoli

4 oz green beans

2 avocados, peeled and sliced

6 cherry plum tomatoes, halved

6 oz baby spinach (I used kale)

2 oz walnut halves

Mix together orange juice, honey, and tamari sauce and set aside.

Heat coconut oil in a large pan or wok and add broccoli.  
Stir-fry for around two minutes. 
Add the salmon and green beans, cooking for another two minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the salmon has cooked through, with the veggies still keeping a crunch.  
Add the orange dressing, cook for another minute.  
Remove from heat, plate and serve. 
*Optional: Top with a slice of avocado.

Seared Chicken w/ Avocado

I LOVED this dinner.  Believe it or not it tasted better than it looked - and it's healthy for you!  Don't believe that healthy food can't look and taste amazing because this is proof that it's not true.  Simple, fresh ingredients can do great things.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  I also added a little garlic powder, up to you though.  

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken, cook for one minute or until seared.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for around 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

In a small bowl combine one diced avocado, cilantro, jalapeno pepper and lime juice.  Toss to combine.

Top the chicken with the avocado salsa.  I served with sweet potatoes and green beans.  So delicious, I really have nothing more to say than that.  Please try it and let me know if you agree.

Happy Monday everyone - have a great start to the week!

Seared Chicken w/ Avocado

Serves 2

salt and pepper to taste (I also added a little garlic powder)

2 6oz chicken breasts

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 diced peeled avocado

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  

Add chicken, cook for one minute or until seared.  

Reduce the heat to medium and cook for around 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

In a small bowl combine one diced avocado, cilantro, jalapeno pepper and lime juice.  

Toss to combine.

Top the chicken with the avocado salsa and enjoy.

Caribbean Shrimp & Rice

I'm always looking for, as I like to call them, fridge emptying recipes.  You're at the point where you know you'll need to go grocery shopping tomorrow. For tonight though, you just need to use up all the odds and ends that you didn't use throughout the week, before they go bad.  This recipe hit that on the nose, and it was delicious.  Plus, I'm weirdly obsessed with shrimp, so I can't turn that down!

Combine shrimp, broth, garlic, chili powder, salt and oregano in a crock pot or large pot on the stove.  Cover and cook on low for two hours. 

Add green beans (or peas or any other vegetable you're trying to use up) and tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low for another five minutes.

Add cooked rice.  Cover, cook on low for around another five minutes until rice is heated through. 

Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.  This is a very simple recipe and doesn't take much prep, which is always nice.  I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did.  Happy Monday! 

Caribbean Shrimp & Rice

Adapted from The Frugal Flambe

Serves 4

16 oz frozen shrimp, thawed

1/2 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoons salt 

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 cup green beans *or whatever vegetable you'd like

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

2 cups cooked brown rice

Combine shrimp, broth, garlic, chili powder, salt and oregano in a crock pot or large pot on the stove. 

Cover and cook on low for two hours. 

Add green beans and tomatoes.  

Cover and cook on low for another five minutes.

Add cooked rice.  
Cover, cook on low for around another five minutes until rice is heated through.
Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!