Pesto Chicken & Vegetables

Pesto Chicken & Vegetables

Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt (optional) and pepper, for seasoning

1 Tbsp olive oil

16 oz bag fresh green beans

1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup pesto

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in large sealable bag and pound with cooking mallet until thin (for tenderizing and quicker cooking).

2. Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt (optional) and pepper. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.

3. Remove chicken from pan and add green beans. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sliced chicken and add back to pan. Add tomatoes and pesto. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through.

(Recipe adapted from tasty.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and lycopene. Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K and a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, and vitamins C and B2.

Ginger-Scallion Chicken

This was a very easy and quick dinner for a weeknight. I had never tried frozen brown rice before, and it was really good, and so simple! It tasted just as good and freshly cooked brown rice. It's now added to the list of healthy convenience foods that I like!

Ginger-Scallion Chicken

Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound organic chicken breast tenders

kosher salt

5 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sambal or chili-garlic sauce

4 scallions, thinly sliced, keeping greens and whites separate

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

8 oz snow peas

4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced

3 cups frozen brown rice

1/2 cup organic fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

you'll also need four 16-inch long sheets of parchment paper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fold each sheet of parchment paper in half and open like a book. On two separate baking sheets, place two pieces of parchment paper (two pieces per baking sheet).

2. Trim and discard tendon pieces of chicken tenders. Lightly season chicken tenders with kosher salt.

3. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sambal or chili-garlic sauce, scallion whites, ginger, and 1 Tbsp water.

4. In a separate bowl, combine snow peas and sliced mushrooms with 2 Tbsp of soy sauce mixture.

5. On one side of the fold in each piece of parchment paper, mound 3/4 cup brown rice and drizzle with 1 Tbsp water. Top with vegetables and 2-3 chicken tenders per packet. Spoon ~2 tsp of soy sauce mixture over the top of each.

6. Fold over top half of each piece of parchment paper and make small overlapping folds along entire open edge to make a closed pouch. Place in oven and bake for about 18 minutes, until parchment puffs up and chicken is cooked through. Transfer packets to plates and let sit for 2 minutes. Open carefully as hot steam will come out.

7. Top with scallion greens, cilantro and sesame seeds, to taste.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber. Snow peas are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber, iron and manganese.

Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken & Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

I love a good Greek Salad, and this one is a keeper! I also love leftovers, so I have been grilling enough chicken breast to get 2-3 meals out of it - usually two dinners and one lunch. If you chop up the cucumbers and onions all at once, there's no prep for the remaining meals except tossing everything in a bowl! And as simple as this balsamic dressing is, it is my favorite dressing I have made to date. This is one to add to the weekday rotation!

Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken & Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 1 serving

Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

2-3 oz organic chicken breast
garlic powder, for seasoning
salt, for seasoning
black pepper, for seasoning
3 cups organic romaine lettuce
1 Tbsp sliced black olives
1/3 cup grape tomatoes
1/3 cup cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Cut chicken breast into strips. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. 

2. Heat grill pan over medium high heat (or use outdoor grill). Grill chicken until thoroughly cooked through. Set aside.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and top with chicken. Drizzle with simple balsamic vinaigrette, or other favorite dressing.

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch salt (optional)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a small jar/container. Mix vigorously and serve.

What are the nutritional benefits of this salad?
Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins, A,  K and folate, as well as the mineral molybdenum, and is a very good source of fiber, minerals manganese, potassium, copper, and iron, as well as vitamins biotin, B1 (thiamin) and C. Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamin K. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene and vitamin C. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Food & Nutrition's Zucchini Noodle Mei Fun with Chicken

Here is a great example of a delicious meal made with zucchini noodles - and lots of other great vegetables! I saw this picture on the front of my latest Food & Nutrition magazine, and had to make it.

Not only does it look nice, but it tastes so good, and is a really healthy and easy weeknight dinner. There is chili garlic paste in this recipe, which adds a lot of great flavor, but a little bit goes a long way. I put in about 1/3 of the amount that was called for, and it was plenty spicy. I also omitted the bean sprouts in the recipe because I don't care for them. But if you like bean sprouts, they're a nice addition for some added crunch and texture in the meal. 

If you're not sold on replacing regular noodles with zucchini noodles, this is the recipe to try!

Food & Nutrition's Zucchini Noodle Mei Fun with Chicken

Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

2 medium organic zucchinis

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp chili garlic paste

2 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, divided

1 large organic egg

1 organic chicken breast, cubed

1/2 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 organic red bell pepper, sliced thin

5 organic scallions, chopped

Directions

1. Spiralize zucchini into noodles. Cover and set aside.

2. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and chili garlic paste. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil over medium-high heat. Scramble egg then remove from pan and reserve for later.

4. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil to same pan and heat. Add chicken and garlic. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.

5. Add onion and pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. 

6. Add egg and sauce mixture to pan and simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. 

7. Remove pan from heat and add zucchini noodles. Toss until evenly combined. Top with green onions.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C and also provides fiber, manganese, lutein and zeaxanthin (phytonutrients that are good for eyesight). Compared with traditional noodles, zucchini is much lower in calories, providing about 21 calories per cup. Traditional pasta provides about 200 calories per cup! Zucchini noodles are a fresh, whole food, whereas noodles are an enriched processed food product. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Garlic is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with Toum Garlic Sauce

I'm always looking for new ways to make chicken breasts that are easy and healthy, and I found this recipe in a Lebanese cookbook called Rose Water & Orange Blossoms that was really great. My husband, Ted, told me how good it was several times last night, so I'll be making this again for sure.  The only bad part of this recipe was how badly my eyes burned when I was grating the onion :) 

The original recipe called for regular whole milk yogurt, but we had some plain 2% greek yogurt in the fridge so I just used that and it seemed to work just fine. The greek yogurt may have been a bit thicker when it came to removing the excess marinade before grilling, but it wasn't difficult and the end result was really good. The recipe in the cookbook also called for 2 Tbsp crushed dried mint in the marinade, but I left that out because I am not a big fan of mint in my food.

The toum garlic sauce is very strong because the garlic is raw. I liked it in a very small amount because it was so strong. I'd like to modify it a bit by roasting the garlic first to take some of the bite out of the flavor. If you like garlic, you'll love toum.

The best part of making this meal was my Charlie-man helping me in the kitchen. He loves to prop up on the counter and tell me stories and help stir things. It definitely makes dinner prep one of the better parts of the day!

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with Toum Garlic Sauce

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

Ingredients

1 cup 2% plain greek yogurt
1 medium sweet onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
Kosher salt, and pepper, for seasoning

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Place mixture in a gallon sized sealable bag and add chicken. Seal and move mixture around until chicken is evenly coated. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 8-24 hours. (I marinated mine for 24 hours).

2. Remove excess yogurt mixture from chicken and season with salt and pepper. Grill for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

(Recipe adapted from Rose Water and Orange Blossoms by Maureen Abood, p.123)

Toum Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 head fresh garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
4-6 Tbsp ice water

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor and grind until smooth. Store in refrigerator for several weeks.

(Recipes adapted from Rose Water and Orange Blossoms by Maureen Abood, p.30)


Green Beans

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans, ends removed

Directions

1. Place green beans in a small pot and add 1/3 cup water. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Garlic is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.

Orange Chicken

This recipe popped up a few months ago on a blog that I follow - Hugs and Cookies XOXO. She typically makes lots of rich and amazing-looking desserts, but will often post some pretty simple and healthy dinners.  It turned out great, and tasted even better the next day as leftovers.  The original recipe called for all coconut oil, and I will be honest, I had never cooked with coconut oil before because there is so much conflicting information about the benefits of eating it that I have just stuck with my staples of canola and olive oils.  But I thought I would give it a try, so used half coconut oil and half canola oil. This turned out to be a good combination because there was a slight coconut flavor without being overpowering - and I was able to use the coconut oil in moderation.  The sauce and chicken paired really well with brown rice, and I steamed some broccoli to go along with it as well.

Orange Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken:

1 pound organic free-range chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

2 Tbsp canola oil

Sauce:

1/2 cup water

Juice from 1/2 fresh orange

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp tamari

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 clove garlic, peeled and grated

3 green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

Directions

1. Combine flour and salt in large sealable bag. Add chicken and evenly coat with flour mixture.

2. Heat coconut oil and canola oil in large skillet. Add chicken and and cook until completely cooked through and golden on outside. Remove chicken from heat.

3. To make sauce, combine 1/2 cup water, orange and lemon juice, rice vinegar, tamari, brown sugar, and garlic in a pan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and 2 Tbsp water in a small dish and stir to make a slurry. Add to sauce mixture in pan and stir until thickened.  Place chicken on serving dish and pour sauce over the chicken. Top with green onions and serve over brown rice.

(Recipe adapted from hugsandcookiesxoxo.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty-acids, which have been shown to raise HDL (good) cholesterol, but have also been shown to possibly raise LDL (bad) cholesterol as well, so use in moderation (which is why I used half coconut and half canola oil in this recipe).  Virgin coconut oil also contains antioxidants (possibly from the phenolic compounds it contains). Canola oil is the lowest in saturated fat of any oil, and is rich in healthy unsaturated fats. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber.

Crock Pot Chicken Paprikash

This is one of my favorite slow cooker dinners. I typically this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but this time made it using a whole chicken that we picked up from a local organic pasture-raised farm. Using the whole chicken takes a bit more effort, as it needs to be quartered, but is well worth it for the additional flavor and tenderness.  When I make this meal with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I lightly flour them before adding them to the slow cooker. But with the whole chicken, I skipped the flouring step, as it creates a "sliminess" (for lack of a better less-gross sounding word) on the chicken that is just not good. 

In the past I have served this meal over a bed of egg noodles, but this time I just tossed some extra green beans in the slow cooker and served the chicken on those. We didn't miss the noodles at all!

Crock Pot Chicken Paprikash

Ingredients

3-5 pound organic, free range whole chicken

1 pound fresh green beans, washed and trimmed

1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed

24 ounces canned organic tomato sauce

1 cup water

4 Tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup organic low fat sour cream

Directions

1. Coat slow cooker with canola oil. Quarter the chicken. Place green beans and onions in bottom of slow cooker and put chicken pieces on top. Add tomato sauce, water, 2 Tbsp of paprika, salt and pepper. Stir sauce to combine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 1/2 hours.

2. In small mixing bowl, combine sour cream with remaining 2 Tbsp paprika. Scoop 1 cup sauce from slow cooker and slowly whisk into sour cream mixture, then slowly stir into slow cooker.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K and a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, and vitamins C and B2. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Canned tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C. Low fat sour cream is a good source of calcium, phosphorous and vitamins B2 and B12.

Chicken Piccata

If you are a fan of lemon chicken, you will love this chicken piccata! The sauce was so flavorful without being too heavy. I made some organic steamed broccoli and wild rice to go with this - making the broccoli the main part of the meal. While meat and poultry are good for us, we try to make the vegetables the focal point of our meal and the meat the "side." So we cut each of the pieces of chicken in half and had 2-3 ounce servings of chicken. This is a great meal for a weeknight if you have a half an hour to prepare it, but would also be a great meal for company without taking too much time! 

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

1 pound organic free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup organic chicken stock

1/4 cup capers

1/4 cup fresh organic parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in gallon-sized sealable bag and pound with meat tenderizing mallet until thin (~1/4 inch thickness). Season with salt and pepper on both sides and dredge in flour, shaking to remove excess.

2. In large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter with 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Transfer chicken to a plate.

3. Add lemon juice, chicken stock and capers to pan and bring to a boil, scraping brown bits from bottom. Return chicken to pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Place chicken on serving dish. Whisk remaining 2 Tbsp butter into sauce in pan and pour sauce over top of chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

(Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentils' Chicken Piccata recipe from 

foodnetwork.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Butter is rich in vitamins E, K and D. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Wild rice is a great source of protein and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, C and E.

Slow Cooker Lemon Dill Chicken

This was definitely an easy slow-cooker keeper! Baking a whole chicken in the oven is pretty simple, but being able to toss the chicken in the slow cooker and leave the house is really nice. This chicken was so tender, it was falling apart when I went to take it out of the crock pot. This would be great at any time if the year, but the lemon and dill combination would make a really nice summer time dinner. For some healthy sides, I made brown rice and some steamed broccoli - a great, healthy, balanced meal!

Slow Cooker Lemon Dill Chicken

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 tsp grated lemon peel
4-5 pound organic free-range whole broiler/fryer chicken
1/4 cup organic chicken stock
4 sprigs fresh organic parsley
4 sprigs fresh organic dill
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Place chopped onion in bottom of slow cooker. Combine butter and lemon peel in small bowl.

2. Tie legs together with cooking twine and rub whole chicken with butter/lemon peel mixture. Place fresh parsley and dill sprigs in cavity. Place chicken in slow cooker, breast side up, and tuck wings underneath. 

3. Drizzle chicken stock and lemon juice over chicken and sprinkle with remaining dried seasonings. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. 

4. Remove chicken from slow cooker and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

(Recipe adapted from April/May 2014 issue of Taste of Home magazine)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. 

Chicken Yakitori

We used our grill for the first time this season over to weekend to grill this chicken, and it was awesome! The yakitori sauce is similar to a teriyaki sauce, but is less sweet.  The great thing about this chicken recipe is that it is really quick, so would be great for a busy week night. We had a bunch of vegetables in the refrigerator that we needed to use, so we made some baked tomatoes, roasted asparagus and a salad to go with our dinner. Some brown rice and broccoli would be great with it too!

Chicken Yakitori

Ingredients

1 pound organic chicken thighs

1/4 cup sake

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin

1 Tbsp sugar

2-3 wooden skewers

Directions

1. Preheat grill and soak wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

2. Thread chicken thighs onto skewers. In a small sauce pan, combine sake, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. 

3. Place skewers on grill, turning and brushing with sauce frequently. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until cooked through.

(Recipe adapted from The Complete Chicken Cookbook, ed. Justine Harding)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene and vitamin C. Asparagus is high in vitamin K and is also a great source of vitamin A, folate and iron.

Classic Cobb Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I like pretty much all salads, but I can sometimes get into a rut, making the same old tossed salad with the same simple vegetables and dressing. So I decided to do something different and make a big cobb salad with a new salad dressing to branch out a bit. This was really good and was a complete meal in itself.  It does take a bit of prep time to cut cook/cut-up all of the toppings, but if you cut the vegetables up ahead of time and pre-cook the eggs, chicken and/or bacon, it saves a lot of time when you go to assemble the salad. The dijon vinaigrette was really good without being over-powering. I doubled the amounts of the ingredients that I have listed for the dressing so that I would have extra for other salads, and I'm glad I did because it is so good!

Classic Cobb Salad

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

8 slices all-natural, pasture-raised bacon
4 organic free-range eggs
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Kosher salt
2 organic free-range chicken breasts
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, for seasoning
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 shallot, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper, to taste in dressing
2 avocados
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 heads organic romaine lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
4 oz crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bacon on baking sheet and cook in preheated oven until crisp, about 8 minutes, turning at 4 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on paper towels to collect excess fat. When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon and set aside.

2. Place eggs in pan and cover with cold water and add white vinegar. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Peel and chop eggs and season with kosher salt.

3. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Brush with olive oil. Heat grill pan and grill pan top over medium high heat. Place chicken breasts on grill pan and cover with grill pan top. Grill about 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Slice chicken into strips.

4. To make the dressing: whisk together cider vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper. Toss sliced chicken with 1 Tbsp of dressing in a separate bowl.

5. Remove skin and pits from avocados and dice. Season diced tomatoes with salt.

6. In a large bowl, place dressing on bottom, topped with lettuce.Arrange bacon, eggs, chicken, avocados, tomatoes, and blue cheese in rows on top of lettuce. When ready to serve, toss salad and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

(Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine's recipe on foodnetwork.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Pasture-raised bacon, like all pasture-raised meats, is higher in omega-3 fatty acids compared to conventional meat. They provide protein, and are also one of the best food sources of choline. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins, A,  K and folate, as well as the mineral molybdenum, and is a very good source of fiber, minerals manganese, potassium, copper, and iron, as well as vitamins biotin, B1 (thiamin) and C. Blue cheese is a great source of protein and calcium.

Thyme & Lemon Roasted Chicken

Roasted whole chickens are becoming a staple dinner in our house lately.  Although it takes a bit of time to cook, it is really easy to make and you can pop it in the oven and not have to do anything else to it until you are ready to eat. With the skin removed, this is a healthy and delicious meal (especially paired with lots of vegetables for sides) and makes plenty for a night of leftovers the next day for us.  Stuffing the chicken with fresh thyme, lemon and garlic infuses so much flavor into the meat, and it comes out of the oven very juicy so no unhealthy toppings, like gravy, are needed at all! 

We had a bunch of vegetables in our refrigerator that I needed to use up so we had the roasted carrots that I tossed in with the chicken, as well as some steamed broccoli and roasted red potatoes. To roast the potatoes, I just cut them into 1-inch pieces, seasoned them with a little salt, pepper and olive oil and baked them, uncovered at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Thyme & Lemon Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

Whole organic free range roasting chicken (about 5-6 pounds)
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 large bunch fresh organic thyme
1 lemon, halved
1 whole head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 pound organic carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Olive oil, for tossing with carrots

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Remove giblets and wash chicken, inside and out, and pat dry. Liberally season with salt and pepper, inside and out. Stuff cavity with thyme, both halves of lemon and head of garlic. Brush outside of chicken with canola oil. Place chicken on roasting rack and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck wings under body. Place carrots in bottom of roasting pan and toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place roasting rack with chicken in roasting pan over carrots.

3. Roast chicken, uncovered, in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until juices run clear when cut between leg and thigh. Remove from oven and let rest on a platter, covered with foil, for about 10 minutes before slicing.

(Recipe adapted from Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken recipe on foodnetwork.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Canola oil is the lowest in saturated fat of any oil, and is rich in healthy unsaturated fats. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Leaving the skin on the potatoes adds a good amount of fiber as well. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.

Chicken & Vegetable Lo Mein

This recipe was delicious and my son loved it! I often find that asian-style sauces are too salty or that the soy sauce flavor is a bit too strong.  Using vegetable stock really cut down on the salty/soy sauce flavor, and it could not have tasted better. The original recipe that I followed was for vegetable lo mein, but I added chicken to mine in order to have some protein in our meal. It was very good, and I think that shrimp would be really good in this as well. I could not find lo mein noodles in our grocery store, so I got rice noodles and they were great! Rice noodles soak up whatever sauce they are in, and since this sauce was so good, it made for a very tasty dinner. 

Chicken & Vegetable Lo Mein

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound organic free range chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small package mushrooms, about 2 cups (I used sliced white button mushrooms)

1 pound lo mein or rice noodles (I used rice noodles)

1/2 cup organic vegetable stock

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup organic bell peppers, cut into thin slices

1/2 medium onion, cut into thin slices

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup organic tamari or soy sauce

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to directions on package. If not using right away, run under cold water to stop from cooking.

2. Heat large fry pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4-5 minutes. Add broccoli and broth. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

3. Remove cover and add noodles and tamari. Toss to evenly combine. Cook for about 4 minutes to reduce sauce and heat noodles.

(Recipe adapted from doortodoororganics.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Mushrooms  are an excellent source of minerals selenium and potassium as well vitamins riboflavin, and niacin, and are the only item you will find in the produce section that supplies some vitamin D! Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Onions are rich in quercetin (a type of antioxidant) and vitamin C. 

Thai Chicken Soup

If you are a fan of thai, this soup is right up your alley! It is a nice change from a plain old chicken and vegetable soup and makes a lot so can easily be frozen or eaten as leftovers for a couple of days. The original recipe that I worked from called for a jalapeno pepper, but I decided to leave it out so it wouldn't be too spicy for my 2 year old son, Charlie.  I also put in only a fraction of the fish sauce because I didn't want that flavor to be too strong.  

I made this soup first thing this morning when I got up and let it simmer while I  prepared and ate breakfast with Charlie. I tossed it in the fridge and and just simmered it on the stove to re-heat it at dinner time. This could definitely be made the day before as well. If you haven't gathered from previous posts, pre-making dinner as much as possible is kind of my thing!

Thai Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup organic carrots, finely chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms (I used cremini)
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
1/3 cup organic green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 pound organic free range chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups organic chicken stock
1 can (14oz) organic unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp fish sauce, or to taste
1 cup sugar snap peas, julienned
Salt, to taste
2 limes, one juiced and one cut into wedges for garnishing
Fresh organic cilantro and basil leaves, for garnishing

Directions

1. Heat canola oil in large pot over medium-high heat. 

2. Reduce heat to medium and add green onions, garlic and ginger and cook until softened, about 4 minutes, stirring constantly. 

3. Add carrot, jalapeno (if using), green pepper and mushrooms and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Add chicken, stock, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

5. Add sugar snap peas and lime juice.

6. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, basil and lime wedges.

(Recipe adapted from doortodoororganics.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this soup? Green onions are rich in vitamins A, C and K. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Mushrooms  are an excellent source of minerals selenium and potassium as well vitamins riboflavin, and niacin, and are the only item you will find in the produce section that supplies some vitamin D! Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Coconut milk is abundant in vitamin C and E, as well as several B vitamins. Sugar snap peas are a great source of fiber, as well as folate and vitamins C and K.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breasts

The great thing about this meal is that it is really quick and easy but tastes like something that you would think took a lot more effort - so is a nice week night dinner. I did the prep work for the majority of this meal ahead of time, including pounding out the chicken breasts, mixing together the ingredients for dredging the chicken, cooking the rice, peeling and cutting the carrots, and cutting up the broccoli to be steamed.  Doing some of the work ahead of time takes the stress out dinner time for me, and significantly cuts down on the amount of time I need to cook it right before eating time.

This chicken went very well with wild rice, as well as the roasted carrots and steamed broccoli that I made. It would also be great with a salad, or pretty much any roasted or steamed vegetable. 

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breasts

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound organic free range chicken breasts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp canola oil

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in gallon-sized sealable bag, one at a time, and pound until thin (about 1/4 inch thick).

2. Brush chicken breasts with maple syrup.

3. Place pecans, flour and salt in a shallow bowl and evenly combine. Dredge chicken breasts in pecan mixture until evenly coated.

4. Heat canola oil in large fry pan over medium-high heat. Place coated chicken breasts in pan and cook about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Pecans are a great source of monounsaturated fatty acids and phenolic antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins and minerals manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Wild rice is a good source of protein and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, C and E.