Raspberry & Grilled Chicken Salad {with Roasted Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette}

Hubby and I absolutely love our summers here in the northwest! One of our favorite things about it is picking fresh fruit from the local farms around our area, and berry season is an extra-special treat.

Unfortunately, due to vacation, company, and a generally busy schedule, we discovered that we had completely missed strawberry season! I am really disappointed because I like to freeze 10 lb. or so to have on hand for our Sunday night smoothies!

We were also sad to find out when we arrived on the bluff that a poorly timed hail storm had ruined many of the season's cherries! We managed to find some good ones amidst the splitting and small fruit, but I'm sure it's a blow to the farmers!

However, even in the bad news, there was a bright spot- raspberries!

We spent an hour or so in 90+ degree weather to glean these beauties, but they were worth it! I think I had forgotten how much I enjoy a good raspberry.

So, inspired by our bountiful supply of sweet and tangy berries, I decided to adapt Closet Cooking's recipe for a bright strawberry salad into a raspberry salad! It did not disappoint! The rich combination of goat cheese, pecans and bacon topped with succulent grilled chicken was perfectly complimented by the acidic bite of the beautifully pink roasted raspberry balsamic vinaigrette.

Tip: If you're tempted to skip making your own dressing in favor of a pre-made balsamic vinaigrette- don't! It only takes a few extra minutes, and it's well worth your time!

Raspberry & Grilled Chicken Salad

(printable version)

inspired by Closet Cooking

serves 4

For Salad:

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 cup roasted raspberry vinaigrette, divided (recipe follows)

5 cups fresh baby spinach

2 cups fresh raspberries

4 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup pecans

Place the chicken and 1/2 cup of the dressing in a large ziploc bag and marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Heat the grill to medium heat and brush lightly with oil. Grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees (7-8 min. per side).

Meanwhile, prepare salad. Toss spinach with raspberries, bacon, goat cheese, and pecans. Dress salad now, or serve dressing on the side if you prefer. When chicken is done, slice thinly and place on top of individual servings.

For dressing (makes 1 cup):

1 cup raspberries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 TB dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Place raspberries in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and lightly greased with cooking spray. Roast about 10 min., watching carefully so as not to burn berries. Allow to cool slightly.

Puree all ingredients, including roasted raspberries, in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding more oil or vinegar as needed if dressing is too thick. Store in the refrigerator.

{Copycat} Red Robin Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Salad

Hubby and I enjoy date nights about twice a month, and one of our favorite locales for a more casual night out is Red Robin. Known for their gourmet burgers, onion rings and thick shakes, they also boast quite a variety of alternate entrees- such as some stellar mouth-watering salads, sandwiches and wraps. 

You might be familiar with the Whiskey River BBQ trio- the burger, the chicken burger, and the wrap-, but have you met the latest addition to the family? 

Several months ago I tried the new Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Salad- and fell in love. 

I quickly made a note of all the ingredients on my smartphone so I could try to recreate it at home- and finally, I have! 

If you haven't tried it at Red Robin yet, I encourage you to do so- but I'm also thrilled to bring you the easy, cheaper, customizable DIY edition! 

I think my favorite thing about this southwest salad is that it's just fun to eat! Every bite is an adventure- there are so many ingredients, you just never know what's going to be in your next forkful! It pops with color, flavor, and texture, featuring black beans, grilled corn, jicama, and much more!

Tip: I had never worked with jicama before, but I discovered that if you slice it too early, it will dry out!

Note: I didn't even try to replicate Red Robin's secret Whiskey River BBQ Sauce- I have my own favorite! I highly recommend Sweet Baby Ray's (oh, and I really do love it...not getting paid for this product placement)! :)

Copycat Red Robin Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Salad

(printable version)

by Jenn

serves about 4

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves

2 ears sweet corn, husks intact, silk removed

3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

3 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 of a medium jicama, peeled and chopped into 1/2 in. cubes

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup French fried onions

1 cup slightly crumbled tortilla chips

1/4 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce, divided

1 avocado, sliced

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken 15-20 min., turning once, or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. Meanwhile, grill corn in husks 15 min., turning every 5 min. (For a great tutorial on grilled corn, click here). During last 5 min. of grilling, brush chicken with about a 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce.

While chicken and corn are grilling, prepare salad ingredients. Toss romaine and iceberg together.

When corn is finished grilling and has cooled slightly, slice the kernels off of the cob (this works best in a bowl with the cob standing vertically!). 

Slice slightly cooled chicken thinly.

Assemble salad ingredients on individual plates as you like, though I suggest ending each serving with a drizzle of the ranch dressing, followed by the sliced chicken, a drizzle of BBQ sauce, and garnished with a few avocado slices.

Enjoy your "night out" at home!

Greek Nachos

So you know those ooey gooey, greasy, not-so-good-for-you, covered-in-fakey-processed-cheese-but-still-somehow-tasty, all-American, football game nachos?

Well, this...

This is not that.

This is light, colorful, and bursting with the zing of fresh mint and lemon!

When I first ran across this recipe on Pinterst it intrigued me as being incredibly creative- basically it's just a deconstructed gyro, but how fun to make a play on nachos! Everybody loves nachos! And what could be better than giving them a healthy Greek twist?

Oh, and we affectionately dubbed these "Grachos".

Just so you know.

Tip: If you have some extra time and you want to get all fancy, start by making your own pitas, then slice them into wedges and toast in the oven!

Greek Nachos

(printable version)

adapted from Mark Bittman's recipe in The New York Times

serves about 4

Plain or flavored pita chips (we like Athenos Original)

1/2 lb. ground beef (or lamb)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 TB ground cumin

4 TB olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

4 oz. feta cheese

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

zest and juice from one lemon

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup of pitted, sliced kalamata olives

Heat a skillet and 2 TB of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef (or lamb) and cumin and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until meat is cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine feta cheese, yogurt, remaining 2 TB olive oil, mint and zest and juice of lemon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Blend or process until smooth.
Put chips on a serving plate and layer with meat mixture, feta sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives.

Enjoy!

Food for a Fortnight

Soooo....

It's been a long time since I've written! Between company, vacation and typical summer spontaneousness, my blogging is all out of whack. But I am managing to bring you the menu!

Do you like my new title? I was trying to come up with something clever since I'm transitioning from making monthly menus to bi-weekly ones. We'll see how it goes!

Week 1 (July 16-21)

Tuesday
Hawaiian Grilled Chicken with Rice & Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Wednesday

Greek Nachos

Thursday

Copycat Red Robin Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Salad

Friday

Strawberry-Balsamic Bacon Pizza

Saturday

Out

Sunday

Fried Egg Sandwiches and Smoothies

Week 2 (July 23-28)

Tuesday
Tacos
Wednesday

Slow Cooker Black Bean, Spinach & Corn Enchiladas with Spanish Rice

Thursday

Strawberry & Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Strawberry Vinaigrette

Friday

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

Saturday

Lemon Belgian Waffles with Blueberry Syrup

Sunday

Fried Egg Sandwiches and Smoothies

Bacon, Cheddar & Kale Frittata

So a couple of months ago I discovered the frittata. Oh, and what a delicious discovery it was!

It also opened the door of my imagination to a whole world of possible frittatas. How easy would it be to swap out the asparagus for some other vegetable? The Gruyere for a different delectable cheese?

Then I woke up one morning fantasizing about the combination of quality bacon with some sauteed kale (both of which happened to be hanging around in our fridge). Let me tell you, it was a winning idea.

I mean really, how can you possibly err when you saute kale and onions in bacon fat? And toss in some unbelievably bright farm fresh eggs. And Tillamook cheddar. I mean, really.

Bacon, Cheddar & Kale Frittata

(printable version)

inspired by Tracy's Culinary Adventures

serves 6

12 large eggs

3 TB half & half

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 slices bacon

1/2 medium onion, diced

4 cups chopped kale

1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, depending on preference

Preheat oven to 400.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half & half, salt and pepper until combined.

In a non-stick, oven safe skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Reserve about 1 TB of bacon grease in pan. When drained, chop or crumble bacon and set aside.

Add onions and saute 1-2 min. Add kale and continue sauteing until kale is wilted, about 3-4 min.

Stir cheese and bacon into egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into the skillet with the onions and kale and cook, using a rubber spatula to stir and scrape the bottom. Large curds will begin to form after about 2 min. but the eggs should still be quite wet. Shake the skillet to distribute eggs evenly then allow to cook for 30 seconds without stirring- this will set the bottom.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake about 10 min. If the frittata is set but just slightly wet and runny when you cut into it, it is done. 

Remove from oven and let stand 5 min. Loosen edges with spatula, then slide it out of the pan, cut into wedges and serve.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Sometimes when that afternoon slump hits, you just need to be able to grab something small and quick to keep you going, don't you?

And sometimes you just need that little something to get you through your work out.

Or pick you up off the floor after it.

Ha. Not like that's ever happened to me...

Anyway, whether you're slumping or lying on the floor, these little bouncy balls full of energy-boosting nutrients will have you up in no time! And besides that, they taste like almost good enough to be dessert!

The variations you can make are endless, but my version is, of course, chocolate and peanut butter centered. You can use any kind of chocolate you like, but I think dark chocolate is a great choice, not only because it's rich and delicious, but because the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you! I also incorporate my favorite peanut butter, Simply Jif, which has 1/3 less sugar than the regular variety. Less sweet, more PEANUTTY. How can that be wrong?

Experiment and let me know if you find any other fantabulous flavors!!

Note: Keep in mind that while these snack bites are healthy, they are not a low calorie treat. Just one is roughly 80-90 calories, so eat sparingly if you're going for health benefits!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

(printable version)

inspired by Gimme Some Oven

makes around 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups old fashioned dry oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

3 TB cocoa powder

1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate of your choice!)

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. 

Let chill in refrigerator about a half and hour.

Shape into balls of desired size (1-1/2 in. balls will yield about 2 doz.). 

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Healthy Cinnamon Banana Pancakes

So I think I told you in my last post that Hubby and I are on a bit of a "get healthy" kick. We've shed a few pounds between us so far and it feels great! I'm loving these sunny days because I really enjoy getting on my bike in the morning and riding along the river, listening to my audiobook (right now I'm working my way through Dickens classics!) and drinking in the scenery. 

One thing about getting in shape, however, is the need to give up some things. I'm not a big fan of dieting- I prefer simply eating variety and in moderation. But when you're trying to lose weight, staying away from a lot of sugars and unhealthy fats is pretty key. So I'm trying to practice saying no...

No to sugar in my tea. No to more than one cookie. No to hot cocoa. No to seconds. No to soda. Saying no can get old, so I was excited to find that I didn't have to say no to our typical Monday "big breakfast"! 

Monday is Hubby's day off, so we usually like to make something a little different than our weekday routine, such as pancakes or waffles. In the effort to use up a few fast-ripening bananas, I came across this fabulous recipe on Pinterest!

It uses all whole wheat flour, hardly any sugar and no oils at all and the best part is the pancakes totally melt in your mouth. I couldn't believe how delicious they were, considering I'm not normally a big fan of banana flavored treats. Hubby had his with a little syrup, but I sampled them with a light smear of peanut butter. I can hardly eat a banana without a spoonful of peanut butter, so why not? It was a perfect pairing. This breakfast sure tasted indulgent, but it was nice to know it wasn't!

Healthy Cinnamon Banana Pancakes

(printable version)

adapted from Big Oven

makes 8-10 pancakes

2 TB sugar

1/2 tsp molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1 cup water

2 TB unsweetened applesauce

2 large, very ripe bananas, finely chopped

1 cup whole wheat flour

 1 tsp baking powder

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, molasses, salt, cinnamon, egg, water, applesauce & bananas, whisking until pretty smooth (bananas will be chunky).

Add flour and baking powder and mix in gently until just combined (stirring too much will make pancakes tough).

Heat a large pan or griddle to med-high heat and grease with non-stick cooking spray or a small amount of butter or oil.

Using a 1/4 cup measurement, pour batter onto hot pan. Cook 2-3 min. or until pancakes are no longer glossy on top and bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook another 1-2 min. Keep warm while repeating with remaining batter.

Serve with butter, syrup, peanut butter, additional fresh bananas or other toppings of your choice!