Dijon Chicken Salad

This is one of those dishes that I came across online and just HAD to make. This is the perfect make-ahead salad to pack in your lunches for the week, or just for a healthy weeknight dinner.

A little warning, it's a little time consuming with the different steps to prepare, but if you buy pre-grilled chicken and pre-roasted peppers that will save you a lot of time. If you have time to make it by scratch you wont be disappointed! I fed this to my 10-month-old and he loved it! I ended up not adding all the dressing to the salad but I did just enough to coat it and get the flavor.

Dijon Chicken Salad
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 30 minutes            READY IN: 50 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 quart fat free, low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 2 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds or sliced raw almonds (optional)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, roasted and diced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 large bell peppers, roasted (or store bought works great too)
• salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

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1. To roast your peppers preheat oven to 450º. On a lined baking sheet, spray with coconut oil. Cut peppers into quarters and place skin-side up. Bake peppers for 15-20 minutes, or until the skin begins to blacken (its okay if its black--that's what you want). Once peppers are done transfer them to either a ziploc back or a covered bowl to allow them to steam. 
2. While peppers are roasting, mix asparagus with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When peppers have about 10 minutes left, throw asparagus on the baking sheet. Allow them to roast 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of asparagus). Allow asparagus to cool before chopping. 
3. For the salad add chicken broth and bay leaves in a large skillet with a lid and allow it to come to a simmer. 
4. Add chicken breasts to the skillet and bring broth to a boil. Cover pot. Allow chicken to cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on size of chicken. 
5. While chicken is cooking you can prepare the other salad ingredients. Chop garlic, onion, asparagus, basil and parsley and place them in a large bowl.
6. Take your peppers out of the bowl, or whatever you placed it in, and remove the skin. They should just slide right off. Chop peppers and add them to the salad mixture. 
7. Once chicken is cooked, shred it into bite size pieces and add it to your salad. 
8. To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a blender until combined. Add dressing to your salad and toss to combine. 

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 serving    120 calories  2g fat  6g carbs   16g protein   4g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from stiritup.me

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Granola

This fall, I've become obsessed with pumpkin spice. It might have started with a recent trip to Trader Joe's when I came across - and of course had to have - pumpkin spice granola. It was amazing, and may have been my pumpkin spice downfall this year which has been leading me to put pumpkin spice in just about everything I can think of. To curb the temptation to go back and buy a cart-load of the seasonal granola at Trader Joe's, I of course had to see if I could replicate the stuff myself (as well as make it healthier in the process). I discovered a great recipe, which I tweaked only slightly by including raisins as TJ's did, and using beautiful red quinoa (mostly for the color enhancement - it is such a gorgeous contrast to the oats and gives it such a nice fall look... sorry, sneak peek into my brain there!) The granola is fantastic, and is great for snacking, with milk, or as the perfect topping to other fall-flavored treats that I've been concocting. (I can't wait to share my super-healthy sweet potato pudding that I've been pairing it with lately!)

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Granola 

 Makes 3 2/3 cups 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 25-30 minutes        READY IN: 40 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

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• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa (I used red), rinsed and lightly dried over a paper towel
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup ground flaxmeal
• 1/4 cup pepitas (or other seed - I used half pepitas, half sunflower seeds)
• 1/4 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

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1. In a medium-large bowl combine the oats and rinsed quinoa in a bowl and mix. Spread them onto a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes in the oven at 325ºF.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine honey, pumpkin puree, oil, and spices.
3. Turn down the oven temperature to 300ºF, remove the oats and quinoa from the oven, and combine with the seeds, nuts, and raisins in the larger bowl. Pour the wet mixture over these and combine well. 
4. Spread everything onto the baking sheet again, and place in the oven for another 25-30 minutes. Halfway through, use a spatula to turn over the granola, allowing it to bake more consistently.
5. When the granola appears slightly golden, remove from the oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container for several days.

NUTRITION FACTS

    1/3 cup serving    151 calories   5.5 g fat   23.7 g carbs    3.8 g protein    10.6 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Skinny Taste.
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