grilled chicken salad with orange segments and dressing

We're not going to talk about how long it's been since I've updated my happy little food blog. It's embarrassing. But I hope you will welcome me back with open arms and empty stomachs!

My husband and I are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle which includes better meals and being more active. Nothing crazy, and we will certainly splurge every once in awhile because I can't live my life without ice cream. But we just want to make healthier choices and move our bodies, if you know what I'm saying. Exercise!

We have been playing tennis, working out and Michael is biking to work and even competing in a bike race next month. We've got a long way to go but we are moving forward, and that's all that matters.

This recipe was one of those moments where I had no clue what to make for dinner. I had chicken defrosted in the fridge and some salad greens, and I didn't really know what else to do. I'm not a huge fan of salads but there are a few elements that make me want to eat them: a warm ingredient (like grilled chicken), sweet dressing and something crunchy.

This salad has a delicious dressing made with fresh orange juice, honey, vinegar and olive oil. It's simple but so tasty and perfect. The crunch comes from homemade tortilla strips.

To segment an orange, you just peel it and run your knife along the side of each membrane. Do this over a bowl to save the juice for the dressing. For detailed instructions, watch this video.

For this salad, I like to dress just the greens and orange segments, not the chicken or tortilla strips. The tortillas will keep their crunch if they aren't covered in dressing.

Enjoy! And lots of hugs for coming back :)

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Grilled Chicken Salad with Orange Segments and Dressing

Serves: 2-3
Jenna Laughs original

For the Salad-
1 bag of pre-washed lettuce (I used butter lettuce but you could use spring mix)
1 large orange peeled and cut into segments (do this over a bowl and save the juice)
2 corn tortillas (the taco size, 6 inch)
1 cup vegetable or canola oil (for frying tortilla strips)
6 chicken tenders
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing-
Juice of one orange (from your segments)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (you could use apple cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut tortillas into strips (about 1/2-1/4 inch) and heat oil in a small saucepan until it reaches about 350 degrees, or when you drop a strip in the oil it starts to bubble around the edges. You don't want it to start browning immediately, then your oil is too hot. Fry your tortillas in small batches, the strips from one tortilla at a time should work. Use tongs to stir them every minute or so, then when they are golden brown remove them from the oil onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Once all tortilla strips are fried, set aside.

Season your chicken tenders with salt and pepper, then saute them in the butter for 3-5 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Set them on a plate to rest while you prepare the salad.

To make the dressing, combine orange juice, honey, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Arrange lettuce on plates, then add the orange segments. Pour half the dressing on each plate and toss the lettuce and orange segments with the dressing. For this salad, I like to just dress the greens and not the chicken or tortillas. Top each salad with half the chicken and tortilla strips. Serve immediately.

(NOTE - Taste the dressing before you put it on the salad, if if tastes too sweet to you add a little more vinegar. If it tastes too acidic, add a little more honey.)

orzo with chicken, asparagus and goat cheese

I love coming up with a pasta dish that doesn't involve opening a jar of pre-made sauce. There is something so satisfying about slicing fresh tomatoes, chopping up garlic and fresh basil.

Cherry tomatoes are delicious and convenient. Just cut them in half and saute for a few minutes in olive oil. They start to soften and break apart, creating a light sauce.

Chicken broth, garlic, fresh basil, asparagus, chicken and goat cheese are added. These flavors are so lovely. The asparagus stays crisp and the goat cheese is ridiculously creamy. I love goat cheese! It has such a strong flavor, you don't need to add a lot to get that delicious flavor and texture. To save even more calories, skip adding the cheese into the sauce and just crumble it on top to serve.

This is so fresh and perfect. We had my sister and her husband over for dinner, and he said it was his favorite meal he's had at our house so far.

Enjoy!

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Orzo with Chicken, Asparagus and Goat Cheese

Serves 4 people

1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
8 stalks of asparagus, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups cooked orzo pasta (follow directions on box)
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional to serve: more chopped fresh basil and crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in an even layer on a cookie sheet or 13 x 9 pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 clove garlic, minced (1/3 of the total garlic) over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick the chicken pieces are, or until cooked all the way through.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced cherry tomatoes and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to soften and break apart. Use a wooden spoon to smash the tomatoes a bit. Lower the heat to medium low, and add garlic. Saute for a few minutes being careful not to burn the garlic. Add chicken broth, asparagus, fresh basil, cooked chicken and goat cheese. Stir until combined and let the asparagus cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. You want the asparagus to maintain the crisp texture, but not be raw. Add cooked orzo and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm with some fresh basil and crumbled goat cheese on top, if desired.

tropical green smoothie (and how to cut up a pineapple)

My husband and I love smoothies. We make them for breakfast almost every morning during the work week because they are such a fast and delicious way to get tons of nutrients in our bodies. Making about 40 smoothies a month requires lots of bananas, frozen fruit, creativity and our killer blender that was given to us as a wedding gift.

I'm always trying to come up with a new smoothie to mix it up a little. This fruit and spinach smoothie has been a constant favorite, so I wanted to make another smoothie that uses spinach (but doesn't taste like spinach).

Fresh pineapple is so incredibly sweet and delicious. It actually blends really well in a smoothie. It's mixed with a banana, plain Greek yogurt, a handful of spinach and a splash of milk. So lovely.

My sister Ashley is taking classes on nutrition. I sent her the recipe for this smoothie and she let me know all the nutritional benefits in each ingredient.

• Pineapple - potassium, calcium, vitamin c. One cup has almost 75% of the manganese (a mineral) you need in one day, which helps your body build strong bones and connective tissue.
• Plain (unsweetened) Yogurt - probiotics (which support healthy digestion), protein and calcium.
• Bananas - potassium, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce ulcers and improve your vision.
  
• Spinach - antioxidants, reduces the risk of cancer, reduces inflammation, improves brain function and immunity.

Isn't that amazing? So drink up!

If the thought of cutting up a fresh pineapple scares you... don't worry! It's so easy. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence here, so if you already know how to do this just skip ahead.

I like to use a really sharp serrated knife for this. Start by chopping off the top and bottom.

Now you have a solid surface to work on. Sit the pineapple upright again, then work your knife down the sides of the pineapple to take the skin off, spinning as you go around.

Cut slices around the core.

Cut the slices into planks, then into smaller pieces.

Now you have the perfect sized pieces to drop into your blender.

You will love this. It's light, fresh and healthy. It tastes nothing like spinach (yay!) just sweet fruit and tangy yogurt.

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Tropical Green Smoothie

Makes 1 smoothie

1 medium ripe banana
1/2 cup fresh pineapple cubes
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup spinach (large handful)
1/2 cup ice (3 to 4 ice cubes)
Splash of milk

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk if you need to thin it out, or more ice if it needs to be thicker.

low-fat chocolate chip banana muffins

I'm looking back on this title and trying to figure out why I hyphenated "low-fat" but not the rest of it. One of life's greatest mysteries.

Also, hello everyone! I am back from hibernation.

I could go on and on about why I haven't blogged in a few weeks, but you already know. I've been busy. Actually there are no words for just how busy I've been. There have been a few weekend trips to New Jersey for weddings, home renovation stuff, working, wedding planning, a grandmother in the hospital, making time for my sweet nephew, trying to remember I have a life...

And now here I am with a banner that still says "August" when it's October. And somehow I haven't lost any followers, which means you are all awesome. There are also no words for just how amazing you are.

Thanks for sticking with me. I keep telling Michael after we get married in January and the wedding planning is done, the honeymoon is over, and our home renovation is mostly done (in theory), we are going to be so bored. I can't wait.

These muffins are SO GOOD. I just started Weight Watchers last week. I was convinced by my sister who lost almost 40 pounds since her baby was born 2 months ago. Amazing!

I found this muffin recipe on a Weight Watchers friendly blog called Skinny Taste. They only have 5 points (or 170 calories) each. Instead of oil and a stick of butter, you use mashed bananas and applesauce. Beauitful for my tongue and my waistline.

They have a very strong banana flavor, but all you smell is chocolate while you're eating them. It's so divine.

Here is the recipe:

Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 ripe medium sized bananas, mashed
1/4 cup natural unsweetened apple sauce
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (I used 70%)

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a muffin tin with 12 liners.

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg whites, bananas, apple sauce, vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture to bananas, then blend at low speed until combined; do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips and pour batter into muffin tins.

Bake on the center rack for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few crumbs.

(recipe adapted from SkinnyTaste)

waldorf chicken salad

I finally found some time in the kitchen this weekend, when Michael and I took a much needed day off from our renovation project. Sunday was a glorious day spent sleeping in, lounging around, getting laundry done (finally), planning meals for the week, going grocery shopping and cooking. A normal day for once! It's a beautiful thing.

I've been focusing on healthy meals that give me lots of energy to tackle projects like de-greasing an entire kitchen.

 This Waldorf Chicken Salad is full of nutrients from walnuts, granny smith apples, grapes and celery. Those lovely ingredients are paired with grilled chicken and tossed in a very light mayonnaise dressing. It's the cool thing to do.

Start with cooked, cubed chicken... about 3 boneless, skinless breasts.

Chop up walnuts, a granny smith apple, grapes and celery. The best way I've found to finely mince celery is to first slice it length-wise into several pieces, then chop it up.

Bowl full of goodness.

Then I mixed up a light mayo/vinegar dressing and tossed the whole thing together.

It tastes so fresh and healthy, with the chunks of fruit and nuts. It's a very complex combination of flavors and textures - slightly sweet, nutty, crunchy, creamy...

I'm enjoying it for lunch at work this week, over lettuce. It makes a beautiful salad.

And hopefully it gives me lots of energy. We plan on painting our kitchen this week! Good-bye pink paint!

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Waldorf Chicken Salad

4 cups cooked, cubed chicken (about 3 large breasts)
1/4 cup minced celery (about 2-3 stalks)
1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped grapes (red or green is fine)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
Dash salt, pepper

Combine chicken, celery, apple, grapes and walnuts in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper (to taste). Pour dressing over chicken mixture and combine. It's that easy! Serve chilled over lettuce.


Serves: 5-6

grilled flank steak salad with cilantro lime dressing

My bride-to-be diet involves a lot of salads. It's about 9 months until my wedding and I have been avoiding dress shopping like the plague. But I'm a few pounds  lighter now and made an appointment at a bridal boutique in 4 weeks. Yikes! Where is Jillian Michaels when I need her?

I've mostly been working on cutting back the sugar (this is difficult for me) and just doing what I can to make better, healthier choices. Nothing crazy.

By the way, please never take diet advice from people. One time someone told me, "You should do the hummus diet. I ate nothing but hummus for 2 weeks and lost so much weight!"

Umm... yea. Just listen to your body. I know it's not telling you to only eat hummus for 2 weeks.

My body is tired from the exercise I've been doing (or trying to), so it's been craving vegetables and protein. This salad fills the craving, plus it's so flavorful you won't even miss the pasta.

I took a flank steak, punctured both sides with a fork to tenderize it, and then let it soak for an hour in lime juice, honey, vinegar and lots of garlic. It was so fresh, bright and full of flavor.

I served the yummy, juicy steak over a salad tossed in a homemade dressing. I combined lime juice, honey, dijon mustard, olive oil and tons of fresh cilantro. It's so great served with this steak, they compliment each other well since the ingredients are similar. The fresh lime flavor really stands out in this dressing, which tastes slightly sweet.

Last week, Michael and I played tennis for the first time this year. We love playing tennis together and it's a great way to get exercise. Please don't judge us. I swear we aren't country club going, sweater-over-the-shoulder wearing, pretentious folk. It's more like a Serena Williams thing. You understand.

So playing tennis that day revealed to both of us how incredibly out of shape we are. I am 23 and Michael is 29... but we felt 90 years old after 30 minutes of hitting a tennis ball back and forth.

You might be seeing some more healthy stuff on this blog for awhile... but I can't resist the sweet stuff sometimes. A girl's gotta indulge herself from time to time. I think I will be making a lot of these.

I hope you enjoy this salad!

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Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

print this recipe

For the salad:
1 1/2 pound flank steak
Lettuce greens
Tomatoes

For the marinade:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juice and zest
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper

For the salad dressing:
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl, whisk together. Take the flank steak out of wrapping and puncture both sides with a fork repeatedly to tenderize. Place steak in a gallon baggy and pour marinade over it. Shake it around until the steak is coated with marinade, and put it in the fridge for 40 minutes to an hour, but no longer.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. When the steak is ready to cook, place it in a screaming hot oven-safe skillet over high heat coated with oil to sear. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until a crust forms. Place skillet in the oven at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 145 to 150 degrees.

Let the steak sit after cooking to let the juices redistribute. While the steak is resting, combine all the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Make salad out of lettuce greens and tomatoes. Pour dressing over salad, to taste.

Cut the flank steak on a slight angle into thin slices. Place steak slices over salad to serve.

Serves: 4

mediterranean turkey burgers with homemade tzatziki

Spring is here and Summer is just around the corner. It reminds me of barbecues, grilling burgers, corn on the cob and watermelon. You wouldn't be able to tell that from our 30 degree weather here in Delaware, but the fact that it's March 28 means it's Spring for real.

I love these turkey burgers. They are full of delicious Mediterranean flavors like garlic and feta cheese. Top it all off with a super easy tzatziki sauce, which is made with plain Greek yogurt and cucumbers. Fresh, clean flavors.

Start by making the burgers. I used extra lean ground turkey for this because homegirl is going to be a bride soon. Understand?

Shape the meat into equal sized patties and grill them to your liking. Of course we are all dreaming of outside grilling, but the 30 degree weather kept me inside for these. Still delicious, though.

I used a regular, seeded cucumber for the sauce. Just use a small spoon to scrape the seeds out of each half. Then chop it up into tiny pieces.

This sauce is different. It's tangy and thick and fresh. If you've already tasted tzatziki you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't tasted it, you should try it! It's cool, literally. A cold sauce bursting with bright, fresh cucumbers.

I also baked up a batch of oven fries. Just chop up a few potatoes, toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, then bake at 375 for at least 40 minutes, depending on how large your slices are.

Make sure you toast whatever hamburger buns you use. It adds a delicious texture to this burger.

If you're looking for something easy, delicious and different to make for dinner, try these!

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Mediterranean Turkey Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki

print this recipe

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound extra lean ground turkey breast
1 egg
Cooking Spray
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup finely chopped, peeled and seeded cucumber
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine first 8 ingredients (breadcrumbs through egg) in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands then shape into 4 equal sized patties. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan and cook 6-8 minutes on each side or until done. Place patties on a plate to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Toast hamburger buns in the same skillet for a few minutes until golden brown.

Peel cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scrape the seeds and discard seeds. Chop cucumber into small pieces. Combine with yogurt, salt and pepper. Put a few tablespoons of sauce on the top of each bun, place on top of burger. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

north woods bean and spinach soup

As I'm typing this, I can hear the rain pounding against my window. It's been raining all day here in Delaware. I don't hate it, honestly. Rainy days are lovely. They make me want to sit in a warm house, curled up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea, watching the rain fall outside.

It also makes me want to make soup. Cliche, right? Guilty. But there is nothing that warms you up better on a rainy day than a big pot of hearty soup.

This soup is delicious. It's full of smoky kielbasa, white beans, vegetables and spinach. Half of it gets pureed than added back in the pot to give it a thick consistency.

I grated fresh Parmesan on top to give it a nutty bite. All in all, this soup is so earthy and wholesome.

Chop up a bunch of vegetables and get them cooking in a large dutch oven.

I used turkey kielbasa. It has a wonderful flavor - tastes kind of like sausage but not really... maybe sort of like hot dogs... but not really... it tastes like kielbasa. You can thank Poland for this.

I ended up chopping those pieces in half and it was a good size for the soup.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - ya gotta drain and rinse yo beans.

Everything gets put in the pot to cook. Then you add chicken broth and seasonings. I used a measuring cup to measure 3 cups worth of soup to puree in a food processor. Add that mixture back to the pot with a few handfuls of spinach.

After heating through, you have a beautiful soup.

I am sending bright, sunny days your way. And if it doesn't work... just make this soup.

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North Woods Bean and Spinach Soup


print this recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 whole red bell pepper, chopped
7 ounces turkey kielbasa
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 (15.5 oz) cans Northern Beans (White Beans)
1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach

Heat a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and chopped vegetables. Stir. Chop kielbasa into 1/2 inch cubes and add to pot. Let cook for 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add broth, salt, pepper, sage, chili powder and beans. Stir and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 3 cups of soup in a food processor or blender, process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan and simmer 5 more minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add spinach and stir to wilt.

Serves: 5

Recipe adapted from: Cooking Light Dinner Tonight Cookbook

grapefruit honey yogurt cake

Don't run away screaming from the title - this cake is so delicious and different. I have about 47 grapefruits in my kitchen right now and wanted to figure out an interesting way to use them, so I baked a grapefruit cake.

It really is the best solution for an abundance of fruit in your house. I mean, forget about just eating it plain to get full nutritional value or beating it up in a blender to make smoothies. Add flour, sugar, eggs and bake this cake.

I'm just kidding. I love smoothies.

There is no oil or butter in this recipe and hardly any sugar. You can totally feel good about eating this - it's loaded with yogurt and grapefruit juice.

It was so fragrant in the kitchen while I was baking. Such a beautiful, fresh scent to enjoy while drooling over this cake batter.

Zest a whole grapefruit, being careful to avoid the bitter white part.

Pour sugar over the zest and mash it up with a spoon or your hands until the oils in the zest break up into the sugar. Now you magically have grapefruit sugar!

Grapefruit sugar can be used for many things. Things like... okay... I can't think of anything right now. But I'm sure it could be useful, right?

Well we are going to use it in this cake.

After it bakes, let it cool for 10 minutes or so. It's a different texture, slightly chewy like a sponge cake. I drizzled some honey over my slice to add some sweetness.

It isn't very sweet, so if you're looking for sweet fried dough pastry muffin covered in sweet syrupy maple glaze - this is not the cake for you. But if you want to try something different, light and fresh - take a few minutes to bake this grapefruit honey yogurt cake.

Here's the recipe!

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Grapefruit Honey Yogurt Cake

print this recipe

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light vanilla yogurt (about 2 little containers)
2 tablespoons grapefruit zest
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square baking dish and line with wax or parchment paper. On a cutting board, mash together grapefruit zest and sugar until combined, releasing its oils and becoming very fragrant.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and grapefruit sugar until combined. Add yogurt, grapefruit juice and honey. Stir well to combine. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, carefully stirring to combine.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean with a few crumbs. Run a knife around the edge to release the cake and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with honey for extra sweetness.