Crispy Creamy Southwest Chicken Burrito

Makes 6-8 Burritos
Adapted from the Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 red pepper, diced
1/4 green pepper, diced
1 cup rice, cooked
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cups cheddar cheese (Mexican would probably be good too!)
Burrito Size Tortillas
Sour Cream


Instructions
Mix the rice with the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and onion powder in a large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients except the sour cream and cheese.
Turn your panini press on medium high - high and spray with cooking spray.  If you dont have a panini press, use a skillet.
On each tortilla, spread about a tablespoon of sour cream, and cover with cheese.
Fill with the chicken mixture, and wrap up tightly.
Put on the panini press, or in the skillet flap side down first.  If on a skillet, press down with a spatula (and turn once golden brown).
Repeat with each burrito.

My review:  These were delicious and we have put it on our "rotation list" as one of our favorites.  I made the filling one night, and we had these at least 3 different nights, without getting tired of them!  They are delicious and creamy and crispy and wonderful.  Also a plus, they are HEALTHY!

Tortellini Spinach Salad

 

20 oz package cheese tortellini, refrigerated

1 can quartered artichokes

1 package fresh baby spinach, washed

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup diced red onion

(1-2 cups chicken or steak, grilled) optional

Mix all ingredients together and toss.  Serve with a delicious vinaigrette.

My review:  This was yummy!  I loved the combination of salad and pasta.  Very good made as a meal with the addition of the meat, but also great as a side without it!

Corn Salad

10 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp basil leaves, dried
1 tsp garlic powder

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  When boiling, add 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp vinegar.  Add the 10 ears of corn to the water and bring to a rolling boil.  Cover the pot, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes, covered.  Remove from the pot to cool.  Once cooled, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels into a medium bowl with all the other ingredients, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.  Add additional salt and pepper if you want. 

My review:  This is delicious!  So summery and fun, and pretty!  It tastes amazing.  I actually put mine on top of romaine lettuce as a salad, and it was a delicious lunch.  It's also good for a summer picnic side.

Greek Salad

All week long, I wanted a greek salad!  So when it came time to make dinner Saturday night, I knew I had to have a greek salad as a starter.

1 bag romaine lettuce

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 tomato, diced into large pieces

1/2 cucumber, sliced and then quartered

Feta Cheese, as desired

Black Olives, if desired (you don't see them here because I don't like them!)

Greek Vinaigrette dressing (Gazebo Room Lite is my favorite!  It also makes a great steak marinade...)

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and enjoy!  A great summer meal when you add a little bit of chicken!

My review:  Yum!  We paired this with some grilled filet mignon, and baked potato casserole. 

Frosty Fruit Salad

2 large Gala apples, cubed
2 large firm bananas, sliced thick
2 tsp lemon juice (use fresh squeezed, not the bottled stuff!)
1 (6oz) fat free sugar free raspberry or strawberry yogurt
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sunflower kernels

Combine the apples and bananas in a large bowl.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss to coat.
Stir in the yogurt, raisins, and sunflower kernels.
Serve immediately.
This only stores about a day or two in the fridge.  Try to eat as soon as possible.

My review:  This is yummy!  It would be a great hit at a brunch!  The yogurt gives a great flavor.  I wish it lasted longer in the fridge, but unfortunately it turns brown after about a day.

Lemon Feta Chicken Breasts

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Juice from one lemon
2 tsp garlic salt
3 tsp oregano
Fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup fat free feta cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Mix together the lemon juice, garlic salt, and oregano. 
Place chicken breasts in a baking dish.
Pour flavor mixture over top of the chicken.
Bake for 35 minutes, until the chicken juices run clear.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta.
Broil on low for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is soft and melty.

My review:  This was really good.  The flavors all mixed together well, and was very Mediterranean.  I had mine with an ear of corn, but it would also be good with some rice or pasta, or just some veggies with hummus.  Yum!

Baked Bananas

This is like a lighter version of Bananas Foster, that gets all rich and buttery tasting, but contains no butter, and is very lowfat!

2 ripe bananas (they should be starting to get black speckles)
4 tsp honey
Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut bananas in half lengthwise.
Place in an oven safe dish.
Pour the honey over the bananas, and then sprinkle with cinnamon.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or in crepes.  Tastes just like bananas foster!

My review:  These were delicious!  I was looking for a way to use my over ripened bananas, and this was great.  I had mine with a scoop of frozen lowfat Cool Whip, but would like to try them in a sweet crepe, with some ice cream on the side.

Spanokopita Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I am on such a Greek food kick right now.  The filling for these chicken breasts is inspired by Spanokopita, which is a Greek pie, with spinach, onions, and cheese.   It's yummy!  I served it with a version of my Tuscan Marinated Mushrooms, but used Greek salad dressing instead.

Serves 2.

5 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and juice squeezed out  (1/2 of a 10 oz package
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup fat free Feta cheese
1/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 chicken breasts, pounded flat
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Heat the oil in small skillet.  Add the onions and garlic.  Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the spinach, parsley, salt and pepper, and let cook for another 2 minutes.
Take off the heat, and add in the feta and ricotta cheeses.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board.  Put half the spinach mixture on one end each chicken breast, and roll up, securing with 2-3 toothpicks.
Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.
Put the seasoned breadcrumbs in another small bowl.
Dip each chicken breast in the egg wash, and then into the breadcrumbs, covering completely.
Place each chicken breast on a greased (I used PAM) cookie sheet, and bake for 30 minutes.

My review:  This was absolutely delicious, and easy to prepare.  I did everything up to securing the chicken breasts with toothpicks the night before.  Then, all I had to do was dip in egg and breadcrumbs, and bake!  It was a delicious meal that I will definitely make again.  Another plus is that it's very low fat.  The original recipe was a weight watcher recipe, but I took out some extra items that weren't necessary for the full flavor, and helped my grocery bill be a bit smaller!