Avocado Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Where do I begin?! YUM ... that's where. I wanted something healthy and fresh for dinner. I searched for a few ideas online and came across this salad dish and changed it up just a bit. I am in love with the dressing and used the leftovers for a burger the next day. It could even be used as a dip or hummus for chips.


Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups spinach

1 carrot, julienned
1 radicchio, chopped (optional)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Quinoa

The Avocado Peanut Dressing

1/4 avocado
1/2 cup peanuts
Juice of one 1/2 lime
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine honey, lime juice, soy sauce, and pepper. Marinate chicken in this mixture for at least 30 minutes.

2. Grill the chicken. Once cooked through, set chicken aside and allow to cool slightly. Cut into slices.

3. To make the dressing: Mix the ingredients (avocado, rice vinegar, peanuts, lime juice, olive oil and garlic) together in a blender or food processor. Adjust with salt and pepper.

4. Combine the chopped spinach carrots, cilantro, red onion and radicchio in a large bowl and toss it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the quinoa and chicken on top along with the avocado. Drizzle on the dressing, top with chopped peanuts, and serve!

Note: The avocado peanut dressing can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a couple of days.

No-Pectin Honey Peach Jam

INGREDIENTS:
6 pounds peaches
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cups sugar
Squeeze of Honey (save for last)
DIRECTIONS:
1) Peel and pit the peaches, roughly chop and place in a large pot. Add the lemon juice and mash them together with a potato masher to desired consistency.

2) Stir in the sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring frequently, until the jam reaches about 210-220 degrees F and thickens, about 25-30 minutes (I didn't measure the temperature. I just boiled the jam until it looked good). In the last 1-2 minutes, I squeezed in about 2 tablespoons of honey.

3) Ladle the jam into sterilized jars and either cool and refrigerate/freeze or process in a boiling water bath for
10 minutes.

Original from HGTV Gardens

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced (or red onion)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons sour cream

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt your butter
2. Add chicken thighs, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until browned. It doesn't need to be cooked through yet, just sear it. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Bring the heat down to medium and add shallots and garlic. Saute until tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, chicken broth, honey, and mustard to the skillet, and stir to combine.
5. Add chicken thighs back to the skillet in the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until chicken in cooked through.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.
7. Serve warm.

Original recipe from: The Gracious Wife

Serves: 4-8

Black Bean Sesame Noodles with Edamame & Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3-4 ounces Organic Black Bean Spaghetti Noodles from Explore Asian
• ¼ cup all natural peanut butter
• 1/2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp. honey
• 1 bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 1 cup cooked, organic edamame
• 1-2 scallions, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro

Optional: sesame seeds + red hot chili flakes

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to instructions.

In a large bowl combine peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and honey. Toss warm noodles into the sauce and top with the peppers, edamame, chopped up scallions, and cilantro. Gently toss everything together until well combined and all the noodles are lightly coated in the sauce.

Top with sesame seeds and red hot chili flakes.

Makes 3 servings

Cinnamon Raisin Energy Bites

Ingredients

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Protein Powder (Optional - I used Chocolate)

Instructions

Pour peanut butter and honey into a medium bowl and microwave for 20 seconds to soften. Add remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly mixed. Let mixture chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll into 1″ sized balls and place on wax or parchment paper.

Notes

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate them. Adapted from: http://blog.candiquik.com/cinnamon-raisin-energy-bites/

Moroccan Carrots

Moroccan Carrots

4 c carrots, steamed

2 tsp EVOO

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1-1/2 tbsp cilantro chopped

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 ground cumin 

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

http://damndelicious.net/2013/11/02/slow-cooker-crockpot-honey-sesame-chicken/

I made this and served over jasmine rice. It can be served with any grain you want. It was very good. I made a second batch of the sauce and froze it in a ziploc bag so the next time, I just have to add chicken to the crock pot and walk away. 

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish


Instructions

1. 
   
2. In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil and red pepper.
3. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken thighs into a slow cooker. Add honey mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning to the pot with the juices. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Giada's Peanut Butter Granola Bars (Modified*)

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted*
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips

Directions

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a nonstick baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess paper to hang over the sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, using a hand beater, beat the egg white until frothy. Stir in the peanut butter, brown sugar, and honey. Add the melted butter, oats and almonds. Stir to combine, then add the chocolate chips.

Using a rubber spatula, spread mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing lightly to form an even layer. Bake until the edge of the mixture begins to brown, about 20-25* minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour. Cut into 1-1/2-inch squares and serve. Yields 24 bars.

* I found that if I decreased the butter from 1/2 c. to 1/4 c. and increased the cooking time from 15 min. to 20-25 min., they stayed together better.