Chicken Salad

This year I have been making more of an effort to give my kids lunch options besides just sandwiches. So far I'm managing a couple times a week but it isn't even November yet. We'll have to see how good I'm doing next May! This chicken salad has been a crowd pleaser for sure and it's really easy to make.

Quick Chicken Salad

• 2 ( 12.5 oz) cans of chicken (or 3 cups diced cooked chicken)
• 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1 green onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 cup diced apple
• salt and pepper to taste
• pecans or cashews, optional

1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, mayo, grapes, green onion, celery, apple, salt, and pepper.  Combine until well blended.
2. Serve on rolls, bread, or croissants sprinkle with some cashews or pecans.  This can also be served on a lettuce leaf.

Orange Chicken

I'll admit I was pretty skeptical about 3 ingredient orange chicken but it actually tasted really good. I did double this recipe for my family of 6 and it made a pretty big batch. It was so good the kids were asking if they could take leftovers in the lunchboxes the next day! 

ORANGE CHICKEN

• 1 Cup BBQ Sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s)
• 1 Cup Sweet Orange Marmalade (Smucker’s)
• 2 TBSP Soy Sauce

Crispy Chicken Ingredients:

• 3-4 Chicken Breasts (We used 3)
• 1 Cup Flour/1 Cup Cornstarch (You can use both or either/or)
• 2 Eggs
• Oil (We used vegetable oil)

Cooking Directions:

1. In a sauce pan, add the BBQ sauce, marmalade, and soy sauce. Turn the heat on low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring a few times.
2. Meanwhile, cut up your chicken breasts into cubes. In one bowl beat 2 eggs, while the other bowl should mix the dry ingredients.
3. Dip pieces of chicken in the egg and then cover in flour/cornstarch. Set on an extra plate.
4. Add a thin layer of oil to a frying pan and turn your stove on medium/high heat. Once it sizzles, add the chicken to the pan. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes each side until it’s brown and cooked on the inside.
5. Set the oily pieces on a paper towel and let drain.
6. Add the chicken to the sauce and toss!
7. Eat it on top of white rice and enjoy. I think veggies would be good with it such as green peppers or broccoli.

Arabic Chicken Shawarma

I've made this fabulous Arabic chicken a few times now and it is delicious and really not very difficult either. It does require a little advance planning so it can have the 8 hours to marinate but it's worth it. I serve it with yellow rice and a vegetable.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 large breasts)

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of cayenne

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Nonstick cooking spray

To Finish:

6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. turmeric

Instructions

Pour the 1/4 cup of olive oil into a large plastic zipper bag. Add in the marinade spices, then seal the bag and shake to combine. I know it seems like a lot of spices, but it's not over the top. 

Cut the chicken breasts into sixths, then place the pieces into large plastic zipper bag. Seal the bag and use your hands to work the marinade into the chicken. Place the bag of chicken into the fridge to marinate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then prepare a baking sheet by lining it with foil and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the chicken pieces evenly on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 8 minutes, flip the chicken pieces over, then bake for another 8 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let sit until cool enough to touch. Slice the chicken into thin pieces using a sharp knife.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

While it is heating, mix the remaining spices together in a small bowl and set it near the stove.

Once the oil is hot, add one third of the cooked chicken into the pan along with one third of the spices next to the stove. Cook, stirring, until the spices are spread throughout the meat and the chicken is heated through (just a minute or two).

Repeat this process with the remaining oil, chicken, and spices so that it is cooked in three batches (or, if you have a really big pan you could do it all at once). 

Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
6 large bell peppers
1 cup dry quinoa
15 oz. can black beans
1 can corn 
2 green onions
2/3 cup salsa
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
Optional additions: chipotle, tomatoes, cilantro, green chilies, garlic powder, hemp hearts
Toppings of choice: guacamole (yum!), salsa, hot sauce, etc.

Directions
Cook quinoa according to package directions with 2 cups water/broth. (I often use vegetable broth in place of water for more flavor.)
Meanwhile, halve bell peppers and remove stems, seeds and ribs.
Rinse and drain black beans, thaw corn, and slice green onions.
In a large mixing bowl, add cooked quinoa and all other ingredients except bell peppers. Stir to combine, and adjust taste if necessary (salt, more seasonings, nutritional yeast).
Preheat oven to 350.
In a lightly sprayed pan, place pepper halves, and generously stuff them with the quinoa filling. Lightly press down to compact and fill all the crevices.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 10 minutes more.
Serve with any desired toppings.

Irish Soda Bread

For our St. Patrick's Day meal we had the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage with Roasted Potatoes, but this year I decided to make Irish Soda Bread to go with it. It was pretty simple and we all liked it.

INGREDIENTS
4 cup Flour
4 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup softened Butter
1/4 cup melted Butter
1 1/4 cup Buttermilk
1 Egg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375.

Grease a baking sheet.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup buttermilk and egg to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Flour work surface.

Turn out dough and knead briefly.

Shape dough into a round shape and place on prepared sheet.

Whisk together 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk.

Brush loaf with buttermilk mixture.

Cut an X in the top of the loaf.

Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Brush with buttermilk mixture every 15 minutes or so while baking.

Salmon with Avocado Salsa

I have been trying to incorporate more fish into our diet and this Salmon recipe was awesome. My kids devoured it (one of them even had the one leftover piece for breakfast the next morning!) 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tbs olive oil (I used light extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
For the Avocado salsa:
• 2 avocado, diced
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced
• Juice from 2 limes
• 1-2 tbs finely chopped cilantro (depending on how big of a cilantro lover you are)
• 1 small tomato, diced
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and this seasoning mix. (I was worried it would be too much seasoning but it isn't.) 
2. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. Check a little before that. Salmon is done when it flakes with a fork. You can also grill the salmon for about 5 minutes per side. 
4. Combine the avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.
5. Top with avocado salsa and enjoy!