Garden Saute

This past summer my garden determined what I cooked. I'd go pick what was ready and brain storm as I did it. Thats how this recipe was born. Its ridiculously easy and you could throw anything in it. Its delicious, too! This recipe has it all. Clean eating and loving every bite of it! You have got to try this!

Now being October and my garden season coming to a close I'll miss my shoot from the hip meals from my garden. But you can always get this produce at your local grocery store so this dish can go year round!

Wanna fork?

Garden Saute

1 Pound ground burger meat (Elk, beef, whatever you have!)
1 Yellow onion, chopped
1 Zuchinni, chopped
1 Yellow squash, chopped
1 Pound green beans
4 Green onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Teaspoon montreal steak seasoning (Add more as desired.)

Cook your burger meat in steak seasoning. Once cooked set aside and saute your garlic in butter until fragrant. Add veggies and saute until cooked. Once cooked add burger to veggies and stir together allowing to saute for about five minutes or so.

Serve with warm Dinner Bread and enjoy!


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Chicken Wrapped Asparagus

So our family eats quite rustic on a regular basis. A spin off of a fancy meal is not seen on our dinner table much! With that being said the other day I randomly had chicken breasts defrosted AND asparagus.. Instead of just grilling em up I said why not try and combine them into one? Wrap it up! I must say I cook a lot and love all that I produce but I rarely feel as proud as I did with this dish. I was intimidated with just the thought of making it so making it and having it be a success and taste delicious left me feeling quite proud! I get a lot of my inspiration from watching food network and cook channel. It may be the worst thing for me but I usually watch a cooking show while I do my workout. Talk about cussing all food while doing burpees. Nevertheless I enjoy challenging my creativity with inspiration from those shows and this recipe is a perfect example!

Cook up this recipe and have a glass of wine. Get a little classy. Or just cook it up, have a beer and watch Duck Dynasty thats totally cool, too! I'd lean more towards the second of the two!

The cream sauce compliments this dish perfectly.

Chicken Wrapped Asparagus 

6 Chicken Breasts

1 Pound of asparagus with ends trimmed off

2 Tablespoons butter

Poultry seasoning

*Some saran wrap and butchers string and a meat mallet, if you don't have a meat mallet use the bottom side of a fry pan*

For the sauce

8 Oz. Cream cheese

1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese

1/3 Cup milk

3 Tablespoons butter

1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder

Salt n Pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lay your chicken breasts on a cutting board. Lay a single layer of saran wrap over them all and using a meat mallet beat your chicken into large round thin pieces for ease of wrapping. Once beaten sprinkle poultry seasoning over both sides. Take your asparagus and saute to par cook them making the main cooking process quicker. Once cooked spread out the pound evenly laying pieces of the asparagus over one end of the chicken. 

Pre cut your butcher string into as many pieces as you need for ease. You can do a butchers knot or 2 strings a piece. Tie a knot on each end to hold the chicken together. Very easy! Roll your chicken around asparagus and continue to roll until completely rolled up. Tie your two strings and your done! Continue until pieces are gone.

Saute chicken in butter to brown your outside a little before baking process. Once browned lay in an olive oil drizzled baking pan and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Watch closely so your chicken doesn't dry out.

For the sauce

Melt butter and cream cheese in a saucepan. Whisk in Parm until combined. Slowly pour in milk, sprinkle spices and whisk everything together until bubbly.

CUT OFF YOUR STRINGS and Serve chicken with a drizzle of sauce on top and enjoy!

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Chicken Zucchini Alla Pesto!

So last week I boasted with my proud Italian heritage in my Stuffed Crust Garlic Chicken Alfredo Pizza post. How I love the traditional meals such as pasta, pizza, fresh gnocchi, cheese and so on. THIS week I am taking a little bit of a spin on an Italian dish. Instead of angel hair or spaghetti pasta I'm using zucchini! A low carb, delicious and healthy spin. Being guilt free, this dish is abundant in flavor and looks beautiful on a plate. Don't let the clean eating scare you, This dish is for real and absolutely amazing! TO put the cherry on top THIS is a 30 minute meal! Oh yes. This recipe has a lot going for it!!!

My sister who caters for a living, which means, DUH! She's an AMAZING cook, found an awesome gadget called a Veggetti! A spiral slicer that turns zucchini, squash, cucumbers and other vegetables into pasta type strings. Hence the name Veggetti, like spaghetti! Anyways my Mom purchased one and brought it with her when were were all together over the 4th of July at our family cabin. She was making fresh salads using it. I knew at first glimpse I NEEDED one of these. So I promptly purchased one on our way home! Needless to say vegetables have been way more fun since I have had it! Which says a lot, I'm a California girl so I grew up on fresh produce and have always loved it and had fun cooking with it. This gadget opens a whole new direction to take produce though and it makes my mind go crazy with creative ideas!

Chicken Zucchini Alla Pesto is a must try! You'll feel great after eating a fresh healthy meal such as this one and still love every bite of it!

Is that tongue marks on my screen from trying to lick it? NASTY! 

Chicken Zucchini Alla Pesto

For the chicken

4 Chicken breasts. (If their thicker I filet them down to thinner pieces)

1 Tablespoon jarred pesto (Can be found in fresh section of grocery)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon pepper

*Marinate your chicken breasts in this mixture from 30 minutes to 24 hours.*

For the zucchini pasta

4 Medium sized zucchini

1 white onion

2-3 Tablespoons jarred pesto (can be found in fresh section of grocery)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

*Optional* 1/2 Teaspoon minced garlic

Parmesan cheese for garnish! 

Heat a skillet with some melted butter in the bottom or your grill to cook your marinated chicken. Once heated cook until done. Using your Vegetti, slice down your Zucchini. Chop your onions. Heat a skillet to medium high heat and melt butter and optional garlic together. Once melted sauté your onions until caramelized then add your zucchini for a quick sauté. It won't take long. Once all vegetables are cooked add your pesto and spices and stir together. Let simmer for a minute or two then serve with chicken breasts sliced down and served on top.

Bon Appetit!

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Pearl Pasta Salad

Ahh summertime side dish searching.. what to make, what to make, what to make! 

SEARCH NO FURTHER! 

Pearl pasta salad is a fun twist on a traditional pasta salad with a fresh crisp taste that keeps you coming back for more. I love having it in the fridge to have for a perfect side to a lot of our meals. Ready to go and so fitting for this time of the year! Perfect for 4th of july cookouts coming up!

Give it a try!

Pearl Pasta Salad

1 Box pearl pasta (Acini De Pipi)

1/2 Purple onion chopped

1 Bunch cilantro chopped

1 Cucumber chopped in small pieces

1 Packet italian dressing seasoning

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 Cup lemon juice

Dash of sea salt & pepper!

Boil your pearl pasta. Once cooked drain and rinse with cold water to cool pasta. Once cooled add chopped onion, cilantro & cucumber. In a separate bowl whisk you oil, lemon and italian spices together. Pour over salad and stir until combined! Add salt & pepper to your liking. This is a light mild salad so you can kick up the flavor as much as you like! 

*Tips* For draining your pearl pasta you will want to use a VERY fine strainer! It is seriously some of the messiest pasta and trust me straining it and finding out all falling through into the sink isn't very fun. Now! Its time you learn my big downfall... I am not a huge fan of tomatoes. Raw ones that is. With that being said, sliced grape tomatoes would be delicious in this recipe. I have just rebelled and not added them to this recipe! Bulgar is a great alternative starch to use for this recipe as well! One thing you need to remember about my recipes is that I have simple recipes... Have fun with them! Be creative. Its what I love about cooking is my opportunity to be creative! Do so!

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Kale Chips

So I have been trying hard to behave lately when it comes to meals and snacks. I know, I am the one that just posted Kool Aid Ice Cream last week. Let's get real though who doesn't like ice cream? It's okay to have a cheat treat every once in a while. Makes you appreciate your clean eating habits!

I got a bunch of kale in my Bountiful Basket.... Usually when I get a bunch of kale zuppa toscana soup is going through my mind. That soup is delicious and all but its 90 degrees outside here. I'll pass on soup. Anyways! I am a snacker. It's my downfall. So I try to be cautious of what I snack on. Nothing more than headway when looking at the scale and in the mirror sparks wanting to eat clean! You just feel so proud of yourself and your body is fueled not fed. Kale chips is a healthy quick snack that will leave you with NO guilt! Well one time I ate a whole bunch of kale turned into chips. It bakes down, That makes it okay right? Fine, extra few reps of mountain climbers! HEY better than eating a whole bag of potato chips!!

Anyways, Give this recipe a try and enjoy a healthy snack!
Turn your oven to 350 and let's do this!

Kale Chips

Kale Chips

1 Bundle fresh kale

1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil (Give or take)

1 Teaspoon sea salt

Heat oven to 350. Cut your kale off of the main stems leaving just pieces of the leaves behind. Cut into bite sized pieces. Spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and drizzle/spray your olive oil over the bed of kale. Sprinkle salt over it all and bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Watch out for your edges burning. It won't take long so keep an eye on it while its baking. 

*TIPS* I use a Misto Oil Sprayer for spraying my olive oil over bed of kale. Works like a charm! I have also added other flavors to these as well. Red pepper flakes for a spicy twist. Parmesan for an cheesy spin. Even just seasoned salt if you desiring more than just sea salt. I use coarse ground sea salt when making this recipe but whatever you have on hand will be fine. Be creative and come up with other varieties to flavor up this healthy snack! 

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