Monday, May 28, 2012

Strawberry-Lime Colada (Sugar-Free)

Prep Time: Easy

This delicious smoothie was inspired by what I found when I was cleaning out the fridge this afternoon—both the lime juice and the coconut milk had been pushed to the back of the fridge, next to each other. I decided to throw them into the blender with some strawberries and honey, and the result was even better than I'd expected! We will definitely be making this easy and healthy dessert again.

1 can coconut milk, chilled
1/3 cup lime juice
3 T honey
1/3 cup water
8-10 frozen strawberries
Ice if needed

Combine all ingredients in a blender. The measurements are approximations, so feel free to taste it and add more of something if it needs it. Enjoy this delicious, healthy treat!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Baked Chicken & Spinach Flautas




Prep time: Medium (mostly because they are time-consuming to roll)

This is one of the great recipes I've found on Pinterest. We had these for dinner last night and loved them! We'll definitely be introducing this into our rotation. 

I made a number of changes to the original recipe, for various reasons (making it alcohol free and a little easier to assemble, as well as using the ingredients I had on hand). I also did about twice the amount of filling recommended, so that we'd have enough for leftovers. It made enough for about 4 adults.

2 large chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken broth
5 or 6 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped or torn into smallish pieces
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarse salt (or about 3/4 tsp regular salt)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
Another 1/4 cup chicken broth
About 2 cups grated mozzarella or monterey jack cheese
10 8" soft taco sized flour tortillas (I'd also like to try this with my homemade tortillas, which are about 6")
Olive oil

Put chicken breasts and first 1/2 cup broth in a medium saucepan; fill with enough extra water to cover the chicken by about 2 inches. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. 

Once chicken is cooked, preheat oven to 450. Grease a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan with cooking spray. Shred chicken (for a super easy and fun way to do this, see this link! I love Pinterest!). Mix together spinach, peppers, chicken, spices, and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth together. Cut tortillas in half. Spoon a bit of the filling onto each tortilla half and top with cheese; roll them up starting from the flat side (I found it helpful to tuck the corners in before I rolled it up as well, although it's not quite as authentic!) and tuck them together, roll-side down, on the cookie sheet. We also have used this recipe with whole tortillas, which makes them more chimichanga-style but is a little easier to prepare. Brush tops with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes at 450, then use tongs to turn flautas over and cook for 10 more minutes on the other side (or until the exposed sides are a dark golden-brown). Serve hot, with salsa if desired.