chicken fajitas and gazpacho salad

Easy: ****
Tasty: ****1/2

This is one of the easiest meals I've made in a long time. Not too much prep work, quick and easy cooking, and tons of flavor and texture. I started by making guacamole so it could chill in the fridge while I made the rest. I also made some white rice and black beans, and had sour cream and shredded cheese to top the fajitas.

Gazpacho Salad

1/2 seedless cucumber or 1 whole regular cucumber
2 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded
1 green bell pepper, seeded
1/2 red onion, peeled
4 ribs celery
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, onion and celery into bite-sized chunks. Combine vegetables in a bowl. Sprinkle cilantro over the vegetables. Combine vinegar, lime juice and hot sauce in a small bowl. Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream until it doesn't separate. Pour dressing down over the salad and toss. Season salad with salt and pepper.

(adapted from 30 Minute Meals)


Chicken Fajitas

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1/2-inch strips
1/2 red onion, cut in strips
1 bell pepper, cut in strips
1/4 cup water
1 package fajita seasoning
Flour tortillas

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken strips; cook and stir until lightly browned. Remove from skillet.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet. Add water and seasoning mix; cook and stir 3 minutes or until heated through.

Spoon into warm tortillas. Top with guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cheese (and any other toppings you want!) and serve with a side of black beans & rice and gazpacho salad!

(adapted from McCormick Fajita Seasoning)

middle eastern chicken sloppy joes

Easy: ****1/2
Tasty: *****

I came across this recipe in the low-fat section of the Food Network website. I couldn't find any ground chicken, so I used ground turkey. As a side, I whipped up a chicken-vegetable cous cous. You can use a box mix, but the sodium content is through the roof, and it's really easy to make it yourself!

A delicious way to eat healthy!

Middle Eastern Chicken Sloppy Joe

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts separate), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 pound lean ground chicken
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 (4-inch) whole wheat pitas with pockets, tops trimmed and warmed

Suggested servings: sliced tomato and cucumbers

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the scallion whites, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato, and raisins, and cook over high heat until mixture is almost dry, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken and cook stirring until meat is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the green part of the scallions, yogurt, and pine nuts. Serve mixture stuffed into warm pita with tomato slices and cucumber slices.

(adapted from The Food Network)


Chicken-Vegetable Cous Cous

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely shredded
1 celery stalk, finely shredded
1 cup chicken stock or broth (low sodium works great)
1 tsp turmeric
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup plain cous cous

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Lightly saute onion, carrot, and celery, just until softened. Add chicken stock, turmeric, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in cous-cous; cover; remove from heat; let sit 7 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

This would also be nice with finely chopped mushrooms and flat-leaf parsley.

Enjoy!