Honey Lime Chicken Kabobs

For nearly the entire summer, our dinners are made on the BBQ. We love spending our summer evenings outside, and dinner seems to be ready in a flash while the kids are happily playing in the yard. :) This is a random creation that we came up with last week, and it's now been declared a favorite. The flavor is sweet with a little kick (thanks to the red pepper) and it's lip-smacking delicious. Two thumbs up across the board, even from the kids.

Honey Lime Chicken Kabobs
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 35 minutes           COOK: 10 minutes            READY IN: 45 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if you want more spice to your chicken)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• dash salt

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Cube chicken into about 1 inch pieces.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, cilantro, and salt. 
3. Place chicken into the marinade, and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Put the chicken on skewers, and hang onto the marinade.
5. Place chicken skewers on the grill. While grilling, every 3-4 minutes turn the chicken, and baste it with the marinade.
6. Grill skewers for 8-10 minutes, or until done.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 skewer    191 calories   8g fat   6.8g carbs    22g protein    5.9g sugar   

Enjoy!

Watermelon Lime Popsicles

Memorial Day weekend is THIS weekend. First of all, how did that happen?! Time is going by waaaay to quickly, my friends. And second of all, that means summer weather is coming.... right?? Here in Colorado, we had a snow storm a little over a week ago. And by snow storm, I mean 10 inches. In May. We've only been here for a year, but everyone says it's fairly normal. Good thing it melts quick because mentally, I just can't handle being locked up inside the house yet again due to a snow storm. :) So here's to warm weather and popsicles! I don't know about you, but we practically live off popsicles in the summer. I have a goal of making lots of real food popsicles this year because let's be honest. Otterpops are full of who knows what, and buying real food popsicles in the store would get expensive really quick. Especially when we average about 3 per person around here per day come July and August. Here's a popsicle we made up on the fly. I was tempted to call it a margarita popsicle because that's just what it tastes like. It's super yummy and everyone gave it two thumbs up!

Watermelon Lime Popsicles
8 SERVINGS 
PREP: 5 minutes           FREEZE: 60 minutes            READY IN: 65 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 cups watermelon, cut up
• 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Place the watermelon into a blender. 
2. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the blender.
3. Blend until the watermelon and lime juice is mixed, and looks like a slushy. Add the honey and keep blending for a little bit.
4. Pour into popsicle forms and freeze for about an hour.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    17 calories   .1g fat   4.5g carbs    .3g protein    3.2g sugar   

Enjoy!

Tin Foil Citrus Chicken

Grilling season is my favorite! Although the weather has been hit or miss here (Colorado), we've caught a couple really great nights that make for fun dinners. Secretly, grilling is my favorite because my husband does all the work while I work on side dishes. :)

This is a lightly flavored chicken that is perfect for a warm day. And it's named citrus chicken, but that doesn't mean it tastes all lemon and lime-y. It's a subtle taste that will leave you satisfied and it would be great cut up for a salad too.

Tin Foil Citrus Chicken
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 15 minutes            READY IN: 25 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon Lawry's chile & garlic seasoning
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime

DIRECTIONS

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1. Fire up the girl! Booya!
2. Layout some tinfoil on the counter top (you want it big enough so it can be generously wrapped around the chicken after seasoning).
3. Place the chicken on top of the tinfoil. 
4. Drizzle oil over chicken and toss chicken until it's completely covered in oil.  
5. Sprinkle the Lawry's and lemon pepper seasoning over the chicken.
6. Cut the lemon and lime in half. Squeeze one half over the chicken in the tinfoil. Slice the other half of the fruit and place on top of the chicken.
7. Close up the tinfoil and place on the grill. Cook until chicken is cooked all the way through.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    __ cup serving    242 calories   16.8g fat   .7g carbs    22g protein    0g sugar   

Enjoy!

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

'Tis the season for appetizers and dips, yes? I feel like all I've been doing for the last two weeks is snacking. With New Years this week, let's cheers to one more week of snacking and then get back to meals and less eating. Who's with me? You will love this zippy hummus recipe if you like a little kick to your dips. It would even be delicious on a sandwich.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus
MAKES: 1 1/2 cups
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 10 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Place all ingredients, except for the salt and pepper, into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
3. Serve with pita chips, crackers, veggies, or bread.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1/4 cup serving    53 calories   2.7g fat   6.5g carbs    2g protein    1.2g sugar   

Enjoy!

Costa Rican Tilapia and Pineapple Rice

I have to admit that one of the kitchen appliances that I couldn't live without is my rice cooker. Cooking rice terrified me, until I tried it in a rice cooker - which makes it so easy and fool-proof! I must say, though, that even though cooking rice is, of course, the primary function of a rice cooker, I probably use ours more often for other functions besides just cooking simple rice. I steam in it all the time (example here), and I've found that it doubles really nicely as a pseudo slow cooker. I love that I can throw things into it to cook up, without having to turn on the stove or messy a bunch of pots and pans. This recipe is a perfect example. The original recipe came from my latest favorite cookbook, and the instructions are to cook the rice first, followed by baking it all in the oven with the fish. I'm sure that method works well, but in the interest of simplicity I decided to try it out all in the rice cooker and found that it works out fabulously well! I put the rice "fixins" all together to cook up, and at the very end throw in the fish with its flavorful marinade to finish it off. (Note: I did try this in my crockpot on high to see if it would work, but it didn't cook up as well as with the rice cooker.)

The end product here turns out to be a sweet and spicy rice and beans, accompanied by a light and citrusy fish fillet. I usually cook up the entire batch of rice (because it's the part the kids eat the most of), but only cook the amount of fish we'll eat with the meal (which is usually two fillets that we split between two adults and two kids). This means we usually have leftovers of the rice, which is something my husband loves about this recipe - he says it goes really well the next day with canned tuna mixed in for a healthy lunch.

Costa Rican Tilapia and Pineapple Rice
6 SERVINGS (of rice - amounts of fish depend on how much you put in)
PREP: 25 minutes           COOK: 25 minutes            READY IN: 35 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or 3 cups if using alternate instructions)
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup tomato salsa
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple, diced
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-4 tilapia fillets (5-7 ounces each), depending on number of fish servings desired
• 2 limes, cut into thin rounds
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a large rice cooker (fits 8-10 cups uncooked rice), combine rice, broth, tomatoes, salsa, and beans. Set cooker on white rice setting. (*See alternate instructions if not using a rice cooker.)
2. At the same time, combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Place tilapia fillets in the mixture, covering both sides. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. 
3. After the rice has been cooking for approximately 15 minutes in the rice cooker, open and mix in the pineapple. Then place the tilapia fillets on top of the rice. Pour the remaining marinade over the rice and fish, and place 2-3 lime rounds on top of each fillet. Close the rice cooker and let it continue cooking for the remaining time until the rice and fish are both completely cooked (should be approximately 5-10 more minutes). (*See alternate instructions if not using a rice cooker.)
4. Serve rice topped with fish (a whole or partial fillet, depending), with lime rounds and additional cilantro for garnish.

*Alternatively, if you don't have a rice cooker: Cook the rice over the stovetop in 3 cups of chicken broth. (Link here if you're not familiar or comfortable with cooking rice - no worries, I know it can feel daunting if you don't do it often ... this is why I love my rice cooker!) Once the rice is cooked, mix it with the tomatoes, salsa, beans, and pineapple and place in a 2- to 3-quart casserole dish. Cover with the marinated tilapia fillets, followed by the remaining marinade and lime rounds. Bake in an oven preheated to 400ºF for 7-10 minutes, or until the fish is white all the way through.

NUTRITION FACTS

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    1 cup rice with 4 oz. fish    408 calories   6.9 g fat   57.5 g carbs    30.6 g protein    6.9 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Latin D'Lite by Ingrid Hoffmann.

Calabacitas con Elote (Zucchini with Corn)

Fall seems to be the time of year I crave colorful dishes. This one doesn't disappoint! It's a beautiful dish that would be perfect at any Thanksgiving dinner table. It's also perfect if you need a great vegetarian option for yourself, friends, or family. Just add some black beans to this recipe, and it will be a one-dish wonder. Or, feel free to add a little shredded chicken or turkey if you are meat-friendly and this can also be an all-in-one dish for dinner or lunch.

Calabacitas con Elote (Zucchini with Corn)
8 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 20 minutes            READY IN: 40 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 ripe vine tomato, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed
• Sea salt, to taste
• 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon raw blue agave sweetener
• 1 lime, juiced
• Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.
2. Saute the zucchini for about 5 minutes, or until it turns a nice golden brown color.
3. Add the corn, tomato, jalapeño, garlic, sea salt, lemon pepper, cumin, agave sweetener, and lime juice. Stir to combine. 
4. Cover and cook on meduium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the veggies are tender, yet still crisp.
5. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 serving    75 calories   3.9g fat   10.6g carbs    1.8g protein    4.2g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Gluten Free Goddess.

Low-Carb Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup

Cookbooks! If anyone else out there is addicted to them, raise your hand! I love checking out cookbooks from the library and browsing them similarly to how most people browse magazines. The pictures, the ideas, the personality of someone's cooking style - I love it all. I usually come away with at least a few new ideas, but every so often I find a gem where it feels like it was a cookbook written just for me. Those are the ones where every single recipe jumps off the page, begging me to make it. Recently, I found one of those. It's called Latin D'Lite by Ingrid Hoffmann. Of Cuban descent, the author apparently was raised in the U.S. watching her mother cook in their family restaurant. As an adult, she wanted to recreate her favorite Latin dishes with a healthier twist - hence the concept of her Latin D'Lite cookbook. I found and adapted this recipe from there.

This is a beautifully colorful soup, packed full of vegetables and plenty of protein with the chicken. It has the comfortable feel of traditional chicken soup, but with a fresh, new Latin flavor twist. Most of the ingredients in this soup were familiar favorites to me, but I had fun with a new ingredient here. I had never eaten or cooked with yuca before (also called cassava - here's a picture if you're interested ... yes, I'm a food nerd!). It is a root vegetable, with a fairly thick, brown skin. Once peeled, the inside is whiter than a potato, and when cooked it turns a translucent color and maintains a thicker texture than most cooked potatoes. I'll be honest, I kind of fell in love with it, along with this fantastic soup.

Low-Carb Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup
8-10 SERVINGS 
PREP: 20-30 minutes           COOK: 90-120 minutes            READY IN: 2-3 hours

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 rotisserie-style chicken (or 3-4 large chicken breasts)
• 10-12 cups water (or broth)
• 1 yellow onion - diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 large carrots - diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 celery stalks - diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 medium red bell pepper - cored, seeded, and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium yuca, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (or some hot sauce, to taste)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
• lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

---

1. If using a rotisserie chicken, remove the meat from the chicken and set aside (the refrigerator would be best). Place the remaining chicken parts (bones, skin) in a large pot and cover with water. Place covered pot on stovetop on medium heat, and lightly boil for 60-90 minutes. This will create a nice broth base for the rest of the soup. Once the broth has cooked, and you are ready to continue with the soup, remove the solid pieces from the pot and discard, leaving the prepared broth. (Alternatively, you can use prepared chicken broth. If so, cook and shred 3-4 chicken breasts in place of the rotisserie chicken.)
2. Add in the prepared vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, red pepper, yuca, and sweet potato), along with the seasonings (cumin, jalapeño/hot sauce, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper) to the broth. Add more water if necessary to cover everything adequately (it's a thick, full soup with all the veggies, but the vegetables shouldn't "outnumber" the liquid - it's still a soup, after all!)
3. Let the soup simmer over medium-low heat for about 30-35 minutes. Check the flavor to see if it needs additional salt. 
4. Once the soup has cooked and the vegetables are soft, add back in the chicken meat (cutting any large pieces into bite-size pieces). Let the soup simmer another 10-15 minutes, until everything is hot.
5. Serve the soup generously garnished with cilantro and lime wedges for squeezing. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    2 cup serving    315 calories   5.4 g fat   12.9 g carbs    50.8 g protein    3.7 g sugar

This recipe would also be a really good way to use up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. You could make up the broth from the turkey bones, or just mix in the turkey meat to the soup.

Recipe adapted from Latin D'Lite by Ingrid Hoffmann.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Who doesn't love tacos? I remember loving my mom's ground beef with lettuce and salsa tacos from my childhood. I fell in love again when my husband and I visited Mexico a few years back, and enjoyed the traditional tacos available on every street corner. And now I'm head over heels in love all over again with my discovery of this chicken taco recipe. Not only is it crazy easy - no cooking required if you have pre-cooked chicken on hand - but it is also crazy good. The cilantro lime pesto packs such a flavor punch, that I'm now looking for all sorts of new ways to incorporate it into my meals (I sometimes save a couple spoonfuls when I make this recipe so that I can toss it into a salad the next day with lunch, and I'm thinking that it would make an amazing pizza topping next... stay tuned!).

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

4 SERVINGS 

PREP: 20 minutes           COOK: 0 minutes            READY IN: 20 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 1 cup canned (or cooked) black beans
• tortillas (corn or flour), warmed over skillet or griddle
• taco toppings (we used red pepper strips, spinach leaves, finely diced onion with cilantro, avocado)

    For the Cilantro Lime Pesto:

• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup shredded asiago, parmesan, or romano cheese
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)*
• 2-3 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Using a blender or food processor, mix together the pesto ingredients (cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, cheese, salt). Add enough water to make it moist but not runny.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine chicken pieces, beans, and pesto. Toss together.
3. Assemble tacos with pesto chicken followed by the toppings of your choice. 

NUTRITION FACTS

---

     2 tacos with corn tortilla and pesto chicken (no toppings)   499 calories   21.4 g fat (4.1 g saturated)   47.7 g carbs    40 g protein    1.5 g sugar   

*9/27/13 I've updated this recipe with less salt after realizing that the amount from the original recipe is definitely more than I usually put in and because the saltiness will vary depending on the type of salt you are using. Better to start with just 1/2 teaspoon, and add more if you want more flavor. 

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from What's Cookin' Chicago?